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- Royals outfielder Tyler Tolbert went 5 for 5 against the Mets last night, which tied him for the major league record of hits in 12-straight at-bats. Tolbert did fly out in the ninth inning to end the streak.
- The Pirates’ Ryan O’Hearn had three home runs and ten RBI last night against the Braves. Those ten RBI is a new Pirates team record.
- Gabe Lacques notices that the Pirates started spending money on players like O’Hearn and now they’re starting to win.
- Sticking with the Pirates for just a second, Kiri Oler tried to figure out what’s wrong with Paul Skenes lately. Although Skenes did pitch well last night.
- And more bad news in Pittsburgh as rookie shortstop Konnor Griffith will miss eight-to-ten weeks with a torn tendon in his left ring finger.
- Another remarkable feat accomplished last night was Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani hitting his 300th career home run. He’s the seventh-fastest player to reach 300. Alden Gonzalez reports.
- Jake Mintz writes this is just the first of several amazing milestones that Ohtani is likely to reach, and he reminds us that Ohtani’s success in the majors was not guaranteed when he came over from Japan.
- Seven umpires are expected to take a buyout and retire at the end of this year. This includes the much-maligned CB Bucknor. Bob Nightengale and Kevin Skiver report. Nightengale also notes that this likely opens the door for Jen Pawol to become the first woman full-time MLB umpire.
- David Schoenfield hands out midseason grades to all 30 teams.
- Brett Maguire has ten players who didn’t make the All-Star Team who could have a huge second half.
- Matt Snyder explains how the Rays’ 22-year-old third baseman Junior Caminero is forcing his way into the American League MVP conversation.
- Josh Jacobs has three stats that demonstrate how good Cardinals rookie second baseman JJ Wetherholt has been in the first half.
- Mike Petriello thinks that the Marlins strong start is no illusion.
- Looks like Miami may be buying instead of selling at the Trade Deadline. But what is each team’s biggest need at the Trade Deadline?
- Mike Axisa ranks the top 25 players likely to be traded at the Deadline and what their best fit is.
- Will Sammon thinks struggling Mets right-hander Freddy Peralta is close to getting back his old form (The Athletic sub. req.) Just in time for the Trade Deadline and the no-doubt rumors of him coming to the Cubs.
- There was one minor deal as the Tigers sent right-hander Matt Seelinger to the Mets for cash.
- Matt Snyder argues that everyone wants to see Mike Trout get traded except for the Angels and Trout. He also admits that those are the only two parties that get a vote, even if he’s bummed about it.
- Kiley McDaniel has one thought for all 30 teams heading into the MLB Draft on Saturday.
- Jonathan Mayo looks at the three-way debate for who the White Sox should take with the first pick. I saw so many White Sox fans making up fake Roch Cholowsky jerseys after the team won the draft lottery. Now Cholowosky probably has a less-than 50/50 chance of being the South Side pick.
- Jim Callis redrafts the 2016 Draft, ten years later. It was a good year for the Cubs to not have a first- or second-round pick, if you ask me.
- High school southpaw Brody Bumila has a damaged ulnar collateral ligament. Bumila was expected to be a first-round pick before the injury.
- Anthony Castrovince has the story of high school catcher and draft prospect Alain Gomez-Gudiño, who fled Venezuela to seek asylum in the US.
- Jesse Rogers gets players to share the stories of their draft day. Pete Crow-Armstrong and Ben Brown are among those he spoke to.
- Davy Andrews looks at how the Mets are really missing their former baserunning coach Antoan Richardson.
- Ben Clemens loves to watch Mets outfielder Juan Soto on a hot streak.
- And finally, Katie Woo has more details on Eliezer Alonzo’s emotional major-league debut (The Athletic sub. req.) on Sunday, which was just hours after his sister and stepmother were confirmed dead in the Venezuelan earthquake.
