FT Leadoff

The sport lost an icon on Tuesday when Hall of Famer Willie Mays passed away at 93.

Mays passed away “peacefully and among loved ones,” according to his son, Michael, in a statement released by the Giants.

The Say Hey Kid was widely regarded as one of baseball’s all-time greats, mashing 660 homers in a 23-year career with 12 Gold Gloves, 2 MVPs, and 24 All-Star selections.

MLB will honor Mays during today’s game between the Giants and Cardinals at Rickwood Field, where he began his career playing in the Negro Leagues for the Birmingham Black Barons.

Watch - For more on the life and legacy of Willie Mays, check out our conversation with Bob Costas on FT Live.

One of baseball’s best rotations got a boost on Wednesday when reigning AL Cy Young Award winner Gerrit Cole returned to the mound to face the Orioles.

Cole had been sidelined all season with an elbow injury, but returned in a 62-pitch effort across four innings of work.

“I thought he was under control, and as the outing went on, I thought he got a little bit better and had a little bit of everything,” said Yankees manager Aaron Boone.

New York went on to lose by a final of 7-6 in a 10-inning THRILLER. The Yanks will try to avoid a series loss with Luis Gil (2.03 ERA) on the bump this afternoon.

As much as we talk about the Yankees and Orioles, the Red Sox also deserve some shine in the AL East.

While likely not a threat to the top spot in the division, Boston is making serious noise in the Wild Card race with the Mid-Summer Classic approaching.

Coming off a sweep of the Blue Jays, they’ve extended their win streak to five and currently sit one game out of the third Wild Card spot.

Dare we suggest they’re buyers at the deadline?

Watch - With Triple-A introducing the ABS system, could we be getting closer to a challenge system in MLB?

Watch - Evan Grant from the Dallas Morning News discusses the Rangers early struggles and their playoff chances with the Mariners seemingly running away with the AL West.

Watch - Sahadev Sharma of The Athletic and North Side Territory breaks down the Cubs offensive and bullpen struggles and explores their approach at the trade deadline.

Catch all of our content on YouTube or wherever you get your podcasts!

Like what you see? Share this link with your friends to subscribe to the newsletter!

Check out North Side Territory and Hammer Territory for the latest on the Cubs and Braves!