DiamondCentric

The San Diego Padres have plenty of star power to go around as the 2026 season kicks into gear. We’ve seen flashes of brilliance from Ty France, the steady veteran presence of Xander Bogaerts, and the resurgent bat of Miguel Andujar. But if we’re talking about pure, unadulterated efficiency, one name stands above the rest: Luis Campusano. Despite making fewer appearances than some of his teammates, Campusano hasn’t just been good, he’s been essential. While sharing time behind the plate with Freddy Fermin, he has maximized every trip to the plate. When looking at the numbers and his overall impact, the Padres' backstop has earned our title of Hitter of the Month. It’s rare to see a player lead the team in almost every major offensive category while playing a limited schedule. He is the definition of making it count. When Campusano is in the lineup, the energy shifts. He isn't just filling in; he is punishing the baseball. His .348 ISO (Isolated Power) is the gold standard for this roster. For context, Ty France had a stellar month and sits in second at .289. Campusano’s power isn't just a local phenomenon, either—it’s the 2nd best ISO in the entire National League (min. 50 PA). The numbers look like something out of a video game. Campusano currently leads the Padres in nearly every metric that measures offensive destruction. A 192 wRC+ means Campusano has been 92% better than the league-average hitter this month. When you combine that with a 5.6 Off (Offensive Value) and three home runs, you’re looking at a player who is essentially a one-man wrecking crew behind the dish. As impressive as the moonshots and the .326 average are, there is still a higher ceiling for the young catcher. If we’re being candid, the "all-gas, no-brakes" approach comes with a price. Campusano is currently rocking a 26% strikeout rate alongside an 8% walk rate. While you can live with those numbers when a player is slugging .674, finding more consistency in his plate discipline will be the key to turning this hot streak into a perennial All-Star campaign. Moving into May, the Padres' offense is cooking. With France, Andujar, and Bogaerts all finding their rhythm, this lineup is becoming a nightmare for NL West pitching staffs. And if Luis Campusano continues to utilize his playing time this effectively, manager Craig Stammen might find it impossible to keep him out of the lineup, regardless of the limited role he started with. View the full article

Owen and Jesse get it all out on the table and rant about all of the things that have been going wrong for the Blue Jays. They talk about Vladimir Guerrero Jr.'s bad week, George Springer playing injured, and the lack of production throughout the lineup. They finish by previewing the upcoming must-win series against the Angels. Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-jays-centre-podcast/id1846108462 Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3Bi7SzfpcqMo5xYWnbCeoL Listen on iHeartRadio: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/263-the-jays-centre-podcast-300304824/ Listen on Pocket Casts: https://pca.st/2qk9wqxd Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@jayscentre View the full article

Just when you thought things might have been turning around for the Chicago Cubs' injury situation, it took a dramatic turn for the worse. Left-hander Matthew Boyd, the Opening Day starter, was placed on the 15-day injured list by the Cubs on Wednesday after injuring his left knee at home. Right-handed reliever Trent Thornton was called up from Triple-A Iowa. Left-handed reliever Charlie Barnes was designated for assignment to make room for Thornton on the 40-man roster. Boyd is slated to have surgery to repair his meniscus. There is not a timetable for his return. Boyd had just returned April 22 from left biceps tendinitis. The rotation is also down two other notable starters in right-hander Cade Horton, who is out for the season after having elbow and flexor tendon surgery, and left-hander Justin Steele recently had a setback in his recovery from UCL revision surgery. Boyd makes it 10 Cubs pitchers who are currently on the IL. Still, the Cubs entered the day atop the NL Central at 24-12 and a seven-game winning streak. Thornton signed a minor-league contract with the Cubs in the offseason and made four appearances at Iowa, including one start. In 5⅔ innings, he had allowed two runs on five hits with three walks and five strikeouts. View the full article

The bullpen shuffle continues for the Kansas City Royals. Right-hander Eric Cerantola was called up from Triple-A Omaha to make his MLB debut and right-handed starter Stephen Kolek, who started Tuesday, was sent back to the Storm Chasers. Also, right-handed closer Carlos Estevez was sent to Omaha to begin a rehab assignment. He has been out since April with a left foot contusion. Kolek was called up to make a spot start in Tuesday's 5-3 win over the Cleveland Guardians. He went six innings, giving up three runs on six hits and no walks with three strikeouts. Cerantola was a fifth-round draft choice in 2021 out of Mississippi State and has posted a 3.59 ERA in 133 games, including 24 starts. This season at Omaha, Cerantola appeared in 12 games and had a 1.42 ERA with six walks and 18 strikeouts in 12⅔ innings. View the full article

Looking for any solution in the bullpen, the Minnesota Twins have made another addition. The Twins on Wednesday acquired right-handed reliever Yoendrys Gomez from the Tampa Bay Rays for cash considerations. Right-handed reliever Christian Roa, who was at Triple-A St. Paul, was designated for assignment to make room for Gomez on the 40-man roster. Another move will have to be made in the next day or two to add Gomez to the 26-man roster. Gomez had been DFA'd by the Rays after making nine appearances and posting a 6.23 ERA in 17⅓ innings, walking 10 and striking out 13. He allowed runs in seven of his outings, ironically not in his last game a week ago Wednesday when he went two scoreless innings against the Cleveland Guardians. Roa had been claimed off waivers April 23 by the Twins following being DFA'd by the Houston Astros. In three appearances at St. Paul, he allowed two runs on two hits and two walks with three strikeouts in 2⅓ innings. That came after seven games with the Astros in which he allowed five runs in 8⅔ innings with seven walks and six strikeouts. View the full article

MIAMI, FL — Left-handed pitcher Robby Snelling will be called up by the Miami Marlins on Friday, manager Clayton McCullough has confirmed. He'll start against the Washington Nationals on Friday in what will be his major league debut. Snelling, 22, was one of four players acquired from the San Diego Padres in the trade that sent relievers Tanner Scott and Bryan Hoeing the other way in 2024. At the time he was acquired, Snelling was struggling, posting a 6.01 ERA at the Double-A level with Padres. When he arrived with the Marlins, he finished his AA stint with a 4.00 ERA and 2.76 FIP, showing some signs of improvement. Snelling performed even better throughout the 2025 campaign, particularly following a promotion to Triple-A Jacksonville. He led all Marlins minor leaguers in both innings pitched (136) and strikeouts (166). Through six starts this season with Jacksonville, Snelling has a 1.86 ERA, 2.92 FIP, 13.66 K/9 and 4.66 BB/9. He currently leads AAA baseball in strikeouts, while being second in ERA, opponent batting average and WHIP. His final outing was on May 1, where he went five hitless innings with 9 Ks. Fish On First ranks Snelling as the second-best prospect in the Marlins organization behind only fellow southpaw Thomas White. By designating Chris Paddack for assignment on Tuesday, the Marlins created an opening for him to take. A corresponding 26-man active roster move still must be made, with the expectation being that the Marlins will send down one of their relievers. View the full article

It was indeed a short stay in the injured list for Sonny Gray. The right-hander was activated from the 15-day injured list by the Boston Red Sox so he could start Wednesday's series finale vs. the Detroit Tigers. Gray had been sidelined since April 21 due to a strained right hamstring, meaning it was exactly a 15-day absence. Left-hander Alec Gamboa was sent to Triple-A Worcester. Gray's return to the rotation comes at a time when ace left-hander Garrett Crochet is on the IL with left shoulder inflammation and left-hander Ranger Suarez's status is up in the air as he deals with tightness in his right hamstring. Before the injury, Gray had made five starts with a 4.49 FIP (4.30 ERA) with a very nice 5.1% walk rate and a below-average 13.1% strikeout rate. Gray had a 26.7% strikeout rate a year ago. Gamboa was called up Monday and made his MLB debut Tuesday, pitching a perfect ninth inning with two strikeouts. View the full article

The two areas the Twins need stronger defensive depth are second base and third base. Will they use their number three overall pick to bolster those positions in the org? View the full article

