July 1st, 2025

AL MVP - Who Would You Vote For?

Hope your week is off to a great start! Last night, Cal Raleigh launched his 33rd homer of the season as the Mariners continued their push in the Wild Card race. There’s no denying the impact Raleigh has had on this team, but has he done enough to overtake Aaron Judge in the MVP conversation? I personally would vote for Judge but let’s see what the community thinks:

⚾ Headlines Around the League

Vladdy rips go-ahead single as Blue Jays edge Yankees 5–4 in series opener

Abreu Shines as Red Sox Power Past Reds 13–6 in Fenway Showstopper

D-backs ride Nelson’s dominant start to 4–2 win over Giants

Henderson powers Orioles past Rangers 10–6 in extra-inning Thriller

Phillies 4–0 Padres: Wheeler closes out June with another gem

Mariners 6–2 Royals: Raleigh blasts No. 33, Arozarena joins 100-HR club

🔥 Top Performances

Hitting

Pitching

📊 Final Scores and Highlights

Blue Jays 5, Yankees 4

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. roped a go-ahead 115.7 mph two-run single in the 7th to lead the Blue Jays past the Yankees in a thriller at Rogers Centre. Toronto erased a 4–2 deficit with a gritty, scrappy rally and pulled within two games of the AL East lead.

🔑 Game Highlights:

• Myles Straw sparked the rally with heads-up baserunning, taking an extra base on a wild throw to set the table in the 7th.

• Nathan Lukes, pinch-hitting, came through with a clutch RBI single to make it a one-run game, then moved up when a ball skipped away behind the plate.

• Vladimir Guerrero Jr. delivered the dagger — a screaming 115.7 mph single under Jazz Chisholm Jr.’s glove to score two and give the Jays a 5–4 lead.

• Max Scherzer was sharp in five innings, allowing only a two-run homer to Chisholm while striking out seven on just 71 pitches.

• Cody Bellinger homered in the 8th for New York, but Toronto’s bullpen held on with Jeff Hoffman shutting the door in the 9th.

📊 Notable Stats:

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (TOR): 2-for-4, 2B, 3 RBI
Ernie Clement (TOR): 2-for-5, 2 R, RBI
Nathan Lukes (TOR): 1-for-2, RBI
Davis Schneider (TOR): 2-for-3, 2B, R
Max Scherzer (TOR): 5.0 IP, 3 H, 2 ER, 0 BB, 7 K
Jeff Hoffman (TOR): 1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 K

Jazz Chisholm Jr. (NYY): 1-for-3, HR (14), 2 RBI
Cody Bellinger (NYY): 1-for-5, HR (12), RBI
Jasson Domínguez (NYY): 2-for-3, R
Carlos Rodón (NYY): 5.0 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 3 BB, 4 K
Mark Leiter Jr. (NYY): 0.1 IP, 3 H, 3 R (2 ER), 1 K

Red Sox 13, Reds 6

Wilyer Abreu made history with an unforgettable night at Fenway, becoming the first player since Roger Maris (1958) to hit an inside-the-park home run and a grand slam in the same game. His solo sprint around the bases in the 5th electrified the crowd, then he launched a grand slam in the 8th to seal a 13–6 win over the Reds. Boston’s offense exploded early and never let up, capitalizing on a wild outing from Cincinnati’s rookie starter Chase Burns.

🔑 Game Highlights

• Abreu’s inside-the-park homer in the 5th ricocheted off Fenway’s triangle, as Reds CF TJ Friedl slipped and fell, allowing Abreu to slide home head-first in a roaring moment.

• Abreu added a grand slam in the 8th, his first career slam, finishing with 5 RBIs.

• Trevor Story opened the scoring with a 3-run homer in the 1st and later added an RBI double.

• Jarren Duran and Carlos Narváez each delivered extra-base hits as Boston racked up 14 total knocks.

• Garrett Crochet gave the Sox six solid innings with nine strikeouts to improve to 8–4.

• Chase Burns recorded just one out in his MLB debut, giving up 7 runs (5 earned).

