DiamondCentric

San Diego Padres Weekly Snapshot Record last week: 4-2 Runs scored last week: 31 Runs allowed last week: 23 (season run differential: minus-10) Scores Game 65 (Monday): Padres 6, Reds 2 Game 66 (Tuesday): Reds 5, Padres 3 (11 innings) Game 67 (Wednesday): Padres 5, Reds 4 Thursday: Off Game 68 (Friday): Orioles 7, Padres 3 Game 69 (Saturday): Padres 9, Orioles 3 Game 70 (Sunday): Padres 5, Orioles 2 Week in Review and Highlights Reds series Game 1: Maybe Freddy Fermin should be hitting cleanup. OK, that is a joke, but Fermin appears to fully be out of his hitting slump. The catcher homered for the third straight game and the Padres used some small-ball tactics to help produce runs in a 6-2 victory over the Cincinnati Reds. Fermin had been in an 0-for-30 funk when he went deep Saturday, then followed that with another long ball Sunday and made it three in a row when he started the scoring with a solo shot Monday. He now has back-to-back games with multiple hits and is 5-for-9 over the last three games. But it was also the guys brought up from Triple-A last week to provide energy and speed that were in the middle of the offense on this night. The Reds led 2-1 entering the bottom of the seventh, then tied the game on back-to-back doubles by Xander Bogaerts and Gavin Sheets. Then came the bunts. Jase Bowen put down what should have been a sacrifice bunt but turned out to be a single, then Samad Taylor, who like Bowen was at Triple-A El Paso until last week, put down a sac bunt that plated Sheets when it wasn't handled cleanly by the first baseman for a 3-2 lead. Fermin followed with a bunt in front of the plate that the pitcher couldn't pick up in time to make a play, loading the bases. But the threat ended there as Fernando Tatis Jr. flew out to shallow right field and Jackson Merrill hit a grounder to third for a force out. In the eighth, Bogaerts had a one-out single and Bowen a two-out single to put runners on the corners, then stole second. Taylor then broke it open with a soft two-run single to left to bring both runners home. After Taylor stole second, Fermin singled him home for a 6-2 cushion. Padres right-handed starter Walker Buehler wasn't great, but he battled to minimize the damage. Buehler was reached for eight hits and two walks in 4⅔ innings, however only allowed one run. After right-hander Bradgley Rodriguez gave up a run on a hit and a walk in two-thirds of an inning, left-hander Adrian Morejon (1⅔ innings), right-hander Jason Adam (one inning) and closer Mason Miller (one inning) didn't allow a hit, with Adam and Miller punching out three. Game 2: Getting six hits from Machado and Tatis and having their most in just more than a month, the Padres had 20 at-bats with runners in scoring position. And still couldn't break out. While it could be a sign that things are about to change, on this day, it proved to be another frustrating day by the offense. The Friars dropped a 5-3 decision in 11 innings to the Reds as they were able to get a hit just three times in those 20 opportunities. It really stood out from the eighth inning on. Machado's leadoff double in the eighth went for naught as Gavin Sheets, grounded out with Machado moving to third, pinch-hitter Ty France was walked, then, after a pitching change, Taylor struck out and Bowen hit a broken-bat fly to shallow right field that was snagged on a sliding catch. In the ninth, Sung-Mun Song and Tatis had one-out singles. Merrill, after a pitching change, reached on an infield single to load the bases before Machado and Sheets struck out. After the Reds scored once in the top of the 10th, Taylor tied the game on a one-out single. He stole second, Bowen struck out and Fermin, who homered in the previous three games, flew out to the warning track in left, just missing a walk-off. The Reds got a Sal Stewart homer in the 11th, while Song, Tatis and Merrill went down in order. For the second game in a row, the Padres' starting pitcher had to battle himself through a short outing. This time, it was right-hander Lucas Giolito, who only allowed two hits but walked five and gave up two runs (one earned) and had three strikeouts. He threw 85 pitches, only 43 of which were strikes. That was the second-most pitches he has thrown in his five starts this season and the third straight start where he didn't get an out in the fifth inning. The bullpen of right-hander David Morgan, Morejon, Adam and Miller was very good, punching out 10 and giving up three hits in five innings (Adam did walk two). Right-hander Bradgley Rodriguez handled the 10th and left-hander Yuki Matsui the 11th. Game 3: This was the moment that had been missing. For all the good things that happened in the first month of the season when things were going right, the entire first two-plus months were missing a Tatis moment. In a 4-4 game and one out from heading to extra innings, Tatis hit a walk-off homer—just his second long ball of the season—gave the Padres a 5-4 victory over the Reds. It was a line-drive shot to left, but the meaning of it was bigger than anything a Wednesday afternoon game in June could have. Tatis could really exhale. His teammates could, too, after the team's best player, carrying the burden of not being the home run hitter he has been, came through when the Friars needed him most, giving them their first series victory in five tries. But it also came after his teammates put him in that position. The Padres were down 4-2 in the bottom of the eighth after the Reds scored once in the seventh and another in the eighth. Merrill doubled, Sheets drove him in with a one-out double before Bowen came on to run for him. One out later, Taylor came through again, singling to center and sending Bowen streaking for home without a throw for the tying run. Tatis came up in the ninth with two outs. Two 97 mph four-seamers missed inside to begin the at-bat. The third pitch was a slider at the top outside corner of the zone to bring the count to 2-1. The right-hander Chase Petty put an 89.8 mph slider where you shouldn't to any hitter: right in the middle of the zone. Nando drilled it into the first row of the bleachers and set off a celebration that quickly saw him shirtless as his teammates mobbed him. Again, the starting pitching wasn't great, but didn't suck, either. Right-hander Michael King went 6⅔ innings, but he allowed three runs on a pair of homers. He gave up seven hits altogether with three walks and three strikeouts. That was just enough for the overworked bullpen, which got 1⅓ innings from right-hander Ron Marinaccio and one inning from Wandy Peralta, who picked up the win. A day off to soak in the vibes of the walk-off win before a nine-game road trip seems well-timed. Orioles series Game 1: After a day off to swim in all the positivity created by Tatis' walk-off, the Padres opened a nine-game road trip with a chance to make some headway. But the roadie got off to a rocky start as right-hander Griffin Canning struggled early in a 7-3 loss to the Baltimore Orioles. Canning surrendered three runs in each of the first two innings and allowed his second homer of the game in the fourth. He gets credit for battling through and completing five innings, but the quality of his start was poor and didn't give the Padres a chance. It was a career-worst seven runs on six hits and five walks with six punchouts. The walks were the biggest contributor to Canning's catastrophe. He has walked two or more in seven of his eight starts and has 22 in 37⅔ innings (13.5% walk rate) Again, there were some small signs of the offense starting to wake up. Machado had a pair of doubles in his return to Baltimore, where he began his career, while Sheets, who got a rare right field start, drove in a pair, including an RBI double in the first inning. Tatis singled, had a stolen base, scored a run and drove in another. But the team was 4-for-14 with runners in scoring position. Game 2: Perhaps it was due to the East Coast heat and humidity, but the Padres sure needed an offensive outburst like they had Saturday. On the strength of a season-high five home, including first-inning blasts from Merrill and Taylor, the Padres rolled to a 9-3 triumph. Taylor's shot, part of a three-hit day, was the first of his MLB career. Sheets, Rodolfo Duran and Machado also went deep. Merrill and Sheets are from the Baltimore area with Sheets' dad, Larry, having played for the Orioles. But the win could come at a bit of a price. Bogaerts left the game in the bottom of the sixth after being hit on the left earflap by a fastball in the top of the fifth. Fermin sustained a freak injury when he turned his head as left-hander Yuki Matsui spiked a warmup pitch in the sixth. Manager Craig Stammen seemed more concerned with Fermin's status, but both are in the concussion territory so nothing is a given with that type of injury as we have seen with Jake Cronenworth. While that was the bad news, the rest of the day was filled with positives. Merrill and Taylor each followed walks with long balls as the Padres had their highest-scoring first inning of the season with four runs. In the fifth, leading 4-2, they loaded the bases on a pair of walks and Bogaerts' hit by pitch set the stage for Taylor to come through again with a run-scoring single to boost the lead to 5-2. Pinch-hitter Nick Solak, called up before the game as Miguel Andujar went on the 10-day injured list with a strained left hamstring, lofted a sacrifice fly to a 6-2 advantage. Sheets homered in the seventh, his 11th, to make it 7-2, Duran hit his second career homer in the eighth and Machado tacked on his team-leading 12th in the ninth. Meanwhile, Padres right-handed starter Randy Vasquez turned in five solid innings, but it didn't start well. Staked to that 4-0 lead, Vasquez couldn't turn in a shutdown inning as Pete Alonso homered, Samuel Bassallo walked and Leody Taveras tripled off the right-field wall to pull the Orioles within 4-2. But he was good from there, finishing by allowing six hits and two walks with five strikeouts. The home runs and Bogaerts being hit in the head led to an ejection of Padres right-hander Ron Marinaccio in the eighth inning after he plunked Orioles star Gunnar Henderson in the ninth. Henderson was also buzzed by right-hander Bradgley Rodriguez in the seventh, which likely played into the ejection. Stammen also got tossed following a lengthy argument. Game 3: In a series in which the Padres faced some adversity with injuries, they came out with their second straight series victory following a 5-2 victory over the Orioles. Duran, suddenly thrust into the No. 1 catcher's role as Fermin went on the seven-day concussion list before the game, played hero as he homered for the second day in a row and also had a run-scoring double as part of a three-RBI day out of the No. 9 spot. Tatis also had a pair of hits and drove in the other two runs. While they didn't score in the first inning (after putting up a season-high four Saturday), the Friars did threaten as Merrill singled with one out and Bogaerts walked with two outs. But that set the stage for the second inning as Taylor had a leadoff bunt single and took second on Solak's groundout. After Bowen struck out, Duran hit a grounder up the middle that caromed off second base and into right-center, bringing in Taylor with Duran racing into second for a hustle double. Tatis then grounded one past the shortstop and into center to plate Duran for a 2-0 edge. After an Orioles run in the fifth, Duran made it 4-1 with a two-run homer after a Will Wagner walk, a 432-foot shot into the Friars' bullpen in left-center. Duran was in the middle of things again in the ninth. Wagner reached on an error by Henderson, the shortstop, and went to third when Duran benefited from second baseman Jackson Holliday's error. Tatis hit a sacrifice fly to right that Wagner, upon replay review, beat the throw home with a nice slide. Buehler again battled, but was better than he was Monday. He made it through five innings on 86 pitches (60 strikes), with six hits and no walks, striking out five. The only run came on a fifth-inning leadoff homer by Jeremiah Jackson. Adam gave up a run in the seventh and Miller was again called upon to get a four-out save, which he did with three strikeouts for his 19th of the year. Now the nine-game road trip continues against the St. Louis Cardinals and then the Texas Rangers. Marvelous Mason Miller Some of the amazing stats for the Padres' closer: Season stats: 1-1, 0.90 ERA, 29 games, 19 saves (19 chances), 30 IP, 12 H, 4 R, 3 ER, 12 BB, 59 K, .119 opponent average Has 19 saves, which is second-most in MLB behind the 23 (in 25 opportunities) by Cade Smith of the Cleveland Guardians. Sunday marked his fifth four-out save of the season and 14th of his career. Has finished 25 of the Padres' 37 victories. Has not allowed an earned run in 51 of his 53 appearances as a Padre, including the postseason. Random Stats With his 2-for-3 game Monday vs. the Reds, Jase Bowen became the first Padre to notch his first run, first walk, first stolen base and first multi-hit game of his career in the same game. Bowen had two steals, becoming the first player to do all of that with two steals since Tom Shopay of the New York Yankees on Sept. 23, 1967, vs. the Minnesota Twins. Padres relievers struck out 13 on Tuesday vs. the Reds, the second time this season they had that many in a single game. The other came May 6 against the San Francisco Giants, a game in which the Friars used an opener and Matt Waldron fanned seven. Will Wagner went 3-for-4 with a double and two walks in his first two games after being called up. After being acquired from the Toronto Blue Jays at the trade deadline last year, Wagner went 2-for-15 with no extra-base hits and two walks in 15 games. Samad Taylor's first career homer Saturday came in his 107th plate appearance, spanning the last four seasons with the Kansas City Royals (69 PAs in 2023), Seattle Mariners (.14 in 2024-25) and now Padres (23 entering the game). Randy Vasquez notched his sixth win of the season Saturday, matching his previous career high set last year. He had 12 wins in the previous three years entering the season. Transactions Tuesday: Placed SS Xander Bogaerts on the paternity list. Tuesday: Recalled IF Will Wagner from Triple-A El Paso. Wednesday: Signed free agent 1B Nick Pratto to a minor-league contract and assigned him to Triple-A El Paso. Friday: Activated SS Xander Bogaerts from the paternity list. Friday: Designated OF Bryce Johnson for assignment. Saturday: Placed DH Miguel Andujar on the 10-day injured list retroactive to Thursday with a strained left hamstring. Saturday: Selected the contract of 1B-OF Nick Solak from Triple-A El Paso. Sunday: Placed C Freddy Fermin on the 7-day concussion list. Sunday: Selected the contract of C Blake Hunt from Triple-A El Paso. Sunday: Designated RHP Ty Adcock for assignment. Sunday: Sent RHP Matt Waldron on a rehab assignment to Triple-A El Paso. Website Highlights Desperate Padres might as well lean into Taylor's skill set — Randy Holt Padres trade chips: What prospects could be available in a trade? — Steve Drumwright Padres' lack of punch threatening to tank season — Tom Gatto Padres are still waiting for the Bogaerts who dominated in Boston — Yirsandy Rodriguez Offseason budget restrictions proving to be Padres' undoing in 2026 — Randy Holt Buehler back on the upswing with Padres — Yirsandy Rodriguez Looking Ahead Monday: Padres (Lucas Giolito) at Cardinals (Dustin May), 4:45 p.m. Tuesday: Padres (Michael King) at Cardinals (Andre Pallante), 4:45 p.m. Wednesday: Padres (Griffin Canning) at Cardinals (Kyle Leahy), 11:15 a.m. Thursday: Off Friday: Padres (Randy Vasquez) at Rangers (Jacob deGrom), 5:05 p.m. Saturday: Padres (Walker Buehler) at Rangers (Nathan Eovaldi), 1:05 p.m. Sunday: Padres (Lucas Giolito) at Rangers (MacKenzie Gore), 11:35 a.m. View the full article

