DiamondCentric

Carter Jensen's 16-game hitting streak isn't the story. The story is what happened before it. What changed for a hitter who endured one of his worst offensive months in May to suddenly own the longest active hitting streak in the majors? He answered the first adjustment major league pitchers made against him. Jensen spent April punishing fastballs, posting a .602 expected slugging percentage (xSLG) against them in 52 plate appearances. The league adjusted quickly. Rather than challenging him with velocity, pitchers shifted toward breaking balls and offspeed pitches, forcing him to prove he could produce once his best pitch disappeared. That approach worked in May. Breaking balls became the centerpiece of every game plan. Jensen hit just .116 against breaking balls and offspeed pitches combined, and 58% of his strikeouts came against those offerings. His production collapsed because pitchers dictated the terms of the at-bat instead of allowing him to attack pitches he handled best. The important question wasn't whether Jensen could snap out of a slump. It was a question of whether that weakness would become part of his long-term offensive profile. June has started to answer that question. Carter Jensen Performance vs. Breaking Balls Month AVG SLG Exit Velocity Whiff April .133 .133 87.4 mph 37.5% May .139 .194 87.0 mph 29.2% June .265 .529 94.8 mph 26.7% The numbers point to something more important than a higher batting average. Jensen is making more contact against breaking balls and hitting them much harder. His average exit velocity has jumped by nearly eight mph, while his whiff rate has continued to fall. The pitch that controlled his at-bats a month ago is no longer producing the same outcome. Pitchers haven’t abandoned their plan, either. They’re actually throwing Jensen more offspeed pitches than they did in May. He’s responded by cutting his whiff rate against those pitches from 42.1% to 14.3%. He’s also gone 3-for-11 against them this month, and every hit has gone for extra bases—two doubles and a home run. His average exit velocity has climbed from 75.5 mph to 96.6 mph over that span. The sample remains small, but the adjustment is visible. Jensen isn’t succeeding because pitchers have changed their approach. He’s succeeding because he changed his response. Jensen Monthly Offensive Production Month AVG SLG K% wRC+ Mar./Apr. .256 .478 29.1% 124 May .198 .309 28.3% 55 June .277 .518 21.7% 126 That adjustment reaches beyond his production against specific pitch types. Jensen's strikeout rate has dropped by nearly seven percentage points from May to June, a sign that he's losing fewer plate appearances against the pitches that exposed him earlier in the season. Those aren't independent trends. They're different outcomes of the same adjustment. Kansas City has responded, too. The Royals have hit Jensen near the top of the lineup throughout much of June. That's less about rewarding a hitting streak than recognizing better plate appearances. His .359 wOBA and .311 BABIP this month support what the underlying changes already suggest: he's making pitchers work under different conditions than he did just a few weeks ago. That's the value of this hitting streak. It doesn't prove Jensen has solved major league pitching. It doesn't guarantee the league won't find another weakness. It does suggest something every organization wants to see from a young hitter. When major league pitchers identified Jensen's first offensive vulnerability, he adjusted before it became part of his identity. The streak may end tomorrow. That adjustment is what Kansas City should remember. View the full article

When the Milwaukee Brewers got Brandon Sproat, they gave up their 2025 ace in Freddy Peralta. The idea of having a primary option who could give Pat Murphy’s squad a chance to win every fifth day hung in the balance, though those questions were answered by megastellar starts to the season from Jacob Misiorowski and Kyle Harrison. Sproat doesn’t need to be the team’s ace, but he does need to be a consistent contributor in a rotation that is being jostled by injuries and the unsteady development of young arms beyond his own. Let’s break down the things Sproat needs to harness to become the presence Milwaukee needs. One of the major sources of appeal with Sproat’s game is his varied pitch arsenal. While some starters get by with three or four options, the University of Florida product rolls with six different pitches: the sinker, cutter, four-seam fastball, curveball, sweeper and changeup. The more options a hitter has to choose from, the better the odds for a pitcher. As we know, the Brewers love guys with multiple fastball shapes, in particular. So far, Sproat’s four-seamer, which rolls in at an average velocity of 96.4 miles per hour, is his most productive pitch. Opposing hitters are managing just a .204 batting average against it. The trick will be to tap into more value from one of his breaking balls. Sproat is yet to see a lot of his potential turn into results, but he does have a few above-average metrics through the first half of the season. As a byproduct of having a firm fastball and a varied pitch arsenal, he’s running an above-average 24.7% strikeout rate. He's fresh off a six-inning, scoreless outing against the Cincinnati Reds on June 23. In order to make starts like this more consistent, the former Mets starter still has a few wrinkles to iron out. For one, not all of Sproat’s pitches are landing as effective parts of his arsenal. While the four-seamer has worked, Sproat’s cutter, which he uses 25.3% of the time (second-most of any of his six options) is being mashed. He’s allowed his opponents to hit .341 against it, the highest opposing batting average of any pitch. With a larger sample size than his brief big-league stint last year, he’s also being hit harder on average. In 2025, Sproat gave up an average exit velocity of 87.9 miles per hour. This year, that mark has spiked to 90.2. He’s also running into more barrels this year, seeing a spike from 3.4% to 9.0% of the batted balls he allowed be hit at dangerous exit velocities and launch angles. The Key Adjustment Where can someone with Sproat’s ability improve? The strikeout rate is there, but a high average exit velocity and spiked launch angle can lead to extra bases. Sproat’s ground ball rate is at just 42.9%, so it's been easier to elevate him than you'd like for a guy who features the cutter and sinker. If he can keep more of his pitches down and get opposing hitters to roll over on the ball, this could keep more balls in the infield. But the big change, of course, needs to be filling up the zone more consistently. Sproat has walked almost 11% of the batters he's faced this year. He's making big progress on that front, with just five free passes issued in his last five starts, but he's still worked behind in some counts and put himself in position to get hit hard. That's the final adjustment he needs to make: attacking in ways that remain unpredictable, but staying in the zone. We may have seen him turn the corner on that front already—and if so, the Brewers might now have one of the best rotations in baseball. View the full article

The San Diego Padres — sweep of Atlanta last week be damned — are a team with a rotation in shambles. Aside from Michael King at its head, the remainder of the team's starting five is full up with questions ranging from concern to outright despair. Randy Vásquez has regressed mightily after a strong start. Walker Buehler has been toeing the line of being perfectly adequate but nothing beyond it. Griffin Canning and his command woes went from starter to bulk guy and then forgot the bulk in a less-than-one-inning outing last week. Lucas Giolito is on the injured list with elbow inflammation after his own issues with volume. Germán Márquez has been out since May 1, though his own impending return to the mix will add yet another wild-card element. Each of Joe Musgrove and Nick PIvetta remain out without a timeline. That's quite a bit of mess for one rotation. Considering the lack of certainty just about everywhere, it's entirely possible that JP Sears can now play a role in a much shorter term than would have been expected. The reason for such thinking stems from the singular start that Sears has made in 2026. On the heels of Giolito's IL placement, Sears became a surprise call-up for Wednesday's series finale against Atlanta. For a pitching staff with a dire need for volume, Sears provided it in the form of a 5.2-inning start in which he scattered five hits & two walks while keeping a first-place team off the scoreboard. It was an encouraging outing for Sears that bordered on shocking. He had an ERA over eight in spring training that led the team toward their more established options for rotation spots (though his ability to be optioned certainly played its role there as well). Then, with El Paso, he posted a 7.92 ERA through 14 starts. Even considering the hitter-friendly environment that the Pacific Coast League represents, there was very little reason to expect that Sears had the ability to stave off a thriving Atlanta team in the way that he did. Yet, what manifested out of Wednesday's start was something quite encouraging. Sears garnered whiffs at a 22 percent clip, utilizing his changeup as the secondary pitch while his sweeper — the pitch we saw him lean on as a No. 2 last season — took on a tertiary role that helped to increase its effectiveness. He generated a swing-and-miss with the sweeper 43 percent of the time, nearly doubling the amount induced with either his fastball or his change. It's difficult to draw too many conclusions after one start, especially for a pitcher who had experienced his share of struggles since being acquired at last season's trade deadline. However, there's also a real opportunity for Sears to latch onto a gig in relatively short order. This is a rotation that is now down Giolito in addition to two of its stalwarts in Pivetta & Musgrove. Canning has struggled to the point where his roster spot is in question, with Márquez sharing a similar track record prior to his IL stint. At this point, only King & Buehler feel like safe bets to remain in the big-league rotation, with Vásquez's June woes beginning to soften the ground on which he stands. This isn't a situation where Sears needs to be perfect in order to latch on as the No. 5 starter; being merely adequate would be a godsend, Keep in mind that the thing the Padres need most out of their starting staff is volume. Given its assembly, the team is not expecting dominant performances out of their rotation. It's about remaining afloat for five or six innings until the dominant bullpen can take charge. If the Friars feel that Sears offers them that kind of volume, then it's not even a question as to whether or not he could hold down a spot. He did it in start No. 1. The challenge now becomes doing it in start No. 2. If he can hold steady, the Padres likely would not hesitate to give him an extended run in such a role. View the full article

