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MIAMI—"Trust yourself, because you know the tools are there, the talent is there, it's just a matter of trusting what you got and what you can do." That was the heartfelt message relayed from Miami's coaching staff to the struggling Heriberto Hernández before being sent down to Triple-A Jacksonville in late April. Coming off an encouraging 2025, the second-year outfielder wasn't all the way there at the plate, requiring tune-ups both mechanically and mentally to regain what Miami and Hernandez alike knew he had. Less than a month later, it's safe to say the 26-year-old's confidence has never been higher. Hernandez delivered the moment of the season for Miami thus far in the bottom of the ninth in Sunday's series finale over the Mets, blasting a walk-off grand slam to the roar of 23,018 screaming spectators at loanDepot park in a thrilling 4-0 victory. With the win, Hernández's club secures a sweep over their division rival climbs back to 25-29. New York did not lead at any point in the series after the second inning of Friday's game one. "Really happy for Bert," said Marlins skipper Clayton McCullough postgame over a raucous clubhouse. "We saw him do a lot of fantastic things for us last year—the big homer he had in Philly off [Jhoan] Duran. He's come through in moments for us in the past, and for him just to hang in there, and come back up, he's been ready to go every time his name has been called, he hadn't got a whole lot of starts to get into a rhythm, but I think he's always ready to come off the bench and hit. I couldn't be happier for him to have that moment there." "Amazing," responded Hernández with a smile when asked of his emotions. "It feels good that the team is winning and then the way that we've been fighting out there, it feels good." Deadlocked at 0-0 in the bottom of the ninth, the slumping Christopher Morel doubled to kick off what would be the game-winning rally. A sacrifice bunt from Javier Sanoja and back-to-back walks to Liam Hicks and Xavier Edwards—the latter being intentional—set the scene for Hernández, who didn't even enter the contest until the seventh. "I wasn't trying to do much—just trying to put the ball in play," said Hernández. "I knew that if I put the ball in play, we were going to get that run." Hernández still owns an ugly .193/.287/.284 slash line in 32 total MLB games, though his wRC+ spiked from 48 to 65 in this contest. One attribute of the Dominican's game that has never wavered is his attitude. Consistently, Hernández takes pride in any way he can assist in Miami winning ballgames. With the bat returning to rookie-year form, there's no reason why he shouldn't play a part in the coming weeks. "Just trying to help the team." said Hernández when asked what's been working since his return. "I know that I'm not playing every day, but in my heart that's what I want, just being able to help the team and contribute every time I'm out there." If It Ain't Broke... For as intense and stern as Tyler Phillips looks most times, Miami's standout second-year reliever has a simple approach to breaking the ice. "Go out there and relieve in the first inning. I guess they call that starting." Phillips stuck to his routine, coming out of the bullpen before taking the mound in the first while slapping himself in his patented pre-outing ritual. It worked. Phillips was impressive yet again, getting through 3 ⅔ innings scoreless innings before turning things over to his buddies in the bullpen. "I've started my whole career. Last year was my first year relieving," said Phillips. "The mentality that (Daniel) Moskos, Clayton (Brandon) Mann, everyone's been pushing to me is just go out there, do the same thing you've been doing, treat it like you're relieving in the first inning. Coming out of the 'pen has been kind of working for me. I get my little alter ego going and you're just attacking from pitch one. So instead of coming in in the sixth inning, I just did it from the first inning." Following Phillips, a sensational group effort from Calvin Faucher, John King, Anthony Bender, Michael Petersen and Pete Fairbanks kept New York quiet and things scoreless. The staff as a whole surrendered just three hits all afternoon. Notes and Quotes - Connor Norby was removed from Sunday's game with left elbow discomfort. Norby wore a 95 mph heater from Christian Scott in the fourth and stayed in the game for a half inning before Graham Pauley entered in his place. "He's sore," said McCullough of the injury. "I hadn't really got a check, got him in a tough spot there, around the elbow area, was able to play another inning of defense, but wasn't gonna be able to swing the bat, and it was starting to stiffen up. Probably have more on that tomorrow." - This was the Marlins' first series sweep of the Mets since May 17-19, 2019. - Hernandez's walk-off grand slam was Miami's first since Kyle Stowers hit his infamous blast off Mason Miller on May 4, 2025. - Miami improves to 1-9 in games when the fourth rotation spot makes a start this season. Chris Paddack, Robby Snelling and Braxton Garrett couldn't get it done, but a sensational effort from Phillips and Co. finally lifts the hex. On Deck Now riding sudden momentum, Miami embarks on a three-city road trip beginning north of the border in Toronto against the defending American League champions. Janson Junk toes the slab for Miami in Monday night's series opener against postseason hero Trey Yesavage. First pitch from the Rogers Centre is set for 7:07. View the full article

Cubs Transactions Chicago Cubs designated 2B Nicky Lopez for assignment. Chicago Cubs recalled RF Kevin Alcántara from Iowa Cubs. Iowa's Five-Run Seventh Pushes The Cubs Past Memphis Iowa erupted for five runs in the bottom of the seventh inning to overtake Memphis and win 6-4 at Principal Park. Trailing 3-1 entering the frame, the Cubs strung together a walk by Brett Bateman and back-to-back singles from leadoff hitter Justin Dean and Jonathon Long to load the bases. BJ Murray then delivered a two-run double to left, with Bateman and Dean both scoring. Cleanup hitter Owen Miller followed with another two-run double that brought Long and Murray home, and Chas McCormick capped the rally with an RBI double that plated Miller. Paul Campbell turned in a steady starting effort, working six innings while allowing three runs on six hits, one walk, and one strikeout. He gave up a two-run home run in the fifth and an RBI double in the third. Gavin Hollowell earned the win after tossing a scoreless seventh. Collin Snider allowed a solo home run in the eighth but recorded a hold, and Christian Roa closed it out with two strikeouts in a scoreless ninth for the save. Dean led the offense with two hits, a run, an RBI, a walk, and a stolen base. Murray finished 2-for-3 with a double, two RBIs, and a walk. Miller went 2-for-4 with a double and two RBIs, and McCormick added two hits and a double in a 2-for-4 effort. Ben Cowles also doubled. James Triantos went 0-for-4. Iowa banged out 12 hits and left eight runners on base. Player AB R H RBI BB K Justin Dean, RF 4 1 2 1 1 1 Jonathon Long, 1B 4 1 1 0 1 1 BJ Murray, LF 3 1 2 2 1 0 Owen Miller, 3B 4 1 2 2 0 0 Chas McCormick, DH 4 0 2 1 0 1 Christian Bethancourt, C 4 0 1 0 0 1 James Triantos, 2B 4 0 0 0 0 1 Ben Cowles, SS 4 1 1 0 0 2 Brett Bateman, CF 3 1 1 0 1 0 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Paul Campbell 6.0 6 3 3 1 1 1 Gavin Hollowell (W, 1-0) 1.0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Collin Snider (H, 2) 1.0 1 1 1 1 2 1 Christian Roa (S, 1) 1.0 0 0 0 0 2 0 Caple's Quality Start Lifts Smokies Past Biscuits In A 2-1 Win Brooks Caple delivered a quality start to lead Knoxville to a 2-1 win over Montgomery at Smokies Stadium. Caple worked six innings, scattering five hits while allowing one earned run on a solo home run in the fourth. He did not walk a batter and struck out four to earn the win. The Smokies scored both of their runs by bringing Alex Ramírez across the plate. In the first inning, Ramírez doubled and then came home on Owen Ayers' RBI single to center. With the game tied at one in the bottom of the eighth, Ramírez singled, eventually moved into scoring position, and scored on cleanup hitter Jefferson Rojas' RBI single to right. Ramírez led the offense, going 3-for-4 with a double, two runs, and a stolen base. Ayers, Rojas, and Karson Simas each contributed a hit, with Simas also drawing a walk and stealing a base. Carter Trice, Andy Garriola, and Hayden Cantrelle each drew a walk as well. The Smokies struck out nine times as a team. Jake Knapp got the start and turned in two scoreless innings, allowing one hit, one walk, and three strikeouts. Marino Santy closed the door in the ninth with a perfect inning and a strikeout to earn the save. Knoxville committed one error and left seven runners on base. Player AB R H RBI BB K Carter Trice, LF 3 0 0 0 1 1 Alex Ramírez, RF 4 2 3 0 0 0 Owen Ayers, DH 4 0 1 1 0 1 Jefferson Rojas, 3B 4 0 1 1 0 1 Andy Garriola, CF 3 0 0 0 1 0 Edgar Alvarez, 1B 4 0 0 0 0 1 Karson Simas, SS 2 0 1 0 1 1 Ariel Armas, C 3 0 0 0 0 2 Hayden Cantrelle, 2B 2 0 0 0 1 2 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Jake Knapp 2.0 1 0 0 1 3 0 Brooks Caple (W, 1-0) 6.0 5 1 1 0 4 1 Marino Santy (S, 2) 1.0 0 0 0 0 1 0 Four-Run Second And Useche's Power Carry South Bend To 5-3 Victory South Bend struck for four runs in the top of the second inning and held on to beat West Michigan 5-3 in Comstock Park. The rally began when Cole Mathis singled and scored on Leonel Espinoza's RBI double to left. Alex Madera walked, and Miguel Useche followed with an RBI single to center to score Espinoza. After a fielder's choice and a walk to leadoff hitter Kane Kepley, Ty Southisene delivered a two-run single to right that brought Useche and Christian Olivo home. Useche later padded the lead with a solo home run in the sixth. Jostin Florentino had a rough start, working two innings while allowing two earned runs on three hits and three walks, though he struck out three. Ben Johnson earned the win by tossing three scoreless innings, allowing just one hit while striking out four. Kenten Egbert worked a scoreless sixth for a hold, and Brayden Spears finished it by working three innings, allowing one run on two hits while striking out four to earn the save. Useche led the offense, going 2-for-4 with two runs, two RBIs, and a home run. Southisene went 2-for-5 with two RBIs. Espinoza added a 1-for-4 effort with a double, a run, and an RBI. Mathis chipped in a hit and a run, and Olivo went 1-for-4 with a stolen base. Kade Snell had a tough night, going 0-for-5 with five strikeouts. The Cubs collected nine hits, struck out 15 times, and left seven runners on base. Player AB R H RBI BB K Kane Kepley, DH 4 0 0 0 1 1 Ty Southisene, SS 5 0 2 2 0 0 Kade Snell, LF 5 0 0 0 0 5 Matt Halbach, 3B 4 0 1 0 0 2 Cole Mathis, 1B 4 1 1 0 0 1 Leonel Espinoza, RF 4 1 1 1 0 1 Alex Madera, 2B 3 0 1 0 1 1 Miguel Useche, C 4 2 2 2 0 1 Christian Olivo, CF 4 1 1 0 0 0 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Jostin Florentino 2.0 3 2 2 3 3 0 Ben Johnson (W, 1-0) 3.0 1 0 0 1 4 0 Kenten Egbert (H, 1) 1.0 0 0 0 0 1 0 Brayden Spears (S, 1) 3.0 2 1 1 0 4 1 Hartshorn's Big Double Not Enough As Pelicans Fall To Cannon Ballers Myrtle Beach put together a three-run rally in the top of the fifth inning to tie the game, but Kannapolis answered with three in the bottom of the frame and held on for a 5-4 win. Trailing 2-0, leadoff hitter Alexis Hernandez and Darlyn De Leon set the rally up with hits before Alexey Lumpuy's RBI single brought De Leon home. Josiah Hartshorn then doubled to right to score Hernandez and Lumpuy, knotting the score at three. Myrtle Beach added one more in the seventh on a Hernandez triple followed by a Lumpuy walk, but the Pelicans stranded the tying run. Noah Edders started and worked two innings, striking out four while allowing one earned run on no hits and one walk. David Bracho took the loss after a rough three innings, allowing four earned runs on three hits and five walks while striking out four. Hayden Frank gave Myrtle Beach a chance to come back, tossing three scoreless innings on two hits and a walk with four strikeouts. Hernandez led the offense, going 3-for-5 with two runs and a triple. Hartshorn finished 1-for-3 with a double, two RBIs, and a walk. De Leon went 2-for-4 with a double, a triple, and a run, and Michael Carico added two hits and a double. Lumpuy walked twice, scored a run, and drove in another in a 1-for-3 effort. The Pelicans collected ten hits, but committed two errors and left seven runners on base. Player AB R H RBI BB K Alexis Hernandez, SS 5 2 3 0 0 2 Alexey Lumpuy, RF 3 1 1 1 2 1 Josiah Hartshorn, CF 3 0 1 2 1 2 Jose Escobar, 2B 4 0 0 0 0 0 Michael Carico, 1B 4 0 2 0 0 1 Derniche Valdez, 3B 4 0 0 0 0 2 Yahil Melendez, DH 4 0 1 0 0 2 Henniel Alcala, C 4 0 0 0 0 1 Darlyn De Leon, LF 4 1 2 0 0 2 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Noah Edders 2.0 0 1 1 1 4 0 David Bracho (L, 0-1) 3.0 3 4 4 5 4 0 Hayden Frank 3.0 2 0 0 1 4 0 Top-20 Prospect Performance Jefferson Rojas: 1-for-4, RBI, K Jaxon Wiggins: DNP Pedro Ramirez: DNP Kevin Alcantara: DNP Josiah Hartshorn: 1-for-3, 2B, 2 RBI, BB, 2 K Ethan Conrad: DNP Kane Kepley: 0-for-4, BB, K Jonathon Long: 1-for-4, R, BB, K James Triantos: 0-for-4, K Cole Mathis: 1-for-4, R, K Owen Ayers: 1-for-4, RBI, K Brooks Caple: 6 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 4 K, 1 HR (W) Juan Cabada: DNP Kaleb Wing: DNP Angel Cepeda: DNP Dominick Reid: DNP Jostin Florentino: 2 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 3 K Ty Southisene: 2-for-5, 2 RBI Will Sanders: DNP Brandon Birdsell: DNP View the full article