Boston Red Sox Weekly Snapshot Record Last Week: 2-4 Runs Scored Last Week: 29 Runs Surrendered Last Week: 24 Standings: 5th in AL East 13.5 GB First Place Transactions: 06/08/26: Boston Red Sox recalled OF Nate Eaton from Worcester Red Sox. 06/08/26: Boston Red Sox acquired LHP Tyler Davis from the Washington Wild Things of the Frontier League. 06/08/26: Boston Red Sox optioned LHP Joe La Sorsa to Worcester Red Sox. 06/09/26: Boston Red Sox optioned 2B Anthony Seigler to Worcester Red Sox. 06/09/26: Boston Red Sox activated RHP Garrett Whitlock from the 15-day injured list. 06/10/26: Boston Red Sox recalled LHP Jake Bennett from Worcester Red Sox. 06/10/26: Boston Red Sox optioned LHP Alec Gamboa to Worcester Red Sox. Scores: Game 64: BOS 1, TB 3 Game 65: BOS 3, TB 4 Game 66: BOS 5, TB 7 Game 67: BOS 10, TEX 1 Game 68: BOS 6, TEX 3 Game 69: BOS 4 , TEX 6 Series Breakdown/Highlights Rays Series: This series against the Rays gave us more of the same that we've become accustomed to here in 2026. The Red Sox got down early, staged a late game comeback, and then ultimately lost each game because either they could plate runners after they got on base or the bullpen couldn’t keep runners from scoring. In game one, Connelly Early tossed another short outing, only going 4.2 innings and giving up two earned runs while striking out six. Marcelo Mayer went deep against another lefty (and off a slider) early in the game, but the rest of the offense couldn’t keep it up. Game two was particularly disheartening, with Payton Tolle turning in a rare weak start. He tossed six innings, striking out three while allowing four earned runs. Garrett Whitlock was reinstated from the injured list and worked a one-strikeout inning. Jarren Duran and Mayer accounted for the three runs Boston scored. Game three didn't bring anything new to the table. Rookie Jake Bennett’s line looks worse than the eye test showed, but the Rays were ready for him. He tossed five innings, allowing four earned runs and four strikeouts. Justin Slaten is arguably the story out of the bullpen as he has now had back-to-back rough outings. The Sox made a late push to make the box score seem closer than it was, but overall, the series as a whole was fairly noncompetitive. Credit to Caleb Durbin, who seems to have found an offensive approach that works. His two home runs in game three were absolute bombs. Rangers Series: Now this is how the Red Sox are supposed to play at Fenway Park. The Sox tagged youngster Jack Leiter for five earned runs and reliever Cal Quantrill kept up his history of plunking Red Sox’s players by hitting both Connor Wong and Willson Contreras. Sonny Gray was great after giving up an earned run in the first inning. He struck out seven over six, giving the bullpen a bit of a much needed rest after the short outings in the Rays series earlier in the week. Ceddanne Rafaela, Wilyer Abreu, and Contreras all went yard in game one to tie a bow on the performance. Game two solidified the series as the Ceddanne Show, as he continued to hit the cover off the ball. He’s started to show that dreaded whiff in his swing that has plagued his career, but he’s still playing out of his mind this season. Duran provided some late insurance runs with a two-run shot in the eighth inning to put the game out of reach. Ranger Suarez got BABIP’d quite a bit during his start by allowing six hits, two earned runs, and seven strikeouts over five innings pitched. In the finale on Sunday Night Baseball, Connelly Early turned in the worst start of his career. He allowed 11 hits, six earned runs, two walks, and three strikeouts over 4.2 innings of work. His entire pitch mix didn’t look sharp and the Rangers were ready to pounce on him. The bats went a bit quiet again, except for Contrearas who belted two massive solo home runs off old friend Nathan Eovaldi. Website Highlights Ranger Suarez Isn’t the Pitcher the Red Sox Signed - He’s Better by Yirsandy Rodriguez Red Sox For Sale: Boston’s Top 3 Pieces to Move if They Are Sellers at the Trade Deadline by Ryan Salvaggio Why Craig Breslow’s Past Trade Deadlines Suggest More of the Same for Red Sox in 2026 by Alex Mayes Looking Ahead 06/15/26: Off Day 06/16/26: Blue Jays (TBD) @ Red Sox (Payton Tolle): 6:45 PM EDT 06/17/26: Blue Jays (TBD) @ Red Sox (Jake Bennett): 6:45 PM EDT 06/18/26: Blue Jays (TBD) @ Red Sox (Sonny Gray): 1:35 PM EDT 06/19/26: Red Sox @ Mariners: 10:10 PM EDT 06/20/26: Red Sox @ Mariners: 10:10 PM EDT 06/21/26: Red Sox @ Mariners: 4:10 PM EDT View the full article

Well, that was frustrating. The Blue Jays entered the ninth inning tied in BOTH game two and three, yet found ways to lose both of them. Owen and Jesse spend the first chunk of the episode venting their frustrations about this team and looking to solve some of their RISP woes. Next, they say Welcome back to Alejandro Kirk and celebrate Kazuma Okamoto hitting the first Blue Jay home run into the fifth deck since 2017! Plus, share some thoughts on Davis Schneider and Charles McAdoo, and also touch on Trey Yesavage and some of the issues he's been going through, and what it's going to take to turn it around. All that and more! Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-jays-centre-podcast/id1846108462 Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3Bi7SzfpcqMo5xYWnbCeoL Listen on iHeartRadio: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/263-the-jays-centre-podcast-300304824/ Listen on Pocket Casts: https://pca.st/2qk9wqxd Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@jayscentre View the full article

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 the minor league 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 Wednesday, June 17. View the full article

For years, Emmanuel Rodriguez has occupied a fascinating space in prospect circles. Few players in baseball have generated as much excitement, and as much frustration, as the talented Twins outfielder. Since signing with Minnesota for $2.5 million during the 2019 international signing period, Rodriguez has consistently flashed the type of tools that make evaluators dream about an impact major leaguer. He combines power, patience, athleticism, and an advanced understanding of the strike zone that few young hitters possess. The problem, of course, is that those flashes have rarely come uninterrupted. Now 23 years old, Rodriguez has already reached Triple-A and did so at just 21 years old during the 2024 season. That accomplishment alone speaks to the level of talent involved. Yet injuries and developmental hurdles have prevented him from taking the final step toward becoming a cornerstone of Minnesota's future. Recently, FanGraphs released its top-50 Twins prospects list. While Rodriguez remains highly regarded nationally and still carries top-100 prospect recognition in many circles, FanGraphs ranked him eighth in the organization. That placement isn't necessarily unreasonable given the depth of Minnesota's system, but it does reflect a growing trend among national outlets that seem increasingly hesitant to buy into Rodriguez's long-term outlook. Some of that skepticism is understandable. Some of it may simply be prospect fatigue. Players who sign as teenagers often spend years on prospect lists. Eventually, evaluators begin focusing more on what hasn't happened than what has. Rodriguez may be reaching that stage of his prospect journey. Here are three reasons why national outlets may be cooling on one of the Twins' most talented young players. Reason 1: Injuries The most obvious explanation is also the most significant. Rodriguez has never appeared in 100 games during a professional season, and 2026 will almost certainly continue that trend. His latest setback, a torn UCL in his left thumb that required surgery, pushed him to the IL after only 25 games with Triple-A St. Paul. The injury was particularly frustrating because it came just one year after surgery on his opposite thumb. Unfortunately, thumb injuries are only the latest additions to a growing medical file. Previous seasons have included time lost to issues involving his hip, oblique, abdomen, and knee. Every time Rodriguez appears ready to build momentum, another injury seems to interrupt his progress. At some point, evaluators stop viewing injuries as isolated incidents and begin factoring durability into the overall projection. That's a difficult reality for Rodriguez. Availability is a skill, and his inability to stay on the field consistently has become a defining aspect of his prospect profile. The talent remains undeniable. The track record of staying healthy does not. Reason 2: Unique Offensive Approach Even when healthy, Rodriguez has never been a universally loved prospect. His offensive profile is unlike almost anyone else in professional baseball. For a player listed at 5-foot-11 and 210 pounds, he resembles a speedy table setter from bygone generations. Instead, he has the offensive profile of a middle-of-the-order slugger. Across his minor-league career, Rodriguez owns a .253/.423/.490 slash line while walking in more than 20 percent of his plate appearances and striking out over 30 percent of the time. Those numbers tell the story of an extremely patient hitter who generates power and reaches base at elite rates. They also reveal a player whose approach leaves very little margin for error. Some evaluators love the elite on-base skills. Others worry that his passive tendencies let too many hittable pitches go by. Entering 2026, there was a growing belief that Rodriguez needed to become more aggressive earlier in counts and attack pitches he could drive rather than constantly working deep counts. Unfortunately, his injury occurred before anyone could determine whether those adjustments would stick. Early returns suggested he was attempting to make changes, but they also came with increased chase rates and declining contact numbers. The development process was essentially frozen before meaningful conclusions could be reached. For prospect evaluators who already had concerns about his unconventional offensive style, the lack of answers only adds to the uncertainty. Reason 3: Trouble With Fastballs The biggest on-field concern remains Rodriguez's ability to handle velocity. His swing mechanics are unique, featuring a pronounced bottom-hand dominant path and a frequent one-handed finish. The setup helps generate impressive bat speed and power, but it also creates vulnerabilities that upper-level pitchers have increasingly exploited. Triple-A pitchers have found success attacking Rodriguez with fastballs, particularly at the top of the strike zone. Elevated velocity has consistently generated swings and misses, exposing a weakness that scouts have discussed for years. The concern isn't simply that he struggles against certain pitches. It's that major-league pitchers are likely to attack the same weakness even more aggressively. Big-league organizations spend enormous resources identifying hitter vulnerabilities, and Rodriguez's issues against elevated fastballs are well documented. Unless he finds a way to improve his coverage in that area, opposing pitchers will have little reason to challenge him differently. That doesn't mean he can't become a productive major leaguer. Plenty of successful hitters have built careers while carrying specific weaknesses. However, it does create another layer of risk that evaluators must weigh when projecting his future value. The Clock Is Starting to Matter While injuries, strikeouts, and concerns about the fastball all contribute to the growing skepticism, the biggest issue may be timing. Prospect rankings are ultimately forward-looking exercises. Evaluators aren't simply asking whether a player is talented; they're asking how likely that player is to become a productive major leaguer and when that might happen. Rodriguez's injury history has dramatically complicated that timeline. Where the setbacks have truly begun to hurt is in roster management. Rodriguez will be out of minor league options next spring, putting significant pressure on him and the organization. The Twins will soon need to determine whether he deserves a permanent major-league roster spot, despite having limited Triple-A experience over the past two seasons. That's an uncomfortable position for any organization. The talent that made Rodriguez one of baseball's most exciting prospects hasn't disappeared. He still possesses elite plate discipline, legitimate power, and the upside of an impact everyday player. But after years of interrupted development, national evaluators appear increasingly focused on the risks rather than the ceiling. Maybe that's fair. Maybe it's prospect fatigue. The Twins would gladly settle for Rodriguez proving everyone wrong by finally staying healthy long enough to show what he's capable of becoming. Does Rodriguez have prospect fatigue? Leave a comment and start the discussion. View the full article

