Sports
Despite strong first half, Brewers want more, starting with Marlins series
Jul 7, 2026; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; Milwaukee Brewers starting pitcher Jacob Misiorowski (32) pitches against the St. Louis Cardinals during the fourth inning at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images Despite a surprising first half that produced the second-best record in baseball, the Milwaukee Brewers are hoping the All-Star break provided a reset heading into the series opener against the visiting Miami Marlins on Friday.
Right-hander Logan Henderson (3-1, 3.18 ERA) starts for the Brewers, while right-hander Sandy Alcantara (10-5, 3.99 ERA) gets the nod for Miami.
Despite closing the first half with three consecutive losses and an injury-riddled rotation, the Brewers entered the break at 59-37, just 1 1/2 games behind the Dodgers for the best overall record in baseball.
Miami, which also lost three straight before the break, enters the second half in third place in the NL East, four games behind front-running Atlanta.
Milwaukee, which has won the last three NL Central titles, leads the division by five games over the Chicago Cubs. But the Brewers’ already-thin rotation suffered additional blows heading into the break.
Ace right-hander Jacob Misiorowski, whose 1.62 ERA and 167 strikeouts are both best in the majors, skipped his final start before the break due to arm fatigue. Veteran right-hander Brandon Woodruff, whose latest comeback was limited to nine games due to injuries, suffered another setback and is on the 60-day injured list with right shoulder inflammation.
Left-hander Kyle Harrison (8-2, 3.01 ERA) didn’t make it past the fourth inning in either of his two July starts, allowing six runs on nine hits in 6 2/3 innings, before going on the 15-day IL last week with left forearm tightness.
“We set the franchise record for the most wins in the first half? That sounds wonderful. It doesn’t feel as wonderful, you know?” Brewers manager Pat Murphy told MLB over the break.
“I don’t think we’ve underachieved, don’t get me wrong,” Murphy said. “But in the world of the Milwaukee Brewers, the way it’s been, I think there’s an expectation of ‘overachieve.’ There’s an expectation of excellence.”
Over the break, the Brewers acquired veteran right-hander Lance McCullers Jr., and left-hander Colton Gordon from the Astros in exchange for outfielder Jadyn Fielder, who is the son of Prince Fielder.
The 32-year-old McCullers, who has been plagued by injuries in recent seasons, has been on the injured list since mid-May with right-shoulder inflammation. He was 2-3 with a 6.86 ERA in eight starts with Houston, and was 0-0 with a 2.45 ERA in three rehab starts with Triple-A Sugar Land, allowing five runs, three earned, in 11 innings.
Henderson, who has split time between Milwaukee and Triple-A, allowed three runs in 5 1/3 innings to get the win in an 8-4 victory at St. Louis in his lone July start.
Meanwhile for Miami, Alcantara is 1-1 with a 2.40 ERA in two starts this month, allowing four runs in 15 innings. He was 6-0 with a 3.35 ERA in six starts in June.
“Outside of a couple blips this half, this has been kind of what we’ve seen almost with the majority of his starts is him again filling up the strike zone, executing very well, using both sides of the plate,” Miami manager Clayton McCullough told MLB.
Alcantara is 2-2 with a 3.14 ERA in eight career outings vs. Milwaukee, including six starts.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Orioles, RHP Kyle Bradish agree to 5-year extension
Jun 28, 2026; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Baltimore Orioles pitcher Kyle Bradish (38) pitches in the first inning against the Washington Nationals at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Mandatory Credit: Jamie Sabau-Imagn Images The Baltimore Orioles agreed to a five-year contract extension with right-handed starter Kyle Bradish on Saturday.
The deal is worth $90 million, per ESPN. Per the report, the length of the contract buys out Bradish’s last two years of arbitration and the first three seasons of what would have been his free agency.
The 29-year-old has been a strong starter for the Orioles over the past five seasons, turning in a 3.50 ERA, 1.206 WHIP and 485 strikeouts across 465 innings with a 25-24 record.
This season, Bradish’s output has been in line with his career numbers, going 6-9 with a 3.61 ERA, 1.351 WHIP and 106 strikeouts in 107 1/3 innings.