Weekly Snapshot Record Last Week: 4-2 (Overall: 30-20) Run Scored Last Week: 28 Runs Surrendered Last Week: 22 Standing: 1st in NL Central Game 45 (5/18) | MIL 9, CHC 3 Game 46 (5/19) | MIL 5, CHC 2 Game 47 (5/20) | MIL 5, CHC 0 Game 48 (5/22) | MIL 5, LAD 1 Game 49 (5/23) | LAD 11, MIL 3 Game 50 (5/24) | LAD 5, MIL 1 Game 45 | Brewers 9, Cubs 3 MIL Starter: Brandon Sporat (4.2 IP, 3 H, 3 BB, 3 ER, 5 k) Top Performers: Jake Bauers (2 H, HR, 4 RBI) Christian Yelich (2 H, 2B, HR, BB, RBI) Shane Drohan (4.1 IP, 4 H, 0 BB, 0 ER, 5 K) The Brewers strolled into Wrigley Field for their first game against the Cubs of the season, and promptly snapped the home team’s 15-game home winning streak. They did with an exclamation point, as well, as two towering home runs from Christian Yelich and Jake Bauers helped to hang eight runs on Cubs starter Shota Imanaga’s ledger, while the duo of Brandon Sporat and Shane Drohan pitched all nine innings for the Brewers. Jake Bauers’ 3-run home run (+9.1 WP%) Game 46 | Brewers 5, Cubs 2 MIL Starter: Jacob Misiorowski (6.0 IP, 3 H, 1 BB, 0 ER, 8 K) Top Performers: Brice Turang (3 H, HR, 2 RBI) Jake Bauers (2 H, RBI) Trevor Megill (1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 BB, 0 ER, 2 K) The Brewers captured the series on Tuesday behind Jacob Misiorowski, who turned in yet another scoreless start, this time twirling six innings to the tune of eight strikeouts. That was plenty for the Brewer offense, who managed to scrape across three runs against Ben Brown through the first five innings, and then had Brice Turang add some insurance with a two-run home run in the 8th. Misiorowski’s Outing Game 47 | Brewers 5, Cubs 0 MIL Starter: Kyle Harrison (7.0 IP, 2 H, BB, 0 ER, 11 K) Top Performers: William Contreras (3 H, BB) David Hamilton (3 H, 3B, RBI) DL Hall (2.0 IP, 0 H, BB, 0, ER, 2 K) Kyle Harrison one-upped the Miz’s outing by helping the Brewers complete their first sweep at Wrigley since 2021, turning in the best start of his young career by going 7 innings of scoreless baseball, striking out 11 Cubs. Meanwhile, David Hamilton had a memorable game for himself, scoring on both a wild pitch and a 3-base error from Pete Crow-Armstrong. David Hamilton’s Little League home run (+22.2 WP%) Game 48 | Brewers 5, Dodgers 1 MIL Starter: Logan Handerson (5.0 IP, 2 H, 3 BB, 0 ER, 7 K) Top Performers: William Contreras (3 H, HR, 3 RBI) Andrew Vaughn (2 H, 2B, RBI) Chad Patrick (1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 BB, 0 ER, SV) Logan Handerson continued the trend of strong starter performances, as on Friday, the Brewers faced the Dodgers for an NLCS rematch. He wound up going five strong innings, keeping the Dodgers offense off the board and striking out seven. Meanwhile, the Brewers jumped all over Justin Wrobleski early, scoring five in the first two innings to take the lead and never look back. William Contreras' 3-run homer (+16.9 WP%) Game 49 | Dodgers 11, Brewers 3 MIL Starter: Robert Gasser (4.1 IP, 4 H, 4 BB, 4 ER, 4 K) Top Performers: Jackson Chourio (2 H, 2 2B) Brice Turang (H, 2 BB, 2B, RBI) Grant Anderson (1.2 IP, 0 H, BB, 0 ER) Saturday's game quickly fell apart after the Brewers jumped out to an early lead against Dodger starter Roki Sasaki, as Robert Gasser and the bullpen struggled with command. In total, Brewers pitchers walked 11 Dodgers on the day, allowed 10 hits, and coughed up 11 runs, while the Brewers' offense went cold after the 3-run first. Brice Turang's RBI double (+9.0 WP%) Game 50 | Dodgers 5, Brewers 1 MIL Starter: Brandon Sproat (4.0 IP, 3 H, 4 BB, 3 ER, 7 K) Top Performers: Carlos Rodríguez (2.0 IP, 0 H, 2 BB, 0 ER) Yoshinobu Yamamoto was a problem the Brewers could not solve last postseason, and in the rubber match on Sunday, the same was true. Brandon Sproat, like Gasser the day before, struggled with command despite matching a career high for strikeouts. That led to the second straight day with a big Dodger inning, which they then rode to a series victory. Joey Ortiz's nifty play at shortstop (+2.6 WP%) Transactions: 05/24/26 - Recalled RHP Carlos Rodriguez from AAA Nashville. 05/24/26 - Optioned LHP Robert Gasser to AAA Nashville. 05/21/26 - Sent RHP Quinn Priester on a rehab assignment to AAA Nashville. 05/20/26 - Sent RHP Peter Strzelecki outright to AAA Nashville. Looking Ahead: Monday, 5/25 - Cardinals @ Brewers - 1:10 PM CDT Tuesday, 5/26 - Cardinals @ Brewers - 6:40 PM CDT Wednesday, 5/27 - Cardinals @ Brewers - 12:40 PM CDT Friday, 5/28 - Brewers @ Astros - 7:10 PM CDT Saturday, 5/29 - Brewers @ Astros - 3:10 PM CDT Sunday, 5/30 - Brewers @ Astros - 1:10 PM CDT View the full article

Box Score: Starting Pitcher: Bailey Ober: 5+ IP, 7 H, 4 ER, 0 BB, 3 K (82 Pitches, 59 Strikes, 71.9%) Home Runs: None Bottom 3 WPA: Brooks Lee (0.32), Travis Adams (0.21), Yoendrys Gómez (0.16) Win Probability Chart (Via BaseballSavant): Winners of five of their past six games and four of their past five series, the Twins are somehow a playoff team, were the season to end today. They have taken the first two games at Fenway Park and sought the sweep, with Bailey Ober taking the mound against working-class hero Sonny Gray. The Twins made Gray work after he retired the first two batters. Trevor Larnach worked the count to 3-2 before getting hit on the foot by a curveball. Josh Bell then walked, before Kody Clemens roped a single into right field to put the Twins on the board first. That would be the end of the damage, but Gray was forced to throw 29 pitches. Meanwhile, Ober looked better than his previous outing, in which he stayed poised but lacked command in his five innings against the Brewers last Sunday. His changeup looked sharp, and he breezed through the first inning. He breezed through the second, as well, except for Masataka Yoshida golfing out a 1-2 change 393 feet to tie the game. There was a steady drizzle during the game, and Ober's command would wobble increasingly as the game progressed. No matter, as the Twins began the third with four consecutive hits, jump-started by a Brooks Lee double. It could have really unraveled for Gray, but Victor Caratini grounded into a double play with no outs and the bases loaded. The play resulted in the Twins' third run, but took some wind out of their sails. Maybe that affected Ober, who started leaking a little arm-side in the fourth. He allowed a ringing double from Wilyer Abreu off the green monster in left, a moonshot from Willson Contreras to tie the game, and then another double off the monster from Yoshida. Ober rebounded to retire the next two hitters, but Marcelo Mayer smashed a hard ground ball down the line (just past the outstretched glove of Clemens at first), and the Red Sox took the lead. The Twins would answer in the sixth. Ryan Kreidler singled with two outs and Orlando Arcia on first, prompting Boston to go to their relief ace, Garrett Whitlock. Austin Martin then laced a hanging slider into the left field corner, scoring Arcia. Lee flipped a single the opposite way, scoring Kreidler, with Martin scoring as well when catcher Carlos Narvaez dropped the relay throw. 6-4 Twins. Anthony Banda and Eric Orze pitched effectively in getting the Twins through innings six and seven, allowing zero baserunners while throwing just 10 pitches each. Arcia delivered his third hit of the game, a double, to lead off the eighth inning. The Twins would squander the opportunity, with Martin striking out with Arcia on third and one out and Lee flying out to end the frame. Taylor Rogers was brought on for the eighth and was greeted with a perfect bunt single up the first base line from Jarren Duran. It was certainly hold-on-to-your-butts time, and even more so when Ceddanne Rafaela launched a line drive over a shallow Martin in right field. But Martin made an over-the-shoulder catch that evoked Willie Mays comparisons from the broadcast (not from me, Mays would have taken a much better route). Abreu then hit a ball off the green monster to put runners on second and third with one out. Rogers was done at that point (and good riddance), and new relief star Yoendrys Gomez was brought in to face the hot-hitting Contreras with the game on the line. He struck out Contreras on a nasty sweeper, and got Yoshida to pop out to right on the first pitch. It wouldn't be pretty in the ninth, Nick Sogard led off with a triple to the gap in right center, and catcher Narváez walked. Gomez threw a great slider to strike out Mayer, but Isiah Kiner-Falefa launched a fly ball he thought was out of the park. It hit the monster, but pinch-runner Connor Wong wasn't running hard the entire way, and the relay throw from Kreidler nabbed Wong at home for the second out. It brought to mind this play at Fenway Park from 2019. The job was not done. Gomez slipped on the mound and balked IKF to third. He then hit Duran with a pitch that, had he not hit him, would have been a wild pitch that scored the tying run. Gómez was lifted for Travis Adams, who got Rafaela to fly to Martin yet again to seal the win. Stuff I'm Tracking: -Today's lineup featured no Byron Buxton, no Luke Keaschall, no Ryan Jeffers, no Royce Lewis and no Matt Wallner. Ask a Twins fan circa March 2026 and ask how that would go. But today, it resulted in six runs on 12 hits. Some better situational hitting, and they could have scored several more. -Anthony Banda has been a little better in May after looking rough in his first month with the Twins. He has six straight scoreless appearances, his walks are down, and his strikeouts are up. His settling into being a functional seventh-inning guy would do wonders for the state of this thin but currently overperforming bullpen. -Caratini looks lost at the plate, taking strikes, swinging at balls, and only putting something in play when it's on the ground and could result in a double play (seemingly). And we have him for next year, too! What’s Next: The Twins travel to Chicago to begin a four-game set against the White Sox as Zebby Matthews (1-1, 1.38 ERA) takes on lefty Anthony Kay (3-1, 4.27 ERA). The White Sox have been better this year, led by rookie Munetaka Murakami (17 HR, .922 OPS) and second year shortstop Colson Montgomery (13 HR, .797 OPS). Their pitching has held up, led by Davis Martin who has seven wins and a 2.04 ERA. Postgame Interviews: Coming soon Bullpen Usage Chart: WED THU FRI SAT SUN TOT Gómez 36 0 13 0 22 71 Rojas 0 0 0 45 0 45 Morris 10 0 0 32 0 42 Adams 0 0 29 0 1 30 Banda 0 0 14 0 10 24 Orze 0 0 14 0 10 24 Rogers 0 0 0 6 13 19 Woods Richardson 0 0 0 0 0 0 View the full article

MIAMI, FL — On Sunday morning, Robby Snelling returned to loanDepot park for the first time after undergoing left elbow UCL repair with an internal brace. Snelling, Fish On First's No. 2 prospect, made his major league debut in the series opener against the Washington Nationals. He went five innings allowing three runs on five hits (one home run), four walks and two strikeouts. It was during the start that the young lefty felt a pull in his forearm. "I don’t know what it’s supposed to feel like," Snelling said. "Obviously, now I do. I threw a breaking ball. It was in the middle of the outing and felt a little different than all the other pitches. I threw another fastball, I was still 95-96, and was still locating. I wasn’t super worried about it. I thought it just came out different. I wasn’t hurting at all after that. Nothing really tightened up, and I was able to go throughout the rest of the outing the way that I did." It wasn't until Snelling threw his bullpen session in Minnesota on the following road trip that he reported discomfort. "I just couldn’t trust my arm to be able to go out on that start and try and throw 95." Snelling joins another highly ranked Marlins pitching prospect, Kevin Defrank, in being sidelined for the remainder of the season due to an arm injury. The organization's top overall prospect, Thomas White, is also on the injured list, though that is believed to be the result of a minor blister issue. Adam Mazur, who the Marlins acquired in a package with Snelling in 2024, underwent a full UCL reconstruction earlier this year. Just a few years ago, any injury like Snelling's would have been addressed with Tommy John surgery, but an innovative internal brace technique could speed up his rehab. The Marlins announced an expected absence of 10-12 months, which Snelling called the "best-case scenario." With that being said, the 22-year-old was understandably sad about baseball being "ripped away" from him mere days after reaching the big leagues. "Getting a little taste of it and realizing how special it is to be up here and how important winning is, it’s refreshing," Snelling said. "In the minor leagues, you obviously want to win, but a lot of is about development, and when you finally get up to the big leagues, development is important, but every time you step out onto the field, you just want to win with your team and the guys that you are with in the locker room, so being removed so quickly from that is really hard.” When asked who he will go to for advice about overcoming this setback, one name that he mentioned was Texas Rangers starting pitcher and former Marlin Nathan Eovaldi. "He’s been through a lot in his career, and he’s been a great soundboard for me to be able to use," Snelling said. If not for the injury, Snelling would have had an extended opportunity to establish himself in the Marlins rotation. With him out of the picture for the rest of 2026, the current starting five consists of Sandy Alcantara, Eury Pérez, Max Meyer, Janson Junk and Tyler Phillips. Newly converted to a starter after dominating out of the bullpen, Phillips held the New York Mets scoreless for 3 ⅔ innings on Sunday. View the full article

The Chicago Cubs have suffered yet another blow to their starting rotation. The Cubs on Sunday placed right-handed starter Edward Cabrera on the 15-day injured list with a blister on his right middle finger. Left-hander Jordan Wicks was called up from Triple-A Iowa. The fortunate news is this is just a blister, meaning Cabrera is likely to miss just the minimum 15 days. The move was backdated to Thursday, so Cabrera could return next Sunday. Cabrera was the Cubs' big offseason rotation addition, acquired in a trade with the Miami Marlins. The Cubs' rotation is already extremely banged up with Cade Horton out for the season, Matthew Boyd recently having minor knee surgery and Justin Steele still not back after having a setback in his return from UCL revision repair surgery. Wicks will be making his season debut with the Cubs. He has made seven appearances, all starts, at Triple-A, with a 4.44 ERA in 26⅓ innings, walking 12 and striking out 20. He appeared in eight games with the Cubs last year, all in relief, with a 6.28 ERA in 14⅓ innings, walking one and striking out 13. The Cubs will need another starter at some point this week as they have a four-game series vs. the Pittsburgh Pirates, then three against the St. Louis Cardinals, all on the road. View the full article

Walks will get you a ticket back to the minors. The Milwaukee Brewers on Sunday optioned left-handed starter Robert Gasser back to Triple-A Nashville and called up right-hander Carlos Rodriguez. Gasser walked four in 4⅓ innings in an 11-3 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers on Saturday. In fact, Gasser's line was littered with fours: 4⅓ IP, 4 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 4 BB, 4 K. This was his second start since being called up May 17, when he started against the Minnesota Twins. In that game, Gasser went four innings, allowing three runs (two earned) on three hits, two walks and three hit batters while striking out three. Rodriguez is up for the second time. He made two relief appearances in April, allowing one run (a homer) in four innings on five hits with no walks and five strikeouts. With Gasser not in the rotation, the Brewers will need a starter, likely to come next weekend against the Houston Astros. Right-hander Coleman Crow is a likely choice. View the full article

