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"I don't think I'm gonna change anything." And why would you if you're Tyler Phillips? Phillips has been the Miami Marlins' best right-handed relief pitcher this season, and that was also true throughout the second half of 2025. Beginning on Sunday, that production is being rewarded with a starting rotation spot. The 28-year-old will pitch less frequently in this new role and shoulder a heavier workload when he does take the mound, but he told the media at loanDepot park he expects to attack opposing hitters with the same approach that served him so well out of the bullpen. Phillips' spot originally belonged to free agent acquisition Chris Paddack. The Marlins booted him to make room for highly touted prospect Robby Snelling, who lasted just one start before blowing out his elbow. Then Braxton Garrett got his opportunity...and quickly squandered it, landing barely half of his pitches for strikes en route to a pair of early exits. Paddack, Snelling and Garrett combined for a staggering 8.10 ERA. Miami went 0-9 in their starts. The bar for Phillips to clear is laughably low. The way that the Marlins used Phillips during the past two months has been head-scratching. His results are brilliant (1.20 ERA in 30.0 IP), but they've often come in meaningless situations. In 11 of his 15 appearances, he took the mound with his club trailing, hence why he has accrued a modest total of 0.18 win probability added, per FanGraphs. Instead of inserting him to put out fires, he was cast as a glorified mop-up guy. Phillips has had only three days' rest since his previous outing. Against the New York Mets, don't expect him to be stretched far beyond his season-high of 52 pitches. But by mid-June, we should have a clear idea of how well he's suited to a starting role. View the full article

Nick Solak and Will Wagner homered as the Triple-A El Paso Chihuahuas fell to Round Rock 7-5. Romeo Sanabria hit a homer as part of a four-hit night as the Double-A San Antonio Missions lost 7-5 to Frisco. The High-A Fort Wayne TinCaps were blanked by Dayton 5-0 and the Low-A Lake Elsinore Storm suffered a 6-2 loss to Visalia. Padres Minor-League Transactions No roster moves. Nick Solak's 3-Run Homer Wasted As Chihuahuas Crumble Late Despite a five-run third inning, the host Triple-A El Paso Chihuahuas saw the Round Rock Express score four times in the final two innings, including three in the top of the ninth for a 7-5 loss. Nick Solak had three hits, including a three-run homer, and Will Wagner also homered for the Chihuahuas. El Paso left-handed starter Marco Gonzales went 4⅔ innings, allowing two runs on five hits and four walks while striking out three. Gonzales gave up a run in the top of the first, but the Chihuahuas came back and scored all their runs in the third inning. Solak blasted his three-run shot to left-center, his fourth of the year and second in as many games, with no outs and Wagner cranked his first of the year one out later to make it 4-1. Mason McCoy reached on an error and Carlos Rodriguez doubled him home to put the Chihuahuas up 5-1. Round Rock got one in the fourth, one in the sixth and another in the eighth to pull within 5-4. Right-hander Alek Jacob came on for the Chihuahuas in the top of the ninth and, after one out, he walked four straight hitters to push in the tying run and ended his night. A two-run single followed for the decisive runs. EP_0523.mp4 Player AB R H RBI BB K Samad Taylor 4 1 1 0 1 1 Marcos Castañon 3 1 1 0 1 1 Nick Solak 3 1 2 3 0 0 Jase Bowen 4 0 0 0 0 1 Will Wagner 4 1 2 1 0 1 Mason McCoy 3 1 0 0 1 1 Carlos Rodríguez 4 0 1 1 0 1 Nate Mondou 4 0 0 0 0 1 Victor Duarte 4 0 1 0 0 3 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Marco Gonzales 4 2/3 5 2 2 4 3 0 Sean Boyle 2 1 1 1 0 0 1 Kyle Hart 1 1/3 2 1 1 0 2 0 Alek Jacob 1/3 0 3 3 4 0 0 Michael Flynn 2/3 1 0 0 0 0 0 Missions Watch Early Lead Go Away In Loss To RoughRiders Romeo Sanabria matched his career high with four hits, including a homer, and Ethan Salas equaled his season best with three hits, but the Double-A San Antonio Missions watched an early 4-0 lead evaporate in a 7-5 loss to the Frisco RoughRiders. Padres right-handed starter Jhony Brito made his second rehab appearance as he makes his way back from Tommy John surgery. Brito went 3⅓ innings, allowing three runs on six hits with three walks and one strikeout. Brito faced 19 hitters and threw 68 pitches, 40 for strikeouts. He induced nine groundouts in his 10 outs. Salas and Sanabria got the Missions going in the top of the first with one-out singles, with Tirso Ornelas doubling home Salas and Albert Fabian singling home Sanabria for a 2-0 edge. In the third, Salas had a leadoff double and Sanabria hit a first-pitch two-run homer, his fourth long ball of the year and first since May 12. Frisco got two back in the bottom of the third and another in the fourth to make it 4-3. The Missions went up 5-3 in the sixth as Francisco Acuna singled, stole second and went to third on Chris Sargent's sacrifice bunt. Carson Tucker then lofted a sac fly to plate Acuna. But the RoughRiders took control of the game with a four-run seventh against Missions right-hander Clark Candiotti, who got just one out while allowing three hits and two walks in his third Double-A appearance. Salas, Padres Mission's No. 1 prospect, had his third three-hit game of the season and eighth of his career. He had a career-high four hits in 2023 for Low-A Lake Elsinore. Sanabria has had four hits in a game seven times before in his career, including three in 2025. SA_0523.mp4 Player AB R H RBI BB K Carson Tucker 4 0 0 1 0 2 Ethan Salas 5 2 3 0 0 0 Romeo Sanabria 5 2 4 2 0 1 Tirso Ornelas 4 0 2 1 1 0 Albert Fabian 5 0 1 1 0 3 Ryan Jackson 3 0 1 0 1 1 Kai Roberts 3 0 0 0 1 1 Francisco Acuna 4 1 1 0 0 2 Chris Sargent 3 0 1 0 0 0 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Jhony Brito 3 1/3 6 3 3 3 1 0 Andrew Thurman 2 2/3 0 0 0 1 2 0 Clark Candiotti 1/3 3 4 4 2 1 0 Francis Peña 1 1/3 1 0 0 3 2 0 Harry Gustin 1/3 0 0 0 1 1 0 TinCaps' Offense Flames Out Against Dragons The host High-A Fort Wayne TinCaps had another rough go of it at the plate, notching just three hits in being shut out by three Dayton Dragons pitchers in a 5-0 loss. Alex McCoy doubled, while Lamar King Jr. and Rosman Verdugo singled to account for the TinCaps' hits. McCoy leads the Midwest League with 15 doubles and 24 extra-base hits. TinCaps right-handed starter Abraham Parra allowed three runs on four hits and a pair of walks with four strikeouts. Right-hander Ty Adcock, on a rehab assignment from Triple-A, made his second appearance and was one of three TinCaps relievers who didn't allow a run. Adcock gave up two hits and struck out one. Left-hander Javier Chacon went two innings, allowing one hit and a walk with four strikeouts. Dayton scored one run in the second, two in the fifth and two in the ninth. Player AB R H RBI BB K Justin DeCriscio 3 0 0 0 1 1 Rosman Verdugo 4 0 1 0 0 2 Lamar King Jr. 4 0 1 0 0 2 Alex McCoy 4 0 1 0 0 0 Jake Cunningham 3 0 0 0 1 1 Jack Costello 3 0 0 0 1 0 Carlos Rodriguez 2 0 0 0 1 1 Zach Evans 3 0 0 0 0 1 Kasen Wells 3 0 0 0 0 2 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Abraham Parra 5 4 3 3 2 4 0 Javier Chacon 2 1 0 0 1 4 0 Ty Adcock 1 2 0 0 0 1 0 Jeferson Villabona 2/3 2 2 2 2 2 0 Luis Germán 1/3 0 0 0 1 0 0 Yoiber Ocopio Homers, But Storm Overrun By Rawhide Yoiber Ocopio came off the bench to record two hits, including a homer, but the Low-A Lake Elsinore Storm dropped a 6-2 decision to the Visalia Rawhide. Ryan Wideman didn't get a hit, but he did steal his minors-leading 33rd base after reaching on a fielder's choice in the top of the fifth. Visalia scored a run in the first and third innings, three in the fifth and another in the sixth. Ocopio entered the game after Ty Harvey was injured during a catcher's interference play in the fifth inning. He singled in his first at-bat in the sixth inning, then homered in the eighth inning, a solo for his third homer of the season and second in three games. His single led off the sixth and he went to third on a wild pitch and to third on Truitt Madonna's single. Jorge Quintana drove him in with a grounder. Storm right-handed starter Tyler Schmitt gave up five runs on 10 hits and a walk with two strikeouts in 4⅓ innings. LE_0523.mp4 Player AB R H RBI BB K Ryan Wideman 5 0 0 0 0 2 Kerrington Cross 3 0 1 0 1 1 Bradley Frye 4 0 1 0 0 1 Ty Harvey 2 0 0 0 0 1 Yoiber Ocopio 2 2 2 1 0 0 Truitt Madonna 4 0 1 0 0 1 Jorge Quintana 4 0 1 1 0 1 Dylan Grego 4 0 1 0 0 1 Qrey Lott 4 0 1 0 0 2 Conner Westenburg 3 0 1 0 0 1 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Tyler Schmitt 4 1/3 10 5 5 1 2 1 Joseph Herrera 1 2/3 2 1 1 1 2 0 Sean Barnett 2 1 0 0 1 3 0 Top 20 Prospect Performance Ethan Salas: 3-for-5, 2B Kash Mayfield: DNP Miguel Mendez: DNP Kruz Schoolcraft: DNP Ryan Wideman: 0-for-5, 2 K Jorge Quintana: 1-for-4, K Ty Harvey: 0-for-2, K Kale Fountain: DNP Braedon Karpathios: DNP Lamar King Jr.: 1-for-4, 2 K Jagger Haynes: DNP Alex McCoy: 1-for-4, 2B Truitt Madonna: 1-for-4, K Tucker Musgrove: DNP Garrett Hawkins: DNP Michael Salina: DNP Eric Yost: DNP Rosman Verdugo: 1-for-4, 2 K Bryan Balzer: DNP Deivid Coronil: DNP View the full article

