Baseball Wiretap

Bryce Harper will compete in the Home Run Derby for the first time in eight years, this time representing the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park. Harper announced the decision Thursday via social media, captioning his post, "Derby at home? Sure why not?"

Harper previously won the event in 2018 while playing for the Washington Nationals, launching 45 home runs at Nationals Park. He topped future teammate Kyle Schwarber in that final.

Harper made this year's All-Star Game as a legend selection. He becomes the sixth player to join the Derby field, alongside Jordan Walker of the St. Louis Cardinals, Ben Rice of the New York Yankees, Willson Contreras of the Boston Red Sox, Junior Caminero of the Tampa Bay Rays and Jac Caglianone of the Kansas City Royals.

Harper and Caminero are the only two competitors with prior Derby experience. Harper remains the lone past champion in the group, with two spots still open in the eight-player field.

Only four players in Derby history have won at their home ballpark. Harper is aiming to become the first to accomplish that feat twice, and the first to do it with two different franchises.

A win would also place Harper among an exclusive group of multiple-time Derby champions that includes Prince Fielder, Yoenis Cespedes, Pete Alonso and Ken Griffey Jr.

The Home Run Derby takes place Monday night at Citizens Bank Park.

Aaron Judge will have his injured rib re-examined during the All-Star break, with the New York Yankees hoping the results show progress in his recovery. General manager Brian Cashman addressed the outfielder's status Thursday.

Judge has not played since May 31 and landed on the injured list June 5 with a stress fracture in his right rib. The diagnosis followed a CT scan, an MRI and a consultation with a specialist.

"I don't think we want to put him at risk of coming back while still injured," said Cashman. "He should be asymptomatic before we turn him loose.

"If he's asymptomatic and not feeling anything and [medical images] are showing healing, then it's probably appropriate to get him going again. But we don't want to, because the schedule is what it is, put him in a position where we're putting him in jeopardy where it somehow gets worse."

Cashman said the injury has limited Judge's ability to train his upper body, since he cannot place stress on his rib cage. New imaging will offer a clearer picture of where he stands in his rehab process.

The Yankees have gone 15-19 without Judge in the lineup, including a 12-4 win over the AL East-leading Tampa Bay Rays on Thursday.

Cashman also provided an update on Giancarlo Stanton, who has been sidelined since April 24 with a right calf injury. Stanton suffered a new strain to the same calf, setting back his timeline, though he has resumed running.

The Chicago White Sox remain undecided among three players for the No. 1 overall pick in Saturday's MLB draft, according to vice president of amateur scouting Mike Shirley.

UCLA shortstop Roch Cholowsky, Georgia Tech catcher Vahn Lackey and Texas high school shortstop Grady Emerson are the finalists under consideration, Shirley said Wednesday.

"It's still a bit of an open book, but I think we all know who the candidates are here, and we're working extremely hard," said Shirley. "The Cholowsky/Emerson conversation, the Vahn Lackey conversation, these are real. They are happening. They're happening up to the minute."

Shirley outlined strengths for each prospect. Emerson has significantly closed the gap on Cholowsky during his senior year of high school, while Cholowsky maintained his standing during his junior college season, batting .320 with 21 home runs. Lackey, meanwhile, profiles as a potential elite defensive catcher.

"It's not about what they are today," said Shirley. "It's about what they're going to be two to three years from now when they show up here at the major league level."

Shirley echoed general manager Chris Getz's approach to the selection process, emphasizing that talent alone will determine the pick.

"It's not about the major league team. It's not about the money," said Shirley. "It's about who is the best player."

The team is also disregarding potential future changes to the league's draft rules, including a proposal that could eliminate high school players from future drafts.

Shirley acknowledged growing concerns around NIL money influencing player decisions, noting some prospects are forgoing the draft entirely to remain in college.

"I think Roch Cholowsky turned down a substantial amount of money to leave UCLA last year," said Shirley. "If you don't think the players are being offered a lot of money to leave, it's real."

Chicago enters Saturday's draft in first place, a dramatic turnaround following three consecutive 100-loss seasons, including an MLB-record 121 losses in 2024.

Dylan Cease carried a no-hit bid into the ninth inning Wednesday against the San Francisco Giants before Heliot Ramos broke it up with a line-drive single to center field.

Toronto Blue Jays manager John Schneider allowed Cease to push past his typical pitch limits in pursuit of the milestone. Cease threw a career-high 118 pitches, striking out 11 to extend his American League-leading strikeout total to 148.

"Dylan came in after the sixth inning and said, 'I've got 120,'" said Schneider. "I said, 'OK.' And then after the seventh, he said, 'I've got 130.'"

Cease received a standing ovation from the San Francisco crowd after exiting the game. Tyler Rogers closed out the final three outs as Toronto won 10-0.

