MOBILE VERSION
Jewish Box Score
Weekly Roundup: July 29-August 4
Bader ignites Phillies
Top Stories
- It took CF Harrison Bader only 4 games to prove his value to the Phillies, who acquired him from the Twins at the trade deadline last week. Philadelphia and the Orioles were tied 3-3 on August 4 when Bader launched a 3-run HR — his first Phillies hit — to deep left field, much to the delight of hometown fans. Philadelphia went on to win 13-3. You can see Bader’s post-game interview here (8/5/2025)
- 1B Spencer Horwitz (Pirates) hit 2 HRs, doubled, and drove in a career-high 6 RBIs in a 9-5 win over the Rockies on August 3. “The guys have been swinging it well all series, and luckily it was my day and a good win,” Horwitz said after the game. And on July 30, Horwitz’s 5th-inning double to deep right-center field evened the score at 1-1, and Pittsburgh went on to beat the Giants 2-1 in 10 innings (8/5/2025)
MLB News
- An August 4 game between the Yankees and Rangers featured four Jewish players. The contest, which included the first pairing of Yankees starter Max Fried and recent acquisition Jake Bird, saw both Rangers Jews — 1B Rowdy Tellez and Joc Pederson — enter the extra-inning game as pinch hitters in the 9th inning. Pederson emerged a hero, stroking a 408-foot solo HR to tie the score at 5-5 apiece. He was followed by Tellez, who struck out swinging but remained in the game. Texas went on to win 8-5 in 10 innings, which was not great news for the Yankees’ coreligionists. Fried gave up 4 earned runs over 5 innings on 8 hits, 3 walks, and 7 strikeouts. And Bird, who came on in the 10th, was tagged with the loss after surrendering a 3-run HR. The Yanks option him to Triple-A the following day (8/5/2025)
- Earlier in the week, LHP Max Fried (Yankees) raised his record to 12-4 in a 7-5 victory over the Rays on July 29, yielding 2 earned runs and 2 unearned runs on 4 hits, 2 walks, and 9 strikeouts over 6.2 innings. Meanwhile, new teammate Jake Bird had a rough Yankees debut on August 1, giving up 4 earned runs on 3 hits, a walk, and a strikeout over 0.1 innings en route to a 13-12 loss to the Marlins. But Bird rebounded the following day, tossing a perfect inning of relief and striking out 2 of the batters he faced in a 2-0 shutout of the same team (8/5/2025)
- LHP Colton Gordon (Astros) squared off against 3B Alex Bregman (Red Sox) at Boston’s Fenway Park on August 1. Rookie Gordon won the head-to-head battle, striking out Bregman on an 82.7-mph sweeper in the 1st inning, and forcing him to line out hard to left in the 3rd inning. But Boston prevailed 7-3, and Gordon was tagged with the loss, bringing his record to 4-4 (8/5/2025)
- JBN reader Ethel H. points out that as of 8/4/2025, three of the four MLB teams that had employed two or more Jewish ballplayers this season were on a path to play in the MLB playoffs. They include the Red Sox and Yankees, both on pace to be Wild Card teams, and the Phillies, who lead the N.L. East. The fourth two-Jew team, the Rangers, stood 1.5 games out of the Wild Card race (8/5/2025)
- In late July, MSN published a list of the 20 Most Brilliant Baseball Brains Behind the Game, a roster focused on individuals currently or recently involved in the game. Three of the 20 honorees were Jewish, including #19 Gabe Kapler, who played 12 years in the Majors, served as manager of the Phillies from 2018-2019 and the Giants from 2020-23, won the N.L. Manager of the Year award in 2021, and played for and coached Team Israel. “Kapler might not fit the mold of an old-school manager, but that’s kind of the point,” MSN wrote. “He brings a modern, analytical twist to dugout decision-making that makes spreadsheets feel cool.” The other two Jewish “brains” on the list were Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman and Red Sox senior adviser Theo Epstein (8/5/2025)
Minor-League Bulletin
- 2B Zack Gelof (Athletics/AAA) hit a walk-off single with 2 outs in the bottom of the 10th inning on August 1 for a 10-9 win over the Diamondbacks’ affiliate at home, ending the day 2-for-6 with 2 RBIs. The day before, Gelof went 4-for-5 with a double and an RBI in a 12-7 victory over the same team (8/5/2025)