Boston Red Sox Farm System Snapshot Triple-A Worcester Red Sox Series vs. Rochester Red Wings (Washington Nationals): 0-5 Season Record: 23-25 Worcester’s skid reached five as the WooSox lost 7-5. Michael Sansone got the start, looking to put Worcester back in the win column amid a four-game losing streak. Unfortunately for Sansone, things went downhill early. Over a five and ⅓ inning appearance, Sansone allowed four runs on four hits and a walk, allowing a two-run home run in the first. In the sixth, he turned the ball over to Eduardo Rivera who wasn’t much better. He struck out four, same as Sansone, but allowed another three runs on two hits and three walks. After one and ⅔ innings he was relieved by Noah Song. Song was excellent in his closing position. Executing two hitless innings and K’ing two. Despite a strong backend, it wasn’t enough to keep it close enough for the offense. The offense looked better than it has as of late, totaling ten hits and drawing four walks. In 15 opportunities with runners in scoring position, the WooSox converted four times. Facing a six-run hole in the sixth, Vinny Capra drove in the WooSox first runs of the day on a single, scoring Max Ferguson and Nate Eaton. Mikey Romero added another run in the seventh, scoring Jason Delay on a sac-fly. Later in the inning, Kristian Campbell drove in Nathan Hickey with a single, adding another run. In the eight, Max Ferguson scored Matt Lloyd on a single to center field, marking the final run of the evening for Worcester. Eaton, Campbell, and Lloyd each collected multi-hit games as the offense started to look better. Double-A Portland Sea Dogs Series vs. Reading Fightin Phils (Philadelphia Phillies): 4-1 Season Record: 21-22 Portland’s four-game win streak came to an end as they lost 7-3. Jedixson Paez put together one of his best outings of the season, pitching three perfect innings to start the game. He K’d four as he lowered his ERA to 4.22. In immediate relief, Dalton Rogers nearly matched Paez. He put together a near-perfect three innings of his own, allowing a walk as he struck out three. However, it all went south for the Sea Dogs when Joe Vogatsky entered the game. Vogatsky was lit up over just ⅔ innings. He allowed five hits and six runs as Reading blew the game open. Finally in damage control, Max Carlson took the mound. He allowed another run as he struck out three to close the game. Two excellent outings from Paez and Rogers were wasted as Vogatsky let the game slip through his fingers. Portland’s offense, including Franklin Arias, was hot despite the lopsided final score. The Sea Dogs had 12 hits, but didn’t draw a walk all game. Additionally, they struggled to drive runners in, going 1-for-7 with RISP and stranding nine runners. The only two runs came early. In the third, Nate Baez got things started with an RBI single to drive in Arias. Arias scored again in the sixth on a single from Tyler McDonough. The bats were ineffective from that point on despite lots of baserunners. Baez had three hits, while Johanfran Garcia and Arias had two apiece. High-A Greenville Drive Series @ Frederick Keys (Baltimore Orioles): 1-1 Season Record: 16-25 Greenville’s game was cancelled yet again, marking the third straight contest postponed by inclement weather. Low-A Salem RidgeYaks Series @ Hill City Howlers (Cleveland Guardians): 2-3 Season Record: 19-25 Salem fell short by just one run, losing 5-4 on Saturday evening. Leighton Finley was excellent in his starting appearance. He notched five frames of work, allowing three hits and striking out six opponents. He lowered his ERA to 3.41. Harry Blum couldn’t keep the positive momentum rolling, however. He faltered in his two-inning appearance, allowing four runs (one unearned) on just two hits and three walks. Blum got Saturday’s loss, and Adam Bates got a blown save for his final inning of work. Blum allowed an additional run on two hits and two walks. His ERA rose to a sky-high 10.07 as he continued to struggle to turn his season around. The offense fell just short on Saturday as 17 of the 32 at-bats resulted in a strikeout for Salem. After a six-inning pitching duel, Kleyver Salazar broke the game open with a one-run double to score Starlyn Nunez. After advancing to third on Salazar’s double, Andrews Opata scurried home on a wild pitch to give Salem a two-run advantage. After allowing five unanswered runs, Enddy Azocar came to the plate with two on in the ninth. Looking to shorten the lead, the right-handed Azocar drove in two on an opposite field triple. However, the RidgeYaks failed to capitalize on the prime opportunity to tie the game. View the full article

On Friday, May 22nd, in Boston, Brooks Lee played a position other than shortstop for the first time since July 28th, 2025. Carlos Correa, the Twins’ starting shortstop between 2022 and mid-2025, left the following day’s game with a migraine and never played a game for Minnesota again. Since July 29th, Lee has started at shortstop in 95 games. But those days may be close to being over. There are a number of factors at play here. First, Lee himself. When Lee was drafted eighth overall in 2022, scouts believed he could be a serviceable MLB shortstop, with a pro arm and sure hands, but a lack of range. Since then, his defensive outlook has diminished, and it has felt like Lee has been asked to play shortstop out of necessity. He has turned in some good plays, but he seems overmatched, with -8 outs above average (OAA) in 1,193 innings at the position, and -5 OAA just this season alone (390 innings). He’s graded out at second and third base as an approximately average-to-slightly-below-average fielder, and one of those two positions is likely where he needs to settle if he wants a multi-year career as a starting player. However, to this point, Minnesota has relied on him at shortstop due to a dearth of other options. Tristan Gray, the team’s utility infielder through the first two months of the 2026 season, is a 30-year-old out of his athletic prime who can play some shortstop but shouldn’t be counted on as the team’s everyday shortstop, nor has he been playing every day at any position. However, the team recently called up another utility infielder, Ryan Kreidler, who has a much different profile than Gray. Kreidler, despite his hot start at the plate (.313/.405/.656 with 3 home runs in 37 plate appearances), is not a good hitter. He’s been among the worst hitters in baseball during his five-year MLB career. However, he’s a bona fide shortstop. Prior to Friday’s game, he had played five games in center field and five games at third base, only starting at shortstop in a game Lee did not play. Friday, though, he played shortstop, the position where he’s most valuable, for the first time getting precedence over Lee. And Saturday, he started at the hot corner again. In fact, on the broadcast, Cory Provus noted that the club has made it clear that Lee will spend a lot of time at third in the near future. This alignment makes the most of both players’ skill sets when both are on the dirt. Kreidler is the best shortstop on the team, so it makes sense to play him at the toughest position. Lee has a profile best served at third base, given his lack of range. Honestly, the Twins’ third utility infielder, Orlando Arcia, should also get precedence over Lee at short. Neither Kreidler nor Arcia nor Gray is likely to be the long-term answer at shortstop, though. Instead, this move also appears to be clearing a path for Twins Daily’s #2 prospect, shortstop Kaelen Culpepper, to make his debut in the not-so-distant future. Culpepper, the 21st overall pick in 2024, has been heating up at Triple-A St. Paul over the last few weeks, with an OPS over .900 over the past month. Culpepper started the season slowly, getting his first taste of Triple-A pitching this season. He’s also bounced around the diamond this spring, but two-thirds of his appearances have been at shortstop. Culpepper is more athletic and rangy than Lee with a plus arm, though there are questions about whether he has enough range to cut it as an MLB shortstop long-term. If he’s merely average, though, he’s a better option than Lee. Jamie Cameron wrote a great profile on Culpepper earlier this month that I encourage you to read. Long-term, the Twins probably hope a player like Twins Daily's #7 prospect Marek Houston will take over shortstop duties and move Culpepper to second or third base, but by all indications, the Twins seem to prefer Culpepper over Lee at short, necessitating a move to third (or second) base at some point for the three-year veteran. And the Twins recently reduced their 40-man roster to 39, designating Luis Garcia for assignment Saturday morning, which opens the door to add Culpepper to both the active and 40-man roster without much resistance. There’s another name at play, though—the reason third base is open for Lee to play, at least sporadically for now. Royce Lewis, the Twins’ starting third baseman (when healthy) since 2023, was demoted to Triple-A earlier this week after mustering just a .539 OPS in his first 119 plate appearances of 2026. For the foreseeable future, he will be in St. Paul (which also cuts into Culpepper’s time playing positions beyond shortstop), leaving major league playing time available at third base. It’d be a bit surprising if Lee exclusively played third for the time being, though the Twins don't currently have a player who plays third but doesn't play shortstop on their roster. It’s unclear whether—or if—Lewis will return to major-league action, or at what position. As bad as Lee has looked early this season at shortstop, Lewis looked as bad or worse at third base. It’s possible that Lewis, along with getting his hitting back on track, may need to learn to play another position to get back up to the majors, but that conversation is months away. As a caveat, the Twins have another struggling infielder—Luke Keaschall—to worry about. Perhaps Lee or Culpepper (or Arcia or Gray) might also be asked to man the keystone at some point, which complicates this analysis. But for right now, it looks like we’re in the early stages of Brooks Lee’s short tenure as Minnesota’s shortstop coming to an unceremonious end, and the newly-vacated hot corner is as good a place as any to let him settle in, so long as he shows something at the plate*. *it’s unclear that he’s shown enough at the plate yet View the full article

The Cubs offense got off to a great start. They batted .261/.353/.427 as a team through the end of April, and scored nearly 5.5 runs per game. That was never going to prove sustainable, of course. The only two teams in Cubs history to score at that kind of pace all year were the 1929 and 1930 clubs, and in those years, offense was at such a frenzy that they could hardly help it. It didn't have to get this bad, though. Since May 1, the Cubs are batting .202/.306/.331. That's why they're currently mired in a stretch of seven straight losses, and 11 in their last 13 games. Technically, none of that is Michael Busch's fault. In fact, his was the last piece of slumbering lumber to limber up this spring. He had a .576 OPS through the end of April, but is batting .275/.440/.493 in May. That's a tremendous line, indicative of a player who has tapped into the value of a shrunken strike zone and become an unstoppable OBP guy. He's walked 19 times and struck out just 20 times in 91 plate appearances this month, entering Sunday's games. Even over the last four contests, in which he's gone 0-for-13, he's managed a pair of free passes. However, something really is amiss with Busch, even now. He's missing some serious bat speed, and more than that, the timing and angle of his swing are a hair off. He's still making good swing decisions, which has kept him afloat in the OBP department, but the power that made him such a dynamo at the top of the lineup last season is absent. Can he get it back? Well, firstly, of course he can. What we really want to know is how likely he is to actually do it, and to estimate that, we need to reacquaint ourselves with Busch's swing a bit. As you surely remember, last year, he found something that turned him from a good hitter with slightly above-average power to a borderline All-Star who hit 34 homers. He actually swung a tick less fast than he had in 2024, but he made more solid contact, thanks to a superb bat path that matched a well-organized plan of attack. He hit the ball hard, and he hit it hard in the air, often to the pull field. This season, that's just not happening. Busch's average exit velocity is down from 92.2 MPH in 2025 to 88.5. His average exit velocity on batted balls in the launch angle sweet spot (8°-32°) is down 2.4 MPH. His average launch angle on hard hit balls (95+ MPH) is down 5°. As good as Busch has been in May, it's still mostly because he's drawing walks and putting the ball in play. There's little sign of the power he had in 2025. Here, in two videos, is why. The first is a home run Busch hit against Miles Mikolas last year, on the 4th of July. WU9rbDJfV0ZRVkV3dEdEUT09X1ZWTlZBVjBCVXdFQUNWRlJYd0FIQWxkUUFGbFhCd1VBVkZRTkJBY0ZVd0FHVXdJQQ==.mp4 The second is a similar pitch from last month, on which he hit a well-struck but harmless flyout. TUFYS05fWGw0TUFRPT1fQmxWUVUxWldVd0VBWEZzS0FnQUhCUVJTQUZoVEFsa0FBMU1CQUFRSENWQUhWZ2RU.mp4 The telling moment in the two swings comes, perhaps unsurprisingly, just as he's making contact. To illustrate the difference, I've added an arc to each, going from his belt buckle to his left elbow by way of his armpit. Now, to be clear, that arc is not quite how any hitter would or should think about the problem in Busch's swing this year. Nobody's mental cue for a successful power stroke is the angle of this imagined arc. But it does a fine job of highlighting what's happening. Busch's hands get farther from his body earlier in his swing this season. He's not tucking his back elbow in and powering his swing by forcing that top hand through a firm front side, the way he did last year. That's led to a slight flattening of his swing. In the above examples, there's another key variable. Last year's homer came when Busch was ahead in the count, 1-0. He could sit on a fastball in and be ready to turn on it, with his front shoulder rolling backward and his torso twisting at top speed to power a short stroke with lots of long-ball potential. This season's pitch came with two strikes, so part of the reason Busch is letting his hands get away from his body is to cover the outer edge. He can't be as aggressive with that turn of his upper half, either, because he has to respect the possibility of a breaking ball a bit more. This is a real difference, but if it were an isolated case, it wouldn't be especially telling. It's not isolated, though. In fact, here's Busch getting all over a two-strike pitch that was a bit away from him (and harder) last year. eHk5b0RfVjBZQUhRPT1fVWdRRkFGSlNVQXNBRGdZTFVRQUhBZ2RYQUFBRlVRTUFDZ1lOVWdVQVYxY0FWVmNG.mp4 And here's him scorching a ball, but to the big part of the field, on a 1-0 count, just this Friday. YVlkam5fV0ZRVkV3dEdEUT09X1VGZFFVRk1NVWdjQVhWUlFVQUFIQUFaVUFGa0RBVkVBQUFNQkNRc0VWMVVIVkZOVw==.mp4 Once again, we'll look at the moment of contact on each swing. Even when he extends his arms, this year, Busch is going around his front side, more than through it. Some of the difference lies in him letting energy flow through his whole frame better, from his feet to the end of his bat, but some, again, lies in him flattening out slightly. He's a bit more focused on hitting the ball, this year, and a bit less focused on hitting the ball hard, in the air, to a productive part of the park. The specifict of the focus and conviction he had at the plate last year is just not quite as fine this spring, and the results have spoken to that. If his bat speed remains down—and it's markedly down, about 1.5 MPH from last year—he might have to make a larger adjustment to his plan at the plate than he's made so far. He saw a surge in bat speed once the weather ceased to be frigid, but he's plunged back down on that front over the last fortnight. He'll need to organize his zone differently, if he's no longer able to rotate as quickly as he did last season and/or if the flattening of his bat path is permanent. Otherwise, some of his best contact will continue to be wasted, and Busch will settle back into being what he was in 2024. That was a solid hitter, but the Cubs' offense needs him to be more than that. They're relying on him much more now than they were in 2024, when they platooned him and when they had Cody Bellinger to help them punish righties. Busch doesn't have to hit 34 home runs again, but walking at a career-high rate isn't worth it if he trades in his power in the process. Right now, that's exactly what he's doing, because his swing isn't right. View the full article

All that the San Diego Padres' top prospect had to do was improve in two areas: quality contact and staying healthy. Through 34 games with the Double-A San Antonio Missions, Ethan Salas has accomplished just that. In this video, we break down the adjustments Salas has made and when to expect his big-league debut. View the full article

