MLB Daily Edition for Friday, July 17, 2026, Featuring Games from Thursday, July 16.
Major League Baseball returned from the All-Star break with a one-game opening act in Philadelphia. Francisco Alvarez supplied the power, Christian Scott controlled the Phillies and the Mets opened the second half with a 4-1 victory.
Player of the Day
Francisco Alvarez, New York Mets
2-for-4 • 2 HR • 2 RBI • 2 R
Alvarez hit a solo home run in the third inning and added another in the seventh. His second homer was his 11th of the season and came immediately before Brett Baty went deep, giving New York back-to-back home runs against Aaron Nola.
Top Stories
Alvarez Powers the First Win of the Second Half
Francisco Alvarez homered twice and Brett Baty also went deep as the Mets defeated the Phillies 4-1 in the first MLB game following the All-Star break.
Christian Scott Shuts Down Philadelphia
Christian Scott threw 5 2/3 scoreless innings, struck out seven and earned his third victory.
Juan Soto Leaves With Calf Soreness
Juan Soto exited in the eighth inning with left calf soreness. Interim manager Andy Green said the All-Star outfielder is expected to return during the weekend.
Smoke Changes the Schedule in Philadelphia
The start was moved ahead by one hour because worsening air quality was expected later in the evening. The game was played beneath a hazy sky as smoke from Canadian and Minnesota wildfires moved through the region.
Scoreboard
| Game | Win | Loss | Save |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mets 4, Phillies 1 | Christian Scott (3-1) | Aaron Nola | — |
Thursday featured only one major league game as the schedule resumed following the All-Star break.
Game of the Day
New York Mets 4, Philadelphia Phillies 1
The Mets opened the second half with three solo home runs and a strong performance from Christian Scott. Alvarez opened the scoring in the third, then went back-to-back with Baty in the seventh. Scott allowed no runs through 5 2/3 innings before New York’s bullpen completed the victory.
Big Bats
| Player | Team | Line | Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Francisco Alvarez | NYM | 2 HR, 2 RBI | Supplied half of New York’s runs and earned Player of the Day. |
| Brett Baty | NYM | 1 HR | Went back-to-back with Alvarez in the seventh. |
Dealing
| Pitcher | Team | Line | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Christian Scott | NYM | 5.2 IP, 0 R, 7 K | Win |
Who’s Hot
Francisco Alvarez: The Mets catcher began the second half with his first multi-homer game of the season and pushed his season total to 11.
Christian Scott: Scott resumed the season with 5 2/3 scoreless innings and seven strikeouts.
Who’s Not
Aaron Nola: Nola surrendered three solo home runs and was removed during the seventh inning.
Phillies offense: Philadelphia managed only one run and never recovered after Scott controlled the first two-thirds of the game.
Trending Players
Francisco Alvarez immediately moved back into the conversation with a two-homer night. Injuries interrupted his first half, but his power remains one of the clearest reasons to keep watching the Mets after the break.
Team Trends
New York Mets: New York opened the second half with clean pitching and three home runs against a division opponent.
Philadelphia Phillies: The Phillies returned from the break with little offense and received more bad bullpen news when reliever Brad Keller was diagnosed with a torn UCL.
Standings Watch
The Dodgers begin the second half with baseball’s best record at 61-36. Milwaukee follows at 59-37 and leads the NL Central by five games. Atlanta sits at 55-40, while Tampa Bay carries the American League’s strongest record into Friday at 56-38.
Miami owns the final National League Wild Card position at 52-45. The American League remains compressed, with several clubs clustered around the .500 mark.
Injuries and Transactions
Juan Soto, Mets
Soto left Thursday’s game with left calf soreness. The Mets expect him to return during the weekend, but his status should be checked before the next lineup is posted.
Brad Keller, Phillies
Keller is expected to miss the remainder of the season after being diagnosed with a torn UCL in his right elbow. Surgery remains a possibility.
Trade Rumor Watch
Tarik Skubal remains the largest name connected to the 2026 trade market, while clubs continue searching for controllable starting pitching. The deadline is scheduled for August 3 at 6 p.m. ET.
Today’s Games
| Time ET | Matchup | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 1:35 p.m. | Rays at Red Sox, Game 1 | Fenway Park |
| 7:05 p.m. | Dodgers at Yankees | Yankee Stadium |
| 7:10 p.m. | Pirates at Guardians | Progressive Field |
| 7:10 p.m. | Rays at Red Sox, Game 2 | Fenway Park |
| 7:15 p.m. | White Sox at Blue Jays | Rogers Centre |
| 7:15 p.m. | Rangers at Braves | Truist Park |
| 7:40 p.m. | Marlins at Brewers | American Family Field |
| 8:05 p.m. | Twins at Cubs | Wrigley Field |
| 8:10 p.m. | Padres at Royals | Kauffman Stadium |
| 8:10 p.m. | Orioles at Astros | Daikin Park |
| 8:40 p.m. | Reds at Rockies | Coors Field |
| 9:38 p.m. | Tigers at Angels | Angel Stadium |
| 9:40 p.m. | Nationals at Athletics | Sutter Health Park |
| 9:40 p.m. | Cardinals at Diamondbacks | Chase Field |
| 10:10 p.m. | Giants at Mariners | T-Mobile Park |
Today’s Matchups
Dodgers at Yankees
Roki Sasaki (3-5, 5.33 ERA) faces Gerrit Cole (3-4, 4.04 ERA).
Rangers at Braves
Cal Quantrill (3-1, 3.11 ERA) opposes Chris Sale (9-6, 2.20 ERA).
Marlins at Brewers
Sandy Alcantara (10-5, 3.99 ERA) starts against Logan Henderson (3-1, 3.18 ERA).
Tigers at Angels
Troy Melton (5-1, 1.82 ERA) draws Reid Detmers (3-6, 4.39 ERA).
Rays at Red Sox
The clubs play a split doubleheader beginning at 1:35 p.m. Griffin Jax faces Jake Bennett in the opener.
Stat of the Day
The Mets hit three solo home runs Thursday. Francisco Alvarez accounted for two of them, giving him his first multi-homer performance of 2026.
Yesterday at a Glance
Games: 1
Runs: 5
Home Runs: 3
Player of the Day: Francisco Alvarez
Pitching Performance: Christian Scott, 5 2/3 scoreless innings
On This Date in Baseball
On July 17, 1941, Joe DiMaggio’s 56-game hitting streak ended in Cleveland. Third baseman Ken Keltner made two difficult plays on balls hit by DiMaggio, while Al Smith and Jim Bagby Jr. held him hitless. DiMaggio finished 0-for-3 with a walk, but his 56-game record remains the longest hitting streak in Major League history.