
MLB mock draft 3.0: Kiley McDaniel predicts the first two rounds
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Kiley McDanielJul 11, 2025, 07:00 AM ET
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- Kiley McDaniel covers MLB prospects, the MLB Draft and more, including trades and free agency.
- Has worked for three MLB teams.
Co-author of Author of ‘Future Value’
The 2025 MLB draft starts Sunday, so let’s project how the first round could play out this weekend with my mock draft 3.0.
The drama starts right at the top this year, as the Washington Nationals have a difficult decision to make with the No. 1 pick a week after firing their general manager.
In a year without a slam-dunk top player, Oklahoma high school star Ethan Holliday (yes, the son of former major leaguer Matt) and a group of college left-handers (LSU’s Kade Anderson, Tennessee’s Liam Doyle and Florida State’s Jamie Arnold) rank among the top prospects in the class.
Which direction will the Nationals go — and how will the Los Angeles Angels and Seattle Mariners follow with the No. 2 and No. 3 picks?
This is my next-to-last mock draft of the 2025 draft cycle, with an updated 3.1 version coming hours before Round 1 begins Sunday. And remember, this is the order in which I think the players will come off the board, while my draft rankings are the order in which I’d pick the players.
More coverage: Mock draft 2.0 | Big question for all 30 teams
Watch: Sunday at 6 p.m. ET on ESPN
1. Washington Nationals
Kade Anderson, LHP, LSU
Rank: 1
There is a lot of uncertainty at this pick after the firing of GM Mike Rizzo. The effect, if you believe the buzz in the industry, is that Anderson is now a little more likely to be the pick. I think it stands at about a 55% chance it will be Anderson, 35% for Ethan Holliday and 10% for Eli Willits/others.
Willits and maybe Liam Doyle seem to be the leading cut-rate options rather than prep ace Seth Hernandez, which may be another effect of interim GM Mike DeBartolo rather than Rizzo being at the helm.
2. Los Angeles Angels
Liam Doyle, LHP, Tennessee
Rank: 6
Doyle has been tied here for a while, and with good reason: He would probably take a below-slot deal and he is a strong candidate to be first player to the big leagues in this entire class. Given his dominating fastball, he could get big league hitters out right now, and the Angels may be aggressive and let him do just that, then see if they can make him a long-term starter.
Kade Anderson seems like the top guy on the Angels’ board, though, and thus would probably be the pick here if he doesn’t go No. 1. In this scenario, I think this decision will come down to Doyle, Jamie Arnold or bigger cut versus slot in Ike Irish. I give Doyle the slight edge.
The Angels love Daniel Pierce but likely can’t land him. Keep an eye on Mason Pike and Sam Horn as the starter targets along with basically any college arm with reliever risk at later picks: Brian Curley, Cade Obermueller, Chase Shores, Tanner Franklin, A.J. Russell, Lucas Kelly and Mason Morris.
0:55
Liam Doyle’s MLB draft profile
Kiley McDaniel explains what makes Tennessee’s Liam Doyle one of the top prospects in this year’s MLB draft.
3. Seattle Mariners
Seth Hernandez, RHP, Corona HS (CA)
Rank: 4
The tide seems to be turning with the Mariners now good with taking Hernandez here, despite the spotty outcomes of prep righties in the draft, after canvassing a wide group of players.
Jamie Arnold would be the runner-up and I think Kade Anderson is the top player on their board, so those three are the main targets. Ike Irish, Aiva Arquette, Liam Doyle and JoJo Parker seem to be the secondary options, I believe in that order.
Keep an eye on Lucas Kelly, Josh Flores and Jake Munroe at later picks.
Ethan Holliday, 3B, Stillwater HS (OK)
Rank: 2
It has been long rumored, maybe since the night of the draft lottery at the MLB winter meetings, that Holliday wouldn’t get past this pick, both because of team preference and his father Matt’s history in Colorado.