Byron Buxton is on pace for nearly 50 home runs this season. The main problem has been his availability, as he has played in 100+ games in just three of his first 11 seasons. In this video, we'll break down his intangibles and how he can stay on this rapid pace to finish out the 2026 campaign strong. View the full article

Aaron Sabato has spent most of his professional career trying to convince the Twins that he could become more than organizational depth. Now, he's finally doing everything they could reasonably ask from a first baseman. The problem? It may have come too late. Lightly recruited out of Connecticut, Sabato transformed himself into one of college baseball's premier power hitters at the University of North Carolina. He announced his arrival by setting the Tar Heels' freshman home run record with 18 long balls in 2019. Shoulder surgery prevented him from playing summer ball, but he returned in the pandemic-shortened 2020 season and launched seven home runs in just 19 games. That performance was enough for the Twins to select him with the 27th overall pick in the first round of that shortened draft. Minnesota didn't select Sabato because of his defensive versatility or athleticism. They drafted him because they believed the bat would carry him to the big leagues. That has always been the challenge. First base is the most unforgiving position in baseball when it comes to prospect evaluation. Teams can tolerate a light-hitting shortstop because of premium defense. Catchers can stick around thanks to their work behind the plate. Center fielders can survive offensive slumps if they save runs defensively. A first baseman doesn't have that luxury. If the bat isn't playing, there's nowhere else to hide. For much of Sabato's professional career, the offensive production simply wasn't good enough. He spent parts of four seasons with Double-A Wichita, posting a .749 OPS while struggling to stay above the league-average line. It felt like he might need a permanent mailing address in Kansas. Everything finally clicked in 2025. Before earning a promotion, Sabato dominated Double-A pitching by slashing .305/.399/.574 with 14 home runs in just 39 games. His .973 OPS translated to a 165 wRC+, forcing the Twins to see whether the breakout was real. The results after his promotion were considerably more modest. The International League has earned a reputation as one of the most hitter-friendly environments in affiliated baseball, yet Sabato hit just .245/.288/.453 with a .741 OPS over his final 65 games. Fourteen home runs showed the power remained intact, but with an 86 wRC+, he wasn't exactly knocking down the door to Target Field. Entering his age-27 season, it became easy to view him as little more than experienced organizational depth. Instead, he's responded with perhaps the best sustained stretch of his professional career. After opening the season in a part-time role, injuries throughout the St. Paul roster created regular opportunities. Sabato has taken full advantage. Through 57 games, he's hitting .284/.346/.581 with 14 home runs, 20 doubles, and a .927 OPS. His 129 wRC+ ranks comfortably above average, and there are encouraging signs beneath the surface that suggest this isn't solely a product of favorable hitting environments. Perhaps most importantly, he's making more contact. Sabato has trimmed his strikeout rate from 28.7% last season to 25.0% this year. That's still higher than ideal, but every percentage point matters for a player whose value depends almost entirely on his offensive production. At the same time, his .298 isolated power is the highest mark he's posted since the lower levels of the minors, showing that the power hasn't disappeared despite the improved contact. Interestingly, his hard-hit rate has actually declined by 4.2 percentage points compared to last season. Rather than hitting the ball harder, Sabato appears to be hitting it better. His average launch angle has increased by 2.5 degrees, helping him elevate the baseball more consistently and maximize the raw power that made him a first-round selection in the first place. Minnesota has spent years cycling through veteran first base solutions. Carlos Santana, Ty France, Josh Bell, and Kody Clemens have all received opportunities while the organization searched for consistent production at the position. The Twins have generally preferred experienced options because Sabato never forced the issue with his minor-league performance. Now, he finally is. The timing could prove interesting. If Minnesota falls further out of contention, veterans like Bell or Clemens could become trade candidates before the deadline. Even Royce Lewis could draw interest if the front office decides to reshape the roster. A combination of those moves would create an obvious opening for Sabato to receive his first extended major league opportunity. Under normal circumstances, a 27-year-old first baseman tearing up Triple-A might earn that chance. But baseball doesn't always reward timing as much as talent. Sabato has spent six years trying to prove he belongs in the Twins' long-term plans. He's playing some of the best baseball of his career, and the numbers suggest this version is more complete than the one that reached Triple-A a year ago. Whether that's enough to change Minnesota's opinion may be the biggest question of all. Will Sabato get a chance with the Twins? Leave a comment and start the discussion. View the full article

Sean Keys just recently made his major league debut, not even two full years removed from having his name called in the 2024 MLB Draft. What led to Keys' call-up, and how will he perform in Toronto? In this video, we'll dive into the Blue Jays' 14th-ranked prospect's potent power and where he needs to improve to round out his game. View the full article

The New York Mets have had a first half to forget. A team that recently acquired Juan Soto and Bo Bichette finds themselves well below .500 and without their original manager in Carlos Mendoza. In this video, we'll break down what Bichette, Freddy Peralta and Marcus Semien need to improve on to turn the team's season around before it's too late.View the full article

A 25-year-old 19th-round pick out of Marshall, Owen Ayers has broken out in a big way in 2026, looking like a potential piece for the Cubs and a top 100 prospect. View the full article

The Milwaukee Brewers have one of the best rosters in Major League Baseball, but they're lacking some much-needed rotational depth. In this video, we break down just how elite the front end of the rotation has been while also highlighting the holes down the line in varying capacities.View the full article

