We’ll be dropping the latest episode of the MLB Trade Rumors podcast on the site in a little bit, but it’s already available for download on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and other mediums. Both Anthony Franco and I joined host Darragh McDonald this week for an extended preview of the upcoming trade deadline. Look for it on MLBTR later today or download it wherever you get your podcasts right now!
Here are a few notable items from around the league to start your day.
1. Tigers’ historic win precedes what could be Skubal’s last start for them
The Tigers absolutely stomped the Orioles last night, pushing 14 runs across the plate while holding Baltimore scoreless. Their 14-0 drubbing of the O’s has a historical tinge to it. The Tigers plated at least one run in every inning of the game — just the 22nd time in major league history a team has done that. Given how scarce those games are, it’s somewhat remarkable that the Royals did the same earlier this month in a 15-1 win over the Phillies. What’s particularly notable about Detroit’s offensive outburst, however, was that they accomplished the feat while holding their opponent scoreless. Prior to last night, that had only happened once in major league history — and you’d have to go way back to a Pirates 13-0 win over the Brooklyn Dodgers on Sept. 6, 1935 to find it.
A big win for Detroit last night surely created good vibes in the clubhouse, but it’s still an ominous time for the underperforming Tigers as they look to rebound from an awful 6-22 showing in May. The Tigers are 29-19 since June 1, which has pulled them to within five games in the AL Central and 3.5 in he Wild Card hunt. A recent series loss to a last-place Royals club did their playoff odds no favors. Detroit needs every win right now to avoid selling, and they’ll send Tarik Skubal — the prize of the trade market — to the mound against the Orioles as they try to convince the front office to avoid selling. A win here, ahead of a series against the 45-62 A’s, would certainly help.
Skubal, in addition to trying to keep his team in the race, will also be going for a personal milestone. He’s sitting on 999 career strikeouts at the moment.
2. Five hits for Tatis
Rumors of Fernando Tatis Jr.‘s decline may have been exaggerated. The San Diego superstar got out to an awful start this season, but he’s been on fire at the dish for two months. Tatis put an exclamation point on that sentiment last night with the first five-hit showing of his career. Over his past 255 trips to the plate, he’s slashing .323/.380/.500 with eight homers, 15 doubles, a triple and 13 steals (in 17 tries). His overall batting line still isn’t where we’d expect for someone with his track record, but Tatis and Manny Machado have surged this summer after floundering through the season’s first two months, which surely has Padres president of baseball ops A.J. Preller feeling better about his postseason hopes. San Diego has won four in a row and has one more game against the MLB-worst Rockies before hosting the 45-62 Giants for a four-game series that leads right into the trade deadline.
3. Bieber struggles in career-worst outing
The Blue Jays’ 2026 woes continued last night when Shane Bieber followed a pair of brilliant outings (combined one run in 13 innings) with the worst start of his career. For the first time in 148 major league starts, the former AL Cy Young Award winner failed to escape the first inning. Bieber recorded just two outs. He yielded a hit and a career-worst six walks before being lifted from the game. The Jays managed to escape with “only” four runs crossing the plate (all of them, of course, charged to Bieber), but went on to lose the game.
After the game, Bieber told the Jays beat that he had difficulty gripping the ball last night (via Sportsnet’s Hazel Mae). That’s an ominous sign for a pitcher who spent the first three months of the season on the injured list and only pitched a partial 2025 campaign while recovering from Tommy John surgery. The 31-year-old Bieber surprised the industry by exercising a $16MM player option — he would’ve secured a $4MM buyout upon declining — last offseason rather than testing free agency. He’s pitched 31 1/3 innings this season and has a 5.74 ERA with career-worst strikeout and walk rates (15.6% and 12.8%).
Last night’s 8-6 loss dropped the Blue Jays to 10 games under .500, further setting the table for a likely deadline sell-off.