If Holliday doesn’t go No. 1 to the Nationals, this is very likely his landing spot — and I wouldn’t be surprised if he got the biggest bonus in this draft and the biggest bonus in this draft era to engineer this outcome for the Rockies.
If Holliday does go No. 1 overall, Kade Anderson and Jamie Arnold are believed to be the other main options here, likely in that order. If all three of those players go ahead of the Rockies, I think it would be Kyson Witherspoon or possibly Aiva Arquette as the pick.
1:10
Ethan Holliday’s MLB draft profile
Kiley McDaniel explains what makes Ethan Holliday one of the top prospects in this year’s MLB draft.
Eli Willits, SS, Fort Cobb-Broxton HS (OK)
Rank: 3
I think the Cardinals’ board looks quite similar to mine, with Kade Anderson and Ethan Holliday in the top two spots, then Willits third. I think he’ll be the pick here in this scenario, but the other primary options would be a near coin flip with Jamie Arnold, or a slight cut with Ike Irish.
Aiva Arquette, SS, Oregon State
Rank: 9
It sounds like the Pirates will take Seth Hernandez here, if he doesn’t go No. 3 to the Mariners. As a secondary plan, I think Pittsburgh is leaning toward a college hitter. Arquette has been mentioned here for months, with Ike Irish as the alternative, and pitcher Jamie Arnold another target if he gets here.
JoJo Parker, SS, Purvis HS (MS)
Rank: 7
I think Miami is looking to land Eli Willits and has Parker as a backup option with Jamie Arnold as a target if he slips. I’ll lean Parker over Arnold here but I think, in this scenario, those two players go in these next two picks in some order. Billy Carlson, Ike Irish and Andrew Fischer seem like the other backup options.
Keep an eye on Mason Pike, Will Rhine and Hunter Allen at later picks.
Jamie Arnold, LHP, Florida State
Rank: 5
Arnold entered the year as the top prospect on my board but was hit a little harder than expected, so the takes from teams vary a bit more than you’d expect. Like I said above, I think JoJo Parker and Arnold go back-to-back in this scenario, but Arnold has a real chance to go No. 2 or No. 3. Ike Irish and Kyson Witherspoon are secondary options.
1:05
Jamie Arnold’s MLB draft profile
Kiley McDaniel explains what makes Florida State’s Jamie Arnold one of the top prospects in this year’s MLB draft.
Ike Irish, RF, Auburn
Rank: 11
Irish is going to go around here, but I’ll admit I’m not sure who the Reds go with here in the event Seth Hernandez and Liam Doyle aren’t available.
Steele Hall, Billy Carlson and Kyson Witherspoon are the other leading options connected here while Josh Hammond is a longer shot and JoJo Parker is connected but also off the board in this scenario.
Keep an eye on Evan Hankins at a later pick.
Billy Carlson, SS, Corona HS (CA)
Rank: 8
Carlson is in play to varying degrees at most picks starting around No. 5, with a floor around No. 12 and hot spots from 8 to 10, so this is right around what he should be expecting.
The White Sox may be the highest on JoJo Parker and his brother Jacob, but I don’t think they can get JoJo down to their pick. Steele Hall, Josh Hammond and Gavin Fien are also tied here in a very prep hitter-heavy mix, with prep LHP Kruz Schoolcraft a long shot/later overpay possibility.
Keep an eye on Gavin Turley and Mason Ligenza at later picks.
11. Athletics
Kyson Witherspoon, RHP, Oklahoma
Rank: 10
Like the Reds, I have some names tied to the A’s pick, but this is about the point where the draft is much harder to predict. I think the A’s are leaning toward pitching, and Witherspoon’s floor is right around here so he represents a nice value.
I do think this is likely to be a college player, and Brendan Summerhill, Wehiwa Aloy and Gavin Fien (the A’s drafted his older brother Dylan last year) have been mentioned here all spring.
Keep an eye on Jase Mitchell, Micah Bucknam and Tanner Franklin at later picks.
