The White Sox took their series opener against the Tigers by a score of 9-5 yesterday. Right fielder Braden Montgomery led the way with three runs batted in, including a two-run triple in the Sox’ five-run fourth, which provided the decisive runs. Third baseman Miguel Vargas also had himself a night, going 4-for-5 with two home runs. The 60-62 Tigers held onto the last AL Wild Card spot despite their loss, as the Twins had an off day and the Rangers lost 8-3 against the Athletics.
1. Holmes takes perfect game into the sixth
Making his second start with the Cubs and his first at Wrigley Field, right-hander Clay Holmes dominated the division-rival Cardinals in a 3-0 shutout victory. Holmes retired the first 16 batters he faced before losing the perfect game bid on a José Fermín single in the sixth inning. Nonetheless, Fermín was one of only two baserunners allowed by Holmes throughout his start. He departed after 80 pitches in 6 2/3 innings, recording three strikeouts against the one hit and a walk. The Cubs and Cardinals play at 1:20 pm CT this afternoon. Lefty Matthew Boyd will start opposite the Cardinals’ Michael McGreevy.
2. Joshua Baez to debut today
Cardinals fans can expect a more exciting performance today, as outfielder Joshua Baez will be in the starting lineup for his major league debut. Manager Oli Marmol announced yesterday that Baez would be promoted. The 23-year-old is a Top 100 prospect according to Baseball America, MLB Pipeline, and ESPN. He’s been excellent in his first taste of Triple-A this year, slashing .256/.328/.573 with a 121 wRC+ and leading the International League with 34 home runs and 90 RBI. The Cardinals will look for that power to translate at the big league level as they evaluate players for the 2027 squad.
3. Astros win on a Walker walk-off
The Astros defeated the Mariners 10-7 on a walk-off home run by Christian Walker. Entering the tenth tied at 5-5, reliever Enyel De Los Santos surrendered two runs to the bottom of the Mariners’ order. A trio of singles by Isaac Paredes, Jose Altuve, and Daulton Varsho tied the game in the bottom half, which set the stage for Walker. He took a hanging slider from Andrés Muñoz and drilled it out to left for a three-run, game-winning shot. Walker continues to have a resurgent year at the plate, while Houston remains three games up of the Rangers for control of the AL West.
Photo courtesy of Kamil Krzaczynski, Imagn Images
