Samwise MLB Newsletter
Saturday, July 4, 2026
Aroldis Chapman Passes Hoyt Wilhelm as MLB’s All-Time Strikeout Leader Among Relievers
Boston closer Aroldis Chapman became the major leagues' all-time leader in strikeouts by a reliever Friday night, passing Hall of Famer Hoyt Wilhelm with career strikeout No. 1,364. The 38-year-old Chapman fanned Denzer Guzman leading off the ninth inning to set the record, then earned his 17th save of the season as the Red Sox defeated the Los Angeles Angels 5-2 in Anaheim. Rookie Jake Bennett started and pitched into the eighth inning before Chapman's record-breaking frame. The milestone capped a career that has included eight All-Star selections and two World Series rings with the 2016 Chicago Cubs and 2023 Texas Rangers.
Sources: CBS Sports ESPN Share ↗ ✉︎ Email 💬 Text
Shohei Ohtani Exits Dodgers' Win With Right Biceps Tightness, Sits Out Saturday
Los Angeles Dodgers two-way star Shohei Ohtani exited Friday's 4-3 victory over the San Diego Padres in the seventh inning after feeling tightness in his right biceps on a swing, prompting the team to hold him out of Saturday's lineup as a precaution. Ohtani had thrown a season-high 110 pitches before exiting, striking out nine batters in a quality start. Manager Dave Roberts downplayed the severity, noting Ohtani has dealt with the same biceps issue before and described him as a quick healer. Roberts cited the toll of being a two-way player as reason for the extra caution.
Sources: ESPN Sports Illustrated Share ↗ ✉︎ Email 💬 Text
Rays Beat Astros 3-1 to Extend MLB's Longest Active Win Streak to Nine Games
Nick Fortes homered and hit a run-scoring double, and Junior Caminero added a solo home run as the Tampa Bay Rays defeated the Houston Astros 3-1 on Friday to extend the longest active winning streak in the major leagues to nine games. Yordan Alvarez hit his American League-leading 27th home run of the season, a 427-foot shot off Rays starter Nick Martinez in the sixth inning that briefly tied the game at 1-1. Kevin Kelly (5-3) pitched one and two-thirds innings of no-hit relief for the victory, and Bryan Baker recorded a one-two-three ninth for his 23rd save of the season.
Sources: CBS Sports ESPN Share ↗ ✉︎ Email 💬 Text
Chourio's Walk-Off Lifts Brewers Over Diamondbacks in 11 Innings, Extending Division Lead to Six
Jackson Chourio's slow roller scored Blake Perkins from third base in the 11th inning as the Milwaukee Brewers defeated the Arizona Diamondbacks 7-4 on Friday to extend their NL Central lead to six games. Garrett Mitchell homered in his second consecutive game, blasting a first-pitch shot a projected 435 feet to center in the second inning. Brice Turang went 3-for-6 with two RBIs. Arizona's Lourdes Gurriel Jr. robbed Mitchell of a potential three-run homer in the third, and Gabriel Moreno's RBI single and Nolan Arenado's two-run double subsequently tied the game. Neither team scored again until Chourio's winning infield single.
Cardinals Collect 17 Hits, Blast Cubs 17-1 at Wrigley in Lopsided NL Central Matchup
The St. Louis Cardinals collected 17 hits en route to a 17-1 rout of the host Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field on Friday. Andre Pallante improved to 10-5, allowing five hits and one walk across five and two-thirds innings, while Nathan Church, Masyn Winn and Bryan Torres each hit home runs for St. Louis. The Cardinals scored in every inning from the second through the seventh, with nine different Cardinals players scoring before the Cubs managed their first run. Torres, entering off the bench, added a solo shot to cap the dominant performance against an NL Central rival.
