Major League Baseball

Covered by Will Thompson

Jakob Marsee, CF MIA (MLB)

2-for-2, HR, R, 2 RBI

The Red Sox thought they were going to be spared from the wrath of Jakob Marsee when he didn’t start yesterday. They were wrong. Marsee pinch hit and in his second AB delivered the swing of the game, a go-ahead two-run shot off Steven Matz to give the Marlins the win. It’s been an astounding run for the 2022 sixth rounder out of Central Michigan, who is hitting .377/.468/.774 with 4 HR and seven doubles in 17 games. Marsee’s minor league numbers and general profile suggest that this type of power won’t continue, but he gets on base a ton and is a major base stealing threat. What a story for the Marlins, who keep finding contributors that pop up out of nowhere. 

🚑Wilyer Abreu, RF BOS (MLB)

2-for-3, HR, 2 R, 2 RBI

The Red Sox offense was quiet yesterday except for Wilyer Abreu, whose homer was nearly robbed by Dane Myers before he lost the ball into the bullpen. Abreu did leave the game with a calf injury but it sounds like Boston dodged a bullet and he will avoid the IL.  

‼️Andrew Abbott, LHP CIN (MLB)

7.0 IP, 4 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 7 K

Andrew Abbott might be having the least talked about 2.28 ERA season by a starter that I can remember. His peripherals have screamed regression all year but it hasn’t happened yet. The lefty has cut his home run rate nearly in half along with the lowest walk rate of his career by far. I’m not sure if we’ll see a season like this from Abbott again, especially at GABP where the ball flies, but he’s had a fantastic year. 

Jordan Westburg, 3B BAL (MLB)

4-for-5, HR, 2 R, 5 RBI

Speaking of guys that aren’t getting talked about as much as they should, Jordan Westburg absolutely falls in that category as well. He had a huge day yesterday in the Orioles blitzing of the Astros in Houston and is swinging a hot bat. Westburg doesn’t walk much, but his swing decisions are excellent and his chase rate is only 24% while he consistently hits the ball hard. Westburg settling in as a consistent 125 wRC+ guy is massive for this Orioles lineup. 

🆕Samuel Basallo, DH BAL (MLB)

1-for-4, 2 RBI

Finally! The long-awaited debut of Samuel Basallo finally happened yesterday and he got on the board by ripping a two-run single for his first big league hit. The Orioles will probably rotate Basallo in at DH, catcher, and 1B, but they gotta find a way to get his bat in the lineup every day. He’s going to be an absolute monster. 

‼️Dean Kremer, RHP BAL (MLB)

7.0 IP, 3 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 7 K

It’s been a brutal year for the Orioles starting rotation, but one bright spot has been that Dean Kremer has continued to be a dependable arm they can rely on. The righty now has a 3.97 ERA and 3.81 FIP this season and the splitter Kremer added into his repertoire last year is a real weapon. 

Chris Paddack, RHP DET (MLB)

5.2 IP, 9 H, 8 ER, 3 BB, 4 K, 3 HR allowed

Sorry Rhys, it appears the Tigers have in fact not fixed Chris Paddack. 

Corbin Carroll, RF ARI (MLB)

2-for-4, HR, R, RBI, BB, K

Something that’s gotten lost a bit in the Diamondbacks rough 2025 season is that Corbin Carroll is having a career year. He’s hitting for more power and that was on full display with his 474 foot home run at Coors yesterday. Carroll’s hard-hit rate has jumped to 50.2% (previous CH was 40.9%) and his barrel rate of 15.2% is more than double his previous high. He’s traded some strikeouts for the added power, but that’s a tradeoff he and the DBacks will gladly take. He’s still only 24 years old by the way.  

Jo Adell, RF LAA (MLB)

3-for-5, HR, 2B, 3 R, 4 RBI, 2 K

Adell has slowed down a bit over the last month, but the power has still been there. He launched his fifth home run over his last 12 games against the A’s yesterday and looks like a lock to go over 30 homers for the first time in his career. If the Angels can get him back in RF full-time next year, Adell could become the five win player that he was thought to be as a top prospect. 

Nick Kurtz, 1B ATH (MLB)

1-for-3, HR, R, RBI, 2 BB, K

Nick Kurtz has 25 home runs in his first 84 big league games. I cannot believe this is real life. 