Let's get this out of the way first: the Brewers have not permanently forgotten how to hit with runners in scoring position. During the course of a 162-game regular season, teams go through ebbs and flows, especially on offense. The Brewers still have an .800 OPS with runners in scoring position this year, the third-highest in baseball. Last year, they ranked ninth. The year before, they ranked second. Before last Monday, the Brewers still had an .842 OPS with runners in scoring position in June. It's been one bad week. They'll bounce back sooner than later. "We're just going through a rough stretch of it," Christian Yelich said. "We've been really good at it at times. Right now, we're in one of those times where we're really bad at it, but we'll come through on the other side of it, and I think we'll start getting back to normal." It truly has been an abysmal week, though. Since the start of their series in Cincinnati, Milwaukee hitters have slashed .118/.216/.230 with runners in scoring position. The Brewers managed to go 4-2 during that stretch, but the lack of timely hits proved costly on Sunday, when they dropped a 4-3 contest to lose a three-game series to the Chicago Cubs. Performance with runners in scoring position is a particularly fickle stat, especially in such a small sample. However, the quality of the Brewers' at-bats in run-scoring situations has been much worse lately. As their lack of production has continued, they're getting jumpy in the box. "Sometimes guys maybe try to do too much, and that's where we try to preach you've got to take what the game gives you," offense and strategy coordinator Jason Lane said postgame on Sunday. "And that might be taking pitches and handing it to the next guy. But there weren't too many mistakes in those situations, from what I saw. Just, we offered at some pitches on the edges that got a couple ground balls, a pop-up, and a strikeout in those situations." The numbers bear out what Lane is saying. During this stretch, the Brewers have chased significantly more pitches outside the strike zone with runners in scoring position. RISP Split Avg LA Under% K% Z-Swing% Z-Contact% O-Swing% O-Contact% Thru 6/21 7° 20.3% 21.3% 65.9% 85.5% 29.3% 59.0% Since 6/22 13° 33.3% 31.7% 64.1% 72.0% 34.8% 50.0% That's not the full story, though. The Brewers have also whiffed at an alarming number of in-zone pitches, and they're making more contact underneath the ball. It goes without saying that striking out and hitting pop-ups with runners in scoring position is a poor recipe for success. It's not worth looking further into those chases. Pitches outside the zone are much harder to reach, so those swings will never be lined up with the ball particularly well. Swinging at those pitches in the first place is the problem, not the quality of swings at those pitches. Instead, the question is what the Brewers are doing differently on more hittable pitches. Once again, the answer is that they're too jumpy. According to Statcast, on pitches in the heart of the strike zone, they've been more on time, but for the wrong reason. The Brewers want many of their hitters to let the ball get deep, so the fact that they're late less often means they're cheating to pitches in attempts to force damage. As a result, they're pulling off the ball and flailing at more pitches, running out of bat to make contact. Split Late% (Fastballs) Late% (Breaking) Late% (Offspeed) Flail% (Fastballs) Flail% (Breaking) Flail% (Offspeed) Thru 6/21 24% 10% 6% 10% 13% 22% Since 6/22 19% 4% 0% 15% 17% 33% In other words, the hitters are feeling pressure to deliver. They're trying too hard to make something happen, and it's leading to more chases and whiffs. "Trying harder and wanting it more isn't going to make it happen," Yelich said. "Obviously, you want to get the job done. Everybody wants to get the job done. There's no right answer for how to do that. It's just, oftentimes, you've got to slow that down and try to focus." Look no further than a few key at-bats on Sunday. With runners on first and third and one out in the third inning, Jackson Chourio and Brice Turang stranded them with back-to-back strikeouts. Chourio chased a high fastball for strike three, while Turang expanded the zone on a pair of fastballs during the middle of his at-bat. In the fourth, after Andrew Vaughn's leadoff triple, Jake Bauers rolled over a 2-1 changeup on the outside corner, and Gary Sánchez popped up an up-and-in curveball. Sal Frelick hit a 100-mph groundout, but it was already too late; no more productive outs were available. With runners on first and second in the ninth, Cooper Pratt and Joey Ortiz chased several high fastballs to abruptly extinguish a potential walk-off rally. The Cubs would score three runs against Joel Kuhnel in the top of the 10th, and the Brewers fell short of a comeback in the bottom half of the inning. That was too many brutal at-bats in one game, the latest entries in what has become an unfortunate recent trend for the offense. "You feel like you kind of left one out there today, but it is what it is," Yelich said. "Part of the season, and you've just got to keep grinding through it." Given the Brewers' track record, it's safe to assume they will round back into form. That must happen sooner rather than later, though. For this particular lineup, which lacks the tremendous in-game power to sell out for damage on too many pitches, less is often more. "Maybe we could have waited for a better pitch, but that's the battle of driving in runs," Lane said. "It's the hardest thing to do at the plate sometimes, and it's where your discipline has to show up, and we didn't do a great job of that today." View the full article

