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All across professional baseball, there are good, competitive teams. As expected, the NL Central is littered with them. But there is a distinct line separating the good teams and the great ones. Craig Counsell's club has looked great for a plethora of reasons, though more than 30 games into this 2026 campaign, it's too early to tell for sure which side of the line they'll be on come September and October. The Cubs are a team that can beat you in every possible way, and that was on full display this past week—but they continue to be threatened by attrition. Even after rattling off 10 impressive victories in a row, including a comeback win over the Dodgers, pundits didn't acknowledge the Cubs as one of the premier squads in the league. That sentiment did not change in the club's first of three games versus the San Diego Padres. In a now steady pitching rotation, veteran lefty Matthew Boyd is still finding his way through an uneven start to the season. Lasting just four innings, Boyd labored through the heart of the Friars' lineup, coughing up five earned runs. A dramatic grand slam from young slugger Moisés Ballesteros briefly got the Cubs back into the lead in the third inning, but a San Diego answer in the home half of that inning put them back out in front for good. Game 2 of that series saw Edward Cabrera toeing the rubber, looking for his third win with his new club. He found it. Hurling 5 2/3 innings, Cabrera came just a hair short of a quality start, though the offense did more than enough to back up their starting pitcher. Pete Crow-Armstrong's continued re3covery from a slow start at the plate manifested in a clutch 3-run bomb in the seventh inning to seal the bounce-back win for Chicago's North Side team. Chicago, with its deep musical roots, is a place where rhythm matters. Smashing his second home run in as many games, Pete Crow-Armstrong found his. The exciting center fielder crushed a two-run homer, at the time putting his squad up 3-0. Meanwhile, Jameson Taillon displayed why he is one of the more resilient pitchers in baseball, logging seven innings of three-hit baseball. The gutsy performance helped the team secure not only the series win, but a .500 road trip as the club boarded the plane back to Illinois. The homecoming homestanders let their guard down in the first of their three-game tilt with the Arizona Diamondbacks at Wrigley Field. After grabbing a 6-1 lead in the fourth inning, the North Siders appeared to be cruising, until the Diamondbacks and Geraldo Perdomo struck back with a four-run sixth inning. Thereafter, though, they quieted things down. Reliever Phil Maton followed up a very poor previous outing by blanking the Snakes. Jacob Webb turned in his best performance as a Cub, earning the save with two impressive shutout innings. On a brisk, sun-drenched Saturday, Shota Imanaga took the ball for the North Siders. In a greatly altered starting pitching rotation, Imanaga has dazzled in a way that even the squad's top executives could not have predicted. The lefty was in command from the start, keeping his pitch count low through seven strong innings. In total, the North Siders conceded a stingy four hits to Arizona, a dangerous Arizona lineup. Despite a career day from Ian Happ, they only pushed across two runs, but that was more than enough. Ben Brown closed it out with two sparkling innings of relief. A win in the Sunday finale saw Nico Hoerner and his squad climb to 10 games above .500 for the first time this season. After an injury scare in the first contest of the series, Hoerner helped his squad get things going early with his now trademark table-setting. A bases-clearing triple from Michael Busch made this meeting look like a laugher on a day where the North Siders got key contributions from virtually all of their usual suspects. Hoby Milner looked sharp out of the bullpen, but a sluggish start to the 9th inning for Corbin Martin caused a brief scare on an otherwise quiet day. Martin recovered nicely, helping the home team secure the victorytheir 11th straight at the Friendly Confines. The win put Chicago two games up in the division, and was their third sweep in the last five series. Up next, the Cubs stay right at home, kicking off a four-game set with the young, dynamic Cincinnati Reds. Led by the electric Elly De La Cruz, the Reds offer a new test. Chicago ought to count itself lucky that it gets this beefy contest at home, with the rotation lined up nicely for the North Siders. This is their first opportunity to both build a significant lead in the division, and send a message to the other major contenders around the league. View the full article

San Diego Padres Weekly Snapshot Record last week: 2-4 Runs scored last week: 22 Runs allowed last week: 35 Standings Scores Game 28 (Monday): Padres 9, Cubs 7 Game 29 (Tuesday): Cubs 8, Padres 3 Game 30 (Wednesday): Cubs 5, Padres 4 Off (Thursday) Game 31 (Friday): White Sox 8, Padres 2 Game 32 (Saturday): White Sox 4, Padres 0 Game 33 (Sunday): Padres 4, White Sox 3 Series Breakdown/Highlights Cubs series Game 1: This will be known as the game that Mason Miller's scoreless streak came to an end under unusual circumstances, but it should also be remembered as Ty France continuing to be a key part of the offense. The Padres overcame an early 5-3 deficit and held on for a 9-7 victory over the Chicago Cubs (more on the ending in a minute) as France doubled, tripled, stole a base and drove in four runs. One reason the Friars have had the number of comebacks they have had is because of slow starts. That wasn't the case vs. the Cubs as the Padres scored three times in the first on a Jackson Merrill RBI single and a bases-loaded two-out two-run ground-rule double to make it 3-0. The Cubs moved ahead 5-3 on Seiya Suzuki's solo homer in the second and Moises Ballesteros' grand slam in the third off right-hander Randy Vasquez. Vasquez threw a season-high 106 pitches and managed to finish five innings despite allowing five runs on five hits and three walks with four strikeouts. In the fifth, now trailing 5-4, Manny Machado had a leadoff double, France drew a two-out walk and stole second, then Nick Castellanos, in an 0-for-19 funk, grounded a single up the middle to put the Friars up 6-5. Xander Bogaers and Miguel Andujar singled to open the bottom of the seventh when France hit his triple down the left-field line with the help of Matt Shaw's misjudgment to put the Friars up 8-5. Gavin Sheets put an exclamation point on the comeback with a no-doubt solo homer, his fourth of the year, in the eighth inning. But then came the ninth. Miller was already warm when Sheets hit his two-out homer and still came in despite it not being a save situation. Shaw led off the ninth with a dribbler that hugged the third-base line until it appeared to trickle foul just shy of the bag when France, now playing third after Machado left in the sixth inning with discomfort in his left leg, delicately picked it up as it came to a stop. Replays showed a sliver of dirt between the ball and the line, but home plate umpire Dan Merzel ruled fair, which was upheld after consulting with the third base umpire. The play was not subject to replay review by rule. MLB would say the next day that the ball was foul. Two more singles followed, making it three hits in the inning and doubling Miller's hits allowed this season, to load the bases. Nico Hoerner hit a grounder to second that brought in the first run against Miller after 34⅔ innings, a club record and the eighth-longest streak in MLB since at least 1961. Miller uncorked a wild pitch to plate the second run before he got a groundout and a strikeout to complete the victory. Game 2: The Padres' bullpen is usually rock solid, so it is kind of shocking when the relievers falter. That happened in the Friars' 8-3 loss to the Cubs in this rematch of last year's NL Wild Card Series won by Chicago. The loss snapped the Padres' nine-game Petco Park winning streak. It was 2-2 entering the top of the sixth with Padres left-hander Kyle Hart on the mound after getting the last out of the fifth for starter Walker Buehler. Hart gave up a single, a failed sacrifice bunt and a walk to put runners on first and second with one out. On came David Morgan, who had given up eight runs in his previous three outings. After a wild pitch and a strikeout, Morgan gave up a two-out two-run double to Hoerner for a 4-2 Cubs lead. Morgan came out for the seventh, but it was just to face one batter, walking Suzuki. Left-hander Wandy Peralta was brought in with switch-hitter Ian Happ and left-handed hitter Michael Busch up. Happ grounded back to Peralta and Busch was hit by a pitch. Carson Kelly grounded out to Bogaerts, who made a nice play up the middle to get the one out. But Bregman had an opposite-field RBI single and Pete Crow-Armstrong delivered the death blow with a three-run homer. Buehler was OK, giving up two runs on three hits with three walks and four strikeouts in 4⅔ innings. Machado, who left Monday's game due to cramping in his left calf, sat out. With Miguel Andujar dealing with hamstring tightness, that led manager Craig Stammen to put Jake Cronenworth at third base for just the second time in his MLB career and first since his rookie season of 2020. Stammen also missed the last few innings as he had a flight to catch in order to attend a funeral. Bench coach Randy Knorr took over and will be in charge for the series finale, with Stammen expected back for the weekend series vs. the Chicago White Sox. Game 3: For the first time since the first two series of the season, the Padres lost a set. That came with a 5-4 loss to the Cubs after the Friars had gone 6-0-1 since dropping the series to the San Francisco Giants. The Padres had won 17 of their 20 games in April before losing the final two to the Cubs. The Padres got a couple of unexpected offensive contributions as Andujar hit his first homer in a Padres uniform in the fifth to trim Chicago's lead to 3-1, then Castellanos had his second big hit of the series when a two-run blast, joining Andujar in the first-time-as-a-Padre club. But that was the real extent of the offense. The Padres had just three hits, with their fourth run of the game coming without the benefit of a hit. In the bottom of the eight and trailing 5-3, Castellanos, Campusano and Merrill each drew full-count walks to load the bases. Fernando Tatis Jr.' sacrifice fly to center plated the Friars' final run of the game as Machado followed by grounding into a 4-6-3 double play. Andujar's homer, a tomahawk job, broke up a perfect game by Cubs right-hander Jameson Taillon. Unfortunately, Padres right-hander Matt Waldron couldn't match that effort. After giving up an RBI single in the top of the second, Waldron was touched for a two-run homer by Crow-Armstrong in the fourth to put the Cubs up 3-0. While the Padres tied it with the fifth-inning homers, Crow-Armstrong's RBI groundout against left-hander Adrian Morejon restored the Cubs' lead and Matt Shaw made it a 5-3 game with his solo shot off right-hander Jason Adam. Waldron allowed three runs on six hits and a walk while striking out one. White Sox series Game 1: While the calendar flipped to a new month, the Padres' fortunes remained the same as they were to end April. Right-hander German Marquez continued his Jekyll and Hyde season with a rough start in the Friars' 8-2 loss to the Chicago White Sox, the Padres' season-worst third straight loss. Marquez had alternated good and bad outings in his first six starts this season, but turned in his worst game after a poor performance in his previous start. Marquez was torched for seven runs in five innings, allowing five hits (two homers) and five walks while striking out two. Marquez had walked seven in his previous five starts. Three of those five walks came in the second inning as the White Sox tagged Marquez for six runs, with two coming back-to-back with one out and preceding Munetaka Murakami's two-out three-run homer. The second inning included a defensive gaffe by Fernando Tatis Jr., who was playing second base for the sixth time this season. On a potential double-play grounder to Machado with runners on the corners, the third baseman threw to Tatis at second for one out and Tatis saw the runner breaking for home. A good throw would have gotten the out, but Tatis' toss wasn't even close, allowing the White Sox to go up 2-0. Murakami's MLB-leading 13th blast followed four hitters later. Padres hitters didn't have much luck solving 6-foot-10 White Sox left-hander Noah Schultz, who limited the Friars to two hits and three walks with a pair of strikeouts over six scoreless innings. The Padres had just two hits and were down 8-0 entering the bottom of the eighth. Bryce Johnson drew a one-out walk, then Tatis, Andujar and Machado had consecutive two-out singles to account for their two runs. Game 2: Another day, another quality start turned in against the Padres. An offense that showed up at the right times in the first month of the season hasn't been able to come up with the hits at the right times recently, which resulted in a season-high fourth straight loss, a 4-0 decision to the White Sox. The Friars had just six hits, including four against right-hander Sean Burke, who turned in the second straight start of six scoreless innings against the Padres. Burke struck out eight and walked one. Still, the Padres, who have eight comeback wins this season, had a chance in the ninth. Merrill had a leadoff infield single, then Machado and Bogaerts walked to load the bases with nobody out. But Sheets struck out on an ABS challenge by the White Sox, Andujar flew out to shallow right and Luis Campusano struck out, securing the Padres' second shutout of the season. Padres right-handed starter Michael King was overall pretty good, but he ran out of steam at the end of his outing. King matched Burke by taking a shutout into the sixth. He gave up a one-out walk and single and, after a groundout put runners on second and third, gave up a two-run single to Miguel Vargas. With an overworked bullpen, King went out for the seventh, but that move backfired. Two singles sandwiched around a double made it 3-0 and ended King's night. Bradgley Rodriguez came in gave up a one-out safety squeeze for the fourth run off King. King gave up seven hits and three walks with five strikeouts. One bright spot was the return of right-handed reliever Jeremiah Estrada, who was activated from the 15-day injured list the day before after a bout of tendinitis in his right elbow. Estrada was back to his old self, striking out the side in the ninth. Game 3: The Padres unfortunately get off to slow starts, but boy, do they know how to finish. Bogaerts provided the difference in this one as his excuse-me check-swing grounder to third base brought in Laureano from third with two outs in the bottom of the eighth inning, snapping a tie and giving the Padres a 4-3 victory, preventing a three-game sweep by the White Sox. The victory also halted a four-game losing streak. Right-handed starter Griffin Canning made his Padres debut as Marquez went on the injured list. The SoCal native looked right at home, allowing a solo homer as part of his three hits and three walks, while striking out seven over five innings. An offense that has been scuffling all week came to life in the bottom of the fourth inning. Canning gave up the homer in the third inning, the fifth straight game the Friars fell behind. Then Andujar, batting second with Tatis getting a day off, led off the fourth by drilling a 1-2 sinker into the left-center field bleachers for his second homer of the season, both coming this week. Machado followed suit two batters later with a towering solo blast, his fifth homer of the year, to put the Padres up 2-1, their first lead since Monday. Bogaerts and France singled and moved to second and third on a groundout. Fermin followed with a walk, but the 3-2 pitch was wild and Bogaerts scampered home for a 3-1 lead. Morejon coughed up a two-run homer in the seventh to tie the game, setting up another dramatic finish. Laureano led off the eighth with a walk, stole second and scored on a Merrill infield single. Merrill stole second and, after an out, Bogaerts plated the go-ahead run with his soft chopper. Miller, in his first save chance of the week, nailed down his MLB-leading 11th with three strikeouts. Now the Padres have a quick road trip to San Francisco for three against the Giants before a short four-game homestand vs. the St. Louis Cardinals. Marvelous Mason Miller Some of the amazing stats for the Padres' closer: 1.10 ERA, 16 games, 16⅓ innings, 11 saves in 11 chances, seven hits, two runs (both earned), three walks, 32 strikeouts, .127 opponent batting average. Has retired the first batter in all 16 appearances. 71% of his 230 pitches this season have been strikes. Has recorded three strikeouts in seven of his saves. New scoreless streak is 1⅔ innings. Random Stats Manny Machado's third-inning double Monday vs. the Cubs was the 400th of his career, the 10th-highest total among activate players. Teammate Nick Castellanos joined that club with his first double of the season. The two quality starts by the White Sox were the 14th and 15th by an opposing pitcher in the Padres' 33 games. Five of those have been six scoreless innings. The Padres are now 4-1 in the rubber game of series this year after losing the finale to the Cubs. Fernando Tatis Jr.'s homer-less streak is now at 139 plate appearances. The Friars have had an extra-base hit in 34 consecutive games dating back to last year, their longest since a 43-game run to end 2024. Transactions Monday: Optioned IF Sung-Mun Song to El Paso Chihuahuas. Tuesday: Sent RHP Jeremiah Estrada on a rehab assignment to El Paso Chihuahuas. Thursday: Optioned RHP David Morgan to El Paso Chihuahuas. Friday: Activated RHP Jeremiah Estrada from the 15-day injured list. Friday: Sent IF Will Wagner on a rehab assignment to El Paso Chihuahuas. Sunday: Activated RHP Griffin Canning (ruptured left Achilles) from the 15-day injured list. Sunday: Placed RHP German Márquez on the 15-day injured list with forearm nerve inflammation retroactive to Saturday. Website Highlights Morejon remains the quintessential setup man for Padres — Randy Holt The Crone Zone is a lonely place in San Diego these days — Tom Gatto France is suddenly the Padres' most important hitter — Steve Drumwright History says Marquez, King will be OK after pitching in Mexico City — Tom Gatto Seidler family announce sale agreement with Felicano, Jones — Steve Drumwright Padres Minor-League Pitcher of the Month: Winyer Chourio — Steve Drumwright Looking Ahead Monday: Padres (Randy Vasquez) at Giants (TBA), 6:45 p.m. Tuesday: Padres (Walker Buehler) at Giants, 6:45 p.m. Wednesday: Padres (Matt Waldron) at Giants, 12:45 p.m. Thursday: Cardinals at Padres (Michael King), 7:10 p.m. Friday: Cardinals at Padres (Griffin Canning), 6:45 p.m. Saturday: Cardinals at Padres (Randy Vasquez), 4:15 p.m. Sunday: Cardinals at Padres (Walker Buehler), 1:10 p.m. View the full article

