Samwise MLB Newsletter
Saturday, July 18, 2026
Sale Reaches 2,700 Career Strikeouts as Braves Rout Rangers 15-1
Chris Sale became the 27th major leaguer to reach 2,700 career strikeouts Friday, fanning Ezequiel Duran in the fifth inning of Atlanta's dominant 15-1 victory over the Texas Rangers. Sale (10-6) allowed just two hits over seven shutout innings, striking out six without walking a batter. Drake Baldwin went 3-for-4 with five RBI, including a three-run home run, while Matt Olson and Austin Riley also homered. Cal Quantrill (3-2) lasted four innings, allowing 11 hits and six runs on 86 pitches. The Braves collected 19 hits as all nine starters recorded a hit in the opener of the second half.
Red Sox Sweep Rays Doubleheader, Reach .500 on 11-Game Win Streak
The Boston Red Sox swept a doubleheader from the Tampa Bay Rays on Friday, pushing their winning streak to 11 games and reaching .500 at 48-48 for the first time since the second game of the season. Jake Bennett held the Rays to just one hit over six shutout innings in a 10-0 Game 1 blowout, while Wilyer Abreu homered twice to power a 5-3 Game 2 victory. Willson Contreras returned from a five-game suspension to join the lineup for the nightcap. Boston's 11-game winning streak is the franchise's longest since September 2016.
Sources: Boston Globe TSN Share ↗ ✉︎ Email 💬 Text
Astros Trade Franchise Cornerstone McCullers Jr. to Brewers
The Houston Astros traded 12-year franchise cornerstone Lance McCullers Jr. and reliever Colton Gordon to the Milwaukee Brewers on Friday for outfield prospect Jadyn Fielder. McCullers, a 2017 All-Star who waived his no-trade clause, posted a 2-3 record and 6.51 ERA in 55.1 innings this season. Milwaukee absorbed $2.5 million of the $6.727 million remaining on his contract. Gordon made four MLB appearances with an 11.57 ERA. Fielder, 21 and the son of Prince Fielder and grandson of Cecil Fielder, was hitting .233 with three home runs, 23 RBI and 10 stolen bases at Class-A Carolina.
Sources: MLB Trade Rumors ESPN Share ↗ ✉︎ Email 💬 Text
Mets Enter Seller Mode, Make Nearly Full Roster Available Before Aug. 3 Deadline
With the trade deadline set for August 3 at 6 p.m. ET, the New York Mets shifted to seller mode Friday, making nearly the entire roster available to interested clubs. Only Juan Soto and four prospects — Nolan McLean, Carson Benge, A.J. Ewing and Christian Scott — are designated untouchable. Freddy Peralta, Clay Holmes and Luke Weaver headline the available names, alongside controllable players Francisco Alvarez and Brett Baty, both under team control through 2029. New York has declined to 41-57 and appears headed for a significant roster overhaul before the deadline.
Sources: MLB Trade Rumors CBS Sports Share ↗ ✉︎ Email 💬 Text
Muncy's 7th-Inning Homer Lifts Dodgers Past Yankees in Second-Half Opener
Max Muncy delivered a two-run home run off Gerrit Cole in the seventh inning Friday night, lifting the Los Angeles Dodgers to a 2-1 victory over the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium in the second half's first game. The blow was Muncy's 18th of the season, erasing a 1-0 New York lead and accounting for both Los Angeles runs. Muncy entered the game with an .853 OPS. The Yankees dropped to 54-42 while the Dodgers improved to 61-36, maintaining their grip atop the National League West heading into the weekend.
Sources: CBS Sports NBC Sports Share ↗ ✉︎ Email 💬 Text
White Sox Rout Blue Jays 12-4, Hit Season-High Six Games Over .500
The Chicago White Sox hammered the Toronto Blue Jays 12-4 on Friday to extend their winning streak to four games and reach a season-high six games over .500 at 51-45. Sam Antonacci's two-run home run ignited a five-run second inning, and Colson Montgomery added a bases-clearing double and a three-run triple in the fifth and seventh innings for three RBI. Kyle Teel contributed an RBI double while Braden Montgomery and Chase Meidroth each drove in two runs. The victory moved Chicago a half-game ahead in the American League Central division race.
