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Salvador Perez has not gotten off to the best start of the season. After 61 games played, his slash line sits at .204/.254/.345 with a 61 wRC+, all metrics dropping from 2025 to 2026. His wRC+ marks also represent the lowest among all Royals hitters and 15 points below the next-worst hitter this season, Starling Marte. Among qualified hitters in MLB, Perez also has the 5th-lowest wRC+ and wOBA at 61 and .264, respectively. While Perez remains one of the most important figures in franchise history, his offensive regression and Carter Jensen's emergence have created a difficult question for the Royals. Is it time to reduce Perez's role in the lineup? Perez has seen a steep drop-off in most of the main Statcast metrics. His expected batting average and wOBA have both dropped to around the 20th percentile range after both being above the 80th percentile last season. His barrel and hard-hit rate have also taken a dip, along with average exit velocity. Even though he is still pulling the ball in the air at a high rate of 18.4%, it is a noticeable drop from his mark of over 26% in the past two seasons. His opposite field fly ball rate has jumped to 25.8%. This could be explained by his drop in bat speed from 72.9 mph last season to 71.4 mph this season. Failing to pull the ball in the air greatly decreases his power potential and makes it difficult to take advantage of the shorter fences in Kauffman Stadium’s left field. Given Perez's regression, the Royals need to accelerate the transition plan behind the plate. Perez has already begun to play fewer games at catcher and more games at designated hitter. He has already lined up as the DH in 28 games of the Royals’ 65 games this season. He is well on pace to break his 2025 mark, where Perez appeared as the DH in 38 games. Perez hasn’t seen as much regression behind the plate compared to his hitting. Last season, his blocking was well below average, where he saw -15 blocks above average. This season, he has been performing at expected levels and not allowing any excess passed balls or wild pitches. His pop time is well within his career average at 1.97, and he ranks 45th among the 71 catchers with at least 5 stolen base attempts against them. Perez’s framing is below average this season, but his framing has never been particularly good. The replacement at catcher may already be taking place. Jensen has started more games as catcher than Perez this season. While his numbers are not staggering on offense this season, he has been better than Perez at the plate. Jensen is currently slashing .211/.286/.381 with an 81 wRC+. That wRC+ represents the 8th-best among Royals hitters. Jensen is also one shy of the Royals' leader in home runs with 8. Defensively, Jensen has been more than serviceable behind the plate. His pop time of 1.91 ranks 20th among catchers with at least 5 stolen base attempts, and he has caught three more runners than expected. One area Jensen can improve on is his blocking. So far, he already has eight blocks below average. While Jensen has not yet established himself as the impact hitter in the Royals' lineup, he has outperformed Perez offensively and provided competent defense behind the plate. With Jensen earning more opportunities behind the plate, the Royals must decide how to best deploy Perez moving forward. Perez has the third most plate appearances among Royals hitters, and most of those plate appearances have come from the cleanup spot in the batting order. That is a lot of plate appearances in an important position for the worst hitter (according to wRC+) on the roster. On May 30, Perez was moved down to 5th in the order, but that was a temporary adjustment. One solution to giving Perez more time off would be to play him mostly against left-handed pitchers. Perez has a 123 wRC+ against lefties, 5th-best on the team. Compare that to Jensen, who struggles against lefties since he’s a left-handed hitter. When facing right-handed pitching, Perez has a 41 wRC+, more than 20 points lower than the next-worst hitter against righties, Lane Thomas. A sensible solution would be to transition Perez into the short side of a platoon with Jensen, primarily starting against left-handed pitching. What other options do the Royals have at designated hitter? Nick Loftin and Marte are players that the Royals have been mostly using as platoon options against left-handed pitchers. Their production against right-handed pitchers so far this season, though in smaller samples, has proven to be better than what Perez can offer. It would be worthwhile to give them more opportunities for regular at-bats. The baseball case for reducing Perez's role is straightforward. The human side of the decision is much more complicated. Perez is the captain and leader in the Royals clubhouse. Benching Perez could have unintended consequences in the locker room that are hard to predict, especially without being able to see his impact first-hand. Perez is likely also looking to compile as many stats as possible for his legacy. He is only five home runs away from tying George Brett for the franchise lead in home runs. Perez is also 40 hits away from 1,800 hits. While these milestones are still achievable with a smaller role in the lineup, they become much more difficult. Perez has also already pushed back to being rested earlier this season when manager Matt Quatraro said that he was giving Perez a “mental breather” in April. Perez took to social media to say that “I don’t need a mental breather” in reaction to his manager’s comments. While that incident is now well behind everyone involved, it proves that any potential communication about fewer at-bats for Perez will need to be handled better. View the full article

Even with plenty of injuries with Triple-A St. Paul's outfield, the Twins are still plentiful in outfield depth. So on the slim chance the Twins find themselves as buyers this upcoming trade deadline, will they deal from their depth to add more arms on the major league staff? View the full article

Kody Clemens has been one of the Twins' most unexpected success stories this season. When Minnesota acquired him last spring, expectations were modest. Clemens had bounced around organizations, never establishing himself as an everyday major leaguer, and he looked more like a depth piece than someone who would become a key contributor in the middle of a lineup. Fast-forward to June 2026, and he's become exactly that. He’s hitting .247 with a .785 OPS, and the numbers suggest his breakout is legitimate. In fact, the underlying data paints an even better picture than his traditional statistics. His average exit velocity sits at 92.5 MPH, placing him in the top decile among major-league hitters. Among Twins hitters, only Byron Buxton owns a higher hard-hit rate than Clemens's impressive 44.2% mark. Overall, he's among the top quartile of big-league batters, generating 7 runs above average with his offensive production. He’s been playing his best baseball recently, too. Since the beginning of May, Clemens is hitting .270, with 17 extra-base hits across 30 games. His OPS during that stretch sits at an excellent .857, and his 135 wRC+ indicates he's been 35 percent better than average offensively. As a result, he's worked his way into the No. 3 spot in Minnesota's batting order. But what's made Clemens particularly valuable isn't just the bat. He's also shown significant defensive versatility. While first base remains his primary position, the Twins have increasingly used him across the outfield over the last month. He's appeared in left field in seven games and right field in five games. More notably, he's even spent time in center field. With Byron Buxton dealing with various bumps and bruises recently, Clemens and James Outman were splitting center field opportunities. That's not something many would have predicted when the season began. He can also handle second base, giving Minnesota flexibility all over the diamond. And when he's on the field, he's been an above-average defender. The point here is simple: Clemens has been very good. He's been productive at the plate, he's been versatile in the field, and he's become one of the Twins' most valuable everyday players. Which is exactly why Minnesota should seriously consider trading him. At first glance, that might sound counterintuitive. Why would a struggling team move one of its better players? The answer comes down to timing. Clemens recently turned 30 years old. While he's having the best year of his career, the Twins appear unlikely to emerge as serious contenders in 2026. By the time Minnesota realistically expects to compete again, the odds are high that Clemens won't be producing at this level. That doesn't diminish what he's accomplished this year. It simply creates an opportunity. While Clemens probably wouldn't hit third for many contending teams, he absolutely fits the profile of a player contenders seek at the trade deadline. He's a left-handed power hitter who can play multiple infield spots, he can move around the outfield, and he's producing offensively. He doesn't just hit the ball hard. he lifts it enough to do damage, as evidenced by his .626 slugging average on contact (SLGCON). Those players tend to attract interest. While several teams could use someone with Clemens’s skill set, a couple stand out in my mind: the Padres and Diamondbacks. Not coincidentally, both teams reside in the NL West and currently find themselves chasing the Dodgers in the division race. They're in similar positions, trying to close the gap and/or hold onto position in the Wild Card chase while addressing roster weaknesses ahead of the trade deadline. Both lineups lean heavily right-handed. Neither has gotten a significant amount of extra-base production from the bottom half of its order, and both clubs could benefit from an upgrade in left field while also utilizing Clemens's versatility on the infield dirt. It's easy to envision him fitting into either roster. That doesn't mean the Twins should expect a massive return package. Clemens is having a career season, but he's also a 30-year-old player without an extensive track record of this level of production. Teams generally aren't surrendering elite prospects for that profile. A top-100 prospect return feels unrealistic. At the same time, Clemens has more value than a typical rental player. He still has two additional years of team control after this season; he won't reach free agency until the end of the 2028 season. That extra control gives acquiring teams multiple years to benefit from his production, rather than a few months. That should meaningfully increase his trade value. He should command at least what the Twins got for Willi Castro last summer, and Castro netted them a solid pitching prospect. If Minnesota were sitting atop the division standings and positioning itself for a playoff run, the conversation would be different. In that scenario, Clemens is exactly the type of versatile contributor you'd want to keep around for October. But that's not where the Twins are. Instead, they're a team that needs to maximize assets wherever possible, and right now, Kody Clemens may represent one of their best opportunities to do exactly that. He's playing the best baseball of his career, his value is likely at its highest point, and contenders around the league have clear reasons to be interested. Sometimes the smartest move isn't holding onto a breakout player; it's recognizing the perfect time to strike while the iron is hot. View the full article