Simeon Woods Richardson has been abysmal, and given the state of the Twins' bullpen, a transition from starter to reliever may be best for all parties. View the full article

Chicago Cubs Minor League Report - May 3 Affiliate Overview Triple-A Iowa Cubs Series at St. Paul Saints (Minnesota Twins): Saints win, 4–2 Season Record: 15–17 Double-A Knoxville Smokies Series at Rocket City Trash Pandas (Los Angeles Angels): Tied, 3-3 Season Record: 13–14 High-A South Bend Cubs Series vs. Fort Wayne TinCaps (San Diego Padres): TinCaps win, 5-1 Season Record: 12–12 Single-A Myrtle Beach Pelicans Series vs. Columbia Fireflies (Kansas City Royals): Pelicans win, 4-2 Season Record: 13–14 Triple-A: Iowa Cubs Season Record: 15–17 Series Opponent: St. Paul Saints (15–17) Series Standing: Lose, 2-4 May 3: The Iowa Cubs dropped their series at the St. Paul Saints with an 8-7 loss on Sunday at CHS Field. The Saints took a 2-0 lead in the first and would later make it a 7-0 game with four runs in the third before adding another in the fifth. Pedro Ramirez’ (3-for-5) RBI-double in the sixth broke the scoring run but St. Paul got that run back in the home half of the frame to make it 8-1. The Cubs plated three in the seventh to get back into the contest, with Hayden Cantrelle (1-for-4) driving in one with a double before RBI-singles from Justin Dean (1-for-3) and Ramirez. Kevin Alcántara (1-for-5) went yard for the third-straight game, and the fourth time in the series, in the eighth to make it an 8-5 ballgame. BJ Murray (1-for-4) cut the lead to one by driving in a pair in the ninth but Iowa was unable to rally further, ultimately falling 8-7. Jordan Wicks started for the Cubs and fell to 0-2 on the season by allowing six runs on nine hits over 3 2/3 innings of work, striking out four. Double-A: Knoxville Smokies Season Record: 13–14 Series Opponent: Rocket City Trash Pandas (12–15) Series Standing: Tied, 3-3 May 3: The Knoxville Smokies earned a series split with the Rocket City Trash Pandas with a 1-0 win on Sunday at Toyota Field. Carter Trice’s (1-for-4) lead-off home run in the first was the difference as the Smokies earned their third shutout win of the season, despite being held to just two hits offensively. Ariel Armas (1-for-3) was the only other Knoxville batter that recorded a hit in the ballgame. Frankie Scalzo Jr. started the game with two scoreless frames before being relieved by Nick Dean, who would be credited with the win. Dean twirled 4 2/3 scoreless innings, allowing four hits to go along with six strikeouts to improve to 3-1. Marino Santy (1 1/3 IP) and Luis Rujano (1 IP) closed out the ballgame, combining to allow just one hit and one strikeout. High-A: South Bend Cubs Season Record: 12–12 Series Opponent: Fort Wayne TinCaps (12–15) Series Standing: Lose, 1-5 May 3: The South Bend Cubs dropped their fifth-straight contest, falling 11-10 to the Fort Wayne TinCaps on Sunday at Four Winds Field. The TinCaps jumped out to a 5-0 lead after the first before the Cubs answered with five runs of their own in the third. Ty Southisene (3-for-6), making his High-A debut, drove in a pair with a double and Kade Snell (2-for-5) followed with a two-run blast. Cole Mathis (2-for-5) immediately followed with a solo shot of his own to make it a 5-5 game. Fort Wayne re-took the lead with three runs in the fourth but South Bend was able to get two of those runs back in the home half of the frame on an RBI-groundout from Snell and an RBI-single from Mathis. The visitors responded with two in the fifth but the Cubs had an answer again with Southisene bringing home a run on a single. The scoring flurry continued with the TinCaps making it a 11-8 contest with another run in the sixth before Cameron Siseros’ (1-for-4) two-run blast to make it 11-10 after seven. After seven-straight half innings of runs being scored, neither team was able to continue pushing runs across as South Bend ultimately took the loss. Brayden Spears took the loss in relief, allowing three runs on four hits over 3 1/3 innings of work, striking out five. Single-A: Myrtle Beach Pelicans Season Record: 13–14 Series Opponent: Columbia Fireflies (13–14) Series Standing: Win, 4-2 May 3: The Myrtle Beach Pelicans dropped their second-straight contest to the Columbia Fireflies, falling 7-3, to close out their series at Pelicans Ballpark. The Pelicans still claimed a series win with the defeat after prevailing in the first-four games of the series. The Fireflies plated five their first time to the plate before Myrtle Beach got on the board in the third through a solo blast from Derniche Valdez (1-for-4) to make it 5-1. The Pelicans added two in the sixth on an RBI-double from Michael Carico (2-for-4) and an RBI-groundout from Jose Escobar (1-for-3) to make it 5-3. Myrtle Beach was unable to mount a further rally as Columbia scored in the eighth and ninth innings to cruise to the 7-3 win. Noah Edders turned in 4 2/3 scoreless innings out of the bullpen, allowing just two hits to go along with five strikeouts. View the full article

Honorable Mentions Gary Sánchez 69 PA, .200/.362/.436, 11 H, 2 2B, 1 3B, 3 HR, 11 RBI, 13 BB It’s too soon to call it a comeback, but his second stint with Milwaukee is certainly trending that way. Sánchez spent much of his first season with the Brewers as a designated hitter, with lukewarm results, and he was limited to just 101 plate appearances with the Orioles last year due to a right knee sprain. This season, he looks much better at the plate and has posted a 150 OPS+ thus far. Despite a low batting average, his absurd 19.0% walk rate and .542 slugging percentage helped keep his overall production afloat. Unfortunately, his numbers are as impressive as they are unsustainable. Sánchez does have good plate discipline, boasting a career walk rate of 9.6%, but he’s no Juan Soto. He has a better chance of holding onto his power, although some regression in his slugging percentage should also be expected. Indeed, he hit all five of his homers before the midpoint of April. Statistical Nugget: This season, Sánchez has a slugging percentage of .950 against four-seam fastballs. Garrett Mitchell 85 PA, .250/.400/.397, 17 H, 5 2B, 1 3B, 1 HR, 17 RBI, 16 BB, 3 SB This is the most we’ve seen of Garrett Mitchell in a while, and the results have been solid so far. He’s still one of the most athletic players in the sport, demonstrating exceptional bat speed and sprint speed, and his quality of contact has been above average. His on-base percentage has been helped immensely by his 18.1% walk rate, but there are two glaring weaknesses preventing us from seeing him at his best. He’s a peculiar case of having a chase rate (19.3%) in the 95th percentile and a whiff rate (41.8%) in the 1st percentile. His zone contact rate of 65.0% is abysmal and is likely a major contributor to his other weakness, which is his squared-up rate. It’s a bat-tracking metric that measures how often a hitter is getting the most out of his swing, and Mitchell’s 13.9% squared-up rate is also in the 1st percentile. Getting the bat to the ball is much easier said than done in the majors, and even with these issues, his OPS+ of 112 isn’t too shabby for a center fielder. Statistical Nugget: This season, Mitchell has a .642 OPS at home and a .883 OPS away. William Contreras 101 PA, .304/.366/.424, 28 H, 5 2B, 2 HR, 15 RBI, 9 BB It’s great to see the Brewers backstop posting Silver Slugger numbers once again. Cutting down on the whiffs and strikeouts this season has been a boon to his production at the plate, and his power has remained largely unfazed. He still has a bit of a launch-angle problem, but on the bright side, he’s pulling the ball in the air at a rate of 20.6%, almost twice his career average of 11.3%. The one potential concern is his average exit velocity, which has taken a slight dip from years past, both in terms of average and max. However, his squared up rate of 30% indicates that he’s getting what he can out of his swing often enough, suggesting a larger sample size will allow the data to return to his career norms sooner rather than later. Statistical Nugget: This season, Contreras has an OPS of 1.017 with runners in scoring position. Hitter of the Month – Brice Turang 106 PA, .265/.410/.482, 22 H, 4 2B, 1 3B, 4 HR, 17 RBI, 21 BB, 5 SB Turang hit his stride early this year and hasn’t slowed down since. In fact, he has arguably been hot since the WBC, wherein he posted a .937 OPS, the third-best mark in a lineup that had the best hitters the United States could offer. After finishing last year with a 120 OPS+, it seems clear that the days of below-average hitting production are now behind him. He has always had elite contact skills, but a dramatic increase in power is what’s driving this offensive surge. Aside from his barrel rate, his quality of contact numbers are all in the top quartile, and his hard-hit rate is at 51.9% for the season. In 2024, he had a hard-hit rate of just 29.7%. Interestingly, his bat speed is still on the lower en, despite increasing by 4 mph over the past two years. He also pulls the ball in the air at a measly 7.4% clip, less than half of the MLB average. This hasn’t held him back much, since many of his extra-base hits are to the opposite side of the field, but it raises the question of whether there’s even more juice left in Turang’s swing to unlock. Statistical Nugget: This season, Turang has seen 78 sinkers and has a whiff rate of 0.0% against the pitch. View the full article