It hasn't been a season to remember for the Kansas City Royals. Even though the AL Central has been one of the weaker divisions in baseball. As of Sunday, the Royals are 35-50, good for last in the division. They are 9.5 games behind in the division and are seven games behind in the AL Wild Card race. According to Fangraphs, their playoff odds are 2.7%. Only the Los Angeles Angels have worse playoff odds at 1.5% (they are actually better with a 36-49 record). Thus, with the Royals likely looking toward next year, it will be important for them to take advantage at the Trade Deadline and bring in assets who could provide long-term value. This Trade Deadline will look more like the 2023 one, where they traded some veterans for prospects and young players, than the ones in 2024 and 2025, when they added to improve their outlook for the remainder of the season. Here are some candidates the Royals President of Baseball Operations, JJ Picollo, could trade at the Deadline this season. Definitely Traded OF Lane Thomas Team Control Through 2026 2026 Stats: 214 PA, 87 wRC+, .660 OPS, 0.3 fWAR The Royals signed Thomas to a one-year, $5.25 million deal this offseason, hoping that he could be a platoon bat with Kyle Isbel at the very least. He's had to take on a bigger role with Isbel on the IL due to plantar fasciitis. Thomas has been solid this month with a 98 wRC+, .318 wOBA, and four home runs in 89 plate appearances. The 30-year-old outfielder has been solid against lefties this year. He has a 95 wRC+ with a .314 wOBA and 0.80 BB/K ratio in 98 plate appearances against left-handed pitchers. That is much better than his 81 wRC+, .293 wOBA, and 0.52 BB/K ratio in 116 plate appearances against right-handed pitchers. There's been a lack of competent right-handed bats available recently, especially in free agency. Thus, he could fit easily on a competing roster, especially in a platoon role. The Royals do not need him, especially with him likely leaving Kansas City in free agency at the conclusion of the season. OF Starling Marte Team Control Through 2026 2026 Stats: 101 PA, 85 wRC+, .664 OPS, 0.1 fWAR The 37-year-old outfielder hasn't been a huge impact player for the Royals this year. He's barely cracked the 100 plate appearance mark, and he's been mostly utilized as a DH against left-handed starting pitchers. The power has gone, as he has only one home run and an ISO of .079, his worst mark in that category since 2023 with the Mets (.076 ISO). While Marte won't be a starter for an MLB club, he is cheap ($1 million deal), and he brings a veteran presence to the clubhouse and lineup. At his age, he doesn't fit in the Royals' long-term plans, so it would be best for Kansas City to trade him, even if he doesn't command a lot in return. RP John Schreiber Team Control Through 2026 2026 Stats: 33 IP, 3.27 ERA, 5.08 FIP, -0.3 fWAR The Royals' bullpen has been a disaster, as they rank 30th in reliever ERA, WHIP, H/9, and HR/9. Schreiber has been the lone positive reliever of this group, with a 3.27 ERA. Unfortunately, his FIP hasn't fared as well, with a lower K/BB ratio (2.17) and a higher HR/9 (1.64) than usual for him. He could be due for regression in the second half, which doesn't help an already bad bullpen. While Schreiber's numbers may not impress another team, he's a dependable reliever who has posted an ERA under 4 every season since 2022. Schreiber is in his last year of team control with the Royals and will be a free agent after this season. The Royals would benefit from trading Schreiber sooner rather than later, especially after a rough outing in the Royals' blowout loss on Friday against the White Sox. SP Kris Bubic Team Control Through 2026 2026 Stats: 50.1 IP, 4.11 ERA, 3.72 FIP, 0.8 fWAR Bubic is currently on the IL, but he made a rehab appearance last week and is expected to make another on Wednesday. He is only pitching one inning at a time in each outing, so it appears that the Royals are easing him in. These early results prove that he may be on the verge of a return to the Majors soon, even if it may result in a transition to the bullpen. That's not necessarily a bad thing, as Bubic thrived in 2024 in the bullpen, posting a 2.67 ERA and 1.95 FIP in 30.1 IP. Due to his injury issues over the past two years and the fact that he will be a free agent after this year, Bubic's trade value has likely deflated. Still, he's an arm with some upside, and a team may acquire him to solidify their bullpen. He could also interest a team that may want to sign him after the season to a team-friendly deal with the hope that he can bounce back and be a starter again in 2027. RP Matt Strahm Team Control Through 2026 2026 Stats: 25.2 IP, 5.96 ERA, 7.00 FIP, -0.9 fWAR Strahm was acquired from Philadelphia with the hope that he would solidify the Royals' bullpen. Unfortunately, that's backfired, with Strahm posting an ERA of nearly 6 and an FIP of 7. He will be a free agent this offseason, and he could thrive in a new change of scenery. He posted a 1.87 ERA in 66 outings in 2024 and a 2.74 ERA in 66 outings in 2025. Thus, a team may be convinced that Strahm could channel that again with a winning ballclub. The Royals are probably kicking themselves for trading away Jonathan Bowlan to Philadelphia to acquire Strahm. The former Royals righty has a 3.70 ERA and 2.70 FIP in 24.1 IP. While Kansas City can't get Bowlan back, they could perhaps acquire another arm with long-term value similar to him by trading Strahm by the Trade Deadline. Probably Traded SP Michael Wacha Team Control Through 2027 (Club option for 2028) 2026 Stats: 108.2 IP, 3.31 ERA, 3.70 FIP, 2.0 fWAR Wacha has been the Royals' best starting pitcher for arguably a second season in a row. He has a 2.0 fWAR already this year, and ZiPS predicts him to accumulate another 1.3 fWAR by the end of the season. While he's not a strikeout artist, he's crafty and can eat innings when he's on, as was the case in Saturday's outing when he threw 7.2 IP of one-run ball. The Royals are in a dilemma with Wacha, as they not only signed him as a free agent before 2024 but also signed him to a 2025 extension. Kansas City trading a free-agent pitcher who wanted to stay in KC isn't a great precedent, especially for a club that has struggled to attract free-agent starting pitchers in the past. Thus, Picollo may be tempted to keep Wacha for at least one more year, to save face with other potential free agents this offseason. SP Seth Lugo Team Control Through 2027 (Vesting option for 2028) 2026 Stats: 90.1 IP, 4.18 ERA, 4.05 FIP, 1.2 fWAR The situation with Lugo is similar to Wacha's. They signed Lugo to an extension before the Trade Deadline rather than trading him away, which most experts thought the Royals should've done. Lugo has been fine this year, with a 4.18 ERA and 1.2 fWAR in 90.1 IP. That's not quite as good as Wacha, but it's solid for a 36-year-old starting pitcher. His 4.05 FIP is also nearly a run better than a year ago (5.09). Thus, Lugo is showing some progress over his mediocre 2025 campaign (0.5 fWAR). The issue with Lugo is that he's WAY more expensive than Wacha, even though their contract situations are similar. Wacha is due $14 million next year and has a $14 million club option for 2028. Lugo is due $21.5 million in 2027 and has a $20 million vesting option for 2028. Thus, the Royals would need to kick in some money in any trade involving Lugo, which may be too much for them, especially if they're already planning on trading Wacha. RP Daniel Lynch IV Team Control Through 2028 2026 Stats: 34 IP, 2.65 ERA, 3.25 FIP, 0.5 fWAR Lynch has had a strong season and has been one of the few bright spots of this Royals bullpen. He's faded a bit in June, with a 4.61 FIP this month after posting a 3.36 FIP in May and a 1.87 FIP in April. That said, he's been one of the Royals' more dependable relievers. Furthermore, his 21.7% K% is 5.8% better than a year ago, and his fWAR is already 0.7 higher than his 2025 mark. The Royals still hold control of Lynch for two more seasons after 2026, so there is no need to rush him, especially with him transitioning to a higher-leverage role this year. Furthermore, he is the third-longest-tenured Royals player behind Salvador Perez and Bubic, so he brings some leadership value to the clubhouse. Nonetheless, if the Royals can get an enticing package for Lynch, they may be forced to part ways with their former 2018 competitive round pick by this year's Trade Deadline. RP Alex Lange Team Control Through 2028 2026 Stats: 36.1 IP, 4.95 ERA, 3.85 FIP, 0.1 fWAR Lange was designated for assignment by the Tigers this offseason and ascended to the role of Royals closer this season. That wasn't the plan when they acquired him, but he's been a nice pickup, making less than $1 million this year. On Sunday, he collected his seventh save of the season, retiring the White Sox in order in the ninth on three groundball outs. Lange has control issues still (1.76 K/BB ratio), but he's done a good job of keeping the ball in the yard (5.6% HR/FB%). He may not be a closer for another organization, but he could boost any bullpen thanks to his strong ability to generate swing-and-miss. Lange has a 27.2% CSW and 12.2% SwStr%. His 44.7% zone rate is also a career-best, showing the progress he's made since coming over from Kansas City. While trading away Lange leaves the Royals in a deeper hole, and it would suck to lose a local kid (he grew up in Lee's Summit), his value has never been higher, and they could use a return of prospects. RP Lucas Erceg Team Control Through 2028will 2026 Stats: 31.2 IP, 5.40 ERA, 4.84 FIP, -0.1 fWAR Erceg has been awful this year, even though he produced a scoreless outing on Sunday in the Royals' 5-4 win. His K/BB ratio has gone from 4.50 in 2024, to 2.67 in 2025, to 1.32 this year. His CSW has seen a similar trend, going from 31.3% in 2024, to 26% in 2025, to 23.4% this season. It's been a rough year for Erceg, and he's lost the closer's job, even though he leads the Royals with 12 saves. While the lackluster strikeout, walk, and CSW numbers don't bode well for his trade value, the fastball velocity is still good at 97.3 MPH. That's only 0.5 MPH less than a year ago. Thus, it's not a matter of stuff with Erceg, but command. Another organization could find a way to tap into Erceg's command again. If they do, they will have him for two more years. That long-term value could net the Royals something decent in exchange for Erceg at the Trade Deadline, though Kansas City won't give him away for nothing. Unlikely to Be Traded OF Kyle Isbel Team Control Through 2027 2026 Stats: 183 PA, 79 wRC+, .651 OPS, 0.4 fWAR Isbel would've been a great trade candidate if healthy. However, while he's only on a 10-day IL, it's unlikely he'll be 100 percent by the Trade Deadline. Even with a full more year of team control, teams likely won't be interested in Isbel, especially if his defense, his best tool, is affected by this foot injury. 1B Vinnie Pasquantino Team Control Through 2028 2026 Stats: 291 PA, 81 wRC+, .660 OPS, -0.1 fWAR After hitting 32 home runs and 113 RBI last year, the Royals inked the Pasquatch to a modest two-year extension in the offseason. The move hasn't worked out, as he is down in nearly every category and is currently on the IL with a hamate injury that required surgery. The recovery from hamate injuries isn't good, especially for power hitters like Vinnie. Thus, the interest may not be there, even with Pasquantino still having two more years of team control after this season. Still, Jac Caglianone has emerged as a solid piece for this team's future, which could make Vinnie's future in Kansas City hazier. The Pasquatch could get traded, but it likely won't be until the offseason or the 2027 Trade Deadline. C Salvador Perez Team Control Through 2027 2026 Stats: 327 PA, 52 wRC+, .573 OPS, -1.4 fWAR The Salvy regression has finally come, and boy, did it come fast. After being such a dependable power bat since 2021 (20+ HR each season), he's struggled immensely. He has 10 home runs, but just a .131 ISO, and the rest of his numbers are putrid. The Marlins have shown interest in Perez before, and their catching situation isn't great, so a veteran like Salvy could make sense in an abbreviated role. However, the Royals want Salvy to retire as a Royal, so he's unlikely to be traded either this year or next. View the full article