Finding playing time in the majors is all about demonstrating strengths. Teams don't play anyone because of their relative lack of weaknesses. Although it doesn't feel like a game as given to positional distribution of responsibility as football or soccer are, baseball has that same ethos. Not everyone should be the star. Not everyone has to do everything well. But you play when you show a team that you do something well. Are you slow-footed and weak-armed, but a great hitter? They'll find a place for you at first base or designated hitter, batting near the top of the order. A sure-handed and nimble fielder with a paucity of power? You can just bat eighth. You have to take your turns contributing to run creation, but they give you fewer of them. You make most of your contributions by keeping runs off the board for the opponents. There's a phrase for a guy without a carrying tool—without any trait on which to hang their hat: organizational depth. It sounds harsh, but the realities of baseball are just that way. If you find a way to concretely help the team (even if it be something that doesn't feel concrete on the outside, like boosting clubhouse vibes or calming a panicking pitcher), you can stay. If you can't, sooner or later, you get the boot. That boot is swinging back and taking aim at Sal Frelick right now. Yes, the left side of the Brewers infield has been lousy, but David Hamilton's speed and versatility are signature skills. Joey Ortiz's defense gives Pat Murphy a good reason to put his name on the lineup card. Even Luis Rengifo and Blake Perkins, with their blend of high baseball IQ, the capacity to switch-hit, and bursts of defensive brilliance, have roles you can describe to a fellow fan to justify their inclusion on the team, however shakily. At this moment, it's hard to make that case for Frelick. According to Statcast, this is the hardest catch Frelick has made in right field all season. OTdQeVZfWGw0TUFRPT1fQVFRRUIxUldWZ0VBV2xBQ1ZRQUhWd05SQUFNRVZGZ0FDd0FOQndZQkNGZFVBbEZX.mp4 You can probably quibble with that, and point to one or two other near-highlight plays, but undeniably, Frelick has been worse in the field this season. He's not actively hurting the team's run prevention (much) by being out there, but nor is he helping. That's a problem, because as a right fielder, he carries little positional value. To bolster run prevention, he has to show great range and/or great arm utility; he hasn't shown either this year. Worse, he's not doing anything to augment the team's offense. Thankfully, they haven't needed much from him, but Frelick's .223/.297/.310 line remains dreadful. He's making tons of contact, but producing no actual value on it. Of the 230 batters with at least 154 plate appearances this season, only seven have a worse slugging average on contact (SLGCON) than Frelick's .351, according to Baseball Prospectus. His control of the strike zone is good, but not great, and not good enough to put him on base as often as he needs to be in order to use his plus speed. Nor is any of that fluky. Frelick doesn't consistently hit the ball hard or get it in the air. His expected weighted on-base average is back down to .283, where it was in 2024, after ticking up to .299 in 2025. He significantly outperformed that xwOBA last season, too, but isn't doing it this year, thanks to no longer having the knack for the line-drive single to right-center field. Rengifo and Ortiz each have a worse SLGCON than does Frelick. Hamilton doesn't control the zone as well. All of them can do something that clearly makes the Brewers better in one facet, though. Over two months into the 2026 season, Frelick has shown little sign that the same is true of him. His playing time might not face as obvious a threat as the one prospects Jett Williams and Cooper Pratt pose to Ortiz, Hamilton and Rengifo, but Frelick would be the easiest player to justify benching or optioning to the minors right now. Nothing looks right, and he's not positively impacting the team on either side of the ledger. View the full article

It wasn't so long ago that the vibes around the Chicago Cubs felt immaculate. Fresh off an offseason that had them signing a notable bat in Alex Bregman, acquiring a closer-to-frontline-than-the-rest-of-their-rotation arm in Edward Cabrera, and leaning more heavily on established arms for the bullpen than reclamation projects, the thought was that their busy winter would yield benefits in the National League contention picture. The buzz was so palpable that MLB.com's Thomas Harrigan asked the following question after the release of Baseball Prospectus' PECOTA projections: Just how large is the Cubs’ edge in the NL Central? Such a line of questioning seemed warranted upon PECOTA's release, which had the Cubs atop the National League Central with 90.5 projected wins. That was exactly 10 better than the Brewers' 80.5-win projection and carried with it a nice 69.0% chance of winning the division and a robust 95.7% chance of reaching the postseason. That same energy carried over to FanGraphs upon their own release. While not quite as bullish on the percentages, FanGraphs had the Cubs at a 35.6% chance of winning their division on March 23. That was more than 10 percentage points better than Milwaukee's 24.3% odds. The gap was even wider in the general postseason odds, with the Cubs checking in at 53.9% and the Brewers at just 41.7%. Then came the Cubs' strong start. On May 7, the Cubs' chance of winning the division reached 63.4%, while their playoff odds topped out at 91.2%. The former figure trounced the Brewers' mere 12.4% odds, while the latter was up on their division rivals by roughly 40 points (50.8%). Since that point in the calendar, the Cubs have won just eight times while losing 20, with a 10-game losing skid baked into the middle of all that. It's done a number on their odds of both winning the division: And reaching the playoffs at all: The first visual comes as little surprise; the Cubs' struggles (in conjunction with the rapid ascent of the Brewers) has created a significant gap between the two sides in the standings. At this point, the 7.5-game gap not only has the Cubs in fourth, but may also be too much to overcome, given the teams' respective projections for the remainder of the year. That the Cubs' odds are looking so grim in a more general NL context speaks to the overall magnitude of their recent struggles. Since May 8, only the San Diego Padres have scored fewer runs than the Cubs' 95 and no team has demonstrated less on the power side than their .121 ISO. While that's happening, their staff ERA (4.93) is one of the league's five worst, with a home-run rate on fly balls (17.7%) that easily leads the league. Given that, it's not as if the waning optimism surrounding the Cubs' playoff odds is limited to FanGraphs. PECOTA may not have the Cubs following these struggles through to a massive decline in wins in their current projections (87.4), but the odds are not in their favor. They're currently looking at division odds that have shrunk to a mere 25.8% and playoff odds that are resting at 78.5%. It's not an unsurmountable deficit to overcome, according to these data, but it does speak to just how much these recent woes have impacted them in their postseason outlook. Whether that will or can change given the team's current roster construction and injury situation remains to be seen. But even at this point in early June, a swoon like the one the Cubs are on has massive ramifications for later on. Even if it still feels kind of early to be worried, it isn't. View the full article

Needing a roster spot for the recently acquired Joel Kuhnel, the Milwaukee Brewers on Monday optioned right-handed reliever Craig Yoho to Triple-A Nashville. Kuhnel was acquired Saturday in a cash trade with the A's, who had designated him for assignment Friday. The Brewers open a three-game series against the A's in Las Vegas on Monday. Yoho was called up along with left-hander Brian Fitzpatrick on Friday as the Brewers placed left-hander DL Hall on the 15-day injured list and designated right-hander Jake Woodford for assignment. That night, Fitzpatrick sustained a sprained UCL and himself went on the 15-day IL, with left-hander Drew Rom being called up. Yoho appeared in games Friday and Sunday against the Colorado Rockies, going three innings, allowing a solo homer with two walks and five strikeouts. He was the choice to send down as the Brewers needed Rom, a lefty, in the bullpen. View the full article