The Miami Marlins roster is rapidly being infused with a new wave of young talent. AJ Ramos, Kevin Barral and Isaac Azout share their first impressions of Joe Mack, Josh Ekness and William Kemper, plus look ahead to Robby Snelling potentially taking over Chris Paddack's old starting rotation spot. Then, Kevin and Ely Sussman conduct an exclusive interview with Connor Norby. Newly converted to first base, Norby discusses his comfort level at the position, the evolution of his plate approach, the camaraderie inside the Marlins clubhouse and much more. You can find Fish Unfiltered and Fish On First LIVE on the Fish On First YouTube channel, Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever else you get your pods. Entering Wednesday, Norby is slashing .238/.341/.390 through 33 games with a career-high 108 wRC+. Norby had one of the highest chase rates on the team in previous seasons, but he currently ranks in the 77th percentile across MLB in that category, per Baseball Savant. A full-time third baseman in 2025, Norby has only made starts at first base and designated hitter this season. He ranks slightly above average in outs above average at 1B and slightly below average in defensive runs saved. The Marlins are in the midst of a three-game series against the Baltimore Orioles, who drafted and developed Norby, only to ship him away at the 2024 trade deadline. View the full article

Chicago Cubs Minor League Report - May 5 Affiliate Overview Triple-A Iowa Cubs Series vs. Columbus Clippers (Cleveland Guardians): Clippers lead, 1–0 Season Record: 15–18 Double-A Knoxville Smokies Series vs. Birmingham Barons (Chicago White Sox): Smokies lead, 1-0 Season Record: 14–14 High-A South Bend Cubs Series vs. Lansing Lugnuts (Athletics): Cubs lead, 1-0 Season Record: 13–12 Single-A Myrtle Beach Pelicans Series at Hickory Crawdads (Texas Rangers): Pelicans lead, 1-0 Season Record: 14–14 Affiliate Highlights Triple-A: Iowa Cubs Season Record: 15–18 Series Opponent: Columbus Clippers (18–16) Series Standing: Trail, 0-1 May 5: The Iowa Cubs dropped their third-straight contest, falling 9-6 to the Columbus Clippers on Tuesday at Principal Park. Pedro Ramirez (1-for-4) gave the Cubs a 1-0 lead in the first with an RBI-single but the Clippers would take a 6-1 lead after scoring three runs in each the third and fourth innings. Columbus added another run in the fifth but Iowa was able to break the scoring run in the home half of the frame on BJ Murray’s (1-for-5) three-run blast. The I-Cubs cut the lead to one with two more runs in the sixth thanks to Justin Dean’s (2-for-5) two-run triple. That’s as close as the Cubs would get in the ballgame as the Clippers scored a run in each the seventh and eighth inning to pull away for the 9-6 victory. Ty Blach took the loss in the start, allowing six runs on 10 hits over 3 2/3 innings of work, striking out three and walking one. Double-A: Knoxville Smokies Season Record: 14–14 Series Opponent: Birmingham Barons (13–15) Series Standing: Lead, 1-0 May 5: The Knoxville Smokies opened their series against the Birmingham Barons with a 10-4 victory on Tuesday at Covenant Health Park. The Smokies jumped out to a 4-0 lead thanks to a pair of two-run blasts from Jefferson Rojas (2-for-4) in the first and Karson Simas (1-for-4) in the second. Carter Trice (3-for-4) plated three with a triple in the fourth to make it 7-0. The Barons scored all of their runs in the contest in the sixth to get back into the game but RBI-singles from Rojas and Andy Garriola (1-for-4) put Knoxville up 9-4. Owen Ayers (2-for-3) put the finishing touches on the night with an RBI-single in the eighth to make it 10-4 as the Smokies cruised to a win. Yennri Rojas picked up his first-career Double-A win in the start, tossing five scoreless frames, allowing just three hits and striking out four. Vince Reilly worked two shutout innings in relief, yielding just one hit and whiffing one. High-A: South Bend Cubs Season Record: 13–12 Series Opponent: Lansing Lugnuts (11–17) Series Standing: Lead, 1-0 May 5: The South Bend Cubs moved back above .500 with a dominant 9-1 victory in their series opener vs. the Lansing Lugnuts on Tuesday at Four Winds Field. Ty Southisene (2-for-3) got the Cubs on the board in the first with an RBI-double and Cole Mathis (2-for-3) doubled the lead later in the inning with an RBI-groundout. Kane Kepley (2-for-4) made it 3-0 by racing home on a passed ball in the third. The Lugnuts plated their lone run of the contest in the fourth but South Bend would put the ballgame out of reach with five runs later in the frame. Christian Olivo (1-for-4) singled home a run with the bases loaded and Kepley followed with a walk to bring in another. Southisene picked up his second RBI of the night on a sacrifice fly to make it 6-1 and Kade Snell (1-for-5) and Mathis followed with back-to-back RBI-singles to give the Cubs a 9-1 advantage. Cole Reynolds took no decision in the start, tossing three scoreless frames, allowing no hits and no walks to go along with five strikeouts. Adam Stone picked up the win in relief to improve to 2-0 on the season, allowing one run on four hits over three innings of work, whiffing one batter. Single-A: Myrtle Beach Pelicans Season Record: 14–14 Series Opponent: Hickory Crawdads (16–12) Series Standing: Lead, 1-0 May 5: The Myrtle Beach Pelicans moved back to .500 on the season with a 7-5 series-opening win over the Hickory Crawdads on Tuesday night at L.P. Frans Stadium. Josiah Hartshorn (3-for-5) gave the Pelicans a 1-0 lead in the first with an RBI-double and the visitors would later add another run in the inning to go up 2-0 after their first trip to the plate. The Crawdads cut the lead in half with a run their first time up and would later take a 4-2 lead after pushing three runs across in the fourth. Hartshorn brought Myrtle Beach within a run with an RBI-single in the fifth and Jose Escobar (2-for-4) gave them the lead again with a two-run blast in the sixth to make it 5-4. The two teams traded runs in the eighth, with the Pelicans in front 6-5 heading into the final frame. Hartshorn collected his third hit and third RBI of the game with a single, giving Myrtle Beach a much needed insurance run. Jordan Henriquez worked a 1-2-3 ninth to convert the multi-inning save, his second of the season. Victor Zarraga picked up the win in relief, allowing one run on three hits over 3 2/3 innings of work, striking out two. View the full article

Royce Lewis is a different player than he was when he was drafted first overall in 2017. Injuries have changed his profile, but for a time, it appeared he still had a path to becoming an impactful regular at the highest level. As he nears 1,000 career plate appearances, however, his ability to remain a core piece of the Twins roster has come into question. Time is running out. Can he turn things around before it's too late? Injuries have cost Lewis his once well-rounded skill set, as he's settled into a corner infield role wherein his defensive value is limited and his primary offensive tool is his power. Plenty of hitters make careers out of this profile. The problem with Lewis's attempt to do so is that it's been a while since he's been consistently productive. With the sample size he's put together, it's time to worry whether his remaining tools are enough to keep him afloat. Lewis's production has consistently trended downward over the last four years. In between injuries, he's seen his wRC+ drop from 152 in 2023 to 106, then 85, and now just 65 so far in 2026, with 100 marking the league average. At a corner infield position, where the bar to clear offensively is higher, this lack of offensive production is even more detrimental. It's more than just surface-level production to worry about. This season, Lewis has a whiff rate of 36.5%, one of the worst in the league. His overall strikeout rate of 30.3% is by far the worst of his career. He looked like a much more patient hitter to begin the season, and his walk rate still looks much improved, but he's walked just once in 42 plate appearances since returning from the IL, while striking out about a third of the time. His approach at the plate is a complete mess. Defense has been an issue, as well, as he's posted -2 Defensive Runs Saved. The eye test has certainly matched. At this point, it's safe to say that Lewis is a below-average defender at third base. The Twins may not have a wealth of upcoming top prospects on the verge of filling out the infield, but they have options on the horizon. We're certain to see Kaelen Culpepper sometime this season; he's likely to push Brooks Lee off of shortstop. While Lee is stretched at shortstop, he should be an adequate defender at third base. Surprisingly, his bat has also looked much better suited for the position than Lewis’s so far this season. Culpepper's promotion alone may be enough to raise significant questions about Lewis's role. Lewis is arbitration-eligible in 2027 and has two options remaining. His team control and roster flexibility should be good news. For a player who has already expressed frustrations with the organization at multiple points in his career, however, it’s worth asking whether this team control and roster flexibility matter as much as they should. For such a high-profile player who has been so outspoken, it’s worth wondering how well things would go over if Lewis winds up being demoted to St. Paul or gets pushed out of a starting role long-term. It’s very possible that if the team’s plans move forward without Lewis playing a prominent role, his time in Minnesota comes to an end altogether. We may finally be approaching a point where significant turnover is on the horizon for the Minnesota Twins. The supposed core they’ve had in place since their last playoff run in 2023 has failed to live up to expectations, and with so much change across the organization, the roster is likely to follow suit with another disappointing season. Lewis once looked like a lasting piece of the Twins roster, regardless of how well the rest of the team performed. Things have changed significantly since the start of 2024. It feels like the clock is ticking on his time with the Twins, as his timeline of struggles has continued to drag on across multiple seasons. If he can’t turn things around soon, he may find himself out of their plans. View the full article