📊 Notable Stats

Wilyer Abreu (BOS): 2-for-5, HR (15, 16), 5 RBI
Trevor Story (BOS): 2-for-4, HR (12), 4 RBI, 2B, BB
Carlos Narváez (BOS): 2-for-5, 2B, RBI
Jarren Duran (BOS): 1-for-3, HR (6), 2 BB, 3 R
Garrett Crochet (BOS): 6.0 IP, 7 H, 4 ER, 1 BB, 9 K

Matt McLain (CIN): 3-for-5, 2B, 2 RBI
Austin Hays (CIN): 2-for-4, HR (7), 3 RBI, 3B
Elly De La Cruz (CIN): 1-for-4, BB, R
Chase Burns (CIN): 0.1 IP, 5 H, 7 R (5 ER), 2 BB

Diamondbacks 4, Giants 2

(Editor Note: I’m getting real tired of writing about how the Giants are losing. It is something different every night it seems. It’s incredible we traded for Devers and somehow got worse? Also, this fan is out in the bleachers just saving runs for the D-backs like he is on payroll, you really can’t make this stuff up. I can’t believe I waste my nights watching games like this. Ok - rant over, carry on with the updates, here is a live view of me writing this)

Ryne Nelson rode a blazing fastball to overpower the Giants on Monday night, striking out seven over 6.2 strong innings in Arizona’s 4–2 win at Chase Field. The righty leaned heavily on his heater—throwing 62 of his 88 pitches as four-seamers—and had Giants hitters lost most of the night. Despite a late-game scare after Nelson's exit, solo shots from Lourdes Gurriel Jr. and Eugenio Suárez helped Arizona retake the lead and lock it down behind a steady bullpen finish.

🔑 Game Highlights

• Nelson dominated with the fastball, retiring SF in order on 12 pitches to open the game—all fastballs—and getting 13 whiffs on 38 swings at the pitch.

• Geraldo Perdomo put the D-backs ahead early with a go-ahead RBI single in the 2nd inning.

• After a brief 2–2 tie in the 7th, Gurriel Jr. crushed a solo shot to left in the bottom half to take the lead back.

• Suárez added insurance with a solo homer in the 8th—his 26th of the season.

• Shelby Miller worked a clean ninth for his 15th save, capping a night of 10 strikeouts for the Arizona staff.

📊 Notable Stats

Ryne Nelson (ARI): 6.2 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 0 BB, 7 K
Lourdes Gurriel Jr. (ARI): 1-for-4, HR (11), RBI
Eugenio Suárez (ARI): 1-for-4, HR (26), RBI
Alek Thomas (ARI): 3-for-3, 2 R, 2B
Geraldo Perdomo (ARI): 1-for-4, RBI

Logan Webb (SF): 6.1 IP, 7 H, 3 ER, 1 BB, 7 K
Tyler Fitzgerald (SF): 2-for-3, 2B, 2 RBI
Dominic Smith (SF): 2-for-4, 2B, R

Orioles 10, Rangers 6

The Orioles needed 11 innings, seven relievers, and one starting pitcher hitting in the DH slot to escape with a wild win over the Rangers in Arlington. Despite blowing a three-run lead in the 10th, Baltimore stormed back with a four-run 11th to seal a victory that featured clutch swings, creative managing, and a true test of roster flexibility.

🔑 Game Highlights:

• Trevor Rogers, forced to hit after catcher Chadwick Tromp left with injury and the O’s gave up their DH, became the third pitcher to bat in an MLB game since 2021. He struck out twice—but also threw 5.1 strong innings of 2-run ball.

• Gunnar Henderson crushed a 2-run homer in the 10th, then came through again in the 11th with a 2-run double to put the game away. He finished with 4 RBI.

• Luis Vázquez, the last man on the bench, delivered a go-ahead RBI single in the 11th in just his second MLB hit.

• Colton Cowser added insurance with a solo homer in the 10th—his 7th of the year.

• Adolis García tied the game for Texas in the bottom of the 10th with a 3-run blast off Keegan Akin, but the Orioles responded immediately.

📊 Notable Stats:

Gunnar Henderson (BAL): 2-for-5, HR (10), 2B, 4 RBI
Ramón Laureano (BAL): 4-for-6, 3 R, RBI, 3 2B
Gary Sánchez (BAL): 2-for-6, 3 RBI, 2B
Colton Cowser (BAL): 1-for-6, HR (7), RBI
Trevor Rogers (BAL): 5.1 IP, 3 H, 2 ER, 3 BB, 5 K
Andrew Kittredge (BAL): 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 K – W (2–1)

Marcus Semien (TEX): 3-for-3, HR (8), 2 RBI, 2 BB
Adolis García (TEX): 2-for-5, HR (10), 3 RBI
Patrick Corbin (TEX): 6.0 IP, 8 H, 3 ER, 1 BB, 6 K
Hoby Milner (TEX): 1.0 IP, 3 H, 4 R (3 ER), 2 BB

Phillies 4, Padres 0

Zack Wheeler continued his historic run Monday night, striking out 10 over eight shutout innings to lead the Phillies past the Padres at Citizens Bank Park. The 35-year-old righty capped an incredible June with a 0.58 ERA over five starts, putting him in elite company alongside Cliff Lee and other franchise legends.