Last Wednesday night at Citizens Bank Park, Cristopher Sánchez earned the kind of standing ovation a pitcher rarely receives after allowing a run. His streak of 50⅔ scoreless innings—the fifth-longest in MLB history—had come to an end, and Philadelphia thanked him with a full minute of applause. A beautiful moment. But there was another story unfolding that night, and it belonged to the pitcher who shut down the Phillies from the Padres’ mound. Walker Buehler delivered six strong innings. A performance that, twelve months ago, would have seemed almost impossible. Buehler arrived in San Diego after two seasons that tested the patience of anyone who still believed in him. In 2024, with the Red Sox, his overall Run Value fell into the 2nd percentile. His fastball produced negative value, opponents posted a .424 xwOBA against him, and they slugged .583. He was a pitcher who had survived two Tommy John surgeries but still hadn’t figured out how to be himself again on a major-league mound. What Statcast shows in 2026 tells an entirely different story. Percentile Rankings — Walker Buehler Metric 2024 2025 2026 Pitching Run Value 2 13 83 Fastball Run Value 6 19 98 Breaking Ball Run Value 1 12 83 xERA 18 6 29 The number that jumps off the page is that fastball Run Value in the 98th percentile. Not because the pitch is faster; in fact, Buehler is averaging 92.4 mph this season, virtually identical to 2025. Rather, it's because he’s dominating in a completely different way: location, timing, and situational usage. A 92-mph fastball ranking in the 98th percentile for value generated is the signature of a pitcher who knows exactly how and when to throw it. The contact-quality results back it up. Hitters are doing far less damage when they make contact. Year-to-Year Changes — Contact Quality Against Metric 2024 2025 2026 Change (25-26) Opponent SLG .506 .437 .348 −.089 Opponent wOBA .370 .348 .300 −.048 Opponent xwOBA .336 .355 .337 −.018 Barrel Rate (%) 7 9.5 8.1 −1.4 Hard-Hit Rate (%) 37.8 37.8 40.7 2.9 Average Exit Velocity (mph) 88.3 87.9 90.4 2.5 There’s an apparent contradiction in those numbers that deserves attention. His average exit velocity and Hard-Hit% have both ticked upward, yet the slugging percentage and wOBA have dropped significantly. What that tells us is that Buehler is allowing hard contact in less damaging situations (bases empty, two outs, and counts where the damage can be managed). And there’s another trend supporting that conclusion: Buehler’s remarkable adjustment in finishing hitters off once he gets to two strikes. The league has hit just .114 against him in those situations, while producing the lowest Barrel/BBE rate (3.1%) of his career. Opponents’ xSLG in two-strike counts has fallen from .328 during his final season with the Dodgers in 2024 to just .236 this year. Part of that improvement has come through broader adjustments across his game. His command has improved dramatically. His walk rate has dropped from 10.6% in 2025 to 8.2% in 2026, while his strikeout rate has climbed from 16.3% to 20.1%. Fewer walks and more strikeouts is exactly the combination his arsenal needed to become consistently effective again. Plate Discipline — Buehler 2026 vs. Career Metric 2024 2025 2026 Career Average K% 18.6 16.3 20.1 24.1 BB% 8.1 10.6 8.2 7.3 First-Pitch Strike Rate (%) 60.5 63.5 66.8 64 Chase Rate (%) 24.5 25.8 27.9 29.2 Whiff Rate (%) 19.4 19.2 19.7 24.3 That 66.8% first-pitch strike rate is the highest of his recent career and reflects a pitcher attacking hitters from pitch one. His 27.9% Chase Rate still sits below his career norm, which suggests there may be even more room for growth. But the trend is unmistakable, and it’s moving in the right direction. What makes all of this particularly significant is where he started. Going from the 2nd percentile to the 83rd percentile in overall Run Value over two years isn’t simply a minor adjustment. It’s a complete reconstruction, carried out quietly, far from the spotlight that follows Los Angeles, in a city and an organization willing to bet on him when few others would. View the full article

Twins System Recap: Marek Houston and Riley Quick both had big weekends for the Kernels, even with Cedar Rapids being rained out on Sunday. Also, the unlikely bash brother duo of Kyler Fedko and Aaron Sabato continued to slug, Merit Jones stayed rolling for Fort Myers, and Wichita embraced a new identity. View the full article

Opting for a bat over a full bullpen for at least a day, the Boston Red Sox have called up outfielder Nate Eaton from Triple-A Worcester on Monday. To make room, recently acquired left-handed reliever Joe La Sorsa was optioned to Triple-A. The Red Sox open a three-game road series against the Tampa Bay Rays on Monday. Eaton, who has 113 games of MLB experience with the Red Sox and Kansas City Royals, is in the majors for the first time this season. At Worcester, the right-handed hitter was slashing .283/.348/.450 with five homers, 22 RBIs and eight steals in 48 games. He has a career MLB slash line of .233/.293/.317 with two homers, 17 RBIs and 23 steals. In 41 games with the Red Sox last year, he had a .296/.348/.383 slash line, hitting a homer, driving in four and stealing nine bases. La Sorsa was acquired last week from the Pittsburgh Pirates after exercising an upward mobility clause in his contract. He appeared in just one game, Sunday's 6-1 loss to the New York Yankees, giving up a three-run homer to Jazz Chisholm Jr. before recording the final out of the eighth inning. A move regarding the pitching staff is likely before Wednesday as the Red Sox have yet to announce a starting pitcher for that game. View the full article

Matt Shaw is ready to return to Chicago, according to ESPN reporter Jesse Rogers: Shaw, nursing a sore back, will replace Kevin Alcantara on the big league roster. Currently, Shaw is hitting .242 with a .297 OBP in part-time work for the Cubs. In four rehab games, he hit .286 with a .375 OBP and zero home runs. Shaw will look to give struggling regulars like Alex Bregman, Nico Hoerner, and Dansby Swanson some rest as well as logging time in the outfield, where he played some in his brief rehab stint. Alcantara played sparingly in his 17 games in Chicago, and his baserunning gaffe late in Sunday's game likely was the last straw for manager Craig Counsell. He'll take a .111 batting average with him and look to further develop in Iowa, where he'll have consistent playing time. View the full article

Chicago Cubs Minor League Report - June 8 Affiliate Overview Triple-A Iowa Cubs Series vs. Toledo Mud Hens (Detroit Tigers): Mud Hens win, 4-1 Season Record: 25–36 Double-A Knoxville Smokies Series at Birmingham Barons (Chicago White Sox): Smokies win, 4-2 Season Record: 30–26 High-A South Bend Cubs Series at Quad Cities River Bandits (Kansas City Royals): Cubs win, 4-2 Season Record: 34–19 Single-A Myrtle Beach Pelicans Series at Charleston RiverDogs (Tampa Bay Rays): RiverDogs win, 6-0 Season Record: 21–34 Affiliate Highlights Triple-A: Iowa Cubs Season Record: 25–36 Series Opponent: Toledo Mud Hens (30–32) Series Standing: Lose, 4-1 June 7: The Iowa Cubs had their series finale with the Toledo Mud Hens on Sunday canceled due to inclement weather. The Cubs will be back in action on Tuesday at Louisville. Double-A: Knoxville Smokies Season Record: 30–26 Series Opponent: Birmingham Barons (21–35) Series Standing: Win, 4-2 June 7: The Knoxville Smokies earned a series win with a 7-4 victory over the Birmingham Barons on Sunday, extending their winning streak to four games. Hayden Cantrelle’s (1-for-3) two-run double in the second got the Smokies on the board first but the Barons responded with three in the third to take the lead. Jefferson Rojas (2-for-4) put Knoxville back in front with a two-run shot, his third homer in his last two games. The Smokies added two more in the sixth through an RBI-single from Carter Trice (1-for-3) and an RBI-groundout from Karson Simas (0-for-4) to make it 6-3. The two sides traded their final runs of the contest in the seventh, with the Smokies earning their tally on an Owen Ayers (2-for-4) RBI-single. Brooks Caple earned the win in the start to improve to 2-0 on the season. Caple tossed five innings of three-run ball, allowing five hits to go along with seven strikeouts with no walks issued. Vince Reilly converted his fifth save of the campaign with two shutout frames to close the ballgame, allowing just one hit to go along with one strikeout and one walk. High-A: South Bend Cubs Season Record: 34–19 Series Opponent: Quad Cities River Bandits (24–30) Series Standing: Win, 4-2 June 7: The South Bend Cubs had their series finale at the Quad Cities River Bandits canceled due to rain. The Cubs will be back in action on Tuesday when they host the Peoria Chiefs. Single-A: Myrtle Beach Pelicans Season Record: 21–34 Series Opponent: Charleston RiverDogs (32–25) Series Standing: Lose, 6-0 June 7: The Myrtle Beach Pelicans dropped their seventh-straight contest as they were swept by the Charleston RiverDogs following a 5-4 defeat on Sunday. Both teams went scoreless through the first five innings, with Pelicans starter Pierce Coppola working all five of those frames. Coppola, who took no decision on the mound, allowed just one hit and whiffed five batters while allowing just one walk. The RiverDogs would break the deadlock in the sixth with a pair of runs but Myrtle Beach stormed back to take the lead with three runs in the seventh. The Pelicans tallied their first run of the frame on an error before Eli Lovich (1-for-4) drove in a pair with a double. Charleston would go back in front after the stretch with two runs to make it 4-3. Jairo Diaz (2-for-4) knotted the contest at 4-4 but Myrtle Beach again could not turn in a shutdown inning as the RiverDogs went back in front with a run in the home half of the frame. The Pelicans would put runners on first and second in their final chance of the game but could not push the tying run across. View the full article

