Samwise MLB Newsletter
Monday, August 3, 2026
Dodgers Acquire Two-Time Cy Young Winner Tarik Skubal from Tigers
The Los Angeles Dodgers acquired reigning back-to-back American League Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal from the Detroit Tigers on August 1, sending outfielder Zyhir Hope and right-handers River Ryan and Brady Smith to Detroit in return. Skubal joins a rotation that already leads the majors in ERA, where he will pitch alongside Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Blake Snell, Tyler Glasnow and Shohei Ohtani. The Tigers, operating as sellers at the August 3 trade deadline, received three prospects for their two-time Cy Young ace. The blockbuster is the biggest trade of the 2026 deadline weekend as multiple contenders reshape their rosters.
Sources: MLB Trade Rumors, ESPN, NBC Sports
Red Sox Crush Four Home Runs to Complete Sweep of Dodgers
The Boston Red Sox crushed four home runs, including three in the third inning, and completed a three-game sweep of the Los Angeles Dodgers with an 8-4 win on Sunday Night Baseball at Dodger Stadium. Boston extended their winning streak to five games and improved to 60–51, five games behind the first-place Tampa Bay Rays in the AL East. The Dodgers, who fell to 69–43 and have now lost three consecutive games, enter Monday’s trade deadline having just added two-time AL Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal to bolster a rotation that already leads the majors in ERA.
Sources: NBC Sports, MLB.com, CBS Sports
Pre-Deadline Trade Flurry: Rays Land Peralta, Cubs Get Gausman, Yankees Add García Jr.
In a frenzied pre-deadline weekend, Major League Baseball clubs completed several significant trades ahead of Monday’s 5 p.m. CT August 3 cutoff. The Tampa Bay Rays acquired right-hander Freddy Peralta from the New York Mets, with New York receiving outfielder Aidan Smith, right-hander Gary Gill Hill and infielder Émilien Pitre in return. The Chicago Cubs landed right-hander Kevin Gausman from the Toronto Blue Jays, while the New York Yankees obtained first baseman Luis García Jr. from the Washington Nationals in exchange for four pitchers. The Atlanta Braves added right-hander Taylor Mahle from San Francisco, and the Chicago White Sox acquired reliever Huascar Brazoán from the Mets.
Sources: MLB Trade Rumors, CBS Sports, ESPN
Tigers Rout Athletics 11-0 the Day After Trading Away Ace Skubal
One day after trading two-time AL Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal to the Los Angeles Dodgers, the Detroit Tigers posted an 11–0 shutout of the Athletics on Sunday. Keider Montero pitched six scoreless innings and Eduardo Valencia drove in four runs to lead the rout. The victory was Detroit’s third consecutive win, leaving the Tigers within 2.5 games of an American League wild-card spot. Detroit received outfielder Zyhir Hope and right-handers River Ryan and Brady Smith from Los Angeles in the Skubal deal, a package of three prospects that completes the trade as the August 3 deadline arrives.
Alvarez Ties Career High with Four Hits as Astros Sweep Rangers
Yordan Alvarez tied a career high with four hits, Jeremy Peña launched a home run and the Houston Astros used a four-run seventh inning to complete a sweep of the Texas Rangers with a 7–3 win Sunday. Alvarez finished 4 for 5 with three doubles and two RBI while Peter Lambert tossed 5 2/3 innings, striking out eight and allowing two runs. The win extended Houston’s winning streak to six games, improving the Astros to 58–55 atop the AL West. Rangers manager Skip Schumaker and hitting coach Justin Viele were ejected in the loss, which stretched Texas’s losing streak to a season-high five games.
White Sox Rout Rays 9-1, Hold First Place in AL Central for First Time Since 2021
Anthony Kay tossed 6 1/3 scoreless innings and three Chicago White Sox batters hit home runs as Chicago routed the AL East-leading Tampa Bay Rays 9–1 on Sunday. Kay (8–5) allowed seven hits, struck out three and walked one. Andrew Benintendi hit his 12th homer, a 378-foot shot to right-center in the fourth inning, while Everson Pereira added a two-run double in the sixth and Miguel Vargas also went deep. Chicago, occupying first place in the AL Central for the first time since 2021, led the Cleveland Guardians by three games entering Monday’s 5 p.m. CT trade deadline.
Phillies Blank Orioles 8-0 in Rain-Shortened Contest at Camden Yards
The Philadelphia Phillies blanked the Baltimore Orioles 8–0 Sunday in a game halted by rain after 5 1/2 innings. De La Cruz’s two-run homer in the third inning opened the scoring, and Harper added a solo shot in the fifth for his 23rd home run of the season. A rain delay lasting 1 hour and 49 minutes forced both starters from the game, removing Phillies starter Zack Wheeler and Orioles right-hander Kyle Bradish (7–10). Reliever Tim Mayza (3–3) earned the victory. Philadelphia improved to 59–53, eight games behind the first-place Atlanta Braves in the NL East.
Sources: MLB.com, CBS Sports
Cardinals Avoid Three-Game Sweep with 5-1 Victory Over Blue Jays
José Fermin’s tiebreaking single in the ninth inning sparked a four-run rally and the St. Louis Cardinals avoided a three-game sweep with a 5–1 victory over the Toronto Blue Jays on Sunday. Matthew Liberatore pitched six shutout innings to keep St. Louis in the game through the first six frames. The Cardinals’ four-run ninth broke an eight-game losing streak against Toronto while winning the series finale. George Soriano earned the win with one inning of relief. St. Louis improved to 55–57 in the NL Central, 14.5 games behind the division-leading Milwaukee Brewers, who hold a 69–42 record.
Sources: CBS Sports, MLB.com
American League
AL East
1. Tampa Bay Rays — 65–46, —
2. New York Yankees — 63–49, 2.5 GB
3. Boston Red Sox — 60–51, 5 GB
4. Baltimore Orioles — 54–58, 11.5 GB
5. Toronto Blue Jays — 52–60, 13.5 GB
AL Central
1. Chicago White Sox — 59–52, —
2. Cleveland Guardians — 57–56, 3 GB
3. Minnesota Twins — 56–57, 4 GB
4. Detroit Tigers — 54–58, 5.5 GB
5. Kansas City Royals — 46–67, 14 GB
AL West
1. Houston Astros — 58–55, —
2. Texas Rangers — 55–57, 2.5 GB
3. Seattle Mariners — 55–58, 3 GB
4. Athletics — 45–67, 12.5 GB
5. Los Angeles Angels — 43–69, 14.5 GB
National League
NL East
1. Atlanta Braves — 67–45, —
2. Philadelphia Phillies — 59–53, 8 GB
3. Miami Marlins — 58–55, 9.5 GB
4. Washington Nationals — 55–58, 12.5 GB
5. New York Mets — 47–66, 20.5 GB
NL Central
1. Milwaukee Brewers — 69–42, —
2. Chicago Cubs — 63–49, 6.5 GB
3. Pittsburgh Pirates — 56–57, 14 GB
4. St. Louis Cardinals — 55–57, 14.5 GB
5. Cincinnati Reds — 53–58, 16 GB
NL West
1. Los Angeles Dodgers — 69–43, —
2. Arizona Diamondbacks — 59–53, 10 GB
3. San Diego Padres — 58–54, 11 GB
4. San Francisco Giants — 47–65, 22 GB
5. Colorado Rockies — 45–67, 24 GB
Curated by JD · samwise.agency
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