The Cubs' 4-3 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers on Sunday in extra innings was a game the visitors didn't deserve to win, but they won it, anyway. No shade to the Brewers, but in many ways, the Cubs managed to out-Brewers them. Chicago was outhit (in terms of actual hits and expected hits) and got performance after performance from a cast of randoms and leftovers from other organizations. Milwaukee has used what can only be called "Brewers magic" for years to do this to other teams; they seemingly manifest pitchers out of thin air and do just enough offensively to get wins. On Sunday, it was the Cubs that used this formula to great effect. The catalyst in that formula was a pitcher who knows Brewers magic very well: Bryse Wilson. Wilson, 28, was designated for assignment on June 22 by Philadelphia. The Cubs, desperate for any human being with a pulse and an arm, claimed the right-handed pitcher on waivers. It's probably safe to say that there were little in the way of expectations, as their new addition has accumulated -0.4 fWAR over his career in 463 IP at the big-league level. It's been years and years since he was a top-100 prospect, so any pedigree has long been forgotten. Little was expected. The message (probably encoded a bit more hopefully) was surely along the lines of "please eat some innings". The Cubs didn't even trust Wilson to start the game, instead going with Ryan Rolison as the opener. They also called up Jordan Wicks for a "break-in-case-of-Bryse-emergency" bulk inning role. The burly pitcher, however, had different ideas. When the 6-foot-2, 255-pound Wilson entered the game in the top of the third, the Cubs were already down 1-0. Instead of getting walloped, all he did was battle. The tone was set for his entire performance in that third inning—though the inning did not start well for the North Siders. The Brewers were quickly able to get runners on both first and third, with only one gone. Cue the music: Cub-killer extraordinaire Jackson Chourio was headed to the plate, perhaps the last Brewer you'd want to see there. The game felt like it was about to get out of hand; the tables were set for Milwaukee to break the game open. Then, it felt like a switch flipped for the man on the mound, and the game flipped on its head. One of the most important things for a pitcher is getting ahead of hitters. It changes the at-bat significantly, and Wilson went right after Chourio by firing in a show-me 89-mph cutter through the zone for strike one. Coming back 0-1, he threw a 92-mph sinker at the top of the zone (though to be fair, I don't think he meant to throw it up there) for a second straight strike. Now up 0-2, Wilson reared back and got every bit of his body behind a 95-mph heater right at the top of the zone, which got the young slugger to give a big swing... and an even bigger miss. It was a statement moment from an unlikely hero. Wilson ended up getting out of the jam, but that single at-bat felt like it began to give the pitcher the confidence he needed. On the day, Wilson pounded the strike zone with that confidence. He started two-thirds of the hitters he faced with a strike, and kept the ball in the zone nearly 60% of the time. This is a big change from what he's done in the past; his career in-zone rate is under 50%. His fastball had some extra juice as well, as it averaged over 94 mph for the first three innings of his appearance (though it dipped below in the fourth, he was clearly gassing out). It was a bulldog-like performance. It's true that he only got five swing and misses on the day; you'd hope that he'd throw a few more over four innings. It makes the four strikeouts a little less impressive, but it's easy to forgive that after throwing four scoreless frames on the road, all things considered. Another thing to note going under the hood; Wilson used his arsenal a little differently than normal. He threw more four-seam fastballs (23%) than his 2025 (17%) and barely utilized his curveball (just three curves were thrown all day despite him using this pitch 16% of the time last year). Are these little flourishes the Cubs installed? Hard to tell in such a small sample size. It could also just be random happenstance or Brewers-specific matchup things—or Wilson consciously altering his plan to confound a team that knows him well. Regardless, Wilson didn't really look like the guy he had been before. Interestingly enough, the only real success Wilson has had in his career came in 2023 and parts of 2024 when he was mostly a reliever with Milwaukee. His keys to success? Over 60% first-pitch strikes and being in the zone over 50% of the time. He relied heavily on the sinker, cutter and four-seam fastball—pitches he leaned into Sunday. This could be a good example of "if you can't beat 'em, join 'em". The reality of the Cubs' situation is that their bullpen is beat to death right now. The team had to call upon Wicks in extra innings with the bases loaded and no outs to bail them out of the game. Trent Thornton was the only pitcher who wasn't used, but he had pitched three of the last four outings and the Cubs are going to need someone capable of coming out of the pen this week. Hell, they're going to need someone to come out of the bullpen Monday night. To do that, the team may have to make the hard choice to designate Wilson for assignment to bring up someone, because it's likely that the right-hander will be down for the next few days after throwing 61 pitches Sunday afternoon. Sadly, four innings cannot erase 164 games of futility, and the Cubs know what he's been in the past. Wilson, though, may have bought himself a little time. Ethan Roberts was terrible in relief; he could be optioned to Iowa instead. Frankly, Roberts (sporting an xFIP of 5.17 on the year entering Sunday) has been terrible all year. He deserves the demotion. Craig Counsell looked absolutely miffed and exhausted coming to yank him after he loaded the bases. I'm not sure there's a lot of trust there after that performance. It might just be best for everyone involved if he takes a break from the parent club, opening up the chance to Wilson (whom Counsell managed and liked in 2023) to stick around. For a team who's short on middle relief options right now, that could give Wilson a window to seize some extra innings. Regardless of what happens to him, successful teams find innings from people like Bryse Wilson throughout the year. The Cubs have used 30 pitchers on the year (not counting Carson Kelly), and beggars cannot be choosers. Last year, the Cubs rode Chris Flexen for 43 innings. Flexen was terrible in terms of almost every statistic except for ERA, but those 40 innings were key for a team in the middle of the year who needed someone to throw strikes. The Cubs need to add some talent to this roster. They need at least one starter and one or two relievers, without much help coming internally—meaning it's going to come via trade. Teams really aren't open for business yet and the Cubs would prefer to wait some of these prices out—probably two weeks or so, if not longer. They're going to need these kinds of performances from someone. Even if they do DFA the righty before he makes a second appearance with the Cubs, his four innings with the club were incredibly important in the moment. The Cubs won an emotional series in Milwaukee that they probably didn't deserve to win. Many players contributed to that win, and Wilson played a starring role. If the Cubs are going to stick around until reinforcements come, they're going to need a few no-name guys to find those innings. On Sunday, Bryse Wilson reminded us that he can be a hero, even if it's just for one day. What did you make of Bryse Wilson's first appearance? Do you think he can keep it up? Let us know in the comment section! View the full article