In just about every way possible, the 2026 season has been Manny Machado's worst of his major-league career. The last time Machado even flirted with the threshold constituting an average hitter was 2017, well before he was a member of the San Diego Padres. This year has represented something much worse, however, as Machado's wRC+ of just 73 has his offensive value among the 10-worst qualified hitters in the sport. Amid those struggles, concerns over age have begun to emerge. Unlike Fernando Tatis Jr. or Jackson Merrill, each of whom are also experiencing their own woes in 2026, Machado is at the point in his career where the aging curve looms as a factor. His bat speed has declined in the last few seasons while his power output is threatening to decrease for a sixth consecutive campaign. It's an entirely reasonable concern given how things have transpired in San Diego. The most surefire of the concerns would have manifested in the form of issues against fastballs. Waning bat speed unable to keep up with increasing velocity could be indicative of such age-related issues, especially given that Machado's best work has come against the hard stuff. His hard-hit rate has been highest against fastballs every season of his big league career. His best outcomes in terms of batting average have come against fastballs in five of the last seven seasons prior to 2026 and, with the exception of 2022, have always been within just a few percentage points of whatever pitch type did end up atop the list. They've also represented the lowest source of swing-and-miss for Machado throughout his career. Until 2026, at least. This year, Machado is hitting a mere .192 against the hard stuff. Of course, that number's relative given the .167 average he's produced against off-speed and .135 average versus breaking pitches. Nevertheless, it's a sharp decline combined with a swing-and-miss rate of 22.8 percent that, for the first time, rests narrowly above the off-speed stuff for the lowest among the three groups. His whiff rate is also cause for concern, as a 21.4 percent swing-and-miss rate on fastballs inside the zone represents a slight increase of last year's number that served as a big jump from 2024. However, before we start to get too wrapped up in Machado's fight against the aging curve, there are a couple of things to consider. The first is the luck component. Machado's .210 batting average against fastballs comes despite a .272 xBA. His .320 wOBA against that pitch type sits far lower than his .371 xwOBA indicates. He's still making hard contact over half the time against fastballs (53.4 percent), but not finding fortune in doing so. Perhaps more important, though, is Statcast's new data around swing timing and miss distances. This new information informs us not only about a hitter's timing against each of the three prominent pitch groups but how much they're missing in the event that they're not making contact. As easy as it could be to find concern over Machado's performance against fastballs, this new data tends to lean the other direction. Here is Machado's performance against fastballs specifically: Machado is centering the ball effectively. He's getting slightly under it in a way that you want to be against fastballs. Most importantly, though, he's not that late on fastballs. The middle graph in the above indicates that he's a touch late, but mostly on time. Given his declining bat speed and the velocity against which he's going, this is not an unreasonable trend quite yet. Certainly not one that would offer genuine concern for his ability to handle heat. Further, Machado's average miss distance against fastballs sits at 0.9 inches. That's below the big-league average of 1.3 inches. He has a flawed swing — characterized as a swing that does none of the three above components correctly — just seven percent of the time while generating perfect contact at a 24 percent clip. His competitive swing rate of 92.9 percent is one of the top rates for any Padre hitter against any pitch type. Reason for optimism exists here, borne out of the fact that Machado isn't as overmatched by fastballs as other bits of information may have us believe. It's possible that there's a bit of a timing issue at play, certainly. Perhaps even a pitch recognition issue. But between the luck element and the information wrought by the new Statcast data, we can stave off thoughts of Manny Machado's retirement for at least another day. View the full article

If you stick with something long enough, eventually, you will see the fruits of your labor. Until very recently, as they flirted with a losing record, it seemed the 2026 North Siders were the glaring exception to that rule. The Chicago Cubs' persistent hardships have sent expectations for this squad speeding in the wrong direction. If Javier Assad is thinking about that, he certainly doesn't show it. Though buffeted by the baseball gods, injuries, and (at times) his own organization, Assad has remained unflappable. At no point was this clearer than in his outing Friday night in San Francisco. For any successful big-league pitcher, prosperity originates from having a steady, repeatable process that doesn't change much from game to game. Yes, the strategy for attacking a specific offense or an individual batter may change, but the routine, delivery, and execution do not. What's made Assad such an attractive option for Craig Counsell as he navigates the club's pitching plight is his righty's nasty, increasingly unhittable off-speed pitches. To date, Assad has logged 38 1/3 innings on the mound in the majors, with a critical 6 1/3 of them coming in their tilt with the Giants at the start of the weekend. Before fans in the ballpark could even settle into their seats with Ghirardelli sundaes in hand, Assad treated the many Chicago enthusiasts in attendance to something just as sweet as the ice cream in those bowls. For his second straight start, Assad clocked at least six innings with no runs allowed, halting a string of games in which the Cubs' pitching made mediocre lineups look much more threatening. His arsenal focuses primarily on breaking stuff, with six of his seven pitch types leaning toward movement rather than velocity, but his sinker is his nastiest and most confident weapon. Per Baseball Savant, Assad deploys his sinker 40.5% of the time, with his cut fastball sitting in a distant second at 16.3%. What makes these and his other pitches so effective is what he allows batters to do with them, which (lately) isn't much. Assad cruised through quick, mostly harmless innings because opponents aren't getting a good piece of the bat on the ball. Though his barrels are slightly up from last season, Assad has been forcing batters to top the ball at a staggering rate. He's getting batters to hit the top of the ball at a 33.6% clip, resulting in weak grounders or otherwise painless outcomes for the defense. The nature of these pitches puts less stress on him, creating more low-leverage situations per inning and allowing him to stay within his game plan. The squad's best-laid plans haven't materialized for over a month at this point, but with Assad toeing the rubber, the offense is resurfacing in at least a facsimile of its expected imposing form. Cashing in on early run-scoring opportunities changes the entire complexion of a contest, and with heartening production from the likes of Michael Busch, Assad had an easier time getting his feet under him, with knowledge that his squad's offense was ready to do their part. Punching in good work while punching out the opposition has the murmurs of this club's resurgence growing just a little louder. While it's far too early to call Chicago's few encouraging contests last week a trend, it has at least provided convincing evidence that the version of this team we thought was lost without a trace still exists. Assad, who got this latest start because Matthew Boyd still isn't ready (and might not be for a while) will be key to their efforts to be that club for the foreseeable future. View the full article

Jacob Reimer's two-run homer lifted Binghamton to a 7-6 win in 10 innings, and Mitch Voit went 3-for-4 with three steals, including a steal of home, in Brooklyn's 7-4 victory. JT Benson added a three-run shot for the Cyclones, while Jose Chirinos struck out six over five innings. Jonah Tong fanned six but took the loss for Syracuse, and Christian Rodriguez earned the win in relief for St. Lucie. Mets Transactions No Roster Moves Syracuse Drops One-Run Game In Buffalo Despite Rortvedt's Three Hits The Syracuse Mets fell 4-3 to the Buffalo Bisons, leaving seven runners on base in a rain-shortened six-inning game. Ben Rortvedt led the offense with three hits, including a double, and Andy Ibáñez added two hits with a double. Matt Rudick also collected two hits, and Hayden Senger drove in two runs. Syracuse scratched out a run in the first when Cristian Pache grounded out to score Nick Morabito, then added another in the second on a Senger single that brought home Rortvedt. Jonah Tong allowed four runs on eight hits over five innings, walking one and striking out six, but the home half of the third proved decisive. Buffalo took the lead there on a two-run homer, having tied the game in the second on a double. The Bisons added an insurance run in the fourth on an RBI single. Syracuse pulled within one in the sixth when Senger lifted a sacrifice fly to score Jackson Cluff, but the comeback stalled. Jefry Yan worked a scoreless inning in relief, allowing no hits and striking out two. Player AB R H RBI BB K Nick Morabito 2 1 0 0 0 1 Yonny Hernández 4 0 1 0 0 1 Andy Ibáñez 3 0 2 0 0 0 Cristian Pache 3 0 0 1 0 0 Jackson Cluff 3 1 1 0 0 1 Grae Kessinger 3 0 0 0 0 2 Ben Rortvedt 3 1 3 0 0 0 Hayden Senger 2 0 1 2 0 0 Matt Rudick 3 0 2 0 0 0 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Jonah Tong 5 8 4 4 1 6 1 Jefry Yan 1 0 0 0 0 2 0 Reimer's Homer Caps Binghamton's Extra-Inning Win In Somerset The Binghamton Rumble Ponies fell to the Somerset Patriots 7-6 in 10 innings, stranding eight runners. Jose Ramos went 3-for-5 with two RBI, Jacob Reimer homered and drove in two, and TT Bowens added two hits with a double and an RBI. Chris Suero scored twice from the leadoff spot. Binghamton struck first in the second, when Kevin Villavicencio singled home a run, and Bowens doubled in another. Somerset answered in a big way against Max Green, scoring three in the third on an RBI single and a two-run double, then three more in the fourth on three straight run-scoring hits. Green was charged with six runs on eight hits over 3 1/3 innings, striking out one. Binghamton clawed back with two in the fifth on Ramos's single, then tied it in the seventh on Reimer's two-run homer that scored Suero. The bullpen kept it level, as Zach Peek, Carlos Guzman, and Saul Garcia combined for five scoreless innings, but Somerset pushed across the winning run in the 10th when the zombie runner scored on a throwing error. Player AB R H RBI BB K Chris Suero 4 2 1 0 0 0 Jacob Reimer 4 1 1 2 1 2 Jose Ramos 5 0 3 2 0 1 Vincent Perozo 5 1 1 0 0 3 Jaylen Palmer 4 0 1 0 1 1 Wyatt Young 5 0 0 0 0 0 Kevin Villavicencio 4 1 1 1 1 1 TT Bowens 4 1 2 1 0 0 Diego Mosquera 4 0 0 0 0 2 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Max Green 3 1/3 8 6 6 0 1 0 Felipe De La Cruz 2/3 2 0 0 1 2 0 Zach Peek 2 0 0 0 2 2 0 Carlos Guzman 2 0 0 0 0 1 0 Saul Garcia 1 1 0 0 1 2 0 Dan Hammer 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 Voit Steals Home, Benson Goes Deep As Brooklyn Beats Frederick The Brooklyn Cyclones defeated the Frederick Keys 7-4, leaving five runners on base. Leadoff man Mitch Voit went 3-for-4 with two RBI and three stolen bases, while JT Benson drove in three runs with a homer. The third inning broke the game open as Brooklyn plated five. Voit started the scoring with an RBI single that scored Sam Biller, then stole home as part of a double steal, and Benson capped the frame with a three-run blast to left center. Jose Chirinos turned in a strong start, allowing two runs, one earned, on six hits over five innings, walking two and striking out six. Frederick chipped away with two runs in the fourth, one on a solo homer and one on an error, and added single runs in the sixth and seventh. Brooklyn answered the sixth-inning pressure with two of its own, as Nick Roselli singled home a run and Voit added another RBI single. Danis Correa and Gregori Louis closed it out, with Louis recording the save. Player AB R H RBI BB K Mitch Voit 4 1 3 2 0 0 Yonatan Henriquez 4 0 0 0 0 0 John Bay 2 1 0 0 2 1 Daiverson Gutierrez 3 1 0 0 1 0 JT Benson 4 2 1 3 0 0 Colin Houck 4 0 1 0 0 0 Trace Willhoite 4 0 1 0 0 2 Sam Biller 3 2 1 0 1 0 Nick Roselli 4 0 1 1 0 2 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Jose Chirinos 5 6 2 1 2 6 1 Justin Armbruester 1 1 1 1 0 1 0 Bryce Jenkins 1 1 1 1 0 1 0 Danis Correa 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 Gregori Louis 1 1 0 0 1 2 0 St. Lucie's Bats Stifles Palm Beach Bats In 3-1 Win The St. Lucie Mets won a 3-1 decision over the Palm Beach Cardinals, managing four hits and leaving five runners on base. Simon Juan provided the lone extra-base hit with a solo homer in the second, his fifth of the year, and Trey Snyder added two hits. Leadoff hitter Elian Peña reached and scored twice. After Juan's homer staked St. Lucie to an early lead, the team added a run in the third when Antonio Jimenez grounded out to score Peña. Cam Tilly was sharp in his start, allowing one unearned run on two hits over 3 2/3 innings with three strikeouts and no walks. Christian Rodriguez followed with 2 1/3 scoreless innings, allowing one hit and striking out three to earn the win. Miguel Mejias and Joe Scarborough combined for two more scoreless frames, with Scarborough notching the save. St. Lucie pushed across a final run in the eighth when Yohairo Cuevas grounded into a force out to score Peña, but the offense could not generate enough against Palm Beach, striking out 11 times. Player AB R H RBI BB K Elian Peña 4 2 1 0 0 1 Trey Snyder 4 0 2 0 0 0 Antonio Jimenez 4 0 0 1 0 1 Yohairo Cuevas 3 0 0 1 1 2 Simon Juan 4 1 1 1 0 3 Chase Meggers 3 0 0 0 0 2 Jeremy Rodriguez 3 0 0 0 0 0 Jackson Hauge 3 0 0 0 0 0 Jack Scanlon 2 0 0 0 1 2 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Cam Tilly 3 2/3 2 1 0 0 3 0 Christian Rodriguez 2 1/3 1 0 0 1 3 0 Miguel Mejias 1 2/3 0 0 0 1 1 0 Joe Scarborough 1/3 0 0 0 1 0 0 Top-20 Prospect Performance Carson Benge: DNP A.J. Ewing: DNP Jonah Tong: 5 IP, 8 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 1 BB, 6 K, 1 HR Elian Pena: 1-for-4, 2 R, K Jack Wenninger: DNP Ryan Clifford: DNP Jacob Reimer: 1-for-4, HR, 2 RBI, BB, 2 K Nick Morabito: 0-for-2, R, K Mitch Voit: 3-for-4, 2 RBI, 3 SB Jonathan Santucci: DNP Chris Suero: 1-for-4, 2 R Zach Thornton: DNP Wandy Asigen: DNP Will Watson: DNP Eli Serrano III: DNP Randy Guzman: DNP Ryan Lambert: DNP Dylan Ross: DNP Antonio Jimenez: 0-for-4, RBI, K R.J. Gordon: DNP View the full article

