Sports
Guardians send All-Star Parker Messick to mound vs. Diamondbacks
Jul 21, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Guardians pitcher Parker Messick (77) throws a pitch during the first inning against the Minnesota Twins at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images Winners in seven of their past 10 games, the Arizona Diamondbacks will look to build upon their momentum as the calendar turns to August and they try to claim the weekend series Saturday against the host Cleveland Guardians.
The Diamondbacks’ bats had little bite to them for most of Friday’s game, but they used a big eighth inning to rally for a 4-1 win in the opener of the three-game series. They won despite managing only six hits and nine total baserunners.
Arizona’s top of the lineup played a big role in the win, as Corbin Carroll drew a walk to load the bases and Geraldo Perdomo, Gabriel Moreno and Ketel Marte each produced run-scoring singles.
“I put it on those guys,” Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo said after the win. “I ask a lot of them, externally and internally, and they accept that challenge. It’s been a little inconsistent at times… but when they do things like they did tonight, we’re capable of putting up four runs on anybody.”
Moreno is one of the hottest hitters in the majors, with an on-base streak of 27 straight games. When you factor in just his starts, the 46-game on-base streak is a franchise record.
Despite being only a game over .500, Cleveland is just three games behind the Chicago White Sox in the American League Central and are tied with division rival Minnesota for the AL’s final wild-card spot. The Guardians are doing that despite having the lowest batting average (.229) and slugging percentage (.367) in the big leagues.
The Guardians managed just three hits and five walks in Friday’s loss. They had only one baserunner in the final four innings, which helped keep Arizona in the game despite a very good outing from Cleveland starter Tanner Bibee.
“We just, unfortunately, were not able to get enough run support for him,” said Cleveland manager Stephen Vogt, whose team is just 3-7 in its past 10 games.
Rookie Chase DeLauter leads the Guardians with a .277 average, but the designated hitter/outfielder is just 3-for-19 (.158) in his past six games. He also has just one extra-base hit — a double — in his past nine games.
The Diamondbacks also are right in postseason contention, holding the second wild-card spot in the NL.
The teams will start a couple of rookie left-handers on Saturday.
Kohl Drake (0-0, 5.00 ERA) will make his third start for the visitors. In his most recent appearance at Washington last Sunday, he pitched four innings and gave up four earned runs on five hits and a pair of walks in a 10-7 loss to the Nationals.
Parker Messick (8-6, 2.59) has pitched very well of late, having allowed just five runs (four earned) over his last four starts, a span of 24 1/3 innings.
However, he was just 1-1 in those games. The loss came in his most recent start, on the road Sunday against the Tampa Bay Rays. Over 7 2/3 innings, Messick allowed just a run on six hits and no walks, but the Rays one-hit the Guardians in the 1-0 setback.
Messick made his big-league debut last year against the Diamondbacks in Phoenix. He threw 6 2/3 innings on Aug. 20, and he allowed one run on seven hits and a walk. He struck out six, departed with the lead, but did not get a decision as the Diamondbacks rallied to win 3-2 in 10 innings.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Pirates acquire veteran RHP Camilo Doval from Yankees
May 27, 2026; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; New York Yankees pitcher Camilo Doval (75) delivers a pitch against the Kansas City Royals during the ninth inning at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images The Pittsburgh Pirates acquired right-handed reliever Camilo Doval from the New York Yankees on Saturday in exchange for two prospects.
Doval, 29, is 3-1 with one save and a 4.54 ERA in 44 appearances out of the New York bullpen this season. The Pirates were seeking late-game relief help.
The Yankees received catcher Omar Alfonzo and outfielder Luis Cruz in the deal. New York also included cash as part of the trade.
New York acquired Doval, a former All-Star closer, in a deal with the San Francisco Giants at last year’s trade deadline.
Doval is 29-20 with 109 saves and a 3.53 ERA in 341 career relief outings with the Giants (2021-25) and Yankees. He tied for the National League lead with 39 saves in 2023 when he made the NL All-Star team.
Alfonzo, 22, was batting .238 with nine homers and 35 RBIs in 62 games this season, including 60 for Double-A Altoona.
Cruz, 18, was batting .300 with eight RBIs and eight steals in 19 games for the Pirates’ Dominican Summer League affiliate.
The MLB trade deadline is Monday at 6 p.m. ET.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Report: Blazers sign F Jeremy Sochan to one-year contract
Mar 22, 2026; New York, New York, USA; New York Knicks forward Jeremy Sochan (20) runs up court after a basket during the second half against the Washington Wizards at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images Portland Trail Blazers forward Jeremy Sochan agreed to a one-year deal with the Portland Trail Blazers, per ESPN.
Sochan was the ninth overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft by the San Antonio Spurs.
Across three-plus seasons with the Spurs, he averaged 10.4 points, 5.6 rebounds and 2.6 assists in 212 games (149 starts). He shot 46.8% from the field and 28.7% from 3-point range.
He was waived by the Spurs in February. He then signed with the New York Knicks.
The 23-year-old only appeared in 16 regular season games for the Knicks, averaging a meager 6.9 minutes per game. In that limited run, he averaged 2.8 points, 2.1 rebounds and 0.8 assists, while shooting 56.7% from the field.
During the postseason, he appeared in eight games during the team’s championship run, playing 26 total minutes and averaging 2.5 points.
Now, the former lottery pick will look to earn a bigger role on a revamped Blazers squad. Portland has a loaded backcourt with Damian Lillard, Ja Morant, Jrue Holiday, Shaedon Sharpe and Scoot Henderson. The 6-foot-8 Sochan will give them frontcourt depth behind Deni Avdija and Toumani Camara.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Athletics select LHP Ben Bowden, demote RHP Luis Morales
Jul 27, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; Athletics relief pitcher Ben Bowden (62) delivers a pitch against the Houston Astros during the ninth inning at Daikin Park. Mandatory Credit: Erik Williams-Imagn Images The Athletics selected left-hander Ben Bowden from Triple-A Las Vegas prior to Saturday’s game against the Detroit Tigers.
The 31-year-old was a second-round pick by the Colorado Rockies back in 2016, but has not had much production at the major league level.
Bowden was 1-1 with a 5.40 ERA in 32 relief appearances for Las Vegas this season.
In 2021, he made his MLB debut for the Rockies, going 3-2 and posting a 6.56 ERA, 1.82 WHIP and 42 strikeouts across 35 2/3 innings.
He returned to the big leagues in 2025, away from hitter-friendly Coors Field, as a member of the Athletics. He had a 4.22 ERA, 1.31 WHIP and seven strikeouts in 10 2/3 innings.
Right-hander Luis Morales was optioned to Triple-A Las Vegas in a corresponding move. He was 0-2 and had a 14.06 ERA across 16 innings over five appearances (two starts) this season.
Morales was 1-3 with a 7.18 ERA in 19 appearances (nine starts) for Las Vegas earlier this season.
–Field Level Media
Pirates acquire veteran RHP Camilo Doval from Yankees
Report: Blazers sign F Jeremy Sochan to one-year contract
