MLB Baseball 3 Days

Last updated: July 23, 2026, 5:31 AM ET

AL East Powerhouses and Struggles

The Boston Red Sox to 14 games with a 6-1 victory over the Rays on Sunday, building on their 13-game run that saw them beat the Rays again. Caleb Durbin's clutch eighth-inning homer over the Green Monster proved to be the difference. The Red Sox's season may be turning around, as they are now playoff hopefuls. On the other hand, the Baltimore Orioles placed All-Star catcher Adley Rutschman on the injured list Monday due to left wrist inflammation, and rookie catcher Samuel Basallo. The Toronto Blue Jays lost a legend with the passing of Duane Ward, who during their back-to-back World Series titles in the early 1990s, at the age of.

AL Central Shakeups and Injuries

Cleveland saw All-Star third baseman José Ramírez activated from the injured list Wednesday after a five-week absence for left hand surgery. The Guardians showcased their dormant power by in a 13-4 rout of the Twins, a significant improvement for a team that entered the game with the third-fewest homers in the majors. The Detroit Tigers placed right-hander Jack Flaherty on the 15-day injured list Tuesday with right flexor inflammation. The Minnesota Twins activated All-Star outfielder Byron Buxton, who is sixth in the majors with 25 home runs, after he missed nine games with a right hip strain.

AL West Outlook and IL News

Kansas City Royals shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. landed on the injured list for the first time in his career with lower back tightness, and also exited Monday's game with the same issue. Salvador Perez tied George Brett's Royals franchise record with his 317th career home run on Wednesday to tie the club record. The Oakland Athletics placed right-hander J.T. Ginn on the 15-day injured list with a blister on his pitching hand due to the injury, and rookie infielder Joshua Kuroda-Grauer for a ruptured testicle after being hit by a foul ball. The Texas Rangers had leading hitter Josh Jung leave Tuesday night's game with left calf tightness.

NL East Standings and Player Milestones

The Philadelphia Phillies blew a potential rally after J.T. Realmuto's baserunning mistake in Tuesday's 2-1 loss to the Dodgers as the mistake occurred. The Atlanta Braves catcher Drake Baldwin, returning from an oblique injury, had a career-best 5-for-5 performance, including two home runs, in an 8-5 victory. The New York Mets activated outfielder Luis Robert Jr. from the injured list after he missed nearly three months with a back issue. The Pittsburgh Pirates rookie Esmerlyn Valdez continues to impress, now holding at least 12 homers and 31 RBIs in his first 31 games, making him the fourth player in major league history to achieve this mark.

NL Central Contenders and Player News

The Milwaukee Brewers are monitoring pitcher Jacob Misiorowski's workload after he in Monday's win over the Mets, his first appearance since July 7. Chicago Cubs reliever Trent Thornton is considered day-to-day with a bruised left heel after being struck by a comebacker Monday, but credited his cleats with helping him avoid a serious fracture after the incident. The St. Louis Cardinals' Nolan Arenado became the sixth active player to reach 2,000 career hits on Monday night with a double to reach the milestone. The Cincinnati Reds' plan to load the bases against Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh backfired when Raleigh hit a grand slam on the first pitch, leading to an 8-0 loss for the Reds as the strategy failed.

NL West Division Dynamics

The Los Angeles Dodgers acquired Rockies reliever Seth Halvorsen in a trade Monday in exchange for prospects. Shohei Ohtani will not make his scheduled start Wednesday against the Phillies due to irritation in his left knee and his pitching return is stalled. The San Francisco Giants saw shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. exit Monday's game with back tightness, though the Royals still managed a 4-3 victory despite the departure. The Colorado Rockies' Hunter Goodman hit his second three-homer game of the season on Sunday, joining an exclusive club for the franchise.

MLB Landscape: Draft, Labor, and Prospects

The MLB Players Association has called to preserve the current draft system after MLB proposed cutting it from 20 to 12 rounds, slashing amateur signing bonuses by over $150 million, and preventing high schoolers from entering the draft to maintain the status quo. Kiley McDaniel's latest prospect rankings show movement across all 30 farm systems following the MLB draft, highlighting rising and falling talent in the minor leagues. In labor negotiations, the demographic makeup of the players' union leadership is under scrutiny, with only one Latino player represented among the MLBPA's player leaders in ongoing CBA talks amidst the negotiations. Fantasy baseball managers can look ahead with dynasty rankings for the top 300 players for the next five years to plan for the future, and identify the hottest free agents on the waiver wire.

Yankees' Pitch Clock Incident and Other News

Yankees shortstop José Caballero was charged with a pitch clock violation in the sixth inning Wednesday, which resulted in a strikeout and the ejection of hitting coach James Rowson after the violation. Pirates' Bryan Reynolds was reportedly irked by Caballero's actions in the eighth inning of Monday's Yankees win, which led to benches clearing following the confrontation. The Miami Marlins placed All-Star right-hander Max Meyer on the 15-day injured list with a neck strain, and All-Star shortstop Otto Lopez was out of the starting lineup for the second consecutive game due to the injuries. The Houston Astros saw shortstop Jeremy Peña return to the lineup Monday, while first baseman Christian Walker remained out of the starting lineup for the second straight game as players were sidelined. The White Sox catcher Kyle Teel is expected to miss 6-12 weeks with a high ankle sprain after being placed on the injured list Tuesday due to the severity. The Rangers' third-round draft pick, fireballing pitcher Brody Bumila, announced he will need Tommy John surgery to repair his left UCL requiring surgery.