Unlike other publications, Royals Keep enables all users to contribute to our top prospect rankings. Anyone with a Royals Keep account can participate and give their input on who they think should be in the Royals' top prospects list. Before you vote, you can hit our top prospects page for the latest stats and news on Royals prospects, while on the voting page, every name is a clickable link that brings up their current stat card. Voting is simple, just follow the instructions below! Here's the rundown on how to participate: 1. You must have an account and be logged in to vote. If you don't have an account, click here. It requires only 60 seconds to create an account. 2. Review our current top 20 prospect list, catch up on stats, rankings, etc. (you can do so from the voting page link below) 3. Have your prospect list in your filthy little paws? Then flip on over to the new prospect voting page (after reading the rest of this, please). https://royalskeep.com/prospect-voting 4. Voting is super simple; you drag and drop players in the order you wish them to be. After you move a prospect, the list automatically renumbers so you don't lose track of the order. This works on mobile devices, but it's a *vastly* better experience on desktop. Sorry, that's just how this kind of thing works. There's no excellent way to make something like this as awesome on a phone screen. 5. Each prospect has a comment section where you can add any commentary you have on that player. At the bottom of the list, there is a general comment section to explain over-arching things you'd like to mention. 6. Don't see a prospect you want to put on the list? Just pop back here and give me a mention (in a comment, start typing @Brock Beauchamp and select my name after it appears). Please mention the prospect you would like added, and I will do so as soon as possible. 7. Once you're done with all of it, click Save. You've now voted! 8. When the voting closes, a new thread will automatically generate in this forum with all of your rankings and comments for everyone to read and talk about. 9. You can only vote once. If you have voted in error, pop back here and tag Brock to ask to have your vote deleted. It will be removed, and you can vote again. Voting closes Friday, April 8. View the full article

Unlike other publications, Jays Centre enables all users to contribute to our top prospect rankings. Anyone with a Jays Centre account can participate and give their input on who they think should be in the Blue Jays' top prospects list. Before you vote, you can hit our top prospects page for the latest stats and news on Blue Jays prospects, while on the voting page, every name is a clickable link that brings up their current stat card. Voting is simple, just follow the instructions below! Here's the rundown on how to participate: 1. You must have an account and be logged in to vote. If you don't have an account, click here. It requires only 60 seconds to create an account. 2. Review our current top 20 prospect list, catch up on stats, rankings, etc. (you can do so from the voting page link below) 3. Have your prospect list in your filthy little paws? Then flip on over to the new prospect voting page (after reading the rest of this, please). https://jayscentre.com/prospect-voting 4. Voting is super simple; you drag and drop players in the order you wish them to be. After you move a prospect, the list automatically renumbers so you don't lose track of the order. This works on mobile devices, but it's a *vastly* better experience on desktop. Sorry, that's just how this kind of thing works. There's no excellent way to make something like this as awesome on a phone screen. 5. Each prospect has a comment section where you can add any commentary you have on that player. At the bottom of the list, there is a general comment section to explain over-arching things you'd like to mention. 6. Don't see a prospect you want to put on the list? Just pop back here and give me a mention (in a comment, start typing @Brock Beauchamp and select my name after it appears). Please mention the prospect you would like added, and I will do so as soon as possible. 7. Once you're done with all of it, click Save. You've now voted! 8. When the voting closes, a new thread will automatically generate in this forum with all of your rankings and comments for everyone to read and talk about. 9. You can only vote once. If you have voted in error, pop back here and tag Brock to ask to have your vote deleted. It will be removed, and you can vote again. Voting closes Friday, April 8. View the full article

The last handful of starts for Simeon Woods Richardson have described a troubling trend. At this point, it’s fair to wonder not just how long he remains in the rotation, but whether that role still makes sense at all. Were it not for the injuries that continue to deplete the team's starting staff, Woods Richardson might be in the bullpen already. When the Twins acquired Woods Richardson alongside Austin Martin at the 2021 trade deadline in exchange for José Berríos, the vision was clear. He was supposed to develop into a reliable starting pitcher—someone who could anchor the back end of a rotation, with upside. For a stretch, that looked plausible. He showed flashes of being a capable fourth or fifth starter, eating innings and keeping his team in games. Though 2024 ended in disappointment, Woods Richardson kept them afloat for a long stretch during which the team was badly diminished by injuries. Alas, 2026 has been a different story entirely. Through his first seven starts, Woods Richardson owns a 6.49 ERA and a 1.74 WHIP. He’s allowed 47 hits and 14 walks, while striking out just 17 batters. He’s not pitching deep into games, and the innings he does provide have often come with significant damage. The underlying numbers don’t offer much encouragement, either. His strikeout rate sits at a highly concerning 10.6%, one of the lowest marks you’ll find for a starting pitcher. He’s generating very few whiffs, and when hitters do make contact, they’re squaring him up with authority. His arsenal, which already is limited for a starter, simply isn’t playing. The advanced metrics paint a bleak picture across the board. Put simply, what the Twins are doing right now with Woods Richardson is not working. At some point, acknowledging that opens the door to a different solution. A move to the bullpen stands out as the most logical next step. There are clear indicators that Woods Richardson could thrive in a shorter-burst role. Most notably, his effectiveness the first time through the order has been excellent. His ERA sits at 1.20 when hitters haven’t already seen him, and he’s recorded 11 of his 17 strikeouts in those matchups. That version of Woods Richardson looks like a completely different pitcher. The drop-off after that is dramatic. The second time through the order, his ERA balloons to 14.66. Over 11 2/3 innings in those situations, he’s struck out just two batters, while allowing a .375 batting average and six home runs. It’s not a subtle decline; it’s a cliff. That split tells a pretty clear story. For two to three innings, Woods Richardson can be effective. After that, hitters adjust, his stuff flattens out, and the results spiral. A profile like that is far more aligned with a reliever than a starter. He doesn't lose a ton of velocity or movement as the game progresses, but hitters quickly get familiar with the relatively limited set of sequences and shapes he can throw at them. There’s also a compelling velocity component to consider. Woods Richardson’s fastball typically sits in the 92 to 93 mph range, which isn’t overpowering in today’s game, especially for a starter expected to turn a lineup over multiple times. As he works deeper into outings, that velocity can dip, leaving him even more vulnerable. In shorter stints, though, there’s reason to believe that changes. We’ve seen him reach back for 96 to 97 mph at times, with flashes of a different gear that simply isn’t sustainable over five or six innings. In a bullpen role, that higher velocity could become more consistent. A tick or two of added velocity, paired with a simplified approach, could make his entire arsenal play up. The timing of a potential move is complicated, but not prohibitive. With Mick Abel currently on the injured list, the Twins don’t have an abundance of rotation options, which makes it harder to pull Woods Richardson out immediately. Joe Ryan is likely to land on the shelf, too, after leaving Sunday's start with elbow soreness. Still, Abel has already resumed throwing bullpens and may not be far off from a return. When that happens, the Twins will have a decision to make. Connor Prielipp’s emergence adds another layer to the conversation. He’s looked sharp over his first three starts and offers something the current rotation lacks: a left-handed presence. Slotting him into the rotation not only injects upside but also creates better balance within the staff. Moving Woods Richardson to a relief role wouldn’t just be about addressing his struggles; it would also allow the organization to reconfigure its pitching staff in a way that maximizes everyone’s strengths. The Twins’ bullpen has not exactly been sharp. We just saw that group completely unravel with an eight-run eighth inning collapse on Saturday, and while one inning doesn’t define an entire unit, it does highlight how volatile things have been. This isn’t a bullpen that’s been consistently locking games down, and adding another arm that’s been promising in shorter bursts could really help stabilize things. None of this is to suggest that the Twins should give up on him. He’s still relatively young, and there’s enough of a track record to believe he can contribute at the major-league level. But continuing to run him out as a starter, hoping for different results, isn’t a particularly convincing strategy. Without Ryan, the decision is put off for a while. None of the available alternatives to Woods Richardson have done enough to give the team any reasonable measure of confidence in them, so they still need Woods Richardson as a starter. At some point, though, adjustments to the role and expectations aren’t just helpful; they’re necessary. For Woods Richardson, that adjustment may very well be the key to getting his career back on track. View the full article

Unlike other publications, Twins Daily enables all users to contribute to our top prospect rankings. Anyone with a Twins Daily account can participate and give their input on who they think should be in the Twins' top prospects list. Before you vote, you can hit our top prospects page for the latest stats and news on Twins prospects, while on the voting page, every name is a clickable link that brings up their current stat card. Voting is simple, just follow the instructions below! Here's the rundown on how to participate: 1. You must have an account and be logged in to vote. If you don't have an account, click here. It requires only 60 seconds to create an account. 2. Review our current top 20 prospect list, catch up on stats, rankings, etc. (you can do so from the voting page link below) 3. Have your prospect list in your filthy little paws? Then flip on over to the new prospect voting page (after reading the rest of this, please). https://twinsdaily.com/prospect-voting 4. Voting is super simple; you drag and drop players in the order you wish them to be. After you move a prospect, the list automatically renumbers so you don't lose track of the order. This works on mobile devices, but it's a *vastly* better experience on desktop. Sorry, that's just how this kind of thing works. There's no excellent way to make something like this as awesome on a phone screen. 5. Each prospect has a comment section where you can add any commentary you have on that player. At the bottom of the list, there is a general comment section to explain over-arching things you'd like to mention. 6. Don't see a prospect you want to put on the list? Just pop back here and give me a mention (in a comment, start typing @Brock Beauchamp and select my name after it appears). Please mention the prospect you would like added, and I will do so as soon as possible. 7. Once you're done with all of it, click Save. You've now voted! 8. When the voting closes, a new thread will automatically generate in this forum with all of your rankings and comments for everyone to read and talk about. 9. You can only vote once. If you have voted in error, pop back here and tag Brock to ask to have your vote deleted. It will be removed, and you can vote again. Voting closes Friday, April 8. View the full article

As of the end of April, there was exactly one hitter in Major League Baseball hitting the ball hard at a higher rate than Fernando Tatis Jr. And even James Woods’ 64.8 Hard-Hit% just narrowly edges the 64.7 percent rate at which the San Diego Padres' right fielder is working with thus far. In the grand scheme of the stat sheet, it hasn’t seemed to matter, however. Despite the quality of contact being made, Tatis has yet to find the statistical backing that would typically accompany such an impressive hard contact rate. To close out the month, his slash read a mere .250/.323/.286 with a 77 wRC+. Not a single piece of that hard contact has found its way over an outfield wall to date, with Tatis sitting well over 200 days since his last home run. His slugging percentage is the third-worst on the team, with a .036 ISO that trails every position player currently on the roster. Of course, the why of his power outage isn’t a mystery; Tatis simply is not lifting the ball. His average launch angle is 3.2. His 6° average attack angle is a two-degree dip from last season and a four-degree decrease from 2024. Those are each a factor in an ideal attack angle rate of only 51.3 percent. That’s five percent lower than last season. Additionally, he’s working with a fly-ball rate that sits six points below his career average (28.6), which looks even worse to the pull side (PullAIR% of just 5.9). The plane of his swing is simply too flat to generate any impact. More lift juxtaposed against the type of contact Tatis is making would, undoubtedly, lead to a massive outburst of production. Whether there’s a way out of this kind of spiral in which he’s currently mired, however, is a much less certain concept. Don’t get it twisted, the swing path is the issue. The extreme shallow nature of it is a problem. Navigating any other causes almost feel fruitless given the extremes we're talking about. Nevertheless, there are a couple of other areas worth investigating to see if he could tap into some power in a different way. It’s possible that there’s something in his lower half that is stifling the power, too. This is his stance on a home run against the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2025: And here’s a swing from the team’s series against the Chicago Cubs this week: The result of the latter was a sharp single. One could perhaps make the argument that there’s more weight on his backside in the first swing that could yield more power than the one in the second. But it’s also not so severe that we’d expect that Tatis would feel compelled to evaluate the footwork components of his mechanics. Ultimately, the plane of the swing is going to come far more from the hands than anything the lower half might force it into. Maybe there’s an issue within his mastery of the zone? Even a long swing like the one Tatis utilizes might be susceptible to shallower contact if he’s being too aggressive on pitches in the lower portions of the zone that don’t lend themselves to fly-ball contact. Yet again, though, we’re faced with an absence of explanation beyond anything other than the preeminent conclusion: His approach to the zone is fine. The areas of the zone in which he’s been most active are those that should help to generate power. When he does expand the zone, it’s to the outer parts, which are closer to the barrel as part of his long (7.3 ft) swing. From a mechanical and from a zone standpoint, there isn’t anything outside of what we already know that reveals the root of the struggle. We may have one more idea, though. Tatis is swinging at more fastballs this season, reaching an equal rate with that of off-speed offerings (50.4 percent). Against those fastballs, he’s getting the ball in the air just 15.1 percent of the time. That’s a 10-point cut from 2025. His attack angle against fastballs is just 3°, with an ideal attack angle rate of only 40.9 percent. That’s nine percent lower than last season. There’s a compounding issue here. The plane of the bat is a problem on its own, but the fact that there’s an even larger exaggeration of woes there against fastballs — a pitch type against which he’s swinging at a higher rate than he did in 2025 — is indicative of something deeper. Despite the fact that Tatis is working with a fast swing speed, it feels as if he’s not in control at the plate. He’s swinging outside the zone more aggressively while also making less contact overall when he does. He’s getting quality contact because he’s hitting fastballs, but he’s doing so in a way that is more indicative of a player merely trying to put a ball in play rather than exert any impact in doing so. Does this mean there’s a psychological component at play that Tatis needs to get right before we can even begin to talk about the mechanical issues? It’s a situation that’s as fascinating as it is frustrating. The struggles of Fernando Tatis Jr. aren’t a mystery in matters of the box score. His swing is too flat. But it seems entirely possible that there are a host of other things happening that are less observable. Either way, the Padres are in need of sorting from their right fielder. As good as the offense has been at keeping them afloat in the early going, one can’t expect it to tread water for too long without their biggest driver contributing to the cause. View the full article