Worcester, MA — They say baseball can be like a whirlwind. It's a hectic sport than can change on a dime A prime example is how the WooSox had a player go from not being on the active roster to being the pitcher of record in the same day. In the span of a few hours, acting manager Iggy Suarez had to quickly alter his game plan; starting the day, the Worcester Red Sox had activated Matt Lloyd off of the injured list and in response moved Nathan Hickey to the development list. That was quickly changed as Roman Anthony was placed on the injured list by Boston. Needing a bat, the organization recalled Mickey Gasper to the big-league club and opened a roster spot once more for Hickey. “It happened quick. I mean, that move was made earlier and then we go out for B.P [batting practice] and the Mickey move happened. We had the [roster] spot so Hickey comes back,” Suarez explained. The acting manager admitted that right away he deals with the admin part of the roster when this happens, as the farm director had to get league approval to activate Hickey off the developmental list. It’s been a long season for Boston Red Sox prospect Nathan Hickey. The former catcher turned first baseman has not played often on the team due to a crowded infield that has forced Nick Sogard and Mickey Gasper over to the cold corner (prior to their promotions). And with Matt Lloyd off the injured list playing time is still hard to come by. The former fifth-round pick out of the University of Florida has made it into 18 games, hitting just .200/.327/.422 with a double, three home runs and six RBIs. In 2025, Hickey was a big piece in the lineup for Worcester, as his 17 home runs were second on the team while leading the offense with 75 RBIs. But with the prior need to keep 40-man roster guys such as Sogard and Gasper in the lineup, he has often been the odd-man out. Despite that, he’s found a way to stay ready while unlocking a new and unexpected part of his game: emergency pitcher. With the WooSox always in need of pitching help, the team has turned to position player pitching when the game has either gotten out of control or the team has run out of available pitchers for the game. In both situations, it’s been Hickey who has stepped up and pitched. So far in 2026, he’s pitched in four games, giving the team 3 1/3 innings while allowing just one run on three hits and two walks. He also struck out one batter. In Hickey’s latest outing, he pitched the 12th inning of the May 7 game against Scranton, earning the win. Hickey has found enjoyment out of pitching, having offered to go in and pitch when the team needed help. But despite being a position player, Hickey doesn’t pitch like one. So far on the season, he’s topped out at 87 mph and hasn’t thrown the usual eephus pitch like others in his situation; he genuinely tries to sequence his way through opposing lineups. “I was just flicking it. In high school I’m pretty sure I was up to 95 [mph] so I can get it up there. But I’m not, it’s been cold, so I’m out there shivering. I’m trying to throw the ball,” Hickey admitted with a laugh. “I’m not trying to throw it by anybody. Just get it in the zone and if I throw it too soft, I feel like I won’t have any idea where it’s going.” It isn’t often that teams turn to a position player to pitch. It’s even rarer when both teams are forced to use a position player. In his lone inning Hickey out-dueled Edinson Duran to claim the win. Hickey, however, didn’t even realize it, as the thought of winning was more important than earning the win. “[Not] until the game was over and then like four guys came out and were like ‘Hey bro, you got the win’ and I was like, oh, that’s fine. I mean it was cool,” Hickey admitted with a smile. To say it hasn’t been the season Hickey predicted it would is fair. However, his importance to the team is well known, whether on the mound or at-bat. Especially for Suarez as he handles the current roster crunch. “He’s like, ‘Hey, so what’s the plan today?’ I was like you. Are you ready? How’s the arm feel? Good, he’s throwing. Always an option, he knows that,” Suarez joked when asked before the May 22 game if Hickey would be available for innings if needed. Despite the consistent presence as an emergency pitcher, Suarez still makes it a priority to give him a heads up before the game. “Seriously, like, just be ready in case. If things get sideways and we mess around with a tied game late and we got no more, you know, you’re gonna be the guy. Again, we don’t want to ambush those guys all of a sudden by going ‘Hey, Hickey, warm up’. So, he’s following along to the game, and we realize we’re running out of pitching. He’ll start loosening.” But despite that, there’s always one consistent with Hickey’s pitching and the team. “He’s always available,” Suarez admitted with a large smile. View the full article

When Rodolfo Duran was called up by the San Diego Padres to replace injured catcher Luis Campusano a couple weeks ago, there were some who clamored for Ethan Salas to get the call instead. After all, Salas, Padres Mission's No. 1 prospect, is the future of Friars backstops. In fact, president of baseball operations A.J. Preller is on record from a recent radio appearance as saying that Salas could handle a major-league pitching staff right now. Salas' defense has never been a question. More so, it has been Salas' offensive ability, which helped make him the No. 1 prospect in the 2023 international free-agent class, that has been questioned. After a good debut as a 16-year-old in 2023, the left-handed hitter's offense took a step back in 2024, where he had a .206/.288/.311 slash line with four homers and 53 RBIs with nine steals with the High-A Fort Wayne TinCaps. Despite that production, the Padres kept challenging Salas and promoted him to the Double-A San Antonio Missions for 2025. But his season ended after just 10 games due to a stress reaction in his lower back. This year, though, Salas has regained his offensive prowess. Through Thursday, Salas with slashing .299/.368/.496 with six homers, 24 RBIs and nine stolen bases. The Padres likely want Salas to continue to experience offensive success, which is why he remains at Double-A. A promotion to the Triple-A El Paso Chihuahuas will come, perhaps by the end of June at the latest. That also helped Salas jump up national top-100 lists after falling back in 2025. Baseball America has Salas at No. 22, while MLB Pipeline checks in at No. 52. At a premium position such as catcher, having one tremendous prospect is a boon. But it doesn't end there for the Padres. In fact, the Friars have more top-end depth behind the plate than any of the other 29 MLB teams. And that isn't even taking Duran into consideration since he is no longer a prospect after 11 seasons in the minors. With Salas at Double-A San Antonio, the Padres also have key prospects at High-A Fort Wayne and with the Low-A Lake Elsinore Storm. Those would be Lamar King Jr. at Fort Wayne, as well as Ty Harvey and Truitt Madonna at Lake Elsinore. Harvey is No. 7 on Padres Mission's Top 20 prospect list, King is No. 10 and Madonna No. 13. Here is a look at the three prospects beyond Salas (all stats updated prior to this weekend's games): Ty Harvey, Low-A Lake Elsinore Storm A fifth-round draft choice in 2025 out of Inspiration Academy in Florida, the 19-year-old had a brief cameo with the Storm last year, appearing in seven games. This is his first full season in the pros, with that being interrupted by a quad injury that cost him three weeks from April 14-May 4. He recently rejoined the Storm, going 6-for-14 in his first four games following a rehab assignment in the Arizona Complex League. Harvey has bounced between catcher and DH, even seeing a game at first base, just to get his bat into the lineup and with having two superb catchers at Lake Elsinore. The 6-foot-1, 215-pound Harvey was drafted due to his power bat and his excellent arm. Those skills are what earned him a scholarship to Florida State, but the Padres gave him a $1.5 million signing bonus to pull him away from college. His offensive skills have certainly been on display in his young pro career, with a slash line of .345/.465/.431 this year in 19 games. He has yet to homer, but does have five doubles, nine RBIs and five stolen bases. He has also shown patience at the plate by drawing 20 walks, although he has struck out 28 times. The quad injury means that Harvey is likely to spend the entire season with the Storm, unless he hits his way to Fort Wayne. KING_C_0521.mp4 Lamar King Jr., High-A Fort Wayne TinCaps The 22-year-old is in his fourth season of pro ball after being drafted in the fourth round out of Calvert Hall College High School in Maryland in 2023. Most notably, he is the son of former NFL defensive end Lamar King, a first-round draftee who had 12 sacks in five seasons (1999-2003) with the Seattle Seahawks, so you can see where the younger King gets his 6-foot-3, 215-pound physique from. The Padres were able to pull King away from a commitment to Georgia Tech for a signing bonus of $502,800. His draft profile was more of a power threat, but King has shown a keen ability to get on base and make contact, drawing 20 walks in 37 games with the TinCaps after 44 in 105 games in 2025 between Lake Elsinore and Fort Wayne. His career got off to a rough start with a concussion and dislocating his right (throwing) shoulder while sliding, which led to surgery that ate into his 2024 season. That shoulder injury has also led to speculation that King could be a better fit at first base. This year, he has thrown out six of 24 base stealers (25%) in 15 games behind the plate. He has also played first base in eight games and been the designated hitter 13 times. King does have three homers to go along with a .258/.371/.391 slash line in 37 games. He has also stolen nine bases in 10 tries after swiping 21 in 24 attempts in 2025, during which he had a slash line of .274/.353/.384 with four homers and 44 RBIs in 105 games. His athleticism behind the plate makes him an attractive prospect, but needs more work behind the plate if that is where he is going to end up. HARVEY_C_0521.mp4 Truitt Madonna, Low-A Lake Elsinore Storm Yet another physical specimen at 6-foot-2 and 215 pounds, the 11th-round draft pick in 2025 out of Ballard High School in Seattle signed with the Padres for $654,000 instead of going to UCLA. Madonna is more raw offensively than Harvey and King, but does hit the ball with power to all fields when he does make contact. Madonna benefited from Harvey's injury to see most of the time at catcher and is second on the Storm with 12 doubles, while putting up a .271/.366/.421 slash line in 38 games with 27 RBIs and nine stolen bases in 13 attempts. He has struck out a lot, going down 47 times while drawing 21 walks. His 2026 has come after some time at the end of 2025 at Lake Elsinore, where he had a .185/.267/.278 slash line in 14 games with no homers and five RBIs. Had had six walks and 23 strikeouts. MADONNA_C_0521.mp4 He doesn't have a terrific arm and is a little more rigid in his movements, which puts him behind Harvey and King. But if he is able to solve his strikeout problem and if the power comes about, there is a possibility of a position chance (he has also played a bit at first base this year) to keep his prospect shine going. View the full article

Devin Williams slapped Mark Vientos on the shoulder and roared toward the Mets dugout last Sunday at Citi Field while the crowd showered him with applause. Austin Wells had grounded into a double play. Vientos’ lightning-quick play at first base to start the classic “3-6-3” double play with shortstop Bo Bichette ended the Yankees’ rally and left them scoreless in the top of the tenth inning. The revamped Williams once again exceeded expectations. He did it by retiring all three hitters he faced to earn his sixth save of the season — his fourth consecutive hitless appearance. Then, after Tyrone Taylor’s dramatic game-tying homer in the bottom of the ninth on Sunday made it 6-6, Williams delivered again in the biggest moment, giving the Mets a chance to win the Subway Series at home. And they did. Carson Benge hit a walk-off grounder, and the Mets defeated the Yankees 7-6 in the series finale. The Yankees have not won the Subway Series since sweeping the Mets in 2017. Every pitch carries pressure, every inning feels heavier, especially after the Mets’ rocky start in April. For much of April, the Mets bullpen created a strange feeling: too much talent to look this vulnerable. It was not a velocity issue. It was not a lack of stuff. It was something harder to identify at first glance — and far more dangerous for a contender. Their top relievers had lost the ability to control how hitters reacted against them. Swings no longer looked uncomfortable. At-bats stopped feeling rushed. Opposing lineups entered the late innings believing they could survive them. And in modern baseball, especially for teams built to compete in October, that changes everything. A dominant bullpen shortens games. It allows managers to aggressively navigate the first six innings knowing the game can effectively end in the seventh. That is exactly what the Mets stopped having for several weeks. Devin Williams looked like a pitcher trapped between two versions of himself. Luke Weaver, whose recent reinvention had quietly become one of the most fascinating stories among relievers, began losing the depth and precision that allowed him to avoid damage. The result came quickly: too many extended innings, too much hard contact, and too many situations where every lead started feeling fragile. But May has looked completely different. And the numbers help explain why. Improvements From Devin Williams and Luke Weaver Split Pitcher Rslt G Dec IP H R ER HR BB SO SO% GB% BF ERA Last 10 games Devin Williams 8-2 9 W-L:2-0,Sv:4 9 2/3 2 0 0 0 2 11 40.7% 43.8% 27 0.00 Previous 6 games Devin Williams 3-3 6 W-L:1-1,Sv:1,BSv:1 4 13 8 8 1 4 9 31.0% 26.1% 29 18.00 Last 8 games Luke Weaver 8-0 6 W-L:0-0,Hld:3 9 1/3 6 0 0 0 4 14 37.9% 44.4% 29 0.00 Previous 7 games Luke Weaver 1-6 7 W-L:1-1,BSv:2,Hld:1 7 9 8 8 2 2 5 15.6% 50.0% 32 10.29 The statistical differences are dramatic enough to feel almost unreal. Williams went from allowing eight runs in four innings to stringing together double-digit nearly flawless appearances. Weaver went from a stretch where hitters were barreling baseballs consistently to a scoreless run while nearly doubling his ability to generate swings and misses. A large part of the Mets’ collapse in April felt inevitable whenever Williams and Weaver struggled. The results are there. Williams’ rough outings were part of a 3-3 stretch for the club in the six appearances before his current streak of nine nearly perfect relief outings. Weaver’s struggles came within an even more chaotic stretch, with the Mets going 1-6. And it makes sense: Weaver pitches before Williams. If he falters, Williams often never becomes an option because the scoreboard changes and the Mets’ chances of winning disappear before the ninth inning arrives. But the most important development is not simply the reduction in damage. It is the way both pitchers regained control of at-bats. When Williams struggled, his innings felt long. Hitters no longer looked uncomfortable working from behind in counts. The changeup still moved, but something fundamental had disappeared: the visual effect of his entire arsenal. His famous changeup has always been devastating, but it never worked in isolation. The pitch survives because of the threat of the fastball. That is exactly what the newest data shows. How They Are Reclaiming Their Dominance Pitcher Total Pitch Pitch% BA ISO xBA xOBP xSLG BABIP Whiffs% Barrel% K% Williams, Devin 274 FF 16.1 .000 .000 .093 .194 .171 .000 52.9 0 44.4 Williams, Devin 274 CH 12.4 .000 .000 .091 .167 .113 .000 47.6 0 41.7 Weaver, Luke 311 CH 13.8 .067 .000 .097 .203 .131 .125 32.3 0 41.2 Weaver, Luke 311 FF 17.4 .333 .000 .215 .294 .240 .600 3.8 0 40 Weaver, Luke 311 FC 7.4 .500 .000 .495 .495 .565 .500 60 0 0 The table explains something essential about Williams: his dominance returned once he reestablished vertical aggression with the fastball. During April, too many fastballs drifted into neutral zones, particularly at heights where hitters could stay balanced and recognize the changeup early. The result was devastating for a pitcher whose effectiveness depends on sequential deception. The new whiff chart against the four-seam fastball reveals a completely different reality. Williams has returned to attacking above the strike zone, especially in the upper inside quadrants, where swing-and-miss rates have exploded. Entire zones are now producing extreme whiff percentages, completely changing the dynamic of the at-bat. That happens because the fastball does not necessarily need to generate weak contact to dominate. Its effect comes from accelerating decisions. When the fastball explodes at the top of the zone with vertical life, hitters feel forced to begin their swing earlier. And that is where Williams’ real trick appears: the changeup comes out of the exact same visual tunnel before disappearing beneath the bat too late for hitters to adjust. Williams had allowed an astonishing .857 BABIP during the previous six-game stretch. His weapons were completely disconnected. Now, opponents have dropped to a .071 BABIP against him. It is not only that he is striking hitters out and generating elite swing-and-miss rates with the fastball. He is also eliminating damaging contact. That is why both pitches are functioning so aggressively at the same time. The fastball owns a 52.9% whiff rate. The changeup sits at 47.6%. Neither pitch has allowed a barrel. Hitters are making the wrong decisions from the very beginning of the at-bat. That difference may look subtle from the outside, but it completely transforms the offensive experience against a reliever. In April, hitters looked like they were waiting for mistakes. Now they look reactive. Weaver found his adjustment from a different place, but one equally important. His problem was never the total absence of swings and misses. The issue emerged when he lost the ability to control the type of contact he allowed. Too many changeups stayed over the plate or entered trajectories where hitters could fully extend their arms. The exit velocity chart against the changeup clearly shows how he corrected that. The weakest contact consistently appears below the strike zone, especially on the lower outer edge, where exit velocities collapse to minimal levels. There are balls coming off the bat at 75 and 77 mph — essentially dead contact from the moment of impact. That reflects exactly who Weaver needs to be in order to dominate. Unlike Williams, Weaver does not survive by destroying timing. He survives by manipulating the contact plane. Even during his worst stretch, his ground-ball profile remained alive, producing a 50% ground-ball rate. When the changeup finishes low, it forces hitters to either pound the top half of the baseball or swing over it entirely. The damage disappears because the swing never finds the correct angle. And the chart also reveals where the problem existed during his rough stretch. The only area where the changeup was truly punished came on pitches located low and inside, where exit velocities climbed above 90 mph. That small location mistake was enough to completely alter his innings. Now he is avoiding that zone entirely. And that explains why the Mets are beginning to recover something far more important than attractive statistics: they are recovering the feeling of control at the end of games. With the Williams-Weaver duo dominating, the Mets bullpen has improved to a 2.44 ERA during the month of May. Now the problems lie elsewhere. Without the blowups from Tobias Myers and Craig Kimbrel, that bullpen ERA drops all the way to 1.30. And that is the key here: Williams has restored fear from the top of the strike zone. Weaver has returned to eliminating damage from the bottom. Together, they are rebuilding the emotional structure every bullpen needs if it hopes to get to and survive October. View the full article