For the week, Wisconsin (4-2) and Biloxi (4-3) were series winners, while Nashville (3-3) and Wilson (3-3) earned series splits. Transactions (per credible sources): SS Cooper Pratt promoted to MLB Brewers from AAA Nashville 3B Andrew Fischer promoted to AA Biloxi from High-A Wisconsin OF Josh Adamczewski promoted to AA Biloxi from High-A Wisconsin Game Action: Nashville Pre-Game Media Notes Final: Durham (Rays) 3, Nashville 2 Box Score Via the Sounds’ website, game details and we encourage readers to review affiliate write-ups as part of their Link Report routine: Sounds Split Series with Durham While the big news (Pratt’s promotion to the Show) took place off the field after the 5th inning, 2B Eddys Leonard (3-for-4, HR, 2 RBIs; .304 AVG, .930 OPS) valiantly led the attempted comeback on the field, as covered in detail by Nishant Brahme in the linked game report. RHP Tyson Hardin (5 IP, 2 R, 3 H, 2 BB, 5 Ks; 1.89 ERA in 33 1/3 AAA IP; peak velocity 95.7mph) deftly avoided blow-ups in the first two innings (e.g. sac fly, GIDP to end the 2nd frame) before earning 12 outs from the final 11 batters he faced. He exited after 70 pitches with the game tied 2-2. Although LHP Jared Koenig (1 IP, 1 R, 1 K) took the Loss by allowing a run in the 6th inning, his velocity was better (peak 94.1, 10 pitches 92mph or higher) than his previous rehab outing. The Sounds did not put a runner in scoring position after the 4th inning, though they did out-hit Durham 8-to-6 and get a player on base in each of the final 4 frames, the last being Leonard’s 2-out single in the bottom of the 9th. Sounds’ Extras: 1B Luke Adams had 2 singles, though he was picked off base in the 2nd inning and ground into a double play to end the 8th inning. RHPs Will Childers (1 2/3 IP, 0 R, 2 H, 0 BB, 1 K; peak velocity 96.2mph) and Lyon Richardson (1 1/3 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 BB, 2 Ks; peak velocity 94.6mph) were solid in the bullpen, combining to deliver 3 scoreless innings. Next week’s outlook: This 3rd straight loss dropped Nashville 2 games behind first place Rochester and Memphis in the 20-team International League. The Sounds travel to Memphis to battle the Cardinals’ affiliate for 6 games this week, commencing on Tuesday. Biloxi Pre-Game Media Notes Final: Biloxi 6, Birmingham (White Sox) 5 Box Score Via the Shuckers’ website, game details: Cruz Cruises to Seal Shuckers Series Win in Birmingham After Biloxi’s early 6-0 advantage was reduced to 6-4 with the bases loaded and 1-out in the bottom of the 6th inning, RHP Stiven Cruz entered to save the day. Cruz induced an RBI ground out and pop out to escape that inning, commencing his string of retiring 11 consecutive batters faced to close out the road win and series victory. The Shuckers’ first five batters had terrific days, led by DH Blake Burke’s 4 RBIs (3-for-5, HR, double, SB) and 1B Mike Boeve (2-for-3, 2 walks, RBI) reaching base 4 times. OF Jacob Hurtubise, SS Jesus Made and 3B Eduardo Garcia combined for 5 hits, 2 walks and an RBI. Making his second start of the week, 20-year old RHP Manuel Rodriguez (5 IP, 3 R, 3 H, 1 BB, 8 Ks) faced the minimum number of batters through 4 1/3 innings before allowing home runs to 2 of the last 5 batters he faced, exiting with a 6-3 lead. Bullpen catcher Edgardo Ordonez (1-for-4) made his first start since September 2025, throwing out the Barons’ only attempted basestealer. Shuckers’ Extras: RHP Ryan Birchard’s 22 pitches didn’t go so well (14 balls, 8 strikes), allowing 4 of 5 batters to reach, but Cruz managed to strand 2 of 3 inherited baserunners to help him out. Rodriguez has now conceded 16 home runs in 61 1/3 innings, which is the most in the Southern League (second: 12). However, he also has a stellar 0.98 WHIP and the league has seen a massive year-over-year power leap (1.8% of batters homered in 2025; 2.8% thus far in 2026). Hopefully next week will see the full return to action of INF/OF Dylan O’Rae (started 1 of last 9 games) and C Darrien Miller (exited Wednesday’s game early). Next week’s outlook: Biloxi enter the final week of the first half of the 2026 campaign in first place by a half-game over Montgomery and 1-game over Pensacola. They welcome Braves’ affiliate Columbus for seven games, with RHP Tanner Gillis (3.53 ERA, 0.95 WHIP, 6.9 K/9 in 43 1/3 IP) expected to start Tuesday’s series opener. Wisconsin Pre-Game Media Notes Final: Wisconsin 7, Great Lakes (Dodgers) 3 Box Score Via the Timber Rattlers’ website, game details: Rattlers Win Game & Series on Sunday We thank the Timber Rattlers’ terrific media team for compiling video highlights of their Sunday victory: Don’t miss the 19-minute post-game podcast from Chris Mehring and Jonathan Timm, featuring OF Braylon Payne, RHP Jayden Dubanewicz and Manager Nick Stanley As you’ve read, seen and heard, 20-year old Dubanewicz (5 IP, 3 R, 6 H, 0 BB, 5 Ks) made a successful High-A debut, RHP Quinton Low (3 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 1 BB, 5 Ks) was exceptional in relief and RHP Garrett Hodges (1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 1 BB, 0 Ks) closed it out. The game was tight until the half-way point, with Great Lakes cutting the lead to 4-3 with 1 out and a runner on in the top of the 5th inning, before Dubanewicz escaped via a fly out and pop out, followed by Payne’s 3-run homer just 3 batters into the bottom half of the inning. All 9 position players reached base via hit, walk or hit-by-pitch, led by 1B Tayden Hall (1-for-2, HR, 2 walks, RBI, SB; .971 OPS in High-A ball), Payne (1-for-4, HR, 3 RBIs; .929 OPS) and 2B Daniel Dickinson (1-for-3, double, walk, RBI). Timber Rattlers’ Extras: As Wisconsin trail South Bend by 5 games in the Midwest League West division with only 3 first half contests left in the first half (which is a different half-year ending date than the higher MILB levels), their entry into the 2026 playoffs will have to come via their second half performance. I encourage readers again to listen to the Payne and Dubanewicz interviews in the podcast, as both were particularly insightful. Although Wisconsin will be on the road next week, their home stadium will be hosting the WIAA State Baseball Championship, with quarterfinals commencing Monday, June 15 at 9:00am and finals starting at 9:05am on Thursday. Next week’s outlook: Wisconsin (33-26) travel to Quad Cities (28-32) to face the Royals’ affiliate, with RHP Braylon Owens (4.26 ERA, 1.30 WHIP, `11.5 K/9 in 50 2/3 IP) scheduled to start the series opener on Tuesday. Wilson Pre-Game Media Notes Final: Wilson 11, Hill City (Guardians) 6 Box Score Via the Warbirds’ website, game details: Wilson Bounces Back to Earn Series Split The linked game report details Wilson’s early 8-run outburst, the rough 7th inning which tightened the contest at 8-6 and the late 3-run homer for OF Nick Monile (1-for-2, HR, 2 walks, 1 HBP, 3 RBIs) to restore healthy breathing room. Wilson’s 7-8-9 hitters DH Jayden Fielder (1-for-3, HR, 2 walks, 2 RBIs), C Yannic Walther (1-for-2, 2 walks, 1 HBP) and Monile were the major offensive contributors on Sunday. Walther singled and scored the game’s first run in the 3rd inning, then walked and scored in each of the 4th and 8th innings. The trio of starting LHP Andrew Healy (1 2/3 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 2 BB, 1 K), RHP Bryce Schaum (1 1/3 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 2 BB, 1 HBP, 0 Ks) and RHP Carlos Carra (3 IP, 1 R, 3 H, 2 BB, 3 Ks) successfully stifled the Howlers’ bats for six innings, with Carra getting in some make-up time after his planned Friday start was rained out. Healy managed to strand the bases loaded when the game was still scoreless in the first inning, while Carra limited damage despite allowing the first two batters aboard in each of the 4th and 5th innings. 21-year old RHP Jose Meneses (2 1/3 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 BB, 2 Ks; 2.25 ERA – promotion candidate?) later came through in a huge way to stand the potential-game tying runners at 2nd and 3rd to end the 7th inning. Warbirds’ Extras: RHP Ismael Yanez (2/3 IP, 5 R, 4 H, 2 BB, 1 HBP, 2 Ks) ended his difficult outing on a good note by registering back-to-back strikeouts when the game was 8-6 with two runners on base. Monile made the most of his first action in one week’s time, putting his early season struggles further into the rear-view mirror (5-for-13 with 7 walks over last 5 games after a 1-for-43 start to 2026). The Warbirds stole 4 bases without being caught, committed no errors, picked off a baserunner and had no passed balls or balks, though they did likely cost themselves a run by having a baserunner doubled off of first base on a fly out to right field. Three of the team’s six hits went for extra bases, including OF Pedro Ibarguen’s 2-run double, while RBIs for OF Handelfry Encarnacion and 3B Juan Ortuno are available via video: Next week’s outlook: Wilson (34-29) return home for 6 games against Rays’ affiliate Charleston (36-27), commencing on Tuesday. We hope that you enjoy the Minor League Link Report. On Monday, DSL Brewers Gold (3-7) plays at DSL Cubs Blue (6-4) at 10:00am CST and ACL Brewers (16-16) play at the ACL Rockies (23-8) at 8:00pm CST. The Milwaukee Brewers aren’t back in action until Tuesday evening, hosting the Guardians. 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

Cooper Pratt signed an eight-year, $50.75-million contract extension in April, and he got the call to the big leagues over the weekend. A lot happened between then and now, with many fans wondering when Pratt would come up—mainly due to the lack of production from the trio who have been patrolling the left side of the infield since Opening Day, in David Hamilton, Joey Ortiz, and Luis Rengifo. All of that is in the past now, though. Pratt is on his way to Milwaukee, and is expected to debut on Tuesday, June 16. As of this writing, a follow-up move on the 26-man roster has not been announced. Now, though, a new question arises. What should fans (realistically) expect from a rookie Cooper Pratt at the big-league level? On the field, one of the more reasonable expectations for any player is that good defense will translate at any level. Pratt was a 2024 Rawlings Gold Glove Award winner at shortstop, awarded to the best defensive player at each position in all of Minor League Baseball. While there is reasonable skepticism about these awards and how they are decided, the prevailing opinion on Pratt is that he is an above-average shortstop, or better. Baseball America gives him a 55 grade on the 20-80 scale, as does FanGraphs, while MLB Pipeline labels him as a 60-grade defender (considered "plus"). At Pratt's height of 6-foot-4, he can appear to be a bit slower going after groundballs than many smaller shortstops do, but his range is strong, due in part to his tremendous ability to read swings and read the ball off the bat. His arm garners 60s from all three sites as well, and he has shown a strong ability to make "off-platform" throws while on the run, or even airborne. Pratt Throw 2.mp4 Another tool that should translate well at the big-league level will be Pratt's baserunning. In terms of straight-line speed, he's an average runner, maybe a bit above average. However, he shows great instincts on the bases, and will pick pitchers apart if they don't pay close enough attention to him. He has successfully stolen nearly 90% of the bases he has attempted in his minor-league career (79/88), including 17 of 18 in Triple-A this season. Pratt 2 SBs - 1 Inning.mp4 At the plate, there will be more questions for Pratt in the immediate future. After a very slow start to the season, with a 41 wRC+ in his first 70 plate appearances, Pratt posted a 125 wRC+ in his next 188 plate appearances. The chart below, courtesy of TJStats, shows the difference in some of the peripherals during those same two time periods. The contact quality still does not indicate much game power, even during the much better stretch, but he does show tremendous bat-to-ball skills, and the angles at which the ball leaves the bat have improved over the course of the season. Pratt will probably not hit for much power in MLB this season, except on the rare occasions when he gets an opportunity to pull his hands in and pull a pitch, but his bat-to-ball skills have the potential to translate pretty well. Pratt HR.mp4 One thing to keep an eye on with Pratt will be how he handles the better breaking balls he will see in MLB. Handling fastball velocity has not been an issue for him this season, despite that being a concern of some evaluators heading into the season. When facing fastballs, in general, he posted a .358 xwOBA and only whiffed on 10.8% of his swings. To further emphasize the lack of struggle with velocity, he has seen 132 fastballs thrown at least 95 MPH, and against those offerings, he has posted an even better .393 xwOBA, while only whiffing on 9.8% of his swings. Breaking balls, on the other hand, have been a different story. When thrown a breaking ball, he's posted a .270 xwOBA, with a whiff rate of 26.3% in 325 pitches seen. Big-league teams will look to expose that more often than Triple-A pitchers did, and teams will have more pitchers equipped to do so. The Brewers believe there is power to come down the line, and Brice Turang could provide a blueprint for eventually realizing it. The Brewers believe Pratt can follow a similar path in that regard, but Turang also provides a crystal ball for how Pratt's inaugural season could go. Turang finished his rookie season with a 61 wRC+, 12 Defensive Runs Saved, and he went 24 of 30 on stolen base attempts. He did that over 137 games, meaning Pratt's first campaign will need to be scaled down for comparison, as the Brewers will only have 93 games remaining when he debuts. The general scope of the production, though, is most likely going to look similar to Turang's rookie year. Pratt's value will be derived from his defense and his baserunning, and the Brewers will hope that they get a bit more out of the bat than Turang gave them. That said, even the Brewers' internal projections probably project Pratt as a below-average hitter in 2026. The good news for Pratt is that he won't have a very high bar to clear at the position. A 59 wRC+ is all the Brewers have received from the shortstop position in 2026. Pratt is capable of clearing that mark, and could still be a relatively significant upgrade, even if he only winds up posting a 75-80 wRC+ line in 2026. That's what the Brewers are hoping for here. Patience could prove to be challenging for fans and the Brewers alike. Struggles at the plate should not come as a surprise when they crop up. As Turang has shown, though, patience can be rewarded in a major way. The former surprise sixth-round pick, Cooper Pratt, is officially a big leaguer. He earned the opportunity. Now, it's all about how he continues to grow while at the highest level, and how quickly he can show that growth. View the full article