- A 2-run HR by CF RJ Schreck (Blue Jays/AAA) in the bottom of the 9th inning narrowed his team’s deficit to one run on August 3, but the Mets’ affiliate held on for a 4-3 win. The round-tripper was Schreck’s fourth in just 61 at-bats since being promoted to Triple-A (8/5/2025)
- 1B Matt Mervis (Marlins/AAA) fared well in a 6-game series against the Guardians’ affiliate. On July 29, he hit a 2-run HR in a 10-3 win, the fourth time he had homered in 7 games. On July 30, Mervis found an unusual way to carry his team to a win: getting hit with an 88.6-mph, four-seam fastball with the bases loaded. The run gave his team a 2-1 lead, a score that stuck through game’s end. And in a 9-1 win on August 1, the MLB veteran — still just 27 years old — hit a 2-run HR and RBI single while also stealing his 4th base in 4 tries. Through August 4, Mervis had 13 homers in Triple-A and 7 more in the Majors (8/5/2025)
- RF Hunter Bishop (Giants/AAA) went 2-for-5 with a solo HR and 2 RBIs in an 8-4 loss to the Rockies’ affiliate on July 31. The 27-year-old is enjoying his best season since being selected #10 overall in the 2019 draft, hitting .254 (65-for-256) with 7 HRs, 6 triples (tied for #3 in the Pacific Coast League), 45 RBIs, and an OBP and OPS of .317 and .723, respectively (8/5/2025)
- RHP Harrison Cohen (Yankees/AAA) earned his first Triple-A win in an 8-3 victory over the Brewers’ affiliate on August 1, tallying 1.2 innings of perfect relief, stranding one inherited runner, and striking out 2 batters. In 14 appearances between his June 12 promotion and August 4, the George Washington U. alum was 1-0 with a 1.29 ERA, 3 saves in 4 chances, 4 holds, a slim 0.93 WHIP, and an opponent batting average of .130 (8/5/2024)
- The step up from Double-A to Triple-A can be terribly steep. Just ask Guardians prospect Aaron Davenport. Davenport, a right-handed starter, was 3-0 with a 2.66 ERA in Double-A and gave up an average of just 5.5 hits and 1.5 walks per 9 innings while striking out 8.9. Between his May 23 promotion and August 4, however, the 25-year-old Washington native was 2-4 with a 6.16 ERA and yielded an average of 10.1 hits per 9 innings, while striking out 7.1 (8/5/2025)
- On August 4, the Mets promoted RHP Ben Simon to Double-A, where he will join fellow Jewish righty RJ Gordon in the bullpen. Will RHP Josh Blum (High-A) soon join them? A rookie out of USC, Blum was 5-0 across Single-A and High-A through August 4, with 4 saves in 4 chances, one hold, a 3.43 ERA, 1.21 WHIP, and 40 strikeouts against 13 walks (8/5/2025)
- For RHP Josh Mallitz (Padres/High-A), home-field advantage is a real thing. Through August 4, the 6’3″ Florida native was 2-0 with a 2.95 at home over 10 games, held opposing batters to a .225 batting average, and struck out 28 batters against just 4 walks. In other parks, Mallitz was 1-1 with an 8.62 ERA over 9 games, was hit by opposing batters at a .303 clip, and had a strikeout-to-walk ratio of 15 to 8 (8/5/2025)
- LHP Ryan Prager, who rejected a $948,600 signing bonus from the Angels in 2024 so he could return to Texas A&M for his senior year, is receiving a $197,200 bonus from the team that drafted him last month, the Guardians (8/5/2025)
Independent Leagues
- Thanks to JBN reader Marty for updating us on INF Benjamin Rosengard, a 2024 graduate of the U. of California-San Diego who currently is playing for the Idaho Falls Chuckers of the independent Pioneer League. Through August 4, the Chicago native was leading the league with a scorching .470 batting average (86-for-183) and had tallied 9 HRs, 5 triples (#4 in league), 50 RBIs, and 8 steals in 9 attempts (8/5/2025)
Transactions
- Yankees option RHP Jake Bird to Triple-A (8/5/2025)
- Marlins release 1B Matt Mervis (8/4/2025)
- Mets promote RHP Ben Simon to Double-A (8/4/2025)
- Phillies assign C Bennett Markinson to Rookie League (8/4/2025)
- Phillies acquire CF Harrison Bader in trade with Twins (8/1/2025)
- Yankees acquire RHP Jake Bird in trade with Rockies (8/1/2025)