Sources: CBS Sports MLB.com Share ↗ ✉︎ Email 💬 Text
Watson's Walk-Off Single Gives Guardians 4-3 Win Over White Sox in 10 Innings
Khalil Watson singled home the winning run in the 10th inning as the Cleveland Guardians defeated the Chicago White Sox 4-3 on Friday, their second consecutive walk-off win to open the four-game AL Central series. Steven Kwan started the 10th as the automatic runner, advanced to third on Travis Bazzana's single, and scored on Watson's hit up the middle off Sean Newcomb. A rain delay of one hour and 55 minutes interrupted the fifth inning moments after Miguel Vargas gave Chicago a 3-1 lead with a three-run homer. The Guardians tied it in the seventh on RBI singles by Austin Hedges and Kwan.
Sources: ESPN CBS Sports Share ↗ ✉︎ Email 💬 Text
Dylan Cease Fans Nine in Seven Innings as Blue Jays Shut Out Mariners 2-0
Dylan Cease struck out nine and allowed three hits over seven innings as the Toronto Blue Jays defeated the host Seattle Mariners 2-0 on Friday in the opener of a three-game series between the two teams that met in the 2025 American League Championship Series. Cease (5-4) walked one batter across his seven frames, with five innings of the 1-2-3 variety. The Blue Jays scored both runs against Mariners starter Luis Castillo (3-7) in the third inning. Andres Gimenez doubled home Sean Keys, and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. singled in Gimenez to make it 2-0. Closer Louis Varland earned his 18th save in as many chances.
Sources: MLB.com CBS Sports Share ↗ ✉︎ Email 💬 Text
Mariners Place Julio Rodriguez on Concussion IL After Throw Strikes Him in Helmet
The Seattle Mariners placed center fielder Julio Rodriguez on the seven-day concussion injured list Friday ahead of their series opener against the Toronto Blue Jays. Rodriguez had been hit in the back of the helmet by a throw from first baseman Nolan Schanuel the previous night; he initially remained in the game after a lengthy meeting with manager Dan Wilson and a trainer, but was replaced in the top of the third inning by Victor Robles. Miles Mastrobuoni was recalled from Triple-A Tacoma in a corresponding move, while reliever Cooper Criswell was transferred to the 60-day IL to open a 40-man roster spot. Rodriguez is eligible to return July 10.
Sources: MLB Trade Rumors Sports Illustrated Share ↗ ✉︎ Email 💬 Text
American League
AL East
1. Tampa Bay Rays — 52–33, —
2. New York Yankees — 49–38, 4
3. Toronto Blue Jays — 42–46, 11.5
4. Baltimore Orioles — 41–48, 13
5. Boston Red Sox — 38–48, 14.5
AL Central
1. Cleveland Guardians — 47–42, —
2. Chicago White Sox — 45–42, 1
3. Minnesota Twins — 42–47, 5
4. Detroit Tigers — 38–50, 8.5
5. Kansas City Royals — 35–53, 11.5
AL West
1. Texas Rangers — 45–43, —
2. Seattle Mariners — 45–44, 0.5
3. Houston Astros — 43–47, 3
4. Athletics — 41–47, 4
5. Los Angeles Angels — 36–53, 9.5
National League
NL East
1. Atlanta Braves — 51–35, —
2. Philadelphia Phillies — 49–39, 3
3. Miami Marlins — 47–42, 5.5
4. Washington Nationals — 46–43, 6.5
5. New York Mets — 36–52, 16
NL Central
1. Milwaukee Brewers — 54–32, —
2. Chicago Cubs — 49–39, 6
3. St. Louis Cardinals — 46–39, 7.5
4. Pittsburgh Pirates — 44–45, 11.5
5. Cincinnati Reds — 40–47, 14.5
NL West
1. Los Angeles Dodgers — 58–31, —
2. San Diego Padres — 43–44, 14
3. Arizona Diamondbacks — 43–44, 14
4. San Francisco Giants — 36–51, 21
5. Colorado Rockies — 36–53, 22
Curated by JD · samwise.agency
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