Unlike other publications, Talk Sox enables all users to contribute to our top prospect rankings. Anyone with a Talk Sox account can participate and give their input on who they think should be in the Red Sox top prospects list. Before you vote, you can hit our top prospects page for the latest stats and news on Red Sox prospects, while on the voting page, every name is a clickable link that brings up their current stat card. Voting is simple, just follow the instructions below! Here's the rundown on how to participate: 1. You must have an account and be logged in to vote. If you don't have an account, click here. It requires only 60 seconds to create an account. 2. Review our current top 20 prospect list, catch up on stats, rankings, etc. (you can do so from the voting page link below) 3. Have your prospect list in your filthy little paws? Then flip on over to the new prospect voting page (after reading the rest of this, please). https://talksox.com/prospect-voting 4. Voting is super simple; you drag and drop players in the order you wish them to be. After you move a prospect, the list automatically renumbers so you don't lose track of the order. This works on mobile devices, but it's a *vastly* better experience on desktop. Sorry, that's just how this kind of thing works. There's no excellent way to make something like this as awesome on a phone screen. 5. Each prospect has a comment section where you can add any commentary you have on that player. At the bottom of the list, there is a general comment section to explain over-arching things you'd like to mention. 6. Don't see a prospect you want to put on the list? Just pop back here and give me a mention (in a comment, start typing @Brock Beauchamp and select my name after it appears). Please mention the prospect you would like added, and I will do so as soon as possible. 7. Once you're done with all of it, click Save. You've now voted! 8. When the voting closes, a new thread will automatically generate in this forum with all of your rankings and comments for everyone to read and talk about. 9. You can only vote once. If you have voted in error, pop back here and tag Brock to ask to have your vote deleted. It will be removed, and you can vote again. Voting closes Friday, April 8. View the full article

Jake McKibbin and Jason Wang talk about the Brewers' showing in week 6. Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-brewer-fanatic-podcast/id1740648724 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5CY8mWsQayqjDXqw9OT2Td iHeartRadio: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/263-the-brewer-fanatic-podcast-166534588/ Pocket Casts: https://pca.st/ommzz627 Watch On YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@brewerfanatic View the full article

Despite having below-average fastball velocity, whiff rate, chase rate, and a Baseball Savant page full of blue, Seth Lugo is dominating MLB hitters in his age-36 season. How is he doing it? In this video, we dive into his elite command, nine-pitch mix, and other attributes that help this veteran defy the odds. View the full article

Hey Siri, define “good problems to have.” As the Marlins’ minor league system continues to improve and deepen, top prospect rankings become harder and harder to decide. Before the latest release of our Fish On First Top 30 consensus list this past week, several players were highly considered to make the cut, but just missed. Herein, we give those players their flowers and ensure you know their names and skill sets. C Ryan Ignoffo Current level: Double-A Ignoffo is the ultimate team player. An unheralded 20th-round selection as a two-way player, he played virtually every single position except catcher as an amateur. Upon his arrival in Miami, he was tasked with exactly that. With confidence in his bat to succeed at the next level, the Marlins converted Ignoffo full-time to backstop. Ignoffo took the challenge in stride, continuing to hit well as he did, even amidst the call-up to the upper minors last season. After a bit of a slow start this year at the plate, Ignoffo is performing close to his norms at the plate by slashing .273/.310/.485. Overall, Ignoffo is a contact-oriented hitter who lengthens at-bats and limits whiffs by way of great timing and bat control. He shows a true penchant to make contact at an above-average frequency, with career rate norms above 80%. Because of his ability to cover the plate, he doesn’t walk a ton so his on-base numbers are largely driven by balls put in play. Keeping the ball off the ground and hitting line drives at a good clip, his career slash is well-earned proven by his BABIP, which sits at .282. Ignoffo won’t hit a ton of home runs, and with such low walk rates, he will need to be able to continue to make good contact at the next level to be effective, leaving him little room for error. Defensively, Ignoffo went through an atypical learning process as a backstop. The organization saw in him a plus throwing arm that execs and his teammates continue to rave about. This offseason, Ignoffo put a ton of focus on his lateral movement, framing and pop times. So far this season, the results are good: he’s allowed just one passed ball and thrown out 24% of potential base-stealers. Ignoffo shouldn’t have an issue sticking at catcher and he also offers positional flexibility, although he'd have to shake off years of rust to contribute elsewhere on the diamond. Ignoffo has been repeating the Double-A level because he was blocked by Joe Mack. Now that Mack’s promotion has occurred, Ignoffo is in line to make his Triple-A debut imminently, sharing catching reps with the optioned Agustín Ramírez and veteran Brian Navarreto. Going on 26, we place Ignoffo’s floor pretty high, but due to the lack of plus contact and walks, his ceiling is a bit low. That said, he could still be of great service to any organization as a backup catcher or utility type player, especially if he continues to make contact when he breaks into MLB. He could rejoin our Top 30 amidst the upcoming graduations of Mack and Josh Ekness. RHP Carson Laws Current level: High-A Laws is a 6’1”, 186-pound righty who was selected by the Marlins in the 14th round of last year’s draft out of Texas State. Laws didn’t have an extremely long track record as a hurler in college. He came into Miami’s organization having only pitched 37 NCAA innings on top of another 34 at JuCo, so even as he embarks on his first full professional season, he is very raw. What Miami does have in Laws, though, is a high ceiling rooted in a plus-plus stuff profile. Laws’ primary weapon is a four-seamer that sits at 98 mph and can touch triple digits. After the draft, he went to work on his secondary arsenal, adding a curveball and altering the grip on his changeup into a kick-change. Laws still maintains his best secondary, a high-80s slider with wipeout action. At this point, Laws needs reps and experience. That is why the Marlins currently have him working as a starter in High-A Beloit. As he fully learns his craft, Laws will need to rein in his control and command. At 23, the late-bloomer will need to learn quickly, but if he can, he has the upside of a shutdown high-leverage reliever. Because of the low floor though, Laws just misses our list for now. IF Edgardo De Leon Current level: FCL De Leon is a 19-year-old infielder who came to the Marlins in the trade that sent Edward Cabrera to Chicago. De Leon signed with the Cubs in 2024 for an undisclosed amount, which normally signifies the figure wasn’t very significant. What has been significant is what De Leon has done over his first two seasons pro. After slashing .277/.431/.433 in the DSL in 2024, the 6’, 170 righty proved his skill set could translate well stateside. Last season with the AZL Cubs, he hit .276/.353/.500. De Leon split time evenly at corner infield for the Cubs, playing 37 games at first and 35 at third. While De Leon has performed very well thus far, he has some questions to answer for as he begins his Marlins tenure, the most pressing being where will his defensive home be, can he solve for a high whiff rate as he matriculates through levels against better stuff and how much power can he grow into. If he can build up a strong but raw arm and stick at third base, be taught to select swings a bit better and make the most of stateside facilities physically, he will be part of future Top 30 lists. For now, stats aside, he remains a bit of a lottery ticket. RHP Aiden May Current level: High-A May, a 23-year-old righty, is the Marlins’ Competitive Balance Round B pick from 2024. Barely recruited as a high schooler, May built his stock basically from the ground up as an amateur, playing at three colleges over three years. That journey culminated with May holding down a sparkling 3.05 ERA and 84/23 K/BB in the PAC-12, earning him top-100 draft pick honors. Unfortunately for May, his tenure as a pro has only spanned 14 MiLB games. He did not pitch after signing due to a forearm strain and then underwent surgery to remove loose bodies from his throwing elbow, keeping him off the mound until July of last season. When back at full strength, he participated in the Arizona Fall League. It's been an inconsistent opening month for May with Beloit in 2026, including six no-hit innings on April 19. However, he was unable to complete four frames on April 26 and missed his most recent scheduled start on Sunday. May is just an average-sized 6’2”, 196, and doesn’t shorten the distance to the plate, but he throws from a funky low arm slot which allots him some deception. He has a deep arsenal which includes a sinker that sits 94 and can touch 96. His best pitch is a sweeper that can garner him whiffs in and out of the zone. With the Marlins, he’s strayed away from using his changeup in favor of a new cut fastball that he’s building confidence in. If May is going to stick as a starter, he will need to be able to consistently use that third pitch for strikes and be able to maintain his control throughout starts. He could still reach a ceiling as a back-end starter but at this point in his injury-marred career, it’s more likely he moves to the bullpen long term. That said, May’s plus velo and sweeper and the aforementioned tricky mechanics could be effective in shorter stints making the floor decently high. IF Ronny Muñoz Current level: DSL Muñoz is one of the newest Marlins in the organization, having joined the club in January as part of the current international signing period. The 27th-ranked prospect in the class per MLB Pipeline, his deal with Miami was worth $1 million, matching Santiago Solarte (FOF #18). Unlike Solarte, Muñoz is limited in size, but he comes by good power via elite bat speed stemming from quick hands that evaluators graded at the very top of the 20-80 scale. Those same hands serve Muñoz well in the infield where he has the athleticism to stick at shortstop. Once Muñoz can prove himself against pro stuff, it is likely he will shoot up our list. For now, his limited size, being built more for line drives than homers, and the fact that he will need to be on time and stay on time against pro stuff have him on the outside looking in. View the full article

Twins System Recap: Well, this sucks. Both Joe Ryan and Walker Jenkins exited their games on Sunday due to injury. For Ryan, it's his elbow, which is obviously always spooky. For Jenkins, it was his shoulder as he crashed into the wall after making a great catch. Anyway, tonight's three stars are Ricardo Olivar, Quentin Young, and Justin Mitrovich. View the full article

Luis Torrens celebrated his 30th birthday by signing a two-year extension worth $11.5 million. Torrens continues to serve as the primary backup to Francisco Alvarez, and is widely regarded as one of the best defensive catchers in baseball, leading the league in several caught stealing metrics over the past two years. View the full article