The non-linearity of player development is especially important to remember for someone like Brandon Winokur. Had he honored a college commitment instead of signing professionally, the former high school standout would have only become draft-eligible this summer. Instead, he has already spent parts of four seasons in professional baseball, learning how to transform tremendous athletic gifts into on-field performance. The Twins believed in that upside when they selected Winokur in the third round of the 2023 MLB Draft. Standing 6-foot-6 and playing shortstop, he was one of the most uncommon athletes available that year. Scouts saw flashes of five-tool ability, but questions surrounding his hit tool and signability caused some organizations to look elsewhere. Minnesota was willing to bet on the upside, signing him for a $1.5 million bonus that reflected the confidence typically reserved for a second-round pick. Since entering the organization, Winokur has shown both why evaluators were intrigued and why he remains a work in progress. His first two full professional seasons featured stretches of exciting production mixed with understandable growing pains. The numbers did not always jump off the page, but the underlying tools consistently did. Last season with High-A Cedar Rapids, Winokur showcased the rare power-speed combination that makes him such an intriguing prospect. He tied for the Midwest League lead with 17 home runs while stealing 26 bases, giving a glimpse of the impact player he could become. Power has never been the question. Winokur possesses some of the best raw power in the Twins farm system. The challenge has been accessing it consistently during games. Earlier in his professional career, his swing path often kept him from consistently finding the barrel, resulting in weakly hit balls to the opposite field or ground balls pulled to the left. The focus has been on making mechanical adjustments that allow his natural strength to translate into more authoritative contact. The results are beginning to show. Through 54 games this season, Winokur owns a .268/.389/.444 slash line with 10 doubles, two triples, and seven home runs. Perhaps even more encouraging is the growth in his approach. After posting an 8.3% walk rate across his first two full seasons, that number has climbed to 14.6% in 2026. His strikeout rate remains elevated, at 30.0%, the highest mark he has posted since rookie ball, but the tradeoff is leading to better overall offensive production. Last season, Winokur produced a 98 wRC+ with Cedar Rapids, essentially league-average offense. This year, that figure has jumped to 119. His batting average has climbed more than 40 points after hitting .226 across 122 games in 2025. Advanced metrics paint a similarly encouraging picture, with his wOBA rising from .327 to .389. Much of that improvement stems from the quality of contact he is generating. His line-drive rate has increased dramatically from 19.4% a season ago to 30.9% this year. Instead of relying solely on flashes of athleticism, Winokur is making more consistent hard contact and forcing opposing pitchers to work around him. His slugging average on contact (SLGCON), which is a solid indicator of how a young player's power is playing overall, is up from .536 last season to .698. The athleticism remains a major part of his profile, as well. When Minnesota drafted him, many evaluators assumed his size would eventually push him off shortstop. His combination of agility and athleticism has allowed him to spend far more time at the position than initially expected. This season, however, the organization has started increasing his workload elsewhere. He has made 24 starts at third base, 12 at shortstop, and another 18 in center field. That defensive versatility only adds to his value. His plus arm fits naturally at third base, while his speed allows him to cover significant ground in the outfield. As he continues adding strength to his frame, it would not be surprising to see more of his future defensive opportunities come at third base and in the outfield, rather than at shortstop. The biggest takeaway from Winokur's 2026 season is that progress is becoming visible. He's controlling the strike zone better, driving the ball with more authority, and producing more consistently than he did a year ago. The Twins have always believed there was significant upside hiding beneath the rawness, and this season has provided some of the strongest evidence yet that their evaluation was correct. That progress was recognized recently when Winokur earned Cedar Rapids Kernels Player of the Month honors for May. He led the club and ranked second in the Midwest League with 33 hits during the month, while batting .333 with four home runs, four doubles, and 17 RBI. There's still work to be done. The strikeouts need to come down, and continued offensive refinement will determine whether he reaches his ceiling. However, it is important to remember that Winokur will spend the entire 2026 season as a 21-year-old. Increasingly, the minor leagues have been compressed, and expectations of prospects' development have been accelerated. Sometimes, that distorts perceptions of players who are taking a perfectly normal amount of time to blossom. Winokur doesn't even have to be added to the 40-man roster to be shielded from the Rule 5 Draft until next November. For a player who wouldn’t have entered the professional ranks yet had he chosen the college route, the development is arriving right on time. More importantly for the Twins, Winokur is beginning to look a lot like the player they envisioned when they made one of the most ambitious bets of the 2023 draft. What stands out about Winokur in 2026? Leave a comment and start the discussion. View the full article

Abner Uribe is one of the most dynamic closers in baseball, and this lightning rod of energy belongs to the Milwaukee Brewers’ pitching staff. Whether it’s his electric sinker or the mannerisms that follow a key out, this is someone who has the baseball world’s attention. But if you look into his advanced analytics, you’ll find something even more notable. Background Uribe is a 25-year-old, hard-throwing right-handed pitcher who is originally from the Dominican Republic. The Brewers’ reliever has now appeared in four major-league seasons, with 142 2/3 innings and 166 strikeouts. He’s not only been quite productive, but dominant, with a 2.21 ERA since the start of 2025. Last season, the Brewers utilized him practically every other night, and he proved to be one of the most impactful hurlers in the game. Strengths In 2026, you need to throw hard. There are a few finesse-driven success stories out there, but the name of the game—especially for relievers—is having top-end velocity that speeds up the clock of a hitter and makes their job that much more difficult. The flame-throwing closer passes that test with flying colors, as he clocks in with an average fastball velocity of 98.3 miles per hour. While harder-thrown pitches can come right back and have more zip on them when they come off the bat, Uribe has been an expert at avoiding quality contact. His 3.2% barrel rate is one of the best in the game, directly correlating to a 33.3% hard-hit percentage. Above all else, this is someone who can consistently force opposing hitters to beat the ball into the ground. Look no further than his 49.2% ground ball rate, a mark well above average. Pitch Mix Unlike starting pitchers, the quality of pitches really outweighs the variance of a relief pitcher’s arsenal. In Uribe’s case, his bread and butter has been a 1-2 punch that has worked for the last four seasons. His sinker, which he utilizes 65% of the time, can saw off the swing of opposing right-handed hitters or run away from lefties. Uribe’s slider, which he uses on 35% of pitches, couldn’t be more stark in its differences from the sinker. Not only does it buzz in at 86.6 mph, almost a 12-mph difference, but it bites glove-side. Opposing batters are hitting just .200 against it through the first third of the season. Weakness One fallback to lock in on is the righty’s wavering command. While both of his options can bend between 12-18 inches in opposite directions, his 9.5% walk rate is worse than average. He’s relying more on the sinker now than in years past, as it's faring better (.236 BAA vs. .248 BAA last year), but if one of his pitches isn’t on, he’s essentially pigeon-holed between sticking it out or pivoting to his only other option. There is also, of course, the constant question of how well Uribe is controlling himself emotionally. It takes a certain poise to win in key, late-game moments, and he hasn't always demonstrated that mental toughness. Outlook Uribe isn't and won't be the team's sole closer any time soon. He's sharing that role with Trevor Megill, and indeed, Megill is getting more of the save chances lately. However, because of that ability to induce weak and ground-ball contact (as well as racking up the punchouts), Uribe is very much a co-relief ace for the Brewers, and one of the best righty relievers in the National League. View the full article

