MLB Week in Review (June 29–July 5, 2026): Yordan Alvarez and Riley Greene Slug 4 HR Each
The 2026 MLB week of June 29 through July 5 featured dominant pitching performances headlined by Joe Ryan's 11.0 shutout innings and a massive power surge from Dansby Swanson, Yordan Alvarez, and Riley Greene, who each mashed 4-plus home runs.
MLB Week in Review (June 29–July 5, 2026): Dominant Pitching and AL West Chaos
The 2026 MLB week spanning Monday, June 29 through Sunday, July 5 delivered extreme statistical outliers on the mound and at the plate. Across the league, seven different starting pitchers posted 0.00 ERA outings over 7+ innings, headlined by Minnesota's Joe Ryan striking out 14 batters across 11.0 scoreless innings. Offensively, the week was defined by a massive power surge, as Dansby Swanson, Yordan Alvarez, and Riley Greene each crushed 4 home runs. The standings saw major shifts, particularly in the AL West where the Texas Rangers hold a tenuous 0.0-game lead at 55-52 despite a -18 run differential, while the NL Central and NL East feature razor-thin margins at the top between the 67-40 Milwaukee Brewers and 62-44 Atlanta Braves.
AL Division Standings Snapshot
The American League standings show intense division races, particularly in the AL West where the Rangers lead by just 2.0 games over the Astros and 2.5 games over the Mariners. The AL East sees the Tampa Bay Rays holding a 1.5-game lead on the New York Yankees. The AL Central is equally contested, with the Chicago White Sox leading by 1.5 games over the Cleveland Guardians.
AL East Standings
| Team | W-L | GB | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tampa Bay Rays | 62-44 | 0.0 | — |
| New York Yankees | 61-46 | 1.5 | ↑ 0.5 |
| Boston Red Sox | 55-51 | 7.0 | ↓ 0.5 |
| Baltimore Orioles | 52-56 | 11.0 | — |
| Toronto Blue Jays | 49-59 | 14.0 | ↓ 1.0 |
AL Central Standings
| Team | W-L | GB | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicago White Sox | 55-51 | 0.0 | — |
| Cleveland Guardians | 55-54 | 1.5 | ↓ 0.5 |
| Minnesota Twins | 54-54 | 2.0 | ↑ 1.0 |
| Detroit Tigers | 51-57 | 5.0 | — |
| Kansas City Royals | 45-63 | 11.0 | — |
AL West Standings
| Team | W-L | GB | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|
| Texas Rangers | 55-52 | 0.0 | — |
| Houston Astros | 54-55 | 2.0 | ↑ 1.0 |
| Seattle Mariners | 53-55 | 2.5 | ↓ 0.5 |
| Athletics | 45-62 | 10.0 | — |
| Los Angeles Angels | 42-66 | 13.5 | ↓ 1.0 |
NL Division Standings Snapshot
In the National League, the Los Angeles Dodgers (67-40) and Milwaukee Brewers (67-40) continue to dominate their respective divisions. The NL East is tightly contested at the top with the Braves (62-44) maintaining a 6.5-game lead over the Philadelphia Phillies, while the NL Central has the Brewers pulling away with a 6.0-game lead over the Chicago Cubs.
NL East Standings
| Team | W-L | GB | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|
| Atlanta Braves | 62-44 | 0.0 | — |
| Philadelphia Phillies | 57-52 | 6.5 | ↓ 1.0 |
| Washington Nationals | 55-53 | 8.0 | — |
| Miami Marlins | 55-54 | 8.5 | ↑ 1.5 |
| New York Mets | 45-62 | 17.5 | ↑ 1.0 |
NL Central Standings
| Team | W-L | GB | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|
| Milwaukee Brewers | 67-40 | 0.0 | — |
| Chicago Cubs | 61-46 | 6.0 | — |
| Pittsburgh Pirates | 55-53 | 12.5 | ↓ 0.5 |
| St. Louis Cardinals | 53-54 | 14.0 | ↓ 1.0 |
| Cincinnati Reds | 50-56 | 16.5 | — |
NL West Standings
| Team | W-L | GB | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles Dodgers | 67-40 | 0.0 | — |
| Arizona Diamondbacks | 56-52 | 11.5 | — |
| San Diego Padres | 54-53 | 13.0 | ↑ 2.0 |
| San Francisco Giants | 45-62 | 22.0 | — |
| Colorado Rockies | 42-66 | 25.5 | ↓ 1.0 |
Biggest MLB Stories This Week
Joe Ryan's 14-Strikeout Shutout: Minnesota Twins ace Joe Ryan delivered the most dominant pitching line of the week. Across 11.0 innings of work, Ryan allowed zero runs, surrendered just 1.09 WHIP, and struck out 14 batters, providing a massive boost to Minnesota's AL Central standings push.
