Welcome to The Pregame Lineup, a weekday newsletter that gets you up to speed on everything you need to know for today’s games, while catching you up on fun and interesting stories you might have missed. Thanks for being here.

The calendar says July, which means the Trade Deadline rumor mill is about to hit full throttle.

Right now, there are far more questions than answers when it comes to the trade market, but you can be sure that MLB.com senior national reporter Mark Feinsand will be staying on top of every twist and turn. In recent days, Feinsand broke down the biggest questions he’s tracking ahead of the July 31 Deadline, delivering a comprehensive look at the top storylines likely to shape this summer’s trade activity, starting with the American League before turning his focus to the National League.

Below, we spotlight some of the most intriguing questions we’re watching as the market heats up.

What’s next for Boston after trading Devers?

The Red Sox’s decision to send Rafael Devers to the Giants on June 15 not only kicked off trade season in stunning fashion but also positioned Boston as one of the most compelling teams to watch this month.

On one hand, the Red Sox now have more payroll flexibility for buying opportunities as they continue to hang around in the AL Wild Card race. On the other hand, the deal further weakened a roster that already had a myriad of holes. The Red Sox have gone 5-8 since the trade, and if they don’t start to play better this month, it’s possible they’ll decide to sell instead, with an eye on contending in 2026. In that case, Boston would likely prioritize trading away pending free agents such as Aroldis Chapman, Walker Buehler and Lucas Giolito. But might the Red Sox also consider moving Jarren Duran (controllable through 2028) and/or Alex Bregman (can opt out after 2025)?

How will the third-base market play out?

The uncertainty surrounding Bregman adds another wrinkle to a market already dripping with intrigue. As Feinsand notes, a number of buyers across MLB could prioritize upgrading at the hot corner, including the Cubs, Tigers, Yankees and Mariners, so the demand will be there. The supply? Less certain.

The Red Sox are one of several teams with the potential to swing the market if they decide to trade their third baseman. The D-backs are another, and the buyers above will surely be keeping an eye on Arizona to see if Eugenio Suárez is made available. The Cardinals (Nolan Arenado), Angels (Yoán Moncada) and Rockies (Ryan McMahon) are in that group, too.

Will these controllable starters be moved?

Teams searching for needle movers to upgrade their rotations could face a thin market this summer. Looking at the upcoming free-agent class, many of the notable starters set to hit the open market are on teams with serious playoff aspirations, currently injured or struggling.

That said, the supply could be improved if a number of sellers decide to trade their controllable starters, be it the Marlins with Sandy Alcantara and Edward Cabrera, the Athletics with Luis Severino or the Pirates with Mitch Keller. The Brewers could also shake up the market if they decide to shop Freddy Peralta, who has an $8 million club option for 2026 but can test free agency after that. Given Milwaukee’s starting pitching depth and track record of trading star players nearing free agency, a Peralta deal can’t be ruled out, even with the Crew sitting at 47-37.

— Thomas Harrigan

There isn’t much that Clayton Kershaw hasn’t done on the mound during his 18 seasons with the Dodgers.

However, when L.A. hosts the White Sox tonight at 10:10 p.m. ET on MLB.TV, the 37-year-old southpaw will be on the precipice of surpassing a milestone that has only been reached by 19 players in history — and there’s a good chance that it may never be done again.

Kershaw will take the hill needing just three K’s to enter the exclusive 3,000-strikeout club, joining Steve Carlton, Randy Johnson and CC Sabathia as the only left-handed members. He’d also join Walter Johnson (Senators) and Bob Gibson (Cardinals) as the only pitchers to notch all of their career strikeouts with just one franchise.

Justin Verlander (3,471) and Max Scherzer (3,419) are the only two active members of the club. Chris Sale is next on the active strikeout list with 2,528, but he’s 36 and has had a history of injury problems. Gerrit Cole (2,251), Charlie Morton (2,124) and Yu Darvish (2,007) are the only other active pitchers with as many as 2,000 strikeouts.

Even for an absolute phenom like Paul Skenes, reaching 3,000 strikeouts would take an incredible combination of good health and dominant pitching. Skenes, 23, has racked up 285 strikeouts over 244 innings in his first 41 starts. At his current elite pace, Skenes would still need another 390 starts to come close. Considering that the league leaders typically top out at 33-35 starts per season, we’re looking at another 12 years.