TRANSACTIONS RHP Hendry Chivilli was promoted to Fort Myers from the FCL Twins. SAINTS SENTINEL St. Paul 6, Omaha 7 Box Score Most important, it was great to see Kaelen Culpepper back in the Saints lineup on Saturday after this scare on Saturday night. (Reminder: in the first inning, he stole second. On the head-first slide, his helmet came off his head, hit second base, bounced up and hit the sliding Culpepper under the jaw causing a cut. They were unable to stop the bleeding, so he came out of the game.) Also nice to see, Culpepper led off the bottom of the first by hitting his 10th home run of the season, a blast at 103.3 mph to center. Mike Paredes made the Saints start. He gave up two runs (both in the top of the second) on four hits and a walk. Andrew Bash had a walk and a strikeout over his scoreless fifth inning. A rehabbing Cody Laweryson gave up two runs on two hits (including a homer) over two innings. The Saints were down 4-1 going to the bottom of the sixth innings. Royce Lewis led off with a home run. Hendry Mendez and Kyler Fedko followed with walks. Matt Wallner also walked which gave the Saints bases loaded and no one out. The next two batters were called out on strikes. Fortunately, Ricardo Olivar picked up his teammates with a big, game-tying, two-run single to right field. With one out in the bottom of the seventh inning, Lewis stepped to the plate and launched his second home run of the day for the Saints. Five of his six Saints hits this season have gone over the fence. With the 5-4 lead, Brian Dinkelman turned things over to Alejandro Hidalgo. He made his Saints debut and gave up three runs on three hits and two walks over the final two innings. He struck out three batters. In the bottom of the ninth inning, Lewis and Hendry Mendez walked to start the inning. On a strikeout, both runners advanced a base on a wild pitch. Lewis scored on a Matt Wallner ground out to make it 7-6, and that’s how the game ended. Lewis went 2-for-4 with a walk and two home runs. Olivar also had two hits in the game and two big RBI. He also stole a base. Check out one of our sister sites, Royals Keep, for more on the Kansas City Royals organization. Here are their Top 20 Royals prospects. WIND SURGE WISDOM Wichita 5, Tulsa 3 Box Score At the 7th-Inning Stretch, the hometown team from Wichita was tailing 3-1. In their half of the seventh, they surged into the lead with a three-run inning to take a 4-3 lead. Billy Amick led off with a homer, his second of the game and 13th of the season. Murphy Stehly singled with one out and later stole second. With two outs, Harry Genth tied the game 3-3 with a double. He scored one batter later when Jose Salas lined a single to right to give that 4-3 lead. With two outs in the bottom of the eighth frame, Billy Amick walked. Poncho Ruiz gave the team an insurance run with a double to center to make it 5-3. Sam Armstrong started the game on the bump. He was charged with two runs on just one hit. He walked three and had four strikeouts over the first four innings. Jake Higginbotham tossed two scoreless relief innings and had four strikeouts. Ricky Castro struck out three batters over 1 2/3 innings. He gave up one run on four hits and a walk. Sam Ryan got the final four outs to earn his second save of the season. He gave up two hits and a walk but not runs. Two of the outs came via the strikeout. Billy Amick went 2-for-3 with a walk, his 12th and 13th homers. The first one gave the Surge a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second inning. Ruiz has seen an uptick in playing time since Ricardo Olivar moved up to St. Paul. He went 2-for-4 with a key RBI. KERNELS CHRONICLE Cedar Rapids 2, Peoria 7 Box Score It was another tough start for right-hander Ivran Romero. In three innings, he gave up five runs on six hits. He walked two and had two strikeouts. Christian Becerra tossed the next 2 2/3 innings and gave up three hits and a walk, but no runs. He left with the bases loaded in the sixth inning, but Cole Peschl left them all stranded. He then gave up two runs on two hits (both homers) over the final two innings. He struck out four batters. The Kernels actually took the game’s first lead. In the top of the second, Khadim Diaw hit his second homer of the season to give them a 1-0 lead. Jump to the top of the seventh. The Kernels are down 5-1. With one out, Quinn McDaniel tripled and then scored on a Rayne Doncon single to left to make it 5-2. Diaw went 3-for-4 with the homer. McDaniel went 2-for-4 with the triple. The latter went 14-for-26 (.538) with a double, two triples, and two home runs in six games at Fort Myers. He is now 6-for-11 (.545) with a triple over his three games with the Kernels. MIGHTY MATTERS Ft. Myers 4, Dunedin 6 Box Score The Mussels were down 4-0 through six innings. Thy scored four runs the rest of the way, but it wasn’t enough. Justin Mitrovich started and gave up one run on three hits and a walk over 2 2/3 innings. Chivilli made his Mussels debut. He gave up three runs (2 earned) on seven hits over 2 2/3 innings. He struck out two and issued no walks. Jake Murray came in and over the next 2 1/3 innings, he gave up two runs on one hit. He walked three and had four strikeouts. He left with the bases loaded. Xavier Kolhosser allowed two runs to score on one hit before a strikeout ended that eighth inning. Down 4-0, Ryan Sprock led off the top of the seventh inning with a single. He scored on Jayson Bass’s fifth home run of the season. Down 6-2 heading for the ninth inning, Jayson Bass led off with a walk. Quentin Young reached on a fielding error. With one out, Byron Chourio doubled to drive in Bass with the team’s third run. Young scored on a Bryan Acuna groundout. The Dunedin Blue Jays are the Low-A affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays. Check out our sister site at Jays Centre. Here are their rankings of the Top 20 Blue Jays prospects. COMPLEX CHRONICLE FCL Twins 19, FCL Red Sox 2 Box Score This game was over shortly after it even got started. They scored four runs in the first inning, two more runs in the second inning, and ten (10!) runs in the third inning to take a 16-0 lead. And then over the final four innings, the Twins scored three runs, one more than the Red Sox. The Twins scored their 19 runs on 13 hits, 14 walks and two hit batters. The team went 7-for-21 with runners in scoring position and left 11 runners on base. So, let’s start with pitching. 19-year-old Santiago Rojas tossed three scoreless innings to start the game. He gave up no hits, walked two and had four strikeouts. Josh Walker, a lefty signed two weeks ago, gave up one hit, hit a batter, and walked two batters. However, he gave up no runs. All four outs he recorded were on strikeouts. Yoel Roque came in with two runners on base and one out in the fifth inning and kept both from scoring. He pitched a scoreless sixth inning and then gave up two runs in the seventh frame. Jhomnardo Reyes led the offense by going 4-for-6 with two doubles, a triple, four runs and five RBI. Yovanny Duran led off and went 2-for-5 with a walk and three runs scored. Miguel Caraballo went 2-for-4 with three runs scored. He also stole three bases. Teillon Serrano went 1-for-2 with three walks. He was hit by a pitch and scored twice. Daniel Pena went 1-for-1, with three walks and a stolen base. Yilber Herrera walked four times. Jose Barrios added a double. Anatomy of a 10-run inning: (Leading 6-0.) Almanzar hit by pitch. Herrera walk. Barrios RBI double. Duran RBI single. Caraballo reach on Catcher’s Interference. Reyes 3-RBI triple. Serrano hit by pitch. D Pena walk. Wild Pitch) Paez walk. Almanzar RBI walk. (Pitching Change) Herrera RBI walk. Two runs scored on a fielding error. Strikeout. Fly out. (Leading 16-0.) PLAYERS OF THE DAY Hitter of the Day Jhomnardo Reyes (FCL Twins): 4-for-6, 2-2B(3), 3B(2), 4 R, 5 RBI, 2 K Royce Lewis (St. Paul): 2-for-4, BB, 2 HR(5), 2 RBI, 3 R, K. Billy Amick (Wichita): 2-for-3, BB, 2 HR(13), 3 R, 2 RBI, K. Pitcher of the Day Santiago Rojas (FCL Twins): 3 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 4 K, 51 pitches, 31 strikes (60.8%) Jake Higginbotham (Wichita): 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 4 K, 27 pitches, 19 strikeouts (70.4%) PROSPECT SUMMARY Check out the Prospect Tracker for much more on our Twins Top 20 prospects after seeing how they did today. #1 - OF Walker Jenkins (St. Paul) - 7 Day Injured List (left shoulder) #2 - IF Kaelen Culpepper (St. Paul) - 1-for-5, HR(10), R, RBI (batted first, played SS) #3 - OF Emmanuel Rodriguez (St. Paul) - 7 Day Injured List (thumb) - Had surgery. #4 - LHP Connor Prielipp (Minnesota) - 4 IP, 7 H, 6 R, 5 ER, 3 BB, 1 K, 85 pitches, 49 strikes (57.6%). #5 - C Eduardo Tait (Cedar Rapids) - 0-for-3, BB, K (batted third, catcher). #6 - LHP Dasan Hill (Cedar Rapids) - Did Not Pitch. #7 - SS Marek Houston (Cedar Rapids) - 0-for-3, BB, K, SB(10) (batted first, played SS) #8 - RHP Riley Quick (Cedar Rapids) - Did Not Pitch. #9 - LHP Kendry Rojas (Minnesota) - 3 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 3 K, 45 pitches, 27 strikes (60.0%) #10 - OF Gabriel Gonzalez (Minnesota) - Did Not Play. #11 - RHP Charlee Soto (Cedar Rapids) - Injured List #12 - RHP Andrew Morris (Minnesota) - 2/3 IP, 1 H, 1 ER, 3 BB, 0 K, 32 pitches, 15 strikes (46.9%) #13 - OF Hendry Mendez (St. Paul) - 0-for-2, 3 BB, R, (batted third, DH) #14 - 3B/SS Quentin Young (Ft. Myers) - 1-for-4, R, E (batted fifth, played SS) #15 - 3B/CF Brandon Winokur (Cedar Rapids) - 1-for-4, K (batted second, played CF) #16 - RHP Ryan Gallagher (St. Paul) - Did No Pitch. #17 - RHP C.J. Culpepper (St. Paul) - Did Not Pitch. #18 - RHP James Ellwanger (Ft. Myers) - 60 Day Injured List (right elbow sprain) #19 - C/OF Khadim Diaw (Cedar Rapids) - 3-for-4, HR(2), R, RBI, K (batted fifth, played DH) #20 - 2B/SS/CF Kyle DeBarge (Wichita) - 0-for-3, BB, 2 K (batted first, played 2B).. UPCOMING PROBABLES Sunday, May 24: Omaha @ St. Paul (5:07 pm CT) - RHP Ty Langenburg (1-0, 3.00 ERA) Tulsa @ Wichita (4:05 pm CT) - TBD Cedar Rapids @ Peoria (6:35 pm CT) - RHP Riley Quick (0-1, 2.79 ERA) Ft. Myers @ Dunedin (11:00 am CT) - TBD CURRENT W-L Records Minnesota Twins: 25-27 St. Paul Saints: 25-24 Wichita Wind Surge: 20-23 Cedar Rapids Kernels: 23-21 Fort Myers Mighty Mussels: 24-20 FCL Twins: 9-7 DSL Twins: 0-0 (season begins Monday, June 1) Please feel free to ask questions about the teams, the rosters, and discuss today’s games, or anything else Twins minor-league related! View the full article

MIAMI, FL — Thanks to two home runs by Liam Hicks and another Max Meyer quality start, the Miami Marlins defeated the New York Mets Saturday afternoon by a final score of 4-1. Marlins manager Clayton McCullough said that Meyer was able to get through seven shutout innings even without his best stuff. "I think he's been sharper and crisper in some other outings," McCullough said, "but I think he threw some insane sweepers today, and they did a good job of using his fastball appropriately. I just felt like today was more of a grind for him, even though it wasn't a lot of traffic." Meyer allowed just one hit and walked three. He also struck out eight, one shy of his season-high. Through 11 starts this season, Meyer now has a 2.52 ERA, 3.00 FIP, 10.09 K/9 and 3.26 BB/9. Meyer's sweeper (32% usage) and four-seam fastball (27%) complemented each other very well. "I think we can feel when they're starting to sit spin," Meyer said. "I was able to get some ride on a couple heaters when I needed to and freeze them up on a few heaters when I needed to. I got to get that going for next outing." The Marlins jumped on New York Mets starter Freddy Peralta early. In the bottom of the second inning, with runners on second and third, Owen Caissie drove both of them in on a double. Cassie has quietly found consistency at the plate after going through an extended slump during most of April and early May. Since the beginning of the series against the Minnesota Twins (5/13), he entered Saturday's game slashing .300/.391/.600/.991 with two home runs and five RBI. Liam Hicks notched his first career multi-homer game, hitting his 10th of the season in the bottom of the third inning and his 11th in the bottom of the fifth. That gave Miami a 4-0 lead. Hicks and CJ Abrams of the Washington Nationals continue to duel for the RBI leader in baseball. Abrams currently has the most with 45, while Hicks is in second with 44. On Sunday, the Marlins will have Tyler Phillips start the game. That would have been Braxton Garrett's rotation spot, but he was optioned to Triple-A earlier in the week. Once a starter at the beginning of his MLB career, Phillips will now get an opportunity go out there every fifth day, per McCullough. "We believes he has the pitches and the ability to start it," McCullough said. "He's done it in the past, something we had spoken with him about last year and had stretched him out some on the fly. As circumstances have happened in recent weeks, felt like he's been throwing the ball terrifically. His arsenal is much deeper, better than it was in the past. With how the splits come along and the velocity he's been showing, I think he has the pitch mix to go and do this." In 15 appearances out of the bullpen in 2026, Phillips has a 1.20 ERA, 3.43 FIP, 8.10 K/9 and 4.80 BB/9. The right-hander has a five-pitch mix, primarily throwing his sinker and splitter. He has only maxed out at 52 pitches this season, so it will take multiple outings for him to be stretched out for a typical starter's workload. The Marlins will go for their second series sweep of the season on Sunday at 1:40 pm. Christian Scott will start for the Mets. View the full article

Box Score SP: Taj Bradley 5.0 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 7 K (73 pitches, 48 strikes (66%)) Home Runs: N/A Top 3 WPA: Taylor Rogers (0.18), Bradley (0.17), Kendry Rojas (0.17) Win Probability Chart (via FanGraphs) The Twins welcomed back their flamethrower phenom Taj Bradley to the mound at Fenway Park on Saturday afternoon. In a matinee that got pretty heated, Bradley and the Twins kept their cool and stayed hot in Boston. Starting Hot The Red Sox sent a familiar face out as an opener, with lefty Jovani Moran getting the first frame against his former squad. Moran got ahead of Byron Buxton 0-2 to lead things off, but Buck stroked a single to get the offense rolling. Trevor Larnach roped a single of his own to start off his four-hit day, and then Austin Martin took Moran to the gap to get the Twins on the board at 1-0. Bradley's Heater A Josh Bell sacrifice fly spotted Bradley another run to work with, and he worked with the lead quite well. After facing some rehab time for a pectoral muscle issue over the past two weeks, Bradley looked to return to his dominant ways. The first three innings saw little resistance from the Boston bats, with Taj alternating between low-90's movement and 99 mph heaters. The fourth inning saw the Red Sox get their first hit, and eventually their first run as a Ceddanne Rafaela double plated Mickey Gasper. Willson Contreras tried to follow Gasper home, but Martin threw a bead to Orlando Arcia, who in turn threw a pea to Victor Caratini for the tag at home. That play not only kept the Twins in the lead, but it also set a fire under the Twins offense as Caratini took exception to Contreras' bump at the plate, and Contreras took exception to any human interaction that ensued. With the bullpens and benches all lathered up, the top of the fifth inning began with the third of Larnach's four hits. Martin followed with an infield hit up the middle to put runners at first and second with nobody out. Bell stepped to the plate after having been the first man off the bench to skirmish in the previous inning, and he ironically exposed Contreras with a grounder to first that ate up the normally elite defender to load the bases against righty bulk man Brayan Bello. Kody Clemens failed to make them pay by flying out to shallow left, but Caratini hit a fly ball to right jussssssst far enough to score Larnach on a sweet slide to make it 3-1. Arcia then hit a grounder that was headed for out number three until Bello mindlessly reached behind his back and deflected the ball into no mans land. Martin scored, and the Twins bullpen got itself a three-run lead to work with. Rojas Holds the Fireline, and Morris Pours on Gas Bradley wasn't going to go very deep into the game in his first outing back, and Kendry Rojas was ready and waiting to keep the heaters coming. Rojas surrendered only one hit and struck out three over his three innings of work, and it looked like the Twins were on their way to an easy road victory. Then Andrew Morris took the hill for the bottom of the ninth, and Contreras laced a lead-off single into left. Morris followed by walking Rafaela on five pitches. Now the Twins were feeling the heat, and the tying run stepped into the box in the form of young Nick Sogard. Sogard took a 95 mph heater, and then popped up a changeup to ease some of the tension. Masataka Yoshida pinch hit, and Arcia made a slick play on a grounder up the middle to take out the runner at second to get the Twins within one out of a big win. Connor Wong was next man up, and he worked a walk on a full count to load em up. Derek Shelton stuck with the rookie Morris in this new-to-him crucial spot. The first two pitches to Isiah Kiner-Falefa were not close, and Morris was limited to heaters only to finish off the game. On a full count, Morris yanked a fastball into the ground to walk in the second run for the Red Sox. With the tying run on second, Shelton went to lefty Taylor Rogers to face the dangerous lefty Jarren Duran. Rogers got ahead 0-2, and for the sixth, seventh, eighth and ninth times on the evening the Red Sox got down to their final strike. This time, Rogers caught Duran looking on a top shelf sweeper. Duran challenged, but the Twins victory got "confirmed." Thank you homeplate umpire Jen Pawol for doing your job well, as the Twins didn't have a challenge left in the tank had you botched that call. Twins Territory owes you a $2 beer next time you come to Target Field! What’s Next? The Twins look to get out the brooms at Fenway for the first time since 2015. The Bearded Nightmare (5-2, 3.63 ERA) looks to keep the good times rolling in Bean Town. Facing Bailey Ober will be former Twins ace Sonny Gray (5-1, 2.93 ERA) who is 1-2 with a non-stellar 7.20 ERA against his former team since leaving via free agency after the 2023 season. First pitch is scheduled for 12:35pm CDT. Postgame Interviews Bullpen Usage Spreadsheet TUE WED THU FRI SAT TOT Gómez 0 36 0 13 0 49 Adams 19 0 0 29 0 48 Rojas 0 0 0 0 45 45 Morris 0 10 0 0 32 42 Banda 16 0 0 14 0 30 Orze 0 0 0 14 0 14 Rogers 0 0 0 0 6 6 Woods Richardson 0 0 0 0 0 0 View the full article