The St. Lucie Mets erased an early deficit with back-to-back seventh-inning home runs from AJ Salgado and Branny De Oleo to beat Palm Beach 4-2. Nicolas Carreno fired four scoreless innings with seven strikeouts, and Elwis Mijares followed with three hitless frames for the win. Binghamton fell 5-1 to Richmond as Brendan Girton walked seven in 2 2/3 innings, with Nick Lorusso providing the lone run on a solo homer. The Triple-A Syracuse game was postponed, and the High-A Brooklyn game was canceled. Mets Transactions New York Mets recalled RHP Jonathan Pintaro from Syracuse Mets. New York Mets optioned LHP Zach Thornton to Syracuse Mets. Third-Inning Walks Bury Rumble Ponies In Richmond The Binghamton Rumble Ponies fell 5-1 to the Richmond Flying Squirrels on Saturday, undone by a five-run third inning. Starter Brendan Girton lasted 2 2/3 innings, allowing five runs on two hits while issuing seven walks and striking out four to take the loss and drop to 1-3. The damage came with two outs. Girton walked the bases full before issuing another walk that forced in the first run. A wild pitch brought home a second run, and a two-run double then pushed the lead to 4-0. Douglas Orellana entered in relief, and an inherited runner scored on an RBI single to make it 5-0. Nick Lorusso supplied Binghamton's only offense, lining his seventh home run of the season in the fourth inning. Vincent Perozo had the most productive day at the plate, going 2-for-2 with a double and a walk. Wyatt Young added a single and a stolen base, and Jacob Reimer collected the Rumble Ponies' other hit. The bullpen kept Richmond off the board after the third. Orellana finished 2 1/3 innings without allowing a run, Saul Garcia followed with two scoreless innings and four strikeouts, and Guillo Zuñiga worked a clean eighth despite issuing two walks. Binghamton struck out 14 times and left nine runners on base in the loss. Player AB R H RBI BB K Chris Suero (DH) 4 0 0 0 1 3 Jacob Reimer (3B) 4 0 1 0 0 1 Eli Serrano III (LF) 3 0 0 0 1 1 D'Andre Smith (CF) 4 0 0 0 0 2 Nick Lorusso (2B) 4 1 1 1 0 2 JT Schwartz (1B) 4 0 0 0 0 2 Vincent Perozo (C) 2 0 2 0 1 0 TT Bowens (RF) 3 0 0 0 1 2 Wyatt Young (SS) 4 0 1 0 0 1 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Brendan Girton (L) 2 2/3 2 5 5 7 4 0 Douglas Orellana 2 1/3 1 0 0 1 1 0 Saul Garcia 2 1 0 0 0 4 0 Guillo Zuñiga 1 1 0 0 2 2 0 Salgado And De Oleo Power Seventh-Inning Comeback For St. Lucie The St. Lucie Mets rallied past the Palm Beach Cardinals 4-2 on Saturday behind back-to-back seventh-inning home runs from AJ Salgado and Branny De Oleo. Starter Nicolas Carreno set the tone with four scoreless innings, scattering two hits while issuing two walks and striking out seven. The game remained scoreless through five. Palm Beach pushed across an unearned run in the top of the sixth on an error during a double steal, but St. Lucie answered in the bottom half. Francisco Toledo walked, advanced on a single by Elián Peña, and scored on a Jeremy Rodriguez double play to tie it at one. Palm Beach grabbed a 2-1 lead in the seventh on a run-scoring force out. St. Lucie responded immediately. Salgado tied the game with his seventh home run of the season, and after Jamari Baylor walked and Chase Meggers reached on a force out, De Oleo blasted his fourth home run of the year to put the Mets in front 4-2. Elwis Mijares closed out the win with three hitless innings, striking out five and improving to 3-3. Josh Blum tossed a clean fifth, and Ernesto Mercedes pitched into the seventh. Toledo finished 1-for-2 with a double and a walk, Peña reached base twice, and Randy Guzman added a hit and a stolen base. St. Lucie left five runners on base. Player AB R H RBI BB K Elián Peña (SS) 3 0 1 0 1 1 Jeremy Rodriguez (2B) 4 0 0 0 0 1 Randy Guzman (RF) 4 0 1 0 0 1 Yohairo Cuevas (CF) 3 0 1 0 1 0 AJ Salgado (LF) 3 1 1 1 1 1 Jamari Baylor (DH) 3 0 0 0 1 3 Chase Meggers (1B) 3 1 0 0 0 0 Branny De Oleo (3B) 3 1 1 2 0 2 Francisco Toledo (C) 2 1 1 0 1 0 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Nicolas Carreno 4 2 0 0 2 7 0 Josh Blum 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 Ernesto Mercedes 1 1 2 0 3 1 0 Elwis Mijares (W) 3 0 0 0 0 5 0 Top-20 Prospect Performance Carson Benge: DNP A.J. Ewing: DNP Jonah Tong: DNP Elian Pena: 1-for-3, BB, K Jack Wenninger: DNP Ryan Clifford: DNP Jacob Reimer: 1-for-4, K Nick Morabito: DNP Mitch Voit: DNP Jonathan Santucci: DNP Chris Suero: 0-for-4, BB, 3 K Zach Thornton: DNP Wandy Asigen: DNP Will Watson: DNP Eli Serrano III: 0-for-3, BB, K Randy Guzman: 1-for-4, SB, K Ryan Lambert: DNP Dylan Ross: DNP Antonio Jimenez: DNP R.J. Gordon: DNP View the full article

When the Twins acquired Gabriel Gonzalez as part of the deal that sent Jorge Polanco to the Seattle Mariners, the move felt like a classic upside bet. Gonzalez had already built a reputation as one of the better pure hitters in Seattle’s system, and the Twins were betting that offensive foundation would eventually carry him to the major leagues. Five years after signing with Seattle for $1.5 million during the 2021 international class, that projection still looks very much alive. From the moment Gonzalez entered pro ball, the bat stood out. He wasted little time showing why the Mariners were willing to invest heavily in him, posting an .892 OPS in the Dominican Summer League during his professional debut. When he arrived stateside in 2022, the production continued against more advanced pitching as he put together an .879 OPS while continuing to show advanced contact ability for a teenager. The breakout fully arrived in 2023. At just 19 years old, Gonzalez climbed to High-A and looked completely comfortable despite being one of the youngest hitters at the level. Across 116 games, he slashed .298/.361/.476 (.837) with 18 home runs and 23 doubles. The age context made those numbers even more impressive. Gonzalez was roughly 3.5 years younger than the average player in High-A and only faced younger pitchers in three plate appearances all season. That kind of performance typically launches a prospect into another tier nationally. Instead, Gonzalez’s momentum stalled after the trade to Minnesota ahead of the 2024 season. Transitions are not always seamless for young prospects, and Gonzalez never seemed fully settled during his first year in the Twins organization. A nagging back injury didn’t help matters, and his overall production dipped noticeably. In 81 games, he posted a .707 OPS with a 106 wRC+, solid numbers on the surface but well below the expectations attached to his prospect status. For some hitters, a season like that can completely derail development. Instead, 2025 became a reminder of why evaluators remained so high on Gonzalez’s offensive upside. The Twins sent him back to High-A Cedar Rapids to open the season, and he responded immediately. Gonzalez hit his way through three levels at just 21 years old, eventually finishing the season in Triple-A while earning a spot on the 40-man roster during the offseason. What stood out most was how stable the production remained throughout the climb. Gonzalez hit over .315 at every stop in 2025 and consistently drove the baseball into the gaps. His 38 doubles highlighted how frequently he found quality contact, and his .909 OPS finished as the best mark among the organization’s top offensive prospects. Even more impressive was how he handled advanced competition. Gonzalez faced older pitchers in all but 30 plate appearances and still hit .338/.405/.527 (.932) against them. He also punished left-handed pitching to the tune of a 1.022 OPS with a .592 slugging percentage, an encouraging development for a right-handed corner outfielder whose offensive profile will always carry the burden of producing impact at the plate. That offensive profile starts with elite contact ability. Even during his disappointing 2024 campaign, Gonzalez rarely looked overmatched in the batter’s box. Entering the 2026 season, he carried a career strikeout rate of just 15.3%, a remarkable number considering how aggressively he has been challenged throughout his career. Aggression will probably always be part of the package. Gonzalez likes to swing, and he still chases too many secondary pitches outside the zone, especially softer breaking stuff. The difference in 2025 was that he began pairing those natural bat-to-ball skills with more mature at-bats and sneaky power production. He trimmed the strikeout rate even further (14.5%) while slightly increasing his walk rate (9.1%), giving evaluators more confidence that the approach can work against upper-level pitching. While other outfield prospects in the organization may offer louder raw tools, Gonzalez’s blend of contact ability, approach, and extra-base production gives him one of the safer offensive floors in the system. The remaining question is whether the defense reaches an acceptable level. Gonzalez has worked extensively on his conditioning over the last couple of seasons, and the improvements have helped him become more playable in the outfield corners. He is unlikely to become a standout defender, but if he can settle in as an average corner outfielder, the bat has enough upside to make him an everyday player at the major league level. Now, after reestablishing himself with one of the best offensive seasons in the minors, Gonzalez once again looks like one of the more important young bats in the organization. The road has not been perfectly linear, but the underlying traits that made him such an intriguing international signing are still very much intact. And at only 22 years old, there may still be another level for him to reach. What stands out about Gonzalez during his professional career? Leave a comment and start the discussion. View the full article

