Sports
Brewers bid to make another defensive stand vs. Marlins
Jul 17, 2026; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Milwaukee Brewers center fielder Garrett Mitchell (5) leaps to make a catch during the tenth inning against the Miami Marlins at American Family Field. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images Garrett Mitchell is back to playing baseball the way he’s accustomed to playing.
Mitchell likely will be back in center field for the Milwaukee Brewers on Saturday afternoon in the second game of their three-game series against the visiting Miami Marlins.
Mitchell helped win the series opener 2-1 on Friday night with a walk-off RBI single in the 10th inning and two dazzling catches in deep center field to end the ninth and 10th innings and prevent go-ahead runs from scoring.
“Both (catches) were challenging, but I’d say the first one because I had to catch it behind my head,” Mitchell said. “I was happy just to make some of those. I feel like, early on in this season, I wasn’t really making those, and that feels very uncharacteristic for the way I play the game and play defense.”
Brewers second baseman Brice Turang also saved a run in the fourth inning with a back-handed stop of a grounder from Kyle Stowers headed toward center. Turang leaped and threw across his body with a runner on third, and first baseman Jake Bauers fielded the throw on one hop.
“It’s a real recipe for winning a lot of games,” Miami manager Clayton McCullough said of Milwaukee’s solid defense. “They didn’t walk anybody (Friday), and you make some really nice plays to save some runs and, in close games like this, it makes the difference. And I think we’ve seen that on our end as well. The margins are very small in winning a major league game, especially on the road.”
Right-hander Max Meyer will start on Saturday for Miami, which has lost four straight games. Meyer (9-1, 2.58 ERA) made his first MLB All-Star team this season but did not appear in the game on Tuesday in Philadelphia.
“It’s pretty special,” Meyer said of his selection. “Just kind of looking back at my career, a lot of injuries. I’m glad that it doesn’t really feel like a personal award because I have so many staff members that are always pulling for me in the day-to-day stuff that just keeps me on the field.”
Marlins shortstop Otto Lopez also was selected for the All-Star Game, marking the first time two Marlins were chosen in the same year since Luis Arraez and Jorge Soler in 2023.
Lopez had two hits on Friday to raise his MLB-leading average to .336.
“Otto has certainly had a phenomenal half,” McCullough said.
Meyer made his only MLB appearance against the Brewers on July 27, 2024. As the starter, he did not qualify for a win after pitching just four innings. He allowed three runs in four innings of a 7-3 victory.
Milwaukee plans to start rookie left-hander Shane Drohan on Saturday. Drohan (4-3, 3.09 ERA) took the loss in his most recent outing last Saturday after allowing three runs and five hits in 6 1/3 innings of a 3-2 defeat at the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Drohan said the biggest positive from the start was he regained a feel for his slider, which helped him strike out six without a walk.
“Good to have that back,” Drohan said. “It felt like I’ve been in between the last couple of outings. Been working hard on it, so felt good to throw that pitch again. For me, it was just almost throwing caution to the wind and let it fly.”
Drohan has not faced Miami in his career.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Astros SS Jeremy Pena, 1B Christian Walker exit with injuries
Jun 28, 2026; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Houston Astros shortstop Jeremy Pena (3) receives congratulations from first baseman Christian Walker (8) after scoring tenth inning against the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images Astros shortstop Jeremy Pena and first baseman Christian Walker departed with injuries on Saturday against the Baltimore Orioles.
Pena displayed discomfort during his second plate appearance against Orioles left-hander Trevor Rogers before striking out in the bottom of the third inning. Pena, visited by Astros manager Joe Espada and a member of the training staff during the at-bat, was replaced defensively by Nick Allen for the top of the fourth.
The Astros announced that Pena sustained a hamstring cramp. He missed 32 games earlier this season with a Grade 1 hamstring strain.
Walker was visited by Espada and a trainer during his second at-bat in the bottom of the fourth. He departed immediately and was replaced by pinch-hitter LaMonte Wade Jr. According to the club, Walker left with right hip tightness.