Steele Hall, SS, Hewitt-Trussville HS (AL)
Rank: 13
I think this is where Billy Carlson definitely stops if he slides. Hall seems like the next target, with Gavin Fien also mentioned, so it seems likely to be a prep position player.
Keep an eye on Talon Haley, Mason Pike, Josh Owens and Micah Bucknam at later picks.
Brendan Summerhill, CF, Arizona
Rank: 14
I think this pick feels like a lefty hitter from the college ranks (like last year’s pick James Tibbs). Whether that is Summerhill, this spot being the floor for Ike Irish, and a possible high point for Andrew Fischer or Charles Davalan.
Keep an eye on Will Rhine and Taitn Gray at later picks.
Jaden Fauske, RF, Nazareth Academy HS (IL)
Rank: 31
The Rays still have two extra picks on top of the allotted three on Day 1, even after trading one away for reliever Bryan Baker on Thursday. I think their primary targets here are Billy Carlson and Steele Hall, but they both aren’t available in this scenario, so the Rays may try another Xavier Isaac gambit: taking a guy they really like who likely won’t be available by their next pick and isn’t expected to go this high, then banking some savings and spreading it around to other picks.
I have the Rays tied to a number of prep position players for later picks and it seems like this strategy would land them at least one more of those than they’d get if they played this pick straight, maybe with Josh Hammond or similarly named prospects Gavin Fien or Gavin Kilen, three other players the Rays have interest in.
Keep an eye on Dean Moss, Matthew Fisher, Taitn Gray, Sean Gamble, Landon Harmon, Brady Ebel and Brisen Tweedy at later picks.
Gavin Fien, 3B, Great Oak HS (CA)
Rank: 12
Fien has a good chance to land here, as long rumored. I think he’s underrated due to uneven spring after he was one of the better hitters on the summer circuit. Xavier Neyens and Gavin Kilen (who the Red Sox almost signed out of high school) have also been connected here.
Gavin Kilen, SS, Tennessee
Rank: 20
We’re now pretty securely in the realm of making educated guesses based on a team’s history and what other teams think they’ll do. Minnesota likes this sort of player, a medium-tools, medium-framed college infielder with a strong performance record (Luke Keaschall, Brooks Lee, Kyle DeBarge, Tanner Schobel, Kaelen Culpepper just in the top three rounds of the past three drafts).
I think this is about where Gage Wood comes into play, a little lower than some fans may expect, due to some concerns about his shoulder issue earlier this spring and a possible relief fit long term. Caden Bodine, Tyler Bremner and Marek Houston are also mentioned here.
Josh Hammond, 3B, Wesleyan Christian HS (NC)
Rank: 17
The Cubs lean toward exit velos/athleticism when it comes to high schoolers and Hammond is one of the better examples in the class. This is right about the middle of his range, along with Xavier Neyens, a similar, left-handed version of Hammond who is also connected to the Cubs. Arkansas teammates Wehiwa Aloy and Gage Wood are also mentioned here along with Tyler Bremner.
Keep an eye on Cooper Flemming, Josh Flores and Jake Munroe at later picks.
Caden Bodine, C, Coastal Carolina
Rank: 23
Rumors are picking up that Bodine will be the pick here (if available) to then set up some prep picks afterward. Josh Hammond, Tate Southisene and Slater de Brun are the leading targets from that group at this pick and the next one.
Wehiwa Aloy, SS, Arkansas
Rank: 15
After Thursday’s trade for another comp pick, giving Baltimore three total, this pick is a little more likely to be a slot-or-below college player as the O’s likely collect high school players down the board unless they can float a premium talent to this pick.
Aloy fits the Orioles’ tendencies and is a nice value here. I think they’re targeting Jaden Fauske, Dax Kilby, Tate Southisene and Xavier Neyens at those comp picks and then Mason Ligenza, Will Rhine and Ethan Rogers after that.