Over the course of a 162-game season, all 30 MLB teams find themselves tasked with overcoming various levels of adversity. What the Chicago Cubs have been mired in since the end of the first week of May is far more sinister: it's become a complex. By failing to produce in nearly every facet of the game, the Cubs have become their own worst enemies. Despite encouraging signs of life, that hard truth was further reinforced in another underwhelming week of baseball. The Cubs' arrival in the Mile High City was the continuation of a much lighter part of the club's schedule. A three-game set with the Rockies was a chance for the team to dig in, shed some of their worst habits, and notch a comfortable win or two. Such was not the case in the opener. Beleaguered starter Colin Rea did little to quell concerns about his viability as a starter. He surrendered seven earned runs in 4 2/3 innings of work. His offense didn't fare much better, stranding eight baserunners in an eight-hit performance wherein Michael Busch deposited a souvenir into the seats of Coors Field. The Rockies prevailed by 7-3. Not long ago, a start from Shota Imanaga was met with great exuberance. His outing in a losing effort in Game 2 of the series in Denver was actually not far off from the brand of pitching that delivered him to a place of prominence in the big leagues to begin with. The Pitching Philosopher logged five innings of scoreless baseball. Yet again, the game's frustrations belong at the feet of this inconsistent lineup, which only scratched across two runs, one of which came in the form of a game-tying solo shot from Ian Happ. Along with Pete Crow-Armstrong, Happ's frequent heroics have gone a long way in carrying the team on his back, but it's not clear the encumbered team-haulers are getting anywhere. Chicago dropped the middle game and the series by a score of 3-2. When this club's offense clicks, good things happen. Well, it clicked in Thursdsy's getaway game, with the visitors exploding for a 10-hit, 9-run performance. A fourth-inning grand slam from the ascending Seiya Suzuki seized the momentum from the home team and offered catharsis to a visiting dugout that had been waiting and pressing to break through. Despite coughing up two long balls, Edward Cabrera held steady in a 5 1/3-inning outing. While this starting rotation continues its search for stability, it needs Cabrera to find the groove that made him an attractive target in trade. The Cubs rolled to a 9-3 victory to escape Coors Field with some pride and hope. The squad's westward trek landed them in San Francisco for a three-game weekend series with Willy Adames and the Giants. For the first time since mid-May, the Cubs notched a victory in a series's opening tilt, with their 5-1 triumph over the Giants at Oracle. Spot starter Javier Assad stepped up impressively. His scoreless six-inning performance paved the way for this offense, led by a three-run blast into McCovey Cove from Busch. The bullpen enjoyed one of its quieter outings in some time, with the only trouble being a solo shot surrendered by Trent Thornton to Bryce Eldridge in the home half of the ninth. Ben Brown's breakout season remains one of the shining beacons of hope for this Cubs organization in 2026. His series-clinching showing in the middle game of this tilt proved only to reinforce this point. Though his five-inning, seven-hit performance wasn't his sharpest, he still only allowed one run to score, backed up by a superb defense on Saturday night in the Bay Area. Pete Crow-Armstrong led the offensive campaign for his club, launching a first-pitch, opposite-field homer to give his club an early lead. The All-Star center fielder came just a triple away from the cycle. He's not only back to his best form, but showing signs that he might be even better than anything he's shown in the past. If the rest of the team can follow suit, they might just be back in business. Slightly eroding all the goodwill from its first series win in ages, Rea and the Cubs faltered on a lazy Sunday in San Francisco. The opener, Ryan Rolison, gave way to Rea, and he was as perplexing as ever. A disastrous, marathon fifth inning dug a hole the offense could not fight its way out of. More stranded runners and empty at-bats kept the North Siders from a much-desired sweep in the series finale. The Cubs now return to the Friendly Confines for a six-game homestand. First up, they welcome the Rockies to town for a three-game tilt. Their rematch with the Rockies will set the stage for a three-game weekend series opposite Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and the Toronto Blue Jays. While it's difficult to see the forest through the trees with this frustrating ball club, by earning its first series win in over a month this week, the team showed it has plenty to play for, and plenty of resilience to make the play worthwhile. View the full article

Week in a Nutshell The Royals came back to Kauffman this week to face the two Texas teams from the AL West: the Rangers and the Houston Astros. After a solid stretch in Cincinnati and Minnesota, Kansas City was hoping to build on that momentum and put on a good showing back home this week against two winnable opponents. While the Royals won the first and last games of the homestand, they lost four in a row in the middle, including two losses to Texas and two to Houston. However, while another losing homestand was difficult enough, the Royals were also beset by multiple injuries to key players this week, which only makes their slim playoff chances appear even bleaker. Record this Week: 2-4 Run Differential for the Week: -1 Record for the Year: 29-43 Run Differential for the Year: -49 Standing: 5th in the AL Central Game 67: KC 5, TEX 3 Game 68: TEX 6, KC 4 Game 69: TEX 4, KC 2 Game 70: HOU 10, KC 8 Game 71: HOU 8, KC 7 Game 72: KC 4, HOU 0 News and Notes In addition to the losses, the Royals' injuries piled up this week. In addition to many key players going on the IL, Kansas City also called up several players from Omaha to fill their spots. On June 9th, Stephen Kolek was activated off the Family Emergency list, and in a corresponding move, the Royals optioned Josh Rojas back to Omaha. Because Rojas has more than five years of service time, he had to accept an option to Triple-A. He decided to take the assignment back to the Storm Chasers rather than opt for free agency. Also on June 9th, pitcher Kris Bubic began a rehab assignment in Omaha. It was a rough outing for Bubic, as he gave up eight runs on nine hits in 1.2 IP. After the rehab outing, manager Matt Quatraro remarked that Bubic didn't recover well, as he was experiencing shoulder soreness. As a result, Bubic was taken off the rehab assignment and underwent further tests, which have been inconclusive so far. During the Royals' win over the Rangers on Tuesday, Kyle Isbel injured himself while rounding first base on a base hit. Tests revealed that he had a grade 3 tear of a portion of his left plantar fasciitis. As a result, Isbel will miss quite a bit of time, as reported by Jaylon Thompson of the Kansas City Star. In his place, the Royals promoted Kameron Misner, whom the Royals acquired from the Tampa Bay Rays this offseason. Misner has gotten off to a solid start in Kansas City this past week, as he collected six hits in 12 at-bats. On Wednesday, the Royals had a major scare as Seth Lugo was hit by a line drive batted ball by former Mets teammate Brandon Nimmo. Lugo was taken out of the game and placed on the 7-Day Concussion Protocol IL. CT scans were encouraging, but he was experiencing some headaches and worsening symptoms, which explained why he was placed on the IL. The Royals called up Eli Morgan to replace Lugo's spot on the roster. That said, Morgan was optioned back to Omaha on Sunday, and it is reported that Mitch Spence will replace Morgan. Spence, a starter acquired from the Athletics this offseason, is listed as the probable starter for Monday's road game against the Washington Nationals. Lastly, the Royals got another huge injury blow on Saturday, as Vinnie Pasquantino was removed from Saturday night's game after an awkward swing. It was reported that Pasquantino suffered a hamate bone injury. On Sunday, the Royals announced that he had a right hamate bone fracture and would miss approximately 4-6 weeks. John Rave was called up on Sunday to replace Pasquantino on the active roster, but Jac Caglianone is expected to receive a majority of the at-bats at first base. He made the start on Sunday at first base in the Royals' 4-0 win in the series finale against the Astros. Rave hit .196 with a .590 OPS, four home runs, and seven stolen bases in 72 games and 175 plate appearances with the Royals last year. Highlights Even though the Royals lost four games this week, the offense actually held its own. Kansas City's .293 team batting average was the 4th-best mark in baseball over the past week (unsurprisingly, the Rockies and the Athletics were the top two thanks to the hitter-friendly conditions of Las Vegas). They also scored 30 runs and were only outscored by one run. In the Astros series alone, they outscored Houston 19-18 over the three-game series (too bad it's not an aggregate scoring like soccer). The Royals also showed some ability to come back in spots this week, especially over the weekend. They nearly tied the Astros on Friday in their 10-8 loss, despite giving up nine runs in the top of the first. Furthermore, they had a 7-5 lead on Saturday before Jose Altuve tied things up with a two-run home run in the 8th before the rain delay. Individually, Caglianone was the Royals' top offensive performer. He collected 10 hits in 23 at-bats and hit .435 with a 1.239 OPS and two home runs and five RBI. He seemed to be key with runners on base, as he had a lot of moments in this homestand where he drove in runs, something he wasn't doing earlier in the year. The only blemish for Cags was the swing-and-miss this week. The former first-round pick had eight strikeouts, which led all Royals hitters this week. While Caglianone was the Royals' top performer offensively in this homestand, Bobby Witt Jr. wasn't far behind. The Royals shortstop had 9 hits, the second-most this week by a Kansas City hitter. He also hit .360 with an .847 OPS, stole three bases, and only struck out once. Witt particularly had a good game on Sunday, which also happened to be his 26th birthday. Maikel Garcia has been beset by injuries recently, but he started to get back into form in this homestand. He hit .286 with a .747 OPS and had a three-hit performance on Sunday, which included a couple of key RBI base knocks. Misner had a great Royals debut, and he's hitting .500 with a 1.038 OPS. The former Mizzou product also stole a base and had three RBIs. He will likely get a lot of opportunities in centerfield against right-handed starting pitchers with Isbel on the shelf due to his foot injury. Lastly, after a slow start at the leadoff spot, Carter Jensen had a strong week at the K. In 21 at-bats, he hit .286 with a .794 OPS, four doubles, four RBIs, and four runs scored. Manager Matt Quatraro has opted to utilize Jensen as the Royals' leadoff hitter against right-handed starting pitchers, and it seems like he's getting more comfortable in the spot with each start. Jensen also had a clutch double on Saturday night that helped the Royals overcome a 5-4 deficit in the bottom of the sixth inning. On the pitching end, it was another strong week from Stephen Kolek. He posted a 0.73 ERA and 1.22 WHIP in 12.1 IP with seven strikeouts to two walks. Kolek gave up a lot of hits, with 13 hits allowed, but he was able to escape trouble with runners on base. He only allowed two runs total in his two starts and only one earned run to boot. On Sunday, he had another masterful performance at the K, allowing no runs and only five hits in 7.1 innings of work in the victory over Houston. Safe to say, Kolek has emerged as the Royals' most valuable starter since the beginning of May. After a rough start to the season, which included getting optioned to Triple-A Omaha, Steven Cruz emerged as the Royals' most dependable reliever this week. In four outings and 5.0 IP, Cruz didn't allow a run, and he posted a 0.60 WHIP and 1.75 FIP. He also produced a 29.4% K% and a 23.5% K-BB% with a 72.4% strike%. When looking at his TJ Stuff+ summary from this week, not only did Cruz have excellent TJ Stuff+ marks, but he also flooded the strike zone, induced a lot of chases and whiffs, and limited hard contact, as evidenced by his xwOBACON. With the Royals' bullpen so shaky right now, Cruz may start to get more high-leverage opportunities in the future, especially with his ability to generate excellent stuff and a lot of whiffs, which is key in those pressure-packed situations. Another key reliever for the Royals this week was John Schreiber, who may be the Royals' best trade asset at this time. In three outings and 3.1 IP, he posted a 2.70 ERA, a 0.60 WHIP, struck out five batters, and didn't walk a single batter. The TJ Stuff+ wasn't as good as Cruz's, and his xwOBACON was slightly below average. That said, Schreiber was generating strong chase and whiff rates this week, which is encouraging. With many teams looking for bullpen help, Schreiber could be a key asset that could net the Royals some good value in return by the Trade Deadline. Lowlights While Kolek, Cruz, and Schreiber were strong contributors to the Royals pitching staff this week, it wasn't the best homestand for this group, especially the bullpen. The pitching staff gave up 10 home runs, which was the seventh-most by a pitching staff this week. The worst offender in this category was Matt Strahm. Not only did he give up three home runs this week, but he has also given up a home run in his last four outings and in six of his last eight appearances. In three outings and 2.1 IP this week, Strahm posted a 15.43 ERA and 1.71 WHIP. In addition to three home runs allowed, he gave up four earned runs and blew two save opportunities (i.e., he lost the lead for the Royals). While Strahm threw strikes this week and generated a strong chase rate, his whiff rate, xwOBACON, and TJ Stuff+ were all lackluster, as illustrated in his TJ Stuff+ summary below. The worst Royals pitching performance of the week probably belonged to Luinder Avila, who absolutely imploded in his Friday start against the Houston Astros. Avila failed to get out of the first inning, as he only went 0.2 IP. In that small sample, he allowed eight earned runs on five hits and three walks. He didn't record a strikeout, and he allowed two home runs, including a two-run bomb to Yordan Alvarez, who had two in the inning (with his other being a grand slam). In his TJ Stuff+ summary, nothing went right for Avila. He didn't throw strikes. He couldn't generate many chases. He got hit HARD. He did post a solid whiff rate, and his TJ Stuff+ wasn't bad considering the number of pitches he threw in the inning (49). That said, it was an outing to forget for the talented, but inconsistent Venezuelan pitcher. With Bubic and Cole Ragans on the IL and not a lot of reinforcements in Omaha (Ryan Bergert is also on the IL), Avila will continue to get starts. Hopefully, he can put this horrid outing behind him and bounce back in this short road trip against the Nationals (he's projected to start on Wednesday). Noah Cameron had a tough outing this week, as he allowed seven hits and four earned runs in 4.1 IP. Cameron didn't walk any batters, but he only had one strikeout, and he gave up two home runs. Looking at his TJ Stuff+ summary, it just wasn't a good day for Cameron, as his TJ Stuff+, zone rate, chase rate, whiff rate, and xwOBACON were all subpar. Lucas Erceg looked a little better this week, as he had a 3.86 ERA in three outings and 2.1 IP. However, his WHIP was 1.71, and he allowed three walks, hit a batter, and only struck out one. The chase, whiff rate, and xwOBACON were all encouraging this week, but his zone rate numbers were lackluster, and his K% was 8.3%, which resulted in a -16.7% K-BB%, not something Royals fans want to see from a pitcher who's supposed to be in high-leverage spots. On the hitting side, it was another brutal week for Salvador Perez. In 22 at-bats, he hit .182 with a .364 OPS, and he struck out five times while only walking once. All four of his hits were singles, and not only is he not producing in the power category, but he looks off-balance in the box as well. Whether it's nagging injuries or pressure from trying to break the Royals' all-time home run record, Perez just hasn't looked right in the box this year, and his Statcast percentiles only confirm that. Another Royals position player with a tough week was Nick Loftin. The former Baylor product hit .125 with a .597 OPS in eight at-bats. However, his biggest issue was a throwing error on Saturday night that gave the Astros the lead and, eventually, the win. Loftin has been atrocious in the field, especially at second base. He has a -8 OAA at second base, which is one of the worst OAA marks in all of baseball. Loftin is only hitting .221 with a .688 OPS this year in 116 plate appearances. While he can draw a walk (12.1% BB%), he doesn't provide much pop (32.9% hard-hit rate). Thus, his offensive profile is average at best, and his defense is a major liability. The Royals may be more apt to give new acquisition Matthew Lugo a chance in his spot, especially with Lugo absolutely tearing up Triple-A pitching. At 27 years old, Loftin doesn't have a whole lot of time to prove that he can be a long-term option in Kansas City. He may only have a couple of more weeks to prove himself in Kansas City, especially with the Royals 14 games under .500 and clearly building for 2027 at this point in the year. Loftin will be out of Minor League options next year, which makes him a non-tender candidate next offseason. Looking Ahead The Royals have a split week coming up with three games in Washington, D.C., against the Nationals and three games back at home against their I-70 rival, the St. Louis Cardinals. Due to the World Cup game on Saturday at the Truman Sports Complex, the Royals-Cardinals series will be played on Thursday, Friday, and Sunday. Though expectations weren't high in the preseason, the Nationals are 37-35 and in third in the NL East. They have a dynamic offense, as they are first in runs scored, second in stolen bases, fifth in OPS, and seventh in home runs. The offense has been led by James Wood and CJ Abrams, who had wRC+ marks of 162 and 150, respectively. Wood hit his 20th home run of the season on Sunday. The pitching has been a little weaker for the Nationals, as their rotation ranks 24th in starter ERA and their bullpen ranks 26th in reliever ERA. However, the Nationals have a profile similar to that of the Astros, who just took two of three from the Royals at Kauffman Stadium this past weekend. The Cardinals took two of three from the Royals in St. Louis back in Mid-May, though the Royals only lost both games by a combined three runs. St. Louis is a balanced team with a solid offense (12th in OPS; 13th in runs scored), a strong rotation (11th in ERA), and a decent bullpen that has a mediocre ranking in reliever ERA (17th), but has one of the game's more dynamic closers. Riley O'Brien has a 3.86 ERA and 17 saves this year in 30.1 IP. However, he's been shaky in June with a 7.20 ERA, 2.40 WHIP, and -3.7 K-BB% in 5.0 IP. If the game is close, the Royals could perhaps get to the rattled closer at Kauffman. O'Brien has still generated chases and whiffs, but he has gotten hit hard and has struggled to find the strike zone. The Royals' approach has been much better as of late, and they are working pitchers better than a year ago, as evidenced by their 9.2% BB%, which ranks 13th in baseball. Getting to O'Brien, in front of a Kauffman crowd that will be at least half Cardinals fans, could be the momentum boost this Royals team needs. View the full article