Schneider explained his decision to let Cease continue pursuing the no-hitter despite the elevated pitch count.

"I'm a fan of baseball," said Schneider. "I think if a guy has a chance to throw a no-hitter, I think you let him do it and I think you make adjustments after that."

Cease previously threw a no-hitter for the San Diego Padres in July 2024. He said Wednesday's outing felt even sharper than that performance.

"I was really commanding the ball well, mixing the ball well," said Cease. "I'm just happy it wasn't Luis Arraez that broke it up again."

Arraez, now with San Francisco, previously ended a Cease no-hit bid in 2022 while playing for Minnesota. He batted directly after Ramos in Wednesday's lineup.

Toronto's defense preserved the bid with two standout plays, including a diving stop by second baseman Ernie Clement and a running catch by center fielder Daulton Varsho at the wall.

Ramos praised Cease's performance following the game.

"I think he's Cy Young-caliber," said Ramos.

New York Yankees shortstop Anthony Volpe pushed back Wednesday against a since-retracted report claiming he refused to play second base during a minor league assignment earlier this season.

YES Network broadcaster Michael Kay initially shared the report Tuesday on his ESPN radio show, citing anonymous sources. Kay retracted the claim Wednesday afternoon, saying additional calls contradicted his original information.

"I had two people tell me, and I heard rumors," said Kay. "I was wrong. Somebody called me and said that's not right. I made further calls, and they said no, that he had never refused to play second base. I retracted. I plan to talk to him and apologize."

Volpe said he learned of the report through his trainer and strongly denied its accuracy.

"It definitely caught me off guard," said Volpe. "It's confusing because it's just not true. It couldn't be further from the truth. I hope my teammates in here, I've played for them for three-plus years, I hope they know my character and that I'd literally do anything to help the team win."

The Yankees had initially planned for Volpe to see time at second base during a rehab assignment following shoulder surgery. Injuries to Jose Caballero altered those plans, leading to Volpe's recall and increased playing time at shortstop instead.

Volpe said he practiced at second base during pregame routines on days he didn't start at shortstop, despite never appearing there in an MLB game.

"I'd literally do whatever the team needed, and that's the truth behind the story," said Volpe.

Yankees manager Aaron Boone said the team currently views Volpe strictly as its shortstop, praising his defensive performance this season.

"He's been our shortstop, and he got hurt and had surgery over the winter," said Boone. "I hate to break it to everyone, but he's been a damn good shortstop."

Volpe won a Gold Glove in 2023 and has ranked among the league's top defensive shortstops this season, though his offensive production has drawn frequent criticism since his 2023 debut.

Justin Verlander announced Wednesday that he will retire following the 2026 season, closing out a 21-year career with the Detroit Tigers, the organization where he began his journey to a likely Hall of Fame induction.

"This season has challenged me in ways I haven't experienced before, both physically and mentally," wrote Verlander in a social media statement. "I've always believed that as long as I could compete at the level I expect of myself, I'd keep playing. I never wanted to retire because of a milestone, a number, or a date on the calendar. I wanted the game to tell me when it was time.

"Over the last several months, I've realized that time has come. While I'm fully committed to giving my team everything I have for the rest of this season, I've decided this will be my last."

Verlander, the 2011 American League MVP and a two-time World Series champion, also earned his 10th All-Star selection Wednesday as a "Legend Pick" from commissioner Rob Manfred. The three-time Cy Young Award winner signed a one-year, $13 million contract with Detroit this offseason, returning to the franchise where he spent his first 13 major league seasons.

Injuries have limited Verlander to just one start this year. The right-hander landed on the 60-day injured list with a left hip issue before later suffering a left hamstring injury in June that further delayed his return.

"It's fitting that I get to finish where it all started, with the Detroit Tigers, the organization that drafted me and gave me my first opportunity," wrote Verlander. "Baseball has given me more than I could have imagined. It taught me discipline, resilience, and the value of continuing to adapt and evolve."

Tigers manager A.J. Hinch said the hamstring injury would sideline Verlander for an extended period. According to the team's latest medical update, Verlander is playing catch and completing daily rehab work, though he has not yet resumed throwing off a mound.

Verlander currently has a 266-159 career record and a 3.33 ERA across 21 seasons.

Shohei Ohtani reached a career milestone Tuesday, launching his 300th career home run during the Los Angeles Dodgers' game against the Colorado Rockies. The blast made him the first Japanese-born player to reach the mark.

Ohtani led off the game with a line-drive shot to center field, needing just three pitches from Colorado starter Michael Lorenzen. The home run came one night after he recorded his 299th, and two days after his 32nd birthday.

The ball left Ohtani's bat at 112.2 mph and traveled 409 feet, according to statcast data.