San Diego Padres Weekly Snapshot Record last week: 1-5 Runs scored last week: 14 Runs allowed last week: 26 (season run differential: minus-18) Standings Scores Monday: No game Game 59 (Tuesday): Phillies 3, Padres 2 Game 60 (Wednesday): Phillies 3, Padres 2 Game 61 (Thursday): Phillies 6, Padres 4 Game 62 (Friday): Mets 5, Padres 0 Game 63 (Saturday): Padres 3, Mets 2 Game 64 (Sunday): Mets 7, Padres 3 Week in Review and Highlights Phillies series Game 1: You get a sense of where you really stand when you play teams you think are on your level. For the Padres, facing the Philadelphia Phillies for six games over a 10-day span has not been a battle of equals. The Padres lost for the fourth time in as many games to the Phillies, dropping a 3-2 decision in a game in which the Friars got another decent starting pitching performance, only to be outdone by an opponent's starter. Padres right-handed starter Randy Vasquez bounced back from two subpar performances to go five innings and give up two runs on five hits and a walk with three strikeouts. The runs he surrendered were courtesy of Bryce Harper's two-run homer in the fourth inning that tied the game. But again, the Padres had trouble denting the scoreboard. Having called up outfielder Jase Bowen before the game to make his MLB debut as left fielder Ramon Laureano hit the injured list with with hip inflammation, the Padres struck for a pair of runs in the third inning. Fernando Tatis Jr. singled with two outs and Gavin Sheets, one of the few offensive positives thus far, smashed a two-run homer for his 10th of the season, matching Manny Machado for the team lead. But that would be the extent of the Padres' scoring against Phillies right-handed starter Aaron Nola and four relievers. Nola struck out eight over five innings and the Phillies' version of a lockdown closer, Jhoan Duran, punched out three in earning his 13th save. The Phillies grabbed the lead on a run-scoring double play. The Padres got runners on in the seventh and eighth innings, including Bowen's first MLB hit in the seventh that put runners on the corners, but couldn't push across the tying run. Game 2: Different day, same score, same result. While the Padres brought a pitcher's lengthy shutout streak to an end, a roster shakeup couldn't wake up the offense. On the day the Padres designated Nick Castellanos for assignment, they did manage to score a run of Phillies left-handed ace Cristopher Sanchez, but fell 3-2. It was the second four-game losing streak for the Friars in their last nine games. Four games is their longest skid this year. Sanchez entered the game having not allowed a run in 44⅔ innings and added six more to move up to fifth all time, the last 13 of which came against the Padres after he threw seven shutout last week at Petco Park. He did finish seven innings again, striking out eight and allowing just four hits. The positives for the Padres are that they finally ended the scoreless streak by last year's NL Cy Young Award runner-up. That came in the seventh as, with two outs, Ty France doubled to left and Jackson Merrill bounced a hard grounder through the left side of the infield and into left field. France chugged home from second and scored without a play as the throw was off the mark and took multiple hops before reaching the catcher. That snapped Sanchez's streak at 50⅔ innings (only completed innings count, which is why it isn't 51⅓), and tied the game 1-1. It was the first run Sanchez had allowed since April 30. But the Phillies scored twice in the bottom of the seventh on solo homers by J.T. Realmuto and Kyle Schwarber, the MLB leader with 23, against right-hander Jason Adam. The Padres fought back in the eighth as Tatis and Miguel Andujar singled with one out, Sheets walked after Machado struck out to load the bases and Xander Bogaerts was hit by a pitch to force in a run to bring it to 3-2. France, however, hit an inning-ending grounder. The Padres were able to rally and make it close thanks to right-handed starter Walker Buehler, who was allowed to finish six innings for just the second time as a Friar. He gave up four hits and a run, while walking two and punching out six, including Schwarber twice. Duran pitched a perfect ninth for his second save in as many games and 14th of the season. Game 3: Following their season-worst fifth loss in a row and ninth loss in 10 games, a 6-4 decision that completed a sweep by the Phillies, Machado had this to say: “I don’t think it can get worse.” Well, it could, but point taken. The offense has been miserable and the pitching hasn't been as expected. On this day, the defense chipped into the downfall. An aspect of the game in which the Friars are one of of MLB's best committed two miscues, one by a reliever and the other by catcher Freddy Fermin. Right-handed starter Lucas Giolito lasted just four innings (74 pitches), allowing three runs (two earned) on six hits with five strikeouts. The Padres were kept in by right-handed starter Zach Wheeler, who took a no-hitter into the sixth inning and had a 3-0 lead before giving up a two-run bomb by Machado in the top of the seventh. Wheeler struck out eight and the Friars only managed only two hits. Just when it seemed like Machado might give the Padres a chance, left-handed reliever Adrian Morejon diminished that hope by giving up three runs in the bottom of the seventh. Some of the late-inning magic was back as Merrill hit a two-run homer with no outs in the top of the ninth, but the next three batters were retired to finish off the sweep. The Padres finished the road trip 1-5 and now head home to face the New York Mets, who are struggling themselves. Mets series Game 1: After facing perhaps the hottest team in the NL East, the Padres welcomed the worst team in that division as their stretch of 12 consecutive games against the East hit its final leg. The bad news is the Friars' fortunes didn't change. On a day one of their position players was possibly lost for the season and a key reliever went on the injured list, the Padres couldn't do anything offensively, mustering a mere three hits in a 5-0 loss to the New York Mets, the Friars' six consecutive loss, a season worst, and their 10th in 11 games. Right-handed starter Christian Scott, who began the season in the minors, blanked the Padres through 5⅔ innings, giving up all three hits with two walks and three strikeouts. Tatis had a leadoff single in the fifth, France started the second with a single and Machado finished Scott's day with a sixth-inning single. Rodolfo Duran drew both walks and was the only Padre to reach second base. That was it. Padres right-handed starter Michael King was off just a bit. He went six innings and gave up four runs and six his, walking none and striking out four. But King gave up a pair of homers to some lesser-known Mets in Jared Young and Luis Torrens and an RBI triple by Bo Bichette. Right-hander David Morgan returned from the minors with two shutout innings. Superstar closer Mason Miller, pitching for the first time in a week, was only able to get two outs and gave up his fourth run of the season on A.J. Ewing's single and two stolen bases, then an RBI single by Brett Baty. It capped a day in which Laureano had hip surgery, with his return this year in doubt, while right-handed reliever Jeremiah Estrada went on the 15-day injured list with inflammation in his right knee. Game 2: Sometimes you just need that little bounce. When Tatis' third-inning single nutmegged the pitcher and caromed off second base into shallow right field for an RBI single, you had to think the tide, at least for this day, was going the Padres' way. And it did. Getting an unlikely go-ahead home run from the slumping Fermin, the Padres eeked out a 3-2 victory over the Mets, snapping their six-game skid, the longest of the season. Could it be a sign of better things to come? Only the upcoming games will tell that story. But for this Saturday night, there was a little hint of that Padres magic that marked their April performance. There were only five hits from the Friars and they came from three players (Tatis had two, Sung-Mun Song had two and Fermin the other), so there is still work to do there. But a win is a win. Tatis' third-inning single brought in Song from second and tied the game. The Mets took a 2-1 lead in the top of the seventh on a Marcus Semien leadoff homer. After being held down for six innings by Mets rookie right-handed starter Nolan McLean, the Padres were on the verge of another scoreless inning in the bottom of the seventh against right-handed reliever Austin Warren, who retired the first two hitters. Song reached on a soft single that was deflected by Warren, then Fermin and his 0-for-30 slump came to the plate. He had just four extra-base hits and no homers, but changed that when he jumped on a 94.4 mph first-pitch sinker and launched it into the left-center field bleachers for a game-changing two-run homer. It also helped turn a nice pitching performance into a victory. Right-hander Griffin Canning turned in his best effort since his season debut May 3. He limited the Mets to three hits over five innings, allowing one run with two walks and six punchouts. He overcame a 29-pitch second inning by facing the minimum in three innings. Morejon pitched a scoreless sixth, then Bradgley Rodriguez gave up Semien's seventh-inning blast and Adam overcome a pair of eighth-inning hits to put up a zero. That left the fate of the losing streak in Miller's hands. Pitching for the first time in a week, Miller withstood a two-out walk to notch his 18th save in as many chances. Game 3: While you could have considered this a soft spot in the schedule for the Padres and a chance to get things back on the right track, that turned out to not be the case. The Mets, the last-place team in the NL East, came into Petco Park and took two of three from the Padres following a 7-3 victory n the finale. The Mets were the first of four consecutive teams that are currently below .500 the Padres will face. While there were signs of life from the offense, the pitching was the bigger letdown Sunday. Right-handed starter Randy Vasquez lasted just four-plus innings and gave up four runs on eight hits, including a homer, with a pair of walks and three strikeouts. He through 75 pitches, with 49 strikes. Vasquez was lifted after giving up three singles and a walk to begin the fifth inning, which led to two more runs and a 4-0 Mets lead. The Padres did get on the board in the bottom of the fifth. Samad Taylor, a Corona native who was called up to replace Castellanos and had family see him playing for the first time in person as he made his first Petco Park start, had a one-out single, which was followed by Fermin's second homer of the season. But the Mets got those two runs back in the top of the sixth and added another in the eighth before the Padres put up a brief rally in the ninth, getting an RBI double from Fermin. Fermin has three of his seven extra-base hits this season in his last two games. There was an injury to keep an eye on. Andujar was removed in the seventh inning, an out after singling, with a hamstring injury. The hope is that it recovers in the next day or two and won't necessitate going on the injured list. The six-game homestand continues against the Cincinnati Reds, before heading out for a nine-game road trip beginning with the Baltimore Orioles. Marvelous Mason Miller Some of the amazing stats for the Padres' closer: Season stats: 1-1, 1.01 ERA, 26 games, 18 saves (18 chances), 26⅔ IP, 12 H, 4 R, 3 ER, 12 BB, 51 K, .132 opponent average Named NL Reliever of the Month for May, the third straight month he has reaped the honor. He has been a Padre for four months of the last two regular seasons. Hall of Famer Trevor Hoffman is the only other Friar to win the award three times. Went 7-for-7 in save opportunities in May, striking out 20 over 9⅔ innings. With his lone strikeout Friday, he became the first Padres pitcher to strike out 50 within his first 100 batters of the season. Miller and Josh Hader are the only pitchers in MLB history to do this multiple times. Has allowed a run in two of his last five outings and in just three of his 26 appearances. Has not given up an extra-base hit in his last 46 appearances, the second-longest streak behind Alan Embree's 47. Random Stats From June 1, 2024, to June 1 this year (Monday), the Padres have the third-best record in MLB at 184-138 (.571). Only the Los Angeles Dodgers (.594) and Milwaukee Brewers (.593) have a better winning percentage. In his start Wednesday, Walker Buehler reached 97 mph on his four-seam fastball for the first time this season and averaged more than 95 mph on that pitch for the first time since June 2025. The six-game season sweep at the hands of the Phillies was the first of at least that length for the Friars since 2005, when the Phillies also took six games. Manny Machado's two-run homer Thursday was his 800th career extra-base hit, one of seven active players to reach that mark. Machado is slashing just .169/.254/.342 with 60 strikeouts in 62 games, a 23.3% strikeout rate. His career mark is 17.7%. He has walked 10.3%, up from his 8.3% career mark. Fernando Tatis Jr. walked and singled in five plate appearances Sunday. He has now reached base in 33 of his last 77 plate appearances, with multi-hit performances in seven of his last 13 games. The Padres had not lost any of their last four series vs. the Mets, winning three and splitting the other, before dropping this one. Transactions Monday: Signed free-agent RHP Jesus Heredia to a minor-league contract. Tuesday: Transferred RHP Nick Pivetta (right elbow inflammation) from the 15-day injured list to the 60-day injured list. Tuesday: Placed LF Ramón Laureano on the 10-day injured list retroactive to Sunday with right hip inflammation. Tuesday: Selected the contract of CF Jase Bowen from Triple-A El Paso. Wednesday: Designated RF Nick Castellanos for assignment. Wednesday: Selected the contract of IF-OF Samad Taylor from Triple-A El Paso. Wednesday: Signed free-agent OF Luis Sanchez to a minor-league contract. Friday: Transferred LF Ramón Laureano (right hip surgery) from the 10-day injured list to the 60-day injured list. Friday: Placed RHP Jeremiah Estrada on the 15-day injured list retroactive to Wednesday with right knee inflammation. Friday: Recalled RHP David Morgan from Triple-A El Paso. Friday: Activated RHP Jhony Brito from the 60-day injured list and optioned him to Triple-A El Paso. Friday: Released RF Nick Castellanos. Website Highlights Padres finally untangle themselves from Castellanos — Steve Drumwright Inside the emotional breakthrough of Tatis' first homer of 2026 — Taylor Leonard France is a reminder that baseball isn't one size fits all — N.B. Lindberg Tatis is opening new avenues for Padres with his play at second base — Tom Gatto Fermin trade has been a disaster for the Padres — Steve Drumwright Looking Ahead Monday: Reds (Andrew Abbott) at Padres (Walker Buehler), 6:40 p.m. Tuesday: Reds (Chase Burns) at Padres (Lucas Giolito), 6:40 p.m. Wednesday: Reds (Brady Singer) at Padres (Michael King), 1:10 p.m. Thursday: Off Friday: Padres at Orioles (Griffin Canning), 4:05 p.m. Saturday: Padres at Orioles (Randy Vasquez), 1:05 p.m. Sunday: Padres at Orioles (Walker Buehler), 10:35 a.m. View the full article

