RJ Hamster
Let the Skubal sweepstakes begin
Thursday, July 30
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. Today’s edition is brought to you by David Adler.
A Tarik Skubal trade feels inevitable now. So which contender will get him?
Skubal’s last start before the Trade Deadlinemight have sealed the deal. Skubal was great. He recorded his 1,000th career strikeout. He left to a standing ovation. But the Tigers blew a 7-0 lead and lost to the Orioles, 10-9, in 12 innings.
As much as any one game could, that loss could decide the Tigers’ course of action in advance of Monday’s 6 p.m. ET Deadline. Detroit has lost four of five games to fall to 51-58.
One executive told MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand today: “If there was ever a sign that the Tigers should trade Skubal, that was it. The offers should start flowing in any minute.”
And ESPN’s Jeff Passan wrote in his Trade Deadline preview, “[The Tigers] haven’t won enough to warrant Skubal staying, and he will be traded.”
The question is, to who?
We’re keeping track of all the latest Skubal rumors here, and Feinsand also has a thorough breakdown of Skubal’s current trade situation.
Here’s where things stand right now…
• At least seven contending teams have been connected to Skubal: the Dodgers, Brewers, Rays, Cubs, Phillies, Braves and Yankees. We break down the market for Skubal, including potential trade packages from the various interested teams.
• A Skubal trade could come together quickly. Passan reports: “Tarik Skubal is gonna be traded. The Tigers haven’t gone to teams that are interested in him, and said as much at this point, but the expectation is that it’s going to happen in the next day or two.” He added today that rival executives expect a deal to happen by the morning of Monday’s Deadline at the latest. The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal also previously reported that rival clubs were starting to call the Tigers.
• The Dodgers and Brewers, thanks to their loaded farm systems, are seen as the favorites — but especially the Dodgers. Passan said yesterday that rival Skubal suitors are “all almost resigned to the idea that the Los Angeles Dodgers are going to get Tarik Skubal.”
• Recent questions about Shohei Ohtani’s availability as a pitcher may be pushing the Dodgers all-in on Skubal. MLB Network insider Jon Paul Morosi reported yesterday that the Dodgers’ interest in Skubal has increased due to Ohtani’s left knee and biceps issues, and Rosenthal echoed that today. While L.A. does expect Ohtani to be back on the mound by the postseason, there is currently no timetable for his return.
• What would a rival contender like the Brewers have to give up to land Skubal? Former general manager Steve Phillips lays out potential trade packages for Milwaukee on MLB Network Radio. Rosenthal thinks the Brewers have the assets to get Skubal, but that the asking price might be too high, saying: “I just don’t know that parting with the premium young talent it’s going to take, that they’re going to have enough of an appetite to do it.”
• Don’t count out the Rays, either — especially after star left-hander Shane McClanahan left his start today in the fourth inning with what the club called “mid-back tightness.” One source told Feinsand that: “The Brewers, Rays and Dodgers have the most high-end prospects to move. It would be somewhat surprising if he didn’t wind up with one of those three teams.”
Follow the latest MLB trade buzz and Deadline news here >>
GAMES OF THE NIGHT
Here are three games to watch tonight. Go to MLB.com/Watch for info on how to watch every game this season.
Marlins at Mets (7:10 p.m. ET, MLB.TV)
Two electric young arms, the Marlins’ Eury Pérez and the Mets’ Nolan McLean, face off in what might be the best pitching matchup of the night. Pérez has a 1.75 ERA in six starts since he returned from the injured list in late June. McLean is also rounding into form, with a 2.17 ERA over his last 10 starts going back to May 31 against this very Miami team. But he is looking to bounce back from a tough loss to the World Series champion Dodgershis last time out.
Nationals at Braves (7:15 p.m. ET, ESPN)
A four-game NL East rivalry clash begins tonight as the first-place Braves take on one of baseball’s biggest surprises in the Nats. Led by NL MVP candidate James Wood, the Nationals lead MLB with 596 runs scored and 159 home runs. But the Braves sit comfortably at the top of the division, and their lineup got a boost with superstar Ronald Acuña Jr.’s return earlier this week.
Mariners at Dodgers (10:10 p.m. ET, MLB Network / MLB.TV)
There’s a lot going on with the Dodgers’ rotation, from the swirling Tarik Skubal trade rumors to the Shohei Ohtani injury questions to the coming reinforcements of Blake Snell and Tyler Glasnow. But don’t overlook Roki Sasaki’s recent turnaround … or his cartoonishly large glove. Sasaki takes the mound tonight coming off back-to-back excellent starts against the Yankees and Mets.