John Schneider pulled Tyler Heineman in the middle of the sixth inning on Sunday. With the bases loaded and the Blue Jays down by three, Heineman swung at the first pitch and sent a lazy fly ball to shallow left field, ending the top of the frame. When the game resumed, it was Brandon Valenzuela crouching behind the dish. Heineman is batting .136 with 13 strikeouts since Alejandro Kirk fractured his thumb on April 3. He has not drawn a walk or recorded an extra-base hit. He's only scored once in 16 games. It wouldn't be realistic to expect Heineman to repeat his 2025 performance. It wouldn't be fair to ask him to hit as well as Kirk. Still, even the most charitable evaluator would have to admit that Heineman has disappointed. Instead of taking the kind of disciplined approach one might hope to see from a soft-hitting veteran catcher, he's swinging more, chasing more, and whiffing more. Since April 4, he has seen an average of 3.29 pitches per plate appearance, one of the lowest rates in the league. Season(s) Swing Rate Chase Rate Whiff Rate Pitches per PA 2019-25 52.3% 33.3% 18.2% 3.59 2026 (total) 58.2% 45.4% 23.7% 3.44 2026 (since Apr. 4) 58.4% 46.1% 25.5% 3.29 Data via Baseball Savant. It isn't hard to understand why Schneider might have been fed up. Before the skipper sent him to the showers, Heineman had seen just eight pitches in three at-bats that day. When he stepped to the plate to face Taylor Rogers in the sixth, he had already seen Rogers twice in the series – including his at-bat in the previous inning. By that point, Rogers had faced 10 Blue Jays batters across two innings. Heineman needed to make him work. Instead, he took a bad hack at a pitch he was never going to do any damage against. It would have been frustrating regardless of the score or the base-out state. The fact that Heineman wasted an opportunity to get his team back in the game wasn't the heart of the problem, but it may have been the straw that broke the camel's back. Except we don't know any of this for sure. Speaking to reporters after the game, Schneider offered just two little words to explain why he took Heineman out of the game: "manager's decision." When pushed for details, he doubled down on his coy response. It was subtle, but it looked to me like he smirked both times he used the phrase. And that's it. That's all we know. Those two words have been swirling around my brain ever since. Manager's decision. The phrase is meaningless. Utterly meaningless. It's not an explanation at all. Every substitution is a manager's decision. All Schneider really told us was that Heineman wasn't injured, and even then, he didn't technically say that. And yet... Manager's decision. The words themselves are meaningless. But the fact that Schneider chose those specific words – and only those specific words – is layered with meaning. He didn't say it was "my decision." That would have been the more natural, off-the-cuff response. By using the third person instead of the first person, Schneider simultaneously took responsibility and distanced himself from the situation. All he was actually saying was that he didn't want to say anything, but he invented a phrase to legitimize his avoidance. To his credit, it worked. Look at this quotation from a Sportsnet article on Tuesday: "Elsewhere, Brandon Valenzuela will make a second straight start behind the dish in place of Tyler Heineman, who was removed from Sunday's game against the Minnesota Twins due to a manager's decision." The author cited "a manager's decision" as unquestioningly as if they were writing that Heineman was removed due to back spasms. We cannot allow this to become a phrase that's ever written without scare quotes! It's not a real thing! The other consequence of Schneider's intentional vagueness was a Streisand effect. The Streisand effect describes the phenomenon by which an effort to keep something under wraps can ultimately draw more attention to that thing than it otherwise would have received. In this case, Schneider was trying (or at least he can claim he was trying) to keep the details of whatever went down with Heineman in-house. Yet, he ended up turning the whole thing into a bigger deal than it would have been if he had simply offered a more detailed explanation. I'm only writing this article because "A Manager's Decision" sounds like the title of a Lifetime original movie, and I think that's funny. I wouldn't have any material if Schneider had just said, "I benched him for a bad at-bat. End of story." Indeed, for as much time as I can spend analyzing the phrase, the reason I can't stop thinking about Schneider's "manager's decision" is that it makes me laugh. Imagine anyone else responding to a similar question with a similar response. Reporter: Tyler, why did you swing at that pitch? Heineman: It was a batter's decision. Reporter: Leo, how did you 10 loonie dogs in a single inning? Me: It was an eater's decision. Of course, what isn't so funny is what this all might mean for Tyler Heineman. Alejandro Kirk will hopefully return later this month. When that happens, John Schneider (and Ross Atkins) will have to make a much more important decision. If Heineman fails to win back his manager's favour by then, it might be Brandon Valenzuela who sticks around as the backup. It's all speculation for now, but eventually, the decision will be real. View the full article

The Minnesota Twins bullpen has spent the opening weeks of the season doing an impressive impression of a piñata. Opponents are lining up, taking their swings, and walking away with something sweet. Near the bottom of the league in ERA, WPA, FIP, and just about every other acronym that signals distress, Minnesota’s relief corps has quickly turned from a question mark into a flashing red warning sign. Naturally, this led the front office to a bold and innovative solution: revisiting the exact veteran option they decided they did not need roughly five minutes ago. Back in spring training, the Twins had a handful of experienced bullpen arms in camp, including former All-Star closer Liam Hendriks. The narrative practically wrote itself. A respected veteran returning to the organization where his career began, providing leadership and stability to a group that needed both. It had all the makings of a feel-good story. Instead, the Twins released him before Opening Day. Fast-forward to early May, and with the bullpen actively setting new and creative ways to lose leads, the front office reportedly found itself staring at Hendriks’s contact information like a middle schooler debating whether to text their crush in the wake of a mortifying mutual rejection. “It was a tough call,” said one anonymous front office member. “Not emotionally. Just, you know, logistically. We had to figure out what to even say. There is no template for ‘Hey, remember when we said you were not good enough? Quick follow-up, about that.’” Another executive described the internal discussion leading up to the call. “We ran the numbers,” they said. “Then we ran them again, hoping they would change. They did not. At some point, someone just said, ‘What if we simply pretended none of that happened?’ and honestly that was the best plan we had.” According to sources, the call itself was… not smooth. “Hey Liam, it’s us,” one staffer reportedly began. “Just checking in. How have you been? Crazy weather lately, right? Anyway, quick question, how do you feel about high-leverage innings on a team that currently treats them like a suggestion?” Hendriks, for his part, handled the situation about as well as could be expected. “I missed the part where I was supposed to be gone long enough for this to make sense,” Hendriks said. “But I appreciate the confidence now. It is very… timely.” He paused before adding, “Do I get bonus points for pretending I didn't hear them laugh nervously before asking if I still had my glove?” Twins fans, meanwhile, have taken the development in stride, which is to say not at all. “I thought the plan was to build a bullpen,” said one fan outside Target Field. “Not crowdsource one after two weeks.” Another fan was more direct. “They let him go, watched the bullpen implode, and now they're calling him like they forgot their wallet at dinner,” they said. “At this point, I'm expecting them to check if Joe Nathan is free, too.” There is, of course, a certain symmetry to all of this. The Twins identified a potential solution, moved on from it, and then rediscovered it only after exhausting less effective alternatives. It's not quite a full circle moment, so much as a slow, awkward shuffle back to where they started. Whether Hendriks actually returns remains to be seen. Pride, practicality, and the memory of that spring decision all loom large. But the mere existence of the call says plenty about where things stand. For now, the bullpen continues to search for answers, the front office continues to search for better decisions, and somewhere out there, a phone sits quietly, hoping it does not ring again. Because if it does, everyone already knows how that conversation is going to go. View the full article