- Reds place LHP Evan Kravetz (AAA) on 7-day injured list (7/28/2025)
This Date in History
Visit Jewish Baseball Museum to see highlights from today’s date
Season Stats
Archives
DESKTOP VERSION
Weekly Roundup: July 29-August 4
Bader ignites Phillies
Minor-League Bulletin
- 2B Zack Gelof (Athletics/AAA) hit a walk-off single with 2 outs in the bottom of the 10th inning on August 1 for a 10-9 win over the Diamondbacks’ affiliate at home, ending the day 2-for-6 with 2 RBIs. The day before, Gelof went 4-for-5 with a double and an RBI in a 12-7 victory over the same team (8/5/2025)
- A 2-run HR by CF RJ Schreck (Blue Jays/AAA) in the bottom of the 9th inning narrowed his team’s deficit to one run on August 3, but the Mets’ affiliate held on for a 4-3 win. The round-tripper was Schreck’s fourth in just 61 at-bats since being promoted to Triple-A (8/5/2025)
- 1B Matt Mervis (Marlins/AAA) fared well in a 6-game series against the Guardians’ affiliate. On July 29, he hit a 2-run HR in a 10-3 win, the fourth time he had homered in 7 games. On July 30, Mervis found an unusual way to carry his team to a win: getting hit with an 88.6-mph, four-seam fastball with the bases loaded. The run gave his team a 2-1 lead, a score that stuck through game’s end. And in a 9-1 win on August 1, the MLB veteran — still just 27 years old — hit a 2-run HR and RBI single while also stealing his 4th base in 4 tries. Through August 4, Mervis had 13 homers in Triple-A and 7 more in the Majors (8/5/2025)
- RF Hunter Bishop (Giants/AAA) went 2-for-5 with a solo HR and 2 RBIs in an 8-4 loss to the Rockies’ affiliate on July 31. The 27-year-old is enjoying his best season since being selected #10 overall in the 2019 draft, hitting .254 (65-for-256) with 7 HRs, 6 triples (tied for #3 in the Pacific Coast League), 45 RBIs, and an OBP and OPS of .317 and .723, respectively (8/5/2025)
- RHP Harrison Cohen (Yankees/AAA) earned his first Triple-A win in an 8-3 victory over the Brewers’ affiliate on August 1, tallying 1.2 innings of perfect relief, stranding one inherited runner, and striking out 2 batters. In 14 appearances between his June 12 promotion and August 4, the George Washington U. alum was 1-0 with a 1.29 ERA, 3 saves in 4 chances, 4 holds, a slim 0.93 WHIP, and an opponent batting average of .130 (8/5/2024)
- The step up from Double-A to Triple-A can be terribly steep. Just ask Guardians prospect Aaron Davenport. Davenport, a right-handed starter, was 3-0 with a 2.66 ERA in Double-A and gave up an average of just 5.5 hits and 1.5 walks per 9 innings while striking out 8.9. Between his May 23 promotion and August 4, however, the 25-year-old Washington native was 2-4 with a 6.16 ERA and yielded an average of 10.1 hits per 9 innings, while striking out 7.1 (8/5/2025)
- On August 4, the Mets promoted RHP Ben Simon to Double-A, where he will join fellow Jewish righty RJ Gordon in the bullpen. Will RHP Josh Blum (High-A) soon join them? A rookie out of USC, Blum was 5-0 across Single-A and High-A through August 4, with 4 saves in 4 chances, one hold, a 3.43 ERA, 1.21 WHIP, and 40 strikeouts against 13 walks (8/5/2025)
- For RHP Josh Mallitz (Padres/High-A), home-field advantage is a real thing. Through August 4, the 6’3″ Florida native was 2-0 with a 2.95 at home over 10 games, held opposing batters to a .225 batting average, and struck out 28 batters against just 4 walks. In other parks, Mallitz was 1-1 with an 8.62 ERA over 9 games, was hit by opposing batters at a .303 clip, and had a strikeout-to-walk ratio of 15 to 8 (8/5/2025)
- LHP Ryan Prager, who rejected a $948,600 signing bonus from the Angels in 2024 so he could return to Texas A&M for his senior year, is receiving a $197,200 bonus from the team that drafted him last month, the Guardians (8/5/2025)
This Date in History
Visit Jewish Baseball Museum to see highlights from today’s date
Jewish Box Score
Top Stories