Once again in 2026, I will be monitoring Miami Marlins predictions from our valued SuperSubs, Fish On First staffers and livestream guests. Individual article pages like this one will be created prior to every Marlins series and featured prominently on the FOF site. Consistent participation is key if you want to win this annual contest. Submissions only take a few seconds. Scoring system A "perfect" series is worth three points: Earn one point for predicting which team will win the upcoming series Earn one point for predicting the precise number of victories for each team Earn one point for predicting the “Series MVP” who accumulated the highest win probability added (WPA) during the series as calculated by FanGraphs (could pick a player from either team) FOF SuperSub Nicholas Milton and FOF staffer Jeremiah Geiger are currently tied atop the 2026 season leaderboard, which will be updated between every Marlins series. If you are a SuperSub, leave a comment with your Prediction Time picks on this page, or join the Marlins Discord Server and submit there. We'll feature them on the upcoming Fish On First LIVE episode and track your points throughout the season! Any picks submitted prior to the first pitch of the series opener will be counted. If you are not a SuperSub, please consider signing up here to support the FOF staff. Series preview notes Probable starting pitchers: RHP Max Meyer (MIA) vs. RHP Zac Gallen (AZ) on Tuesday RHP Ryan Gusto (MIA) vs. RHP Ryne Nelson (AZ) on Wednesday TBA (MIA) vs. RHP Merrill Kelly (AZ) on Thursday The Marlins rank 20th in MLB with a 96 wRC+ and 12th in MLB with a 3.95 FIP. They are 5-5 in their last 10 games and have a 20-16 record at home this season. The following Marlins players are on the injured list: Griffin Conine (60-day IL), Josh Ekness (15-day IL), Ronny Henriquez (60-day IL), Janson Junk (15-day IL), Adam Mazur (60-day IL), Andrew Nardi (60-day IL), Eury Pérez (15-day IL) and Robby Snelling (60-day IL). The Diamondbacks rank 24th in MLB with a 93 wRC+ and 22nd in MLB with a 4.40 FIP. They are 3-7 in their last 10 games and have a 13-17 record on the road this season. The following Diamondbacks players are on the injured list: Corbin Burnes (60-day UL), Lourdes Gurriel Jr. (10-day IL), Jordan Lawlar (60-day IL), Justin Martinez (60-day IL), James McCann (10-day IL), Cristian Mena (60-day IL), A.J. Puk (60-day IL), Andrew Saalfrank (60-day IL), Carlos Santana (60-day IL) and Blake Walston (60-day IL). View the full article

Boston Red Sox Weekly Snapshot Record Last Week: 2-3 Runs Scored Last Week: 18 Runs Surrendered Last Week: 22 Standings: 5th in AL East 10.5 GB First Place Transactions: 06/03/26: Boston Red Sox recalled 2B Anthony Seigler from Worcester Red Sox. 06/03/26: Boston Red Sox signed free agent LHP Victor Aracena to a minor league contract. 06/03/26: Boston Red Sox placed 3B Nick Sogard on the 10-day injured list retroactive to May 31, 2026. Right oblique strain. 06/04/26: Boston Red Sox selected the contract of RHP Tommy Kahnle from Worcester Red Sox. 06/04/26: Pittsburgh Pirates traded LHP Joe La Sorsa to Boston Red Sox. 06/04/26: Boston Red Sox optioned LHP Tyler Samaniego to Worcester Red Sox. 06/04/26: Boston Red Sox transferred SS Trevor Story from the 10-day injured list to the 60-day injured list. Sports hernia. 06/05/26: Boston Red Sox selected the contract of LHP Joe La Sorsa from Worcester Red Sox. 06/05/26: Boston Red Sox optioned RHP Brayan Bello to Worcester Red Sox. 06/05/26: Boston Red Sox sent LHP Patrick Sandoval on a rehab assignment to Worcester Red Sox. 06/05/26: Boston Red Sox transferred LHP Garrett Crochet from the 15-day injured list to the 60-day injured list. Left shoulder inflammation. 06/06/26: Boston Red Sox recalled LHP Alec Gamboa from Worcester Red Sox. 06/06/26: Boston Red Sox placed LHP Jovani Morán on the 15-day injured list retroactive to June 5, 2026. Left elbow inflammation. 06/06/26: Boston Red Sox sent RHP Garrett Whitlock on a rehab assignment to Worcester Red Sox. Scores: Game 58: BOS 2, BAL 4 Game 59: BOS 8, BAL 1 Game 60: BOS 2, BAL 8 Game 61: BOS 5, NYY 3 Game 62: Postponed to August 29 Game 63: BOS 1, NYY 6 Series Breakdown/Highlights Orioles Series: The Fenway magic once again couldn’t be found as the Red Sox returned home for a quick, three-game series against the division rival Orioles. Connelly Early wasn’t sharp in game one, throwing just 5.2 innings and surrendering four earned runs. The rookie southpaw has a high ceiling but when he’s not sharp then he can get knocked around. The biggest red flag waving for Early at this point is that he’s being beaten hard with home runs in recent starts. Early isn’t the flamethrower his buddy Payton Tolle is, so he has to rely more on his secondaries to live around the zone. He failed to do so in this particular start and got punished for it. Game two saw Tolle toss six shutout innings and make an incredibly athletic jump play, all while striking out five. Ryan Watson pitched the closing three innings, surrendering one earned run and striking out two. Wilyer Abreu hit a ball to the moon and Caleb Durbin continued to showcase his new plate approach, going two for four with one RBI. In the finale, starter Brayan Bello was as advertised, giving up eight earned runs, six in the first inning alone, over five innings of work. His first inning was predictably awful, but he settled in for most of the rest of his start. After the game, Bello was optioned to Triple-A Worcester where he will spend time figuring out how to be a big-league starter again. Yankees Series: Not all is lost in the series against the Evil Empire, since the second game of the three game series will be made up in a double-header on August 29, but we saw both versions of the Red Sox in this two game sample. In game one, Andruw Monasterio and Willson Contreras delivered huge home runs to help power the Red Sox past the Yankees. Sonny Gray tossed 6.1 innings of three-run ball while striking out three. Aroldis Chapman walked two in the bottom of the ninth inning, but otherwise was his typical dominant self. He’s nursing a hamstring injury that Chad Tracy is trying to navigate to give the team the best possible chance at winning, but the velocity is still there. In the Sunday game, Ranger Suarez was fantastic on the bump. He tossed 6.1 innings of one-run baseball, only to be let down by Justin Slaten in the eighth. Slaten surrendered a solo home run to Cody Bellinger. Slaten was then replaced by the newly acquired Joseph De La Sorsa who promptly gave up a three-run home run to Jazz Chisholm Jr. A game that had the potential to be a statement game for the Red Sox was wasted by a leaky bullpen once again. Website Highlights Brayan Bello’s 2026 Crisis: The Cutter That No Longer Cuts by Yirsandy Rodriguez Anthony Seigler’s Well-Deserved Promotion Comes With Strong Praise from Iggy Suarez by Nick John Payton Tolle’s Next Step Forward Will Require Fewer Fastballs by Alex Mayes Red Sox Report Card: Grading Every Player in May by Ryan Salvaggio Looking Ahead 06/08: Red Sox (Connelly Early) @ Rays (Ian Seymour): 6:40 PM EDT 06/09: Red Sox (Payton Tolle) @ Rays (Nick Martinez): 6:40 PM EDT 06/10: Red Sox (TBD) @ Rays (Drew Rasmussen): 1:10 PM EDT 06/11: Day Off 06/12: Rangers (TBD) @ Red Sox (Sonny Gray): 7:10 PM EDT 06/13: Rangers @ Red Sox: 4:`10 PM EDT 06/14: Rangers @ Red Sox: 7:20 PM EDT Sunday Night Baseball View the full article

