The Opener: Jac, Pitching Milestones, Jump

Key Points:

• Royals slugger Jac Caglianone had a standout game going 4-for-4 with two home runs, two doubles, and four RBIs in a 6-3 win over the Cubs, reaching 20 home runs for the first time and becoming the seventh Royal with four extra-base hits in a game.
• Caglianone, the sixth pick in the 2024 draft, has significantly improved from a slow start in 2025, slashing .256/.311/.456 with a 110 wRC+ in 2026, emerging as a key player in the Royals' rebuilding core.
• In Philadelphia, Max Scherzer surpassed Walter Johnson to move into 10th on the all-time strikeout list with 3,516 strikeouts, while Aaron Nola reached 2,000 strikeouts as a Phillie but left the game with a bruised knee; the Phillies lost 7-5 in 11 innings to the Blue Jays.
• Yankees’ Gerrit Cole became the fastest Yankee to reach 1,000 strikeouts with 837 2/3 innings pitched, helping the Yankees to a 5-4 win over the Braves and a chance to sweep the series.
• Marlins’ Sandy Alcantara set a franchise record for innings pitched with 1,230 2/3 and continued his dominant form with a 7-0 shutout against the Angels, marking his third consecutive scoreless start.
• Athletics' lefty Gage Jump ended the Red Sox's nine-game winning streak by striking out a career-high 11 batters in a 7-3 victory, becoming the first A’s southpaw to record 11 strikeouts at Fenway Park since 1928.