The Twins selected the contract of 26-year-old outfielder Kyler Fedko Sunday, designating veteran infielder Orlando Arcia in the process to make room on both the 40-man and active roster. Now that he’s finally in Minnesota, what will the Twins do with him? Fedko is a right-handed outfielder who can play all three outfield positions, though scouts suggest that his defense in center field isn’t good enough to be an everyday player out there. He’s also added first base to his bag of tricks, but he’s only got about 300 innings there across three seasons between Double- and Triple-A. He’s also played three games at second base this season, but it’s unlikely that the Twins will need to play that card. Often, transactions clearly show what a team’s plan with a player is. If the team cuts a left-handed corner outfielder and promotes a different left-handed corner outfielder to replace him, the old guy’s job is the new guy’s job. Not so with an Arcia-Fedko swap. We can’t just look at Arcia’s playing time and copy and paste it onto Fedko’s ledger. However, we can start with Arcia’s playing time and work from there, because there’s playing time to go around as a result of that move. Arcia has been playing approximately every other day. He’s been starting at shortstop against lefties, and he’s been filling in at first and second base, though he hadn’t had an appearance at either position since the return of Royce Lewis. (That's probably why, in the end, it made more sense to give Fedko a look than to hang onto Arcia. Having cut James Outman to recall Lewis, they were tipping toward being infielder-heavy and outfielder-light.) Arcia’s playing time at shortstop actually directly translates to Fedko's playing time, though. During each of Arcia’s recent appearances at shortstop, righty superutility player Ryan Kreidler has started in the outfield. Going forward, those platoon shortstop appearances can easily be transferred over to Kreidler, and Kreidler could take time from the strong side of the platoon, Tristan Gray—but this is a Fedko writeup, so we’ll skip that discussion. Fedko serving as a platoon outfielder is the most straightforward path to playing time. In the majors, he’s carried an OPS around .900, about 35% better than average for the level, but he’s been especially good against lefties this season, with an OPS of 1.262—though he’s historically had somewhat neutral platoon splits. The Twins have gotten below-average production from their corner outfielders against lefties—20th by OPS and 17th by wRC+. If Fedko can provide some thump against southpaws, he’ll have a place on this roster, joining Austin Martin as the right-handed corner outfielders. Trevor Larnach has been entrenched in left field, but he’s been platooned all season. Kody Clemens has seen more time in right field recently, but the Twins are probably open to playing a full righty lineup against lefty starters. It’s unclear if Clemens (who has a slightly above-average .714 OPS against lefties this season) would continue to get playing time against lefties in this alignment, because the Twins now have two righty corner outfielders, as well as the right-handed Luke Keashcall and Royce Lewis, who can play first and second base against lefties. But, again, that’s a conversation for another day. Speaking of Clemens, there’s also a center field component to discuss. Fedko is a bit stretched in center, but he’ll likely get some opportunity out there, given that Clemens has been used as their primary backup center fielder in recent weeks. The Twins’ previous fifth outfielder, Outman, was jettisoned from the roster last week to make room for Lewis after spending most of the season collecting dust at the end of the bench. The Twins have been hesitant to play Martin in center field, suggesting Fedko could be ahead of him on the depth chart. Kreidler is a solid center fielder, but the club will be relying on him in the infield more often. Given the choice between playing Clemens or Fedko in center field when Byron Buxton has a day off, it wouldn’t be surprising for Fedko to get the nod—even against righty pitching. As mentioned, Fedko can also play first base, but it’s difficult to see that happening often, given the presence of Clemens, Lewis, Josh Bell, and even Keaschall on the roster. Could it happen that he ends up over there for an inning or two? Maaaaybe. I could see that, and the fear is there. Given that about a third of starting pitchers are lefties, you’re looking at about two starts a week for Fedko in a corner. Then, if he gives Buxton a day off in center field, he’ll get another start every week or two, pending Buxton’s health. And of course, he could be used as a pinch-hitter. He’s a Minnesota Twin, after all. Two or three starts a week doesn’t sound like much, but it’s certainly more action than Outman was getting. And Fedko isn’t a prospect, per se; he’s a late-blooming 26-year-old. Even if he has a multi-year MLB career, he’s going to be a part-time player. They’re not doing him a disservice by using him in moderation. In games he doesn’t start, he could be used as a pinch-runner. He’s gone 47-for-59 as a basestealer over the past two seasons in the high minors, just under 80% of his attempts proving successful. So the Twins are under no pressure to force him into the lineup. But he certainly has an opportunity. Martin has slowed down in recent weeks and is not set in stone as the Twins’ fourth outfielder. Even if bigger names like Walker Jenkins, Emmanuel Rodriguez, Alan Roden, or Matt Wallner are called up to the big-league team, they’re all lefties, so the team would be well-served to carry a righty. There’s certainly an opportunity to show what Fedko can do. The door is open for Fedko, who had a 28-homer, 38-stolen-base season last year, to carve out a part-time role and try to stake a claim to more. He’s become a fan favorite, among fans who get attached to low-ceiling prospects, and it will be fun to see how it shakes out for him this season. View the full article

The Royals' affiliates split four games on June 14. Sam Kulasingam and Daniel Vazquez each homered in a five-run seventh as Northwest Arkansas rallied but fell short. Matthew Lugo drove in three for Omaha in a high-scoring loss. Quad Cities held on behind Max Martin and Yimi Presinal, who struck out four over two scoreless innings. Columbia stormed back as Henry Ramos homered and Andy Basora retired all seven hitters he faced to seal the win. Royals Transactions Kansas City Royals placed 1B Vinnie Pasquantino on the 10-day injured list. Right hamate fracture. Kansas City Royals recalled RF John Rave from Omaha Storm Chasers. Lugo's Power Not Enough As Omaha Falls In Extras The Omaha Storm Chasers fell 12-7 to the Las Vegas Aviators in 11 innings. Omaha is 30-38 and sits in 8th in the International West division, ahead of only Iowa and Indianapolis. Lugo led the offense, going 2-for-5 with a home run and three runs batted in, including a solo shot in the first inning and a tying single in the tenth. Gavin Cross added two hits and scored twice, and Elih Marrero doubled and drove in a run. Omaha left six runners on base. Starter Ryan Ramsey allowed four runs on six hits over 3 1/3 innings, walking two and striking out three. The game turned in the eleventh, when Las Vegas pushed across five runs against Dan Altavilla and Jose Cuas after the score had been tied at seven. Altavilla took the loss, allowing six runs, two earned, on four hits across 1 1/3 innings. Eric Cerantola provided two scoreless, hitless innings of relief earlier in the contest. Player AB R H RBI BB K Josh Rojas 5 0 1 2 0 2 Peyton Wilson 5 2 1 0 0 3 Brett Squires 5 0 0 0 0 1 Matthew Lugo 5 1 2 3 0 1 Luca Tresh 5 1 1 0 0 3 Drew Waters 4 1 0 0 1 1 Gavin Cross 4 2 2 0 0 1 Elih Marrero 4 0 1 1 1 1 Connor Kaiser 3 0 0 1 0 2 Abraham Toro 1 0 1 0 0 0 Kevin Newman 0 0 0 0 0 0 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Ryan Ramsey 3 1/3 6 4 4 2 3 0 Ben Sears 1 2/3 3 2 2 1 2 0 Andrew Pérez 2 1 0 0 1 1 0 Eric Cerantola 2 0 0 0 0 1 0 Dan Altavilla 1 1/3 4 6 2 0 2 0 Jose Cuas 2/3 1 0 0 1 1 0 Naturals' Seven-Run Seventh Falls Short In Arkansas The Northwest Arkansas Naturals lost 12-7 to the Arkansas Travelers despite a furious late rally. The Naturals' record now drops to 27-34 for the season. Vazquez, the No. 18 Royals prospect at Royals Keep according to our latest rankings, led the way, going 2-for-3 with a home run, three runs batted in, and two walks. Kulasingam and Omar Hernandez also homered, with Hernandez collecting two hits. Northwest Arkansas left eight runners on base. The Naturals trailed early after a difficult start from No. 7 Royals prospect Drew Beam, who allowed six runs on five hits over 1 1/3 innings, walking two and striking out two before taking the loss. The Travelers built their lead with seven runs in the second inning. Northwest Arkansas answered with five runs in the seventh, when Kulasingam, Vazquez, and Hernandez all went deep, but the comeback came up short. Andrew Morones provided 1 2/3 scoreless, hitless innings out of the bullpen with two strikeouts. The Naturals stranded eight runners and went 1-for-11 with runners in scoring position. Player AB R H RBI BB K Carson Roccaforte 5 1 1 0 0 1 Jack Pineda 4 2 1 0 0 0 Sam Kulasingam 4 1 1 2 1 0 Spencer Nivens 3 1 0 0 2 1 Daniel Vazquez 3 1 2 3 2 0 Omar Hernandez 5 1 2 1 0 2 Rudy Martin Jr. 3 0 1 1 1 0 Alberto Rodriguez 4 0 0 0 0 2 Connor Scott 4 0 0 0 0 2 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Drew Beam 1 1/3 5 6 6 2 2 0 Augusto Mendieta 2 2/3 2 2 2 1 4 2 Caden Monke 1 0 0 0 2 1 0 Chase Jessee 1/3 0 2 0 1 0 0 Andrew Morones 1 2/3 0 0 0 0 2 0 Dennis Colleran Jr. 1 1 2 2 1 0 1 River Bandits Hold On For One-Run Win In Beloit The Quad Cities River Bandits edged the Beloit Sky Carp 5-4 to collect their 28th win of the season. Nolan Sailors led off and went 2-for-4 with a double and a run batted in, while Chris Brito, Erick Torres, and Diego Guzman each collected two hits. Quad Cities left 13 runners on base and went 3-for-16 with runners in scoring position. However, the River Bandits did just enough, scratching out single runs in four different innings. Starter Tanner Jones allowed three runs on four hits over 3 1/3 innings, walking four and striking out two. Max Martin earned the win with 1 2/3 scoreless innings, and Yimi Presinal closed it out with two scoreless frames, striking out four and earning the save. The bullpen of Martin, Nick Conte, L.P. Langevin, and Presinal allowed just one run over the final 5 2/3 innings to preserve the lead. Player AB R H RBI BB K Nolan Sailors 4 0 2 1 1 0 Asbel Gonzalez 4 0 0 0 1 1 Ramon Ramirez 4 1 1 0 0 2 Luke Pelzer 4 1 1 1 1 0 Chris Brito 5 1 2 0 0 1 Erick Torres 5 1 2 1 0 1 Tyriq Kemp 2 0 1 0 1 0 Trevor Werner 4 0 1 0 1 2 Diego Guzman 5 1 1 0 0 2 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Tanner Jones 3 1/3 4 3 3 4 2 0 Max Martin 1 2/3 1 0 0 1 2 0 Nick Conte 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 L.P. Langevin 1 1 1 1 0 2 1 Yimi Presinal 2 0 0 0 1 4 0 Fireflies Rally Past Delmarva Behind Ramos And Basora The Columbia Fireflies came from behind to beat the Delmarva Shorebirds 8-5 in Sunday's series finale to clinch their seventh win in their last eight games. Leadoff man Ramos went 2-for-3 with a double, a home run, a run batted in, and a walk, scoring twice. Sean Gamble, our No. 3 Royals prospect at Royals Keep, reached three times, drawing two walks and scoring twice. Columbia left six runners on base. Starter Shane Van Dam allowed three runs on six hits over four innings, striking out two. After Delmarva built an early lead, Columbia surged ahead in the sixth and seventh. In the sixth, JC Vanek and Gabriel Silva delivered run-scoring hits, and the Fireflies added three more in the seventh on a pair of sacrifice bunts and a sacrifice fly that took advantage of two Delmarva throwing errors. Ramos capped the scoring with a home run in the eighth, his fourth of the season. The home run had an exit velocity of 104 MPH and helped seal the game for Columbia. Basora earned the win with a sterling effort on the mound, retiring all seven hitters he faced over 2 1/3 innings with two strikeouts. Player AB R H RBI BB K Henry Ramos 3 2 2 1 1 0 Josh Hammond 4 1 0 0 0 1 Yandel Ricardo 3 1 0 0 0 1 Stone Russell 3 1 1 1 0 0 Sean Gamble 2 2 1 0 2 0 JC Vanek 2 1 1 1 1 1 Josi Novas 1 0 0 0 0 1 Angel Ramirez 3 0 0 1 0 0 Gabriel Silva 2 0 1 1 1 1 Ivan Sosa 4 0 0 0 0 0 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Shane Van Dam 4 6 3 3 1 2 0 Luis Valdez 2 2 1 1 0 2 0 Yeri Perez 2/3 1 1 1 3 1 0 Andy Basora 2 1/3 0 0 0 1 2 0 Top-20 Prospect Performance Kendry Chourio: DNP David Shields: DNP Sean Gamble: 1-for-2, 2 BB Blake Mitchell: DNP Josh Hammond: 0-for-4, 1 K Ramon Ramirez: 1-for-4, 2B, 2 K Drew Beam: 1 1/3 IP, 5 H, 6 R, 6 ER, 2 BB, 2 K Asbel Gonzalez: 0-for-4, 1 BB, 1 K Ben Kudrna: DNP Carson Roccaforte: 1-for-5, 1 K Yandel Ricardo: 0-for-3, 1 K Felix Arronde: DNP Blake Wolters: DNP Michael Lombardi: DNP Luinder Avila: DNP Steven Zobac: DNP Frank Mozzicato: DNP Daniel Vazquez: 2-for-3, HR, 3 RBI, 2 BB Warren Colcano: DNP Shane Panzini: DNP View the full article