"It was quite the homer," said Dodgers manager Dave Roberts following the team's 4-3 home loss. "It was squared up, got out in a hurry. Three hundred, he got there pretty quickly for us. I just marvel at him every day."

Ohtani has hit 129 of his 300 career homers with the Dodgers. He becomes one of 18 active major leaguers to reach 300 home runs, joining teammates Freddie Freeman and Mookie Betts as the only Dodgers to hit the mark.

Playing in his 1,102nd career game, Ohtani ranks as the fifth-fastest player in MLB history to reach 300 homers. Only Aaron Judge, Ralph Kiner, Ryan Howard and Juan Gonzalez accomplished the feat in fewer games.

Roberts expressed confidence that Ohtani could eventually reach 500 career home runs.

Ohtani is hitting .294 with a .950 OPS this season while also posting a 1.79 ERA across 14 starts as a two-way player, drawing early National League Cy Young consideration.

Fans selected Ohtani as the NL's starting designated hitter for next Tuesday's All-Star Game. Roberts said he expects Ohtani to receive at least one at-bat in the exhibition contest.

Pittsburgh Pirates rookie shortstop Konnor Griffin will miss eight to 10 weeks with a left ring finger injury, the team's senior director of sports medicine Todd Tomczyk told reporters Tuesday, deepening the club's growing injury concerns.

Griffin had rejoined the Pirates just two weeks earlier following a monthlong absence caused by a right elbow strain. The rookie sustained damage to the sagittal band in his finger, which Tomczyk described as thick fibers that support and reinforce the extensor tendon.

Tomczyk said Griffin will wear a splint for six weeks before doctors reassess his recovery timeline.

Boston Red Sox outfielder Roman Anthony has dealt with a separate finger tendon injury since early May, though Tomczyk noted the cases are not directly comparable. Former White Sox shortstop Tim Anderson offers a closer parallel, having suffered a similar sagittal band injury in 2022 that sidelined him for roughly six weeks.

Griffin has hit .276 with a .736 OPS, 10 doubles and five home runs across 59 games since making his major league debut in early April.

Pittsburgh selected Griffin ninth overall in the 2024 MLB Draft. Griffin signed a nine-year, $140 million contract extension with the organization in April.

The setback adds to a lengthy injury list for the Pirates (46-45), who currently sit in fourth place in the National League Central and three games behind a wild-card spot. Outfielder Oneil Cruz and first baseman Spencer Horwitz remain sidelined with fractured fingers and a hamstring strain, respectively.

The Milwaukee Brewers promoted outfield prospect Luis Lara to the major leagues Tuesday, roughly a month after he agreed to a seven-year, $31 million contract extension.

Milwaukee made the announcement ahead of a doubleheader against the St. Louis Cardinals, optioning outfielder Blake Perkins to Triple-A Nashville to clear a roster spot, according to the team.

Lara, 21, signed his extension last month while still competing for Nashville. The deal runs through 2032 and includes club options covering 2033 through 2035.

The Venezuelan outfielder, listed at 5-foot-7, has built a reputation as an elite defender throughout his minor league career. This season, he has also emerged as a legitimate offensive threat.

Lara batted .321 with a .432 on-base percentage and .470 slugging mark across 78 games with Nashville. He added nine home runs, 42 RBIs and 24 stolen bases during that stretch.

Those numbers represent a sharp improvement from last season, when Lara hit .257 with a .369 on-base percentage over 136 games at Double-A Biloxi.

Lara becomes the second Brewers prospect this year to reach the majors shortly after signing a long-term extension. Shortstop Cooper Pratt debuted June 16, less than three months after agreeing to an eight-year, $50.75 million deal.

Pratt, who turns 22 in August, is batting .204 with two RBIs and six steals through 18 games with Milwaukee. Perkins, meanwhile, was hitting just .157 with one homer and 11 RBIs in 53 games before his demotion.

Major League Baseball revealed its 2026 All-Star Game starting lineups Saturday, with Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani topping the fan vote and three teammates joining him in the National League's starting group.

Ohtani will serve as designated hitter for the NL, appearing alongside Freddie Freeman at first base, Max Muncy at third and Andy Pages in the outfield. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said Friday that Ohtani probably won't pitch in the exhibition after they altered his workload schedule.

Additional NL starters include Juan Soto of the New York Mets, Brandon Marsh of the Philadelphia Phillies, CJ Abrams of the Washington Nationals, and Atlanta Braves duo Ozzie Albies and Drake Baldwin.

American League voting leader Ernie Clement will start alongside fellow Toronto Blue Jays infielder Vladimir Guerrero Jr., though Guerrero has since withdrawn from the game. Athletics first baseman Nick Kurtz will replace him after winning the players' vote at that position.

