Welcome to The Pregame Lineup, a weekday newsletter that gets you up to speed on everything you need to know for today's games, while catching you up on fun and interesting stories you might have missed. Thanks for being here. It won't be time to truly dive into the offseason until, well, the offseason. But the Hot Stove looms in the background as the regular season heads into the stretch run, so before September arrives, our Mark Feinsand -- who will be all over this stuff come November -- checks in with an initial (emphasis on initial) look at the top 10 free agents of the 2025-26 class. Read his story for the full list, but let's hit a few overall takeaways here: 1) Subject to change: Some of these players are almost certain to become free agents after the World Series ends -- it would take a last-minute contract extension to prevent that. But for others, the open market is not guaranteed due to options or opt-out clauses in their contracts. However, Feinsand has included players on this list that he expects to decline options or opt out: Red Sox third baseman Alex Bregman, Mets first baseman Pete Alonso, Padres starting pitcher Michael King and Yankees first baseman/outfielder Cody Bellinger. Bregman and Alonso, notably, would be back on the market for the second offseason in a row. 2) King Tuck stays the king: It's certainly an interesting time for this list to come out -- with Cubs outfielder Kyle Tucker at No. 1. To be clear: That ranking makes complete sense, especially with no clear-cut alternative. Tucker will be on the young side for a free agent (turning 29 in January), he's a well-rounded player, and he has a track record of consistent success. But he also just got benched for a two-day, three-game span to "reset" amidst an extended slump. Including his 0-for-4 return on Thursday, Tucker has an OPS of .369 in August and .556 since the All-Star break -- something perhaps related to playing through a hairline fracture in his right hand sustained back in June. The rest of his season will be highly scrutinized.
3) Pick your ace: Feinsand's top 10 features four starting pitchers: Houston's Framber Valdez, Philly's Ranger Suárez, and King and his San Diego teammate Dylan Cease. It will be interesting to see how clubs assess their relative values. For example, Valdez has the best track record, but he's not an elite strikeout artist and will be 32 years old; Cease, in contrast, is a full two years younger and piles up K's, but he also has been wildly inconsistent in terms of run prevention. Different teams may have very different views on those pitchers moving forward.
-- Andrew Simon |
- Red Sox at Yankees (7:05 p.m. ET, MLB Network, FREE on MLB.TV): Roman Anthony's first career hit vs. the Yankees -- a no-doubt insurance homer in the ninth inning of last night's Sox win -- also triggered his first career bat flip. That win pulled Boston within a half-game of its bitter rival, and Anthony isn't the only rookie the Yankees have to worry about. A .931 OPS at Triple-A prompted Boston to call up Jhostynxon Garcia, the game's No. 77 overall prospect. Will he make his big league debut in the Bronx spotlight?
- Blue Jays at Marlins (7:10 p.m. ET, FREE on MLB.TV): If Shane Bieber's seven-start rehab stint is any indication, Toronto may have come away with this year's most impactful Trade Deadline addition. Bieber, the 2020 AL Cy Young Award winner, makes his big league return from Tommy John surgery tonight after posting a 1.86 ERA with 37 strikeouts and just three walks in the Minors. The Jays may be understandably cautious with Bieber in the short term as they gear up for an October run, but tonight's outing will give us a glimpse of his vast potential.
- Dodgers at Padres (9:40 p.m. ET, FREE on MLB.TV): With an 8-2 record vs. San Diego this year, the Dodgers have already clinched the season series, making the three-game set the rivals open tonight even more significant for the Padres. The Friars did rebound well from LA's sweep last weekend, thumping the Giants in three straight to enter this series a game back in the West standings (and relatively comfortable in the Wild Card race). Whether this is the last these foes see of each other this year or not, there will be plenty of drama at Petco Park this weekend.