It was fun while it lasted — four rookies in the rotation. FOUR! But that bloated the rotation beyond the pentatonic standard, and one had to be farmed out. Transactions, 5/23/2026 GOING NEUTRAL COMING Demoted to Syracuse Transferred from Bullpen Promoted from Syracuse Starting Pitchers Relief Pitchers Zach Thornton Jonah Tong Jonathan Pintaro L/L DoB: 37273 High Level: MLB (2026) R/R DoB: 2003-06-19 High Level: MLB (2026) R/R DoB: 1997-11-07 High Level: MLB (2025) Seeing Zach Thornton go down is sub-optimal. The initial upside of it, however is that it creates rotation room for Jonah Tong — suggesting that his initial appearance out of the bullpen was a one-off. It wouldn't have been the first time that the quest for ever-more, ever-stronger bullpen has ensnared a top starting prospect. Tong even committed the cardinal sin of of doing well his first time out of the bullpen, which the likes of Grant Roberts, Aaron Heilman, Seth Lugo, and Robert Gsellman will tell you is the fastest way to lose control of the narrative. But the opening now is in the rotation. Hopefully, Jonah can plant his Canadian flag there, at least until Kodai Senga is ready to perform. Making his 2026 debut in the bullpen is Jonathan Pintaro. Jonathan's last name means painter in Italian and they painted it in Spanish and door in Ndebele, and he has been painting the back door nicely for Syracuse, with a 2.81 ERA and 32 strikeouts in 25 2/3 innings. I mean, we were hoping they'd call up Stan Musial, but he was apparently not available. Your 2026 New York Mets Starting Pitchers Nolan McLean Freddy Peralta David Peterson Christian Scott Jonah Tong R/R DoB: 2001-07-24 R/R DoB: 2996-06-04 L/L DoB: 1995-09-03 R/R DoB: 1999-06-15 R/R DoB: 2003-06-19 Relief Pitchers Huascar Brazobán Sean Manaea Tobias Myers Jonathan Pintaro Brooks Raley Austin Warren Luke Weaver R/R DoB: 1989-10-15 R/L DoB: 1992-02-01 R/R DoB: 1998-08-05 R/R DoB: 1997-11-07 L/L DoB: 1988-06-29 R/R DoB: 1996-02-05 R/R DoB: 1993-08-21 Relief Pitchers Catchers Infielders Devin Williams Hayden Senger Luís Torrens Bo Bichette Brett Baty Vidal Brujan MJ Melendez R/R DoB: 1994-09-21 R/R DoB: 1997-04-03 R/R DoB: 1996-05-02 R/R DoB: 1998-03-05 L/R DoB: 1999-11-13 S/R DoB: 1998-02-09 L/R DoB: 1993-11-29 Infielders Outfielders Marcus Semien Mark Vientos Carson Benge A.J. Ewing Nick Morabito Juan Soto Tyrone Taylor R/R DoB: 1990-09-17 R/R DoB: 1993-12-11 L/R DoB: 2003-01-20 L/R DoB: 2004-08-10 R/R DoB: 2003-05-07 L/L DoB: 1998-10-25 R/R DoB: 1994-01-22 Also on 40-Player Roster Starting Pitchers Relief Pitchers Clay Holmes Tylor Megill Kodai Senga Zach Thornton Alex Carrillo Daniel Duarte Reed Garrett R/R DoB: 1993-03-27 R/R DoB: 1995-07-28 L/R DoB: 1993-01-30 L/L DoB: 2002-01-17 R/R DoB: 1997-06-06 R/R DoB: 1996-12-04 R/R DoB: 1993-01-02 Relief Pitchers Catchers Infielders Justin Hagenman A.J. Minter Dedniel Núñez Dylan Ross Francisco Alvarez Francisco Lindor Ronny Mauricio R/R DoB: 1996-10-07 L/L DoB: 1993-09-02 R/R DoB: 1996-06-05 R/R DoB: 2000-09-01 R/R DoB: 2001-11-01 S/R DoB: 1993-11-14 S/R DoB: 2001-04-04 Infielders Outfielders Jorge Polanco Luis Robert, Jr. Jared Young S/R DoB: 1999-11-13 R/R DoB: 1997-08-03 L/R DoB: 1995-07-09 Designagted for Assignment Relief Pitchers Outfielders Craig Kimbrel Austin Slater R/R DoB: 1988-05-28 R/R DoB: 1992-12-13 Your Mets Coaching Staff Manager Bench Coach Pitching Coach Hitting Coordinator Third Base Coach First Base Coach Bullpen Coach Ass't Pitching Coach Carlos Mendoza Kai Correa Justin Willard Jeff Albert Tim Leiper Gilbert Gomez José Rosado Dan McKinney DoB: 1979-11-27 DoB: 1989-07-14 DoB: 1990-09-09 DoB: 1992-08-16 DoB: 1996-07-19 DoB: 1992-03-08 DoB: 1974-11-09 DoB: 1989-06-06 Hitting Coach Strategy Coach Catching Coach Coaching Assistant Bat'g Practice Pitcher Equipment Manager Bullpen Catchers Bullpen Catchers Troy Snitker Danny Barnes J.P. Arencibia Rafael Fernandez Kevin Mahoney Kevin Kierst Eric Langill Dave Racaniello DoB: 1988-12-05 DoB: 1989-10021 DoB: 1986-01-05 DoB: 1988-08-03 DoB: 1987-05-11 DoB: 1964-07-09 DoB: 1979-04-09 DoB: 1978-06-03 Your Mets Training Staff Director of Player Health Head Athletic Trainer Assistant Athletic Trainer Reconditioning Coordinator Reconditioning Therapist Head Performance Coach Assistant Performance Coach Performance Coordinator Soft Tissue Specialist Brian Chicklo Joseph Golia Bryan Baca Sean Bardanett Josh Bickel Dustin Clarke Tanner Miracle Jeremy Chiang Hiroto Kawamura DoB: 1972-07-17 DoB: 1978-??-?? DoB: Circa 1980 DoB: 1988-06-23 DoB: 1996-??-?? DoB: 1987-??-?? DoB: 1991-??-?? DoB: ????-??-?? DoB: 22846 View the full article

The Twins welcomed an important piece back to their rotation on Saturday, activating Taj Bradley from the 15-day injured list ahead of Minnesota’s matchup against the Boston Red Sox. Bradley is projected to start on Saturday after missing just over two weeks with a pectoral issue. To clear a roster spot, the Twins designated veteran reliever Luis Garcia for assignment, marking another abrupt stop in what has become a turbulent 2026 season for the longtime right-hander. Bradley’s IL move was backdated to May 6, allowing the Twins to bring him back after only a slightly extended minimum stay. The organization appeared to take a cautious approach with the injury from the start, and Bradley only needed one rehab outing with Triple-A St. Paul before being deemed ready to return. Outside of the brief injury interruption, Bradley has been one of the steadier arms in Minnesota’s rotation this season. Through eight starts covering 47 innings, the 25-year-old owns a 2.87 ERA while striking out 26.1% of opposing hitters. His walk rate sits at 8.5%, a touch higher than ideal, though still manageable considering the swing-and-miss ability he brings to the mound. Advanced metrics suggest some regression could eventually come, as Bradley’s 3.48 FIP points to a little help from an elevated 84.3% strand rate. Even so, the Twins have gladly taken the production. With injuries testing the club’s pitching depth throughout the first two months of the season, Bradley has helped stabilize a rotation that has rarely been at full strength. Meanwhile, Garcia’s tenure with the Twins may already be finished. Minnesota signed the 39-year-old to a minor league contract after he was cut loose by the New York Mets in April. The Twins selected his contract not long after, hoping the veteran could provide innings in a taxed bullpen, but the results never materialized. Across nine appearances with Minnesota, Garcia struggled to a 10.38 ERA over 8 2/3 innings. Combining his time with both the Mets and Twins this year, he posted a 9.00 ERA with six walks and six strikeouts in 15 total innings. Financially, the move carries little risk for Minnesota. Garcia signed a one-year, $1.75 million contract with New York during the offseason, leaving the Mets responsible for nearly all of the remaining salary. The Twins only owed him a prorated portion of the league minimum while he occupied a spot on the active roster. Given both his performance and contract situation, Garcia appears likely to clear waivers. If that happens, free agency would probably be more appealing than accepting an outright assignment to Triple-A. Now, he heads back into roster limbo once again as the Twins continue searching for stability behind a pitching staff that has already been forced to absorb plenty of turnover this season. View the full article

Kaelen Culpepper exited Friday’s Saints game in the bottom of the first inning. While stealing second base, his helmet came off, bounced back, and hit him in the face. Culpepper’s lip was busted open, and the Saints' training staff couldn’t get the bleeding to stop. View the full article

Blue Jays Affiliate Overview (May 21-May 22) Triple-A Buffalo Bisons Series vs Syracuse Mets (New York Mets): 1-3 Season Record: 24-25 Double-A New Hampshire Fisher Cats Series vs Hartford Yard Goats (Colorado Rockies): 1-3 Season Record: 23-18 High-A Vancouver Canadians Series vs Spokane (Colorado Rockies): 2-2 Season Record: 18-25 Single-A Dunedin Blue Jays Series vs Fort Myers Mighty Mussels (Minnesota Twins): 2-2 Season Record: 17-26 FCL Blue Jays Week Record: 1-2 Season Record: 12-3 Triple-A Buffalo Bisons Season Record: 24-25 Series vs Syracuse Mets (New York Mets) May 21: Thursday's games against the Syracuse Mets really came down to whose bullpen flipped the worst. Buffalo was patient at the plate, walking 10 times in the game, and leading the way was Josh Kasevich. He would walk twice, have two singles, and score three times in the game. Charles McAdoo was also one of the big bats at the plate, knocking in three runs for the game. In the first inning, he started off his night with an RBI single, scoring RJ Schreck, who reached with a double. McAdoo got the lead back in the third inning, when he doubled home Kasevich and Schreck. Jonatan Clase extended the Buffalo lead to 4-2 in the fifth inning, with a big home run on a middle-middle fastball. With the game tied at four in the sixth inning, Brendon Little replaced CJ Van Eyk, as a runner was on first base. Little walked the first two batters he faced before hitting the third, allowing a run to cross home plate. After a strikeout, Ryan Clifford got a hold of a Little sinker and roped it for a bases-clearing double. Following another walk, Little was yanked with Buffalo in a huge hole. Pat Gallagher was almost as bad as Little, giving up three runs himself, in the bottom of the eighth. The Bisons would mount a little comeback, scoring four between the eighth and ninth innings, but the hole their bullpen dug was far too deep to climb out of, and Buffalo fell 12-8. May 22: Friday night's game was a much better display of pitching for Buffalo. Josh Fleming gave up a lot of hits (seven), but managed to work around them for the most part and make it into the fifth inning before being pulled. He would give up just two runs, both on sacrifice flies in the second and third innings. The runs would tie up the game, as Buffalo scored two in the top of the first, on a two-RBI double from Willie MacIver. The bullpen was magnificent in this one, combining to get 4.2 one-hit innings from Devereaux Harrison, Michael Plassmeyer, and Tanner Andrews. The performance was just enough to allow Buffalo to take the lead late in the game. In the eighth, Charles McAdoo launched his eighth home run of the season, a solo shot to left center. They added another run in the top of the ninth, on an RBI groundout by Josh Kasevich. Buffalo took a close game, 4-2, to begin their season record to 24-25. Double-A New Hampshire Season Record: 23-18 Series vs Hartford Yard Goats (Colorado Rockies) May 21: In the Thursday game between New Hampshire and Hartford, Gage Stanifer took the mound for the Fisher Cats and fired off his fourth start of zero or one earned runs in his last five games. He gave up three runs, though, and New Hampshire was having trouble with the bats. Stanifer went 4.2 innings, gave up three hits, only walked one, and struck out four. The first two runs scored on a home run by Bryant Betancourt, after an Arjun Nimmala errant throw on a routine ground ball extended the inning. It was the only bad pitch from Stanifer on the night. His lone walk should have been a strikeout as well, but a bad ball call ended Stanifer's night, and after he left, the first batter doubled in the run. Overall, Stanifer didn't have his best stuff, but his split/change was a key in this game and has been improving immensely. Offensively for New Hampshire, Jay Harry homered in the second inning, and Jackson Hornung did so in the eighth. Both weren't enough, though, as New Hampshire lost this one 6-2. May 22: Friday night was another rough night for New Hampshire as the bats seemed to have been slowing down recently. A Jorge Burgos home run in the third inning was the whole offense in the game for the Fisher Cats. Sean Keys got on base four times, with two hits and two walks, but the team only managed six hits and the lone run. Roc Riggio had the big hit for Hartford, a home run in the sixth inning. The Yard Goats would get to New Hampshire for eight runs over the third, fifth, and sixth innings. The Fisher Cats lost this one as well, this time 8-1. High-A Vancouver Season Record: 18-25 Series vs Spokane (Colorado Rockies) May 21: Landen Maroudis seems to have been figured out, as although the defense didn’t help him with a few errors, he gave up three homers on the night, with two coming in the third inning before being taken out after taking a comebacker. The Canadians were able to load the bases up the next inning, but all they could come up with was a bases-loaded walk for Brennan Orf. Gilberto Batista was the replacement for Maroudis and was solid, although he gave up another three runs in the fifth inning to make it 9-1 for Spokane. The Canadians showed some signs of life with a three-run homer from Jacob Sharp in the seventh inning, but they couldn’t surmount such a large lead, leading to another loss. May 22: The Canadians’ offense had an explosion, as the team combined for 15 runs on seven hits and 10 walks. Daniel Guerra was also excellent starting for Vancouver, going five shutout innings with six strikeouts. Juanmi Vasquez matched the strikeout total in just three one-hit innings, and then Trace Baker also brought the punchies with three of them himself. On the offensive end, there were huge games from Alexis Hernandez, who hit his sixth homer of the season with a grand slam to break the game open in the fifth inning. Dub Gleed and Maddox Latta both also hit homers on multi-hit nights, each being a three-run shot. The Canadians just ran away with this one thanks to that power surge on the night. Single-A Dunedin Season Record: 17-26 Series vs Fort Myers Mighty Mussels (Minnesota Twins) May 21, Game 1: The Dunedin Blue Jays just couldn’t close this game out. They went down early in the first inning as Silvano Hechavarria gave up a two-run shot in the first inning, adding on to his early-season woes, and then he gave up another two runs in the second inning to put the Jays behind. Blaine Bullard and Nathan Lukes cut the lead to two with two RBI-hits in the second inning, and in the fifth inning, the Jays were able to take the lead with a Lukes homer, a hard RBI single from Juan Sanchez, and then David Beckles had himself a two RBI double to make it six to four for the Jays. Newly signed Bradley Wilson could not hold the lead, however, as he gave up a two-run homer in the seventh inning to force the game to go to extras. Wilson struggled even more in extras, as the Mighty Mussels scored four runs in the eighth. Beckles had another big extra-base hit in the bottom of the eighth with a two-run homer, but the Jays could not score another run in a close loss. May 21, Game 2: It was another nailbiter in the second game of the doubleheader. Troy Guthrie and Matthew Dalquist both went five innings with four strikeouts, but Guthrie gave up two earned runs compared to Dalquist’s single earned run given up. Austin Smith then gave up a homer in the sixth inning, giving the Mighty Mussels a two-run lead heading into the bottom of the sixth inning. The Jays were able to get within one after a wild pitch scored Jake Cook, but they were still down heading into the final inning of the game. Dariel Ramon hit a single to put the tying run on base, and Raimundo De Los Santos drove him in on an RBI triple to even it up. Cook was on deck and drove in De Los Santos for a walk-off victory in another close one. May 22: Walk-off magic happened again, this time with the other speedy outfielder for the Dunedin Blue Jays. Karson Ligon returned from the 7-day IL, sitting 95 mph and striking out five batters. The Jays scored the first four runs of the game unanswered, and the Mighty Mussels were only able to get on the board in the seventh inning against Dylan Watts, who went four innings with three strikeouts. Josbel Garcia allowed a couple of base runners in the eighth inning after Watts was taken out, and gave up a three-run homer to Luis Fragoza, making it a one-run game. An error led to an unearned run scoring in the bottom of the ninth, and the Jays yet again headed into extra innings. FCL Blue Jays Season Record: 12-3 May 21: The FCL Blue Jays had their hitting shoes on for the Thursday game. They would pour in 12 hits, four walks, and 12 runs. They were doing damage with those hits as well, with the team hitting three home runs. Jean Joseph homered in the second, Sam White in the fifth, and Brock Tibbitts in the eighth inning. All of the starters had at least one hit, and Angel Guzman led the way with three of them. The FCL Blue Jays won this one 12-5. May 22: It was the opposite of the Thursday game for the FCL Blue Jays on Friday. They had seven hits, with two each from Angel Guzman, Franklin Rojas, and Andres Arias. Owen Gregg added a single as well, but the six singles and double from Rojas weren't good enough to score a run. The FCL Tigers scored two in the third inning and didn't look back in this one. They would add three more in the sixth inning, as the FCL Blue Jays lost easily, 5-0. View the full article

