Guardians' bats stay hot with 6-3 win over Orioles
Kyle Manzardo and Bryan Rocchio each drove in a pair of runs as the Guardians have won 10 of 12 after a 10-game losing streak to get back to .500 at 50-50.
Ramón Laureano went deep in the sixth inning for the Orioles, who have dropped four of five since the break.
Ramirez drove a 94.4 mile fastball near the top of the strike zone into the right-field seats off Baltimore's Brandon Young (0-5) in the first inning. Seven of Ramirez's 21 homers have come in the last 12 games.
Cleveland starter Joey Cantillo (2-0) did not allow a hit until the fifth inning, when Ramón Urías led off with a base hit down the left-field line. The left-hander allowed one run and two hits in five innings with four walks and five strikeouts.
Emmanuel Clase got the last three outs for his 22nd save.
Key moment
Rocchio's sacrifice bunt in the seventh inning brought home Nolan Jones and extended Cleveland's lead to 6-3. Rocchio is 6 for 17 with seven RBIs on the homestand.
Key stat
Cleveland has 21 homers in its last 12 games, tied with Oakland for the most in the majors since July 7. The Guardians have gone deep in 12 straight games, its longest run since it had a franchise-record, 20-game streak in 2021.
Up next
Orioles RHP Zach Eflin (6-5, 5.95 ERA) goes against Guardians RHP Slade Cecconi (5-4, 3.84 ERA) on Wednesday.
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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
Joe Reedy, The Associated Press
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Fox Sports
28 minutes ago
- Fox Sports
2025 MLB Trade Deadline: Biggest Needs, Player Fits For Top Contenders
Now that the Rafael Devers saga in Boston is over, we shouldn't expect any major movement during next week's MLB trade deadline, right? Not exactly. While it's true that we might not see another player of Devers' caliber get moved, plenty of action should still be expected in the days ahead of the July 31 deadline. More than a handful of teams are still in the process of figuring out if they'll be buying, selling or doing a little of both. Let's take a look at the biggest need for the top contenders. For the purposes of this exercise, we included every team that's within two games of a playoff spot — and one possible target who could fit the mold. Arms race Chicago Cubs (60-42, 2nd in NL Central) Biggest Need: Starting pitching Possible Target: Seth Lugo, SP, Kansas City Royals There's not a team in baseball that should be more committed to going all-in than the Cubs, who traded for one season of Kyle Tucker and could use another championship-caliber arm in the rotation to get where they hope to go. Lugo doesn't have the overpowering stuff of an ace, but his vast arsenal should make him someone they can feel comfortable giving the ball to in October. Now, how many chips are they willing to push in to pull off something even more impactful? What would it take for MacKenzie Gore? It's at least worth the ask. Toronto Blue Jays (60-42, 1st in AL East) Biggest Need: Starting pitching Possible Target: Mitch Keller, SP, Pittsburgh Pirates The Blue Jays have made their run atop the AL East despite a rotation ERA that ranks 24th in MLB. They could use another starter they can trust in the playoffs, and with Chris Bassitt and Max Scherzer both free agents at the end of the year, it certainly wouldn't hurt if that addition was a controllable piece. Keller, who's 29, has a 2.59 ERA over his last eight starts, and signed a five-year, $77 million extension before last season in Pittsburgh, would fit the bill. So would Miami's Edward Cabrera, if they can muster enough prospects to make that deal happen. Boston Red Sox (55-49, 3rd in AL East) Biggest Need: Starting pitching Possible Target: Edward Cabrera, SP, Miami Marlins Could they trade from their surplus of big-league outfielders to acquire another impact starter behind Garrett Crochet? It's certainly possible. But their farm system is deep enough that they could also land that pitcher other ways. It would cost a lot, but pairing Crochet and Brayan Bello with a young, controllable piece like Cabrera, who has a 2.47 ERA since the start of May and is under team control through 2028, could be enticing. San Francisco Giants (54-49, 3rd in NL West) Biggest Need: Starting pitching Possible Target: Adrian Houser, SP, Chicago White Sox It wouldn't be a shock to see the Giants add more offense — they rank 28th in OPS since acquiring Devers — but starting pitching has also emerged as a need. Their starters have an ERA over 5.00 in July. After making their big splash already, I don't necessarily expect them to go find a Game 1 playoff starter. But adding someone like Houser, who has a 1.89 ERA in 10 starts for the White Sox, could help stabilize the group. Looking for relief Los Angeles Dodgers (60-43, 1st in NL West) Biggest Need: Relief pitching Possible Target: Ryan Helsley, RP, St. Louis Cardinals President of baseball operations Andrew Friedman's goal after another offseason of significant spending was not to buy in July. Unfortunately, their pitching staff — which has a 4.28 ERA this year — has been an injured mess again. Fixing the bullpen was an obvious requirement even before closer Tanner Scott left his outing Monday with a stinging sensation in his forearm. The Dodgers could be in the market for an outfielder and a starter, too, but high-end relief pitching should be their primary focus at the deadline, even with Blake Treinen due back soon. Detroit Tigers (60-43, 1st in AL Central) Biggest Need: Relief pitching Possible Target: Griffin Jax, RP, Minnesota Twins It may seem strange to those who haven't watched much of the first-place Tigers this year, considering it was their medley of relievers and "pitching chaos" that got them to the ALDS last year, but their bullpen ranks 20th in ERA and 27th in strikeout rate. It's been an alarming problem lately, as their relievers have tallied a 5.79 ERA in July with as many saves (four) as blown saves (four). Jax has the seventh-highest strikeout rate and fifth-highest strikeout-to-walk ratio among qualified relievers this year. Philadelphia Phillies (58-44, 2nd in NL East) Biggest Need: Relief pitching Possible Target: David Bednar, RP, Pittsburgh Pirates The Phillies had questions in the bullpen even before José Alvarado was suspended 80 games after testing positive for a performance-enhancing substance. Now that he's unavailable for the postseason, and that Jordan Romano's ERA is still over 6.00, it's imperative that they add another reliable late-inning arm (in addition, perhaps, to another outfielder). From Bednar to Emmanuel Clase to Jhoan Duran, there are a lot of impact closers potentially available, but they will come at a significant cost, as none of them are rentals. New York Mets (59-44, 1st in NL East) Biggest Need: Relief pitching Possible Target: Danny Coulombe, RP, Minnesota Twins The Mets still possess the lowest overall ERA of any club in the National League, but the bullpen has a 4.42 ERA in July. With lefties A.J. Minter and Danny Young out for the year, it'd make sense to try to add a southpaw in front of closer Edwin Díaz. While there are a lot of big-name, back-end pieces potentially available, there aren't a lot of standout left-handers. Coulombe, who has a 0.93 ERA for the Twins, or JoJo Romero, who has allowed just one earned run in his last 27 appearances for the Cardinals, would be among the intriguing options. Infield help Milwaukee Brewers (61-41, 1st in NL Central) Biggest Need: Power Possible Target: Eugenio Suárez, 3B, Arizona Diamondbacks Sure, this isn't the type of big swing (no pun intended) that the Brewers usually take. They could go a number of different ways here, and it's probably more likely they opt for smaller moves to upgrade the bullpen. But the one thing their young, speedy, contact-first offense is missing is a serious power threat. There's no one better on the market to fill that void than Suárez, who has nearly twice as many homers (36) as the Brewers' top home run hitter (Christian Yelich: 19). Suárez is a rental, so adding him wouldn't be a long-term financial burden for the thrifty club. In addition, they have the pitching capable of intriguing Arizona. The Brewers have more arms than they can use. They've shocked the world with their play thus far; getting the prize of the deadline would be another stunner. Time to go for it. New York Yankees (56-46, 2nd in AL East) Biggest Need: Third base Possible Target: Ryan McMahon, 3B, Colorado Rockies It's certainly possible they do what's necessary to acquire Suárez, who would be a great fit. But even if he's not ultimately the answer, the Jorbit Vivas/Oswald Peraza pairing at third base needs to be upgraded as the Yankees try to make a return trip to the World Series. McMahon or Kansas City's Maikel Garcia would represent obvious offensive upgrades at third base and are also strong defenders at the position. It wouldn't be shocking to see them get another starting pitcher, either. Seattle Mariners (54-48, 2nd in AL West) Biggest Need: Corner infield Possible Target: Ryan O'Hearn, 1B, Baltimore Orioles Among players currently on their roster, the Mariners have gotten five home runs from their third basemen and six from their first basemen. (Rowdy Tellez, who had 11 homers in Seattle, was released in June.) I'd expect them to add at least one corner infielder, and they possess the prospects to land O'Hearn, Josh Naylor or one of the top slugging rentals. Houston Astros (60-42, 1st in AL West) Biggest Need: Left-handed bat (among many things) Possible Target: Willi Castro, UTIL, Minnesota Twins With 17 