Marek Houston, SS, Wake Forest
Rank: 22
I have the Brew Crew tied to three shortstops here: Daniel Pierce, Coy James and Houston. James seems like he’ll go in the comp round and would be the curveball pick of the first round, like Milwaukee pulled last year in taking Braylon Payne. This is about the middle of the ranges for Pierce and Houston.
Jace LaViolette, CF, Texas A&M
Rank: 21
Houston is tied to mostly power-over-hit prospects with standout athletic testing here like Xavier Neyens, Tate Southisene and Wehiwa Aloy. Charles Davalan and Slater de Brun are two players who don’t fit in that bucket that the Astros are also on.
Keep an eye on Jase Mitchell, Matt Ferrara, Matt Miura, C.J. Hughes, Josh Flores and Tyler Finkbeiner at later picks.
Tyler Bremner, RHP, UC Santa Barbara
Rank: 18
Bremner is in the mix for some teams picking ahead of here, but I think this is his likely stopping point. Gage Wood, Marek Houston, Tate Southisene, Josh Hammond and Daniel Pierce also get mentioned here.
Keep an eye on Ty Peeples, Jaiden LoRe and Micah Bucknam at later picks.
Gage Wood, RHP, Arkansas
Rank: 16
This would be the floor for Josh Hammond if he got this far and seems like it will be a solid landing spot for Wood, likely paired with a high school player at Kansas City’s next pick at No. 28.
Daniel Pierce, SS, Mill Creek HS (GA)
Rank: 19
I think Detroit takes a high school prospect with at least one if not both of its first two picks, here and No. 34 overall. Coy James could also be a surprise pick here, just like Milwaukee’s first-round pick, but I think it’s more likely one of them takes James in the comp round.
Jaden Fauske (gone in this scenario), Aaron Watson, Dax Kilby, Kayson Cunningham, Slater de Brun, Tate Southisene and Cooper Flemming are tied to Detroit’s first two picks from the high school side. Andrew Fischer, Anthony Eyanson and J.B. Middleton are college players tied to these two picks.
Quentin Young, 3B, Oaks Christian HS (CA)
Rank: 36
The Padres love to swing for upside and are tied to names who fit that this year, with Young the most extreme version. He has 80-grade power projection and an infield fit, but big questions about his contact ability.
Kruz Schoolcraft, Kayson Cunningham, Dax Kilby, Josh Owens and Slater de Brun is my best guess at the order they have their other primary high school targets ranked. Anthony Eyanson, A.J. Russell and Ethan Conrad are college players still available here that the Pads have some interest in picking.
Keep an eye on Will Rhine, Angel Laya, Dixon Williams and Josh Tate at later picks.
Matthew Fisher, RHP, Evansville Memorial HS (IN)
Rank: 44
This one would be another curveball, but the Phillies likely can’t get Fisher to their second pick and would be set up for an overslot move at their next pick(s), similar to what they did last year. Andrew Fischer is also mentioned here. Alec Blair (a top 100 basketball recruit in the country) and Sean Gamble are among the prep position players they could target to move down the board.
Tate Southisene, SS, Basic HS (NV)
Rank: 37
The Guardians are hard to read here and could be going underslot with a college player, like Kane Kepley, Devin Taylor or Andrew Fischer, to set up a spending bonanza down the board with their extra picks. Aaron Watson and Dax Kilby are other prep targets who won’t make it to their next picks.
Keep an eye on Miguel Sime Jr., Jase Mitchell, Cade Crossland and Luke Hill at later picks.
28. Kansas City Royals
Aaron Watson, RHP, Trinity Christian HS (FL)
Rank: 32
Watson is one of many prep arms tied to the Royals, like Matthew Fisher (if still on the board), and Watson should go in the next few picks if he isn’t the pick here. Anthony Eyanson is also a hot name here. Tate Southisene, Angel Cervantes and Malachi Witherspoon are also connected to the Royals.