Kevin Alcántara is heading back to the big leagues. In a week where the Chicago Cubs have called up two of their top five prospects, their fifth-ranked farmhand is headed to Wrigley Field to try and prove himself yet again. Let’s break down what Alcántara has been up to, what he can provide a big-league club that’s aiming to snap a painful slump, and what a realistic outlook for this outfielder looks like. Context On The Jaguar The New York Yankees originally signed Alcántara out of the Dominican Republic back in 2018. He signed for one million dollars and was scouted as a young talent with a sky-high ceiling among that year’s international class. He came over to the Cubs as a part of the Anthony Rizzo trade in 2021, when the North Siders were embarking on a rebuild, and he’s become a flashy prospect in the upper levels of the minor leagues in recent years. Now, he gets the call to show off his skillset in the major leagues for the third time in as many years. Strengths For Alcántara’s strengths, his frame jumps off of the page right away. Standing at a slender 6-foot-6 and 188 pounds, the combination of power, speed and overall ability to make rangy plays fits the bill. His best attribute is a 60-grade fielding tool, as the lengthy D.R. native has is able to cover plenty of ground out there in the outfield. His next three attributes are all a 55-grade on the 20-to-80 scouting scale. The power has really come through to start Alcántara’s 2026 campaign. Through just 41 games in Triple-A Iowa, the ‘Jaguar’ has slugged 15 home runs, a mark that’s tied for the most in the International League. The strong righty also managed to register six doubles for what is one of his career-best tallies of a .906 OPS. The run-tool sits at a 55-grade as well, and while he’s never stolen more than 15 bases in a season, the ability to stretch a base hit the extra 90 feet, and to really challenge opposing arms, is there. Lastly, Alcántara’s arm has been on display too. Just like how his wiry frame allows for a naturally long swing path, he can whip the ball into the field, showcasing an ability to be a playmaker in multiple capacities. Competition And Weaknesses If this guy has so much power, and grades as a plus defender, then why has the fifth-ranked Cubs’ prospect been sent back down to Triple-A both times after getting to the Windy City? One reason is Chicago’s rather crowded outfield. Pete Crow-Armstrong just signed a long-term deal in center field. On top of the Gold Glover’s long-term future getting secured, Ian Happ has provided Gold Glove defense in left field, while Seiya Suzuki’s slugging has justified an everyday spot in the lineup, usually slotting him over in right field. Michael Conforto has also been hanging around a .300 batting average, and after some late-game heroics, he has found himself in right field a handful of times too. Along with Craig Counsell’s talented outfield, Alcántara has struggled mightily with strikeouts. It’s an issue that’s plagued him throughout his career, and his career-worst 30 percent strikeout rate in 2025 showed that the 23-year-old still has a pretty assertive approach. It’s been the same story to start this year, as the talented outfielder struck out 60 times in 41 Triple-A games despite the uptick in power numbers. Kevin Alcántara’s Outlook What happens with the ‘Jaguar’ this time around? There are a couple of factors at play. Ian Happ and Seiya Suzuki are both on contract years. Their play will determine the future of the outfield, but if Alcántara can showcase his raw skills at the major-league level and reels in his plate discipline, that could just as easily influence his immediate and long-term future with the big-league ball club. View the full article

Chicago Cubs Minor League Report - May 22 Affiliate Overview Triple-A Iowa Cubs Series vs. Memphis Redbirds (St. Louis Cardinals): Redbirds lead, 3-1 Season Record: 19–29 Double-A Knoxville Smokies Series vs. Montgomery Biscuits (Tampa Bay Rays): Biscuits lead, 2-0 Season Record: 21–20 High-A South Bend Cubs Series at West Michigan Whitecaps (Detroit Tigers): Cubs lead, 3-1 Season Record: 23–16 Single-A Myrtle Beach Pelicans Series at Kannapolis Cannon Ballers (Chicago White Sox): Cannon Ballers lead, 4-0 Season Record: 18–23 Affiliate Highlights Triple-A: Iowa Cubs Season Record: 19–29 Series Opponent: Memphis Redbirds (30–19) Series Standing: Trail, 3-1 May 22: The Iowa Cubs dropped Friday night’s contest to the Memphis Redbirds, 8-4, and have now lost 10 of their last 11 ballgames. The Redbirds plated five runs in their first trip to the plate but the Cubs were able to get two runs back in the bottom of the inning thanks to BJ Murray’s (2-for-4) two-run double. Murray then made it a 5-4 game in the second with a two-run single but Memphis would pull away with a run in the fourth and two more in the fifth to ease to the 8-4 win. Javier Assad got the start for Iowa and took the loss, falling to 0-1 on the season. Assad allowed five runs on six hits over 3 2/3 innings of work, walking two and striking out one. Luke Little worked two scoreless innings out of the bullpen, issuing one free pass. Double-A: Knoxville Smokies Season Record: 21–20 Series Opponent: Montgomery Biscuits (22–19) Series Standing: Trail, 2-0 May 22: The Knoxville Smokies had their game vs. the Montgomery Biscuits suspended in the bottom of the second, with the Smokies leading 1-0. The two teams will play a doubleheader tonight, with Friday’s game being played as a nine-inning contest with a seven-inning ballgame to follow. High-A: South Bend Cubs Season Record: 23–16 Series Opponent: West Michigan Whitecaps (14–19) Series Standing: Lead, 3-1 May 22: The South Bend Cubs claimed at least a series split with a 5-4 victory over the West Michigan Whitecaps on Friday night at LMCU Ballpark. The Whitecaps took the lead in the contest with a run in the first but the Cubs got that run right back in the second through Justin Stransky’s (1-for-4) RBI-double. Cameron Sisneros (1-for-4) gave South Bend its first lead of the game with an RBI-single in the fifth but West Michigan hit back with three runs in the home half of the frame to take a 4-2 lead. Kane Kepley (1-for-5) sparked the Cubs’ rally in the seventh by stealing home, his 24th stolen base of the campaign, and South Bend would tie the game on an error. Leonel Espinoza (2-for-5) would give the Cubs the lead for good with an RBI-single, capping a three-run frame. Adam Stone picked up the win in relief for South Bend to improve to 3-0 on the season. He tossed 1 2/3 scoreless frames and did not allow a hit but issued four walks. JP Wheat worked two shutout innings and struck out three to earn his third hold of the year and Ethan Bell pitched a scoreless ninth, striking out two, to earn his third save. Single-A: Myrtle Beach Pelicans Season Record: 18–23 Series Opponent: Kannapolis Cannon Ballers (22–21) Series Standing: Trail, 4-0 May 22: The Myrtle Beach Pelicans saw their losing skid hit six games as they dropped Friday night’s ballgame to the Kannapolis Cannon Ballers, 3-2. The two teams traded zeroes through the first three innings before Yahil Melendez (2-for-4) broke the deadlock with a two-run single in the fourth. After four scoreless innings from Pelicans starter Kaleb Wing, who struck out six batters, the Cannon Ballers would score all three of their runs in the fifth and would hold their lead until the end of the game. Jose Escobar (2-for-4) also tallied a multi-hit effort for Myrtle Beach and Jordan Henriquez worked two scoreless innings out of the bullpen, whiffing three. View the full article

The Minnesota Twins had limited options to choose from on the 40-man to replace Tristan Gray as he moves onto the paternity list for a short while. Royce Lewis and Matt Wallner had both been recently sent down, while outfield prospects Alan Roden and Emanuel Rodriguez are both injured. That left Hendry Mendez, recently called up to St. Paul from Wichita, and Gabriel Gonzalez, whom the Twins eventually called up. Gonzalez made his major-league debut on Friday night at Fenway, batting fifth in left field. Even though this figures to be a brief introduction, fans should be excited for the #10 prospect in the Twins system to hopefully provide some pop from the right-handed side of the plate, now and going forward. The 22-year-old played for three levels in the minor league system last year, moving from High-A to Triple-A with his longest stint being with Wichita in the middle of the chain. Gonzalez slashed .319/.378/.529 in 156 plate appearances at High-A before being promoted to Wichita, where he performed better, hitting .344/.429/.509 in 245 plate appearances. He wrapped up the year by earning another promotion to St. Paul, finishing with a slash line of .316/.358/.504 in 148 plate appearances with the Saints. Twins Daily’s Minor League Hitter of the Year for his overall performance last year, Gonzalez has begun 2026 with some struggles, earning a line of .216/.294/.392. He has been better as of late, riding a six-game hitting streak before his promotion. A few underlying metrics can be observed about Gonzalez to provide more context. His BABIP this season is very low at .231, so some bad luck may be involved. However, Gonzalez is also smacking the ball into the ground, possessing a GB rate of 48.5%. In addition to that, he is popping the ball up on the infield at a 17.8% rate. Lower those two numbers, and his overall production should start to tick back up to what we saw last year from the promising young Venezuelan. Flashing back a little further, Gonzalez was part of the Jorge Polanco trade with the Seattle Mariners in which the Twins also acquired the recently DFA’d Justin Topa, starter Anthony DeSclafani, and pitching prospect Darren Bowen. Topa was solid last year for the Twins, possessing a 3.90 ERA (3.04 FIP) in 60.0 innings pitched before blowing up this year to a tune of an 8.05 ERA (6.47 FIP). DeSclafani never pitched a game for the Twins due to injury and eventually moved on to the Diamondbacks last year. Bowen is now 25 and is down in Wichita, pitching to a 3.74 ERA through 21 ⅔ innings so far this year as a reliever. Despite the lackluster results from the rest of the package, Gonzalez has a legitimate chance to “win” this trade for the Twins. Given that Polanco was a pending free agent when he was traded and hit the open market (even though he resigned with the Mariners), he accounted for 1.3 bWAR in his first year in Seattle. Topa is the only player to crack the major league roster so far, and he’s been worth -0.1 bWAR over his three seasons. From that perspective, Gonzalez would only need 1.4 bWAR for the Twins to “break even”, and given his offensive production from last season, there are hopes he can do that with purely his bat. Gonzalez doesn’t play plus defense, but he can handle the corners and has been mixing in at first base this year as well, giving him another spot he could fit in if the Twins move on from a veteran near the deadline. While his initial run with the team may be short, Gonzalez has the talent to contribute strongly in the near future. While he struggled early at Triple-A this season, Gonzalez had been heating up before his promotion, and the underlying numbers suggest there is still plenty of reason for optimism. His combination of bat-to-ball skills and emerging power gives the Twins another young, intriguing option that can come up and play multiple positions. For a team that has struggled this year at first base and in right field when Wallner was there, Gonzalez could play himself into a more consistent big-league role later in the year if he performs in his first chance with the Twins. No matter how long the call-up lasts for, fans should view Gonzalez as one of the important young hitters in the organization and the key piece to achieving the perceived value obtained for Jorge Polanco back in 2024. View the full article