If the present doesn't have much to offer, at least the New York Mets’ future looks bright, popping with up-and-coming talent who could have an impact on the big-league club soon. Left-handed pitching prospect Jonathan Santucci is no exception to the rule, as he’s been playing some of his best baseball lately. Let’s break down Santucci’s latest numbers and his long-term projection within the Mets organization. Jonathan Santucci's Updated Scouting Mets Scouting Report Santucci is a left-handed pitching prospect and rides in as the team’s ninth-ranked prospect per Grand Central Mets. The Mets called his name in the second round of the 2024 draft after the southpaw’s successful campaign with the Blue Devils. He entered the professional ranks just last season, working his way all the way up to the Double-A Binghamton Rumble Ponies’ roster by the middle of July. He dazzled with the team’s Double-A affiliate, spinning a 2.52 earned run average with a strikeout rate north of 32 percent down the home stretch of his season. Santucci's 2026 So Far While he may hold a losing record to start this season out, the Mets’ highly touted farmhand has looked sharp in his recent outings. In his most recent start on June 6, lefty spun a career-best 6.2 innings of one-run ball. He allowed just three hits, gave up a pair of free passes and fanned five on the evening. Santucci notably took a no-hitter into the sixth inning en route to his first win of the 2026 season. Over his last two starts, he’s allowed just a single earned run on six hits in 11.2 innings. Santucci has 10 punchouts to only three walks in that span. He also has allowed two earned runs or less in six of his last seven starts for Binghamton. Santucci's Strengths The lefty hurler’s slider leads the charge, as his glove-side-biting breaking pitch has a 60-grade on the 20-to-80 scouting scale. This is a two-plane breaking ball that tunnels very well off of his fastball, and he’s able to give hitters from both sides of the plate absolute fits with it. His four-seamer, a 55-grade heater which does a lot of the heavy-lifting to set up his slide piece, rides in between 92-95 miles per hour and can touch 97. Santucci releases the baseball from a high point and is able to get plenty of carry into the upper regions of the strike zone. While Santucci also possesses a changeup, it grades out around average, as he doesn’t lean on it a ton in-game. Santucci's Weaknesses Therein lies one of Santucci’s weakness. While the southpaw has fooled hitters with a slider and is currently sporting an impressive .219 batting average against over his first 170.1 innings of professional baseball, operating with a two-pitch arsenal can only get a pitcher so far. For somebody who plans on operating as a rotation piece (he’s started 34 of his 36 appearances), he’ll need more than a two-pitch combo to get through an order multiple times. Santucci also gets a case of the walks from time to time, as shown by his 50-grade control tool. He just recently escaped a stretch where he walked at least two hitters in four straight games, including a six-walk performance back on May 2. Overall, his stuff plays well enough for him to live in the strike zone and even get away with the occasional mistake. Now, it’s just about in-zone consistency for the rising lefty. Future Role With Mets What will Santucci’s role be, and when will he ultimately break into the big leagues? He’s tracking towards being a middle-of-the-rotation starter, especially considering that his slider has continued to serve as a true out-pitch even as he’s ascended up the minor-league ladder. The next question becomes which pitch, whether it’s a fledgling curveball or his changeup, will earn a more consistent spot in his arsenal. MLB Pipeline projects that Santucci will break into the big leagues by the end of the 2026 season, and his pitch variety could play a pivotal role in ensuring that comes true. View the full article

2025 All-Star and Gold Glover Pete Crow-Armstrong is taking a step in the right direction in 2026. A season removed from a 30 home run, 30 stolen base showing, his plate discipline is vastly improving. After logging an on-base percentage south of .300 in back-to-back seasons, his chase percentage is down and his walk rate is up. In this video, we'll break down his true ceiling if he adapts a more mature playing style. View the full article

Ryan Clifford is a first base prospect within the Mets organization. Clifford ranks as the #5 prospect in our prospect rankings and offers big-time power with impressive walk rates. Clifford could be the future replacement for Pete Alonso as long as he can control his strikeouts before arriving in Major League Baseball. View the full article

Brooks Brannon is a rising first base prospect within the Red Sox organization. Brannon currently plays for the Portland Sea Dogs, and is known for his exceptional raw power; he is slashing an impressive .286/.398/.622 with an impressive 1.020 OPS and 8 home runs. Brannon has been tearing through Double-A pitching and is expected to be promoted up the organizational ladder at some point this season. View the full article

On Tuesday night, Target Field was hit with the hottest viral trend when it comes to professional sporting events. Hundreds of young men made their way to section 238 in right field, removed their shirts, and waved them wildly over their heads as a rallying cry. This is Tarps Off. It’s becoming an epidemic, and spreading like wildfire among the youth. If you know someone between the ages of 17-29 (likely named something along the lines of Aidan, Jaden, Kaeden, Brayden and did we mention Aidan?), then they’ve probably participated in this phenomenon at some point in the last few weeks. Unfortunately for these trendsetters, the fun is surely coming to an end in the near future, as the trend has made its way to the place where fads go to die: the press box at Target Field. The collection of mostly dad bods in the Twins media contingent decided to get in on the action during Thursday night’s game against the Kansas City Royals, removing their short-sleeve button-downs and exposing their pasty white bellies for all to see. “You’re telling me this is how I find out Theo Tollefson has pierced nipples?” exclaimed a terrified fan sitting in the section just in front of the press box. “That’s a zone that I wish had remained covered.” It’s hard to say why these beat writers decided to take their tarps off. Some speculate it was due to pure boredom during a prolonged rain delay. Others say it was a desperate cry for help. Regardless of how it started, it became clear that most wanted it to stop, almost immediately. “I might have chuckled at first, but it quickly became clear that we were watching a painful death of this newly beloved trend,” said a representative of the Twins Communication department who wished to remain nameless (and become sightless). “It’s all fun and games until you see Dan Hayes with his shirt off.” The tarps off trend was birthed during an Oklahoma State football game last fall, but it officially suffered a painful death in the Target Field press box. Once the old white guys decide to give it a try, it’s practically a death sentence. It happened with the dab. It happened with 6-7. It’s inevitable, really. Tarps off was fun while it lasted, but all good things must come to an end. We all have to grow up and put our shirts back on eventually. As the old saying goes: Don’t cry because it’s over. Cry because you can’t get the image out of your head. View the full article

New York Mets Weekly Snapshot Record Last Week: 3-3 Runs Scored Last Week: 26 Runs Surrendered Last Week: 18 Standings: 5th in NL East (29-36) 15.5 GB of 1st Place, 5.0 GB of a Wild Card Transactions: 6/1 New York Mets sent C Francisco Alvarez on a rehab assignment to Syracuse Mets. 6/2 New York Mets sent 1B Jorge Polanco on a rehab assignment to Syracuse Mets. 6/3 New York Mets optioned RHP Jonah Tong to Syracuse Mets. 6/3 New York Mets recalled RHP Joey Gerber from Syracuse Mets. Scores: Game 59: NYM 2, SEA 3 (10) Game 60: NYM 3, SEA, 8 Game 61: NYM 7, SEA 1 Game 62: NYM 5, SD 0 Game 63: NYM 2, SD 3 Game 64: NYM 7, SD 3 Series Breakdown/Highlights Mariners Series: The Mets headed out to Seattle to kick off their final west coast trip of the season. Game one saw Sean Manaea dominate the Mariners lineup, only giving up one hit on a solo home run. Brooks Rally gave up a game-tying solo home run to Josh Naylor in the bottom of the seventh inning. The game went to extras, and with the Mets failing to score the ghost runner at second base in the top of the 10th, it took a stolen base and a Cole Young soft RBI single to walk it off. Game two was almost all Mariners. Huascar Brazoban was opening for the Mets and gave up a two-run homer in the bottom of the second inning, but the Mets would get the two runs back on a Carson Benge homer. An error on the pitcher in the bottom of the third would give the Mariners a lead they would not relinquish, going on to score five more runs, including a backbreaking two-out, three-run home run off the bat of Jhonny Pereda off Jonah Tong, who lost the strike zone as the outing progressed. The Mets bounced back in game three of the series, scoring seven runs after a big four-run fourth inning against George Kirby and the Mariners. Bo Bichette was 4-for-4 in the game, his first four-hit game as a Met. Freddy Peralta had one of his best outings on the mound this season, giving the Mets six innings and giving up only one run. Padres Series: The Mets wrapped up their west coast schedule in San Diego, taking on a Padres team not known for their hitting this season. Game one was probably the most complete win for the Mets this season. Christian Scott earned his second win of the season, going 5.2 innings without allowing a run, and his offense picked him up. Dispute 0-for-4 efforts from Benge, Soto, and Semien, the Mets offense was able to score five runs off Michael King and the Padres bullpen, including two extra-base hits, one of which was a home run off the bat of Jared Young. Game two saw the Mets take a 2-1 lead off old friend Griffin Canning and the Padres bullpen into the eighth inning. Nolan McLean has looked more like himself in his last two outings, and it showed as he spun six innings, giving up one run. Austin Warren was close to getting the Mets to the ninth inning with a lead before Freddy Fermin, who had not hit a home run all year and was 0 for his last 30, hit a two-out, two-run home run to give the Padres a lead. Mason Miller came in and shut the door on the Mets to even the series. Game three saw the Mets dominate the whole time out. Sean Manaea earned his first win of 2026, only giving up two runs in four innings of work (another home run by Fermin). Carson Benge was 5-for-5 for the first time in his young career, driving in two runs. Marcus Semien was also productive, recording two hits, including another home run. Devin Williams did give up a run in the ninth inning, but the rest of the Mets bullpen also dominated and looks like one of the biggest strengths of the roster heading into the middle of June. Website Highlights Mets' Misfortune Can Only Be Explained By the Baseball Gods New York Mets Minor-League Pitchers of the Month: May 2026 New York Mets Minor-League Hitters of the Month: May 2026 Looking Ahead June 8th: OFF June 9th: vs. STL (7:10pm) June 10th: vs. STL (7:10pm) June 11th: vs. STL (1:10pm) June 12th: vs. ATL (7:15pm) June 13th: vs. ATL (4:10pm) June 14th: vs. ATL (1:40pm) View the full article