Blake Wolters fanned nine over 5 2/3 innings as the Columbia Fireflies routed Kannapolis 7-2, with Yandel Ricardo, JC Vanek, and Ivan Sosa each homering. Carson Roccaforte's two-run shot for Northwest Arkansas could not erase Frank Mozzicato's rough four-inning outing, as the Naturals fell 10-3 at Frisco. Aiden Jimenez allowed one unearned run across five innings of relief, but Quad Cities lost 3-2 in 10 to Cedar Rapids on a tiebreaking single. Omaha's game was postponed. Royals Transactions Kansas City Royals activated RHP Stephen Kolek from the 15-day injured list. Kansas City Royals optioned RHP Mason Black to Omaha Storm Chasers. Storm Chasers Game Postponed In Omaha The Omaha Storm Chasers' scheduled game was postponed. Late Homers Not Enough As Naturals Fall At Frisco The Northwest Arkansas Naturals dropped a 10-3 decision at Frisco, undone by a rough middle of the game. Frank Mozzicato worked four innings, allowing four runs on four hits with a walk and three strikeouts. Two of those hits left the yard. Mozzicato departed after four, and the RoughRiders broke the game open in the bottom of the fifth, plating six runs against the Naturals' bullpen, including three more home runs, to push the lead to 10-0. The Naturals finally got on the board in the seventh when cleanup hitter Brett Squires led off with his sixth home run of the season. Squires finished 2-for-4 with a double, a home run, an RBI, and a run scored. Northwest Arkansas added two more in the eighth. Justin Johnson drew a leadoff walk, and Carson Roccaforte followed with a two-run blast to center, his seventh of the year. Roccaforte's homer accounted for both of his RBIs on the day. Daniel Vazquez singled and walked, while Justin Johnson reached three times on a hit and two walks. The Naturals stranded seven runners. Augusto Mendieta worked the rest of the fifth and sixth, allowing one unearned run, and Christian Chamberlain and Andrew Morones followed with a hitless frame apiece. The Naturals managed six hits, struck out 11 times, and were charged with one error. Player AB R H RBI BB K Carson Roccaforte, CF 5 1 1 2 0 1 Rudy Martin Jr., LF 3 0 0 0 1 3 Sam Kulasingam, RF 4 0 0 0 0 0 Brett Squires, 1B 4 1 2 1 0 1 Daniel Vazquez, SS 3 0 1 0 1 1 Spencer Nivens, DH 4 0 0 0 0 1 Jack Pineda, 3B 3 0 0 0 0 2 Omar Hernandez, C 4 0 1 0 0 1 Justin Johnson, 2B 2 1 1 0 2 1 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Frank Mozzicato 4 4 4 4 1 3 2 Oscar Rayo 0 4 5 5 1 0 2 Augusto Mendieta 2 2 1 0 1 0 0 Christian Chamberlain 1 0 0 0 3 1 0 Andrew Morones 1 0 0 0 2 1 0 River Bandits Drop Extra-Inning Heartbreaker To Kernels The Quad Cities River Bandits fell 3-2 in 10 innings to Cedar Rapids, unable to push across the tying run after the Kernels broke through in the top of the 10th. Aiden Jimenez took over in the sixth and worked five innings, allowing two hits and one unearned run with no walks and a strikeout. Cedar Rapids pushed across the go-ahead run in the 10th when zombie runner Marek Houston was moved to third on a groundout and scored on a single to center. Starter Mason Miller logged four innings, giving up five hits and one earned run while walking three and striking out three. Dash Albus surrendered a run in his lone inning of work. Quad Cities tied the game in the bottom of the fifth. Tyriq Kemp singled to open the frame and came around to score on Asbel Gonzalez's RBI single. Ramon Ramirez followed with a single, and Asbel Gonzalez later came around to score the tying run before the rally ended. Asbel Gonzalez finished 2-for-4 with the RBI single, a run scored, and two stolen bases. Ramon Ramirez went 2-for-5 with a stolen base. Derlin Figueroa added two doubles in a 2-for-4 effort. Tyriq Kemp went 1-for-4 with a stolen base and scored the run. Blake Mitchell was intentionally walked in the 10th. The River Bandits collected 10 hits, drew three walks, and stranded 10 runners. Player AB R H RBI BB K Nolan Sailors, RF 5 0 1 0 0 1 Asbel Gonzalez, CF 4 1 2 1 0 1 Blake Mitchell, DH 4 0 0 0 1 2 Ramon Ramirez, C 5 0 2 0 0 1 Luke Pelzer, LF 4 0 1 0 1 1 Austin Charles, SS 3 0 0 0 1 2 Derlin Figueroa, 3B 4 0 2 0 0 1 Jose Cerice, 1B 4 0 1 0 0 0 Tyriq Kemp, 2B 4 1 1 0 0 2 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Mason Miller 4 5 1 1 3 3 0 Dash Albus 1 2 1 1 0 0 0 Aiden Jimenez 5 2 1 0 0 1 0 Wolters Strikes Out Nine As Fireflies Down Cannon Ballers Blake Wolters dominated for the Columbia Fireflies in a 7-2 win at Kannapolis, working 5 2/3 innings while allowing two hits and one earned run with two walks and nine strikeouts. The lone blemish was a solo home run in the sixth. Randy Ramnarace, Jhon Reyes, and Yeri Perez followed out of the bullpen, with Ramnarace and Reyes combining to keep the Cannon Ballers off the board across 2 1/3 innings before Perez allowed a run in the ninth. Columbia took control with three solo home runs in three consecutive innings. Ivan Sosa, his fourth of the year, opened the scoring in the third. JC Vanek added his third in the fourth, and Yandel Ricardo turned on his first of the season in the fifth, putting the Fireflies up 4-0. The Fireflies blew the game open in the ninth. Stone Russell singled, JC Vanek walked, and Daniel Lopez bunted for a single that Stone Russell scored on after a throwing error from the first baseman. Ivan Sosa drove in JC Vanek with a fielder's choice, and leadoff hitter Henry Ramos plated Daniel Lopez with a groundout to push the margin to six. Yandel Ricardo finished 2-for-5 with the home run, a triple, an RBI, two runs scored, and a stolen base. JC Vanek reached three times on a hit and two walks. Ivan Sosa drove in two. The Fireflies recorded six hits, three home runs, and stranded seven runners. Player AB R H RBI BB K Henry Ramos, LF 5 0 0 1 0 3 Yandel Ricardo, SS 5 2 2 1 0 1 Josh Hammond, 3B 4 0 0 0 1 0 Brooks Bryan, C 3 0 0 0 1 2 Sean Gamble, CF 5 0 0 0 0 2 Stone Russell, 2B 4 1 1 0 0 1 JC Vanek, 1B 2 2 1 1 2 0 Daniel Lopez, RF 2 1 1 0 2 0 Ivan Sosa, DH 4 1 1 2 0 2 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Blake Wolters 5 2/3 2 1 1 2 9 1 Randy Ramnarace 1 1/3 0 0 0 2 2 0 Jhon Reyes 1 2 0 0 1 2 0 Yeri Perez 1 2 1 1 0 2 0 Top-20 Prospect Performance Carter Jensen: DNP Blake Mitchell: 0-for-4, BB, 2 K David Shields: DNP Kendry Chourio: DNP Ben Kudrna: DNP Sean Gamble: 0-for-5, 2 K Josh Hammond: 0-for-4, BB, SB Ramon Ramirez: 2-for-5, SB, K Drew Beam: DNP Asbel Gonzalez: 2-for-4, RBI, R, K, 2 SB Yandel Ricardo: 2-for-5, 3B, HR, RBI, 2 R, SB, K Felix Arronde: DNP Luinder Avila: DNP Daniel Vazquez: 1-for-3, BB, K Steven Zobac: DNP Carson Roccaforte: 1-for-5, HR, 2 RBI, R, K, SB Blake Wolters: 5 2/3 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 9 K, 1 HR Michael Lombardi: DNP Warren Calcaño: DNP Frank Mozzicato: 4 IP, 4 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 1 BB, 3 K, 2 HR View the full article

Prior to making his major league debut on Tuesday, right-hander William Kempner speaks with the media about his baseball journey and how he's continuing to sharpen his control.View the full article