The Milwaukee Brewers are not building a dominant rotation around a single pitch. They are building it around an entire laboratory of elite weapons. While much of MLB remains obsessed with pure velocity or extreme “stuff” arsenals, Milwaukee is developing something far more complex: a collection of pitches that dominate in completely different ways. Some destroy plate appearances through nearly unsustainable swing-and-miss rates. Others survive through contact manipulation, constant discomfort, or the inability of hitters to elevate the baseball with authority. And perhaps the most interesting part is that the collective results are now beginning to tell a historic story. Stats in this article are through Friday, August 22nd. The Brewers reached Game 47 of the 2026 season at 29-18, marking the ninth time in franchise history they have led the division at this point of the year. But when compared to the other eight Brewers teams that also occupied first place after 47 games, something even more revealing appears: none combined such a high winning percentage (.617) with such dominant run prevention (3.18 ERA). That matters. Because every previous team on that list eventually played meaningful October baseball. From the division champions of 2011, 2018, 2021, 2023, 2024, and 2025, to the 1982 American League pennant winner, each of those starts evolved into a legitimately competitive season. And this current group is outperforming nearly all of them in the area that most consistently sustains real success: pitching. Span Started Span Ended Final Record Rank Postseason G W L WL% ERA HR% SO% BB% 26/3/2026 20/5/2026 29-18 1 47 29 18 .617 3.18 2.0% 26.8% 9.2% 29/3/2018 20/5/2018 96-67 1 Division Champ 47 28 19 .596 3.47 2.7% 22.7% 9.4% 29/3/2024 20/5/2024 93-69 1 Division Champ 47 27 20 .574 4.02 3.2% 21.0% 9.0% 11/4/1981 1/6/1981 62-47 1 Division Champ 47 27 20 .574 3.61 1.4% 12.1% 7.3% 30/3/2023 22/5/2023 92-70 1 Division Champ 47 25 22 .532 4.23 3.7% 20.6% 8.9% 1/4/2021 24/5/2021 95-67 1 Division Champ 47 24 23 .511 3.79 3.4% 27.7% 9.2% 31/3/2011 22/5/2011 96-66 1 Division Champ 47 24 23 .511 3.73 2.4% 20.5% 7.8% 9/4/1982 1/6/1982 95-67 1 AL Pennant 47 23 24 .489 4.08 2.1% 11.8% 8.0% 27/3/2025 18/5/2025 97-65 1 Division Champ 47 22 25 .468 4.14 3.0% 21.0% 9.9% The difference shows up even deeper inside the secondary numbers. This staff is striking out 26.8% of opposing hitters — one of the best marks of any team on this list — while suppressing home-run damage better than almost every modern Brewers club before it. This does not feel like a first-place team built on opportunistic offense or a favorable stretch of scheduling luck. It looks like a roster whose entire identity begins on the mound. And that is where a closer look at their best pitches begins to explain why Milwaukee feels different. The slider of Jacob Misiorowski is performing as the most valuable breaking ball in baseball through pure physical intimidation. Kyle Harrison dominates with two opposite weapons: a four-seam fastball built on swing-and-miss and a slurve that almost completely erases hard contact. Chad Patrick has transformed an apparently less explosive cutter into one of the most efficient pitches in MLB. Trevor Megill, meanwhile, is throwing a curveball at an absurd frequency without hitters finding answers. What connects all of those pitches is not shape. It is outcome. Milwaukee is not simply collecting good arms, the organization is building one of the most fascinating pitching ecosystems in the league, where every pitch seems to solve the same problem from a completely different geometric angle. Pitch Type: Slider Top-40 Run Value Pitchers: Jacob Misiorowski (1) Jacob Misiorowski’s slider does not merely lead Brewers pitchers. Right now, by Run Value, it is literally the most valuable slider in all of baseball. And the most impressive part is that it does so without necessarily dominating every traditional category usually associated with a devastating pitch. First place in Run Value (+10) already places him ahead of names like Jacob deGrom, Dylan Cease, and Chris Sale. But once you dig deeper into the details, something even more interesting appears: Misiorowski creates run prevention through an extremely rare combination of weak contact, aggressive command, and difficulty allowing hitters to elevate the ball. His 23.4% hard-hit rate allowed is one of the best marks anywhere on the leaderboard and clearly superior to most elite sliders surrounding him. Among pitchers with significantly positive Run Value, very few combine that level of contact suppression with such overwhelming overall effectiveness. Even dominant arms like Chase Burns, Andrés Muñoz, or Max Meyer allow considerably more hard contact. And that is one of the defining characteristics of this slider: it does not need to rely exclusively on whiffs to destroy plate appearances. His 25.8% whiff rate is excellent, but not historically absurd. In fact, it sits well below monsters like Mason Miller or Chase Burns, both comfortably above 50%. Yet Misiorowski turns the slider into an elite weapon because hitters simply cannot damage it when they do make contact. A .102 batting average allowed, and .169 slugging percentage against are outrageous numbers for a secondary pitch thrown nearly 25% of the time. Even more revealing: the expected metrics fully support the dominance. This does not look fluky. The xSLG (.227) and xwOBA (.186) continue to place him among the absolute elite. The difference may lie in how the pitch feels inside an at-bat. Many sliders dominate through accumulated swings and misses. Misiorowski’s also dominates through intimidation. Hitters rarely elevate it with authority, rarely square it up out front, and consistently seem more focused on surviving the plate appearance than attacking the pitch. That combination is often what defines truly special pitches. Pitch Type: Four-Seam Fastball Top-40 Run Value Pitchers: Kyle Harrison (11), Jacob Misiorowski (18) The most interesting part is not simply that Kyle Harrison ranks 11th and Jacob Misiorowski 18th in total Run Value among four-seam fastballs. What is truly revealing is that they arrived there through completely different paths. Harrison has a more “stable” four-seam fastball built around contact suppression. Misiorowski has a four-seamer that functions like pure physical violence. Harrison’s fastball produces better traditional contact results: a .227 batting average allowed, .330 slugging percentage, and .292 wOBA. The hard-hit rate allowed is also remarkably low (31.6%), especially for someone throwing the pitch nearly 60% of the time. That speaks to a very difficult combination to find: volume, confidence, and relatively controlled damage. But the real heart of Harrison’s profile lies in the swing-and-miss ability. His 33.5% whiff rate and 36.7% strikeout rate turn that four-seamer into a direct dominance tool. It is not merely a fastball designed to get ahead in counts. It is a fastball capable of ending at-bats by itself. The contrast with Misiorowski is fascinating. Because Misiorowski allows more slugging (.296), more wOBA (.290), and far more hard contact (42.9%). In theory, that should dramatically reduce the pitch’s value. Instead, the opposite happens: the four-seam fastball remains elite because the swing-and-miss level is absurd. His 45.1% whiff rate is one of the most extreme marks anywhere in baseball. And the 47.2% strikeout rate against the pitch feels pulled directly from a video game. Those are numbers that usually belong to devastating sliders, not a fastball thrown more than 60% of the time. That is the fundamental conceptual difference between the two: Harrison owns a dominant four-seam fastball because he blends whiffs with healthy contact suppression. Misiorowski owns a dominant four-seam fastball because he simply removes hitters before they can inflict meaningful damage. And that explains why the risk profiles differ as well. Harrison appears statistically more sustainable. His expected numbers align with the actual production, and the hard contact allowed remains manageable. There are clear structural foundations behind the success. With Misiorowski, everything exists on the edge of chaos. Even his expected metrics remain excellent (.195 xBA and .275 xwOBA), but the level of hard contact allowed suggests that when hitters do connect, they usually hit the ball very hard. The entire model depends on the fastball remaining nearly impossible to reach consistently. And honestly, that may be enough. Because a four-seam fastball generating whiffs above 45% simply breaks normal evaluation rules. At that point, you are no longer discussing “a good fastball.” You are talking about a weapon that completely alters the geometry of the plate appearance. What makes it even more impressive is that both pitchers arrived in the same statistical neighborhood using opposite roads: Harrison through contact management and efficiency; Misiorowski through pure aerial destruction. Pitch Type: Cutter Top-40 Run Value Pitchers: Chad Patrick (4), Brandon Sproat (18) Chad Patrick’s cutter belongs in an entirely different category. It does not dominate through explosive raw stuff, but through the combination of location, angle, and weak contact. And yet the result remains among the best in the league. Patrick ranks fourth in MLB in total Run Value among cutters with at least 130 pitches thrown, and the profile perfectly explains why. Hitters are batting just .155 against it while producing only a .207 slugging percentage — absurdly low numbers for a pitch he throws 41.4% of the time. That matters tremendously: this is not a situational cutter used to steal strikes. It is one of the foundational pillars of his entire arsenal. The most fascinating aspect is how two worlds coexist inside the pitch. On one hand, it generates legitimate swing-and-miss: a 33.1% whiff rate and 26.4% put-away rate. But it also suppresses damage extremely well when hitters make contact. The hard-hit rate allowed sits at only 34.1%, clearly below many elite cutters around baseball. That combination is rare. Normally, cutters that miss this many bats eventually pay for it with loud contact when hitters connect. Patrick is avoiding both outcomes simultaneously. It also helps that the expected metrics support much of the production. A .250 xwOBA remains excellent, even if it sits somewhat above the actual .193 mark. This does not look like a pitch surviving solely on luck. The case of Brandon Sproat is completely different. His cutter still carries positive Run Value and ranks 18th in MLB, but the profile is far more unstable. The 24.7% whiff rate is solid, though far from Patrick’s impact, and hitters have inflicted considerably more damage upon contact: a .469 slugging percentage and .339 wOBA allowed. What is interesting is that the expected metrics do suggest room for improvement. His xBA (.238) and xwOBA (.331) are better than the actual outcomes, a sign he has probably allowed somewhat more damage than deserved. But even then, the cutter still does not show the same consistent ability to suppress hard contact or dominate counts. The primary difference between the two lies in stability. Patrick’s cutter already functions as a fully consolidated elite-level weapon. Sproat’s still feels like a pitch with brilliant flashes that has not yet fully mastered contact quality when hitters avoid the swing-and-miss. Pitch Type: Slurve Top-40 Run Value Pitchers: Kyle Harrison (1) Kyle Harrison’s slurve not only leads MLB in total Run Value among pitchers with at least 150 offerings of the pitch. It also owns one of the most destructive profiles in the league, regardless of breaking ball category. Hitters are batting just .116 against it and slugging only .140, nearly absurd numbers for a pitch that Harrison throws 27.4% of the time. This is not some hidden secondary weapon reserved for certain counts. It is a central component of his repertoire, and still nobody is punishing it. The most impressive aspect is probably the blend of swing-and-miss and total hard-contact suppression. His 30.3% whiff rate and 32.6% strikeout rate show real put-away ability, but the truly outrageous figure appears in the hard-hit rate: just 10.7%. That number is almost surreal in today’s offensive environment. Even many of MLB’s best breaking balls allow significantly more loud contact when hitters manage to connect. Harrison is eliminating both outcomes simultaneously: swings and misses and damage on balls in play. And the expected metrics fully support the dominance. The .161 xBA, .188 xSLG, and .188 xwOBA are absolute elite-tier indicators. There do not appear to be meaningful regression signals hiding beneath the surface. Compared to the league’s other high-value slurves, the difference becomes obvious. Michael Soroka generates elite swing-and-miss numbers — 36.9% whiffs and a 38.7% strikeout rate — but allows substantially more hard contact and overall damage when hitters connect. Sean Newcomb actually falls into negative Run Value territory despite maintaining some whiff ability. Harrison, meanwhile, combines everything simultaneously: swings and misses, strikeouts, weak contact, and dominant expected outcomes. That is what transforms the slurve into one of the single most effective pitches anywhere in MLB this season. Pitch Type: Curveball Top-40 Run Value Pitchers: Trevor Megill (6) Trevor Megill’s curveball may be one of the least discussed pitches among MLB’s dominant relievers this season. The numbers suggest it deserves far more attention. Megill ranks sixth in total Run Value among all curveballs in baseball, but the underlying profile is even more impressive than the ranking itself. Hitters are batting just .125 against the pitch and slugging only .156, while producing a ridiculous .157 wOBA. And the most striking part is that this is not an occasional curveball used merely to disrupt timing. Megill throws it 42% of the time — an extraordinarily high usage rate for such a dominant breaking ball. That completely changes the conversation. Hitters know it is coming; they see it constantly, and they still cannot damage it. The swing-and-miss profile lives in absolute elite territory. His 48.4% whiff rate is one of the most extreme figures anywhere in baseball among high-volume curveballs, paired with a 37.1% strikeout rate and 29.5% put-away rate. Essentially, when Megill needs to finish an at-bat, the curveball becomes the primary weapon. But perhaps the most important detail is that the dominance does not rely solely on whiffs. The expected metrics fully sustain the performance: a .119 xBA, .147 xSLG, and .151 xwOBA. Those are absurdly low figures even inside the league’s elite breaking-ball group. In fact, when compared with other top curveballs around the leaderboard, Megill stands out because of the pitch’s complete balance. Ben Brown generates more overall whiffs, Spencer Arrighetti allows even less hard contact, and Tyler Glasnow posts an outrageous strikeout rate, but very few combine usage volume, swing-and-miss ability, and total damage prevention the way Megill currently does. That is what makes this curveball far more than a quality secondary pitch. It is functioning as one of the most dominant individual offerings in all of MLB, regardless of role or pitcher archetype. Pitch Type: Sinker Top-40 Run Value Pitchers: DL Hall (36), Abner Uribe (39) DL Hall’s sinker does not rank among the league’s most dominant offerings because of whiffs or strikeouts, but it does show intriguing signs of damage suppression. Opponents are batting just .150 against it and have produced virtually no extra-base damage (.150 SLG), which helps explain why the pitch maintains positive Run Value despite far less favorable underlying metrics. In fact, the contrast is sharp: the xwOBA climbs all the way to .418 and the xSLG to .403, signals that the contact quality allowed has been considerably more dangerous than the surface numbers indicate. Even so, Hall has managed to avoid catastrophic damage while keeping the hard-hit rate at a respectable 33.3%. The case of Abner Uribe appears more stable and aligns more closely with what teams usually seek from a power reliever’s sinker. His 64.1% usage rate clearly establishes it as the centerpiece of his arsenal, and while the numbers are not spectacular, they remain solid across multiple areas: a .233 batting average allowed, .301 wOBA, and respectable ability to generate swings and misses (17.7%) and strikeouts (19.1%). He does not dominate the league in weak contact, either, but the 38.2% hard-hit rate remains manageable considering the violence of the repertoire. Between the two, Uribe’s sinker appears more sustainable; Hall’s, meanwhile, still seems to rely more heavily on current outcomes than on underlying contact-quality indicators. Behind Milwaukee’s best start in decades (29-18, 3.18 ERA) sits a pitching arsenal that is dominating MLB from every possible angle. With seven unique pitchers spread across six distinct pitch types inside the Top 40 — including the most valuable slider in baseball (Misiorowski, +10), the top slurve in its category (Harrison, .116 average allowed), an elite cutter (Patrick, .155 average allowed), and a curveball producing a microscopic .157 wOBA (Megill) — the Brewers are not building around a single pitch. They are building an entire laboratory where every weapon solves the same problem from a different geometric direction. View the full article

Early mock drafts have the Twins picking Georgia Tech catcher Vahn Lackey third overall, but with the draft still two months away and plenty of baseball to be played between now and then. Are Twins fans becoming too attached to him as their first pick in the 2026 draft class? Jamie and Jeremy find out. View the full article

Transactions: Nashville Sounds activated RHP Will Childers from the 7-day injured list. Nashville Sounds transferred CF Jordyn Adams to the Development List. Biloxi Shuckers activated C Edgardo Ordonez from the Development List. DSL Brewers Gold released RHP Albert Vargas. We touched on Vargas' brief Brewers career here. Nashville Pre-Game Media Notes Final: Nashville 6, Durham (Rays) 3 Box Score and Game Log Via the Sounds, game details, and we encourage readers to always review affiliate write-ups as part of their Link Report routine: Four-Run Sixth Fuels Sounds 6-3 Victory Against Bulls - Hardin Earns First Career Triple-A Win Saturday Night Three video clips within that linked summary. Repeating from the summary - "HARD-WIN: Tyson Hardin earned his first career Triple-A win in Saturday night's 6-3 victory over the Durham Bulls, posting 5.2 innings of work, allowing a run on four hits and punching out seven Bulls batters. Prior to Saturday's win, Hardin made his first career Triple-A start for the Sounds at First Horizon Park last Sunday and posted a seven-inning quality start against the I-Cubs." LHP Rob Zastryzny retired the lone man he faced to end the 6th (lineout to 3rd base). There was no one on base, Hardin had just exited at 83 pitches. That's back-to-back appearances for Rob Z. in what may have been his final test before MLB activation Monday. Speaking of southpaw relievers, I'm counting Brian Fitzpatrick's spring training innings in big league camp (he wasn't even a camp invite) because that's where he initiated his mark on big-league coaching eyes this spring. So, for 2026, it's one earned run allowed in 24.2 IP, 26 K's, 7 BB. Not counting Rob Z., five other relievers appeared as your box score review showed. Not used among true relievers: Bowman, Bukauskas, Fernandez, Knehr, McGee. That's just to point out that Manager Rick Sweet's current mix of arms is very long on bullpen types. Southpaw Thomas Pannone makes his 2nd start of the series on traditional four days' rest on Sunday, he allowed four runs in four innings Tuesday (an eventual 6-5 Nashville win). I'm of the opinion that a box score can be appreciated a bit more by noting who didn't play - for this night, it was Eddys Leonard, Akil Baddoo, Jeferson Quero and Freddy Zamora with a bench view of the contest. Luis Lara, what can we say? Now, his base hit was an infield single (74.8 MPH) and his sacrifice fly was a "get-the-job-done" variety flyout at 84 MPH, but he also walked twice. Add it all up and his OPS rose from .945 to .949. All nine Nashville knocks were singles, two belonged to Cooper Pratt and one to Jett Williams, for all you big-league roster tracking hopefuls. Each of the two youngsters struck out twice, part of 16 on the night for Sounds batsmen. Williams played center field here, with Ethan Murray making his 6th start at third base. Catch up with the latest Biloxi pre-game audio interview archives - Manager Mike Guerrero's chat from last night just added Biloxi Pre-Game Media Notes Final, completion of Thursday's suspended game: Biloxi 7, Birmingham (White Sox) 6, 11 innings Box Score and Game Log All-Around Effort Leads Shuckers to Sweep over Barons - Made records second walk-off, goes back-to-back with Burke, DeBerry continues dominance I invite you to revisit all the details my co-worker Daniel provided in his Friday morning review of the first 10+ innings of this game. Pulled from the game summary above: "The first two batters for Biloxi were retired in the home half of the 11th until Jheremy Vargas picked up an infield single, Dylan O’Rae scored the automatic runner Darrien Miller on a base hit to bring the game within one, and Jesús Made delivered the dagger with a 2-RBI hit for his second walk-off knock in three games." That tells me that Jheremy Vargas (pinch-hitting for Eric Brown, Jr.) gets co-game MVP, it was do-or-die to keep things alive. Same goes for Dylan O'Rae, though his RBI base hit is no longer archived. What is archived, that would be Jesus Made's two-run walk-off, here's the traditional view and as for the field level: Final, regularly scheduled game: Biloxi 7, Birmingham 4 Box Score and Game Log MiLB kept this as a nine-inning affair, as they should have. Sometimes these nightcaps after suspended games are cut to seven frames, but Game One was deep in. Always fun to see a 2016 Brandon Woodruff reference in the game summary, be sure you catch that! Whether you're a fan of the "X" platform of simply tolerate it, you're asked to visit the Shuckers' feed for more Jesús Made (including a Shohei Ohtani reference), a bunch of Blake Burke (say that three times fast), even more Cameron Wagoner references beyond what we're posting below, and "on-fire Elmo". Did we mention you'll find the Made-Burke back-to-back blasts there, though this particular Made HR may not quite qualify as a "blast". Mike Boeve's sacrifice fly can be viewed here. Right fielder Damon Keith turns 26 on Thursday and continues to push for his AAA debut with a double and two singles, OPS .925 (.305/.383/.542). Made is now 18-for-23 in SB attempts, Blake Burke 13-for-17. However, as the Shuckers were seeking insurance runs in the 8th, it wasn't the best inning on the basepaths for the dynamic pair. The game log will fill you in. By the way, this was a particularly strong and entertaining night for our "as it happens" Minor League Forum thread - often the case during a big-league Brewers blowout loss. And yes, starter Jaron DeBerry had a fantastic night. Wisconsin Pre-Game Media Notes (download link) Final: Wisconsin 11, Great Lakes (Dodgers) 4 Box Score and Game Log Via the Timber Rattlers, game details: Wisconsin Scores Early and Late to Get by Great Lakes - Fischer homers and drives in three for Rattlers Chris Mehring's summary linked above is packed not only with four video clips but all kinds of tidbits worth your while beyond the game action. The MiLB highlight clips that are saved within the "VIDEO" sub-header of any linked box score are awesome. You get chronological order of all the action, both teams, ad-free, one convenient spot. It's a tremendous benefit to fans. By checking out the opponent's highlights as well, you can catch some of the mistake pitches from the Brewers arms, or perhaps they were beaten on a play regardless of a well-placed pitch. Plus, this is worth noting - this was a road game, so all the audio from those clips is from the home team perspective, and on a night like Saturday, what fun is that? So, as you watched the game summary videos in Chris' report, we get his calls. That takes some coordination and effort, and whether that's Chris himself or someone back in Appleton, it's appreciated. Here's the one highlight not within the game summary: Braylon Payne was idle for a second consecutive game, and yes, we're guilty of reading too much into such things. Eric Bitonti and Marco Dinges were among the bench players here, scheduled days off, though we're still hopeful to see Dinges defensively behind the plate again by Tuesday, it's been an extended stretch of DH-games only for him. Josh Adamczewski singled but also walked four times. He turned 21 literally two weeks ago and he's now flashing a .325/.456/.581 line (1.037 OPS). My goodness, this Brewers system is beyond ridiculous. A bit of perspective - yes, the defensive value differs, but the Tigers' Kevin McGonigle's 2025 line which included the Midwest League and also 46 games of AA action was .305/.408/.583, as Biloxi certainly awaits Adamczewski. Only on a roster with beast-mode Andrew Fischer, and anticipated exciting return of Luis Pena, and Adamczewski would Josiah Ragsdale's season be undersold. Check out his May splits! By the way, switch-hitting INF/OF Luiyin Alastre since re-joining Wisconsin April 28th (16 games): .282/.462/.462 (.924 OPS). T-Rat arms with a very mixed bag: 10 walks, 12 strikeouts, two wild pitches and a 3.00 ERA plus the "W" on the night. Your box score review will fill you in. Postponed, rain: Delmarva (Orioles) at Wilson Doubleheader Sunday starting at 11:05 Central. Final: ACL Padres 4, ACL Brewers 2, seven innings as scheduled Box Score and Game Log Luis Pena squeezed a bunch more into the shortened game, including his first defensive action at shortstop. 92.5 MPH ground ball single to LF in the 1st. Stole 2nd base, thrown out at 3rd base. Side note - we see caught stealing's at 3rd base when there's already two men out, like, all the time, especially at the lower levels. It's all about the attempt repetition and not the situational awareness. Pena would strike out swinging in his next two at-bats. Pena led off the bottom of the 7th - doubles on a ground ball to shortstop, deflected by the third baseman. Pena lifted for a pinch-runner at this point, no mention of an injury delay. The A-Crew managed only five hits but drew nine free passes (8 BB's, 1 HBP). That all led to an 0-for-11 afternoon with RISP, ugh. 18-year-old infielder Moises Polanco (turns 19 in six days) has only played in seven games but is making the most of his time. He reached in all three trips here and sports a pretty .450/.593/.600 line (1.193 OPS). Polanco is coming off a darn fine repeat DSL season where he OPS'd .853. Please find more playing time, thanks. RH starter Hayden Robinson pitched on four days' rest and though he's allowed a home run in each of his three mound efforts thus far, this was better work than Tuesday's. The better bounce back effort was by 18-year-old Nicaraguan RHP Diustin Mayorquin, who was surprisingly touched up one week ago exactly. And yes, remember the name (posts are from earlier this month): Five games on tap for Sunday with the Wilson double dip. Maryvale boys working on their Sunday golf games as is the norm. Blessings and sincere appreciation to the families of those who lost those who made the ultimate sacrifice. 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