players on the injured list, the first-place Astros could go a lot of different directions here. How does the latest, a hamstring injury to Isaac Paredes, potentially alter their priorities? Getting a player like Castro, who can hit from both sides and move around the diamond, potentially filling multiple needs as the Astros wait for reinforcements, would make sense. A reunion with starter Charlie Morton would also fill a need. Wild cards San Diego Padres (55-47, 2nd in NL West) Biggest Need: Left fielder/another bat Possible Target: Ramon Laureano, OF, Baltimore Orioles This is one of the most interesting teams to watch at the deadline considering their various needs and A.J. Preller's willingness to deal. They have to find a way to add lineup depth, and a left fielder or DH would make a lot of sense. Could we see a deal that involves Dylan Cease going to Boston and Jarren Duran going to San Diego? In theory, that could help solve problems for both teams. There are plenty of other options, though, from Laureano to Cedric Mullins to Luis Robert Jr. They're willing to move players around, so I don't think they'd have any hesitation to move a center fielder to left, and Robert possesses the type of upside that could entice Preller. Texas Rangers (53-50, 3rd in AL West) Biggest Need: Another bat…anywhere Possible Target: Josh Naylor, 1B, Arizona Diamondbacks The Rangers are still on the outside of the playoff picture, 1.5 games back in the wild-card race. But after winning eight of their last 10 games, and with a pitching staff that has by far the lowest ERA in the majors, it seems more likely they'd be buyers or stand pat than sell. It's no mystery that the offense could use a boost just about anywhere. The Rangers rank in the bottom 10 in RBI at both first base and DH, and Naylor could help drive in runs at either spot. Tampa Bay Rays (53-50, 4th in AL East) Biggest Need: Relief pitching? Outfield? Possible Target: Dennis Santana, RP, Pittsburgh Pirates Like the Rangers, the Rays are also 53-50 and 1.5 games back of a wild-card spot. Unlike the Rangers, they're trending the wrong direction, having lost 12 of 18 games in July. The Rays, who acquired reliever Bryan Baker from the Orioles earlier this month, could really go any direction at this point. It's possible they do a little buying and a little selling. If they do the former, it wouldn't be a surprise to see them either scour the outfield market or continue to bolster the bullpen. Right-handed hitters are batting .262 against the Tampa Bay bullpen this year, which is the fifth-highest mark in MLB. Rowan Kavner is an MLB writer for FOX Sports. He previously covered the L.A. Dodgers, LA Clippers and Dallas Cowboys. An LSU grad, Rowan was born in California, grew up in Texas, then moved back to the West Coast in 2014. Follow him on X at @RowanKavner . recommended Item 1 of 3 Get more from the Major League Baseball Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more


Newsweek
29 minutes ago
- Newsweek
Pirates Starter Tagged As Best Available By MLB Insider As Deadline Nears
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. The Pittsburgh Pirates continue to underperform despite having the best pitcher in the league, Paul Skenes, on their roster, which has kept them in the cellar of the National League Central. With the deadline approaching, the Pirates have the best right-handed starter on the market, and it's not Skenes but rather his teammate Mitch Keller, according to Mark Feinsand. PITTSBURGH, PA - JULY 22: Mitch Keller #23 of the Pittsburgh Pirates pitches in the first inning against the Detroit Tigers during inter-league play at PNC Park on July 22, 2025 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. PITTSBURGH, PA - JULY 22: Mitch Keller #23 of the Pittsburgh Pirates pitches in the first inning against the Detroit Tigers during inter-league play at PNC Park on July 22, 2025 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Photo by Justin K. Aller/Getty Images Keller has been a solid arm for the Pirates with 15 quality starts in 21 starts this season, and yet he is 4-10 entering Thursday. The right-hander has a 3.53 ERA for the Pirates and is going to be a sought-after pitcher on the market for teams looking for a controllable arm this season. Keller won't be a free agent until 2029 and will come with a price tag that can help the Pirates for the future as they try to build around Skenes and Oneil Cruz. With the trade deadline next week, the Pirates are expected to be active as they are out of the playoff mix and are looking forward to next season and beyond. Keller could be a piece that moves to bring in the future, but has also served as a good pairing to Skenes in the Pittsburgh rotation. Keller could net MLB-ready hitting as they look to build, and with top pitching prospect Bubba Chandler waiting to make his way to PNC Park, the Pirates will almost certainly be fine with moving the starter. Keller has shown promise at the major league level, and it begs the question of how big of jump he will make with a competitive team to surround him. More MLB: Royals Reportedly Willing To Trade, Looking To Compete Next Year