Boston Red Sox Minor League Recap (May 22) Triple-A Worcester Red Sox Series vs. Rochester Red Wings (Washington Nationals): 0-4 Season Record: 23-24 After starting the season hot, the WooSox fell below .500 as they lost their fourth straight. It was a woeful day on the mound for the entirety of Worcester’s pitching staff. Jack Anderson started the game and let up six runs off nine hits over just three innings. Seth Martinez took over in the fourth and was only marginally better. He allowed three more runs and walked two despite collecting four strikeouts over two and ⅔ innings. Wyatt Olds took the next inning and ⅓, putting together the best outing of the day. He allowed just one baserunner via a hit, and struck out four more. However, Tommy Kahnle still took over in the eighth despite Olds’ dominance. Kahnle was good, however, allowing three baserunners as he prevented any further damage. To close out the game, Worcester brought in catcher Nathan Hickey, who let up three more runs as Rochester put the game way out of reach. Just like on the mound, Worcester was downright miserable at the plate. The WooSox recorded just three hits and drew six walks. The lone run came on a Braiden Ward single that drove in Max Ferguson in the fifth inning. Worcester never really had a chance to come back as they fell for the seventh time in their last eight contests. Double-A Portland Sea Dogs Series vs. Reading Fightin Phils (Philadelphia Phillies): 4-0 Season Record: 21-21 Portland won 2-1 as they fought back to .500. John Holobetz has had a mixed bag of recent outings, but he settled in on Friday and pitched six scoreless innings. He lowered his ERA to 4.06 as he struck out six and allowed five hits, recovering from a turbulent start to the month. Caleb Bolden earned a hold for his two innings of relief work. He allowed one run and two hits, but struck out four. To complete the solid day on the bump for Portland, Reidis Sena allowed a walk in his one-inning appearance. He earned the save for his efforts, striking out two of the four batters he faced. Franklin Arias led the way for Portland at the plate with perhaps his best hitting performance so far this season. He led off the bottom of the first with a solo home run, his ninth of the year. Then, in the fifth inning, he hit his second home run of the night and tenth on the year. He made up the entirety of the Sea Dogs offense, collecting three hits as he bumped his average to .341. Overall, Portland was 0-for-7 with RISP and left eight runners on base. In the end, however, it didn’t matter as they eked out the win behind Arias’s outstanding game. High-A Greenville Drive Series @ Frederick Keys (Baltimore Orioles): 1-1 Season Record: 16-25 Friday’s doubleheader was postponed due to inclement weather. It was the second forced cancellation in a row and makeup information has not yet been provided. Low-A Salem RidgeYaks Series @ Hill City Howlers (Cleveland Guardians): 2-2 Season Record: 19-24 Following the postponement of Thursday’s game, Salem and Hill City split a doubleheader on Friday. Jason Gilman started the first game of the afternoon for Salem and turned in four and ⅔ innings of great work. He allowed two hits and one unearned run as he stalled the Howlers’ offense. He punched out five batters and walked two. Jay Allmer took the final two and ⅓ innings of the seven inning contest in his first appearance since being demoted from High-A Greenville. He spun an excellent outing, allowing a hit and a walk but striking out three and slamming the door on any sort of comeback effort. It was a slow game for Salem at the plate. The RidgeYaks reached base only eight times and went 1-for-6 with RISP. However, they were able to prevail behind the efforts of Givian Sirvania who made his first start since being activated from the FCL Red Sox. He helped Salem take the lead early with a two-RBI double in the second inning. In the seventh inning, with a one-run edge, Avinson Pinto put the game away with his second homer of the season. In the second game of the day, Jose Bello put together an excellent start of his own. He lowered his season ERA to 2.82, allowing three hits and one unearned run through five and ⅔ innings. He K’d three and allowed one walk. Nicolas De La Cruz started the seventh inning with the game tied 1-1. Despite sitting down five on strikes, he allowed five walks as he struggled with command. In the eighth, Hill City walked off Salem with a bases loaded single to split the doubleheader. It was an even slower second game for Salem at the dish. They recorded just seven baserunners this time around and went an abysmal 0-for-8 with RISP. The lone run game on a Skylar King groundout with men on the corners and no outs. Kleyver Salazar and Stanley Tucker each recorded two hits, but the rest of the team was silent in the hits column. View the full article

Brooklyn's Frank Camarillo delivered a Quality Start with three strikeouts as the Cyclones routed Hudson Valley 10-3. In Single-A, Jamari Baylor's leadoff homer in the bottom of the ninth lifted St. Lucie to a 7-6 walk-off win, with Jose Chirinos striking out ten across 5 1/3 innings of relief. Nick Lorusso homered in Binghamton's 10-5 loss to Richmond, while the Syracuse bullpen surrendered late runs in a 4-2 defeat to Buffalo. Mets Transactions New York Mets sent RHP Kodai Senga on a rehab assignment to St. Lucie Mets. New York Mets designated RHP Craig Kimbrel for assignment. New York Mets sent RF Austin Slater outright to Syracuse Mets. New York Mets recalled RHP Jonah Tong from Syracuse Mets. Syracuse Bats Quiet After Early Rally In Loss To Buffalo The Syracuse Mets dropped a 4-2 decision to the Buffalo Bisons at home, picking up eight hits but leaving eight runners on base. Jared Young and Kevin Parada each finished 2-for-4, with Young doubling and scoring a run. Eric Wagaman added a single and drew a walk, Jihwan Bae went 1-for-4 with a run scored, and Yonny Hernández contributed an RBI and a stolen base. Cleanup hitter Ryan Clifford drove in a run on a sacrifice fly. Daniel Duarte allowed two runs on one hit and two walks across one inning, striking out two. Buffalo opened the scoring in the first on a two-run double. The Mets answered in the second on a Bae single, a Parada single that pushed Bae to third, and a Hernández sacrifice fly to center that brought him home. They tied the game in the third when Young singled, advanced on a Wagaman single, and scored on Clifford's sacrifice fly to right. That was all Syracuse would muster. Ofreidy Gómez, Ben Simon, and Zach Peek combined for five scoreless innings out of the bullpen, but Cionel Pérez surrendered a solo home run in the eighth that broke the tie and stuck him with the loss. Buffalo tacked on an insurance run in the ninth off Alex Carrillo on a fielder's choice. The Mets went quietly the rest of the way, with the late bullpen lapses overshadowing the strong middle relief work. Player AB R H RBI BB K Christian Arroyo 5 0 1 0 0 1 Jared Young 4 1 2 0 0 0 Eric Wagaman 3 0 1 0 1 0 Ryan Clifford 3 0 0 1 0 2 Andy Ibáñez 4 0 1 0 0 1 Ji Hwan Bae 4 1 1 0 0 1 Cristian Pache 3 0 0 0 1 0 Kevin Parada 4 0 2 0 0 0 Yonny Hernández 2 0 0 1 1 0 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Daniel Duarte 1.0 1 2 2 2 2 0 Ben Simon 1.0 1 0 0 2 0 0 Zach Peek 2.0 1 0 0 1 2 0 Ofreidy Gómez 2.0 1 0 0 0 2 0 Cionel Pérez (L) 1 2/3 2 1 1 0 3 1 Alex Carrillo 1 1/3 0 1 1 2 1 0 Lorusso Homers But Rumble Ponies Fall In Richmond The Binghamton Rumble Ponies dropped a 10-5 game in Richmond, undone by a bad start on the mound that left them trailing 7-1 after five innings. Nick Lorusso powered the offense with a 2-for-5 night that included a two-run home run, two runs scored, two RBIs, and a stolen base. Jose Ramos went 1-for-2 with two runs, an RBI, and three walks. Wyatt Young chipped in with a 2-for-3 effort and an RBI, and Jacob Reimer drew three walks and scored a run. Eli Serrano III added a double. The Rumble Ponies took eight walks but left ten runners on base. Starter Jordan Geber gave up three runs, only one earned, on two hits and three walks over three innings, with two strikeouts. The defense did not help him, as a second-inning sacrifice fly turned into a two-run play after a Jose Ramos throwing error from center field. Things unraveled in the middle innings, with the Flying Squirrels stringing together three runs in the fifth on a double, a groundout, and a wild pitch to push the lead to 7-1. The Rumble Ponies added two more in the eighth on an RBI lineout from TT Bowens and a sacrifice fly from Young, but the hole proved too deep. Jefry Yan was the bright spot in relief, striking out four over two scoreless innings. Player AB R H RBI BB K Marco Vargas 5 0 0 0 0 1 Chris Suero 4 0 0 0 1 1 Jacob Reimer 2 1 0 0 3 0 Eli Serrano III 5 0 1 0 0 3 Jose Ramos 2 2 1 1 3 0 Nick Lorusso 5 2 2 2 0 1 Jaylen Palmer 2 0 0 0 1 1 TT Bowens 4 0 0 1 0 2 Wyatt Young 3 0 2 1 0 0 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Jordan Geber (L) 3.0 2 3 1 3 2 0 Gabriel Rodriguez 1.0 1 2 2 3 0 0 Carlos Guzman 1.0 4 3 3 0 1 0 Jefry Yan 2.0 0 0 0 1 4 0 Wyatt Young 1.0 3 2 2 1 0 1 Cyclones Erupt For Ten Runs Behind Camarillo's Quality Start The Brooklyn Cyclones rolled past the Hudson Valley Renegades 10-3 at home, riding nine walks to a comfortable win. Yonatan Henriquez led the way at 3-for-5 with a double, a run, and an RBI. John Bay went 2-for-5 with two runs, an RBI, and a stolen base, while JT Benson and Daiverson Gutierrez each drove in a run, the latter adding a walk. Leadoff hitter Mitch Voit walked, was hit by a pitch, swiped a bag, scored a run, and drove one in on a sacrifice fly. Corey Collins reached base four times with three walks and an RBI on a fielder's choice. Brooklyn left eight runners on base. Starter Frank Camarillo turned in a Quality Start, going six innings and allowing two runs on four hits and one walk with three strikeouts. He gave up one home run and earned the win, his first of the season. After Hudson Valley took a 1-0 lead in the fourth, the Cyclones answered with four runs in the bottom of the inning. John Bay stole second to set up Voit scoring on a throwing error, Gutierrez tied the game with an RBI groundout, Henriquez singled home Collins, and a balk during the next at-bat brought Henriquez home for a 4-1 lead. The game broke open in the eighth, when Brooklyn pushed across five runs. A Roselli fielder's choice scored Benson on a throwing error, Voit's sacrifice fly brought home Biller, Bay singled in another, and a fielding error allowed two more to cross. Adbert Alzolay, Joe Jacques, and Garrett Stratton finished things out from the bullpen. Player AB R H RBI BB K Mitch Voit 2 1 0 1 1 1 John Bay 5 2 2 1 0 1 Corey Collins 2 1 0 1 3 1 Daiverson Gutierrez 4 0 0 2 1 0 Yonatan Henriquez 5 1 3 1 0 2 JT Benson 5 1 1 0 0 3 Sam Biller 3 1 0 0 0 2 Nick Roselli 3 2 0 0 1 2 Diego Mosquera 1 1 0 0 3 1 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Frank Camarillo (W) 6.0 4 2 2 1 3 1 Adbert Alzolay 1.0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Joe Jacques 1.0 3 1 1 0 2 1 Garrett Stratton 1.0 1 0 0 1 1 0 Baylor's Walk-Off Homer Lifts St. Lucie Past Palm Beach Jamari Baylor crushed a leadoff home run in the bottom of the ninth to give the St. Lucie Mets a 7-6 walk-off win over the Palm Beach Cardinals. Chase Meggers was the catalyst all night, going 3-for-4 with two doubles, a home run, three runs scored, and an RBI. Leadoff hitter Elian Peña singled twice and drove in a run, Randy Guzman went 2-for-3 with a run scored, and Branny De Oleo provided a solo homer in the seventh. Cleanup hitter Yohairo Cuevas walked and scored. Baylor finished 1-for-3 with the game-winning shot. Starter Kodai Senga, on a rehab assignment from New York, allowed two runs on four hits and one walk over 3 1/3 innings, striking out two. He surrendered the Cardinals' first runs in the third on a pair of singles and was pulled in the fourth after another run scored on a bases-loaded walk. Jose Chirinos answered the call with 5 1/3 innings of one-run relief, scattering three hits and three walks while striking out ten. St. Lucie chipped away through the middle innings, with Meggers homering in the fifth and De Oleo and Jeremy Rodriguez producing in the seventh to push the lead to 6-3. The Cardinals stormed back in the ninth, plating three runs on two singles and a balk against Miguel Mejias to tie the game at six. Baylor ended it on the first pitch of the bottom of the ninth, sending one to left-center for his third home run of the year. Player AB R H RBI BB K Elian Peña 4 0 2 1 0 1 Jeremy Rodriguez 3 0 0 1 0 1 Randy Guzman 3 1 2 0 0 1 Yohairo Cuevas 2 1 0 0 1 1 Julio Zayas 4 0 0 0 0 1 AJ Salgado 2 0 0 0 2 1 Branny De Oleo 4 1 1 1 0 2 Chase Meggers 4 3 3 1 0 1 Jamari Baylor 3 1 1 1 0 0 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Kodai Senga 3 1/3 4 2 2 1 2 0 Jose Chirinos 5 1/3 3 1 1 3 10 0 Miguel Mejias (W) 1/3 2 3 3 2 0 0 Top-20 Prospect Performance Carson Benge: DNP A.J. Ewing: DNP Jonah Tong: DNP Elian Peña: 2-for-4, RBI, K Jack Wenninger: DNP Ryan Clifford: 0-for-3, RBI, 2 K Jacob Reimer: 0-for-2, 3 BB, R Nick Morabito: DNP Mitch Voit: 0-for-2, BB, RBI, K, SB Jonathan Santucci: DNP Chris Suero: 0-for-4, BB, K Zach Thornton: DNP Wandy Asigen: DNP Will Watson: DNP Eli Serrano III: 1-for-5, 2B, 3 K Randy Guzman: 2-for-3, R, K Ryan Lambert: DNP Dylan Ross: DNP Antonio Jimenez: DNP R.J. Gordon: DNP View the full article

