MLB Bullets is pretty popular

Probably some more trade news. It’s that time of year.

• Why don’t we start with this piece by Harry Enten and fivethirtyeight about baseball fandom, since we’re all baseball fans here. (Unless you’re really lost, I guess.) A survey of baseball fans revealed that the team with the most fans is the Yankees. Of course, it also revealed that the most-hated team is also the Yankees. The Cubs are fourth in the number of fans, but they are the most-liked team in baseball with an amazing plus-53 positive rating. The Yankees are actually the only team with a negative favorability rating.
• And Sam Miller has a fascinating piece on how each inning in extra innings is different, along with the statistical data to back it up.
• In the trade rumor market, the Twins are reportedly close to trading for Braves pitcher Jaime Garcia.
• Jon Paul Morosi reports that the Astros and Athletics are engaged in serious talks about a trade that would send Sonny Gray to Houston.
• Andrew Marchand thinks the Yankees need to get Gray if they are serious about contending this year.
• Jorge L. Ortiz notes that it is an open question whether Gray is worth the high price the A’s will demand.
• Jeff Passan reports that the Rangers are calling teams and asking what kind of a package they could get for Yu Darvish.
• Anthony Fenech explains how much money the Tigers would have to include to be able to deal Justin Verlander away.
• Jon Heyman lists 20 starting pitchers who could be on the trade market over the next 10 days.
• Jeff Sullivan doesn’t think the Indians need to deal for a starting pitcher because of the emergence of Mike Clevinger.
• Manny Randhawa breaks down the deal that sent Todd Frazier, David Robertson and Tommy Kahnle from the White Sox to the Yankees.
• Dayn Perry thinks the deal gives the Yankees some terrific options in the bullpen, as well as the option to deal one of them before the deadline.
• Ryan Davis compares the White Sox rebuilding efforts to the Cubs’.
• Dave Cameron reminds us that while the White Sox received an impressive collection of prospects in trades this year, all of them have question marks that could keep them from being stars.
• Jose Abreu has taken it upon himself to be a mentor to his fellow White Sox and Cuban, Yoan Moncada.
• Tim Brown looks at what the Yankees do from now until the end of the month, as well as the Nationals closer situation.
• Speaking of that, Eddie Matz looks at some relievers the Nationals could target now that Robertson is off the market.
• One they won’t get is Marlins reliever David Phelps, because he just got traded to the Mariners.
• Jeff Sullivan breaks down the trade and notes the Mariners got a very good pitcher in Phelps for what doesn’t look like a lot at the moment.
• Jonathan Bernhardt thinks the Orioles have a dilemma about whether to keep or deal Manny Machado.
• Chris Cwik argues that the Royals ought to be buyers and make one last grab at a a title this year.
• Buster Olney has a group of teams on the bubble between buying and selling.
• Zach Kram has the biggest trade needs for each MLB contender. Or at least, each team who hasn’t already addressed their problems.
• David Schoenfield has a player on each team that shouldn’t be traded.
• Jerry Crasnick doesn’t think the Dodgers and Astros need to make a trade, but it might not hurt and he looks at where the best two teams in baseball stand.
• Jay Jaffe compares this year’s Dodgers to the best regular season teams of all-time.
• Joe Posnanski has pictures of major leaguers who qualify as “Wow, I didn’t know he played for that team.” He’s got one for each team, although even he admits that most Cubs fans remember that Kenny Lofton was a Cub. Davey Johnson would have been a better pick, although not as recent.
• The Cardinals lost a game because Trevor Rosenthal forgot to cover first base on a grounder.
• The Giants are expected to sign Pablo Sandoval to a minor league deal, so Giants fans can get out their old Panda hats.
• Bartolo Colon is considering retiring if his next start doesn’t go better than the last one. Then in ten years, Joe Posnanski can do an article that asks “Can you believe that Bartolo Colon played for the Twins?”
• Kyle Cantlon breaks down Blue Jays pitcher Aaron Sanchez’s struggles with blisters this year.
• The Reds are on pace to set a record for most home runs allowed in a season. That record is currently held by the 2016 Cincinnati Reds.
• Rays outfielder Steven Souza Jr. blames his injury on the muddy conditions at the Oakland Coliseum.
• Ryan O’Hanlon notes that since the All-Star break, Aaron Judge has been the worst player in baseball. Well, there goes that.
• The qualifying offer in the offseason is expected to be $18.1 million.
• Michael Baumann notes that every All-Star closer was a strikeout pitcher, except for Twins closer Brandon Kintzler. He looks at Kintzler’s interesting career.
• Some highlights from the best of “Game of Thrones” nights in the majors. Bruce Bochy sits on the Iron Throne.
• Mike Oz continues his series of opening baseball cards with actress, fashion designer and huge fan of both baseball and the Dodgers, Alyssa Milano.
• If you’re not sick of things from the 90s that you thought were long buried, Brewers fan Kato Kaelin had a meltdown on Twitter about the poor play of the Brewers. In that way, he’s just a typical Brewer fan at the moment.
• Mets broadcaster Keith Hernandez scared a girl with braces half to death with a story about his braces when he was a kid. People are being critical of Hernandez, but nothing he said is half as traumatic as actually watching the Mets play baseball.
• And finally, lets go out with a story about baseball players making little kids happy instead. This little two-year-old boy went nuts when he saw Charlie Blackmon at the All-Star Game. When I was two, I had no idea who Billy Williams, Hank Aaron or even Willie Mays was. So kudos to that kid. And just in case you’re reading, kid, that picture up there is for you.

And tomorrow will be a better day than today, Buster.