When all is done and over with, Salvador Perez will go down as one of the great major league backstops to ever pick up a bat. He has given the Kansas City Royals 15 years of consistency, but he is struggling mightily in 2026. In this video, we'll dive into why Perez is having so much trouble and what adjustments he needs to make to keep his game competitive at 36 years old. View the full article

The Chicago Cubs have called up their fourth-ranked prospect in Kevin Alcantara. This is the third time in as many seasons that the speedy outfielder will make the jump from Triple-A to the big leagues. What does the 'Jaguar' need to do to make Wrigleyville his permanent home? We break it all down in this video. View the full article

After having Tommy John surgery that led to a hiatus in 2025, Toronto Blue Jays top 30 prospect Nolan Perry looks like a new man. In this video, we'll break down Perry's arsenal, his change in velocity post-surgery, the key to an insane strikeouts-per-nine innings mark, and ultimately when to expect his major league debut. Enjoy! View the full article

After losing four in a row and 10 out of their last 11 games, the Kansas City Royals were looking for a spark on Saturday afternoon at Kauffman Stadium. Nearly 26,000 fans were in attendance, primarily to celebrate "Star Wars Day at the K". That massive attendance helped create an environment far from the sparse, lifeless crowds of the Red Sox series earlier in the week. Furthermore, the Kansas City branch of the "Tarps Off" crew was in full force in the 427-429 sections of the K, which helped bring energy to the stadium in the later innings. Below is a progression of how it grew over the course of the game (from my vantage point in section 418). However, the main spark on Saturday in the Royals' 5-0 victory over the Seattle Mariners? It was starting pitcher Stephen Kolek, who not only pitched a four-hit shutout but also accomplished the first Royals shutout since Brad Keller did it back in 2020. (That's right, it's been six years since a Kansas City pitcher produced a complete game shutout.) The Royals now sit at 21-31 and will look to take the series from the Mariners in the Sunday finale. A victory over the Mariners tomorrow would not only improve their record to 5-1 against them, but it would also build some much-needed momentum for the three-game series against the New York Yankees, which begins on Memorial Day. Let's take a look at not only Kolek's masterful performance on Saturday at the K, but what he's done since joining the Royals last year. Furthermore, I will also dive into his outlook with this club for the remainder of the 2026 season, as they look to get back into playoff contention. Kolek Works Efficiently in Shutout Win What's most remarkable about Kolek's performance against Seattle on Saturday was that it wasn't an outing with a ton of strikeouts. He only struck out two batters, both coming in the 8th and 9th innings, respectively. That said, Kolek's ability to work efficiently and quickly through at-bats, especially in the early innings, helped keep his pitch count reasonable for a shot at the shutout. In his stellar outing, Kolek threw 108 pitches and didn't throw more than 18 pitches in an inning. Furthermore, he maintained a consistent velocity throughout each inning, which helped him remain effective against a dangerous Mariners lineup. Below is his pitch count and velocity by inning, via Baseball Savant. After an eight-pitch first inning, Kolek threw more than 14 pitches in an inning only once, which was 18 in the fifth inning. Even though he gave up four hits and a walk, the 29-year-old was able to navigate through innings with runners on base thanks to stellar defense by the Royals. They turned two double plays in the game, including a key 3-2-5 in the 2nd that prevented Luke Raley from scoring at third with less than two outs. When looking at Kolek's TJ Stuff+ summary from this outing, it didn't have the "look" of a traditional shutout. The former Texas A&M product didn't generate a ton of chase or whiff in this outing, as illustrated by his overall 24% CSW. Additionally, he had only a 46.3% zone rate, which is slightly below the league average. And yet, despite these issues and a mediocre TJ Stuff+ profile, he limited hard contact (via xwOBACON), which proved to be the most important trait today. Kolek generated a .227 overall xwOBACON with his four-seamer (.143) and sinker (.165), his two most-thrown pitches on Saturday, both sporting xwOBACON marks under .200. He had an overall TJ Stuff+ of 96 on Saturday, with only his slider sporting a TJ Stuff+ over 100. That seemed to affect his ability to generate chase (25.9%) and whiff (14%), but did not prevent him from achieving efficient results. The former Dodgers 11th-round pick was fearless in the zone, as illustrated in his pitch type chart below. However, as seen in his corresponding pitch description chart, Seattle hitters were unable to consistently square up on Kolek's pitches, even if they primarily sat in hittable areas of the strike zone. A big key for Kolek was that he was able to generate contact that just wasn't barreled by Mariners hitters on Saturday. Even though his velocity wasn't elite, Seattle seemed to struggle with timing. As a result, a lot of balls were hit in the air and to right-center, especially. That helped Kolek produce many flyball outs, as seen in the spray chart below from today's game via Savant. Only one ball was hit with authority, which was a double by Raley (who had three hits of the Mariners' four hits against Kolek). Everything else? Well, the Mariners ended up hitting a lot of groundballs and flyballs to the right side of the field. Furthermore, not many of those balls were hit all that hard. That is illustrated in his radial chart below via Savant. Much has been made of Seth Lugo and his pitch efficiency in his 2+ seasons in Kansas City. However, on Saturday, Kolek showed that he may be the Royals' most efficient pitcher in the rotation, and his shutout, the first for Kansas City in six seasons, illustrated that. Kolek Has Thrived In Kansas City (And His Fastball Improvement Has Been Key) When the Royals acquired Kolek and fellow Padres pitcher Ryan Bergert from San Diego in exchange for catcher Freddy Fermin at last year's trade deadline, the Royals knew they were getting a pitcher with some big-league success. Kolek pitched 79.2 innings with the Padres in 2025 before getting traded over to Kansas City. In 14 starts, he posted a 4.21 ERA, 1.31 WHIP, and 4.28 FIP. He also generated a 16.7% K%, 7.7% BB%, and 8.9% K-BB% with San Diego. Even though he started in Triple-A Omaha, when Kolek made his Royals debut, he proved to be even more effective down the stretch in 2025. In five starts and 33 IP, he posted a 1.91 ERA, 0.76 WHIP, and 2.71 FIP. His K% remained stable at 16.8%, but his BB% dropped to 4%, thus increasing his K-BB% to 12.8%. As a result, in 112.2 IP, he posted a 3.51 ERA, 1.14 WHIP, 3.83 FIP, and 10% K-BB%. He did this with slightly subpar TJ Stuff+ (96), as well as mediocre chase (26.3%) and whiff (17.7%) rates. However, his ability to fill the strike zone and generate weak contact on his key pitches proved to be key to success, especially with a diverse seven-pitch mix. This season, his second in Kansas City, he has kept the same formula, albeit with more efficiency. Kolek has gotten rid of the curveball and improved his overall TJ Stuff+ and ability to limit hard-contact, while maintaining solid zone rates. That has resulted in his posting a 2.77 ERA and 0.85 WHIP over 26 IP with the Royals this season. The four-seamer has seemed to be key to his success this year. The TJ Stuff+ difference isn't all that great, but it is better in 2026 (91) than it was in 2025 (90). However, the biggest improvement in the pitch is that he's throwing it in the strike zone more (60.9% to 52.5% in 2025) and generating more chases (33.3% to 17.1% in 2025). It has become more of a vertical offering in 2026, as the iVB went from 12.9 last year to 13.3 this year, and his HB on the pitch went from 8.2 to 6.7. It is also generating more spin, as its 2,243 RPM is higher than the four-seamer's 2,176 RPM in 2025. Below is a clip compilation of Kolek's four-seamer with the Padres back in May of 2025 and his four-seamer this year against the Cardinals. Both produce whiffs up in the zone, but there is much better velocity and vertical movement on the 2026 four-seamer than the 2025 version. Even though it's not an elite pitch based on TJ Stuff+, the four-seamer has shown enough improvement and effectiveness to be not just a solid offering but also to set up the other five pitches in his repertoire. The growth of Kolek's four-seamer is another success story for this pitching-coaching team, especially for assistant pitching coach Mike McFerrin, who primarily works with pitchers to improve the shape of their pitches. What Will Kolek's Outlook for the Remainder of 2026 Be? Kolek was called up to replace Cole Ragans, who landed on the IL due to left elbow impingement. That said, Ragans made a rehab start on Saturday against St. Paul, and he looked good overall, with solid TJ Stuff+ and chase numbers, in addition to three strikeouts and just three hits and one run allowed in 4.1 IP. Based on this rehab outing, it's likely that Ragans will return to the rotation soon. However, even if Ragans returns, Kolek will not lose his place in the rotation. With Kris Bubic also on the IL, Kolek will have more time as a starter, but when Bubic is ready to come off the IL as well, the Royals will have a dilemma on their hands. First off, even when Bubic returns, Kolek needs to remain in Kansas City. He has proven that he is a valuable member of this pitching staff, regardless of role. That said, he has proven that he may deserve a regular spot in the rotation, even with Ragans and Bubic healthy (as Jack Johnson of Locked On Royals stated on Twitter). Noah Cameron has looked better recently and produced a quality start in his last outing on Friday against Seattle. Unfortunately, he didn't get any run support and, as a result, got the no-decision. Still, his TJ Stuff+ summary from Friday's game looked solid and demonstrated that Cameron may be on the upswing after a slow start. Thus, the Royals may be forced to move Bubic back to the bullpen, a role he hasn't had since 2024. While Bubic has been serviceable as a starter this year, he hasn't been as dominant as he was in 2025, when he made his first All-Star team. His ERA is 4.11, his WHIP is 1.23, and his FIP is 3.77 in 50.1 IP. That said, while those are solid numbers, the zone, chase, and xwOBACON have been average to slightly below this year, as illustrated in his TJ Stuff+ summary below. Would the Royals be better off moving Bubic to the bullpen? That would allow him to not just stabilize the bullpen a bit (it's unlikely Carlos Estevez returns to 2025 form or at all), but allow his stuff to play up more. Furthermore, that would also preserve his health, which is something he's struggled with in the past (he had Tommy John surgery in 2023). Then again, that may be too bold a move, especially with Ragans' own checkered injury history. If Ragans goes down, they will need Bubic in the rotation again. Regardless, the decision isn't IF Kolek will be in Kansas City. It will be whether he is in the rotation or the bullpen after Ragans and Bubic return from the IL. That's a good place for the Royals to be, especially considering how hard their pitching depth has been hit early in the year. View the full article