After suffering multiple injuries to their pitching staff early in the season, the San Diego Padres hoped Griffin Canning's return from the injured list would help round out the back of their rotation. However, after missing the second half of last season with a ruptured left Achilles, Canning has struggled to find his footing, posting a 9.00 ERA through his first four starts. Known throughout his career as a pitcher who generates ground balls by attacking the lower part of the strike zone, he has struggled with his command this season. The issue was most noticeable in his third appearance against the Milwaukee Brewers, when he gave up six runs in 1 2/3 innings, which included walking four straight batters in the first inning. This season, he is walking hitters at a career-high 13.3% rate, and spotting pitches in the strike zone only 43.2% of the time, a drop from his previous career low of 43.9% during his rookie season. Although these numbers do call for some concern, Canning has not been entirely ineffective. Despite a slow start, he is still generating a career-high 10.69 K/9 while allowing a career-low 6.3% barrel rate. That's a promising sign that he can be more efficient with better location. Plus, the underlying metrics suggest that while Canning has struggled, his face-value stats may be a little inflated. The most notable difference is the gap between his ERA and his expected stats. He has allowed 16 runs through four starts, but carries an expected ERA of 4.06 and 3.94 xFIP, suggesting his performances have been closer to league average than his ERA indicates. His most recent start against the Los Angeles Dodgers definitely supported this narrative. Against the Dodgers, he allowed a two-run home run to Freddie Freeman in the first inning before settling in and giving up just two hits and one run over his last four innings of work. To improve, he needs to fix his changeup more than anything. Before his injury, Canning’s approach relied heavily on a four-seam fastball and slider combination, with an effective changeup that could force batters into off-balance swings. Last season, opponents hit just .196 against the pitch, and it produced a +6 run value, leading to Canning choosing to rely on it more. Once his third-most-used pitch, the changeup has become the primary pitch in his arsenal, deploying it 32.9% of the time, but not to the results he was expecting. This season, the changeup has gone from a strength to a weakness, with opponents having a .423 batting average and .500 slugging percentage against the pitch, and its run value has dropped to -3, the lowest in his arsenal. Canning is locating his changeup in the strike zone just 38.5% of the time, down from 53.2% last season. But early struggles do not necessarily mean the pitch should be abandoned. Despite the poor results, the changeup is still generating a 33.3% whiff rate and a 33.9% chase rate, both improvements from last season. Normally, Canning has used the changeup low or below the zone to generate whiffs or soft contact. But this season, opposing hitters are making more contact when they do swing. His opponents' O-contact rate against the pitch has risen from 48.1% to 55.3%, indicating that while batters are still chasing, they are also having better results when they do make contact. Control is normally the thing to return last when a pitcher returns from a long layoff, as Canning is after a season-ending Achilles injury in June of 2025. With more reps, he should be able to attack the zone more frequently. If the rest of his results are to be believed that could unlock something for the Padres. View the full article

Despite an extremely competitive National League Central and a wave of injuries that threatened to derail the season before it ever gained momentum, the Milwaukee Brewers have once again climbed to the top of the division standings. Now sitting with the fourth-best record in baseball, Milwaukee has leaned on its trademark pitching development, timely hitting, and organizational depth to weather the storm. But with the trade deadline approaching and the postseason picture beginning to take shape, the Brewers still have clear areas where they can improve. Whether it’s reinforcing the bullpen internally or giving a top prospect such as Jett Williams or Cooper Pratt an opportunity to spark the lineup, Milwaukee is in a position not only to hold first place but to become an even more dangerous contender down the stretch. The Brewers Bullpen Even with the Brewers now atop the division, the bullpen remains one of the biggest areas to monitor as the season progresses. Inconsistent performances from former All-Star Trevor Megill and an injury to Angel Zerpa, acquired over the offseason in the Isaac Collins trade, have left a group led in appearances by Aaron Ashby, Abner Uribe, and Grant Anderson. While that trio has managed to stabilize things for stretches, Milwaukee still lacks the consistency and proven late-inning depth that championship contenders typically rely on entering October. The Brewers could choose to address those concerns externally at the deadline, but they may also look internally toward younger arms capable of stepping into higher-leverage roles as the season unfolds. There are multiple arms on the 40-man roster who could play into the configuration of the bullpen later in the year, such as Brian Fitzpatrick, Easton McGee, Carlos Rodriguez, and Craig Yoho, the Brewers’ no. 27 prospect according to MLB.com. All those arms besides Yoho have made appearances with the Brewers already this season, and the hope is that one, if not more, can provide quality innings for the Brewers as the summer unfolds. Injuries are a part of baseball, and given that the Brewers will need to have arms ready to go from Nashville. Yoho is the most intriguing of that option with his 70-grade changeup, and so far for the Sounds, he’s had good results with a 1.38 ERA in 13 innings pitched, though that comes with an ungainly 4.60 FIP. He's striking out a little over 32% of the batters he's facing. Yoho started the season on the injured list with a right calf strain, so some more appearances would be nice before seeing some MLB action, especially given his struggles in the big leagues last year. Craig Yoho, per Prospect Savant If even one or two of those internal options emerge as reliable contributors, the Brewers could avoid overpaying for bullpen help at the deadline while continuing to lean on the organizational pitching depth that has defined their success in recent years. Furthermore, if one breaks out in a big way, there could be an opportunity for late-inning work later in the year. Third Base & Shortstop Early struggles from the left side of the infield could cause top prospects such as Williams or Pratt to move up. Both are heating up as of late: Williams is slashing .321/.473/.589 in May, while the recently extended Pratt is hitting .226/.333/.468. Luis Rengifo (47 wRC+), Joey Ortiz, (59 wRC+), and David Hamilton (88 wRC+) have all struggled offensively this year. Rengifo would likely be the first man out, given Hamilton’s speed and Ortiz’s defense, and it should be a move the Brewers consider if all these players continue their hardships at the plate. Williams would require a 40-man roster move and would likely slot in at third base, while Pratt is on the 40-man and would be a shortstop at the major league level. Neither prospect is guaranteed to immediately solve Milwaukee’s offensive inconsistencies, but both would inject upside and energy into a lineup that has leaned heavily on its pitching staff for much of the season. If the Brewers remain in first place as the trade deadline approaches, promoting one of their young infielders could be viewed as an aggressive but necessary step toward raising the ceiling of the roster for the second half. Jett Williams, per Prospect Savant Cooper Pratt, per Prospect Savant As the summer pushes toward the trade deadline at the beginning of August, the Brewers find themselves in a delicate position: leading a competitive division while still carrying clear areas for improvement. Their success to this point has been built on pitching depth, organizational flexibility, and timely contributions from unexpected sources, but sustaining that formula into October and pushing past where they’ve been in the past will require continued evolution. Whether Milwaukee chooses to lean on its internal pipeline of arms and infield talent or supplement the roster externally, the path forward is centered on maximizing the roster’s upside without disrupting the identity that has carried them this far. If the Brewers can successfully thread that needle, they could evolve into one of the most complete and dangerous teams in the National League. Not to say that they aren’t already, but next steps need to be taken to reach the ultimate goal. View the full article

David Hamilton was part of a complex trade between the Milwaukee Brewers and Boston Red Sox heading into this season. In that deal, the Brewers received Hamilton, Shane Drohan, and one of the better starters in MLB this year in Kyle Harrison. In this video, fresh off his little league three-run home run, we'll dive into what makes Hamilton special and how he can positively impact Pat Murphy's squad going forward. View the full article

While the Twins have had no shortage of highly-touted prospects, the hit rate has been far below where you'd like to see. Do the Twins, as an organization, have a development problem?View the full article

Max Meyer entered the 2026 season with a chip on his shoulder, and then some. A former third overall draft pick in 2020, Meyer's career to that point had largely been one of unrealized expectations and disappointment. Among a sample of 479 pitchers to throw at least 125 innings from 2022 through 2025, Meyer's 82 ERA+ kept company with the likes of Kyle Gibson and Meyer's recently released former teammate, Chris Paddack. So, as the 2026 season dawned, it was time for Meyer to put up or shut up and accept a long-term role as a reliever. Ten starts into the season, Meyer is doing the former, posting a 2.85 ERA and averaging north of 10 K/9. But what's the reason for the Max Meyer breakout? One good place to start is Meyer's pitch mix, more specifically, the redistribution of his arsenal. In his first extended period at the Major League level in 2024, Meyer was essentially a two-pitch pitcher, throwing his four-seam fastball and slider a combined 80.2 percent of the time. This predictability explains why Meyer's early career was riddled with inconsistency. Come 2025, Meyer ramped up the usage of his sweeper (+11.4 percent) and sinker (+11.8 percent), throwing his lead fastball just north of 22 percent of the time. The results, while still underwhelming a la a 4.73 ERA, marked an improvement over the 5.68 he posted the previous calendar year. Sensing a trend here? By diversifying his arsenal, Meyer has gradually become far less predictable to big-league hitters, with the 2026 Max Meyer model the best example to date. Meyer is throwing his slider and sweeper 28.5 and 24.6 percent of the time, respectively, while his four-seam fastball usage has held steady year-over-year at 23 percent. The theoretical modus operandi for Meyer here: lean into your strengths, and Meyer's strengths are his ability to spin the baseball. Through 10 starts, the 27-year-old's breaking ball duo ranks in the 98th percentile in run value, per Savant. Collectively, the league is 22 for 114 (.192) against said offerings against Meyer, with his slider garnering whiffs in nearly half of the swings against (44.5 percent). The year-over-year changes in Meyer's sweeper, though, may be the most startling. Among pitchers to throw at least 100 sweepers in 2025, Meyer's .368 opponent's batting average against ranked seventh-worst among 170 qualifiers. Fast forward to 2026, and Meyer's .217 average against said offering is now 36th best, with Meyer being one of just 11 pitchers with at least 25 plate appearances this season to fan at least 40 percent of hitters ending on a sweeper. Below, you'll see Meyer inducing one of those strikeouts while facing another 2026 breakout player, St. Louis' Jordan Walker. The continued backing off of his four-seamer—a pitch that scouts were skeptical of while Meyer was still a prospect— has too yielded better output against. There have been decreases of 126 points in batting average and 225 points in slugging percentage against from 2025. Because of this, Meyer's four-seamer has graded out as an above-average pitch (plus-1 run value) for the first time in his big league career. And while the version of Meyer we have seen thus far is the best yet, he is not completely out of the woods of speculation. While we noted Meyer as sporting a sub-3.00 ERA to this point, his xERA (Expected Earned Run Average) of 4.08 suggests there may be luck at play via exit velocity and launch angle. That being said, the 90.1 mph average exit velocity against Meyer is his best in any of the three seasons where he's made at least 10 starts. Batter launch angle, however, currently sits at a career-high 13.7 degrees, as does his 35 LA-Sweet Spot % (Launch Angle-Sweet Spot), while also allowing soft contact at the lowest clip of his career (2.1%). At the very least, it's fair to say that Meyer has shown himself worthy of a spot in a big league starting rotation. That alone constitutes a win for the organization given what the dreary outlook for him was mere months ago. View the full article

