Samwise MLB Newsletter
Thursday, August 6, 2026
Red Sox, Cubs, Phillies Lead Busy 2026 MLB Trade Deadline
The 2026 MLB trade deadline passed at 6 p.m. ET Monday with a flurry of major moves. Boston acquired All-Star catcher Adley Rutschman from Baltimore in the day's biggest deal, sending five players headlined by top prospect Anthony Eyanson. The Cubs bolstered their rotation by landing Kevin Gausman from Toronto and Clay Holmes. The Phillies acquired three-time batting champion Luis Arraez from San Francisco and reliever Brooks Raley from the Mets; Bryce Harper will move to the outfield to make room. The Brewers added Dustin May and JoJo Romero from St. Louis. The two-time defending champion Dodgers acquired Tarik Skubal from Detroit earlier in the period.
Sources: CBS Sports · ESPN
Red Sox Acquire All-Star Catcher Adley Rutschman from Orioles
The Boston Red Sox landed All-Star catcher Adley Rutschman from the Baltimore Orioles on Monday as part of the most consequential trade of the 2026 deadline. Rutschman, a 28-year-old switch hitter and three-time All-Star, is slashing .251/.331/.433 with eight home runs and 47 RBI in 67 games this season. In return, Baltimore received five players: pitching prospect Anthony Eyanson — Boston's No. 2 prospect, ranked 49th overall by MLB Pipeline — catcher Carlos Narvaez, right-hander Kyson Witherspoon, outfielder Enddy Azocar, and a player to be named later. Rutschman is under contract for $7.25 million in 2026 and becomes a free agent after 2027.
Sources: MLB.com · NBC Sports Boston
Elder Shines, Olson Passes Musial as Braves Win Seventh Straight
Bryce Elder pitched one-hit ball over seven innings, and the Atlanta Braves extended their winning streak to a season-high seven games with a 4–1 victory over the Miami Marlins Wednesday. Elder, who improved to 8–6, has posted a 1.88 ERA over his last four starts. Drake Baldwin drove in two runs for the NL East-leading Braves, who are 69–45. First baseman Matt Olson played in his 896th consecutive game, breaking a tie with Stan Musial for the eighth-longest streak in MLB history. Catcher Sean Murphy appeared in just his fifth game of a season disrupted by shoulder surgery, going 1-for-4 in his return.
Sources: CBS Sports · ESPN
Pete Crow-Armstrong Homers Twice as Cubs Sweep Skidding Dodgers
Pete Crow-Armstrong hit two home runs and drove in four to lead the Chicago Cubs to a 7–6 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers, completing a series sweep Wednesday. Nico Hoerner added three hits as the Cubs won for the fourth time in five games and improved to 32–15 since June 11. Shohei Ohtani homered twice and Max Muncy hit a three-run homer in the eighth for the Dodgers (69–46), who have lost six consecutive games for the first time since a seven-game skid in July 2025. The two-time defending champions were swept for the second straight series.
Sources: CBS Sports · ESPN
Caminero's 33rd Homer Powers Rays to 11th Sweep of 2026 Season
Nick Martinez pitched into the sixth inning without allowing a run for the fourth time this season, Junior Caminero hit his 33rd home run, and the Tampa Bay Rays swept the Colorado Rockies 4–0 Wednesday to claim their 11th series sweep of the season. Victor Mesa Jr. tripled twice, leading off the first inning with a triple that started a two-run rally. Martinez improved to 11–3, matching his career best in wins. Tampa Bay's 11th series sweep is the fourth most in franchise history, three short of the club record set in 2021. The AL-best Rays are 68–46.
Sources: Fox Sports · CBS Sports
Clement's Walk-Off Homer in Extras Lifts Blue Jays Past Astros
Ernie Clement hit a two-run home run in the 10th inning to lift the Toronto Blue Jays past the Houston Astros 5–4 on Wednesday. The game was tied 3–3 entering extras when Clement, with the automatic runner on second, sent the first pitch from Bennett Sousa over left field. Yordan Alvarez answered in the bottom of the 10th with a run-scoring single to make it 5–4 but was thrown out trying to stretch it into a double, ending the Astros' comeback. Houston starter Hunter Brown did not allow a hit until the sixth inning but yielded three runs over six innings total. Toronto took two of three in the series.
Sources: theScore · CBS Sports
Bradford Returns After 679 Days as Rangers Shut Out Giants
Cody Bradford allowed five hits and two walks over 4⅓ innings in his first mound appearance in 679 days, and the Texas Rangers shut out the San Francisco Giants 6–0 Wednesday. It was Bradford's first outing since September 2024, following elbow surgery in June 2025. Justin Foscue's two-run triple highlighted a four-run third inning for Texas, which won two of three games in the series. The Rangers (57–58) trail AL West-leading Houston by 1.5 games. The Giants (48–67) fell 19 games under .500 for the first time this season, losing their seventh consecutive road series.
Sources: ESPN · CBS Sports
Genao Records 4 Hits in Historic Debut, but Mets Rally to Win in Extras
Angel Genao had four hits in his major league debut — the first time a Cleveland player had ever done so in franchise history — but the New York Mets rallied for a 6–5 win over the Guardians in 10 innings Wednesday. Genao, going 4-for-5 with four singles and an RBI, is just the 22nd player since 1900 to record four hits in their MLB debut. The Mets tied the game in the ninth on an error and then scored in the 10th on an automatic runner. Cleveland dropped into a tie for the final American League wild-card spot with the defeat.
Sources: MLB.com · CBS Sports
American League
AL East
1. Tampa Bay Rays — 68–46, —
2. New York Yankees — 64–51, 4.5 GB
3. Boston Red Sox — 62–51, 5.5 GB
4. Baltimore Orioles — 56–58, 12.0 GB
5. Toronto Blue Jays — 54–61, 14.5 GB
AL Central
1. Chicago White Sox — 59–54, —
2. Cleveland Guardians — 57–58, 3.0 GB
3. Minnesota Twins — 56–59, 4.0 GB
4. Detroit Tigers — 55–59, 4.5 GB
5. Kansas City Royals — 48–67, 12.0 GB
AL West
1. Houston Astros — 59–57, —
2. Texas Rangers — 57–58, 1.5 GB
3. Seattle Mariners — 56–59, 2.5 GB
4. Oakland Athletics — 45–69, 13.0 GB
5. Los Angeles Angels — 43–71, 15.0 GB
National League
NL East
1. Atlanta Braves — 69–45, —
2. Philadelphia Phillies — 61–54, 8.5 GB
3. Miami Marlins — 58–57, 11.5 GB
4. Washington Nationals — 56–60, 14.0 GB
5. New York Mets — 49–66, 20.5 GB
NL Central
1. Milwaukee Brewers — 71–43, —
2. Chicago Cubs — 66–49, 5.5 GB
3. St. Louis Cardinals — 57–58, 14.5 GB
4. Pittsburgh Pirates — 57–59, 15.0 GB
5. Cincinnati Reds — 55–58, 15.5 GB
NL West
1. Los Angeles Dodgers — 69–46, —
2. Arizona Diamondbacks — 61–54, 8.0 GB
3. San Diego Padres — 59–56, 10.0 GB
4. San Francisco Giants — 48–67, 21.0 GB
5. Colorado Rockies — 45–70, 24.0 GB
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Curated by JD · samwise.agency
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