Colorado Rockies catcher Hunter Goodman was snubbed from last week’s Home Run Derby, but he already is making a case for next year’s event.

Goodman has a team-high 30 homers for the Rockies, who face the Washington Nationals in the opener of a three-game series on Monday in Denver.

Washington took two of three from the Athletics over the weekend to move two games back from the final National League wild-card spot.

“These guys in the clubhouse have done a lot to get to this point that we are at today,” Nationals manager Blake Butera said. “We still have a lot of work that needs to be done, but overall, I’m happy with the way these guys come out ready to play every single day.”

Despite owning the NL’s worst record (40-61), the Rockies have provided several reasons for optimism. The team boasts a promising young core led by Goodman, right fielder Troy Johnston and first baseman TJ Rumfield.

Goodman hit three home runs in a game for the second time this season and drove in five runs in the Rockies’ 9-6 loss to the visiting Cincinnati Reds on Sunday.

“His body looks like it’s flowing right. He looks dangerous. He just looks in-sync,” Colorado manager Warren Schaeffer said. “You can see the confidence seep out of him.”

The 26-year-old Goodman has five multi-homer games this season and is batting .257 with 56 RBIs.

Another player who could be considered for next year’s Home Run Derby is Washington shortstop CJ Abrams, who hit his career-high 21st homer in a 5-2 victory over the host Athletics on Sunday.

Abrams started at shortstop for the NL in the All-Star Game, but he said that wasn’t even his most memorable moment of the week.

“My favorite part was probably the Home Run Derby,” Abrams said. “It was fun to watch.”

The pitching matchup for the series opener features a pair of left-handers as Washington’s Andrew Alvarez (2-3, 4.04 ERA) faces Colorado’s Kyle Freeland (2-8, 7.36).

Alvarez, 27, is set to make his first career start against the Rockies. He has appeared in 13 games this season, including six as a starter.

Alvarez last pitched on July 12, when he replaced starter Cade Cavalli in the seventh inning and allowed three runs over two frames in a home loss to the New York Yankees.

Control has been an ongoing issue for Alvarez, who has walked 22 batters in 49 innings this season. He owns a 4.99 ERA in eight games (three starts) at home this season compared to a 2.45 mark in five games (three starts) away from Nationals Park.

The Rockies will counter with Freeland, who allowed four runs with nine strikeouts over six innings in a 4-2 road loss to the San Francisco Giants on July 11.

“Kyle was excellent,” Schaeffer said. “He was efficient. He attacked the strike zone. His fastball was really good. His changeup was really good. He just felt like he was in command of the game.”

Freeland, in his 10th major league – all with Colorado — is one win away from securing his 68th career victory, which would tie him with German Marquez for third in franchise history. Jorge De La Rosa (86) and Aaron Cook (72) sit atop the list.

Freeland, 33, is 5-3 with a 2.14 ERA in 10 career starts versus Washington.

–Field Level Media

Catcher Tyler Stephenson has been with the Cincinnati Reds since 2020, the longest-tenured player on the roster.

Whether he’s still with the team two weeks from now — or even beyond the Reds’ three-game interleague series that begins Monday in Seattle — remains to be seen.

With the Reds in last place in the National League’s Central, they’ll likely be sellers by the Aug. 3 trade deadline. Stephenson, who hit two homers in a 9-6 victory Sunday at Colorado, could be an attractive option for a contender looking for a backstop.

“I’ve got no control,” said Stephenson, whose contract is up after this season. “I guess it’s as real as it’s ever been in my career. So whatever happens, happens. I’m enjoying it. I love these guys and I’ve been very grateful to be here with this organization, and whatever happens is going to take care of itself.”

Nathaniel Lowe, another potential trade chip, and rookie Sal Stewart added three-run shots for the Reds, and right-hander Hunter Greene pitched six quality innings with seven strikeouts.

Reds manager Terry Francona has been around long enough to know what could transpire before the trade deadline.

“There’s a good word, and I want to use it because it’s how I feel,” Francona said. “It’s not uneasiness, but the unknown a little bit. It’s like you want it to be over, like now. And that’s not the way it is. Because you’re with these guys every day, and it means something.

“I’m realistic enough to know things happen. That’s the way the game is. When you’ve played to our record, there’s going to be conversations. That’s just the reality of it.”

The Mariners are in the opposite boat. Sunday’s 6-3 victory against visiting San Francisco got them back to .500. They’re a half-game behind Texas in the American League West and one back in the AL wild-card race.