To baseball fans in America, most would still probably consider Pete Rose to be the all-time leader in hits. Ask those in Japan and other parts of the world and one might get a different answer. On this day 10 years ago, Ichiro Suzuki passed Rose for the most hits at the highest levels of baseball and did so as a member of the Miami Marlins. Coupled with his time in Nippon Professional Baseball in Japan, Suzuki collected his 4,257th hit in a 6-3 loss to the San Diego Padres. As the Marlins went for the three-game sweep of the Padres at Petco Park on June 15, 2016, Suzuki sat one hit behind Rose with 4,255 for his career in Nippon and Major League Baseball. He wasted little time drawing even. On just the second pitch of the game, Suzuki dribbled one just past the plate but was able to use his speed for the infield single and hit No. 4,256. He’d come around to score the game’s first run on an RBI single by Christian Yelich later in the inning. Over his next three at-bats, Ichiro grounded out twice and struck out once. With the Padres up 6-3 after eight innings, there was no guarantee that Suzuki would get another at-bat. A single by Adeiny Hechavarría to lead off the ninth, however, gave Ichiro a chance to bat against closer Fernando Rodney with two outs in the inning. On a 2-1 pitch, Suzuki smashed Rodney’s offering into the right-field corner for a standup double. The two-bagger not only broke Rose’s record, but it brought the tying run to the plate. Unfortunately for Miami, Rodney was able to get Martín Prado to fly out to end the contest. As for the game itself, the Padres used five unanswered runs to avoid the sweep. After San Diego’s B.J. Upton tied the game with a solo home run in the second, an RBI single from J.T. Realmuto and a sacrifice fly from Miguel Rojas gave the Marlins a 3-1 lead in the fourth. The Padres scored a run in the fourth before taking the lead on a two-run single from Derek Norris during a three-run fifth. In addition to Ichiro’s two hits, Hechavarría added a pair of knocks for the Marlins. Upton finished 3-for-3 with the aforementioned home run, two runs scored and two RBIs for San Diego. After giving up the history-making hit to Suzuki, Rodney would become his Marlins teammate via trade later in the year. Between Japan and Major League Baseball, Ichiro finished with 4,367 hits. He moved ahead of Pete Rose on this day a decade ago. View the full article

Going into the season, the Miami Marlins bullpen was seen as one of the strengths of the ball club. Through 72 games, that has proven to be the case, even though injuries have taken their toll and some pitchers are taken on different roles than originally planned. Following the team's fourth straight series win, this time against the Pittsburgh Pirates, the Marlins bullpen has a 3.49 ERA (eighth in MLB), 3.67 FIP (fourth), 9.73 K/9 (fourth) and 4.49 BB/9 (23rd). In the month of June, where they are 10-2, the bullpen has a 2.81 ERA, 2.99 FIP, 11.25 K/9 and 4.50 BB/9. Their win streak was snapped at six games on Saturday against the Pirates. "They throw really, really good stuff," said bullpen coach Brandon Mann. "They have stuff that they can compete in the zone with, and I think you see that we get a lot of swing-and-miss out of our guys. We attack guys early and we try to get punchies when we have advantage counts." One of the most lethal individual pitches this year has been Anthony Bender's sweeper (plus-9 run value). It currently grades out as the second-best sweeper in baseball, behind Shohei Ohtani (plus-11), and easily the best amongst all relief pitchers. Bender's sweeper has 19.9 inches of horizontal break on average. Last year, it had 16.8 inches of horizontal break. The Major League Baseball average for sweepers in 2026 is 14.6 inches, per FanGraphs. It wasn't all sunshine a rainbows for Bender in 2026, as in his first 10 appearances of the season were rough. Along with a 7.56 ERA, he blew two games, walked eight hitters and surrendered seven runs. The only positive was that he had a 3.83 FIP in that span, meaning he was running into some bad luck. In his next 20 games, he has a 1.29 ERA, 2.01 FIP and has struck out 24 hitters and only walked three. Overall, Bender now has a 3.07 ERA, 2.53 FIP, 11.05 K/9 (career-high) and 3.38 BB/9 in 30 appearances. Lake Bachar, who the Marlins claimed off waivers from the San Diego Padres in the midst of the 2024 season, has been one of the most crucial pieces of the bullpen. With injuries in the starting rotation, Bachar has had to start three of the Marlins bullpen games. In his first two starts, he has been perfect, going 5 ⅔ innings, striking out six in the process. On Saturday against the Pittsburgh Pirates, Bachar went two innings, allowing one run on one hit, walked one and struck out four. "It’s not out of the realm possibility to see someone like Lake continue to get stretched out because he has shown he’s got a lot of weapons that can go through a lineup a couple of times," Marlins manager Clayton McCullough told reporters in Pittsburgh about Bachar. Bachar's pitch mix isn't typical of a reliever, as he has six pitches in his arsenal, but all of them have been either at league average, or above that in terms of run value. His two best pitches thus far have been the slider and sweeper, both sporting Run Values of three. The slider has generated a 45.5% whiff rate and 45.7% PutAway rate, the highest of all his pitches and in his career. It is his also second most used pitched this season (24%). One incorporation into his already extensive arsenal is a curveball, which he has thrown 12.6% of the time. In his start against the Pirates, Bachar threw it 21% of the time, generating two whiffs, but did not strike anyone out with that pitch. Overall, the curveball has a 38.7% whiff rate rate and 27.6% PutAway rate. It has a Run Value of one. Bachar also added a two-seamer, which is also known as a sinker to his arsenal. The first time he threw it in game was in his second start of the season, which came against the Tampa Bay Rays. He threw it 13% of the time in that start, only using it against right-handed hitters. In three appearances (two starts) using the sinker, he's only thrown is 11 times (1.8%), his least used pitch, but has a 20% whiff rate, but hasn't struck anyone out with it yet. "It graded out as his best pitch (on Saturday)," Mann said the day after his start against Tampa. "Being able to bring something new into the mix, now he has more of an east-west profile and a north-south that profile really opens up more opportunities for Bachar to face lefties and righties." In 22 appearances (three starts), Bachar has a 3.05 ERA, 3.70 FIP, 10.57 K/9 and 3.05 BB/9. It is uncertain wether Bachar will continue to be the Marlins starter when they have a bullpen game, but he certainly has given the team quality innings and length to save the overall bullpen a little bit more. When the Marlins signed lefty John King to a one-year deal, they expected him to be used in certain pockets that they didn't have the luxury of using a left-handed pitcher in last season because they only had one. Early in the season, King was exactly that. In his first 10 appearances, King posted a 1.04 ERA, but 4.61 FIP. Since then, he has a 3.10 ERA and 3.99 FIP. In the bullpen games, King has already had to make one start, which came in Queens against the New York Mets. For the most part, King continues to be used in certain pockets, but his usage has gone up, leading the Marlins with 31 games pitched this season. King's secondaries weren't very good in 2025, so he is throwing them less and relying more on his sinker (plus-3 RV) and slider (plus-1 RV). The sinker (32.3% usage rate) has generated a 22.4% whiff rate and 27.6% PutAway rate. Although it is his third most used pitch, King's changeup is getting the most whiff (33.3%) and his sweeper, the fourth most used pitch and new to his arsenal, is putting hitters way the most (25%). After struggling against right-handed hitters in 2025, he is now dominating them, as they are slashing .152/.250/.239/.489 with one home run in 52 plate appearances. Fish On First spoke to King early in the season and after meetings with the pitching staff in the organization, they cut down his sinker usage (now at 32.3%) and bumped up his slider and sweeper usage. In 31 appearances, King has a 2.48 ERA, 4.17 FIP, 6.83 K/9 and 2.48 BB/9. His high FIP is due to his hard-hit% ranking in the 85th percentile, barrel percentage going up from 5.1% in 2025 to 8.1% Hitters overall are just able to attack King more, but his high ground ball rate and strong defense behind him have allowed him to find success in 2026. The final name we will dive into is closer Pete Fairbanks. It's been mixed results so far for the $13M man. The Marlins have made it clear that they will avoid using the flamethrower in any situation where the team is down. If they are tied or leading in a game that falls under a save situation (winning by three or less), Fairbanks will go out there. He has been used in the ninth inning in all but one situation this season. Fairbanks has a 6.75 ERA, 4.75 FIP, 13.05 K/9, 4.95 BB/9 and nine saves in 22 appearances this season. He did land on the injured list just one time this season, but the overall lower usage rate has been because of the situations Miami is looking to use him in. In his most recent appearance, which came in a save situation against the Pirates, Fairbanks surrendered one home run, but struck out two in the process. "I think he's trending," Mann said. "I think the the numbers don't necessarily match up with with how I think he's personally pitched. I know his ERA versus his xERA is very, very different. He's punching out guys at a very high clip...He goes the next 17 innings and givea up one run, we're talking about how great Pete's been. I think he is trending in that that way." The cutter which showed good results towards the end of the 2025 season and throughout all of spring training, it has a negative Run Value. The pitch has generated a 31.4% whiff rate and 17.4% PutAway rate. The slider, which he is throwing 18.6% of the time in 2026, has been his best PutAway pitch (34.6%). After plenty of doubts on a low strikeout rate the previous two seasons, his 13.05 K/9 is the highest its been since the 2023 season (13.50). Other names who have made an impact is Michael Petersen, who in 27 appearances has a 3.07 ERA, 2.76 FIP, 10.43 K/9 and 3.99 BB/9. The recently called up William Kempner has a 0.00 ERA, 1.60 FIP, 10.80 K/9 and 2.70 BB/9 in five appearances. Kempner has been used in more lower-leverage situations, but has thrived thus far. Overall, the bullpen has some nasty stuff, proving to be strikeout machines, but their sustainability is in question if the Marlins continue to rely on bullpen games every fifth day. Also, the group's high walk rate will eventually come back to bite them if it is not addressed. For now, it is worth admiring how good they have been. View the full article