Ryan Rolison isn't overwhelming opposing batters. He's fanned 10 of them in 8 2/3 innings, but he only averages 94.3 miles per hour with his fastball. Hitters have made contact on 88.2% of the pitches they've swung at against Rolison. Yet, he's been devastatingly effective. That he's struck out 28.6% of his opponents doesn't match the whiff rate on swings. Nor does his overall stuff profile support his sparkling advanced stats. Does anything explain it? Or is this just a nice, half-accidental stretch from a fungible reliever, doomed to end quickly and sourly? You'll never go broke betting on the latter, when a journeyman has a hot streak like Rolison's recent one. But let me make a different case. In some ways, the 2026 season poses new and painful challenges for big-league pitchers, and solving the problems the league has thrown at them is a vital part of being a successful arm this year. Rolison is an exemplar of the ways the Cubs are well-suited to the changes to the strike zone—and, therefore, he might have more staying power than you'd think. The strike zone is smaller this year than it's been in a long time. It shrank last year, when the league tightened tolerances at the edges of the zone in its feedback for umpires on their ball-strike calls, but it's shrunk even more this season with the implementation of the ABS challenge system. As a result, the league's average walk rate is up to 9.5%. Virtually the entire change in the zone is in its vertical dimensions. The top of the zone has come down significantly, which comes with specific implications for pitchers with certain stuff profiles. There's a bit of extra risk, for instance, in having a high-carry four-seam fastball, because you might miss above that new, lower top railing. Yet, if you don't have exceptional rising action on your heater, it had better have some other unusual characteristic. Otherwise, hitters (guarding a smaller zone than in the past, after all) will hit you hard. Thus, pitchers need to have either more velocity or more unexpected wiggle on their fastballs than they needed to have even one year ago. Rolison has actually added ride to his fastball this year, along with about 1.5 MPH. That doesn't leave him missing the zone high, though, because he had below-average rise before. Now, his induced vertical break (IVB) on the four-seamer is 15.0 inches, which is lively but not uncontrollable. More importantly, that fastball has cutting action, relative to what a hitter expects out of the hand. The cut-ride shape is part of what first hooked the Cubs on Rolison; they've always loved that trait. Once Rolison shows hitters a fastball that flirts with the edges of the zone, he can also attack them with his array of breaking stuff, which tunnels off the heater nicely. Specifically, he can land the curve and the slider in the zone consistently, and more of the time, hitters aren't ready for it. The difference in vertical movement between Rolison's fastball and his curve has stretched to over 32 inches this year, thanks to a slightly higher arm slot. But by targeting the two pitches differently, he puts both in the zone, instead of missing high with one and low with the other. The curve isn't earning Rolison whiffs, but he's getting quite a few called strikes with it. bGJ3NFdfWGw0TUFRPT1fQWdSV1VGRUZWMVFBV2xGUUFnQUhBMWNIQUZnTlZWSUFVVkVGVTFBQkJGRldBd29B.mp4 The unique horizontal movement on Rolison's fastball makes him relatively hard to square up. The ability to throw that pitch and two breaking balls for strikes even in a compressed zone makes him hard to outguess. This is Rolison's new formula for success—but it's not new to the Cubs. Public intellectual Nassim Nicholas Taleb wrote one of his several books about the concept of antifragility. Some things, Taleb wrote, are robust: they survive big changes well. Other things are fragile: they break easily when shocks come. The thrust of Taleb's tome, though, was that a third class of things exists. Antifragile entities don't just survive major changes; they thrive on them. Seismic shifts make them stronger and better, instead of either damaging them or leaving them unaffected. Relatively few things in the world are genuinely antifragile, but the Cubs' long-held pitching paradigm might just be one of them. The rest of the league has spent at least a decade maximizing their high-low movement differentials and chasing whiffs, but they've done it with their targets set on a strike zone that no longer exists. The new one is better-suited to teams who try to produce weak contact and fill up the zone, with unusual fastball shapes and enough movement on secondary pitches to coax bad swing decisions in an environment that makes swing decisions easier. That's what the Cubs have been doing, all this time. Rolison isn't the only example of this. He's just a salient one, at this particular moment. Chicago has lots of pitchers who work that way, from (alas, currently injured) stars Justin Steele and Cade Horton to the guys they've collected just as proactively but with less fanfare, like Caleb Thielbar and Daniel Palencia. Horizontal movement and the ability to steal strikes without chasing whiffs is the wave of the future. The Cubs have been riding it since everyone thought it was a thing of the past. View the full article

The Chicago Cubs keep finding contributions from across the board. On Monday, it was Michael Conforto in the form of a walk-off home run! How about the season Shota Imanaga is having! Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-north-side-baseball-podcast/id1798599313 Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/75wMGhBwlrDDYPt3kaF453 Listen on iHeartRadio: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/263-the-north-side-baseball-po-268998437/ Listen on Pocket Casts: https://pca.st/eey7h6ih Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@northsidebaseball View the full article

Boston Red Sox Affiliate Recap (May 5) Triple-A Worcester Red Sox Worcester rallied from a three-run deficit to win 7-6 over the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders (New York Yankees) at home. The WooSox came out swinging in the first when Mickey Gasper launched a two-run homer to left off Carlos Rodón to put Worcester up 2-0 early. But the lead didn't hold. Scranton chipped one back in the second on an RBI single, then blew the game open in the third inning as they crushed a three-run shot to give them a 4-2 lead. Nate Eaton got on base due to a fielding error, and a couple of wild throws from Rodón ended up scoring Eaton to shorten the deficit 4-3. Scranton increased their lead once again in the sixth with a two-run double to make it 6-3. Worcester’s comeback started in the bottom of the sixth when Kristian Campbell belted a solo homer to center off Rodón (EV 102.7 MPH), cutting it to 6-4. Then came a huge seventh inning, Allan Castro singled, Vinny Capra drew a walk, Jason Delay hit a sacrifice fly with the bases loaded, and a run-scoring forceout by Eaton knotted things up at 6-6. Campbell led off the bottom of the eighth with a hard hit double to right center (EV 104.6 MPH), earning his third hit of the game. Castro delivered the go-ahead RBI single through the middle to make it 7-6. Tommy Kahnle worked around two base runners and shut the door in the ninth for the save. Worcester's pitching was very mixed in this matchup. Devin Sweet started the game and threw two innings, giving up one earned run. Noah Song allowed three earned runs over two innings with four strikeouts, and Angel Bastardo gave up two runs in his two frames. However, Kyle Keller and Kahnle combined for 3 shutout innings down the stretch when it mattered most. Key Performances: Kristian Campbell: 3-for-4, HR, 2B, 2 R, RBI Allan Castro: 2-for-4, R, RBI Mickey Gasper: HR, R, 2 RBI Double-A Portland Sea Dogs A gutsy comeback fell one swing short as the Sea Dogs dropped a tight 3-2 loss at home to the New Hampshire Fisher Cats (Toronto Blue Jays). Gage Ziehl was taken deep with a solo shot in the first inning to put Portland down early, 1-0. Ziehl settled in for the next two innings until New Hampshire got to him again in the fourth, scoring after racking up a couple of hits to make it 2-0. Nate Baez broke through in the bottom of the fourth, hammering a solo homer to cut it to 2-1. That would be the only run Portland could muster against New Hampshire’s starter in six innings. The Fisher Cats' first pitcher out of the bullpen gave up the lead after Johanfran Garcia crushed a solo shot, his third in three games, to tie the game at 2-2. In the eighth inning, Max Ferguson hit a lead-off double, giving Portland a chance to take the lead. A poorly attempted sacrifice bunt was popped up and led to a free out for the Fisher Cats. Franklin Arias was intentionally walked to put two runners on and one out. Sadly, the Sea Dogs' next two batters struck out to strand the runners. Cooper Adams came into the ninth inning to try to keep it tied, but New Hampshire had other plans, hitting a solo homer. Just like that, it was 3-2, and Portland went down quietly in the bottom half to end it. Key Performances: Gage Ziehl: 4 ⅓ IP, 2 ER, 7 K Patrick Halligan: 2 ⅔ IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 5 K Johanfran Garcia: HR, R, RBI Nate Baez: HR, R, RBI High-A Greenville Drive Greenville's bats came alive in a back-and-forth affair but came up just short, 11-9, against the Greensboro Grasshoppers (Pittsburgh Pirates). The Drive struck first in the second inning, 1-0, when Freili Encarnacion scored a run with a groundout. Greensboro answered immediately, tying it with a solo homer 1-1. Greenville pushed ahead again in the third inning on a Jack Winnay sacrifice fly and an Isaiah Jackson RBI single to make it 3-1, but the Grasshoppers clawed right back with two of their own to knot it at 3-3. Henry Godbout gave Greenville its biggest cushion of the night with a two-run homer in the fourth, putting the Drive up 5-3. Unfortunately, Alex Bouchard couldn't hold onto the lead. Greensboro scored two more in the bottom of the fourth to tie it at 5-5, then the wheels came off, giving up three more runs to make it 8-5. The Grasshoppers kept pouring it on against Greenville’s bullpen, erupting for three runs in the sixth, 11-6. Greenville made a push in the eighth, Jackson delivered again with a two-run single, and Encarnacion followed with an RBI double to cut it to 11-9. The Drive would then get two runners on in the ninth with a chance to extend the game, but would not deliver as they hit into a double play to end it. Key Performances: Henry Godbout: 2-for-4, HR, 3 R, 2 RBI, 2 BB Yoeilin Cespedes: 3-for-6, 2 R Isaiah Jackson: 4-for-5, R, 3 RBI Freili Encarnacion: 3-for-5, 2 RBI Single-A Salem RidgeYaks RidgeYaks rolled past the Delmarva Shorebirds in a lopsided home win, 12-4. Salem scratched across the first run in the third on a Luke Heyman sacrifice fly to make it 1-0. Delmarva answered with a three-run fourth with a bases-clearing double, putting the Shorebirds ahead 3-1. The RidgeYaks tied it right back in the bottom of the fourth when D'Angelo Ortiz roped a two-run single through the left side to knot it at 3-3. The fifth inning blew the game open for Salem. Enddy Azocar led off with a solo homer to left, Luke Heyman followed with a solo shot as well, back-to-back jacks to make it 5-3. The Shorebirds pitchers completely lost the zone, walking the next five batters (two scoring on a wild pitch). Kleyver Salazar scored on an Ortiz groundout to push the lead to 8-3 by the end of the frame. The RidgeYaks kept piling on, Azocar hit a lead-off single and stole two bases, Salazar brought him in with a sacrifice fly in the sixth to make it 9-3. The RidgeYaks tacked on two more in the eighth via an Andrews Opata bases-loaded walk and yet another Salazar sacrifice fly (his second of the game) to stretch it to 11-3. Delmarva's lone consolation run came in the ninth to make the final 12-4. Myles Patton earned the win. He pitched nicely, other than the rough fourth inning, throwing five innings, striking out five, and giving up three runs. Jacob Mayers was outstanding in relief, throwing three no-hit innings and striking out six batters. Key Performances: Enddy Azocar: 3-for-5, HR, 3 R, RBI, 2 SB Luke Heyman: 2-for-3, HR, 2 R, 2 RBI, BB D’Angelo Ortiz: 2-for-4, R, 2 RBI Jacob Mayers: 3 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 2 BB, 6 K View the full article