“We know where we’re at. It’s hasn’t been exactly what we wanted up to this point, but (manager Dan Wilson) keeps talking about everything’s right in front of us,” said Mariners pitcher Logan Gilbert, who got the victory against the Giants with six quality innings in which he tied his season-high with 10 strikeouts.

Pinch hitter Luke Raley hit a tiebreaking homer in the sixth inning, and Cole Young added a two-run shot an inning later for the final margin.

“It’s just hard going into a game that’s in full swing, coming in cold off the bench. You haven’t seen any pitches yet and a lot of times you’re getting a nasty bullpen arm,” Raley said. “It’s just one of those things you got to go up with plan.”

Monday’s series opener is set to feature Reds left-hander Andrew Abbott (5-5, 4.11 ERA) against Mariners right-hander George Kirby (7-8, 3.76).

Abbott lasted just four innings in his last start July 12 against the visiting Chicago Cubs and didn’t get a decision. He allowed four runs on four hits with three walks and three strikeouts in a game the Reds lost 8-4.

Abbott lost in his one career start against Seattle on the road April 17, 2024, when he allowed two runs on four hits and three walks with six strikeouts in six innings.

Kirby is coming off a quality start in a 2-0 loss July 8 at Miami. He went six innings and yielded two runs on eight hits, with no walks and seven strikeouts.

Kirby won in his only start against Cincinnati on April 15, 2024, when he surrendered two runs on five hits with no walks and six strikeouts in six innings.

–Field Level Media

The Arizona Diamondbacks aim to build off a big win when they host the Athletics for a three-game series beginning Monday in Phoenix.

Trailing 7-0 entering the sixth inning Sunday against the visiting St. Louis Cardinals, the Diamondbacks rallied with eight unanswered runs over the next five innings, culminating in Max Kepler’s walk-off RBI double in the 10th to take an 8-7 victory.

“Obviously, we needed it as a team,” said third baseman Nolan Arenado, who tied the game with a two-run homer in the eighth inning.

“Just a well-fought game for us, just to come back like that was incredible. Arguably, our best win of the year, but just to see us — the way we fought and didn’t give in, we could have easily done that. We didn’t, so that was great.”

The win, which matched the largest come-from-behind victory in franchise history, was key for Arizona in the race for a playoff spot. It pulled the team within a half a game of St. Louis, the Miami Marlins and the Pittsburgh Pirates for the final wild-card spot in the National League.

It also clinched the season series against the Cardinals with just one game remaining between the two clubs, as Arizona has taken four of six. That would give the Diamondbacks the first tiebreaker edge should the two teams finish the season with identical records.

“What looks so good to me is the guys are very focused on their task despite it being a very rugged terrain for them to climb through. And they managed it,” Arizona manager Torey Lovullo said.

Designated hitter Adrian Del Castillo, recalled from Triple-A Reno on Saturday, went 2-for-3 and scored a pair of runs in Sunday’s win.

“Del is a good hitter,” Lovullo said. “When his timing’s right, when the flow to the swing is on time, he can impact the baseball, he can impact a baseball game.”

Mitch Bratt (0-0, 6.00 ERA) will take the mound for the hosts in search of his first career win in his third appearance. The 23-year-old rookie allowed three runs on three hits over three innings a no-decision in his last outing, a 5-3 Arizona road win against the Los Angeles Dodgers on July 12.

The Athletics will counter with fellow left-hander Jeffrey Springs (3-9, 6.08), who is 1-0 with a 2.79 ERA in three career appearances (one start) against the Diamondbacks.

The lefty surrendered six runs on six hits in 4 1/3 innings in the Athletics’ 6-1 loss to the host Detroit Tigers on July 8. Springs hasn’t won since earning his third straight victory on April 14. Since then, he is 0-9 over his past 15 appearances.

The Athletics will be hoping for a strong outing from Springs as they try to break out of a stretch of 19 losses in their past 23 games. They snapped a 10-game skid with a 15-1 win against the Washington Nationals on Saturday before falling 5-2 in the finale of the three-game set on Sunday.

They went 2-for-10 with runners in scoring position and stranded nine in their most recent loss.

“We just couldn’t get the big hit to get back in that game,” Athletics manager Mark Kotsay said. “The guys took good at-bats. … We couldn’t put them together enough and capitalize with some guys in scoring position with two outs.”

–Field Level Media