Tampa Bay Rays third baseman Junior Caminero, Kansas City Royals shortstop Bobby Witt Jr., Athletics catcher Shea Langeliers and Houston Astros designated hitter Yordan Alvarez round out the AL infield and battery. Mike Trout, Aaron Judge and Byron Buxton comprise the American League's starting outfield.

This year's contest takes place July 14 at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia. Fans selected the starters, while a combination of league officials and current players, managers and coaches chose the reserves.

The Dodgers, Braves and Phillies each landed a league-best five All-Stars apiece. Five starters, Langeliers, Clement, Baldwin, Marsh and Pages, earned their first career selections, while Freeman and Chris Sale are making their 10th appearances.

Trout returns for his 12th All-Star nod and first since 2023, currently recovering from a hamstring injury but expected to play. MLB will feature players wearing original team uniforms this year rather than specialized event jerseys.

American League All-Stars

Starters
C: Shea Langeliers (ATH)
1B: Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (TOR)
2B: Ernie Clement (TOR)
3B: Junior Caminero (TB)
SS: Bobby Witt Jr. (KC)
OF: Mike Trout (LAA)
OF: Byron Buxton (MIN)
OF: Aaron Judge (NYY)
DH: Yordan Alvarez (HOU)

Reserves

C: Dillon Dingler (DET)
C: Adley Rutschman (BAL)
INF: Travis Bazzana (CLE)
INF: Nick Kurtz (ATH)
INF: Kevin McGonigle (DET)
INF: Ben Rice (NYY)
INF: Miguel Vargas (CWS)
OF: Randy Arozarena (SEA)
OF: Cody Bellinger (NYY)
OF: Riley Greene (DET)
DH: Yandy Díaz (TB)

Reserves

C: Dillon Dingler (DET)
C: Adley Rutschman (BAL)
INF: Travis Bazzana (CLE)
INF: Nick Kurtz (ATH)
INF: Kevin McGonigle (DET)
INF: Ben Rice (NYY)
INF: Miguel Vargas (CWS)
OF: Randy Arozarena (SEA)
OF: Cody Bellinger (NYY)
OF: Riley Greene (DET)
DH: Yandy Díaz (TB)

Starting Pitchers

RHP: Dylan Cease (TOR)
LHP: Parker Messick (CLE)
RHP: Drew Rasmussen (TB)
RHP: Joe Ryan (MIN)
RHP: Cam Schlittler (NYY)
LHP: Ranger Suarez (BOS)
RHP: Michael Wacha (KC)

Relief Pitchers

RHP: Bryan Baker (TB)
LHP: Aroldis Chapman (BOS)
LHP: Jacob Latz (TEX)
RHP: Cade Smith (CLE)
RHP: Louis Varland (TOR)

National League All-Stars

Starters
C: Drake Baldwin (ATL)
1B: Freddie Freeman (LAD)
2B: Ozzie Albies (ATL)
3B: Max Muncy (LAD)
SS: CJ Abrams (WSH)
OF: Brandon Marsh (PHI)
OF: Juan Soto (NYM)
OF: Andy Pages (LAD)
DH: Shohei Ohtani (LAD)

Reserves

C: William Contreras (MIL)
C: Hunter Goodman (COL)
INF: Luis Arraez (SF)
INF: Bryce Harper (PHI)
INF: Otto Lopez (MIA)
INF: Matt Olson (ATL)
INF: Sal Stewart (CIN)
OF: Corbin Carroll (AZ)
OF: Pete Crow-Armstrong (CHC)
OF: Jordan Walker (STL)
OF: James Wood (WSH)
DH: Kyle Schwarber (PHI)

Starting Pitchers

RHP: Chase Burns (CIN)
RHP: Max Meyer (MIA)
RHP: Jacob Misiorowski (MIL)
LHP: Eduardo Rodriguez (AZ)
LHP: Chris Sale (ATL)
LHP: Cristopher Sánchez (PHI)
RHP: Paul Skenes (PIT)
RHP: Logan Webb (SF)
RHP: Yoshinobu Yamamoto (LAD)

Relief Pitchers

RHP: Jhoan Duran (PHI)
RHP: Raisel Iglesias (ATL)
RHP: Mason Miller (SD)
RHP: Dylan Cease (TOR)
LHP: Parker Messick (CLE)
RHP: Drew Rasmussen (TB)
RHP: Joe Ryan (MIN)
RHP: Cam Schlittler (NYY)
LHP: Ranger Suarez (BOS)
RHP: Michael Wacha (KC)

Relief Pitchers

RHP: Bryan Baker (TB)
LHP: Aroldis Chapman (BOS)
LHP: Jacob Latz (TEX)
RHP: Cade Smith (CLE)
RHP: Louis Varland (TOR)