The Mets' affiliates went 1-2 on a quiet night with a Brooklyn rainout. St. Lucie pulled away with a five-run fourth inning and rolled to a 6-2 win at Lakeland behind R.J. Gordon's two scoreless, four-strikeout innings to start and JT Benson's two-run homer and triple. Syracuse fell 3-2 in a rain-shortened six-inning game at home to Rochester. Binghamton was buried 10-2 by Hartford as Will Watson surrendered a first-inning grand slam in the loss. Mets Transactions No Roster Moves Rain Cuts Short Syracuse In 3-2 Loss To Rochester Syracuse dropped a 3-2 decision to Rochester in a game called after the bottom of the sixth due to rain. The Mets opened the scoring in the bottom of the first when Nick Morabito singled to right, and Ryan Clifford followed with a line-drive single to center to drive him in for an early 1-0 lead. Rochester answered with a three-run fourth that put the visitors ahead for good. Starter Jack Weisenburger took the loss after four innings of three-hit, three-earned-run work that included two walks and four strikeouts. The damage came on a hit-by-pitch, a single, and another single in succession during a four-batter sequence in the top of the fourth that produced all three Rochester runs. Joey Gerber followed with a clean fifth that included a strikeout, and Luke Jackson worked the sixth, allowing one hit but no runs while striking out one, before the rain came. Syracuse pulled back within one in the bottom of the sixth when Morabito singled, Clifford doubled to right to put runners at second and third, and Cristian Pache singled to left to plate Clifford. Ji Hwan Bae walked, but the rally ended on a Ben Rortvedt flyout, and the umpires called the game shortly after. Clifford finished a perfect 2-for-2 with a double, a walk, an RBI, and a run scored. Morabito went 2-for-3 with a stolen base, and Pache added a 1-for-3 line with the RBI. Bae drew two walks, and Syracuse finished with five hits and three free passes in the abbreviated outing. Syracuse Hitting Player AB R H RBI BB K A.J. Ewing 3 0 0 0 0 1 Nick Morabito 3 1 2 0 0 1 Ryan Clifford 2 1 2 1 1 0 Christian Arroyo 3 0 0 0 0 2 Ji Hwan Bae 1 0 0 0 2 0 Cristian Pache 3 0 1 1 0 1 Ben Rortvedt 3 0 0 0 0 1 Yonny Hernández 2 0 0 0 0 0 Jackson Cluff 2 0 0 0 0 1 Syracuse Pitching Player IP H R ER BB K HR Jack Weisenburger (L) 4 3 3 3 2 4 0 Joey Gerber 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 Luke Jackson 1 1 0 0 0 1 0 First-Inning Grand Slam Sinks Binghamton In 10-2 Loss Hartford put a quick end to the suspense, scoring four runs in each of the first two innings on its way to a 10-2 win at Binghamton. The Yard Goats jumped on starter Will Watson immediately with a grand slam that emptied the bases, and Watson did not record a third out, exiting after two-thirds of an inning, having allowed three hits, four earned runs, two walks, and a home run without a strikeout. The bullpen was a mixed bag. Felipe De La Cruz worked one and two-thirds innings, allowing three hits and one run while fanning three. Kevin Gowdy tossed a scoreless inning, and Wyatt Young, the position player thrown into mop-up duty, surrendered three hits but no runs across two innings. Binghamton's offense managed only four hits as the Rumble Ponies struck out seven times. Nick Lorusso accounted for half the team's hits with a 2-for-4 line that included a triple. Eli Serrano III drew a walk and singled, while Kevin Parada singled and walked. The Rumble Ponies plated a run in the bottom of the fifth on Matt Rudick's RBI groundout that scored TT Bowens, and Lorusso tripled in the seventh to set up Diego Mosquera's run-scoring fielder's choice for the second tally. Binghamton Hitting Player AB R H RBI BB K Eli Serrano III 3 0 1 0 1 0 Jacob Reimer 4 0 0 0 0 1 Jose Ramos 3 0 0 0 1 1 Kevin Parada 3 0 1 0 1 1 TT Bowens 2 1 0 0 2 1 JT Schwartz 4 0 0 0 0 2 Nick Lorusso 4 1 2 0 0 0 Matt Rudick 3 0 0 1 0 0 Diego Mosquera 3 0 0 0 0 1 Binghamton Pitching Player IP H R ER BB K HR Will Watson (L) 2/3 3 4 4 2 0 1 Felipe De La Cruz 1 2/3 3 1 1 1 3 0 Kevin Gowdy 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 Wyatt Young 2 3 0 0 0 0 0 Gabriel Rodriguez 1 1/3 2 1 1 1 2 0 Matt Turner 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 Tanner Witt 1 1/3 4 4 4 1 1 1 Brooklyn Postponed The Brooklyn Cyclones' scheduled game was postponed. Pena, Benson, And Gordon Power St. Lucie To 6-2 Win St. Lucie poured it on with a five-run fourth inning and held off Lakeland late to win 6-2 on the road, capping an effort with strong pitching and a pair of home runs. R.J. Gordon set the tone with two scoreless, hitless innings to open, walking none and striking out four to put the Mets in firm control from the jump. St. Lucie scratched out the first run in the top of the second when JT Benson tripled to left, and Chase Meggers brought him home with a single up the middle. The Mets blew the game open in the fourth: AJ Salgado led off with a single, Benson followed with a two-run homer to left-center to make it 3-0, Meggers doubled, Sam Robertson reached on an error, and Elian Peña launched a three-run home run to right that pushed the lead to 6-0. Gordon and Ryan Dollar combined for four hitless innings to start, and Jorge De Leon picked up the win with one and one-third hitless innings of two-strikeout, one-walk relief. Joe Scarborough fanned one in a clean inning, and Daviel Hurtado worked two scoreless innings with four strikeouts. Tyler McLoughlin allowed both Lakeland runs in two-thirds of an inning during the bottom of the seventh, surrendering three hits before being lifted. Benson finished 3-for-4 with a triple, a home run, and two RBI, scoring twice. Peña went 1-for-5 with the three-run blast and three RBI, while Meggers added a 2-for-4 line with a double and an RBI. Robertson reached base three times via two walks and a stolen base each, and Sam Robertson and Jamari Baylor combined for three of the team's stolen bases in the win. St. Lucie Hitting Player AB R H RBI BB K Elian Peña 5 1 1 3 0 2 Edward Lantigua 4 0 1 0 0 1 Randy Guzman 4 0 0 0 0 3 AJ Salgado 4 1 1 0 0 0 Julio Zayas 4 0 0 0 0 1 JT Benson 4 2 3 2 0 1 Chase Meggers 4 0 2 1 0 1 Sam Robertson 2 1 0 0 2 0 Jamari Baylor 4 1 0 0 0 0 St. Lucie Pitching Player IP H R ER BB K HR R.J. Gordon 2 0 0 0 0 4 0 Ryan Dollar 2 1 0 0 0 1 0 Jorge De Leon (W) 1 1/3 0 0 0 1 2 0 Joe Scarborough 1 0 0 0 1 1 0 Daviel Hurtado 2 0 0 0 0 4 0 Tyler McLoughlin 2/3 3 2 2 1 1 0 Top-20 Prospect Performance Nolan McLean: DNP Carson Benge: DNP A.J. Ewing: 0-for-3, K Jonah Tong: DNP Ryan Clifford: 2-for-2, R, RBI, 2B, BB Jacob Reimer: 0-for-4, K Jack Wenninger: DNP Elian Pena: 1-for-5, R, 3 RBI, HR, 2 K Mitch Voit: DNP Nick Morabito: 2-for-3, R, SB, K Jonathan Santucci: DNP Chris Suero: DNP Zach Thornton: DNP Wandy Asigen: DNP Will Watson: 2/3 IP, 3 H, 4 ER, 2 BB, 0 K, HR (L) Eli Serrano III: 1-for-3, BB Ryan Lambert: DNP Dylan Ross: DNP Antonio Jimenez: DNP R.J. Gordon: 2 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 4 K View the full article