29. Arizona Diamondbacks
Slater de Brun, CF, Summit HS (OR)
Rank: 34
Tate Southisene (picked 27th in this scenario), de Brun and Kayson Cunningham are the primary targets here, particularly if the Diamondbacks take a college player with their first pick, and Arizona should get one of them here.
He’ll be a tough sign, but keep an eye on Ryan Mitchell at a later pick — or possibly even here if their board blows up.
30. Baltimore Orioles
Xavier Neyens, 3B, Mount Vernon HS (WA)
Rank: 26
Neyens is a threat to go in the teens or early 20s, but the Orioles’ bonus pool muscle should be able to enable them to float him down to this pick.
31. Baltimore Orioles
Andrew Fischer, 3B, Tennessee
Rank: 24
Fischer could go much higher, but should find a home right around here if he’s still on the board.
32. Milwaukee Brewers
Kayson Cunningham, SS, Johnson HS (TX)
Rank: 25
This is great value for the Brewers, which is what they do more often than almost any other team. There are some spots above here, like Detroit, Philly, Arizona and San Diego, that Cunningham could go, with a floor around here, so Milwaukee might need to go overslot to get Cunningham down here.
Jaden Fauske (gone in this scenario), Coy James, Charles Davalan, Devin Taylor and Cooper Flemming are all mentioned with the Brewers at this pick. The Brewers are tied to a number of players down the board: Blaine Bullard, Luke Hill, Brady Ebel, Remo Indomenico, C.J. Hughes, Tyler Finkbeiner and Brisen Tweedy.
33. Boston Red Sox
Marcus Phillips, RHP, Tennessee
Rank: 40
Dax Kilby, Michael Oliveto and Xavier Neyens could all land here as well.
Keep an eye on Kaleb Wing and Peter Mershon at later picks.
34. Detroit Tigers
Coy James, SS, Davie County HS (NC)
Rank: 69
I think this is the most likely landing spot for James. Dax Kilby, Cooper Flemming, Anthony Eyanson and J.B. Middleton are all left from the list mentioned at their earlier pick.
Keep an eye on Jake Munroe, Caleb Leys, Jaiden LoRe and Ethan Rogers at later picks.
35. Seattle Mariners
Zach Root, LHP, Arkansas
Rank: 48
Root is in play at a bunch of spots in the 20s and 30s and likely goes by 40 if he lasts past this pick. Max Belyeu and Patrick Forbes are also mentioned here. If the Mariners want to take three pitchers with their first three picks, there’s a shot Malachi Witherspoon is still there in the second round.
36. Minnesota Twins
Devin Taylor, LF, Indiana
Rank: 39
Taylor’s floor seems to be the Mets’ two picks after this, so this is a nice value for Minnesota. Michael Oliveto and Charles Davalan are other targets still on the board, while Xavier Neyens and Jaden Fauske are gone in this scenario.
Keep an eye on a potential overpay at a later pick in Ty Peeples.
37. Baltimore Orioles
Dax Kilby, SS, Newnan HS (GA)
Rank: 28
I think the bulk of potential targets in the comp and second rounds was part of the Orioles’ motivation to add this pick from the Rays. Kilby’s floor is in a couple of picks, so this is another nice value.
Keep an eye on Landyn Vidourek at a later pick.
Patrick Forbes, RHP, Louisville
Rank: 33
Forbes has interest all through the 20s and 30s and likely goes by the end of the comp round. Devin Taylor, Zach Root and Marcus Phillips aren’t available but also fit here. J.B. Middleton would seem to be the runner-up.
Keep an eye on Tanner Franklin, Josh Flores and Wyatt Vincent at later picks.
J.B. Middleton, RHP, Southern Miss
Rank: 42
This would be the floor for Andrew Fischer and likely Dax Kilby. Max Belyeu, Michael Oliveto and A.J. Russell are some other targets who are possibilities here, as are collegiates who go right after this in Anthony Eyanson, Charles Davalan and Malachi Witherspoon.
