The first half is over. All-Star week is here. The Draft is underway, the Home Run Derby field is set, and the Boston Red Sox spent the week making sure everyone knows they are not going away quietly. Here is everything that mattered in MLB from July 5 through July 11, 2026.
Week Snapshot
| Story | Why It Mattered |
|---|---|
| White Sox take Cholowsky No. 1 in the Draft | One of the class's safest elite prospects goes to Chicago |
| Home Run Derby field finalized | Two Phillies at their home park; the setup does not get better than this |
| Red Sox win 8 straight | Boston went from 14 games under .500 to the doorstep of a wild card spot |
| All-Star week begins Monday | Derby on July 13, All-Star Game on July 14, both at Citizens Bank Park |
| Chase Burns selected, but won't pitch | The Reds ace capped his first half with another strong run |
The 2026 MLB Draft
The Draft kicked off this week with what most considered a clear top tier, and the board played out close to expectations.
1. Roch Cholowsky, SS, UCLA - Chicago White Sox One of the safest elite prospects in the class goes to Chicago. Cholowsky comes with a high floor and an All-Star ceiling: not the flashiest top pick in recent memory, but a polished, reliable player who should move quickly. The White Sox, who have been building patiently, add another piece to a core that already includes Munetaka Murakami.
2. Grady Emerson, SS, Texas prep - Tampa Bay Rays The Rays being the Rays: taking a high-ceiling prep shortstop and betting on development. Emerson has premium tools and fits the Tampa model perfectly.
3. Vahn Lackey, C, Georgia Tech - Minnesota Twins Lackey exploded onto the scene this spring, hitting .397/.519/.772 with 20 home runs. He climbed from a late first-round projection to a consensus top-three pick. The Twins add a bat that should eventually fit right into a lineup that already knows how to win.
4. Jackson Flora, RHP - San Francisco Giants 5. Derek Curiel, OF - Pittsburgh Pirates
One bonus storyline: the Giants also selected Peyton Bonds, Barry's nephew and Bobby's grandson, later in the draft. Baseball history runs deep in that family.
Home Run Derby Field Is Set
The eight-man field for Monday's T-Mobile Home Run Derby at Citizens Bank Park is locked in, and Philadelphia fans have every reason to be excited:
| Player | Team |
|---|---|
| Kyle Schwarber | Philadelphia Phillies |
| Bryce Harper | Philadelphia Phillies |
| Munetaka Murakami | Chicago White Sox |
| Jordan Walker | St. Louis Cardinals |
| Jac Caglianone | Kansas City Royals |
| Ben Rice | New York Yankees |
| Junior Caminero | Tampa Bay Rays |
| Willson Contreras | Boston Red Sox |
Two Phillies in the Derby. At Citizens Bank Park. In front of their home crowd. Schwarber leads the majors with 32 home runs and is on pace to challenge 60 on the season. Harper committed to participating after being on the fence. The city of Philadelphia is going to be loud Monday night.
The rest of the field is no slouch either. Murakami has been one of the best power hitters in baseball this season. Caminero, who hit three home runs in a single game earlier this season, is here on merit. Ben Rice has been a breakout story for the Yankees, and Willson Contreras brings another veteran power bat to the field. This is a legitimate group, and Schwarber is not going to have an easy path.
Red Sox: From Dead to Dangerous
This is the surprise story of the first half.
Boston entered July looking like a team that might be sellers at the deadline. Eight straight wins later, they are approaching wild card position and forcing the rest of the AL to notice them. The streak included a 4-0 shutout of the Mets on Saturday, with Andruw Monasterio and Masataka Yoshida each hitting two-run home runs.
The Sox had been 14 games under .500 not long ago. Now they are within a half-game of a wild card spot, trailing the Mariners and Twins for the third AL slot. Wild card races in July are not the same as wild card races in September, but the Red Sox have given their fans something real to watch heading into the second half.
Chase Burns Caps a Strong First Half
Cincinnati's Chase Burns finished the first half as one of the better pitching stories in the NL. He owns an 11-win season, a 2.54 ERA, 118 strikeouts, and a 1.11 WHIP, giving the Reds the kind of rotation anchor they needed.
Burns was selected for the All-Star Game, but he will not pitch in Philadelphia as the Reds manage his workload. If he keeps this up, he should be back on that stage again next year with an even bigger reputation.
The Bigger Picture
The first half ends with the Phillies and Braves locked in the NL East, the Rays leading the AL East, and Boston making things very interesting in the wild card race. The Home Run Derby is Monday. The All-Star Game is Tuesday. And the second half of the season, where trades get made, contenders separate from pretenders, and the real race begins, starts July 17.
Philadelphia is about to have a very loud week.
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