THE UNDER-THE-RADAR BREW CREW BREAKOUT
If you’re not too mesmerized by Jacob Misiorowski’s 105 mph fastballs, allow us to take a second to highlight one of the lesser-known breakout stars on the Brewers this season.
Milwaukee wouldn’t be one of the best teams in the Majors this season if not for the contributions of unheralded players like Garrett Mitchell.
Sidetracked by injuries for his first several big league seasons, Mitchell is healthy this year and has been quite productive for the first-place Brew Crew. He has a 117 OPS+ this season, meaning he’s been 17% better than an average hitter.
It starts with the bat speed. You might be surprised to learn that Mitchell has one of the fastest bats in the Majors. His average swing speed of 77.4 mph is tied for sixth fastest in MLB.
Fastest avg. bat speed, 2026
- Junior Caminero: 79.9 mph
- Jordan Walker: 79.2 mph
- Oneil Cruz: 78.4 mph
- Nick Kurtz: 78.2 mph
- Cam Smith: 77.5 mph
- Garrett Mitchell / Jac Caglianone: 77.4 mph
Bat speed matters. And Mitchell is even swinging a faster bat than the likes of Kyle Schwarber, James Wood and Yordan Alvarez.
And there’s more that makes Mitchell a valuable player. See Brent Maguire’s full breakdown here >>
TRADE RUMORS: REDS ACE ON THE BLOCK?
We’re bringing you all the latest trade rumors up to Monday’s 6 p.m. ET Trade Deadline. Today, we take a look at the market for Reds flamethrower Hunter Greene.
With the Reds looking like sellers ahead of the Deadline, a lot of players have come up in trade rumors — particularly those on expiring contracts like Brady Singer, Tyler Stephenson, Eugenio Suárez and Brock Burke, but even some controllable players like breakout outfielder JJ Bleday.
Now here’s one intriguing question that just popped up: Could ace Hunter Greene be on the block?
The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal reported todaythat contending clubs looking for starting pitching have shown “significant interest” in the 26-year-old flamethrower. But a return would have to be massive for Cincinnati to consider trading him.
And here are a few other bits and pieces of Trade Deadline news:
• Who are the Yankees targeting at the Deadline? A catcher? An outfielder? A reliever? A starter? Bryan Hoch breaks down each position of interest to New York, and lists some potential trade fits.
• The scuffling Phillies are looking for upgrades at the Deadline. Bryce Harper even said as much the other day. Today, Todd Zolecki writes that “it will be stunning if the Phillies don’t make at least one trade before the Deadline,” and looks at what help they might get.
• Anthony DiComo lists out six thoughts on the Mets before the Trade Deadline, including what they might get back for Clay Holmes, Luke Weaver and more.
• Will Nationals All-Star starting pitcher Foster Griffin get traded … or get a contract extension to keep him in Washington? Jessica Camerato breaks down the situation surrounding the breakout 31-year-old lefty, who’s on a one-year, $5.5 million contract he signed after pitching the past three seasons in Japan.
AROUND THE LEAGUE
Here’s the news and notes from around the Majors …
• Kody Clemens joined the short list of ultimate grand slams this afternoon — those are walk-off slams with the player’s team trailing by three runs. The Twins were trailing the Royals, 3-0, and down to their last strike in the bottom of the ninth inning today when Clemens crushed a grand slam to win the game.
• Top prospect Max Clark — ranked No. 13 overall by MLB Pipeline — is being called up by the Tigers. Jason Beck writes about Clark’s path to the Majors, and Sam Dykstra breaks down what to expect from Clark in the big leagues.
• Blake Snell dominated in his latest rehab start yesterday — and the next stop for the two-time Cy Young winner might be the Majors. That would be a welcome boost for the Dodgers.
• Cam Schlittler kept padding his Cy Young résumé last night with a 6 1/3-inning, one-run, eight-strikeout gem against the White Sox, and he even showed off a new toy, snapping off a bunch of curveballs that pushed 90 mph. But once the White Sox got Schlittler out of the game, they rallied for a dramatic 12-inning walk-off win, including a game-tying home run from Munetaka Murakami and the game-winning single from Edgar Quero.
• Edwin Díaz made a triumphant return to the Dodgers — trumpets and all — and picked up the save on his bobblehead night at Dodger Stadium. It was the star closer’s first game in more than three months, following April surgery to remove loose bodies from his right elbow.
• The Cardinals and Cubs played a classic rivalry game in St. Louis. NL MVP candidatePete Crow-Armstrong broke a scoreless tie in the 10th inning with a two-run homer for the Cubs … only for the Cards to storm back and win on Iván Herrera’s walk-off gapper.
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