We had a first this weekend. Luke Keaschall, who had spent basically his entire major-league career playing second base, was penciled into the lineup as the Twins' starting right fielder. Meanwhile, Kody Clemens handled the starts at second base, as the two kind of flip-flopped. If you've been paying close attention over the last few months, it wasn't a huge surprise. Keaschall’s eight errors at second base this season are the second-most, behind only Nasim Nuñez of the Nationals, and there have been misplays and non-plays beyond those. His performance there essentially compelled a change. Additionally, it felt like Derek Shelton and the Twins had been preparing for this possibility since spring training, when Keaschall started getting a fair amount of work in the corner outfield. At the time, it looked like they were simply adding another position to his résumé. Now, it looks like they were laying the groundwork for something they always knew could become a legitimate option. Whenever an infielder moves to the outfield, though, there's almost always going to be a learning curve. It's one thing to shag fly balls during batting practice. It's another to do it under the lights in a major-league game, especially with runners on base. The encouraging part is that the Twins already know that. Shelton acknowledged it before Friday's game. "I think it's going to be a work in progress, I think we're aware of that, and there's probably going to be some growing pains with it," he said. That's exactly the right mindset to have. There are going to be some tough moments as Keaschall gets comfortable in right field, and you could argue we saw one of those on Saturday. Rockies outfielder Jake McCarthy ripped a ball off the right field wall, and Keaschall didn't play it particularly well, allowing the ball to get past him. McCarthy was able to take an extra base, and the misplay ultimately led to a run crossing the plate later in the inning. M3k2MnlfWGw0TUFRPT1fQlFFRVZGTUZWMVlBRGxNQlZ3QUhBbE1DQUZoUlZnUUFWZ05SVlFFSFZBUlhCUUFE.mp4 Obviously, Target Field offers a new right fielder some unique challenges. But Keaschall got that play wrong in every way. He got too close to the wall, especially on a ball he clearly didn't read well. Had it hit off the limestone overhang, it would have caromed even farther beyond his reach. As it was, it hit about 15 feet up on the wall, above the padding, which made for a sharp bounce of its own. Keaschall had initially gone back uncertainly, then turned his shoulders toward the foul pole, forcing him to pivot again as the ball bounced past on his other side. If he's in position to collect the ball quickly, that's a double, not a triple. It certainly wasn't his finest defensive moment. In fact, McCarthy also beat Keaschall on Friday night, with a double that could have been caught—although he played this one much better, all things considered. MTZOVllfWGw0TUFRPT1fVlZkVFZRRlhVZ1lBV3dFR0F3QUhDRlFGQUFBQ0JsSUFDZ01OVlFCUkJGWldVZ1pl.mp4 On both plays, it's the same error. Misreading either the initial trajectory off the bat or the likely spin and wind influences that would act on the ball, Keaschall turned the wrong way. See this? This isn't good. This loss of visual contact with the ball (not to check on the wall or make up ground, but because he'd turned the wrong way and needed to swing around) happened on both plays, and was a problem both times. As is made clear by the closeness of the ensuing play, McCarthy hit that ball hard enough that it should have been possible to hold him to a single, even for an outfielder not quite fast or familiar enough to charge back and stab it before it short-hopped the wall. That Keaschall was still circling the wagons when he fielded the rebound slowed down his release. But we've also seen some positives. Keaschall made a really nice sliding catch in that same Saturday loss, and outside of McCarthy playing wall ball, he's actually looked pretty comfortable in right field. He's moved around well, looked athletic, and hasn't appeared completely overwhelmed by the position change. On two other plays (easier ones, admittedly), he even negotiated successfully with the wall. That shouldn't come as a huge surprise, either, especially when you hear what Twins first base coach Grady Sizemore had to say. Sizemore, who was a three-time All-Star and one of the better defensive outfielders while he was playing, offered a pretty interesting perspective. "Honestly, I think the best outfielders are former infielders. I think for an infielder, it's probably going to be an easy transition. You’re going to have more time; you’re going to have a little bit of—you’re just [farther] away. Your reaction, you don’t have to be as immediate. You can be a hair late or have an extra step to get the right read or the right direction." Those are some pretty telling words coming from someone who made a career out of playing the outfield at an elite level. But even with that, we also have to acknowledge that there will be bumps in the road. Second base doesn't exactly require a rocket launcher for an arm, but Keaschall's average arm strength of 76 MPH leaves quite a bit to be desired. In my opinion, that's going to be the biggest question mark throughout this entire transition. Most major-league right fielders have above-average throwing arms; it's one of the defining traits of the position. Keaschall simply doesn't. If runners begin taking extra bases because they know his arm isn't much of a threat, that's something the Twins will have to weigh moving forward. But despite that concern, I still find myself thinking this experiment has a legitimate chance to work. The biggest reason is Keaschall's overall athletic profile. He's described himself as a "tight athlete," and I think that's a really interesting way to look at his game. There's a difference between being twitchy and being tight. A twitchy athlete relies on explosive first-step quickness. They're able to go from zero to one hundred almost instantly without losing dexterity at their extremities, which is incredibly valuable in the middle infield, where reaction time is everything. A tight athlete is a little different. They might be equally explosive, but the control of that explosiveness is more confined to their core. They need a bit more margin for error when it comes to great feats of hand-eye coordination. That profile feels like a better fit in the outfield. There's a little more time to react. Keaschall's straight-line speed should allow him to track baseballs down in the gaps, and when he gets to balls, he should be better able to do what's needed with them. There's no need to rush an exchange or contort your body to get the ball out immediately. You're freer (and, again, have more time) to move your glove late to get it around the ball, and an outfielder's glove is itself bigger than a middle infielder's. The arm strength is still going to be worth watching, because that can’t magically improve overnight. (Most players throw harder from the outfield than on the infield, because the throws must be longer and the proper technique therefore involves taking a hair longer to load up and fire. Relatively speaking, though, Keaschall won't throw harder as a right fielder than as a second baseman.) But outside of that, Keaschall might actually be a natural fit in right field. There are almost certainly going to be rough patches along the way. There will probably be another misplay or two before everything starts feeling comfortable. That's part of learning a brand-new position at the highest level. Still, when I look at Keaschall's overall athletic traits, I honestly think they line up more with a corner outfielder than they do with a full-time second baseman. And it's not like this has to be a permanent move, either. If there's one thing we've learned about the Twins this year, it's that they value defensive versatility. Keaschall can still move around the diamond. He can still play second base when the matchup calls for it. Maybe this experiment ends up sticking for years, or maybe it doesn't. But I applaud Derek Shelton and the Twins' coaching staff for being willing to find out. Sometimes, the only way to discover what a player can become is by giving him the opportunity to try something new. View the full article