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CATCHING ON FOR THE LONG HAUL |
For players on the cusp of their MLB debuts, the goals are usually simple: Get your first hit or strikeout, win your first game and stick around. Signing a long-term contract extension isn't usually on the radar. And yet ... A source has confirmed to Feinsand that Orioles catcher Samuel Basallo became the third newcomer this season to lock up a deal shortly after arriving in the Majors, following in the footsteps of Red Sox rookies Roman Anthony and Kristian Campbell. Basallo, the club's top-ranked prospect and No. 8 overall per MLB Pipeline, has agreed to an 8-year, $67 million contract extension after just five days of service time. Escalators based on awards and playing time at catcher could make the deal worth as much as $88.5 million. All three deals are among the earliest contract extensions in MLB history, with seven players having signed before they even reached 'The Show.' Anthony's 8-year, $130 million pact earlier this month came after 58 days of service time, while Campbell's 8-year, $60 million deal in April came after only six days. The pair were ranked by Pipeline as the game's No. 2 and No. 6 overall prospects, respectively, entering the season. Campbell broke camp as Boston's starting second baseman and won the American League's Rookie of the Year Award for March/April, before hitting a wall offensively and being optioned to Triple-A in late June. Anthony, meanwhile, has the best OBP (.405) and the second-best SLG (.448) and OPS (.853) among all qualified rookies, plus his two-run homer in the ninth sealed the Sox's win over the Yankees last night in his first taste of 'The Rivalry' in the Bronx. With O's starting catcher Adley Rutchman placed on the IL yesterday without a timetable for a potential return this season, Basallo will have a chance to make his own mark with Baltimore down the stretch -- and for many years to come. -- Betelhem Ashame |
Is it possible to win Comeback Player of the Year for just the second half of a season? Asking for Michael Harris II. The Braves' center fielder has been on a remarkable surge since the All-Star break. He's left behind a dreadful first half in which he posted the worst OPS among qualified hitters (.551) and has begun forging a new path with MVP-like numbers in the second half (1.113 OPS through Wednesday's games). It's one of the crazier turnarounds you'll ever see. In fact, the metamorphosis has been so extreme that it has become historic. As Jared Greenspan writes today, no player since the first All-Star Game in 1933 has produced a larger difference between his second-half OPS and his season-long OPS than Harris has so far in 2025. But the turnaround hasn't come from nowhere -- it arrived after Harris made some crucial mechanical adjustments that have allowed him to do damage despite an ultra-aggressive approach. While Harris' newfound success likely won't be enough to propel the Braves into the playoffs, it certainly bodes well for next season and beyond (he's signed through at least 2030). If the Braves are to be a World Series contender again in 2026, Harris' bat will likely be a big factor. -- Jason Foster |
MORE AL EAST TALENT TO WATCH |
Two new faces are joining the AL East this weekend as the Rays and Red Sox have called up a pair of top prospects to make their big league debuts. In need of help at shortstop, the Rays promoted their top prospect, Carson Williams, who is perhaps the best defensive player in the Minor Leagues. The 2021 first-rounder, who now ranks as baseball's No. 47 prospect, has elite arm strength and glove work and is a lock to stick at the position long-term. He's produced 20-20 campaigns each of the past three seasons and stands out for his plus power, although strikeout issues have held him back. Meanwhile, the Red Sox are turning to Jhostynxon Garcia to fill a hole in their outfield. While he may be most famous for his nickname "The Password" -- due to the unique spelling of his first name -- he's developed into a dynamic player in his own right. The right-handed-swinging outfielder, MLB's No. 77 prospect, was strong at Double-A Portland and even better with Triple-A Worcester -- slashing .303/.367/.564 with 17 homers in 66 games, third-most at the level since his promotion. MLB debuts are exciting, of course, but there was also a big pro debut at Single-A on Thursday night. Eli Willits took the field for Fredericksburg at just 17 years old, and he showed why he went first overall in the 2025 Draft. The switch-hitting shortstop went 3-for-4 with a walk, stolen base and two RBIs and played with his "hair on fire." -- Ben Weinrib |
The stretch run is upon us, and with each game, there are high stakes for every win and loss. For 23 straight seasons, MLB.TV has delivered the action to your home, office or virtually anywhere. From now until Monday, catch all the games free during our Anniversary Free Preview (except Apple TV+, Roku and ESPN contests). No credit card is required, and blackouts and other restrictions apply. Besides the division battles, there are other races to follow as Kyle Schwarber tries to dethrone Shohei Ohtani as the NL homer king, while Garrett Crochet, who is set to pitch Saturday, hopes to overtake Tarik Skubal for the Majors' K crown. You have our permission to stay home this weekend, so sit back and stream away -- it's on us. |
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