Drew Gilbert, RF SF (MLB)

2-for-4, HR, R, 2 RBI, K

Gilbert launched his first career home run yesterday, a bright spot for what’s been a tough start in the big leagues for him. It’s an extremely small sample, but he’s now 3-for-22 to start off his MLB career. I’m not the biggest Gilbert fan, but at least he’ll be able to get consistent reps with the Giants the way he would never have a chance of with the Yankees.  

Mookie Betts, SS LAD (MLB)

1-for-3, HR, 2 R, RBI, BB

I’ll give Mookie Betts this. It’s obviously been a bad year for him, but when the lights are the brightest he shows up. The Dodgers saw a 4-0 lead disappear and lost the chance to score a run when Teoscar Hernandez didn’t run out a flyball that dropped. With the game tied, the Padres went to Robert Suarez against the heart of the Dodgers order and Mookie launched a go-ahead solo homer to give LA the sweep. Maybe this could get Mookie going? Maybe? 

Cal Raleigh, C SEA (MLB)

2-for-5, HR, R, 2 RBI, K

That’s 47 home runs for Cal Raleigh, who absolutely torched the Mets in this series even though New York ultimately took two of three. I think I’m at the point where the AL MVP race is a coin flip and I truly never thought I’d get there. Even with catching the most innings in the big leagues, Raleigh’s offense has not slowed down. 

George Kirby, RHP SEA (MLB)

4.2 IP, 12 H, 7 ER, 3 BB, 4 K, HR allowed

It looked like Kirby had turned a corner but he imploded again in Williamsport last night. He’ll be fine, but the command that used to be 80 grade has taken a half step back this year and it’s definitely hurt him. Despite the 4.22 ERA, he has a 3.37 FIP and 3.32 xFIP so things should improve even with this bad start. 

Francisco Alvarez, C NYM (MLB)

3-for-4, 2 2B, 2 R, RBI

I’m happy to say that even when he got optioned, I was still a big believer in Francisco Alvarez and he’s proving me right. His Triple-A reset has done wonders and since coming back to the big leagues, Alvarez is hitting .323/.408/.645 with 4 HR and six doubles in 21 games. I know no one cares about my dynasty team, but thank god Alvarez seems to be back because I had all my eggs in one basket at the catcher position. He’s had a monster three week stretch. 

Triple-A 

Covered by Adam Kiel 

Hector Rodriguez, LF CIN (Triple-A) 

2-for-4, 2B, RBI

It’s not a flashy line but just an excuse to bring up accountability. I feel like that seriously lacks in fantasy and prospect writing in general so I try and point out when I make mistakes too. I let prospect fatigue get to me when he had a slow start. I made a stupid drop and now I am seriously regretting it. This is a 21-year-old with a .302/.360/.479 line across 100 PAs in Triple-A. I think he isn’t getting the love he should and here I am trying to do that. He is boring across the board but it's across the board. He can steal 15+ bags, hit 12-17 homers, get on base 32ish % of the time and play all 3 outfield spots. This is a player who could anchor a deep league team or be a valuable shallow league bench option. Real life his value is much higher but I shouldn’t have let his “boring” profile blind me to how exciting of a prospect he is. 

Chase Petty, RHP CIN (Triple-A) 

5 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 6 K 

Not to be Petty but maybe the Reds just aren’t that good at arm dev and just draft well? (I don’t actually believe that but the NLC is filled with so many high powered arms and the Cardinals so I get to be bitter). The walks continue to be a problem, both came in the only inning he really had traffic. He got two big strikeouts in the third to keep the damage to just one run. He had another blemish in the 5th when a Kelenic triple added his second run, but he got a big infield flyout and strike out to keep that to just one run as well. His biggest asset, the swing and miss stuff, just hasn’’t been consistent in the big leagues (just a 17.5% K rate in his brief showing this season) but the promise remains there. If he can just take another half step in command, he could break out. 

🔜Chris Sale, LHP ATL (Triple-A) 

4 IP, 3 H, ER, BB, 4 K

Rehab stats don’t matter and neither do the NL East standings for the Braves. (5 game win streak be damned). They really should shut him down and just play for next year. (Sorry ATL fans) 

🔜Jonathan Loaisiga, RHP NYY (Triple-A) 

1 IP, 1 H, BB, K 

🔜Fernando Cruz, RHP NYY (Triple-A) 

1 IP, 2 H, 2 ER, K, HRA 

Rehab stats don’t matter but Help is on the way Dear!