Transactions: SS Luis Pena sent on rehab assignment to ACL Brewers RHP Luke Roupe activated from ACL Brewers’ 7-day injured list Welcome back and all seems well for Luis Pena - more on his night in the game section for Maryvale to conclude this report. The Brewers were always going to be extra-cautious after the April 22nd incident in which Pena lost consciousness, and yes, a full month had passed since that date. One can imagine the number of tests that have been run and the amount of monitoring to have taken place since. Luke Roupe, drafted in the 17th round last summer out of a North Carolina high school, had his professional debut delayed a bit, but he joined Pena on the field Friday night. We hope you'll catch up on the entire system before sneaking down to the bottom of this report . Nashville Pre-Game Media Notes Final: Nashville 6, Durham (Rays) 5 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: Sounds Shut Down Bulls' Late Rally for 6-5 Win - Knehr Improves to 3-0 and Fernández Earns First Save of Season The videos embedded in that report include the big RBI knocks from Jeferson Quero and Brock Wilken. Among the other run-scoring plays described in the linked summary are these, which can be viewed as follows: Luis Lara forceout Luis Matos single Also from the summary: "Nashville's 3.41 ERA in bounce back games is tied for the best in the International League with Omaha." ERA in bounce back games? Like, who tracks that? Baseball allows for a wonderful spectrum of analysis, doesn't it... In his two prior appearances, RHP Garrett Stallings started and worked 12.2 scoreless innings with only two walks. On the surface, it seems he would still be needed in a starting role, but he came up big in the 8th here: The Nashville rotation may be the most in-flux thing in all of the Brewers system, understandable given the vagaries of the Sounds-Brewers mound relationship (certainly paying off at the big-league level). If Stallings is temporarily back in the pen, you've got Friday's starter Coleman Crow (88 pitches to get through 4.1 innings, 3 ER), plus RHP Tyson Hardin (one start since his call-up from Biloxi), LHP Thomas Pannone, and seemingly struggling RHP Carlos Rodriguez, who has worked in long relief as of late, comprising part of the Sounds' rotation, along with any rehab efforts from Quinn Priester. Yet the club has won 10-of-11 games! LHP Rob Zastryzny's latest rehab stint began on May 14th. Not a lot of room in the MLB pen, and Rob Z. has been lights-out in four appearances since: 4 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 5 K. How long will he be strung along before activation? Nashville drew ten walks, so the number of times players were on base was significant: Wilken 4, Matos and Greg Jones 3, Cooper Pratt, Luis Lara, Jeferson Quero twice each. Whenever Luis Rengifo has a miserable MLB night, we glance Jett Williams way - 0-for-5 here, one K. Postponed, rain: Birmingham (White Sox) at Biloxi Catch up with the latest Biloxi pre-game audio interview archives The teams are still trying to complete the 11th inning (and possibly beyond) of their Thursday game (box score), discussed in Daniel's fine Link Report yesterday. As of right now, Friday's game is not scheduled as a make-up (yet), as Sunday is still listed as a single game. We wonder if the game will be made up in Birmingham with Biloxi as the home team during the June 9th - 14th series. Wisconsin Pre-Game Media Notes (download link) Final: Great Lakes (Dodgers) 13, Wisconsin 4 Box Score and Game Log Via the Timber Rattlers, game details: Unlucky Thirteen for Wisconsin at Great Lakes Chris Mehring squeezed videos of Andrew Fischer's early-game home run and Josh Adamczewski's late-game double into his report linked above. Also, early in the game this defensive play occurred: Adamczewski walked twice in addition to his two-bagger. We're 33 games into his season, and he's still sporting an incredible 1.024 OPS (.322/.441/.583). Young Josh also stole his 7th base in eight tries. Our swooning continues. CF Josiah Ragsdale singled three times, fanned in the other two plate appearances. The K rate is high at 28.2%, but he's also walking in 19.3% of his plate appearances for a .417 OBP. Night off for Braylon Payne. RHP Travis Smith was very solid in five of six swing-role outings to begin his season. In his most recent appearance before Friday, he did allow four runs in a five-inning start with five walks, so that was a bit of a stumble, but not a blow-up. Unfortunate that his outing here went very sideways, but kudos to Jack Seppings for saving the bullpen in what could have turned into another game in which a T-Rat position player was needed on the mound. Wilson Pre-Game Media Notes Final: Wilson 7, Delmarva (Orioles) 2 Box Score and Game Log Wilson Pitching Stifles Shorebirds; Big Eighth Secures Victory - Warbirds Don't Allow an Earned Run in Win Check out 18-year-old Brady Ebel's April vs. May splits, then admire: Ebel also doubled and singled, such a promising turnaround - it's so easy to focus on early numbers because they're the only numbers we have at the time, lesson for us all. Wow, Jarrett Bonet, and the Brewers' Organizational Pitcher of the Month for April's line of 6.1 scoreless innings, 1 H, 1 BB, 2 HBP, 6 K, 93 pitches included this: DH Jadyn Fielder walked three times to lift his OBP to .412. The Warbirds were handed (or better said, earned) ten free passes. Final: ACL Brewers 8, ACL White Sox 6 Box Score and Game Log Juan Pena's evening, not surprisingly in the designated hitter role for his first game back: Walked on five pitches after getting up in the count 3-0 Stole 2nd base Advanced to 3rd on a wild pitch Scored on the front-end of a double steal with OF Kenny Fenelon Walked (again) on five pitches after getting up in the count 3-0 Advanced to second base when Brailyn Antunez was HBP, then stranded Sent a 77 MPH grounder to 3rd base, reached on an error Advanced to second on a Fenelon walk Scored on a two-out CJ Hughes 96.8 MPH line single to right Leading off the 6th, Pena is hit by a pitch, remains in the game, does not advance Is pinch-hit for in the 8th, seemingly unrelated to the HBP You'll also be able to track Luke Roupe's pro debut via the top of the 1st game log. Only 16 pitches thrown, five batters faced, two outs secured, one run allowed, and a shoutout to catcher Freider Rojas for nabbing a baserunner at 2nd to end the inning after Roupe's exit. The A-Crew trailed 3-2 heading to the bottom of the 4th before rallying for three runs, some of which described in the Pena recap above. Utilityman Roderick Flores doubled in a run to tie the game. Flores has seen very limited action, but has contributed in all five games he's played, all at first base here in 2026, four of eight hits the XBH variety, 1.363 OPS (.727 OPS in his first Maryvale season last summer). Flores, a right-handed bat, then homered in the 5th, but it wasn't your garden variety. He pulled a 96.7 MPH ball to left field but circled the bases when White Sox left fielder Christian Gonzalez (not currently in Pipeline's Chisox Top 30) suffered an injury that forced him to leave the game, hopefully will be OK. A Fenelon RBI triple and Hughes RBI single capped the scoring in the 8th, set up by opposition errors to break the 6-6 tie. 20-year-old Venezuelan RHP Ismael Yanez is the designated closer and did his job here. Earlier in the game, 20-year-old Dominican RHP Cesar Espinal stranded two runners for Roupe, and added a quiet frame of his own, fanning three total. RHP's Caleb Nieman and Hayden Vucinovich surrendered runs but each managed three innings of contributions. Stud RF Alexander Frias last played on Tuesday, now missing two games since his mid-game exit on that day, no apparent reason. Standard Saturday day game for Maryvale, we'll see if Luis Pena plays on the quick turnaround time. It's all-evening action for the full-season affiliates, with the Shuckers hopefully rallying in extras to complete their suspended game. Have a great day, folks. 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

After trading for Sonny Gray on November 25, the Boston Red Sox believed they had acquired the No. 2 starter in their rotation. Through his first five starts, however, it appeared that age may have finally caught up to Gray. He posted a 5.09 K/9 and surpassed four strikeouts only once, in his season debut, giving him the fourth-lowest strikeout rate among qualified starters during that span. Then, Gray tweaked his right hamstring, and it seemed his season might go from bad to worse. That has not been the case. Since returning on May 6, Gray has pitched at least five innings in all three of his starts while allowing just two runs across 17 innings. Most importantly, he has set season highs in strikeouts in consecutive outings, recording six against the Phillies before striking out nine Royals on Monday. After opening the year with five straight starts of three strikeouts or fewer, Gray doubled his season strikeout total in just two outings, increasing it from 15 to 30. Following Monday's start, Alex Speier of the Boston Globe asked Gray what had changed to produce the swing-and-miss results he had been seeking: "Anything you're seeing in terms of those strikeouts?" he asked, "Obviously a bunch of swing and misses tonight were on the sweeper, a couple on the curveball. Is it just executing spin better, or is it how you're tunneling?" Gray's response consisted largely of noncommittal answers, seemingly intent on keeping the details of his success close to the vest. Fortunately, the wealth of publicly available data gives us an opportunity to investigate what may be different. Pitch usage provides an obvious starting point. When comparing Gray's pitch mix before and after his return from the injured list on May 6, several notable changes emerge. The char above compares his pitch usage from March 28 through May 5 (top) with his usage from May 6 through May 18 (bottom). We can see that Gray's sweeper and four-seam fastball essentially traded places in usage. His sweeper usage increased from 15.9 percent to 18.9 percent, while his four-seam usage dropped from 18.2 percent to 15.8 percent. The adjustment makes sense. Throughout his career, Gray has relied heavily on breaking pitches to generate outs, and last season his breaking balls produced a 97th-percentile run value while the rest of his arsenal graded out below average. If Gray's goal was to generate more strikeouts, leaning on the sweeper was a logical move. Before the injury, it generated the highest swinging-strike rate among any pitch he threw more than 10 percent of the time. Since returning, it has remained his best bat-missing offering, producing a 20.9 percent swinging-strike rate. He's also simply thrown more strikes overall, which naturally creates more opportunities to finish hitters with strikeouts. One area worth monitoring is how these changes affect his batted-ball profile. His ground-ball rate has declined significantly, while his line-drive rate has climbed. That shift could lead to more hits falling in, but it may also be the trade-off required to maintain the elevated strikeout numbers we've seen since his return. It's difficult to draw firm conclusions from only three starts. Still, for a pitcher whose success has long been built on a kitchen-sink approach, throwing more pitches with movement is likely to produce better results. At this stage of his career, increased fastball velocity is unlikely to be part of the equation. If Gray is going to continue missing bats, it will be because he leans on his elite breaking stuff. The early returns have been encouraging. Now, we'll see whether he can sustain them and continue serving as a stabilizing force in the Red Sox rotation. View the full article

Not many things have gone right for the 2026 New York Mets, although they do have a 7-3 record in their last 10 games. They are still dancing around last place in the NL East, and to say that injuries have treated them poorly would be an understatement. Brooks Raley, however, has been a bright spot in an otherwise forgettable first couple of months in Queens. He is the perfect example of how an MLB pitcher can dominate at the highest level with well below-average velocity. The 37-year-old veteran ranks in the third percentile in fastball (or, in his case, sinker) velocity, but that 89.7 mph on average and his excellent secondary stuff have allowed him to rank in the 83rd percentile in strikeout rate, with 27.3 percent. Those stats were before taking the mound on Thursday and tossing a scoreless frame in the Mets' win over the Nationals, adding two punchouts to his season line. Brooks Raley Is the King of Contact Management How do you explain that kind of contrast? Usually, high velocity is directly correlated with a high strikeout rate, but Raley defies the odds in that department. He does it thanks to a unique pitch mix and a brilliant contact management profile. Most of Raley’s pitches are sweepers, a pitch he throws roughly 45 percent of the time. The sinker is second in his arsenal at 23 percent, and he rounds out his repertoire with a cutter (19 percent) and a changeup (13 percent). That stuff has helped him post an incredible 1.40 ERA in 19.1 innings of work in 2026. The walks, eight, have been a tad high, but they have been offset by his 23 punchouts to this point. Not only does Raley strike out lots of hitters, but he is also a master when it comes to managing contact. His 31.3 percent hard-hit rate is good enough to put him in the 87th percentile among all MLB pitchers, and it’s far from a fluke; his career mark is 28 percent. He limits hard contact like very few hurlers in baseball. A Run-Prevention Asset The Mets have certainly benefited from Raley’s reliability and overall excellence. Heading into the weekend, New York had the tenth-best bullpen ERA at 3.48, so you can see how the left-hander alone has positively influenced that number. Entering Thursday, Raley was third among Mets’ relievers with 0.3 fWAR, behind Devin Williams and Huascar Brazoban and tied with Luke Weaver. He has the best ERA among his peers on the team, though. Unlike some of the best lefties in the game, Raley can actually get right-handed hitters out consistently, which enables the manager to use him in almost any situation. He has a 13.3 K-BB% vs. lefty hitters, and a much better 19.1 mark against righties this season. All things considered, Raley has been a surprising asset for the Mets’ bullpen and figures to be a key pitcher in the upcoming weeks as they push to get out of their early-season hole. View the full article