The Mets affiliates posted a 3-2 night with a pair of shutouts and a comeback. Syracuse beat Lehigh Valley 5-0 as Cristian Pache homered and Jonathan Pintaro fanned five over two innings of relief to earn the win. Binghamton split a doubleheader, dropping the resumption of a suspended game 4-3 and winning the nightcap 3-0 behind Zach Thornton's seven-strikeout start. Brooklyn fell 4-1 at home, while St. Lucie rallied from down 6-2 to win 7-6. Mets Transactions New York Mets designated 1B Eric Wagaman for assignment. New York Mets placed SS Ronny Mauricio on the 10-day injured list. Left thumb fracture. New York Mets sent RHP Carl Edwards Jr. outright to Syracuse Mets. New York Mets selected the contract of 3B Vidal Bruján from Syracuse Mets. Syracuse Blanks Lehigh Valley As Pintaro Strikes Out Five In Relief Syracuse rolled to a 5-0 shutout of Lehigh Valley behind a balanced offensive showing and a six-pitcher combined effort that allowed only four hits and 14 strikeouts across nine innings. The Mets pushed across single runs in the second and eighth innings and broke the game open with a three-run sixth that decided things. Daniel Duarte opened with two scoreless innings, allowing one hit and three walks while striking out two. Carlos Guzman handled the fourth and fifth, working two scoreless innings on two hits and two strikeouts. Dylan Ross fanned two, and Jonathan Pintaro earned the win with two innings of no-hit, no-run relief in the sixth and seventh that featured five strikeouts. Alex Carrillo finished with one inning of one-hit, two-strikeout work to close out the shutout. Cristian Pache, hitting sixth, finished 1-for-3 with a solo home run, two RBI, two runs scored, a stolen base, and a walk to lead the offense. Nick Morabito went 2-for-3 with two runs, a walk, and two stolen bases from the second spot in the order. Yonny Hernández added a 2-for-3 line with an RBI, while Christian Arroyo drew two walks and drove in a run. A.J. Ewing, batting leadoff, finished 1-for-4 with a strikeout, and Ryan Clifford added a hit. Syracuse drew three walks and struck out eight times, but cashed in when it mattered. Syracuse Hitting Player AB R H RBI BB K A.J. Ewing 4 0 1 0 0 1 Nick Morabito 3 2 2 0 1 0 Ryan Clifford 4 1 1 0 0 1 Christian Arroyo 2 0 1 1 2 1 Ji Hwan Bae 4 0 1 0 0 1 Cristian Pache 3 2 1 2 0 1 Yonny Hernández 3 0 2 1 0 0 Hayden Senger 3 0 0 0 0 0 Jackson Cluff 3 0 0 0 0 3 Syracuse Pitching Player IP H R ER BB K HR Daniel Duarte 2 1 0 0 3 2 0 Carlos Guzman 2 2 0 0 0 2 0 Dylan Ross 1 0 0 0 1 2 0 Jonathan Pintaro (W) 2 0 0 0 1 5 0 Alex Carrillo 1 1 0 0 1 2 0 Binghamton Falls 4-3 In Resumed Suspended Game The completion of Friday's weather-suspended game went the way of New Hampshire, with Binghamton stranding twelve runners and falling 4-3 despite drawing ten walks. The Rumble Ponies could not cash in their chances, leaving the bases occupied repeatedly across the game's nine innings. Jonathan Santucci took the loss, allowing one hit, two earned runs, six walks, and one home run while striking out five across three and two-thirds innings. He surrendered a two-run home run in the bottom of the second that gave the Fisher Cats an early 2-0 lead. Brian Metoyer settled things with one and one-third clean innings, but Jefry Yan was tagged for two runs on a home run in the bottom of the sixth that pushed the lead to 4-1. Zach Peek and Matt Turner each tossed a clean frame to close the staff's work. Binghamton plated single runs in the fourth on a Jacob Reimer double and a Jose Ramos RBI single, then made noise in the top of the ninth with two runs that pulled them within one. The rally ended with the tying run on base. Reimer led the offense at 2-for-4 with a double and a walk, while Ramos went 2-for-4 with an RBI and a walk. Nick Lorusso added a 1-for-5 line with a double and an RBI, and Diego Mosquera contributed a 1-for-3 effort with an RBI. TT Bowens drew three walks and reached base in all five trips without recording a hit. Binghamton Hitting (Game 1) Player AB R H RBI BB K Jacob Reimer 4 1 2 0 1 0 Jose Ramos 4 1 2 1 1 0 Kevin Parada 4 0 0 0 1 3 JT Schwartz 3 0 0 0 2 1 Nick Lorusso 5 0 1 1 0 0 TT Bowens 2 1 0 0 3 1 Matt Rudick 2 0 0 0 2 0 Wyatt Young 4 0 0 0 0 2 Diego Mosquera 3 0 1 1 0 2 Binghamton Pitching (Game 1) Player IP H R ER BB K HR Jonathan Santucci (L) 3 2/3 1 2 2 6 5 1 Brian Metoyer 1 1/3 0 0 0 0 1 0 Jefry Yan 1 1 2 2 2 1 1 Zach Peek 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 Matt Turner 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 Thornton Strikes Out Seven As Binghamton Blanks New Hampshire In Nightcap Binghamton answered the suspended-game loss with a 3-0 shutout in the nightcap, riding Zach Thornton's dominant start and a four-pitcher combined four-hitter to even the doubleheader split. The Rumble Ponies grabbed the lead in the top of the first when Reimer singled, Chris Suero doubled to put runners on second and third, Kevin Parada grounded out to score Reimer, JT Schwartz singled in Suero, and TT Bowens added a single before the inning closed with two runs in. Thornton fired four innings, allowing three hits and no runs while striking out seven and walking two. Ben Simon followed with a clean fifth that included a strikeout and earned the win. Douglas Orellana worked a one-hit sixth with two strikeouts, and Saul Garcia closed it out with a clean seventh and a strikeout. Binghamton tacked on insurance in the top of the seventh, when Reimer drew his second walk, Suero was hit by a pitch, Parada walked to load the bases, and Schwartz hit into a sacrifice double play that scored Reimer for the third run. Schwartz led the offense at 2-for-3 with two RBI, and Reimer reached base three times, going 1-for-2 with two walks, two runs scored, and a stolen base. Suero added a 1-for-3 line with a double and a run, while Bowens, Lorusso, Rudick, and Wyatt Young each chipped in a single. The Rumble Ponies stole three bases as a team and held the Fisher Cats to four hits across the seven-inning game. Binghamton Hitting (Game 2) Player AB R H RBI BB K Eli Serrano III 4 0 0 0 0 1 Jacob Reimer 2 2 1 0 2 0 Chris Suero 3 1 1 0 0 0 Diego Mosquera 0 0 0 0 0 0 Kevin Parada 3 0 0 1 1 0 JT Schwartz 3 0 2 2 0 0 TT Bowens 3 0 1 0 0 1 Nick Lorusso 3 0 1 0 0 1 Matt Rudick 3 0 1 0 0 1 Wyatt Young 3 0 1 0 0 0 Binghamton Pitching (Game 2) Player IP H R ER BB K HR Zach Thornton 4 3 0 0 2 7 0 Ben Simon (W) 1 0 0 0 1 1 0 Douglas Orellana 1 1 0 0 1 2 0 Saul Garcia 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 Brooklyn Bats Silenced In 4-1 Loss To Frederick Brooklyn could not get its bats going against Frederick and dropped a 4-1 decision at home, with the Cyclones managing just two hits across the nine-inning contest. Frederick scored a run in each of the first two innings, then closed the window with a two-run seventh. Noah Hall started and took the loss after four innings of two-hit, two-run work that featured six strikeouts but also three walks and a home run. Nate Lavender followed with a clean fifth that included a strikeout, and Joe Charles surrendered the two damaging runs in the seventh on two hits and a walk. Garrett Stratton entered to provide one and one-third innings of three-strikeout, hitless relief, and Cristofer Gomez closed it out with a one-strikeout ninth. The Cyclones' lone run came in the bottom of the second, when Trace Willhoite, Vincent Perozo, and Sam Biller all drew walks to load the bases, and Yonatan Henriquez followed with a bases-loaded walk to force in a run. Brooklyn could not push another runner across the rest of the way, finishing with five walks and 13 strikeouts. Ronald Hernandez and Colin Houck collected the only Brooklyn hits, each going 1-for-4. Houck struck out three times. Henriquez and Daiverson Gutierrez also fanned three apiece, and Brooklyn struck out 13 times overall. Brooklyn Hitting Player AB R H RBI BB K Yonatan Henriquez 3 0 0 1 1 3 John Bay 4 0 0 0 0 1 Ronald Hernandez 4 0 1 0 0 0 Daiverson Gutierrez 4 0 0 0 0 3 Colin Houck 4 0 1 0 0 3 Trace Willhoite 3 1 0 0 1 1 Vincent Perozo 3 0 0 0 1 1 Kevin Villavicencio 3 0 0 0 0 0 Sam Biller 2 0 0 0 1 1 Brooklyn Pitching Player IP H R ER BB K HR Noah Hall (L) 4 2 2 2 3 6 1 Nate Lavender 1 1 0 0 0 1 0 Joe Charles 1 2/3 2 2 2 1 1 0 Garrett Stratton 1 1/3 0 0 0 1 3 0 Cristofer Gomez 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 St. Lucie Rallies From Down Four To Win 7-6 At Tampa St. Lucie overcame a 6-2 deficit and committed three early errors but stormed back with five unanswered runs to take the game 7-6 at Tampa. Three Mets pitchers held the Tarpons scoreless over the final four innings to preserve the comeback. The Mets scratched out two runs in the top of the second, when Julio Zayas walked, Sam Robertson singled to put runners at first and second, and Branny De Oleo doubled to left to drive in both. Tampa answered with three of its own in the bottom half, aided by two St. Lucie errors. The Tarpons added a run in each of the first, third, and fifth innings to push the lead to 6-2, with the early errors fueling much of the damage. The comeback began in the top of the sixth, when Randy Guzman singled, AJ Salgado walked, JT Benson singled to score Guzman, Chase Meggers singled to plate Salgado, and a third run scored on a fielder's choice. Two more came in the top of the eighth: Edward Lantigua reached on a hit-by-pitch, Guzman doubled to drive him in, and Zayas doubled to bring Guzman home for a 7-6 lead. Christian Rodriguez earned the win with three perfect, hitless innings of three-strikeout relief. Nicolas Carreño, Emilio Obispo, and Zack Mack handled the start and middle innings between them. Guzman finished 2-for-3 with two doubles, two runs, an RBI, and a walk to lead the offense, while Robertson went 2-for-4 with a stolen base, and Branny De Oleo added a 1-for-3 line with a double, two RBI, and a walk. Zayas drove in another run with his eighth-inning double. St. Lucie Hitting Player AB R H RBI BB K Elian Peña 5 0 0 0 0 2 Edward Lantigua 3 1 0 0 0 2 Randy Guzman 3 2 2 1 1 0 AJ Salgado 3 1 0 0 1 0 Julio Zayas 3 1 1 1 1 2 JT Benson 4 1 1 1 0 3 Chase Meggers 4 0 1 1 0 3 Sam Robertson 4 1 2 0 0 2 Branny De Oleo 3 0 1 2 1 1 St. Lucie Pitching Player IP H R ER BB K HR Nicolas Carreño 3 2 1 1 3 5 0 Emilio Obispo 2 2 4 1 1 2 0 Zack Mack 1 2 1 1 1 3 0 Christian Rodriguez (W) 3 0 0 0 0 3 0 Top-20 Prospect Performance Nolan McLean: DNP Carson Benge: DNP A.J. Ewing: 1-for-4, K Jonah Tong: DNP Ryan Clifford: 1-for-4, R, K Jacob Reimer: 3-for-6, 2B, 3 R, 3 BB, SB Jack Wenninger: DNP Elian Pena: 0-for-5, 2 K Mitch Voit: DNP Nick Morabito: 2-for-3, 2 R, BB, 2 SB Jonathan Santucci: 3 2/3 IP, 1 H, 2 ER, 6 BB, 5 K, HR (L) Chris Suero: 1-for-3, 2B, R Zach Thornton: 4 IP, 3 H, 0 ER, 2 BB, 7 K Wandy Asigen: DNP Will Watson: DNP Eli Serrano III: 0-for-4, K Ryan Lambert: DNP Dylan Ross: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 2 K Antonio Jimenez: DNP R.J. Gordon: DNP View the full article

After an eight-run implosion turned a potential win into a blowout loss Saturday, Twins fans might have wondered how much worse things could get. They didn't have to wait long to find out. Just two batters into Sunday's game, Joe Ryan was walking off the mound and heading toward the clubhouse, leaving behind more questions than answers. Ryan struck out the first hitter he faced and appeared to be settling in. However, after issuing a walk to Toronto third baseman Kazuma Okamoto on his ninth pitch, the right-hander signaled to the dugout. Moments later, his day was done. The Twins quickly announced that Ryan exited with right elbow soreness, a phrase that immediately grabs attention for any pitcher. “He walked out and said he felt something in his elbow,” Twins manager Derek Shelton said during an in-game interview. “It’s unfortunate, especially this early in the game, but it’s something we’ve got to deal with. Hopefully Joe’s in a good spot.” Back on February 21, Ryan was forced out of what was supposed to be his first spring outing due to lower back tightness. He worked his way back by March 10, made three spring starts, and did not miss a turn once the regular season began. Now, it's anyone's guess when he might take the mound again. Over the course of his career, Ryan has quietly been one of the more reliable starters in the league. From 2022-25, he averaged 27.5 starts and 153.6 innings per season, consistently taking the ball every fifth day. There have been minor bumps along the way, including back inflammation, a minor shoulder injury, and a groin issue he attempted to pitch through in previous seasons, but nothing that significantly derailed his availability. That reliability has been paired with strong performance in 2026. Entering Sunday, Ryan owned a 3.76 ERA with a 118 ERA+ and a 1.04 WHIP. His underlying numbers painted an even more encouraging picture. A 25.2% strikeout rate and a 5.8% walk rate highlight his command, and a 2.99 FIP suggests he has pitched better than his ERA indicates. All of that makes this early exit feel even heavier. The Twins aren't just losing innings if Ryan misses time. They are potentially losing one of the most stable and effective arms in their rotation. In the immediate aftermath, Andrew Morris was asked to pick up the pieces out of the bullpen. Morris has been operating in a long relief role, a somewhat awkward middle ground for a pitcher who many believed was next in line for a rotation spot. If Ryan is sidelined, Morris could be stretched back out into a starting role, though that transition is rarely seamless. Beyond Morris, the Twins do have reinforcements, but each comes with its own level of uncertainty. Mick Abel is nearing a return from the injured list and was off to an impressive start before going down. Zebby Matthews, already on the 40-man roster, endured early struggles this season but has begun to show signs of progress. Kendry Rojas, who debuted earlier this year in a relief capacity, has been building back up as a starter after missing time. None of those options fully replace what Ryan provides when he is right. That's what makes the coming days so critical for Minnesota. Elbow soreness can mean many things, ranging from precautionary rest to something far more serious. The Twins will be hoping this leans toward the former. For now, the focus shifts from Sunday’s game to the status of one of their most important pitchers. The Twins have navigated adversity before, but losing Ryan for any stretch would test their depth in a significant way. It would probably prove more than they could handle, without freefalling toward another summer deconstruction. This story will be updated as more information becomes available. View the full article