Boston Globe
an hour ago
- Boston Globe
At UNC football media day, Bill Belichick touches on the transition to college, ‘Carolina players,' and, yes, fullbacks
Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up Belichick and his staff will be tested on their player development and evaluation as the Tar Heels underwent massive roster turnover — Belichick said there were 70 new players — ahead of a new era. Advertisement 'Developing players, that's really what coaching is, and that's what we do,' Belichick said. 'We take great pride in that, myself and our staff and players who want to be developed. A Carolina player is a player who wants to be a good football player, who wants to work hard, who wants to make commitment toward improving on a regular basis, both [in terms of] training and team execution on the field.' Belichick referenced his history of player development, from his first head coaching stint in Cleveland to his biggest successes with famous late draft picks in Foxborough. Advertisement 'Going back, whether it was it Cleveland where Mike [Lombardi] and I put together an offensive line where four of the five starters were free agents,' Belichick said, 'or at New England, where we had a number of low draft choices, or high draft choices, I should say, guys like [Tom] Brady and [Julian] Edelman, players like that, who turned out to be great players, as well as some of the other players, higher picks that develop, like [Rob] Gronkowski and so forth. 'So, development is a big part for us, and players that want to come in, work hard, be good players, learn, and compete ... Competition is what makes us all better.' Belichick, a six-time Super Bowl champion with the Patriots, takes over a North Carolina program that finished near the bottom of the ACC last season with a 6-7 record, 3-5 in conference play. The Tar Heels lost the Fenway Bowl to UConn in the shadow of the Green Monster. North Carolina had some modest success under Belichick's predecessor, Mack Brown, who led the Tar Heels to four winning campaigns in his six seasons but lost four consecutive bowl games, before he was relieved of his duties ahead of that Fenway Bowl defeat. Belichick will be looking to bring North Carolina to relevancy in a conference dominated by historical powerhouses such as Miami and Clemson. Dabo Swinney, the latter's two-time national champion coach, said he'd already learned plenty from Belichick since the 73-year-old took over at North Carolina, something Belichick seemed to laugh off. Advertisement 'Yeah, we're all learning from Dabo,' Belichick said. That's very, very nice of him to say that, very complimentary ... I have a ton of respect for Dabo and what he's done, had a great opportunity to spend some time with him at the ACC coaches' meetings, enjoyable guy to be around." 'I don't know if that'll be true on Saturday afternoons,' Belichick added, jokingly. 'Probably not.' The biggest on-field question surrounding Belichick's move has been how he'll handle coaching college players — particularly in the world of NIL and player payments — after a half-century in the pros. Belichick sounded excited about the opportunity. 'The great thing about working with the college players is just the growth and the development,' he said. 'I saw a little bit of that last year when I was at Washington with coach [Jedd] Fish and [Belichick's son] Steve out there to see how much the players improved from the spring until the start of training camp. 'I'd say, on the college end, you're right, the players are a little bit younger and less skilled. Sometimes that's an advantage; there are fewer bad habits to break. But I would say also, the players are much more receptive to the coaching. We're excited to see how all that manifests itself out on the field and we actually start playing football, but I think we'll be ready to start when we when we get going next week.' It wouldn't be a Belichick media session, however, without a tangent on football's more marginalized roles and positions. Belichick was asked about the history of the fullback, which opened the door for the football historian to break out an extended monologue on one of his favorite positions. Advertisement After two minutes chronicling everything from color-coded adjustments when Belichick started with the Colts in 1975 to the fullback's place in modern spread offenses, Belichick cracked a smile and quipped: 'So, yeah, that's been an evolution.' Amin Touri can be reached at