Eury Pérez's 12.1-Inning Masterpiece: Miami Marlins starter Eury Pérez posted a 0.73 ERA over 12.1 innings, fanning 16 batters with a 0.49 WHIP. Pérez's dominance helped the Marlins secure a 55-54 record, closing the gap in the NL East to 8.5 games back.
Dansby Swanson's 5-HR Outburst: Chicago Cubs shortstop Dansby Swanson led all MLB hitters with 5 home runs this week. Swanson posted a .409 AVG, drove in 11 RBI, and compiled a massive 1.545 OPS, anchoring the Cubs' offense as they maintain a 61-46 record.
Yordan Alvarez and Riley Greene Slug 4 HR Each: Houston Astros DH Yordan Alvarez hit 4 HR with a .435 AVG, 11 RBI, and a 1.419 OPS, directly fueling Houston's 2.0-game gain in the AL West standings. Detroit Tigers outfielder Riley Greene matched the power output with 4 HR, a .400 AVG, 10 RBI, and a 1.585 OPS.
Seven Pitchers Post 0.00 ERA Outings: Beyond Ryan and Pérez, five other starters threw exactly 7.0 innings of scoreless baseball: Dylan Cease (9 K, 0.57 WHIP), Logan Gilbert (7 K, 0.14 WHIP), Emerson Hancock (5 K, 0.57 WHIP), Bryce Miller (8 K, 0.29 WHIP), Cristopher Sánchez (9 K, 0.71 WHIP), and Yoshinobu Yamamoto (10 K, 0.71 WHIP).
Rafael Devers and Junior Caminero Power Their Lineups: Boston Red Sox slugger Rafael Devers hit 4 HR with a .364 AVG and 1.371 OPS, while Tampa Bay Rays third baseman Junior Caminero added 4 HR, a .240 AVG, and a 1.016 OPS to keep Tampa Bay atop the AL East at 62-44.
Statcast Standouts and Notable Metrics
While raw Statcast data (exit velocity, barrel rates, and sprint speeds) is omitted from this week's internal API pull, the underlying slash lines indicate elite contact quality. Riley Greene's 1.585 OPS over the week signals maximum damage on batted balls, while Logan Gilbert's 0.14 WHIP across 7.1 innings points to unhittable pitch movement and command. For real-time Statcast metrics, exit velocity, and barrel tracking tied to these exact performances, users can build and track player profiles in the Legends Deck card database.
MLB Trades, Transactions, and DFA News
The week of June 29 featured several impactful roster moves across the league, most notably a series of 10-day and 15-day injured list placements that will affect fantasy baseball rosters and lineup construction:
- Chicago Cubs: Placed RF Matt Shaw on the 10-day injured list with a left-hand sprain.
- Baltimore Orioles: Placed LHP Keegan Akin on the 15-day injured list retroactive to June 28 due to left elbow discomfort.
- Athletics: Placed SS Jacob Wilson on the 10-day IL retroactive to June 26 (right thumb inflammation) and LF Tyler Soderstrom on the 10-day IL retroactive to June 28 (left hip impingement). The club also designated RHP Michael Kelly for assignment.
- San Diego Padres: Placed RHP David Morgan on the 15-day IL retroactive to June 28 (left knee inflammation). The Padres also signed free agent 3B Luis Rengifo to a minor league contract.
- Texas Rangers: Designated RHP Joe Ross for assignment.
- Houston Astros: Activated SS Nick Allen from the 10-day injured list.
- Minor League Signings: The Tampa Bay Rays signed SS Lissandro Peralta, the Washington Nationals signed LHP Kai Peterson, and the Los Angeles Dodgers signed SS Brayan Holguin to minor league contracts.
Week Ahead in MLB
- AL West Showdown: The 55-52 Texas Rangers face a critical stretch maintaining their 0.0-game lead against the chasing 54-55 Houston Astros and 53-55 Seattle Mariners, who are riding contrasting streaks.
- NL East Wild Card Battle: The 55-53 Washington Nationals and 55-54 Miami Marlins look to close the 8.0 and 8.5 game gaps on the Braves, relying on continued dominance from pitchers like Eury Pérez.
- AL Central Pitching Matchups: The 54-54 Minnesota Twins, riding a W3 streak, will lean on Joe Ryan's elite strikeout stuff to chase down the 55-51 Chicago White Sox.
- Injury Returns to Monitor: Fantasy managers should track the status of Matt Shaw (left-hand sprain) and Keegan Akin (left elbow discomfort) as they progress through their IL stints.
- NL Central Division Race: The 61-46 Chicago Cubs look to close the 6.0-game gap on the 67-40 Milwaukee Brewers, utilizing the red-hot bat of Dansby Swanson.