🔑 Game Highlights:

• Wheeler was masterful again, scattering six hits without a walk across eight innings. It was his third double-digit strikeout game this season without issuing a walk — tied for the most in MLB.

• The Phillies played smart, aggressive baseball in the fourth: Bryson Stott walked, stole second, raced to third on a grounder, and then scored on a daring slide home after a fielding miscue.

• Brandon Marsh, who legged out an infield RBI single in that same sequence, stole second and later scored on Trea Turner’s infield hit to make it 3–0.

• Nick Castellanos added insurance with a solo home run in the fifth, his 10th of the year.

• Tanner Banks closed out the ninth to secure the shutout as Philadelphia.

📊 Notable Stats:

Zack Wheeler (PHI): 8.0 IP, 6 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 10 K
Nick Castellanos (PHI): 1-for-3, HR (10), RBI, BB
Brandon Marsh (PHI): 1-for-3, RBI, R, SB (5)
Bryson Stott (PHI): 0-for-3, R, RBI, BB, SB (13)
Trea Turner (PHI): 1-for-4, RBI
J.T. Realmuto (PHI): 2-for-4

Xander Bogaerts (SD): 3-for-4, 2B
Luis Arraez (SD): 2-for-4
Matt Waldron (SD): 4.2 IP, 6 H, 4 ER, 6 BB, 3 K

Mariners 6, Royals 2

The Mariners powered their way to a 6–2 win over the Royals behind three home runs, including Cal Raleigh’s 33rd of the season and a two-homer night from Randy Arozarena, who reached 100 for his career. Seattle opened its final homestand before the All-Star break with another dominant night from its biggest bats — and another quality start from George Kirby.

🔑 Game Highlights:

• Randy Arozarena opened the scoring with a solo shot in the 4th, then launched a 3-run homer in the 5th to make it 5–1. He now has 10 on the season and 100 in his MLB career.

• Cal Raleigh, already committed to the Home Run Derby, continued his MVP-caliber season with a solo blast to center in the 7th — his 33rd of the year — and added a sac fly earlier in the game.

• Raleigh leads all MLB players with 71 RBIs and is just one homer shy of matching his career high (34 in 2024).

• George Kirby allowed just one run across six strong innings, striking out five on 85 pitches for his second straight quality start.

📊 Notable Stats:

Cal Raleigh (SEA): 1-for-3, HR (33), 3 RBI
Randy Arozarena (SEA): 2-for-4, 2 HR (9, 10), 4 RBI
George Kirby (SEA): 6.0 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 5 K
Cole Young (SEA): 3-for-4, R
Dominic Canzone (SEA): 2-for-4

Bobby Witt Jr. (KC): 1-for-4, 2 RBI
John Rave (KC): 1-for-3, R
Michael Wacha (KC): 5.0 IP, 8 H, 5 ER, 2 BB, 1 K

Pirates 7, Cardinals 0
A. Heaney: 6.2 IP, 3 H, 7 SO, 1 BB
S. Horwitz: 2-4, 1 R, 1 HR, 3 RBI

Athletics 6, Rays 4
J. Ginn: 3.2 IP, 5 SO
M. Miller: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 1 SO

⚾ Must-Watch Games Today

Padres (45–39) at Phillies (50–35)
6:35 PM ET
Nick Pivetta (8–2, 3.36 ERA) vs. Cristopher Sánchez (6–2, 2.79 ERA)

• Sánchez looks to steady the Phils as Pivetta returns to face his former club.

Cardinals (47–39) at Pirates (36–50)
6:40 PM ET
Andre Pallante (5–4, 4.43 ERA) vs. Paul Skenes (4–7, 2.12 ERA)

• Skenes gets the ball at home as the Bucs try to cool off St. Louis.

Brewers (47–37) at Mets (48–37)
7:10 PM ET
Freddy Peralta (8–4, 2.90 ERA) vs. Clay Holmes (8–4, 2.97 ERA)

• Two contenders send their aces into a near deadlocked NL showdown.

Like this newsletter? Help us keep the content free by sharing our newsletter and supporting our sponsors.

Thanks for reading!