For the week, Wisconsin (5-1) and Biloxi (4-2) were series winners, while Nashville (3-3) and Wilson (3-3) managed to split their respective series. Transactions: INF/OF Jett Williams activated AAA Nashville’s temporarily inactive list RHP Logan Henderson sent on rehab assignment to AAA Nashville RHP Will Childers transferred to Development List from AAA Nashville (from credible sources) OF Josiah Ragsdale promoted to AA Biloxi from High-A Wisconsin Game Action: Nashville Pre-Game Media Notes Game One Final: Gwinnett (Braves) 8, Nashville 5 Box Score Game Two Final: Nashville 7, Gwinnett 0 Box Score Via a Sounds’ press release, doubleheader details: Sounds Blank Stripers to Secure Series Split The clubs resumed Saturday’s rain-suspended game with the bases loaded and nobody out, with RHP Jake Woodford inheriting that mess and initially doing a beautiful job to limit the damage: K, RBI ground out, 5-3 ground oh no it’s a run-scoring error by 3B Brock Wilken. After that, 7 of the next 10 Gwinnett batters reached base (5 singles, 1 triple, 1 everybody’s safe fielder’s choice) against Woodford (2 IP, 5 R (4 ER), 4 Ks) as they built an 8-0 lead just 1 ½ innings into the contest. From that point, the afternoon and evening belonged entirely to the Sounds, as 9 pitchers combined to toss 14 consecutive scoreless innings, led by rehabbing RHP Logan Henderson who tossed the first 3 innings of the second game of the doubleheader (0 R, 1 H, 1 BB, 7 Ks – 11 batters faced, 50 pitches, 32 strikes). In fact, all 7 of Henderson’s strikeouts are captured here, a fine outing in his first game since May 22. Sounds’ batters did claw back to 8-5 by the 6th inning of Game One, highlighted by C Andrick Nava’s 3-run blast (his first career homer above the High-A minor league level). However, the final 11 Nashville batters of that game went 0-for-10 with 1 walk. 3B Jett Williams (1-for-2, double, 2 walks, RBI, SB) returned to action without missing a beat, leading off the bottom of the 1st inning of Game 2 with a double and scoring on OF Tyler Black’s sacrifice fly, which was already enough scoring for the stout Sounds’ staff. Black (3-for-6, HR, HBP, 4 RBIs across the 2 games) then popped out with the bases loaded and the Sounds leading 3-0 in the 2nd inning, before letting loose with his 342-foot solo homer in the 5th inning and his 2-RBI single in the 7th frame. Back to the dominant pitching, let’s recognize LHP Drew Rom (2 IP, 0 R, 3 Ks), RHP Reiss Knehr (2 IP, 0 R, 1 K), RHP Craig Yoho (2 IP, 0 R, 1 K) and RHP Blake Holub (1 IP, 0 R, 1 K). Sounds’ Extras: Others with relatively productive offensive days: C Darrien Miller making his AAA debut (1-for-3, run scored), 2B Ethan Murray (2-for-6, RBI), OF Luis Lara (1-for-5, double, 3 walks, 2 RBIs). Other relievers with one scoreless inning of relief each: RHP Junior Fernandez, RHP JB Bukauskas, LHP Mark Manfredi, RHP Peter Strzelecki. Next week’s outlook: Nashville remain at home for a 6-game battle against Marlins’ affiliate Jacksonville, with the first game set for Tuesday evening. Biloxi Pre-Game Media Notes Final: Montgomery (Rays) 4, Biloxi 3 Box Score Via the Shuckers’ website, game details and we encourage readers to review affiliate write-ups as part of their Link Report routine: Homer Happy Shuckers Fall Short in Series Finale Losing while limiting your opponent to two hits may appear like the main story here, but it’s more likely the injury delay and exit of RHP 25-year old RHP Tanner Gillis after issuing a full count walk to open the bottom of the 4th inning with the Shuckers leading 3-0. Pitching on 4 days’ rest, Gillis had held the Biscuits scoreless over 9 innings this week, including 3 innings in this contest (3 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 2 BB, 2 Ks). While we don’t have news on the exact nature of Gillis’ exit, we will share when we do. Four of Biloxi’s five hits came before Gillis’ exit, including the homers for 1B Mike Boeve (2-for-4, HR, RBI) and DH Andrew Fischer (1-for-4, HR, 2 RBIs), as well as OF Josh Adamczewski’s double which extended his hitting streak to 10 games. LHP Anthony Flores (1 2/3 IP, 3 R, 2 Ks) retired the first 3 batters he faced in relief of Gillis, but things went awry for him and RHP Ryan Birchard (1 IP, 1 R, 1 K) as they issued 9(!) free passes in the 5th and 6th innings alone (8 BB, 1 HBP). For their part, Biloxi drew zero walks in the entire game, which proved the fundamental difference in this late afternoon contest. RHP Sam Garcia came through in a big way in relief of Birchard, striking out Brayden Taylor with the bases loaded the Biloxi trailing 4-3 in the 7th inning, but 19 of the final 20 Biloxi batters were retired by the solid Montgomery pitching staff (exception: Boeve’s 2-out single in the 9th inning). Shuckers’ Extras: Fireballing RHP Cam Wagoner tossed yet another scoreless inning of relief: 1 IP, 0 R, 0 Ks; 2.21 season ERA. 3B Jheremy Vargas saw his first action in 9 days, though he was one of five Shuckers’ batters who failed to reach base by hit, walk or HBP. The team went 1-for-2 with runners in scoring position, stranding just 2 baserunners (vs. 0-for-8 and 9 LOB for the Biscuits). Next week’s outlook: Biloxi return home to take on Reds’ affiliate Chattanooga for six games, with the series commencing Tuesday evening. Wisconsin Pre-Game Media Notes Final: Wisconsin 8, Cedar Rapids (Twins) 4 Box Score Via the Timber Rattlers’ website, game details: Bitonti Slams Kernels For our viewing pleasure, Wisconsin’s media team have captured the exciting video highlights, including 1B Eric Bitonti’s walk-off grand slam with 2 outs in the bottom of the 9th inning: Chris Mehring and Jonathan Timm 20-minute post-game podcast, featuring walk-off hero Bitonti, RHP Garrett Hodges, 2B Daniel Dickinson and Manager Nick Stanley. As you’ve read, seen and heard, the Timber Rattlers were in control (leading from the 2nd inning) until they weren’t (trailing 4-3 from the 6th inning), then saved the best blast for last for the 4,813-strong home crowd. Starting RHP Braylon Owens (5 IP, 2 R, 6 H, 2 BB, 3 Ks) was his customary solid self, even on 4 days’ rest, handing the bullpen a 3-2 advantage, but was unfortunately denied his 2nd win of the week when RHP Tanner Perry struggled in relief (1 IP, 2 R, 3 H, 1 BB, 2 Ks). While Bitonti (2-for-5, HR, 4 RBIs) deservedly gets the headlines, there were numerous contributions including solid days for OF Josiah Ragsdale (2-for-3, HR, walk, HBP, 2 RBIs), OF Braylon Payne (2-for-5, double), DH Marco Dinges (2-for-4, double, walk, RBI), 2B Daniel Dickinson (2-for-4, double, RBI, 2 SBs) and winner-of-record RHP Garrett Hodges (2 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 0 BB, 4 Ks). Timber Rattlers’ Extras: Payne also gunned down a baserunner at home to end the 3rd inning with Wisconsin still leading 3-2, as you’ve seen in the video. SS Luis Pena exited after 6 innings, though there was no indication of any physical setback. 24-year old RHP Yerlin Rodriguez is who he is at this point: 1 hit, 1 walk, 1 wild pitch, 2 strikeouts, 0 runs to keep the game close in the 7th inning. Next week’s outlook: Wisconsin travel down to battle Cardinals’ affiliate Peoria for 6 games, with RHP Josh Knoth expected to start Tuesday’s series opener. Wilson Pre-Game Media Notes Final: Wilson 10, Fredericksburg (Nationals) 7 Box Score Via the Warbirds’ website, game details: Big Innings Guide Wilson to Sunday Victory Wilson led wire to wire on the road on Sunday, starting with OF Juan Ortuno’s RBI single just three batters into the contest. Ortuno (2-for-4, double, 2 walks, 3 RBIs) drove home or scored 5 of the team’s 10 runs and also threw out an aggressive baserunner at second base to end the game. The contest was tight at 4-3 until the top of the 6th inning, when five straight Wilson batters reached base with 2 outs, the first four coming aboard without a hit: 3 walks, a 2-run error, then 3B Filippo Di Turi’s 2-run single. 10 hits, 10 walks, 10 runs and 13 left on base for the Warbirds – that’ll generate some solid stat lines – e.g. DH Handelfry Encarnacion (2-for-5, walk, SB), Di Turi (1-for-3, walk, HBP, 2 RBIs, SB), OF Jose Anderson (2-for-5, double, walk), SS Brady Ebel (1-for-3, 3 walks, SB). On the mound, starting LHP Joey Broughton tossed 66 pitches, but only made it through 2 2/3 innings (3 R (2 ER, 2 H, 4 BB, 1 K), with RHP Jarrette Bonet (5 IP, 3 R, 6 H, 2 BB, 3 Ks; 73 pitches) doing the heavy lifting on this Sunday afternoon. Warbirds’ Extras: Ortuno’s RBI double to extend the lead to 9-4 in the top of the 7th inning was apparently too much for the opposing manager to bear, as he was ejected at that point. 18-year old C Kevin Garcia will need to turn the page on this contest: 0-for-5, 2 errors – although he did throw out 1 of 3 attempted basestealers. Anderson’s 2-for-5 game inched his season batting average up to .195 (OPS .732 for the Carolina’s League’s home run leader), so a 2-for-4 game on Tuesday would get him up to .200. Next week’s outlook: Wilson will host White Sox affiliate Kannapolis for six games this week, with the series commencing on Tuesday. We hope that you enjoy the Minor League Link Report. On Monday, three rookie level games are scheduled, with the two Dominican Summer League squads playing their respective games at 10:00am CST. ACL Brewers host ACL Cubs at 8:00pm CST. The Milwaukee Brewers also host the Reds at 6:40pm CST. Organizational Scoreboard including starting pitcher info, game times, MiLB TV links, and box scores Current Milwaukee Brewers Organization Batting Stats and Depth Current Milwaukee Brewers Organization Pitching Stats and Depth View the full article