Across the Royals' system, the affiliates dropped three games. Gavin Cross tripled in two runs, and Brett Squires doubled in two as Omaha fell 9-5 to St. Paul. Justin Johnson collected three doubles in Northwest Arkansas's 8-5 loss to Amarillo. Nick Conte struck out two over two hitless innings of relief for Quad Cities, though the Bandits dropped a 5-4 decision. Kendry Chourio fanned three across two scoreless frames before rain suspended Columbia's game. Royals Transactions No Roster Moves Cross Triples, Squires Doubles As Storm Chasers Fall To Saints Omaha jumped on St. Paul in the top of the first inning, scoring three runs to set the tone. Josh Rojas, John Rave, and Kameron Misner each drew walks to load the bases. After Drew Waters lined out, Squires laced a two-RBI double to right field, plating Rojas and Rave. Abraham Toro followed with a groundout that scored Misner from third for the third run. The lead did not hold. St. Paul answered with two runs in the bottom half off starter Aaron Sanchez, who allowed three hits and two runs (one earned) over his one inning of work while striking out two. Ethan Bosacker followed and worked three innings, surrendering six hits and three earned runs while striking out three. Omaha grabbed the lead back briefly in the third when Gavin Cross tripled to center, scoring Waters and Toro, but the Saints again answered in the bottom half. The decisive blow came in the bottom of the seventh, when Anthony Gose served up a two-run home run that pushed St. Paul ahead 9-5. Cross finished 2-for-4 with the triple, two RBI, and was the offensive standout. Squires also drove in two with his double. Misner added a double and a walk. Mason Black took the loss in 1 2/3 innings of relief, allowing two earned runs. The Storm Chasers stranded four runners and were held to four hits as a team. Player AB R H RBI BB K Josh Rojas 3 1 0 0 1 0 John Rave 3 1 0 0 1 0 Kameron Misner 3 1 1 0 1 1 Drew Waters 3 1 0 0 1 1 Brett Squires 4 0 1 2 0 3 Abraham Toro 3 1 0 1 1 1 Gavin Cross 4 0 2 2 0 0 Connor Kaiser 4 0 0 0 0 3 Luke Maile 4 0 0 0 0 2 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Aaron Sanchez 1 3 2 1 0 2 0 Ethan Bosacker 3 6 3 3 0 3 0 Mason Black 1 2/3 3 2 2 0 2 0 Andrew Pérez 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 Anthony Gose 1 1/3 2 2 2 0 0 1 Beck Way 1 2 0 0 0 1 0 Johnson Doubles Three Times, But Naturals Drop Game To Sod Poodles Northwest Arkansas could not contain Amarillo's bats, falling 8-5 despite a three-hit night from Johnson. The Naturals opened the scoring in the top of the second when Daniel Vazquez walked, and Spencer Nivens drove a two-run home run to left center to put NW Arkansas ahead 2-1. The lead did not last. Amarillo countered with two runs in the bottom of the third, then broke the game open in the fifth with back-to-back home runs that turned a 3-2 deficit into a 6-2 hole. Hunter Patteson took the loss in five innings, allowing eight hits, six earned runs, and two home runs while striking out five and walking none. The Naturals chipped back in the sixth, when Sam Kulasingam led off with a solo home run, Vazquez later singled, and Jack Pineda singled to bring home Vazquez from third. In the seventh, Johnson doubled, advanced to third on a Carson Roccaforte groundout, Colton Becker walked, and Kulasingam delivered an RBI single to plate Johnson and cut the deficit to 8-5. That was as close as NW Arkansas would get. Johnson finished 3-for-3 with three doubles and was hit by a pitch in the ninth. Kulasingam went 2-for-5 with the home run and drove in two. Nivens added two RBI with his home run. Vazquez walked, singled, and scored twice. Roccaforte added a hit and a walk from the leadoff spot. Zachary Cawyer allowed two runs in his lone inning of relief, while Andrew Morones and Tommy Molsky combined for two scoreless frames. The Naturals stranded eight runners on base. Player AB R H RBI BB K Carson Roccaforte 4 0 1 0 1 0 Colton Becker 3 0 0 0 1 0 Sam Kulasingam 5 1 2 2 0 1 Jorge Alfaro 5 0 0 0 0 3 Daniel Vazquez 3 2 1 0 1 1 Spencer Nivens 4 1 2 2 0 0 Jack Pineda 4 0 1 1 0 0 Canyon Brown 4 0 0 0 0 1 Justin Johnson 3 1 3 0 0 0 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Hunter Patteson 5 8 6 6 0 5 2 Zachary Cawyer 1 2 2 2 0 2 1 Andrew Morones 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 Tommy Molsky 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 Ramirez's late double not enough as River Bandits Lose To Sky Carp Quad Cities battled back twice but could not overcome an early deficit in a 5-4 loss to Beloit. The Sky Carp scored a single run in the top of the first off Emmanuel Reyes, and he later surrendered the decisive blow in the fifth. The Bandits answered in the bottom of the fourth. Nolan Sailors singled, Asbel Gonzalez walked, and after a pair of strikeouts, Luke Pelzer tripled to center, plating both runners to give Quad Cities a 2-1 lead. The fifth inning swung the game back. Reyes walked two batters with two outs, and Connor Caskenette pulled a three-run home run to right-center to put Beloit ahead 4-2. Reyes ultimately took the loss after 5 1/3 innings, surrendering eight hits, five earned runs, three walks, and one home run while striking out three. Quad Cities mounted one more push in the bottom of the eighth. Sailors singled and Gonzalez walked to begin the frame, and after a Blake Mitchell strikeout, Ramon Ramirez doubled to left to bring both runners home and trim the deficit to 5-4. The Bandits stranded the tying run on third when Pelzer flew out and Jose Cerice grounded out to end the inning. Sailors finished 2-for-4 with two runs and a stolen base. Gonzalez did not record a hit but walked twice, scored twice, and stole two bases. Pelzer and Ramirez each drove in two runs. Coleman Picard threw 1 2/3 innings of one-hit relief out of the bullpen, and Nick Conte added two hitless innings with two strikeouts. The Bandits stranded seven runners. Player AB R H RBI BB K Nolan Sailors 4 2 2 0 1 1 Asbel Gonzalez 3 2 0 0 2 2 Blake Mitchell 4 0 0 0 0 3 Ramon Ramirez 4 0 1 2 0 3 Luke Pelzer 3 0 1 2 1 1 Jose Cerice 3 0 0 0 1 1 Derlin Figueroa 3 0 1 0 1 2 Angel Acosta 3 0 0 0 0 1 Diego Guzman 3 0 0 0 0 1 Tyriq Kemp 1 0 0 0 0 1 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Emmanuel Reyes 5 1/3 8 5 5 3 3 1 Coleman Picard 1 2/3 1 0 0 1 2 0 Nick Conte 2 0 0 0 2 2 0 Chourio Strong Before Fireflies Game Suspended By Rain The Columbia Fireflies and Augusta GreenJackets played to a scoreless tie through two innings before rain forced a delay in the top of the third, with the game ultimately suspended. Each team had a single hit through the abbreviated action. Kendry Chourio drew the starting assignment for Columbia and was sharp in his two innings of work, allowing one hit while striking out three and walking none. He worked around a one-out triple in the bottom of the first by retiring the next two hitters, then put together a clean second inning that included two more strikeouts. Offensively, Sean Gamble singled to left field with one out in the top of the first for the only Columbia hit through the abbreviated action. Josh Hammond followed with a pop-out, and Brooks Bryan struck out swinging to end the threat. In the second, Hyungchan Um and Stone Russell both struck out, JC Vanek was hit by a pitch, and Connor Rasmussen grounded out to leave the runner stranded. Columbia left two runners on base. The game was halted before any decisions were rendered or relief pitchers used. Chourio's three strikeouts and zero walks against just one hit allowed marked another effective short outing in his young season. Player AB R H RBI BB K Henry Ramos 1 0 0 0 0 0 Sean Gamble 1 0 1 0 0 0 Josh Hammond 1 0 0 0 0 0 Brooks Bryan 1 0 0 0 0 1 Hyungchan Um 1 0 0 0 0 1 Stone Russell 1 0 0 0 0 1 JC Vanek 0 0 0 0 0 0 Connor Rasmussen 1 0 0 0 0 0 Roni Cabrera 0 0 0 0 0 0 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Kendry Chourio 2 1 0 0 0 3 0 Top-20 Prospect Performance Kendry Chourio: 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K David Shields: DNP Sean Gamble: 1-for-1 Blake Mitchell: 0-for-4, 3 K Josh Hammond: 0-for-1 Ramon Ramirez: 1-for-4, 2B, 2 RBI, 3 K Drew Beam: DNP Asbel Gonzalez: 0-for-3, 2 R, 2 BB, 2 SB, 2 K Ben Kudrna: DNP Carson Roccaforte: 1-for-4, BB 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-3, 2 R, BB, K Warren Colcano: DNP Shane Panzini: DNP View the full article

The Boston Red Sox fourth-ranked prospect, Anthony Eyanson, is quickly turning heads at the Double-A level. He's sporting an earned run average south of one, and less than a calendar year after going in the third round of the 2025 MLB Draft, the hard-throwing righty looks to be a fast riser. In this video, we will go over his 65-grade slider, triple-digit fastball, what makes his arsenal so effective, and when to expect his major league debut. View the full article

The Minnesota Twins entered the season hoping to convince everyone that last year’s disappointment was a temporary stumble. Instead, the first half has only created more uncertainty about where this organization is actually headed. Minnesota’s ownership would say this isn’t a full rebuild. It also doesn’t look like a legitimate contending effort. That middle ground is the worst place a franchise can live in modern baseball. Teams either push their chips in or aggressively build toward the future. The Twins continue to hover somewhere in between, and with the trade deadline approaching, they may finally have to choose a direction. Minnesota still has enough talent on the roster to intrigue contenders around the league. However, they also have enough flaws and long-term concerns to justify selling pieces for the future. The biggest question is whether the front office is willing to admit this core may not have the runway everyone once expected. Here’s an early look at some of the most fascinating trade deadline decisions facing the Twins. Byron Buxton No player better represents the current state of the franchise than Buxton. On one hand, he remains the face of the organization. He has a full no-trade clause, and he has repeatedly made it clear that he wants to stay in Minnesota. When healthy, he is still one of the most electric players in baseball and one of the few stars capable of changing a game by himself. The Twins should do everything possible to keep him. Trading Buxton would signal far more than a roster adjustment. It would essentially announce the end of this competitive era. He is one of the few players casual fans still associate directly with Twins baseball, and moving him would create major backlash inside the clubhouse and throughout the fanbase. At the same time, the situation becomes more complicated if Minnesota starts moving other veteran pieces. If the front office deals away multiple core contributors, Buxton may eventually decide he no longer wants to spend the remainder of his prime stuck in another retooling phase. There would almost certainly be interest if he became available, especially from teams looking for a dynamic postseason weapon. The Atlanta Braves would immediately become a fascinating fit. Buxton is from Georgia, and a return closer to home could appeal to him if the Twins no longer appear serious about competing. Still, unless Buxton himself pushes the issue, it is difficult to envision Minnesota voluntarily moving him. Joe Ryan Ryan might be the most realistic blockbuster candidate on the roster. He is under team control only through the 2027 season, and his value may never be higher than it is right now. Ryan survived an early-season injury scare that initially looked far more concerning, and he has continued pitching like a frontline starter whenever healthy. That combination would make him one of the most attractive arms available at the deadline. The timing also matters. With Tarik Skubal injured, the market for controllable starting pitching could become even more aggressive. Teams desperate for rotation help would likely line up to make significant offers for Ryan. From Minnesota’s perspective, there is logic behind considering it. The Twins do not currently look like a team positioned to seriously contend over the next two seasons. By the time the roster is realistically ready to compete again, Ryan could already be nearing free agency. Add in his injury history and the general volatility that comes with pitchers, and there is a legitimate argument that the organization should capitalize on his value now rather than waiting for something to go wrong later. Of course, there is another side to the conversation. Quality starting pitching is incredibly difficult to acquire. Ryan is already proven, affordable, and capable of anchoring a rotation. Trading him would create an enormous hole and likely force the Twins into another lengthy search for pitching stability. Unless Minnesota receives an overwhelming package centered around elite prospects, there is still a strong case for keeping him and attempting to build around him instead. Ryan Jeffers Before his injury, Ryan Jeffers looked like one of the few clear success stories on Minnesota’s roster this season. He was off to a tremendous start offensively and had arguably been the team’s MVP through the first half. Jeffers provided stability in the middle of the lineup while continuing to handle a difficult workload behind the plate. At a time when much of the offense struggled with consistency, he was one of the few hitters regularly producing quality at-bats. That is what makes this week’s injury so frustrating for both Jeffers and the Twins. Minnesota placed Jeffers on the injured list earlier this week with a broken hamate bone, an injury that will likely sideline him for six to eight weeks. The timing could not be much worse with the trade deadline approaching quickly. Under normal circumstances, Jeffers would have made plenty of sense as a trade candidate. He is a veteran catcher on an expiring contract who could help a contender looking for offense behind the plate. Catching depth is always in demand at the deadline, especially from teams searching for postseason upgrades. Now the situation becomes far murkier. Even if Jeffers returns before the deadline, he will likely need time to prove he is fully healthy. Hamate bone injuries have a long history of sapping hitters’ power temporarily after they return. Many players eventually regain their production, but it is rarely an immediate process. That uncertainty could significantly shrink his market. Contenders may hesitate to part with meaningful prospects for a catcher who is still working his way back physically and trying to rediscover his power swing. The Twins would still likely prefer to move him rather than risk losing him for nothing after the season, but the return may not justify making the deal unless Jeffers comes back quickly and looks like himself immediately. Josh Bell Bell feels like the classic trade deadline rental candidate. He has been traded four different times during his career, so another move would hardly be surprising. Bell’s offensive profile also makes him the type of player contenders often gamble on in July. When he gets hot, he can carry a lineup for stretches, and playoff teams are always searching for extra power from the designated hitter spot. A contender could easily convince itself that Bell is one productive month away from becoming an impactful postseason bat. The problem is that his market may be limited. Bell’s defensive limitations narrow the list of interested teams considerably. His streaky offensive production also makes him difficult to trust as an everyday option. Since he is on an expiring contract, the return would likely be modest even if he finishes the first half strongly. Minnesota may ultimately decide his veteran presence is more valuable in the clubhouse than the low-level prospect package they would receive in return. Still, among the Twins’ veteran position players, Bell remains one of the more obvious names to watch. Austin Martin Martin has quietly become one of the more interesting depth pieces on the roster. Since being recalled during the second half of last season, he has consistently found ways to get on base and provide quality at-bats. He has also proven capable defensively in corner outfield spots, giving Minnesota a versatile player who can contribute in multiple roles. That type of player tends to matter more over a full season than many fans realize. However, his trade value is probably fairly limited. Contending teams could view Martin as a useful bench bat or platoon player, but there are questions about how large a role he can realistically handle. Since he bats right-handed, his ideal usage against left-handed pitching becomes somewhat restrictive compared to a traditional platoon option. The Twins also may not gain much by moving him. Martin is under team control through 2030, and his versatility fits well on a roster that constantly deals with injuries and lineup instability. Unless another organization views him as more than a complementary piece, Minnesota likely benefits more from simply keeping him around. Royce Lewis and Matt Wallner A few months ago, Lewis and Wallner might have carried substantial trade value. Now, both players are coming off demotions, and their stock has cratered. That creates an awkward dilemma for Minnesota. Selling low on talented players is almost always dangerous, especially when both still possess significant upside. Lewis was a former top prospect that the club has invested in, while Wallner’s raw power and patience still intrigue evaluators despite the swing-and-miss concerns. Some organizations would absolutely be willing to take a gamble on either player. Teams constantly believe they can unlock talent that another franchise could not fully develop. A rebuilding club, in particular, may view Lewis or Wallner as ideal buy-low opportunities. But that same upside is exactly why the Twins may hesitate. Trading either player right now would almost certainly mean accepting pennies on the dollar compared to what their value once looked like. Minnesota would essentially be betting that both players are closer to finished products than temporary struggles. That is an extremely risky gamble to make this early. The more likely scenario is the Twins allow both players time to rebuild value at Triple-A before revisiting any long-term decisions during the offseason. The most frustrating part about the Twins right now is not simply that they are losing games. It is that the organization no longer feels aligned with what this current roster is supposed to accomplish. There are still recognizable stars. There are still talented players capable of contributing to a winning team. But there are also growing signs that this core may not be built to sustain contention much longer. That reality makes this trade deadline incredibly important. If Minnesota decides to aggressively sell, it could mark the beginning of a major organizational reset. If the front office stands pat or buys marginal help, it risks prolonging the same directionless cycle the franchise already appears trapped in. Either way, the next few months may determine what Twins baseball looks like for the rest of the decade. Who will the Twins trade at the deadline? Will it be another trade deadline selling spree? Leave a comment and start the discussion. View the full article