So, just in case this is the last time we see a player reach 3,000 strikeouts — or at least until 2037 or so — do yourself a favor and check out a legend in action tonight at Dodger Stadium.

— Ed Eagle

• 2025 PRO SPIRIT MLB All-Star Starters Reveal Show (7 p.m. ET, ESPN): Even with 19 (!) games on today’s slate, the must-watch event is the unveiling of this year’s All-Star starters. Aaron Judgeand Shohei Ohtani received enough votes in Phase 1 to clinch their spots on the AL and NL teams, respectively, but 16 other stars will secure a trip to Atlanta tonight on ESPN. Keep it here for a running list as names are announced if you can’t tune in live.

• Yankees @ Blue Jays (7:07 p.m. ET, MLB.TV): The resurgent Blue Jays appear to have welcomed the Yankees to Rogers Centre at the perfect time. After taking the first two games of this set, including a spirited Canada Day romp yesterday, the Jays can pull into a first-place tie with the Bombers if they win again tonight. In Toronto’s favor: José Berríos blanked the Yankees into the sixth inning back in April in the Bronx.

• Guardians @ Cubs (8:05 p.m. ET, ESPN): Immediately after the All-Star starters show, ESPN will turn to this clash of Central teams headed in opposite directions. Cubs lefty Shota Imanaga returned last week from a nearly two-month stint on the IL and showed no rust whatsoever. He’ll look to keep building momentum tonight against a Guardians club that has dipped below .500 and a few games out of the AL Wild Card race during its five-game slide.

If you’ve been ignoring that message on your laptop to update your password, here’s another reminder. Why? Because the updated Top 100 Prospects list just released by MLB Pipeline features “The Password.”

That would be Red Sox outfielder Jhostynxon Garcia (pronounced Joe-stynk-son), who just squeezed his way into the re-rank at No. 100. You can probably guess why he has embraced perhaps the most appropriate nickname in baseball right now.

Garcia is the No. 4 prospect in a loaded Boston system, and he’s been tearing it up since a move to Triple-A Worcester this season, with nine homers and a .932 OPS in 33 games. Those gaudy numbers earned him a spot in the All-Star Futures Game on July 12 at 4 p.m. ET.

Keep scanning Boston’s list of Top 30 prospects and you’ll notice another Garcia at No. 24. Yes, that’s Jhostynxon’s younger brother, Johanfran, who is nicknamed … “The Username.”

It’s not hard to imagine someday soon The Password and The Username together in the Red Sox lineup, alongside some other young sluggers like Marcelo Mayer and Roman Anthony. That’s some serious password protection.

— Scott Chiusano

When Adam Devine got an audition for “Pitch Perfect,” he thought it was a baseball film. As a huge fan of the game, he couldn’t have been more excited. Somehow, even though he prepped for the part by working on his swing, not his sing, he landed the role of Bumper Allen, the insufferable Treblemakers frontman in the movie that launched his career (the best movie of all time according to one of our editors).

Despite his success, Devine still likely won’t be playing the part of a ballplayer any time soon. But when it comes to using his comedic chops to pump up the game he loves, he’s all in, taking part in a new baseball marketing campaign. With the help of some Hollywood green-screen magic, Devine interacted with digital versions of some of the game’s biggest stars — Julio Rodríguez, Fernando Tatis Jr., Paul Skenes, Aaron Judge, Bobby Witt Jr. and Shohei Ohtani — ad-libbing and reacting to each player’s signature talent. Our Jen Vestuto has the backstory on how it all came together.

Watch some of the ads yourself; it’s something else.

For all the obscure stats whizzes out there, this one’s for you. See how well you can compare players and their stats before the timer runs out. Three strikes and you’re out! Play free >>

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Here are your 2025 All-Star Game starters

Thirteen teams are represented in this year’s All-Star starting lineups. The Tigers and Dodgers lead the way with three apiece, and the Cubs are the only other team to send multiple starters. There are nine players who were elected starters by the fans for the first time.

MLB MORNING LINEUP PODCAST

© 2025 MLB Advanced Media, L.P. MLB trademarks and copyrights are used with permission of Major League Baseball. Visit MLB.com. Any other marks used herein are trademarks of their respective owners.

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