Matt Rudick drove in three runs with a homer to rally Syracuse past Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, while Vincent Perozo's solo shot helped Binghamton hold off Reading. Zach Thornton spun five scoreless, striking out five, and Jefry Yan and Carlos Guzman combined for five strikeouts in relief. Mitch Voit and Corey Collins delivered go-ahead singles as Brooklyn rallied past Jersey Shore. St. Lucie fell despite Chase Meggers driving in three. Mets Transactions No Roster Moves Rudick's Three RBIs Lift Syracuse In Eighth-Inning Rally Matt Rudick drove in all the difference as Syracuse rallied for a 4-3 win over the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders. Rudick went 2-for-3 with a home run and three RBIs, and Jihwan Bae reached base three times, scoring twice with two hits and a walk. Francisco Alvarez also reached three times with a hit and a walk. The RailRiders scored first in the top of the first on a double, but Syracuse erased the deficit in the sixth when Rudick singled home Bae. The decisive blow came in the eighth. With the score tied, Ryan Clifford laid down a sacrifice bunt that scored Bae, and Rudick followed with a two-run homer to right center that scored Alvarez and pushed the lead to 4-1. Scranton/Wilkes-Barre pushed across two in the ninth, but it was not enough. Zach Thornton turned in the standout pitching line, working five scoreless innings while allowing two hits, walking two, and striking out five. Tobias Myers earned the win with two innings, allowing one run on one hit with a strikeout, and Dylan Ross recorded the save despite walking two in the ninth. Syracuse left five runners on base. Player AB R H RBI BB K Nick Morabito 3 0 0 0 1 2 Ji Hwan Bae 3 2 2 0 1 0 Francisco Alvarez 3 1 1 0 1 0 Ryan Clifford 3 0 0 1 0 3 Christian Arroyo 1 0 0 0 0 1 Matt Rudick 3 1 2 3 0 0 Andy Ibáñez 4 0 0 0 0 0 Yonny Hernández 3 0 0 0 0 1 Cristian Pache 2 0 0 0 0 1 Jackson Cluff 2 0 0 0 1 0 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Daniel Duarte 1 1 1 0 1 1 0 Zach Thornton 5 2 0 0 2 5 0 Tobias Myers 2 1 1 0 0 1 0 Matt Turner 2/3 0 1 0 1 0 0 Dylan Ross 1/3 1 0 0 2 1 0 Perozo's Homer And Bullpen Lockdown Carry Binghamton Vincent Perozo homered and the bullpen slammed the door as Binghamton edged the Reading Fightin Phils 4-2. Perozo went 2-for-4 with the home run and an RBI, Jacob Reimer added two hits including a double, and Nick Lorusso went 1-for-3 with a double, a walk, an RBI, and a run scored. Binghamton jumped ahead in the first when Lorusso doubled home Eli Serrano III and Jose Ramos. Reading tied it with a two-run homer in the third, but Perozo answered with a solo shot in the fourth to put the Rumble Ponies back ahead. They added insurance in the eighth when Wyatt Young drew a bases-loaded walk that scored Lorusso. Max Green allowed two runs on three hits over 2 2/3 innings, walking two and striking out four. The bullpen was dominant behind him, as Jordan Geber earned the win with three scoreless innings, and Gabriel Rodriguez, Jefry Yan, and Carlos Guzman closed it out with three perfect innings, combining for six strikeouts. Yan struck out the side in the eighth, and Guzman fanned two in the ninth for the save. Binghamton left nine runners on base. Player AB R H RBI BB K Chris Suero 5 0 0 0 0 3 Jacob Reimer 4 0 2 0 0 0 Eli Serrano III 3 1 0 0 1 2 Jose Ramos 3 1 0 0 1 2 Nick Lorusso 3 1 1 1 1 0 JT Schwartz 3 0 1 0 1 1 Vincent Perozo 4 1 2 1 0 1 Wyatt Young 3 0 1 1 1 0 Kevin Villavicencio 4 0 1 0 0 1 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Max Green 2 2/3 3 2 2 2 4 1 Felipe De La Cruz 1/3 0 0 0 0 1 0 Jordan Geber 3 1 0 0 3 0 0 Gabriel Rodriguez 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 Jefry Yan 1 0 0 0 0 3 0 Carlos Guzman 1 0 0 0 0 2 0 Voit And Collins Spark Sixth-Inning Comeback For Brooklyn Brooklyn rallied with four runs over the fifth and sixth to beat the Jersey Shore BlueClaws 5-3. Leadoff man Mitch Voit went 2-for-6 with the go-ahead RBI single and two runs scored, Daiverson Gutierrez drove in three on a 2-for-3 night with a double and a walk, and John Bay added two hits. The Cyclones trailed 3-0 after Jersey Shore's first two innings. Brooklyn answered in the third when Gutierrez lifted a sacrifice fly to score Voit. The offense pulled even in the fifth as Gutierrez doubled home Bay and Corey Collins to tie it 3-3. In the sixth, Voit singled home Sam Biller to give Brooklyn its first lead, and Collins followed with an RBI single that scored Voit for the 5-3 margin. Noah Hall earned the win despite a labored outing, allowing three runs on three hits over five innings while walking five and striking out six. The bullpen was flawless, as Justin Armbruester, Bryce Jenkins, Juan Arnaud, and Parker Carlson combined for four scoreless, hitless innings with nine strikeouts. Carlson closed it out for the save. Brooklyn left three runners on base. Player AB R H RBI BB K Mitch Voit 6 2 2 1 0 0 John Bay 4 1 2 0 0 2 Corey Collins 3 1 1 1 2 0 Daiverson Gutierrez 3 0 2 3 1 0 Yonatan Henriquez 5 0 0 0 0 1 JT Benson 3 0 1 0 2 1 Colin Houck 5 0 2 0 0 0 Sam Biller 3 1 1 0 2 1 Nick Roselli 5 0 0 0 0 1 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Noah Hall 5 3 3 3 5 6 1 Justin Armbruester 1 0 0 0 0 3 0 Bryce Jenkins 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 Juan Arnaud 1 0 0 0 0 3 0 Parker Carlson 1 0 0 0 0 2 0 St. Lucie's Third-Inning Surge Not Enough In Slugfest Loss St. Lucie battled in a high-scoring affair but fell to the Clearwater Threshers 11-8. Chase Meggers went 2-for-4 with three RBIs, Julio Zayas added two hits, an RBI, and two runs scored, and Elian Peña reached three times with two doubles and a walk. The Mets took an early lead in the first when Meggers singled home Yohairo Cuevas and Julio Zayas. The game turned in the third inning, a frame that produced runs on both sides. Clearwater struck for three runs on a trio of homers, but St. Lucie countered with five runs in the bottom half. Zayas singled home Antonio Jimenez, Meggers singled in Cuevas, Branny De Oleo singled home Zayas, Simon Juan reached on a fielder's choice that plated Meggers, and Jeremy Rodriguez grounded into a double play that scored De Oleo for a 7-4 edge. Jonathan Jimenez struggled in the start, allowing seven runs, six earned, on eight hits over 4 1/3 innings, walking two and striking out one while surrendering three home runs. Clearwater tied it in the fifth and pulled ahead in the seventh, then added a two-run homer in the eighth. St. Lucie left 11 runners on base. Player AB R H RBI BB K Elian Peña 5 0 1 0 1 1 Antonio Jimenez 3 1 0 0 1 2 Yohairo Cuevas 4 2 1 0 1 1 Julio Zayas 5 2 2 1 0 1 Chase Meggers 4 1 2 3 1 1 Branny De Oleo 5 1 1 1 0 1 Simon Juan 5 1 1 0 0 1 Jeremy Rodriguez 3 0 1 0 2 0 Jackson Hauge 3 0 0 1 2 2 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Jonathan Jimenez 4 1/3 8 7 6 2 1 3 Zack Mack 1 2/3 1 0 0 0 2 0 Josh Blum 2/3 0 2 2 2 2 0 Miguel Mejias 1/3 0 0 0 3 0 0 Joe Scarborough 1 1 2 2 1 3 1 Tyler McLoughlin 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 View the full article