Samwise MLB Newsletter
Sunday, August 2, 2026
Dodgers Land Two-Time Cy Young Winner Tarik Skubal in Blockbuster Deadline Deal
The Los Angeles Dodgers made a blockbuster move ahead of Monday's trade deadline, acquiring two-time AL Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal from the Detroit Tigers. The left-hander is 7-5 with a 2.79 ERA in 16 starts this season. In return, the Tigers receive outfielder Zyhir Hope (ranked fifth among Dodgers prospects), right-handers River Ryan and Brady Smith. Skubal becomes a free agent after the season. The deal adds a dominant arm to a Los Angeles rotation already chasing a third consecutive World Series title. The 2026 trade deadline is Monday at 6 p.m. ET.
Sources: MLB Trade Rumors, CBS Sports
Braves Acquire Outfielder Lane Thomas and Bailey Falter from Royals Ahead of Deadline
The Atlanta Braves added outfield depth ahead of Monday's trade deadline, acquiring outfielder Lane Thomas and left-hander Bailey Falter from the Kansas City Royals for minor-league pitchers Carter Holton and Lucas Braun. Thomas, 30, carries a career OPS of .850 against left-handed pitching and has slashed .263/.370/.430 versus southpaws this season. Falter arrived in Kansas City from Pittsburgh at last year's deadline and was included largely as a salary consideration at $3.6 million. The Braves enter Sunday leading the NL East with a 48-28 record, the best mark in the National League.
Sources: MLB Trade Rumors, CBS Sports
Pete Crow-Armstrong Triple Powers Cubs to 5-2 Win Over Yankees
Pete Crow-Armstrong ripped a go-ahead triple into the right-field corner off Yankees reliever Brent Headrick in the seventh inning, helping the Chicago Cubs rally for a 5-2 victory over New York on Saturday night. Crow-Armstrong, who scored twice during the comeback, delivered in a prolonged at-bat against a left-handed specialist. David Peterson gave Chicago 6⅓ innings on the mound with eight strikeouts, allowing two runs, just one earned. The Cubs improved to 40-37 and evened their series with the first-place Yankees, who fell to 43-31 in the American League East.
Sources: MLB.com, CBS Sports
Cristópher Sánchez Strikes Out 11 in Six Scoreless Innings as Phillies Blank Orioles 5-0
Cristópher Sánchez struck out 11 in six scoreless innings as the Philadelphia Phillies blanked the Baltimore Orioles 5-0 on Saturday night, snapping a four-game losing streak. Sánchez, who improved to 14-4, allowed just two hits and five walks but twice stranded the bases loaded by retiring Baltimore's Leody Taveras. The performance came after he yielded 35 hits in 21⅓ innings in July. Bryan De La Cruz drove in the first run with a single in the fifth, and the Phillies added four runs in the eighth. Orioles starter Shane Baz fell to 4-10.
Sources: ESPN, CBS Sports
Red Sox Edge Dodgers 3-2 on Late Monasterio Run, Chapman Save
Andruw Monasterio led off the eighth inning with a ground-rule double and scored the go-ahead run on Connor Wong's double-play grounder, lifting the Boston Red Sox past the Los Angeles Dodgers 3-2 on Saturday night. Ceddanne Rafaela hit solo home runs in the first and third innings off Yoshinobu Yamamoto, who retired 13 consecutive batters after Rafaela's second blast. Teoscar Hernández hit a two-run homer for Los Angeles in the second inning. Aroldis Chapman worked a perfect ninth to earn the save. The Red Sox have now won four consecutive games.
Alvarez Leads Astros Past Rangers 5-4 as Hader Notches 15th Save
Yordan Alvarez, who leads the majors with 35 home runs, doubled and scored twice — including the decisive run on a Cole Winn wild pitch — as the Houston Astros defeated the Texas Rangers 5-4 on Saturday. Alvarez was intentionally walked twice during the game. Jose Altuve scored on a two-out single by LaMonte Wade Jr. in the second inning to open scoring. Rangers shortstop Díaz hit a solo home run in the sixth to cut Houston's lead to 5-4, but closer Josh Hader retired the side and converted his 15th save in 15 opportunities. Astros starter Jacob deGrom was chased in the sixth.
Sources: ESPN, CBS Sports
Gausman Picks Up First Win Since May as Blue Jays Top Slumping Cardinals 5-1
Kevin Gausman pitched 5⅓ innings and earned his first victory since May 22 as the Toronto Blue Jays defeated the St. Louis Cardinals 5-1 on Saturday. George Springer had two hits and drove in a pair of runs. The Cardinals have now lost three straight and eight of their last 10 games, scoring three runs or fewer in each of their past seven contests. Toronto improved to 38-39, while St. Louis fell to 41-34. The loss continues a troubling mid-season skid for the Cardinals, who have struggled to generate offense across their recent losing stretch.
Rays Shut Out White Sox 1-0 on DeLuca's Fifth-Inning Score
The Tampa Bay Rays posted a 1-0 victory over the Chicago White Sox on Saturday, with the lone run scoring in the fifth inning on an unlikely sequence. Jonny DeLuca led off the frame with a single, stole second base with one out, and advanced to third on a Ben Williamson grounder to first. Nick Fortes then delivered a line drive to shallow left field to plate DeLuca. The Rays' pitching staff held the White Sox scoreless throughout. Tampa Bay improved to 43-31, keeping pace just two games behind the AL East-leading New York Yankees.
Sources: ESPN, CBS Sports
American League
AL East
1. New York Yankees — 46–30, —
2. Tampa Bay Rays — 43–31, 2.0 GB
3. Toronto Blue Jays — 38–39, 8.5 GB
4. Baltimore Orioles — 37–42, 10.5 GB
5. Boston Red Sox — 31–44, 14.5 GB
AL Central
1. Cleveland Guardians — 41–37, —
2. Chicago White Sox — 39–37, 1.0 GB
3. Minnesota Twins — 38–41, 3.5 GB
4. Detroit Tigers — 33–44, 7.5 GB
5. Kansas City Royals — 32–46, 9.0 GB
AL West
1. Seattle Mariners — 40–39, —
2. Athletics — 38–40, 1.5 GB
3. Texas Rangers — 37–40, 2.0 GB
4. Houston Astros — 37–42, 3.0 GB
5. Los Angeles Angels — 32–47, 8.0 GB
National League
NL East
1. Atlanta Braves — 48–28, —
2. Philadelphia Phillies — 42–35, 6.5 GB
3. Miami Marlins — 40–38, 9.0 GB
4. Washington Nationals — 40–38, 9.0 GB
5. New York Mets — 34–43, 14.5 GB
NL Central
1. Milwaukee Brewers — 46–29, —
2. St. Louis Cardinals — 41–34, 5.0 GB
3. Chicago Cubs — 40–37, 7.0 GB
4. Pittsburgh Pirates — 39–39, 8.5 GB
5. Cincinnati Reds — 37–39, 9.5 GB
NL West
1. Los Angeles Dodgers — 49–29, —
2. San Diego Padres — 39–37, 9.0 GB
3. Arizona Diamondbacks — 39–38, 9.5 GB
4. San Francisco Giants — 31–46, 17.5 GB
5. Colorado Rockies — 30–48, 19.0 GB
Curated by JD · samwise.agency
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