Los Angeles Dodgers takes a swing against the San Diego Padres in the bottom of the fifth inning at Dodger Stadium on Thu Jul 2, 2026 (AP News photo)

MLB The Show podcast Charlie O

#1 The Los Angeles Dodgers kept two way player Shohei Ohtani out of the starting line up against the San Diego Padres on Saturday due to tightness in his right biceps. Ohtani incurred the tightness after taking a swing at the plate in the bottom of the sixth inning. The Dodger superstar said during a post game press conference that it had happened before and that it went away relatively quickly.

#2 Boston Red Sox reliever Aroldis Chapman struck out the Los Angeles Angels Denzer Guzman Friday night to put Chapman as MLB’s leading career strikeouts reliever. Guzman at 38 years old threw a 98.6 MPH pitch that Guzman couldn’t even touch. The strikeout was Chapman’s 1364th of his 17 year career and he surpassed Hoyt Wilhelm who pitched for 21 years whose career ended just five days short of his 50th birthday.

 #3 San Francisco Giants third baseman Matt Chapman who is on the 10 day IL with an abdominal strain could return before the All Star break according to Giants manager Tony Vitello. Reports said that the New York Yankees have expressed interest in Chapman. The Yankees are also shopping for a back up catcher and shoring up their bullpen.

#4 San Francisco Giants ultilty player Casey Schmitt is also be shopped by a number of clubs as the Giants could turn out be seller before the trade deadline. Schmitt has been having some offensive success hitting .281, with 16 home runs and 44 RBIs. The Giants who are struggling in the NL West standings also are getting inquiries from the Chicago White Sox regarding pitcher Robbie Ray. If Chapman, Schmitt and Ray were to all be traded the Giants will just be mailing it in for the rest of the season as these are their current key players. The Giants also lost relief pitcher LHP Matt Gage to the 15 IL due to a left elbow strain.

#5 This week Sacramento A’s owner John Fisher said that he wanted to be more public and answer some of the questions that the press had for him even during the process of the team’s relocation to Las Vegas from the time. He just said he wanted to come out now and be a little more tranparent then had been. The one big question is Bally’s now is coming up with funding for the ballpark when they were suppose to pay for all the nuances around the park as Fisher reportedly has not come up with share of the stadium construction costs.

Charlie O does the MLB The Show podcasts each Sunday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com