Keep an eye on Ethan Rogers, Matt Ferrara and Sam Horn at later picks.
Cam Cannarella, CF, Clemson
Rank: 27
There’s a rumor that if both are on the board, the Dodgers will take Jack Bauer and Quentin Young at these two picks — literally the two highest ceiling players in the draft. For entertainment’s sake, I hope that happens.
Because Young was picked earlier in this projection (as were L.A. targets Coy James, Marcus Phillips, Aaron Watson and J.B. Middleton), Cannarella fits and has been mentioned here much of the spring. Max Belyeu and Charles Davalan will go soon if they aren’t taken here. Kruz Schoolcraft is another high upside prep player the Dodgers are on.
Keep an eye on James Ellwanger, Shane Sdao and Mason Ligenza as targets at later picks.
41. Los Angeles Dodgers: Kruz Schoolcraft, LHP, Sunset HS (OR)
42. Tampa Bay Rays: Anthony Eyanson, RHP, LSU
43. Miami Marlins: Charles Davalan, LF, Arkansas
44. Chicago White Sox: Ethan Conrad, RF, Wake Forest
45. Colorado Rockies: Sean Gamble, 2B, IMG Academy HS (FL)
46. Miami Marlins: Josh Owens, SS, Providence Academy HS (TN)
47. Los Angeles Angels: Max Belyeu, RF, Texas
48. Athletics: Alex Lodise, SS, Florida State
49. Washington Nationals: J.D. Thompson, LHP, Vanderbilt
50. Pittsburgh Pirates: Luke Stevenson, C, North Carolina
51. Cincinnati Reds: Taitn Gray, C, Grimes Community HS (IA)
52. Texas Rangers: Michael Oliveto, C, Hauppauge HS (NY)
53. Tampa Bay Rays: Dean Moss, CF, IMG Academy HS (FL)
54. Minnesota Twins: Brandon Compton, LF, Arizona State
55. St. Louis Cardinals: Cooper Flemming, SS, Aliso Niguel HS (CA)
56. Chicago Cubs: Josiah Hartshorn, LF, Orange Lutheran HS (CA)
57. Seattle Mariners: Malachi Witherspoon, RHP, Oklahoma
58. Baltimore Orioles: Mason Neville, CF, Oregon
59. Milwaukee Brewers: Chase Shores, RHP, LSU
60. Atlanta Braves: Kane Kepley, CF, North Carolina
61. Kansas City Royals: Riley Quick, RHP, Alabama
62. Detroit Tigers: Mitch Voit, 2B, Michigan
63. Philadelphia Phillies: Alec Blair, CF, De La Salle HS (CA)
64. Cleveland Guardians: Jordan Yost, SS, Sickles HS (FL)
65. Los Angeles Dodgers: Aidan West, SS, Long Reach HS (MD)
66. Cleveland Guardians: Cade Obermueller, LHP, Iowa
67. Tampa Bay Rays: A.J. Russell, RHP, Tennessee
68. Milwaukee Brewers: Dean Curley, 3B, Tennessee
69. Baltimore Orioles: Korbyn Dickerson, CF, Indiana
70. Cleveland Guardians: Aiden Stillman, LHP, Trinity Prep HS (FL)
71. Kansas City Royals: Angel Cervantes, RHP, Warren HS (CA)
72. St. Louis Cardinals: Briggs McKenzie, LHP, Corinth Holders HS (NC)
73. Pittsburgh Pirates: Ethan Petry, 1B, South Carolina
74. Colorado Rockies: James Quinn-Irons, CF, George Mason
75. Boston Red Sox: Jake Cook, CF, Southern Miss
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Sports
Guards’ Enright, battling cancer, earns first save
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4 hours agoon
August 5, 2025By
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Associated Press
Aug 5, 2025, 12:37 AM ET
NEW YORK — The first career save for Nic Enright was a particularly meaningful one.
