Last Night in Sports: July 23, 2026

Chris Sale did what he needed to do. The right-hander pitched Atlanta to a 6-5 win over San Diego Thursday, improving to 11-6 with a 2.19 ERA and clinching the three-game series for the Braves. San Diego had taken Tuesday's opener; Atlanta tied it Wednesday 7-6 and closed it out Thursday at Truist Park with Raisel Iglesias recording his 21st save.

Five games completed the Thursday slate.

MLB — July 23, 2026 (5 games)

Atlanta Braves, 6 — San Diego Padres, 5. Atlanta won the series-deciding game at Truist Park behind Chris Sale, now 11-6 on the season with a 2.19 ERA. The Padres had won Tuesday's opener before the Braves took Wednesday 7-6 to set up Thursday's decider. San Diego made it close, but Iglesias got the save — his 21st — in the final frame.

Quick Hits

• Minnesota Twins, 3 — Cleveland Guardians, 1. Minnesota won the rubber match in Cleveland to take the three-game series two games to one. The Twins had lost Tuesday 5-2 before rolling 10-6 Wednesday and holding on 3-1 Thursday.
• Toronto Blue Jays, 3 — Tampa Bay Rays, 1. The Blue Jays took the Tampa series finale by two runs, turning around Wednesday's 4-2 loss at the same venue.
• Arizona Diamondbacks, 10 — St. Louis Cardinals, 6. Arizona won a makeup game from June 25 by four runs, Thursday's largest margin. The game settles a date deferred from a month prior.
• Detroit Tigers, 4 — Kansas City Royals, 3. Detroit edged Kansas City by one at Comerica Park. Thursday's tightest result in a series that continues Friday night.

What to Watch Tonight

Friday's MLB card runs 15 games from afternoon through late night:

• New York Yankees at Philadelphia Phillies, 6:45 PM ET (Apple TV) — Two high-attendance East franchises open a weekend interleague series in Philadelphia. Phillies favored at -135.
• Los Angeles Dodgers at New York Mets, 7:10 PM ET (ESPN Unlimited) — Los Angeles heads to Queens to open a new series against New York.
• Toronto Blue Jays at Boston Red Sox, 7:15 PM ET (Apple TV) — The Blue Jays travel to Fenway after Thursday's series win in Tampa.
• Los Angeles Angels at San Francisco Giants, 10:15 PM ET (ESPN Unlimited) — West Coast close at Oracle Park.

Full tonight schedule at the Tonight preview.