
Vargas and Tauchman lead White Sox over Pirates 7-2 for 1st series sweep of season
Vargas hit a three-run shot to open the scoring against Andrew Heaney, his 11th homer of the year but first since June 15. Tauchman followed by launching a drive that carried over the right-field stands and bounced into the Allegheny River.
The White Sox became the last major league team to sweep a series this season as they sent the Pirates to their 11th loss in 12 games.
Tauchman hit a two-run double in the fifth to chase Heaney and extend the lead to 7-1.
Aaron Civale (2-6) got his first win in seven starts since being acquired from Milwaukee in a June 13 trade. He gave up one unearned run and three hits in six innings with six strikeouts.
Vargas, Tauchman, Chase Meidroth and Michael A. Taylor each had two hits for the White Sox.
Heaney (4-9) was tagged for seven runs and nine hits in four innings. The left-hander has lost six of seven decisions since May 26.
Key moment
Vargas' home run to center field put the White Sox on the path to a three-game sweep.
Key stat
Andrew McCutchen's ninth-inning double for Pittsburgh was his 2,232nd hit, tying Pirates great Willie Stargell for 180th on the MLB career list.
Up next
The White Sox open a three-game series against the Tampa Bay Rays on Monday night in Tampa, with Sean Burke (4-8, 4.36 ERA) pitching for Chicago against fellow right-hander Shane Baz (8-5, 4.17).
National League All-Star Game starter Paul Skenes (4-8, 2.01 ERA) goes for the Pirates on Monday night to begin a three-game series with visiting Detroit and Jack Flaherty (5-9, 4.65).
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NBC Sports
11 minutes ago
- NBC Sports
White Sox at Rays prediction: Odds, expert picks, starting pitchers, betting trends, and stats for July 22
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New York Times
11 minutes ago
- New York Times
The 6 MLB front office executives under the most pressure this trade deadline
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Life as a general manager or president of baseball operations at the trade deadline is an intense time, and every front office — regardless of market, track record or place in the standings — is under the microscope to some degree. But certain front offices, from clear sellers to aggressive buyers, face more pressure to deliver difference-making deals than ever before. Here are the front offices and executives under the most pressure to make significant moves this trade season. No executive is under more pressure at this trade deadline than Elias, with many in the business believing his job could be in jeopardy. He has been one of the best in the industry in terms of amateur draft selections, from his days rebuilding the Astros to his tenure with the Orioles (November 2018 to present), including this year's draft, with many analysts believing the Orioles 'won' the 2025 MLB Draft. However, in Baltimore, he hasn't yet turned his strong drafting track record into a World Series-caliber major-league team, though the Orioles did win 100 games in 2023 and make the postseason the past two years. This season, anything that could go wrong has gone wrong, and now Baltimore must sell at the deadline and prepare for next year. The good news for the Orioles is they're in a strong position to take advantage of their misfortune and a thin trade market. If the Diamondbacks don't become sellers at the trade deadline, the Orioles will be the headliner among selling teams, with the most talented players to offer. Elias appeared on my MLB Network Radio show on Sunday, and he made it clear that players on expiring contracts will be at the top of their list to move, but he didn't rule out trading other players and is in the process of doing his due diligence. With the trade deadline looming, it seems like phones are ringing in the Warehouse ☎️ @Orioles | #Birdland 🔗 — MLB Network Radio on SiriusXM (@MLBNetworkRadio) July 20, 2025 If the Orioles can make strong deadline deals, it could go a long way toward establishing them as legitimate contenders in 2025, once their pitchers get healthy and their young position players start to play at higher level, which many of them can do. So, let's look at what the Orioles have to offer in deals: It starts with position players like DH Ryan O'Hearn and center fielder Cedric Mullins and includes veteran starting pitcher Charlie Morton and relievers such as Gregory Soto and Seranthony Domínguez. All of them are impending free agents. The Orioles could also consider deals for players like closer Félix Bautista (under team control through 2027) and outfielder Ramón Laureano (2026 club option) as well. Advertisement A strong deadline could save Elias' job. A lackluster one could result in the Orioles bringing in someone new to the front office to work under Elias or maybe even showing him the door. I believe he'll get the job done. Cherington has had nearly six years to rebuild the Pirates, and although he's assembled a competitive pitching staff, he hasn't built an everyday lineup that's good enough to compete. He is under a lot of pressure to make deals at this trade deadline to improve their offense in all phases. The good news for Cherington is he has plenty of pitchers he can dangle, including starters Mitch Keller and Andrew Heaney and relievers David Bednar and Dennis Santana. If the Pirates trade Keller (signed through 2028), they could promote top pitching prospect Bubba Chandler, who is at Triple A, and they will be getting back another bright young starter, Jared Jones, sometime next year, after he has recovered from the elbow surgery he underwent in May. 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The Mariners' window to win a World Series won't stay open forever and the club must take advantage of its strong starting pitching and the MVP season of catcher Cal Raleigh. Seattle fans have been frustrated with the organization's lack of impact moves in the past, and that will only mount if it doesn't do enough to upgrade at the trade deadline. Seattle is perhaps just one impact bat and one reliever away from having a legitimate chance to win the first World Series in franchise history. Ownership is willing to increase the payroll to make a big trade or two happen and Dipoto is willing to trade from the club's top-ranked farm system, which is loaded with trade bait. Advertisement There can be no excuses this year. The Mariners must add those missing pieces and give themselves their best chance of winning it all since Lou Piniella managed the club to a 116-win season in 2001. 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Chicago Tribune
39 minutes ago
- Chicago Tribune
Column: Comings (All-Star Game) and goings (NASCAR) as Chicago's summer reminds us why we never leave
This is what we call the 'Oh, right …' time of year in Chicago. When we're shivering or shoveling in early to mid-January, we always ask ourselves why we live in this godforsaken town instead of moving to a state where icicles don't form on your eyebrows. Then six months later, on a beautiful summer night at a ballpark, we say to ourselves, 'Oh, right … this is why.' With the Chicago Bears starting training camp, the Cubs at home against the Kansas City Royals in the heat of a pennant race and the White Sox on a rare three-game winning streak, Monday was one of those days that reminds us why we never can leave. While we await the next heat dome, here are some other observations on the world of sports. The buzz surrounding the Cubs hosting the 2027 All-Star Game at Wrigley Field was muted in Atlanta with no announcement last week. But one still is expected soon, and the game should return to Chicago for the first time since 2003 at what is now called Rate Field. 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