In 2012, the Twins acquired a 23-year-old infielder named Eduardo Escobar, part of the return for two months of a severely diminished Francisco Liriano at the trade deadline. At the time, Escobar was not all that highly regarded, and his initial run with Minnesota in 2012 and 2013 (negative-0.2 fWAR in 80 games) did little to bolster his rep. To his great credit, though, Escobar developed into a highly useful player for the Twins. He didn't get much hype in an organization that was anticipating the arrival of premier prospects like Byron Buxton and Miguel Sanó, but Escobar was one of the team's better regulars over the next several years, posting solid offensive numbers as a versatile, shortstop-capable fielder. Escobar was amidst a career year in 2018 when the Twins cashed him in for Jhoan Durán in one of the best moves of the Derek Falvey era. Durán, much like Escobar, would become an example of how key contributors can be uncovered in unlikely places. They don't always have to be top draft picks like Buxton or high-profile international signings like Sanó. Which brings us to present day. As the Twins rebuild and set their sights on future improvement, there's understandably a lot of focus on those top prospects who will hopefully help elevate the club over the next few years: Walker Jenkins, Emmanuel Rodriguez, Kaelen Culpepper and Gabriel Gonzalez, who made his Twins debut on Friday night against Boston. There's also plenty of attention being paid to Royce Lewis and Matt Wallner — former top prospects whose ability to reboot and rebound in Triple-A feels very weighty at the moment. While these rising and reeling talents all plug away in the minors, there are a number of players currently on the MLB roster who are making their own cases to play a role going forward, as the team hopefully transitions into a more competitive state. Acquired via waivers, minor-league deals or low-scale trades, none of these players have anything promised. They need to fight for their MLB futures, and that's exactly what makes their stories compelling to follow this summer. Kody Clemens The Twins acquired Clemens in exchange for cash considerations last April, jumping the waiver line for a player who was potentially headed to the minors at age 28. He impressed enough over the remainder of the season to earn another chance this year, but had much to prove. He largely slumped through the first month, but Clemens has come on in a big way. He heated up in late April and is has an OPS over .800 here in May. While bigger names have fizzled, Clemens has sizzled enough to expand his role, best demonstrated on Friday night when started in right field and batted seventh against a left-handed starter at Fenway. He's held his own against southpaws, which is one thing helping his case. Clemens has also been not just good but excellent defensively at first base, and he saw time at second as well before getting his first starting outfield nod over the weekend. That's the kind of flexibility that helps a good (if streaky) hitter and valued clubhouse presence stick around. Clemens is arbitration eligible for the first time in the coming offseason, and could be retained year-to-year at a reasonable cost through 2029. He's not gonna be a star but he could definitely be a stable roster fixture for a while. Ryan Kreidler Willi Castro is another example of the player type we're talking about. He was acquired as an unheralded minor-league free agent in 2023 — envisioned as a speedy light-hitting utilityman, if he made the team — but turned himself into a quality regular and even an All-Star. It's hard to look at Kreidler and not see the parallels. Both players ranked #7 in the Tigers system, per MLB Pipeline, before debuting in the majors. (Castro in 2019, Kreidler in 2022.) Both fell out of favor in Detroit after failing to hit in parts of four seasons. Both got scooped up by the Twins for essentially nothing. Castro proved to be a find. And while it's still very early, Kreidler is trending in the same direction. He's already hit three home runs in 11 games with the Twins, which is more than he totaled (two) in 89 games with the Tigers. Much like a younger Castro, Kreidler offers considerable value if he hits at all, because he can play center field and shortstop. In fact, he's probably the team's best defender at short, evidenced by Derek Shelton's decision to start him there (with Brooks Lee at third base) over the weekend. He's not going to maintain a 1.000+ OPS but the offensive bar for Kreidler to be a valuable multi-year roster asset is not high. He won't even be arb-eligible until after next season. Tristan Gray Many middling talents like Gray never get much of an extended opportunity in the majors. The 30-year-old admitted to reporters ahead of this season that he was considering retirement before catching on with the Twins and holding down a roster spot. This is his chance. We'll see what he can do with it. Gray's had some nice moments this year but overall hasn't been terribly effective. It can be hard when you're playing sporadically and constantly feeling like your roster spot is at risk. For now, the Lewis demotion lessens those impediments for Gray, whose spot should be secure and his role expanded in the coming weeks. Can he show enough to convince the Twins he might be worth keeping around cheaply as a backup infielder or potential platoon partner? It's going to require his power showing up more consistently to offset a poor plate approach. Gray, currently away from the team on paternity leave, has just one extra-base hit in his 57 plate appearances. Alex Jackson The loss of Ryan Jeffers opens the door for Jackson to try and play his way into Minnesota's catcher setup in 2027. He's been stashed at Triple-A, third on the depth chart, up until the starter went down with a hamate fracture this past week, forcing the Twins to confront the reality of a Jeffers-less future behind the plate. Jackson could be part of it. He's got MLB experience and is still two years away from free agency. Like Kreidler, he offers enough defensive value in a limited role to justify rostering without a great deal of offensive production. But he's got to at least hit a little, and the .527 career MLB OPS up to this point won't cut it. He posted a career-high 111 OPS+ in Baltimore last year and has flashed pop at Triple-A with the Saints, albeit with a .295 OBP. Jackson got the start at catcher on Friday (going 0-for-4 with three strikeouts) and figures to play semi-regularly over the next couple of months. Will he establish himself as a credible option to share time with Victor Caratini in 2027 after Jeffers presumably moves on? The dilemma here is that if Jackson plays well enough to earn a spot in the team's 2027 plans, it decreases his odds of getting through waivers again when Jeffers returns. But you cross that bridge when you get there. Yoendrys Gómez The advantage of having a wide-open bullpen, as the Twins do this year, is that you can audition intriguing arms and hopefully run into a few overlooked useful pieces along the way. In the past we've seen Minnesota use this method to come upon multi-year contributors like Brandon Kintzler, Casey Fien and Jared Burton. The relievers who've rotated through their bullpen carousel so far this year, like Zak Kent and Garrett Acton, have failed to capture the imagination. Gómez, their latest waiver-wire pickup, is a little more interesting. I certainly don't want to blow out of proportion his tiny sample of work with the Twins, but in eight appearances, he's looked legitimately good with seven strikeouts and just one hit allowed in 6 ⅓ innings. His appearance in last Wednesday's series finale against Houston, striking out five of seven batters faced, was an eye-opener. The fact that he's appeared on five different MLB teams since the start of last year could be viewed as a negative, a sign of his perceived dispensability, or a more positive indicator of the intrigue that numerous different front offices — including the Dodgers, Yankees and Rays — have seen in him. There's nothing stopping the Twins from giving Gómez a more extended look than any of those other clubs saw fit. The Twins whiffed on almost all of their minor-league bullpen signings, from Liam Hendriks and Andrew Chafin to Matt Bowman and John Brebbia, so they really could use a hit on a random find like Gómez. Or Cody Laweryson, or Eric Orze. This relief corps needs all the help it can get going forward. View the full article

The Omaha Storm Chasers rallied past St. Paul 7-6, with Dustin Dickerson driving in four runs and Luca Tresh adding three RBIs and a home run. David Shields was nearly untouchable for Quad Cities, blanking Beloit over six innings with five strikeouts in a 5-2 win. Sean Gamble and Josh Hammond paced Columbia's 6-4 win at Augusta, while Jordan Woods struck out eight in five innings. The Naturals trailed Amarillo 4-2 when rain suspended play. Royals Transactions Kansas City Royals designated C Elias Díaz for assignment. Kansas City Royals signed free agent RHP Luke Jackson to a minor league contract. Kansas City Royals recalled 2B Tyler Tolbert from Omaha Storm Chasers. Dickerson, Tresh Combine For Seven RBIs In Storm Chasers' 7-6 Win The Omaha Storm Chasers held off a late charge to beat the St. Paul Saints 7-6 on the road, powered by big nights from Dickerson and Tresh. Dickerson finished 2-for-4 with a double, a home run, and four RBIs. Tresh went 3-for-4 with a home run and three RBIs. Cole Ragans, on rehab from Kansas City, allowed one run on three hits across 4 1/3 innings, walking one and striking out three. Omaha grabbed the lead in the top of the second. Brett Squires singled, Abraham Toro walked, and Dickerson followed with a two-run double to right field that made it 2-1. Tresh stretched the lead to 4-1 in the top of the sixth with a two-run home run to center that scored Drew Waters. The bullpen could not hold the cushion. Henry Williams entered in the sixth and gave up a solo home run, three consecutive walks, and a two-run single as the Saints tied the game at four, then surrendered another solo home run in the seventh that put Omaha behind 5-4. Williams finished with five hits and four earned runs allowed across 2 1/3 innings. Kameron Misner walked to open the eighth, and with two outs, Tresh singled to left to score Misner and tie the game at five. In the top of the ninth, Gavin Cross singled and Dickerson followed with his first home run of the season, a two-run shot to left field that gave Omaha a 7-5 lead. Eric Cerantola walked two in the bottom of the ninth and yielded a run on a groundout, but closed out the win with a strikeout. The Storm Chasers stranded five and committed no errors. Player AB R H RBI BB K Josh Rojas, 3B 5 0 1 0 0 0 John Rave, DH 3 0 0 0 2 0 Kameron Misner, RF 4 1 0 0 1 3 Drew Waters, CF 4 1 1 0 0 1 Brett Squires, 1B 3 1 1 0 0 1 Luca Tresh, C 4 1 3 3 0 0 Gavin Cross, LF 4 1 1 0 0 0 Abraham Toro, 2B 3 1 0 0 1 3 Dustin Dickerson, SS 4 1 2 4 0 0 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Cole Ragans 4 1/3 3 1 1 1 3 1 Andrew Pérez 2/3 0 0 0 0 0 0 Henry Williams 2 1/3 5 4 4 4 2 2 Luke Jackson 2/3 0 0 0 0 0 0 Eric Cerantola 1 0 1 1 2 2 0 Rain Suspends Naturals' Comeback Bid Trailing Sod Poodles 4-2 The Northwest Arkansas Naturals trailed the Amarillo Sod Poodles 4-2 when rain suspended play before the bottom of the fourth inning. Connor Scott went 2-for-2 with two RBIs to lead the offense. Daniel Vazquez, Jorge Alfaro, and Omar Hernandez each added a double. Leadoff hitter Carson Roccaforte singled in the first. Hunter Owen started and allowed four earned runs on three hits across three innings, walking two and recording no strikeouts. All four runs came in a single inning. Northwest Arkansas opened the scoring in the top of the second. Vazquez doubled to center with one out, then Scott lined an RBI single to left to score him before being thrown out trying to advance. Amarillo answered in the bottom of the inning, stringing together four hits and a sacrifice fly against Owen to plate four runs and grab a 4-1 lead. The Naturals cut the gap to 4-2 in the top of the fourth. Alfaro doubled to center with one out and later scored on another Scott single to left. Rain halted play before Amarillo could bat in the bottom half, leaving the visiting Naturals trailing by two with five and a half innings still scheduled to be played. Northwest Arkansas finished the partial game with seven hits, three doubles, no errors, and two runners left on base. Player AB R H RBI BB K Carson Roccaforte, CF 2 0 1 0 0 0 Spencer Nivens, LF 2 0 0 0 0 1 Sam Kulasingam, RF 2 0 0 0 0 0 Jorge Alfaro, DH 2 1 1 0 0 1 Daniel Vazquez, SS 2 1 1 0 0 1 Connor Scott, 1B 2 0 2 2 0 0 Colton Becker, 3B 2 0 0 0 0 2 Omar Hernandez, C 1 0 1 0 0 0 Justin Johnson, 2B 1 0 0 0 0 1 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Hunter Owen 3 3 4 4 2 0 0 Shields, Pelzer Power River Bandits Past Sky Carp 5-2 The Quad Cities River Bandits leaned on a Quality Start from Shields and a power surge from cleanup hitter Luke Pelzer to beat the Beloit Sky Carp 5-2 at home. Shields turned in six innings of one-hit shutout ball, walking one and striking out five. Pelzer finished 2-for-4 with a home run, three RBIs, and a stolen base. Ramon Ramirez went 1-for-4 with an RBI double and two RBIs. Quad Cities jumped ahead in the bottom of the first. Leadoff hitter Nolan Sailors drew a walk, and after two outs, Pelzer drove a two-run home run to left center to make it 2-0. Shields then carried that lead deep into the game, allowing only one base hit through six innings. Beloit chipped back in the seventh, scoring once off reliever Josh Hansell. The visitors tied it in the eighth when Hansell walked a batter, then Kamden Edge entered and gave up a single and an RBI groundout that brought the inherited runner home. Hansell was charged with two earned runs and two walks across 1 1/3 innings, though he also struck out three. The River Bandits answered immediately in the bottom of the eighth. Angel Acosta walked to open the inning and moved to second on a Sailors groundout. Blake Mitchell walked, and a passed ball pushed Acosta to third. Ramirez then drilled a two-run double to left to score Acosta and Mitchell, and Pelzer followed with an RBI single to center that brought Ramirez home for a 5-2 lead. Edge worked the final 1 2/3 innings on two hits without allowing a run to close out the win. The River Bandits stranded four. Player AB R H RBI BB K Nolan Sailors, CF 2 1 0 0 2 1 Blake Mitchell, C 3 1 0 0 1 1 Ramon Ramirez, DH 4 1 1 2 0 1 Luke Pelzer, LF 4 1 2 3 0 1 Jose Cerice, 1B 3 0 0 0 0 0 Derlin Figueroa, 3B 4 0 0 0 0 1 Erick Torres, RF 2 0 0 0 1 1 Tyriq Kemp, SS 3 0 0 0 0 2 Angel Acosta, 2B 1 1 0 0 2 0 Player IP H R ER BB K HR David Shields 6 1 0 0 1 5 0 Josh Hansell 1 1/3 2 2 2 2 3 0 Kamden Edge 1 2/3 2 0 0 0 1 0 Four-Run Seventh Pushes Fireflies Past GreenJackets 6-4 The Columbia Fireflies broke open a 1-1 game with a four-run seventh inning and held on for a 6-4 road win over the Augusta GreenJackets. Hammond and Gamble each delivered two-RBI doubles in the rally. Hammond finished 2-for-5 with two doubles and two RBIs. Gamble went 2-for-4 with a double, two RBIs, and a walk. Woods worked five innings of one-run, eight-strikeout relief, allowing three hits and two walks. Kendry Chourio opened the game with two scoreless innings on one hit, three strikeouts, and no walks. Columbia got on the board first in the top of the fourth. Hammond doubled to left, moved to third on a Brooks Bryan single, and scored when Hyungchan Um lined an RBI single to center. Augusta answered in the bottom of the fifth, scoring once on a pair of singles and a walk to tie the game at one, with the run charged to Woods. The Fireflies blew it open in the seventh. With one out, JC Vanek walked. Connor Rasmussen struck out, but Roni Cabrera kept the inning alive with a double to left to put runners at second and third. Henry Ramos walked to load the bases. Gamble then doubled to right to score Vanek and Cabrera, and Hammond followed with another double to center that brought home Ramos and Gamble for a 5-1 lead. Ramos added an RBI single in the ninth that scored Rasmussen. The bottom of the ninth turned tense. Andy Basora walked the bases loaded with no one out and was lifted for Jhon Reyes. A wild pitch let one run score, and a two-run double cut the lead to 6-4, but Reyes retired the next three Augusta hitters to lock in the win. Columbia stranded six and committed no errors. Player AB R H RBI BB K Henry Ramos, LF 4 1 1 1 1 1 Sean Gamble, CF 4 1 2 2 1 2 Josh Hammond, SS 5 1 2 2 0 2 Brooks Bryan, DH 3 0 1 0 1 1 Hyungchan Um, C 4 0 1 1 0 2 Stone Russell, 3B 4 0 0 0 0 1 JC Vanek, 1B 2 1 0 0 1 1 Connor Rasmussen, 2B 3 1 0 0 1 1 Roni Cabrera, RF 4 1 1 0 0 0 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Kendry Chourio 2 1 0 0 0 3 0 Jordan Woods 5 3 1 1 2 8 0 Andy Basora 1 0 3 3 3 2 0 Jhon Reyes 1 1 0 0 0 1 0 Top-20 Prospect Performance Kendry Chourio: 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K David Shields: 6 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 5 K Sean Gamble: 2-for-4, 2B, 2 RBI, BB, 2 K Blake Mitchell: 0-for-3, BB, K Josh Hammond: 2-for-5, 2 2B, 2 RBI, 2 K Ramon Ramirez: 1-for-4, 2B, 2 RBI, K Drew Beam: DNP Asbel Gonzalez: DNP Ben Kudrna: DNP Carson Roccaforte: 1-for-2 Yandel Ricardo: DNP Felix Arronde: DNP Blake Wolters: DNP Michael Lombardi: DNP Luinder Avila: DNP Steven Zobac: DNP Frank Mozzicato: DNP Daniel Vazquez: 1-for-2, 2B, K Warren Colcano: DNP Shane Panzini: DNP View the full article