>>Report: Angels Don’t Plan To Trade Ohtani
(Anaheim, CA) — The Angels are reportedly taking Shohei Ohtani “off the trade market.” Sport Illustrated’s Tom Verducci reports Los Angeles won’t move Ohtani before the trade deadline as the team plans to make a run for the postseason. Ohtani had been mentioned in numerous trade rumors as the two-way superstar is set to hit free agency at the end of this season. The 29-year-old has been dominating baseball this season with 36 home runs and 77 RBI at the plate. Ohtani also holds an 8-and-5 record with a 3.71 ERA on the mound this season.
>>Report: Aaron Judge Returning Friday For Yankees
(Bronx, NY) — The Yankees are finally getting their star outfielder back this week. The New York Post reports the team plans to activate Aaron Judge ahead of Friday’s series opener against the Baltimore Orioles. Judge has been sidelined since tearing a ligament in his right big toe on June 3rd against the Los Angeles Dodgers. The reigning AL MVP was batting .291 with 19 home runs and 40 RBI before suffering the injury. Judge will look to help the Yankees make the postseason as they are currently last place in the AL East.
>>Rob Manfred Extended As MLB Commissioner
(Undated) — The commissioner of Major League Baseball is sticking around. Rob Manfred was granted an extension Wednesday which will keep him in the position through 2029. The 64-year-old had one season left on his current deal after taking over for Bud Selig in 2015. This will be Manfred’s third extension, which overlaps the expiration of the current CBA following the 2026 season. The league has seen record revenues since Manfred became commissioner, with last year’s total surpassing 10.8-billion-dollars. The commissioner has also been at the center of the newly added pitch clock and a labor dispute in 2021 which led to a nearly 100-day lockout.
>>White Sox Send SP Lucas Giolito To Angels
(Undated) — Lucas Giolito is being shipped out of the Windy City. The White Sox right-handed pitcher was traded to the Los Angeles Angels alongside reliever Reynaldo Lopez late Wednesday. In return, the White Sox are receiving catcher Edgar Quero and left-handed pitcher Ky Bush, two of the top three prospects in the Angels system. Giolito was an American League All-Star in 2019, and he’s 6-and-6 with a 3.79 ERA in 21 starts this season.
>>Dodgers Acquire Amed Rosario From Guardians
(Undated) — The Dodgers are adding a shortstop ahead of next week’s trade deadline. Los Angeles acquired Amed Rosario from the Cleveland Guardians in exchange for pitcher Noah Syndergaard and cash considerations. Rosario is hitting .265 this season with three homers and 40 RBI. The 27-year-old was originally traded to Cleveland from the New York Mets back in 2020 as part of the Francisco Lindor deal. Rosario will be a free agent at the end of the season. Syndergaard is 1-and-4 with a 7.16 ERA in 12 starts for the Dodgers this year. He’s currently on the injured list with a blister issue.
>>Braves Swept By Red Sox
(Boston, MA) — The Braves were swept in their two-game series in Boston. Atlanta gave up four runs through the last two innings to fall to the Red Sox 5-3 at Fenway Park. New trade acquisition Pierce Johnson was charged with the loss and his third blown save after letting up one run in two-thirds of an inning of relief. Ozzie Albies hit his 24th home run with a three-run shot in the sixth inning of the losing effort. The Braves have lost three of four to slip to 64-and-36. They will return home to host the Milwaukee Brewers tomorrow night.
>>Cardinals Crush D’backs Late
(Phoenix, AZ) — The Cardinals put up three runs in the seventh inning and five more in the eighth en route to an 11-7 win over the Diamondbacks in the desert. Phoenix native Nolan Gorman homered twice and drove in three, while former D’back Paul Goldschmidt also went deep for the second time in the series. Andrew Knizner (KIZZ-ner)and Lars Nootbaar added home runs for St. Louis, which took two-of-three in the series. Andre Pallante picked up the win in relief. The Cardinals remain in fourth-place in the NL Central at 46-and-57. Miles Mikolas takes the mound against the Cubs tonight.
>>Reds Lose Series To Brewers
(Milwaukee, WI) — The Reds lost their series to the Brewers following a 3-0, shutout defeat from Milwaukee. Ben Lively got saddled with the loss after surrendering two runs on eight hits over six-plus innings. TJ Friedl got two of Cincinnati’s six hits in the game as the team fell to 56-and-48. Cincy trails the Brew Crew by a game-and-a-half for first place in the NL Central. The team heads out west to play the Dodgers tomorrow.