Enright, who was diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma in late 2022 and is scheduled to complete his treatments later this year, allowed an unearned run in the 10th inning Monday night to close out the Cleveland Guardians‘ 7-6 win over the New York Mets.
“He was almost crying on the field just now,” Guardians manager Stephen Vogt said. “If you read his story, it’s pretty inspirational.”
Cleveland selected Enright in the 20th round of the 2019 amateur draft out of Virginia Tech. He received his diagnosis Dec. 22, 2022 — 15 days after the Miami Marlins took him in the Rule 5 draft.
After four rounds of immunotherapy in early 2023, Enright made nine minor league rehab appearances for the Marlins before being designated for assignment and returning to the Guardians in late May.
He missed most of last season due to a right shoulder strain, but went 2-1 with a 1.06 ERA in 16 appearances with Triple-A Columbus.
The right-hander has one more round of cancer treatment scheduled for November.
“I made the decision when I was diagnosed in 2022 with Hodgkin lymphoma that I wasn’t going to let that define my life and dictate how I was going to go about my life,” Enright said. “It’s something where, for anyone else who is going through anything similar, [it shows] I haven’t just holed up in my house and felt sorry for myself this whole time.”
Enright made his major league debut May 25 and has a 2.01 ERA in 19 appearances for the Guardians, whose bullpen is in flux with All-Star closer Emmanuel Clase on paid leave as part of a sports gambling investigation.
Hunter Gaddis and Cade Smith pitched the eighth and ninth innings Monday before Enright entered with a two-run lead. He gave up a two-out RBI single to Brett Baty before retiring Luis Torrens on a fly out to the warning track in right.
“I definitely held my breath as I saw Nolan [Jones] kind of keep running,” Enright said. “But I had faith. As he kind of got closer to the wall, I realized it was losing steam.”
Enright was showered with beer by teammates in the locker room.
“I was so happy, oh, I was going nuts in here,” Guardians starting pitcher Slade Cecconi said with a smile. “I was going absolutely berserk. He came in running up the stairs, smile on his face.”
Enright thanked his wife, his parents and the rest of his family for their support throughout an interview at his locker. He got the ball from the final out and plans to set aside his uniform and hat as well as a lineup card.
“Really, really cool,” Enright said. “These last couple of years, especially, I’ve gone through a lot of adversity and just everything that’s gone on. And so for me, it’s being able to reflect on those in these moments. I think that helps being able to slow the game down. Because it hasn’t exactly been a red-carpet rollout for my career trajectory.”
Sports
New Cubs starter Soroka (shoulder) headed to IL
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4 hours agoon
August 5, 2025By
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Jesse RogersAug 5, 2025, 12:02 AM ET
Close- Jesse joined ESPN Chicago in September 2009 and covers MLB for ESPN.com.
CHICAGO — New Chicago Cubs starter Michael Soroka left his first game with his new team with right shoulder discomfort and will require a stint on the injured list, the team announced on Monday after its 3-2 loss to the Cincinnati Reds.
Soroka, who turned 28 on Monday, felt something grab in his shoulder after throwing a pitch in the second inning. He didn’t come out for the third.
“Went to go put a little extra on a fastball and it grabbed me a little bit,” Soroka said afterwards. “And it didn’t go away.”
Soroka was acquired last week from the Washington Nationals for two prospects and though he’s experienced a dip in velocity over the last month, he claimed he wasn’t in any pain as he took the mound for the first time as a Cub.
“There was no reason to believe there was anything wrong,” Soroka said.
The six-year veteran has been searching for answers to his drop in velocity, eventually getting an MRI before his last start before being traded. It came back clean, according to Soroka, so he stayed focused on his mechanics.
“Everyone knew the velocity hadn’t been there the last month,” he said. “I still had life on everything. The breaking ball was still playing like it did in the first [inning].”
Soroka struck out two in the first inning on Monday, displaying a nasty slurve to whiff TJ Friedl and Austin Hays, but then his velocity dipped in the second when he gave up a home run to Tyler Stephenson before leaving a few minutes later.