- It took CF Harrison Bader only 4 games to prove his value to the Phillies, who acquired him from the Twins at the trade deadline last week. Philadelphia and the Orioles were tied 3-3 on August 4 when Bader launched a 3-run HR — his first Phillies hit — to deep left field, much to the delight of hometown fans. Philadelphia went on to win 13-3. You can see Bader’s post-game interview here (8/5/2025)
- 1B Spencer Horwitz (Pirates) hit 2 HRs, doubled, and drove in a career-high 6 RBIs in a 9-5 win over the Rockies on August 3. “The guys have been swinging it well all series, and luckily it was my day and a good win,” Horwitz said after the game. And on July 30, Horwitz’s 5th-inning double to deep right-center field evened the score at 1-1, and Pittsburgh went on to beat the Giants 2-1 in 10 innings (8/5/2025)
Transactions
- Yankees option RHP Jake Bird to Triple-A (8/5/2025)
- Marlins release 1B Matt Mervis (8/4/2025)
- Mets promote RHP Ben Simon to Double-A (8/4/2025)
- Phillies assign C Bennett Markinson to Rookie League (8/4/2025)
- Phillies acquire CF Harrison Bader in trade with Twins (8/1/2025)
- Yankees acquire RHP Jake Bird in trade with Rockies (8/1/2025)
- Reds place LHP Evan Kravetz (AAA) on 7-day injured list (7/28/2025)
Season Stats
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MLB News
- An August 4 game between the Yankees and Rangers featured four Jewish players. The contest, which included the first pairing of Yankees starter Max Fried and recent acquisition Jake Bird, saw both Rangers Jews — 1B Rowdy Tellez and Joc Pederson — enter the extra-inning game as pinch hitters in the 9th inning. Pederson emerged a hero, stroking a 408-foot solo HR to tie the score at 5-5 apiece. He was followed by Tellez, who struck out swinging but remained in the game. Texas went on to win 8-5 in 10 innings, which was not great news for the Yankees’ coreligionists. Fried gave up 4 earned runs over 5 innings on 8 hits, 3 walks, and 7 strikeouts. And Bird, who came on in the 10th, was tagged with the loss after surrendering a 3-run HR. The Yanks option him to Triple-A the following day (8/5/2025)
- Earlier in the week, LHP Max Fried (Yankees) raised his record to 12-4 in a 7-5 victory over the Rays on July 29, yielding 2 earned runs and 2 unearned runs on 4 hits, 2 walks, and 9 strikeouts over 6.2 innings. Meanwhile, new teammate Jake Bird had a rough Yankees debut on August 1, giving up 4 earned runs on 3 hits, a walk, and a strikeout over 0.1 innings en route to a 13-12 loss to the Marlins. But Bird rebounded the following day, tossing a perfect inning of relief and striking out 2 of the batters he faced in a 2-0 shutout of the same team (8/5/2025)
- LHP Colton Gordon (Astros) squared off against 3B Alex Bregman (Red Sox) at Boston’s Fenway Park on August 1. Rookie Gordon won the head-to-head battle, striking out Bregman on an 82.7-mph sweeper in the 1st inning, and forcing him to line out hard to left in the 3rd inning. But Boston prevailed 7-3, and Gordon was tagged with the loss, bringing his record to 4-4 (8/5/2025)
- JBN reader Ethel H. points out that as of 8/4/2025, three of the four MLB teams that had employed two or more Jewish ballplayers this season were on a path to play in the MLB playoffs. They include the Red Sox and Yankees, both on pace to be Wild Card teams, and the Phillies, who lead the N.L. East. The fourth two-Jew team, the Rangers, stood 1.5 games out of the Wild Card race (8/5/2025)
- In late July, MSN published a list of the 20 Most Brilliant Baseball Brains Behind the Game, a roster focused on individuals currently or recently involved in the game. Three of the 20 honorees were Jewish, including #19 Gabe Kapler, who played 12 years in the Majors, served as manager of the Phillies from 2018-2019 and the Giants from 2020-23, won the N.L. Manager of the Year award in 2021, and played for and coached Team Israel. “Kapler might not fit the mold of an old-school manager, but that’s kind of the point,” MSN wrote. “He brings a modern, analytical twist to dugout decision-making that makes spreadsheets feel cool.” The other two Jewish “brains” on the list were Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman and Red Sox senior adviser Theo Epstein (8/5/2025)
Archives