“Keeping players of Kyle’s caliber in an Orioles uniform is an important part of our long-term vision,” Orioles owner David Rubenstein said in a statement. “We are grateful to Kyle for his commitment to our organization and to Baltimore. Thanks to (president of baseball operations and general manager) Mike Elias and the entire baseball operations department for their dedication throughout this process.”
–Field Level Media
Sports
Matthew Boyd, Nico Hoerner lead Cubs past Twins
Jul 18, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Cubs first baseman Michael Busch (29) hits a home run during the first inning against the Minnesota Twins at Wrigley Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-Imagn Images Matthew Boyd threw six quality innings and Nico Hoerner delivered the fifth four-hit game of his career on Saturday afternoon, helping the Chicago Cubs earn a 6-2 victory over the visiting Minnesota Twins.
Boyd (6-1) allowed one run on three hits, striking out four and walking one for the Cubs, who won their sixth game in nine tries and evened the weekend series after losing 5-2 on Friday. Michael Busch homered, while Pedro Ramirez and Miguel Amaya each drove in a pair of runs.
Taj Bradley (9-4) allowed five runs on seven hits across five innings, striking out six and walking three for the Twins, who saw their three-game winning streak come to an end. Kody Clemens hit two solo home runs for Minnesota, which will search for its three-game series win at Wrigley Field since Sept. 2020 on Sunday.
Chicago opened the scoring in the bottom of the first, as Busch launched his 12th home run of the season – a 402-foot shot to the right field bleachers.
Minnesota evened the score in the second on Clemens’ 17th homer of the year.
After Bradley allowed Hoerner’s one-out single and Ramirez’ walk, Amaya’s two-run double gave the Cubs a 3-1 lead in the bottom of the second.
Chicago tacked on two more runs in the third. Seiya Suzuki and Ian Happ both worked walks off Bradley, before Hoerner’s RBI single and Ramirez’ run-scoring double made it 5-1.
Mike Paredes threw a scoreless sixth in relief of Bradley.
Caleb Thielbar took over for Boyd in the seventh, allowing Clemens’ second home run of the game, cutting Minnesota’s deficit to 5-2. The 391-foot blast cemented Clemens’ second multi-homer game of the year.
In the bottom of the seventh, Ramirez drove in another run with a single to push the margin back to four.
Jacob Webb threw the ninth, surrendering Josh Bell and Victor Caratini’s back-to-back singles to begin the frame. Brooks Lee then singled to center, but both Bell and Lee were caught in a rundown, resulting in a double play. Webb then got Clemens to strike out to end the game.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Yankees, Dodgers postponed due to heavy rain
Jul 18, 2026; Bronx, New York, USA; A view of the field after the game between the Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium was postponed. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images The game between the Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Yankees was postponed due to heavy rain on Saturday and the teams will play a split doubleheader a day later.
Rain was projected throughout the New York area, and the game was postponed roughly three hours before the 8:08 EDT first pitch. It is the second time this season the Yankees had a Saturday night FOX game postponed due to rain after being postponed June 6 against Boston.
The first game will start at 12:35 EDT followed by the second game which will air on NBC/Peacock at 7:20 EDT.
The teams share a mutual off-day on Thursday, but the Dodgers are slated to visit the White House and will be honored for their second straight World Series title before returning to New York to face the Mets.
Ryan Weathers was scheduled to pitch for the Yankees and oppose Emmet Sheahan. Both players are likely to pitch Sunday while Cam Schlittler and Yoshinobu Yammamoto were slated to pitch for Sunday night’s contest.
Los Angeles opened the series with a 2-1 victory when Max Muncy hit a go-ahead two-run homer off Gerrit Cole in the seventh inning and Roki Sasaki touched triple digits several times in 5 2/3 innings.
The Yankees are 13-16 in their past 29 games. They will play the first of three doubleheaders over their final 65 games as they also play a doubleheader against Boston Aug. 29 and two games against Tampa Bay on Sept. 22.
–Field Level Media
Orioles, RHP Kyle Bradish agree to 5-year extension
Matthew Boyd, Nico Hoerner lead Cubs past Twins