“You’re always concerned when you have to come out of the game,” Soroka stated. “It’s never fun. I’m embarrassed. You come to this org and hope to hit the ground running and two innings later, we’re having to pull the plug.”
The Cubs need fresh arms as Soroka was their lone addition to the starting rotation before MLB’s trade deadline last Thursday. Righties Jameson Taillon (calf) and Javier Assad (oblique) are on the mend and due back soon, but the team is still short in the starting staff.
Ben Brown took over for Soroka on Monday but he has been shaky as the every-fifth-day starter. They may need to turn to him again.
“We didn’t have any signs of it,” Cubs manager Craig Counsell said of Soroka. “His velocity has gone backwards. He’s trying to figure out how to fix that. He was optimistic in the first couple days here that we could help him there and things could get better.
“This is unfortunate.”
Soroka was 3-8 with a 4.87 ERA for the Nationals before being traded for Single-A prospect Ronny Cruz and Triple-A outfielder Christian Franklin.
Sports
Boone: Judge rejoining Yanks for Tuesday’s game
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4 hours agoon
August 5, 2025By
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Associated Press
Aug 5, 2025, 12:34 AM ET
ARLINGTON, Texas — Aaron Judge will be activated by the New York Yankees on Tuesday, when their captain is eligible to come off the 10-day injured list after being sidelined because of a flexor strain in his right elbow.
Maybe the two-time AL MVP slugger can help get them back on track.
Manager Aaron Boone said after New York’s fourth consecutive loss, 8-5 to the Texas Rangers in 10 innings on Monday night, that Judge would be available for the middle game of the three-game series.
“Judge tomorrow,” Boone said, without elaborating when asked about his return.
Though Boone didn’t reveal then what the specific plans were, he had said before the game that Judge would be the designated hitter when he first returned to the lineup. He said the outfielder could also play catch while in Texas, which would help determine when he could return to playing in the field.
After hitting off Yankees minor league pitchers at the team’s complex in Tampa, Florida, for the second day in a row on Monday, Judge traveled to Texas and was there for the series opener. He didn’t speak to reporters in the clubhouse after the game.
Judge hasn’t played since July 25 because of the elbow strain. An MRI showed no acute damage to his ulnar collateral ligament and he had a platelet-rich injection July 27, when he was put on the IL in a move retroactive to the previous day.
His .342 batting average was still the best in the majors after Monday’s games. He was fourth with 37 homers and fifth with 85 RBIs.
New York will have an open spot on its active roster because Boone said newly acquired outfielder Austin Slater was headed to the IL. Slater, acquired last Wednesday from the Chicago White Sox, exited in the second inning Monday night because of left hamstring tightness after running out a fielder’s choice grounder.
Giancarlo Stanton has been the Yankees’ starting DH for all of his 32 games this season, including the opener against the Rangers when his 10th homer was a two-run shot in the fourth that put the Yankees up 5-4. He sat out the first 70 games of the season because of inflammation in the tendons of both elbows, and Boone said he wouldn’t play the outfield in Texas if Judge did DH during the series.
The first time Judge said he felt pain in the elbow was July 22 at Toronto, after he made a strong throw home when George Springer singled to right. An inning later, Judge winced after catching a fly in the right-field corner and throwing to second baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr. Judge was caught by a YES Network camera clenching his right hand in a fist.
The Yankees arrived in Texas after being swept in a three-game series at Miami and falling to third place in the AL East behind Toronto and Boston. They were in first place to start July, but are now 5½ games behind the division-leading Blue Jays, and currently in a wild-card spot 2½ games behind the Red Sox with 49 left in the regular season.
When asked if the current stretch, which includes an 18-28 record since June 13, was weighing on his team, Boone said he felt that it was.
“Doesn’t matter,” Boone said. “Nobody cares how stressful it is, or that’s all just noise, excuses, whatever. We’ve got to play better, and we’ve got to win, and we know that.”
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