This season, Pena has posted six home runs, 22 RBIs and .357 on-base percentage in 52 games. Walker has recorded 20 home runs and 58 RBIs in 97 games.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Trea Turner, Jesus Luzardo lead Phillies past Mets
Jul 18, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Phillies infielder Trea Turner (7) rounds the bases after hitting a home run against the New York Mets in the fifth inning at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Ross-Imagn Images Trea Turner had a home run among his three hits and scored three runs as the Philadelphia Phillies beat the visiting New York Mets 6-1 Saturday in the middle game of a three-game series between the National League East rivals.
Kyle Schwarber gave the Phillies a lead they’d never relinquish with a two-run homer in the first inning as Philadelphia avoided dropping two in a row for the first time since July 5-6, and what would have been just the second time since June 17-18.
Turner homered in the fifth — his second round-tripper in as many games — and Alec Bohm followed with an RBI single in same inning before Bryce Harper capped the scoring with a two-run single in the sixth.
Bohm, J.T. Realmuto and Edmundo Sosa finished with two hits each while Turner added a stolen base.
Tyrone Taylor homered in the second and had two hits for the Mets, who have lost eight of 13 this month. A.J. Ewing singled for New York’s only other hit.
All-Star Jesus Luzardo (9-4) earned the win after giving up one run on two hits — both by Taylor — and two walks while striking out seven over five innings. Luzardo, who threw a perfect inning in Tuesday night’s Midsummer Classic, has allowed one run or fewer in each of his last four starts and eight times in his last 12 outings dating back to May 14.
Orion Kerkering and Jose Alvarado followed with an inning apiece before Chase Shugart retired the final six batters.
Mets starter Sean Manaea (2-5) allowed four runs on seven hits and two walks while striking out seven over 4 2/3 innings.
Weather impacted the game for the second straight time. The start of the game was moved up an hour to 3:05 EDT due to thunderstorms in the late afternoon and evening forecast before a rain delay of about 45 minutes in the bottom of the seventh.
The first pitch of Thursday’s series opener was also moved up an hour due to the poor air quality due to the smoke from Canadian wildfires drifting throughout the northeast United States.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Salvador Perez moves closer to team record in Royals win over Padres
Jul 18, 2026; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Royals designated hitter Salvador Perez (13) hits a home run during the sixth inning against the San Diego Padres at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images Salvador Perez moved closer to Royals’ history with his two-run homer, Lane Thomas also clubbed a two-run shot and spot-starter Randy Dobnak allowed one run while pitching into the fifth inning, as Kansas City beat the visiting San Diego Padres 6-1 on Saturday.
Thomas set the tone with his homer in the first, and Perez added some insurance with a sixth-inning shot. Perez also moved within two of tying George Brett’s franchise record of 317 home runs.
The veteran Dobnak, meanwhile, made his third appearance of 2026 and first start since 2021. The right-hander grinded through 4 1/3 innings, yielding four hits and four walks, but a third-inning homer to Fernando Tatis Jr. produced the only run allowed.
Steven Cruz, Daniel Lynch IV (3-2), Beck Way and Eli Morgan then combined to allow two hits for the Royals, who won the first two of this three-game set, and have won four straight at home.
Ty France doubled twice and Jake Cronenworth also had two hits for the Padres, who went 1-for-9 with runners in scoring position. San Diego has lost 18 of 23 road games.
After San Diego stranded a pair of runners in the first, Kansas City’s Carter Jensen (two hits) singled and scored on the homer by Thomas (two hits) into the left-field seats off Griffin Canning (1-8).
The Padres got on the board in the third when Tatis cleared the left field wall. However, the Royals got that run back in the bottom of the frame, as Jac Caglianone’s double to left scored Jensen from first base.
Kansas City made it 4-1 in the fourth when Isaac Collins ended Canning’s day with a two-out RBI single to center field. Canning allowed four runs over 3 2/3 innings on five hits and two walks.
San Diego chased Dobnak when it loaded the bases with one out in the fifth, but Cruz then got Manny Machado to ground into a 6-4-3 double play. The Padres put runners on first and third with one out in the sixth, but Lynch got Miguel Andujar to do the same.
–Field Level Media
Astros SS Jeremy Pena, 1B Christian Walker exit with injuries
Trea Turner, Jesus Luzardo lead Phillies past Mets