Brett Squires homered and tripled with four RBI, but the Omaha Storm Chasers fell 13-11 in ten innings. The Northwest Arkansas Naturals wasted Felix Arronde's six innings in a 7-6 walkoff loss. Tanner Jones spun five scoreless innings, and Trevor Werner's three-run homer keyed a seven-run ninth as the Quad Cities River Bandits won 7-2. Darwin Rodriguez took the loss as the Columbia Fireflies dropped a 4-1 decision despite nine hits. Royals Transactions Kansas City Royals recalled RHP Eric Cerantola from Omaha Storm Chasers. Kansas City Royals optioned RHP Mitch Spence to Omaha Storm Chasers. Storm Chasers' Early Outburst Wasted In Extra-Inning Loss The Omaha Storm Chasers built an early lead and then watched it disappear in a 13-11, ten-inning loss to the Columbus Clippers. Squires carried the offense, going 3-for-4 with a triple, a home run, a stolen base, two runs, and four RBI. Brandon Drury added a home run, two RBI, and two runs, while Rudy Martin Jr. reached base three times from the leadoff spot. Omaha put up six runs in the second inning to seize control. The affiliate loaded the bases on two walks and a hit by pitch, then pushed across the first run on Kevin Newman's bases-loaded walk that scored Drury. A run came around on a strikeout, Squires followed with a two-run triple, and Abraham Toro and Gavin Cross each delivered an RBI double to cap the rally. The Clippers chipped away over the middle innings, scoring five in the fourth and adding single runs in the sixth, eighth, and ninth. Squires' two-run homer in the ninth tied the game and forced extra innings, but Columbus answered with four runs in the top of the tenth, including a two-run home run that brought home the zombie runner. Omaha managed only two runs in the bottom of the tenth on Drury's two-run homer and fell short. Starter Bailey Falter worked 3 1/3 innings, allowing four runs on two walks with four strikeouts. Génesis Cabrera took the loss after surrendering four runs in the tenth. The Storm Chasers stranded seven runners and went 5-for-15 with runners in scoring position. They are 36-44 this season. Omaha Storm Chasers Hitting Player AB R H RBI BB K Rudy Martin Jr. 6 2 2 0 0 1 Peyton Wilson 6 0 1 1 0 3 Brett Squires 4 2 3 4 1 0 Abraham Toro 4 1 1 1 1 1 Gavin Cross 4 1 1 1 1 0 Brandon Drury 4 2 1 2 1 1 Luca Tresh 4 1 0 0 1 0 Andrew Velazquez 4 1 1 0 0 1 Kevin Newman 2 1 0 1 1 0 Matthew Lugo 2 0 1 0 0 0 Omaha Storm Chasers Pitching Player IP H R ER BB K HR Bailey Falter 3 1/3 6 4 4 2 4 0 Andrew Pérez 2/3 1 2 2 1 0 1 Mason Black 3 2 1 1 1 3 1 Jose Cuas 2/3 1 1 1 1 0 0 Anthony Gose 1 1/3 1 1 1 0 2 1 Génesis Cabrera 1 3 4 3 1 1 1 Naturals Squander Lead In Walk-Off Loss To Springfield The Northwest Arkansas Naturals carried a lead into the late innings but fell 7-6 on a walk-off home run against the Springfield Cardinals. Sam Kulasingam led the way, going 2-for-4 with a home run, a stolen base, two runs, and two RBI. Jack Pineda reached base three times with two hits, a walk, a stolen base, and two RBI, and Connor Scott homered. The decisive frame for the Naturals was a five-run third inning. Scott opened the scoring with a solo home run, Pineda laced a two-run single, Kulasingam followed with an RBI single, and Colton Becker doubled home another run. That outburst, added to a run in the first, gave Northwest Arkansas a 6-3 lead. The advantage did not hold. Springfield trimmed the deficit with a run in the sixth, tied it with two runs in the seventh, and ended it with a leadoff home run in the ninth. Royals Keep's No. 14 prospect Arronde turned in a strong start, working six innings and allowing four runs, three earned, on five hits with one walk and four strikeouts. Oscar Rayo took the loss after allowing the walk-off home run. The Naturals left four runners on base and went 3-for-9 with runners in scoring position. Northwest Arkansas is now 30-43. Northwest Arkansas Naturals Hitting Player AB R H RBI BB K Carson Roccaforte 4 1 1 0 1 1 Jack Pineda 3 1 2 2 1 0 Sam Kulasingam 4 2 2 2 0 0 Jorge Alfaro 4 0 0 0 0 1 Spencer Nivens 4 0 1 0 0 1 Colton Becker 4 0 1 1 0 1 Omar Hernandez 4 0 0 0 0 1 Connor Scott 4 1 1 1 0 1 Alberto Rodriguez 4 1 1 0 0 0 Northwest Arkansas Naturals Pitching Player IP H R ER BB K HR Felix Arronde 6 5 4 3 1 4 1 Frank Mozzicato 1/3 1 2 2 2 0 0 Oscar Rayo 1 2/3 1 1 1 0 1 1 River Bandits Erupt For Seven In Ninth To Stun South Bend The Quad Cities River Bandits broke a scoreless tie dramatically, plating seven runs in the ninth inning to beat the South Bend Cubs 7-2. Werner provided the biggest swing, a three-run home run, and finished 1-for-4 with three RBI. Ramon Ramirez, Royals Keep's No. 6 prospect, went 2-for-4 with a double and two RBI, and Tyriq Kemp added a hit, an RBI, a walk, and a stolen base from the leadoff spot. The ninth inning told the whole story offensively. Ramirez started the rally with a two-run double, Connor Rasmussen brought home a run on a groundout, Werner crushed his three-run homer, and Kemp capped the scoring with an RBI single. The seven-run frame turned a 2-0 deficit into a comfortable win. Starter Jones was dominant, working five scoreless innings and allowing just one hit with one walk and five strikeouts. The Cubs scratched across single runs in the sixth and eighth, but Quad Cities steadied things out of the bullpen. Kamden Edge, Royals Keep's No. 19 prospect, earned the win with two innings of work, allowing one run on one hit with two strikeouts. The River Bandits left four runners on base and went 3-for-9 with runners in scoring position. Quad Cities improved their record to 32-39 after the victory over the Cubs. Quad Cities River Bandits Hitting Player AB R H RBI BB K Tyriq Kemp 4 1 1 1 1 1 Asbel Gonzalez 4 1 0 0 1 0 Blake Mitchell 4 0 0 0 0 2 Ramon Ramirez 4 1 2 2 0 0 Nolan Sailors 3 1 1 0 1 1 Erick Torres 2 1 0 0 2 0 Connor Rasmussen 4 0 0 1 0 2 Trevor Werner 4 1 1 3 0 1 Angel Acosta 4 1 1 0 0 0 Quad Cities River Bandits Pitching Player IP H R ER BB K HR Tanner Jones 5 1 0 0 1 5 0 Aiden Jimenez 1 1 1 1 0 2 1 Max Martin 1 1 0 0 1 1 0 Kamden Edge 2 1 1 1 0 2 0 Fireflies' Bats Stranded In Loss To Kannapolis The Columbia Fireflies collected nine hits but managed only one run in a 4-1 loss to the Kannapolis Cannon Ballers. Roni Cabrera led the offense, going 2-for-3 with an RBI, a walk, and a stolen base. Ivan Sosa also notched two hits, and Stone Russell doubled, but the affiliate repeatedly failed to bring runners home, stranding eight in the contest. Kannapolis built its lead early. The Cannon Ballers scored once in the first and then put up three runs in the third inning, a frame aided by a throwing error. Columbia could not respond until the seventh, when Cabrera singled home Yandel Ricardo, Royals Keep's No. 10 prospect, for the team's lone run. Starter Rodriguez took the loss, working five innings and allowing four runs, three earned, on five hits with one walk and two strikeouts. The bullpen was sharp behind him, as Brandon Herbold, Yeri Pérez, and Andy Basora combined for three scoreless innings of relief. The Fireflies' inability to cash in with runners aboard, eight left on base, proved the difference. Columbia Fireflies Hitting Player AB R H RBI BB K Josh Hammond 4 0 1 0 0 0 Sean Gamble 4 0 1 0 0 1 Stone Russell 4 0 1 0 0 0 Jhosmmel Zue 4 0 1 0 0 0 Yandel Ricardo 4 1 1 0 0 0 Roni Cabrera 3 0 2 1 1 0 Josi Novas 4 0 0 0 0 0 Ivan Sosa 4 0 2 0 0 0 Gabriel Silva 4 0 0 0 0 2 Columbia Fireflies Pitching Player IP H R ER BB K HR Darwin Rodriguez 5 5 4 3 1 2 0 Brandon Herbold 1 1/3 0 0 0 0 1 0 Yeri Pérez 2/3 0 0 0 2 1 0 Andy Basora 1 1 0 0 0 1 0 Top-20 Prospect Performance Kendry Chourio: DNP David Shields: DNP Josh Hammond: 1-for-4 Blake Mitchell: 0-for-4, 2 K Sean Gamble: 1-for-4, K Ramon Ramirez: 2-for-4, 2B, 2 RBI Drew Beam: DNP Carson Roccaforte: 1-for-4, 2B, BB, SB, K Asbel Gonzalez: 0-for-4, BB Yandel Ricardo: 1-for-4 Michael Lombardi: DNP Ben Kudrna: DNP Justin Lamkin: DNP Felix Arronde: 6 IP, 5 H, 4 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 4 K Blake Wolters: DNP Steven Zobac: DNP Austin Charles: DNP Daniel Vázquez: DNP Kamden Edge: 2 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 2 K Warren Calcano: DNP View the full article