Sweet Lou and Ol Gregg provide a recap of the last week of Twins baseball. Injuries are piling up, and so are bullpen blowups. Is this the bottom, or will it get worse from here? And can you name all 21 Twins pitchers to get a save since 2022? Listen using Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-twins-off-daily-podcast/id1741266056 Listen using Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4tb78XlurcPTYYSsARdbD7 Listen using iHeartRadio: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/263-the-twins-off-daily-podcas-167548600/ Listen using Pocket Casts: https://pca.st/nvclbt0w Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@twinsdaily View the full article

This has been a strange spring for Matthew Boyd. He missed a chunk of Cubs camp to join Team USA for the World Baseball Classic, but returned after pool play so he could prepare for the honor and duty of starting on Opening Day. Unfortunately, the Nationals had a good plan against him that day, and he struggled mightily. He looked better the next time out, against the Angels, striking out 10 in 5 2/3 innings, but then he hit the injured list with a triceps strain and lost three weeks. Since re-joining the rotation, he's been uneven. He entered Sunday's start against the Diamondbacks with a 7.00 ERA for the season. In a solid win to extend the Cubs' winning streak to five, Boyd brought that ERA down to 6.00. He pitched six innings of two-run ball, allowing four hits and a walk but striking out five. It was a great way to reassert his place at (or near) the top of the team's rotation, made all the more welcome by the news that Justin Steele won't be back as soon (or, we might fairly speculate, as strong) as previously hoped. Chicago won't go far without a strong season from Boyd, and Sunday brought some evidence that he can step into the breach and be the stopper (or, in this case, the perpetuator) the team needs him to be. Specifically, the changeup was a reliable, even devastating weapon. Boyd threw 35 of them, the highest single-outing total of his Cubs tenure, and it worked wonders. Diamondbacks hitters whiffed on seven of 18 swings against it and watched another seven sail by for called strikes. The change earned Boyd three of his five punchouts and eight total outs, but Arizona didn't collect a hit against it. Some of that can be chalked up to working against a team that leans heavily on switch-hitters and some veteran right-handed bats, but another key consideration is this: Boyd will have to pitch backward more this year. That's not because his stuff is down, though his fastball is sitting much more at 91-92 than the 93-94 he often had early in starts last year. He threw at least 95.0 MPH 81 times last regular season, getting as high as 96.9. So far this season, he's only touched 95.0 four times, and never gotten above 95.3. Velocity isn't the whole story with Boyd, especially because he changes speeds so well with his changeup, curveball and slider. Hitters have to respect those much slower offerings, so they can't take full advantage of a heater that lacks elite heat. Rather, the reason why Boyd might need to pitch off the changeup more is his fastball's location. Boyd likes to use that four-seamer to ride the top rail of the strike zone, inducing chases and whiffs by forcing hitters to stretch their strike zone vertically in both directions. Last season, 45.6% of Boyd's fastballs were between 2.8 feet and 4.0 feet above the ground when they crossed the plate, just above the league's average. This season, that number is nearly 60%, in a small sample. As we've discussed, though, the top of the strike zone has come down. That's a problem for Boyd, and pitchers like him. He needs hitters to climb the ladder with him, both to set up his softer stuff and to get the ball above their barrels. He doesn't have elite carry on his fastball, nor overpowering velocity. He gets value from the way his low arm slot flattens out the approach angle of a high fastball, and the way it thus tantalizes and thwarts a hitter. But look what's happened to pitches in the aforementioned height zone, under ABS standardization (and the umpires' responses thereto). A much higher percentage of those balls are now above the zone, or close enough thereto that batters need not chase them. That's made it hard for Boyd either to get quick outs or put away hitters there, or to set opponents up for a change of eye level using that pitch. Working backward might be the best and only salve, for now. If Boyd can establish the bottom edges of the zone and/or get hitters behind in the count with his slow stuff, he can speed them up and fool them with the high fastball afterward. That was always one option, but because of the aforementioned lack of velocity or extreme raw movement, it was never a great one. Now, it might be the way he needs to go for a while. On Sunday, at least, he showed he can be that flexible and clever, but more adjustments lie ahead. View the full article

A pair of bizarre yet impressive streaks came to an end last weekend. The longer and far more publicized streak belonged to Athletics first baseman Nick Kurtz. From April 10 through May 1, the reigning American League Rookie of the Year drew walks in 20 consecutive games. He became the first MLB player in nearly a quarter-century to do so (Barry Bonds, 2002-03). Brandon Compton had a 12-game walk streak to close out his month of April. While the duration was modest by comparison, the concentration of his free passes was absurd enough to merit an entire article, in my view. The 2025 Miami Marlins draftee averaged nearly two walks per game, while Kurtz averaged only 1.20, and he did it without the benefit of any intentional walks. Compton's streak ended Friday night, but he promptly began a new one on Saturday. He walked thrice more on Sunday. One month into his season with High-A Beloit, Compton has been the second-most productive qualified hitter in the Marlins organization in terms of wRC+. His on-base percentage is a cool .500. Unsurprisingly, his MiLB-leading 35.4% walk rate is doing most of the heavy lifting. Where are all of these walks coming from and what does this statistical oddity mean for his long-term outlook? Compton is Fish On First's 25th-ranked prospect largely due to his power-hitting potential. We have seen flashes of that in 2026 as he's slugging .434 (the Midwest League average is .401). Utilizing a tiny leg kick, the 22-year-old generates massive exit velocities to his pull side. However, there is no reasonable expectation of Compton becoming the next Kurtz. Drafted fourth overall the year before Compton, Kurtz slugged nearly .700 between minor league ball and the Arizona Fall League. The latter is four inches taller and effortlessly blasts balls over the fence to all fields. With few exceptions, Compton uses the first pitch of his plate appearances to gather information on the opposing pitcher. He has stepped to the plate 82 times this season and put the first pitch in play only once. Using this past series as an example, Compton swung just 10.3% of the time in 0-0 counts. To put that in perspective, the lowest first-pitch swing rate among qualified MLB hitters belongs to Steven Kwan at 9.7%. Compton is a product of his environment to some extent. The Midwest League has a 13.4 BB% this season, which is higher than any other affiliated full-season league. A combination of weather, pitching injuries and umpiring is leading to more pitches missing the strike zone. Only 52.0% of total pitches thrown to Compton have been strikes. Going back to Kurtz as a reference point, his strike rate is 55.3%, and that is despite being universally feared. The left-handed Compton sees the ball well against fellow southpaws, drawing 11 walks in 26 plate appearances. On the other hand, he's still hitless against them (0-15 with 10 K). Showing competency in that area will be an important box for him to check before being considered for a promotion to Double-A. Compton is on pace to draw approximately 146 walks this season, which would obliterate the Marlins MiLB record (114 BB by Kerwin Moore in 1993). Since comprehensive record-keeping across all minor leagues began in 2006, Jack Cust has posted the highest single-season total (143 BB in 2006). All things considered, Cust is a useful Compton comp with a similar skill set and physical attributes. He slashed .242/.374/.439 (123 wRC+) with 105 home runs in 670 MLB games—that'd be an optimistic outcome for Compton's career. View the full article

Week in a Nutshell After going 4-2 at home in the previous week against the Baltimore Orioles and Los Angeles Angels, the Royals produced the same record this week on the road against the Sacramento Athletics and Seattle Mariners. Like the Royals' previous homestand, Kansas City lost two of three in their first series against the Athletics, but finished strong by sweeping the Mariners at T-Mobile Park in Seattle over the weekend. With the winning road trip, the Royals improved their road record to 6-12 and overall record to 15-19. That puts them 2.5 games behind the AL Central-leading Cleveland Guardians and only 1.5 games out of an AL Wild Card spot. Record this Week: 4-2 Run Differential for the Week: +2 Record for the Year: 15-19 Run Differential for the Year: -17 Standing: 4th in the AL Central Game 29: KC 4, ATH 1 Kris Bubic struggled with control, walking four batters and going only five innings against the Athletics. However, he struck out six batters and allowed only one run on four hits. Salvador Perez got the scoring going early with a solo blast, and Bobby Witt Jr. had a clutch three-run home run in the top of the 10th that propelled the Royals to the win. Game 30: ATH 5, KC 2 The Royals started early by scoring a run in the top of the first on a fielder's choice by Salvador Perez. However, Michael Wacha wasn't quite as sharp. He allowed four runs on eight hits and four walks while striking out five. Witt was the only Royals player with multiple hits (two). Game 31: ATH 6, KC 3 Kansas City dropped the rubber game, with a four-run second inning putting the game out of reach. Noah Cameron allowed five runs (four earned) on nine hits and two walks while striking out five in 5.2 IP. Maikel Garcia hit his third home run of the year, while Elias Diaz hit his first. Despite the Royals having 10 hits, they left 12 runners on base and went 1-for-8 with runners in scoring position. Game 32: KC 7, SEA 6 The Royals parlayed a four-run first inning to help them win an offensive battle, even though Cole Ragans and Bryan Woo pitched for Kansas City and Seattle, respectively. Perez, Vinnie Pasquantino, and Jac Caglianone went yard, and Lane Thomas had a clutch pinch-hit single that gave them the lead for good in the top of the 8th. Lucas Erceg locked down his eighth save of the year. Game 33: KC 3, SEA 2 Emerson Hancock was elite, as he struck out 14 batters in 7 IP, and allowed only one run on six hits. However, Seth Lugo put up a solid performance himself, going six innings, allowing two runs, seven hits, and two walks while striking out six. Caglianone came up clutch at the top of the ninth, getting an RBI triple off Mariners closer Andres Munoz to send the game into extra innings. Garcia hit a sacrifice fly to bring in Michael Massey, and Erceg closed the door to earn the save for a second-straight game. Game 34: KC 4, SEA 1 Bubic looked much sharper in Seattle than he did in Sacramento. He went seven innings and allowed just one run on four hits and two walks while striking out seven. Most of the Royals' offense came in the fourth, as they scored three runs on Mariners starter Luis Castillo in a variety of ways, including a walk and a fielder's choice. Isaac Collins had a double in the 6th inning that scored Caglianone from second and gave them a three-run lead. John Schreiber and Daniel Lynch IV locked down the eighth and ninth, with Lynch getting his first save of the year. News and Notes The Royals received tough news at the beginning of the week, as the team announced that Jonathan India received labral repair surgery, effectively ending his 2026 season. If that wasn't enough, they also received some discouraging news regarding right-handed pitchers Ryan Bergert and Ben Kudrna, who both began the year in Omaha. Both received surgeries, and while nothing official has been said, it seems likely that both pitchers will miss the remainder of the 2026 season. On a positive note, on April 28th, the Royals promoted right-handed pitcher Luinder Avila from Omaha to Kansas City and optioned Eli Morgan back to Triple-A. Avila was previously working as a starter this year, not just starting in Omaha, but also filling in for Michael Wacha for a spot start. However, it seems like the Royals will be utilizing Avila in the bullpen full-time for the time being. The Venezuelan-born righty in two outings this week went three innings and struck out three batters and issued no walks while allowing one run on two hits. Highlights The Royals got some nice weeks from Garcia and Perez, who have struggled on the road in previous road trips. In 28 at-bats, Garcia hit .296 with a .903 OPS, and his eight hits led all Royals hitters on the road trip. As for Salvy, he hit .292 with an .846 OPS. Both hit home runs, and they combined for seven RBI this week. Another strong performer was Vinnie, even though he accumulated just 17 at-bats this road trip. He sat out a couple of games in the Athletics series as he nursed a sore back. However, when he got back in the linuep, he was a force in the Royals' batting order in the No. 3 spot. Vinne had six hits and posted a .977 OPS. He also had a clutch home run of Bryan Woo, his fourth of the year, that helped extend the Royals' lead in game one of their series on Friday night against the Mariners. Pasquantino's overall numbers aren't great, as he is hitting .188 with a .633 OPS so far this season. However, it seemed like he was more locked in against the Mariners, and his two-hit game on Sunday should help build some momentum for him in the upcoming homestand at Kauffman Stadium. Even though he only had four hits in 18 plate appearances and posted a .689 OPS, Caglianone had a couple of clutch hits in the Mariners series. That included a home run off Woo on Friday, and a game-tying triple off Munoz, who was one of the game's best closers a season ago. Some other key hitters for the Royals this week were Starling Marte, who had a three-hit game in the series finale against the Athletics, and Isaac Collins, who finally got his first hits on the road this season. Collins also had a key double that extended the Royals' lead in their 4-1 win on Sunday. On the pitching end, Erceg bounced back to have a tremendous week on the mound, re-establishing himself as the Royals' closer with Carlos Estevez out. Erceg appeared three times and collected three saves in three innings pitched, with two coming against the Mariners and one against the Athletics, his former team. He allowed no runs, just one hit, and one walk while striking out four this week. The strikeouts were encouraging, especially considering his chase and whiff rate issues back in April. In addition to his excellent performance in the late innings this week, the 30-year-old reliever also had quite the viral moment in the Royals' postgame interview with Joel Goldberg. Erceg wasn't the lone Royals reliever to have a solid week. In three innings of work, Matt Strahm allowed no runs on two hits and two walks while striking out four. Nick Mears allowed no runs in two appearances and 1.2 IP while striking out two and allowing no hits and just one walk. John Schreiber looked closer to his 2024 and 2025 form, allowing just one run on two hits and two walks in 3.1 IP. Lastly, Lynch blew a two-run lead in game one, but he closed the Mariners out in the series finale, going 1.1 IP and striking out three. As a result, he earned his first save of the year and had his own viral postgame interview moment. The Royals' bullpen ranks 27th in ERA, 25th in WHIP, and 26th in BB/9 and HR/9. Hopefully, this strong performance this week, especially in the Mariners series, can carry over to this upcoming homestand. Lowlights Carter Jensen received some good news this week, as he was named Royals Offensive Player of the Month (Lugo was named Pitcher of the Month). Unfortunately, the week was not a stellar one for the Royals' rookie catcher. In 18 at-bats, Jensen hit .056 with a .246 OPS. He had only one hit, and his nine strikeouts led all Royals hitters this week. As a result, he's hitting .230 with a .752 OPS, a far cry from where he was at the end of the Royals homestand in the previous week. That said, while he didn't get a hit, Jensen did draw a crucial walk against Castillo on Sunday that brought home a key run. Another hitter who struggled was Michael Massey, who will be a key player going forward for India, out for the remainder of the season. In 18 at-bats, Massey hit .056 with a .156 OPS. He had just one hit and one walk while striking out seven times. Like many Royals hitters, the 28-year-old has struggled on the road this season. In 32 at-bats away from Kauffman Stadium, he is hitting .094 with a .268 OPS. At home? Massey is hitting .300 with an .846 OPS in 30 at-bats. He also has 12 strikeouts on the road compared to just six at home. Safe to say, Massey is looking forward to returning to Kauffman Stadium on Monday. On the pitching end, Ragans, Wacha, and Cameron had rough performances this week. All three starters allowed four earned runs and pitched fewer than six innings in their respective outings. Ragans and Wacha at least have a track record that should earn them some patience, but Cameron is a tougher situation for the Royals' coaching staff. In six starts and 31.2 IP, Cameron has a 5.40 ERA and 1.61 WHIP. He has been particularly hit hard this year, and it's unlikely that he will improve upon that trend in the near future, especially with a four-seamer that profiles as subpar, according to TJ Stuff+. The Royals don't have a ton of options right now in Omaha, especially with Bergert and Kudrna going under the knife. However, a possible option that the Royals could piggyback with Cameron is Stephen Kolek, who's been on rehab in Omaha. Like Cameron, Kolek doesn't have a great four-seamer. It has a 93 TJ Stuff+ and generates a 13.6% whiff rate, both lackluster marks. However, the former Padres pitcher generates a decent amount of chase and minimizes hard contact, making him a possible long-relief option that could relieve Cameron after the lefty gets through the lineup a couple of times. Another option who could piggyback or replace Cameron is Bailey Falter, who's been looking good in a rehab stint in Omaha. In 9.2 IP with the Storm Chasers, he has a 3.72 ERA, 1.14 WHIP, 2.63 FIP, and 30% K%. He also has displayed some promising TJ Stuff+ metrics as well as solid chase and whiff rates. Falter's rehab stint is coming to an end soon, so it'll be interesting to see how the Royals will utilize Falter on the pitching staff when he returns from the IL. Looking Ahead The Royals have a full week ahead. They have four games against the Cleveland Guardians this week and a weekend series against the Detroit Tigers. The Royals do not have a single off day this week. The Tigers and Guardians are both tied at the top of the AL Central division with identical 18-17 records. The Tigers are technically the better team, based on run differential and xW-L. Detroit has a +18 run differential with a 19-16 xW-L. On the flip side, Cleveland has a -3 run differential and 17-18 xW-L. While the Tigers edge the Guardians in run differential, Cleveland has been the better road team this year. The Guardians have a 9-10 record on the road, compared to the Tigers' 6-14. Thus, the Royals could have a tougher series at the start of the week, especially considering how well the Guardians have played away from Progressive Field this season. Wacha and Cameron will make multiple starts this week, with both also predicted to pitch in the first two games against Cleveland on Monday and Tuesday, respectively. Considering their rough recent road trip performances, solid starts from these two pitchers, especially against the Guardians, will be key to the Royals' chances to win their homestand against their division rivals. View the full article