It's hard to miss Alex McCoy. After all, he is listed at 6-foot-5 and 260 pounds. While looking more like a football or basketball player, the outfielder is standing out for other reasons on the baseball diamond. Signed as an undrafted free agent out of college in 2024, McCoy has thrived in his brief time in the San Diego Padres' organization. Building off a good 2025, his first season in pro ball, McCoy, the left fielder for the High-A Fort Wayne TinCaps, has been the best overall hitter in the farm system through the first month of the season, making him an easy choice for Padres Mission's Minor-League Player of the Month for April. The 24-year-old had a 15-game hitting streak that was snapped last weekend and had a 19-game on-base to finish the month. His hitting streak was the longest by a TinCap since a 15-gamer by Fernando Tatis Jr. in 2017. During that run, McCoy had a .339/.354/.645 slash line (.999 OPS) with seven doubles, four homers and nine RBIs. That was the core of his April production. McCoy finished April with a .354/.386/.683 slash line, with a Midwest League-leading 10 doubles to go along with five homers and 14 RBIs in 21 games. He has stolen five bases in seven attempts. He concluded the month with his first three-hit game of the season, including his first triple. Since April 7 among players with as many at-bats, he leads the league in doubles, slugging percentage, OPS and total bases. His five homers thus far are two shy of what he hit in 58 games last season. McCoy doesn't currently rank among Padres Mission's Top 20 prospects, but that could change in our next update. MCCOY_MILB_POM.mp4 As with any young slugger, McCoy has struggled to draw walks, with a 3.4% walk rate (three walks in 88 plate appearances), and his 23.9% strikeout rate is slightly above what the MLB average is. Nevertheless, McCoy has some of the best power in the system. Last season with the Low-A Lake Elsinore Storm, McCoy had a peak exit velocity of 118 mph, a figure that would look elite even at the MLB level. His emergence is definitely a win for the Padres' player development at a time the farm system could use a few. The Friars are universally ranked last among the 30 farm systems due to the way president of baseball operations A.J. Preller has traded prospects to bolster the major-league roster in recent years. The Padres signed him in 2024 as an undrafted free agent out of Hofstra, where he played after three seasons at Maryland-Eastern Shore. McCoy hit 11 homers in 56 games, mainly as a center fielder, at Hofstra with 44 RBIs and 22 stolen bases while putting up a .306/.384/.509 slash line. In 80 games At Maryland-Eastern Shore, first base was his primary position, hitting four homers, driving in 29 and stealing 36 bases in 43 attempts combined in his two playing seasons (his freshman year was wiped out by the COVID-19 pandemic). His slash lines were .294/.388/.368 in 2022 and .253/.357/.347. His evolution as a hitter at Hofstra could be attributed to the Pride's head coach, former MLB infielder Frank Catalanotto. McCoy didn't play professionally after signing in July 2024 until making his debut with Lake Elsinore in April 2025. With the Storm, he had a .318/.394/.513 slash line with six homers and 33 RBIs in 53 games, with 14 steals in 16 attempts. McCoy also had 12 doubles and three triples. He had a brief rehab assignment in the Arizona Complex League, posting a .278/.381/.611 slash line in five games with three doubles, a homer and seven RBIs. McCoy had eight- and nine-game hitting streaks with Lake Elsinore. As a 24-year-old in High-A, McCoy is a bit old for the level (he is about 18 months older than the average player), so it wouldn't be surprising to see him move up to Double-A San Antonio soon if he continues to hit like this. His ability to hit and hit for power will need to be maintained if his ascent is to continue. Defensively, McCoy should be able to stick in left, but he also does have experience at first base, giving him positional flexibility. View the full article

The Royals’ offensive start to the 2026 campaign has been a frustrating one. Packed with talent, the offense was expected to have no trouble overcoming the struggles it is currently facing. Yet, there are some positive notes on the future of the KC battalion. As we wrap up an action-packed first month of baseball, one name stands above the rest in the Royals’ lineup: Carter Jensen. While the young catcher is still establishing his footprint in the big leagues, his performance over the last month has been nothing short of elite. With the Royals’ offense struggling to produce, Jensen has been one of the more productive hitters in the American League. The headline of Jensen’s breakout month is his .233 ISO (Isolated Power). To put that in perspective, he’s leading the team by a wide margin, with Kyle Isbel sitting in second place at .167. Jensen’s ability to drive the ball for extra bases has vaulted him into the AL’s top producers, ranking as the 10th best ISO in the American League. He isn't just hitting doubles, either. Jensen hammered a team-high six home runs this month, proving that he has the raw strength to be a middle-of-the-order mainstay for years to come. With a wRC+ of 134, Jensen is performing 34% better than the league-average hitter. When you combine that offensive production with the physical demands of the catching position, you get a player who is quickly becoming the heartbeat of this roster. His 0.7 WAR for the month ranks him third on the team, proving he is a winning ingredient in the Royals' formula. No young player is perfect, and if there is one human element to Jensen’s game right now, it’s the swing-and-miss. He posted a 27.3% strikeout rate over the month, roughly five percentage points higher than the league average. While the strikeouts are a point of focus for Jensen's development, it's important to keep perspective: there are actually three other regulars on the roster with higher strikeout rates. When you're slugging .500, a few extra whiffs are a trade-off most managers will take any day of the week. Carter Jensen has officially arrived. Leading the team in Slugging, wOBA, and wRC+, he is quickly transitioning from a prospect to watch to a legitimate MLB professional. If he continues to refine his contact skills while maintaining this elite power, the league will need to start paying very close attention to the man behind the mask in Kansas City. Congratulations to Carter Jensen, our Royals Hitter of the Month! View the full article