Sources: MLB.com Chicago Sun-Times Share ↗ ✉︎ Email 💬 Text
Ward's 8th-Inning Homer Extends Orioles' Win Streak to Five
Taylor Ward hit a two-run home run in the eighth inning Friday to lift the Baltimore Orioles to a 3-2 victory over the Houston Astros, extending Baltimore's winning streak to five games. Adley Rutschman led off the eighth with a double, and Ward followed with his seventh homer of the season off reliever Bryan King (2-3). Cam Sanders (1-0), acquired from the Pittsburgh Pirates earlier in the week, earned the win with two-thirds of an inning in his Orioles debut. Yordan Alvarez and Jeremy Pena each collected two hits and two walks to account for both Houston runs.
Jeffers' Three-Run Shot Powers Twins Past Cubs 5-2, Back to .500
Ryan Jeffers hit a three-run home run in the third inning Friday, lifting the Minnesota Twins to a 5-2 win over the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field. Bailey Ober (7-3) allowed five hits and two runs across 5 1/3 innings while striking out seven, his second strong start since returning from the injured list on July 9. Jeffers' 369-foot blast over the ivy-covered wall in left center was his eighth home run. The Twins have won three straight and 10 of 14, returning to .500 for the first time since April 22. Yoendrys Gomez worked a hitless ninth for his 12th save.
Jensen Walk-Off Single Caps Royals' Four-Run 10th to Beat Padres 7-6
Carter Jensen's two-run walk-off single capped a four-run 10th inning as the Kansas City Royals rallied past the San Diego Padres 7-6 on Friday night. The Padres scored three times in the top of the 10th on a Miguel Andujar double, a Fernando Tatis Jr. RBI single and a Xander Bogaerts sacrifice fly to take a 6-3 lead against Lucas Erceg (4-3). Michael Massey's RBI hit and Isaac Collins' groundout set the stage for Jensen, who drove his third hit of the game through a drawn-in infield to walk off a stunning comeback win for the Royals.
Sources: CBS Sports AP Sports Share ↗ ✉︎ Email 💬 Text
American League
AL East
1. Tampa Bay Rays — 56–39
2. New York Yankees — 54–42, GB 2.5
3. Boston Red Sox — 47–48, GB 9.0
4. Baltimore Orioles — 46–51, GB 11.0
5. Toronto Blue Jays — 45–51, GB 11.5
AL Central
1. Chi. White Sox — 50–45
1. Cleveland Guardians — 51–46, T—
3. Minnesota Twins — 48–49, GB 3.0
4. Detroit Tigers — 44–52, GB 6.5
5. Kansas City Royals — 38–59, GB 13.0
AL West
1. Texas Rangers — 49–47
2. Seattle Mariners — 48–49, GB 1.5
3. Houston Astros — 47–51, GB 3.0
4. Athletics — 41–55, GB 8.0
5. L.A. Angels — 38–59, GB 11.5
National League
NL East
1. Atlanta Braves — 55–40
2. Philadelphia Phillies — 54–44, GB 2.5
3. Miami Marlins — 52–45, GB 4.0
4. Washington Nationals — 48–49, GB 8.0
5. New York Mets — 41–57, GB 15.5
NL Central
1. Milwaukee Brewers — 59–37
2. Chicago Cubs — 54–42, GB 5.0
3. St. Louis Cardinals — 50–45, GB 8.5
4. Pittsburgh Pirates — 50–47, GB 9.5
5. Cincinnati Reds — 43–52, GB 15.5
NL West
1. L.A. Dodgers — 61–36
2. Arizona Diamondbacks — 49–47, GB 11.5
3. San Diego Padres — 48–48, GB 12.5
4. San Francisco Giants — 41–55, GB 19.5
5. Colorado Rockies — 39–59, GB 22.5
Curated by JD · samwise.agency