It's not yet clear whether Jackson Chourio will get back into the Brewers lineup Monday night against the Cardinals. He fouled a ball off his foot during a rehab start over the weekend and could be delayed another few days while he shakes off the soreness. However, all systems are go for Andrew Vaughn, who was sidelined by a broken hamate bone on Opening Day and has missed the last five-plus weeks. The Brewers will receive Vaughn gratefully into a lineup that needs more length. While Vaughn was on the shelf, many of the reps against left-handed pitchers went to Gary Sánchez. The team's backup catcher became its de facto short-side platoon first baseman over the first fortnight. He hasn't played first since April 11, after his defense there proved costly, but he's still been in the lineup often as the designated hitter. At the end of play on April 14, that was fine with everyone: he was batting .259/.412/.815. That was the day Sánchez hit his last home run, though, and in the three weeks since, he's batting .182/.333/.273. Having Vaughn take some playing time from Sánchez is one way the team can get its mojo back offensively. In selected matchups, Vaughn's at-bats could come at the expense of Jake Bauers, instead. Bauers didn't disappoint during his first month of everyday playing time, but nor did he seize the job in a way that precludes Vaughn shoving him to the bench on occasion over the next few weeks. Bauers is batting a respectable .243/.317/.423 on the season, and his whiff and strikeout rates are down. On the other hand, in a league walking more, he's walking less. He's gotten incrementally but importantly more aggressive early in counts, sometimes getting himself out because he's still trying to avoid getting into a two-strike situation. Bauers has strill been fairly productive, though, and on the right days, Vaughn could man first base while Bauers slides to the outfield. Presumably, Chourio will be back within a few days, if not Monday, so the team ought not to need Bauers out there very often. While they do, though, he can be an offensive upgrade in the corners. Ultimately, what the team needs is more length in its lineup. That trademark relentlessness that makes the Brewers great when they're going right has shown up only in flashes so far. They're getting a league-worst .239 slugging average from the bottom third of their order. Neither Vaughn nor Chourio can directly replace Joey Ortiz or David Hamilton, two of the key culprits in that lack of power from those spots, but they can lessen the team's need to use Blake Perkins. Even slightly more danger at the bottom of the order could restore the consistency the team has turned into so many wins over the last few years. Vaughn's return engenders that. Chourio's will do so, too. After weeks of waiting, Pat Murphy will have some good dilemmas when filling out his lineup card. View the full article

For the week, Wilson (4-2) was the sole series winner and Nashville (3-3) managed a draw. Wisconsin (2-4) and Biloxi (1-5) battled but dropped their series. Transactions: RHP Logan Henderson recalled to MLB Brewers from RHP Easton McGee optioned to AAA Nashville from MLB Brewers C Andrick Nava activated by AAA Nashville from Development List Game Action: Nashville Pre-Game Media Notes Final: Nashville 5, Norfolk (Orioles) 1 Box Score and Game Log Via the Sounds’ website, game details and we encourage readers to review affiliate write-ups as part of their Link Report routine: Five Different Sounds Earn RBI to Split Series with Norfolk While the story of this game centered on Sounds’ middle relievers LHP Drew Rom (2 1/3 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 BB, 2 Ks) and RHP Craig Yoho (2 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 1 BB, 3 Ks) carving up the Tides, internet watchers were primarily curious about SS Cooper Pratt’s late scratch from the starting lineup. If and when we have an update on Pratt’s status, we’d be sure to share it. After starting RHP Carlos Rodriguez successfully navigated relatively heavy traffic (2 2/3 IP, 0 R, 2 H, 4 BB, 3 Ks), Rom and Yoho retired 13 of the next 14 batters while the offense took advantage of 8 walks and a hit-by-pitch to grab a 5-0 lead. Rom’s entry with the bases loaded, 2 outs and the game scoreless in the top of the 3rd inning was particularly pivotal, getting ahead 0-and-2 before inducing a shallow fly out to help Rodriguez escape the jam. Leadoff hitter 2B Eddys Leonard (2-for-5) set the table well on Sunday, singling but stranded in the first inning, singling and scoring in a 2-run third inning, then adding an RBI groundout to extend the lead to 4-0 in the 6th frame. OFs Luis Matos (2-for-3, walk) and Luis Lara (1-for-2, walk, HBP) both reached base thrice, though Matos was caught stealing and also thrown out attempting to go first-to-third on a Lara single to end the 6th inning. Sounds’ Extras: Rodriguez (58 pitches on Sunday after 42 pitches on Wednesday) is one of a number of Sounds’ bulk innings men who are not quite fully stretched out, including Robert Gasser, Coleman Crow, Thomas Pannone and rehabbing Quinn Priester. Henderson was part of that list before he threw a season-high 76 pitches for the Brewers on Sunday. RHP Blake Holub (2 IP, 1 R, 2 H, 0 BB, 4 Ks) was Nashville’s hardest thrower on the afternoon (peak velocity 96.7mph), striking out 4 of 8 batters faced. Next week’s outlook: Nashville travel to Louisville to battle the Reds’ affiliate for 6 games, with the series commencing on Tuesday. Biloxi Pre-Game Media Notes Final: Pensacola (Marlins) 9, Biloxi 4 Box Score and Game Log Via the Shuckers’ website, game details: Keith Continues First Inning Terror, Shuckers Drop Finale to Blue Wahoos This was an active and exciting affair through 4 1/2 innings (tied 3-3 by that point), with the teams trading extra-base hits and extra outs on the bases. OF Damon Keith had the loudest blast, while SS Jesus Made had already singled, been picked off, made an error and homered by that point of the game. Starting 21-year old RHP Bishop Letson wasn’t able to stack success (4 IP, 3 R, 4 H, 3 BB, 2 HBP, 4 Ks; 76 pitches), though he was throwing on 4 days’ rest for the first time this season (5 IP, 1 R, 6 Ks on Tuesday). He also helped himself out in the first inning by initiating a 1-4-3 ground ball double play after loading the bases with nobody out. C Darrien Miller can be happy with his 7th inning solo shot and the caught stealing in the 3rd inning, but he’ll probably be disappointed with the Blue Wahoos’ six stolen bases in the contest. Shuckers’ Extras: After starting the 2026 campaign on the injured list, RHP Nick Merkel’s second outing went a lot better than his season debut last week, as he retired all 4 batters faced (1 1/3 IP, 1 K). LHP Mark Manfredi (2 IP, 3 R, 3 Ks) commenced the season blistering hot (8 Ks, 0 runs in first 3 innings pitched), but has now conceded at least one earned run in 4 of his last 5 games. LHP Anthony Flores also struggled (2/3 IP, 3 R, 0 Ks), taking the Loss in this game. Jheremy Vargas, who has principally been an infielder in his minor league career, struggled a bit in left field this time out. He’ll learn and improve of course. Next week’s outlook: Biloxi host Braves’ affiliate Columbus this week, with the Shuckers needing to snap their 5-game skid. Wisconsin Pre-Game Media Notes Final: Quad Cities (Royals) 12, Wisconsin 3 Box Score and Game Log Via the Timber Rattlers’ website, game details: Bandits End Series with 12-3 Win over Wisconsin Though the team came up short, the talented Wisconsin media team still have the video highlights packaged for us: Be sure to also listen to the Chris Mehring and Jonathan Timm recap podcast, featuring Manager Nick Stanley. Of particular note is the commentary on RHP Jason Woodward’s early exit, including the scare of a 106mph line drive off of his pitching forearm and Stanley’s relatively encouraging quote that he doesn’t think it will be “anything major”. Starting RHP Ethan Dorchies (4 IP, 4 R (3 ER), 6 H, 1 BB, 5 Ks), making his 2nd start of the week, was effective through 3 frames before the Quad Cities’ 4th and 5th batters opened their 3-run 4th inning with a triple and a double to grab a 4-2 lead. OF Josh Adamczewski keeps making his case for a possible promotion (2-for-3, walk, RBI), while OF Josiah Ragsdale continued his excellent run of form (2-for-4 Sunday with a double; 17-for-45 over last 14 games). The contest was 5-2 by the time Woodward (3 batters faced) departed and 7-2 before RHP Michael Fowler (2 1/3 IP, 3 R (1 ER), 3 H, 1 BB, 3 Ks) could really settle in, creating too wide a gap to make up in front of 3,556 home fans on a 63-degree afternoon. Timber Rattlers’ Extras: Stalwarts 3B Andrew Fischer (1-for-15 last 4 games) and C Marco Dinges (1-for-19 last 5 games) ended the series on tough stretches. Quad Cities seriously put the hurting on Wisconsin pitching in their 4 wins, scoring 45 runs in 32 innings on those contests. Late inning relievers LHP Bjorn Johnson and RHP Quinton Low conceded 3 runs in their combined 2 1/3 IP in this game. Next week’s outlook: Wisconsin head down to Illinois to take on Cardinals’ affiliate Peoria for six games, with RHP Chandler Welch (4.09 ERA, 0.82 WHIP, 8.2 K/9 in 11.0 IP) scheduled to make his first start since June 2025 in a Tuesday matinee. Wilson Pre-Game Media Notes Final: Wilson 4, Salem (Red Sox) 3 (in 10 innings) Box Score and Game Log Via the Warbirds’ website, game details: Walk-Off Win Secures Series for Wilson 18-year old OF Handelfry Encarnacion (2-for-4, HR, double, walk, 2 RBIs) is rightfully the lead story for his 2-run walk-off blast (homering for a 3rd straight day) on a 2-0 count as the first batter of the bottom of the 10th inning: We also need to credit the terrific work of Wilson’s bullpen, as LHP Anfernny Reyes (2/3 IP), LHP Enderson Mercado (3 IP, 5 Ks), RHP Eric Prado (2 IP, 2 Ks) and RHP Joshua Quezada (1 IP, 3 Ks) combined to allow no earned runs over 6 2/3 innings, while striking out 10 RidgeYaks along the way. This tight Sunday contest had to go to extras after both teams missed numerous opportunities to grab an extra run, with a combined 5 caught stealings hurting their causes. Salem also went 1-for-14 with runners in scoring position, stranding 11 baserunners. 1,660 home fans got to see Salem fail to score in the 8th inning despite 2 walks and 2 hit-by-pitches, with Salem stranding a runner at 2nd base in the 9th inning and the Warbirds stranding Eric Martinez (who’d doubled) at 3rd base to end the 9th inning. An error, hit-by-pitch and passed ball weren’t too much for Quezada to overcome in the top of the 10th inning, as only the Manfred Man came around to score for Salem. Wilson’s ‘X’ page has more video highlights, including another angle of Encarnacion’s walk-off and a nice double play converted by SS Brady Ebel. Warbirds’ Extras: Starting RHP Miqueas Mercedes (3 1/3 IP, 2 R, 4 H, 0 BB, 3 Ks) exited after a strikeout and injury delay in the top of the 4th inning. Hopefully he’s okay and was simply on a pitch limit (51, with 36 strikes), given that he was throwing on 4 days’ rest. Wilson’s box score batting averages are beginning to look healthier, with 3B Luis Lameda (1-for-3, walk) at .320, DH Pedro Ibarguen (2-for-4) at .289, 2B Juan Ortuno (1-for-3, walk) at .220 and Encarnacion at .214. The team average is now .193 through 27 games, with a .620 team OPS. That said, OF Jose Anderson is in a 2-for-35 drought at the plate, while C Kevin Garcia is 0-for-12 after joining the squad late due to a minor injury. Next week’s outlook: Wilson go back on the road, travelling to Astros’ affiliate Fayetteville for six games starting Tuesday. We hope that you enjoy the Minor League Link Report. On Monday, the ACL Brewers have the sole minor league affiliate game, hosting the ACL Padres at 8:00 pm CST. The Milwaukee Brewers also commence their series at St. Louis at 6:45pm CST. Organizational Scoreboard including starting pitcher info, game times, MiLB TV links, and box scores Current Milwaukee Brewers Organization Batting Stats and Depth Current Milwaukee Brewers Organization Pitching Stats and Depth View the full article