This past offseason, Dylan Cease signed a 7-year, $210 million deal with the Toronto Blue Jays. So far in 2026, he has continued to be one of the dominant strikeout pitchers in all of baseball. How does he do it? In this video, we dive into everything from otherworldly strikeout and whiff rates to a wizard-like arsenal. View the full article

Minnesota native Matt Wallner is off to a brutal start, and the same concerns keep resurfacing. It's fair to wonder if the Twins are running out of patience. View the full article

Player development is often where organizations separate themselves, and the Minnesota Twins are making sure they are not standing still. In a recent appearance on Inside Twins, Director of Player Development Drew MacPhail offered a detailed look into how the organization is rethinking pitching usage and in-game strategy across the minor leagues. What emerged from the conversation was a clear theme. The Twins are not just tweaking around the edges. They are actively challenging long-held norms about how pitchers are deployed and how information flows during a game. The goal is not only better performance today, but a more adaptable and durable pitching pipeline for the future. One of the most notable changes centers on how starting pitchers are used. Traditionally, starters work every five days and build toward 100 pitch outings. Minnesota is pushing against that model by experimenting with a four-day rotation paired with shorter outings. Last year, the Twins tried it with a handful of guys, but this year, it's expanded to about a dozen pitchers. “Honestly, we've been doing a lot of research and talking a lot about this for a long time,” said MacPhail. “We experimented with it in 2025 in a smaller group, and we saw a ton of success. I think the idea behind it…was basically the idea that some of your starting pitcher type guys, some of your best pitchers in the organization, if you put them on a four-day, there's actually some interesting research that they could actually bounce back a little bit quicker if kept under a certain pitch count.” MacPhail continued, “And the benefit of that was they'd actually be able to accrue more innings over the course of a season on that schedule. So we sort of started with a pilot program, and what we saw was the guys that we put on that program having more success in that four-day type role than they had in the previous year, as well as taking down more innings. The group was excited about kind of rolling it out to a bigger group this year, and that's what you're seeing so far in the 2026 season.” The early results gave the Twins confidence to expand the program, and the structure has already produced meaningful workloads. Pitchers like John Klein approached the 100-inning mark last season, a significant benchmark for developing arms. That shift, however, creates logistical challenges. With a mix of four-day and five-day starters and a universal off day, overlap is inevitable. Instead of viewing that as a problem, Minnesota is turning it into an advantage through piggyback outings. “I think what you ultimately see is you have some of your best starting pitchers sort of piggybacking each other,” said MacPhail. “So, an example of that that happened recently was Connor Prielipp and Kendry Rojas. Kendry was on that four-day schedule, Connor was in a true five-day starter type role. Those guys piggybacked each other and ended up taking down eight plus innings of incredible baseball and Triple-A.” “So I think what it ultimately means is you have sort of more of your starter type guys pitching on top of each other more, but ultimately that's sort of one of the benefits as well, is you kind of have two guys going back and forth, giving you a lot of innings, actually more than a starter pro typically would, is the idea and some two of your best pitchers taking over that workload.” Beyond the immediate results, the approach also creates flexibility in how pitchers transition to the majors. Instead of forcing a binary choice between starter and reliever, the Twins are building pitchers who can handle multiple roles depending on need. The Twins are not stopping with pitcher usage. They are also experimenting with coaches calling pitches during games, a responsibility that has traditionally been the catcher's at the professional level. This is the norm in college baseball, with nearly every program having the coaches call the pitches. “The first is our pitching coaches spend a ton of time going over the advanced process game planning for hitters,” said MacPhail. “Our catchers do as well. But I think if you broke down that time a lot, then the pitching coaches are really the ones that are digging into it and putting in the most work and effort on that front and then helping educate the catchers on that.” MacPhail discussed how the pitching coaches have the information in front of them during the game, making it easier to call pitches. The catcher is relying on recall and memory, which can be challenging with in-game batter changes, different matchups, etc. “I think if you think about it from the outside looking in, it makes sense, just like you see an offensive coordinator or defensive coordinator in the NFL or college football calling plays, that the pitching coach would be calling plays, right? So I think it's a copycat league. We've seen some other organizations do that this past year.” So, what are the benefits of coaches calling pitches? “I think there's an ancillary benefit of our lower-level catching prospects, learning the pitch coach calling process from our pitching coaches, kind of spurring more dialogue there. Additionally, I think those games when they're not calling pitches, it helps free them up, and we're interested in do they perform better offensively? Do they perform better from a receiving standpoint, from a blocking and throwing standpoint?” “There's so many things they have to worry about during the course of a game. If we take this sort of mental workload off them, well, we actually see their performance take up some too. So, you know, I'm not going to pretend like we know for sure that it's going to be a huge success, but it's something that we want to experiment with in the minor leagues, and ultimately, you know, it's a testing ground to bring these concepts to the major league team.” For an organization that has consistently emphasized development, these changes represent a willingness to rethink the blueprint. Not every experiment will stick, and MacPhail was clear that there are tradeoffs worth evaluating. Still, the Twins are leaning into the idea that the minor leagues should be a proving ground for innovation. If the early returns hold, Minnesota may not just be developing pitchers. It may be reshaping how they are developed across the game. Will these changes be successful in the minors? How will this impact the big-league level? Leave a comment and start the discussion. View the full article

As is true of most teams, Brewers catchers have been far more successful in using baseball’s new ABS challenge system than their hitters have been. According to Statcast, catchers across the league (plus a small handful of pitchers) have won 59% of challenges, while hitters have won just 46%. That’s not surprising; catchers have a much better view of the strike zone from behind the plate than hitters do in the batter’s box. “People were saying back in spring training, like, it's going to take a while for the hitters, because they have, all of a sudden, the new strike zone,” said Pat Murphy, referring to the the system not using the rulebook 3D strike zone, but a 2D zone above the middle of the plate, determined based on percentages of the batter’s measured height. “Catchers do, too, but they've obviously got the view [behind the plate] that no one has.” What has been surprising, though, is just how poorly the Brewers have utilized their challenges on offense. Their catchers have combined to win a nearly average 57% of challenges, but their hitters have won just 33%, which ranks 28th among 30 teams. Overturn rate alone does not supply context for those challenges, nor does it measure whether the Brewers have a sound strategy that they’re executing well enough. More than anything, the club evaluates challenge decisions on the situation, wanting hitters and catchers to use it in the most impactful moments. “I think you could say leverage or non-leverage,” Murphy said last week of challenge situations. “If it’s a pitch that alters the at-bat—so strike three, ball four, something like that—look at those things. Guys in scoring position make it a bigger situation.” Statcast uses a pitch’s location and run probability to determine which are reasonable challenge opportunities. Using data on the types of pitches and situations in which most players across the league challenge, it also estimates how many runs a team has gained from its challenges, compared to expected runs gained. On average, 66% of challenges initiated by hitters have qualified as reasonable challenges. Milwaukee hitters are slightly above that mark at 67%, yet they’ve gained 0.5 fewer expected runs from overturns than expected, which ranks 23rd in the league. The Brewers have made some noticeably poor challenges lately. Greg Jones exhausted their final challenge in the fourth inning last week on a called strike almost entirely in the zone, and Garrett Mitchell lost it in the second inning over the weekend on a pitch on the outside corner. The real issue, though, is that they have not challenged enough at opportune times; their 15% challenge rate on reasonable opportunities ranks 27th. “It’s when you don’t challenge on a ball that’s clearly incorrect in an opportune time or a leverage time,” Murphy said. “We call them ‘fives.’ When you get a five, if you don’t challenge, you’re hurting your club. Even if it’s this much off.” The Brewers have such a low success rate because they decline to challenge more pitches that would be overturned. They’ve taken 90 called strikes outside the zone this year, the sixth-most in baseball. That hesitancy has been a theme throughout their lineup. With the exception of Gary Sanchez, who has been one of baseball’s most aggressive challengers, the team doesn't have anyone on the active roster who is proactive in suing for their rights at the edges of the zone. Whether it’s a fear of losing a challenge or a lack of discernment on pitches around the edges, it’s been a surprising weakness for a lineup that prides itself on knowing the strike zone. The Brewers have become known for winning on the margins, but they’re currently losing on this one. Murphy noted that there could be some understandable growing pains for hitters who have not used the challenge system before, but they must improve over time. “As long as our catchers are trending in the right direction, I think that’s equally as important,” Murphy said. “The hitters now [have] to get a little more comfortable with it.” View the full article