One month of the minor-league season is now complete. Despite cool temperatures, especially early, there have been quite a few really strong offensive performances already. Today we take a look at the top hitting performances of the season's first month. Before we jump to the Top 5 hitters, there are several Honorable Mentions. HONORABLE MENTIONS OF Kyler Fedko - St. Paul Saints - 25 G, 18-for-78, .231/.291/.551 (.842) with 2 doubles, 1 triple, 7 home runs, 12 R, 21 RBI, 5 BB, 24 K. UT Dameury Pena - Fort Myers Might Mussels - 20 G, 25-for-73, .342/.417/.397 (.939) with 2 doubles, 1 triple, 0 home runs, 9 R, 8 RBI, 9 BB, 8 K. SS Marek Houston - Cedar Rapids Kernels - 23 G, 29-for-93, .312/.375/.473 (.948) with 2 doubles, 2 triples, 4 home runs, 16 R, 7 RBI, 10 BB, 25 K. OF Alan Roden - St. Paul Saints - 19 G, 189-for-69, .275/.425/.464 (.889) with 4 doubles, 3 home runs, 9 R, 15 RBI, 17 BB, 14 K. OF Jacob McCombs - Cedar Rapids Kernels - 13 G, 13-for-46, .283/.377/.587 (.964) with 5 doubles, 3 triples, 1 home run, 5 R, 12 RBI, 1 BB, 14 K. OF Yasser Mercedes - Fort Myers Mighty Mussels - 13 G, 14-for-49, .286/.417/.592 (1.009) with 1 double, 1 triple, 4 home runs, 13 R, 16 RBI, 11 BB, 15 K C Ricardo Olivar - Wichita Wind Surge - 18 G, 16-for-65, .246/.342/.554 (.896) with 5 doubles, 5 home runs, 12 R, 18 RBI, 10 BB, 10 K. THE TOP FIVE HITTERS Number 5 - Wichita Wind Surge - OF Hendry Mendez (22) - 22 G, 23-for-81, .284/.372/.519 (.891), 5 doubles, 1 triple, 4 home runs, 10 R, 17 R, 19 RBI, 9 BB, 20 K. The Twins acquired Mendez and 17-year-old RHP Geremy Villoria from the Phillies at the 2025 trade deadline. Following the season, he was added to the team’s 40-man roster. With the Twins left-handed hitting outfield depth, both in the big leagues and at St. Paul, he returned to Double-A Wichita to start the season. There was also talk about him getting some time at first base, but to this point, he hasn’t played two full games at the position. What he can do is hit, and he generally knows the strike zone. He appears to be pushing for more power with 10 extra base hits in the month. Can he turn a great eye and contact skills into more power? That’ll be the question we’ll check on at the end of the season. Number 4 - St. Paul Saints - OF Emmanuel Rodriguez (23) - 24 G, 20-for-80, .250/.419/.513 (.932), 3 doubles, 6 home runs, 15 R, 17 RBI, 22 BB, 31 K. It seems as though we have been talking about Rodriguez for years and years. His power potential. His speed and defense. Stolen bases. Lots of walks and lots of strikeouts. We know the scouting report as it has been similar for years. But he only turned 23 two months ago. Part of it is that he finished the 2024 season with seven games in St. Paul. And, he had an inside-the-park grand slam. We see his heart, his enthusiasm and his passion for the game and want to see it at Target Field. But injuries have kept him sidelined much of his career. In 2022, he played just 47 games. In 2024, he played in just 47 games including rehab games. In 2025, he played in just 65 games, including 13 rehab games. He got off to a fast start with the Saints in April. While he may never hit for a real high average (because of all the strikeouts), he gets on base (because of all the walks). He’s got tremendous power, not only hitting home runs, but in just hitting the ball really, really hard. It isn’t rare for him to have exit velocities over 110 mph, and he hit two over 117 mph during the month. He is playing mostly right field, some center field, and has made two starts in left field. Number 3 - Cedar Rapids Kernels - OF/1B Jaime Ferrer (23) - 23 G, 19-for-64, .297/.444/.484 (.929), 3 doubles, 3 home runs, 16 R, 7 RBI, 14 BB, 18 K. Ferrer was born in Bayamon, Puerto Rico, the same hometown as former Twins pitcher Jose Berrios. He went to high school in Orlando and then spent three seasons at Florida State. In 2024, he was the Twins fourth-round draft pick. There was an effort to move him behind the plate the last couple of seasons, but to this point this season, he has played both corner outfield spots and first base. Last year in Cedar Rapids, he hit .216/.296/.339 (.634) with 20 doubles, two triples, and five home runs. Note that his April stats above do not include the three home runs he hit over two games on May 1st and 2nd. While he’s been batting ninth for the Kernels, it gives them a very professional hitter at the bottom of the order. His quality of plate appearance has been much improved and he’s putting up the kind of numbers that captured scouts’ attention at Florida State. Number 2 - Wichita Wind Surge - OF Garrett Spain (25) - 19 G, .271/.354/.629 (.983), 5 doubles, 1 triple, 6 home runs, 16 R, 7 RBI, 9 BB, 21 K. Spain came to the Twins in December’s minor-league portion of the Rule 5 draft. He had spent the 2024 season with the Brewers organization. He played in 120 games for Double-A Biloxi and hit .207/.282/.377 (.659) with 17 doubles, four triples and 16 home runs. He also played 11 games at Triple-A Nashville. Spain grew up in Clarksville, Tennessee, and then he stayed home and attended Austin Peay. He was the Blue Jays 15th round pick in 2021. After two seasons at High-A Vancouver, and hitting .167 over 103 games at Double-A in 2024, the Blue Jays let him go,and the Brewers signed him before the 2025 season. Spain is a max effort type of player, but the hard work has kept him in affiliated ball. He generally takes quality at-bats. He has shown improved power. He’s a smart player. He was 5-for-5 in stolen base attempts in April. And the Twins Minor League Hitter of the Month is: Wichita Wind Surge/St. Paul Saints - IF Ben Ross - 20 G, 27-for-74, .365/.460/.676 (1.084), 8 doubles, 5 home runs, 16 R, 16 RBI, 12 BB, 13 K. Ben Ross grew up in Springfield, Ohio. In high school, he starred on the soccer pitch and the baseball diamond. Upon graduation, Ross made the 200 mile drive north and east to South Euclid, Ohio, a city of almost 22,000 people, a suburb east of Cleveland, adjacent to Cleveland Heights. It is the home of Notre Dame College, a Division II school in the Mountain East Conference. As a freshman in 2020, he hit .389 with three doubles in 110 games before the season came to an abrupt end. In 2021, he hit .426/.494/.844 (1.338) with 20 doubles, three triples, and 11 home runs. In 52 games as a junior, he hit .392/.452/.747 (1.200) with 20 doubles, two triples, and 14 home runs. He also had 15 stolen bases. That summer, he played for Wisconsin Rapids in the Northwoods League. In 42 games, he hit .421/.502/.649 (!.152) with seven doubles and 10 homers. He also stole 17 bases. In July of 2022, the Twins were thrilled to be able to make Ross their fifth round draft pick. He played in 22 games for the Mighty Mussels that summer. He made the jump to Cedar Rapids to start the 2023 season and hit .240/.322/.455 (.777) with 25 doubles, two triples, and 19 homers in 103 games. He ended the season with 10 games in Wichita. Between 2024 and 2025, he played in 244 games for the Wind Surge. With a full infield to start the season at St. Paul, Ross was sent back to Kansas to start this season. He could have been down, could have moped. Instead, he does what he’s always done. First and foremost, Ross has always played great defense. He can legitimately play shortstop, but he’s had opportunities all around the infield and in center field as well. He began the 2026 season with 16 games in Wichita. In that time, he hit .424/.528/.797 (1.324) with seven doubles, five homers, and 16 RBI. He had 12 walks to 10 strikeouts. He was 8-for-9 in stolen base attempts. He began the season with a 13-game hitting streak. He reached base in all 16 games. He had nine multi-hit games including two, three-hit games. A little over a week ago, Ross told Twins Daily, “I think a huge piece of hitting is the mentality going up to the plate. It’s super tough day in and day out to feel confident for every at-bat which is why it’s important to have a plan tailored to the situation.” He put in the time and put in the work and earned his first promotion to St. Paul. He played in four games for the Saints in April, and went just 2-for-15 which hurt his overall month stats, but what he did in Wichita is undeniable. Also, on May 1, he went 0-for-4 to start 2-for-19 with the Saints. But in two weekend games, Ross went a combined 3-for-5 with four walks, two doubles, a home run, five runs scored and four RBI. We want to congratulate Ben Ross, Twins Daily’s choice for Minor League Hitter of the Month for April of 2026. Feel free to share your thoughts and ask questions. How would you rank the top five hitters in the Twins organization in April? View the full article