The New York Mets enter the middle of June at 31-39, deep into last place in the NL East.. Still, there's a lot of season left and a lot of time for the Mets to turn things around. Just think back to 2024, when this franchise used the power of vibes to ride a June hot streak all the way to the NLCS. If they are going to make the 2026 a season to remember, though, they will need reinforcements at the trade deadline. A lot of things will have to go right between now and August to get to this point, but let's examine the kind of trade haul David Stearns would have to bring in to make the Mets contenders again. Mets' Best Trade Targets if They Buy 3. LHP Robbie Ray The Mets need help in the starting rotation, and the Giants are looking to sell impending free agents. Ray has been solid in 2026 and will eat innings for the Mets. He’s posted a 21.0 strikeout percentage in his 73.1 innings of work, and his track record suggests he's capable of more. A lot of Ray’s underlying metrics this season, like his xERA of 5.16, don’t look great, but he has been consistent and victimized by a few really bad starts in 2026 and not going as deep into games as he did in the past. Still, the veteran southpaw is viewed as one of the better starters that could be moved this season, and it would be a straight rental deal as he’s a free agent after the season. He shouldn't be the only starter acquired by the Mets if they go all-in at the deadline, but he'd be a nice back-of-the-rotation buy. Robbie Ray, K'ing the Side in the 2nd...with 2 Swords. ⚔️⚔️ pic.twitter.com/Gc13wsqqc4 — Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) April 14, 2026 The Mets are looking for magic in 2026, and they will need help both in the starting rotation and offensively if the team is looking to go on a run to the postseason like they did in 2024. View the full article

Welcome back to Blue Jays Clutch Plays, a recurring post that highlights the six most pivotal plays (three pitching, three hitting) from the past week of Blue Jays baseball, according to MLB's win probability model. Click here to read last week's edition. It was a week in which the Blue Jays hung tough the entire time, but they let too many opportunities slip away against the Phillies and Yankees on their way to consecutive series losses. Leaving runners on base was a constant theme once again, especially on the weekend, and the physical toll the bullpen has undergone here in the first half of the season is catching up to them in a big way. They're now 34-38 and 1.5 games back of the final Wild Card spot heading into a Fenway-Wrigley road trip. Pitching 3. Spencer Miles: Max Schuemann Fielder's Choice, Top 6, 6/14 (+10.2% WPA) Miles continued to give the Jays some extremely valuable bulk relief innings last week. He put himself in a tough spot in the sixth inning on Sunday by issuing a leadoff walk to the lightning-quick Jazz Chisholm Jr., who stole second and advanced to third on a groundout, but then Miles quickly induced a comebacker from Max Schuemann that retired Chisholm after a successful rundown play. 2. Braydon Fisher: Ryan McMahon Flyout, Top 7, 6/12 (+10.3% WPA) Things got nerve-wracking for Braydon Fisher in the seventh inning of Friday's opener against New York. After an infield hit from José Caballero loaded the bases, #8 hitter Ryan McMahon nearly took him deep to dead center for a go-ahead slam. While this ball was technically barreled up, it was hit to the wrong part of the ballpark, and after what felt like an eternity, it settled harmlessly into the glove of Myles Straw for the final out. 1. Tyler Rogers: Jasson Domínguez Groundout, Top 8, 6/13 (+11.2% WPA) This week's clutch pitching play is really an emphatic introduction to this column for Charles McAdoo, who dove for this 96-mph grounder off the bat of Jasson Domínguez and speared it beautifully on the backhand to save a run. In fact, if this ball had the legs to make it into the corner, his grab might've even saved two runs. McAdoo learning second base likely got him to the big leagues faster, but on this play, he found himself at one of the corner infield spots that clearly comes naturally to him. Hitting 3. Davis Schneider: Solo HR, Bot 7, 6/14 (+18.6% WPA) In his second game since getting called back up, Schneider got a sinker that Jake Bird left too far out over the plate and cranked it all the way over the center field wall to tie the game at three. Davis didn't see any strikes down in Triple-A Buffalo – he hit .188 with a .550 OBP in 14 games – so it's fair to wonder how many chances he actually got to work on his swing. Despite that, at 413 feet, this is the farthest ball he's hit in 2026. 2. Jesús Sánchez: Solo HR, Bot 6, 6/9 (+19.0% WPA) The Blue Jays were tasked with some of the toughest pitching matchups that a three-game regular season series could possibly offer. After Cristopher Sánchez went seven innings on Monday, it appeared that Zack Wheeler was going to do him one better until Jesús Sánchez brought his hands in and turned on an up-and-in fastball. He knocked it into the visitors' bullpen to tie the game at one, which, with the help of Dylan Cease's brilliant effort on the mound, set the table for a Blue Jays comeback and a walk-off winner. 1. Yohendrick Piñango: Single, Bot 9, 6/9 (+29.0% WPA) It was Brandon Valenzuela who recorded the game-winning single to seal Jhoan Duran's first blown save of the year on Tuesday night, but the real turning point in the ninth inning came one batter before. Yohendrick Piñango smacked Duran's 1-0 splitter into the ground at a -27° launch angle, but with Philadelphia's infield at double-play depth, it bounced into right field for a base hit and moved Myles Straw, who was already in motion, to third. Daulton Varsho would come in to pinch-run for Straw and score on Valenzuela's liner for the Jays' fourth walk-off win of the year. 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 staffer Jeremiah Geiger is currently 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 Ryan Gusto (MIA) vs. RHP Zack Wheeler (PIT) on Monday RHP Tyler Phillips (MIA) vs. LHP Jesús Luzardo (PHI) on Tuesday RHP Sandy Alcantara (MIA) vs. RHP Andrew Painter (PIT) on Wednesday The Marlins rank 20th in MLB with a 97 wRC+ and 10th in MLB with a 3.92 FIP. They are 8-2 in their last 10 games and have a 13-20 record on the road 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 Phillies rank 27th in MLB with a 90 wRC+ and second in MLB with a 3.59 FIP. They are 6-4in their last 10 games and have a 19-17 record at home this season. The following Phillies players are on the injured list: Kyle Backhus (15-day IL) and Adolis García (60-day IL). View the full article

Fish On First staffers react to the latest Miami Marlins series and prepare you for what lies ahead. Sunday's show was hosted by Ely Sussman and featured panelist Kevin Barral. The following topics were covered: Sensational Jakob Marsee catch Max Meyer wins again, bolstering All-Star candidacy Heriberto Hernández raking his way to an expanded role Christopher Morel and Leo Jiménez providing no value Checking in on the crowded National League Wild Card race Previewing and predicting the next series against the Philadelphia Phillies You can find Fish Unfiltered and Fish On First LIVE on the Fish On First YouTube channel, Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever else you get your pods. Our next FOF LIVE episode will be Wednesday at approximately 7:00 p.m. ET following the Marlins-Phillies series finale. View the full article

The Week in a Nutshell: We all know that this Twins season has been an erratic seesaw of an experience for fans, and the last week truly encapsulated that dynamic. They closed out a rough series in Detroit with perhaps their worst loss of the year, an 11-0 drubbing that ended with Alex Jackson lobbing BP on the mound. The next day brought arguably their best win of the season: a resilient comeback over the Cardinals that saw the Twins surge ahead on clutch homers after several late lead changes. Then they lost the following day, and bounced back to wrap the week up with another impressive comeback win. As has been the case more broadly, the highs weren't enough to outweigh the lows, and the sum result was a stagnation at seven games under .500 as the season approaches its halfway point. This team needs an infusion and, as it happens, that might soon be in the cards. Weekly Snapshot: Mon, 6/8 through Sun, 6/14 *** Record Last Week: 3-3 (Overall: 33-40) Run Differential Last Week: -16 (Overall: -42) Standing: 3rd Place in AL Central (6.5 GB) Latest Game Results Game 68 | DET 10, MIN 4: Twins Hit 4 Solo Homers But Pitching Can't Hold Up Bradley: 4.1 IP, 5 ER, 3 BB, 3 K, 3 HR Game 69 | MIN 6, DET 4: Big Bombs from Buxton and Lewis Help Even Series Buxton: 2-4, HR, 3 RBI Game 70 | DET 11, MIN 0: More Power Hitting Carries Tigers in Series-Clinching Rout Matthews: 6 IP, 7 ER, 1 BB, 4 K, 3 HR Game 71 | MIN 9, STL 8: Twins Prevail Over Cards in Thrilling Back-and-Forth Slugfest Buxton: 3-3, HR, 2 2B, BB Game 72 | STL 9, MIN 6: Lineup Shows Fight But Falls Short as Bullpen Suffers Implosion Lawrence: 0.2 IP, 4 ER, 2 HR Game 73 | MIN 5, STL 4: Another Late-Game Rally Secures a Series Victory Over St. Louis Kreidler: 2-2, 2B, RBI NEWS & NOTES For seemingly the hundredth time this season, the Twins traded for a waiver-bound pitcher to usher through their revolving-door bullpen. This time it was Taylor Rashi, acquired from the Arizona Diamondbacks for cash considerations. Rashi is a 31-year-old right-hander with a 5.40 ERA in limited major-league time, but strong numbers in the high minors. Sound familiar? Rashi has yet to make his Twins debut. In more exciting news, Mick Abel fired up a rehab stint at Triple-A and Wednesday and looked fantastic, striking out five with no walks over three efficient, scoreless innings. He also said afterward he felt great, which matters even more than results as the right-hander works his way back from an arm injury that has sidelined him for two months. He's due to make another start for the Saints on Tuesday and, if things go well, he should be back in the Twins rotation next weekend. After Sunday's game, Minnesota promoted Triple-A outfielder Kyler Fedko to the big leagues at long last, designating Orlando Arcia for assignment to make room. The 26-year-old Fedko has been steadily putting up big numbers for St. Paul over the past two years, slashing .278/.364/.532 in 100 games, but hasn't gotten a shot until now. Apparently, the persistently strong production and the very real need for some right-handed pop on the roster compelled the Twins to open the door. Let's see what he can do with it, and how much of an opportunity he gets. HIGHLIGHTS Byron Buxton returned to the lineup in Detroit on Tuesday after missing the final stretch of the previous home stand with a shoulder injury. He homered in his first at-bat, naturally. The following night, Buxton launched a key three-run blast, his 20th of the season, to lift the Twins in their two-run victory. He delivered another monster performance on Friday night, finishing 3-for-3 with a homer, two doubles and a walk. Then he went deep again as part of a 2-for-4 effort on Saturday. On Sunday he added three more hits, including a crucial RBI single to spur the comeback win. Buxton's overall results for the week: 11-for-26 (.423), 4 HR, 3 doubles, 7 RBIs and a steal. WHEW. Even with some missed time, the center fielder is on a nearly 50-homer pace, and I say "center fielder" with delight because he's back out there regularly, suggesting his hip feels better. Maybe the series of days off to mend his shoulder were a hidden blessing in that regard. Buxton is legitimately playing at an MVP-caliber level. Royce Lewis has emerged from his stint in the minor leagues with new life, notching 10 hits through his first 29 at-bats back with the Twins. Last week he drilled three home runs, including a 444-feet nuke that ranks as the second-longest of his career. We're seeing a glimpse of vintage Royce at the plate. As importantly, he struck out only four times with three walks, hinting at the type of improved discipline that lends legitimacy to his hot streak. Lewis is now playing first base regularly and starting to look more comfortable; it could be his new long-term home and would actually fill a pretty stark need for the team. Joining the power parade were Kody Clemens and Brooks Lee, who chipped in two homers apiece. Clemens has been scorching in June, with an OPS over 1.000, while providing real value on the defensive side — he made an exceptional diving catch in center field late in Saturday's game. Lee is still searching for an offensive identity outside of popping the occasional long ball, but what really encouraged me about his performance in the past week is that he drew four walks and didn't strike out. The Twins' pitching staff has generally been trending in the wrong direction, but a few arms are notably bucking the trend. Anthony Banda has turned his season around in a massive way, allowing zero earned runs on seven hits in his past 15 appearances with improved stuff and execution. He tossed 2 ⅔ scoreless frames last week. Newcomer Mike Paredes is proving helpful in a long-relief role; he started a bullpen game on Wednesday and contributed three innings of one-run ball to set the tone in a victory. Andrew Morris struck out six with no walks in his three innings of work, picking up a win, a hold and a save. LOWLIGHTS This was probably the worst week of the season for the pitching staff, which surrendered 46 runs on 61 hits, 23 walks and 17 home runs in six games. The bullpen had its share of troubles — Eric Orze and Taylor Rogers combined to yield eight earned runs in 3 ⅔ innings — but the fast-fading Twins rotation is at the core of this staff's fall from grace. Taj Bradley and Zebby Matthews both continued their momentum-shattering cold spells with a pair of clunkers in Detroit. Matthews was tagged for three homers on Thursday, allowing seven earned runs for a second time in his past three starts. Bradley gave up three homers on Tuesday and then two more against St. Louis on Sunday. He has allowed 17 earned runs in 19 ⅔ innings over his past four starts, looking mostly lost since returning from a pectoral injury. On Saturday, Connor Prielipp stumbled out of the gates against the Cardinals, surrendering four runs over the first two innings, although to his credit he settled in to get through six without further damage. Alas, it was his fifth consecutive non-quality start, and during this stretch he's seen his ERA rise from 2.88 to 5.26. Bradley, Matthews and Prielipp are all positioned as building blocks of a revamped rotation that's meant to lead the Twins back into relevance. Just a few weeks ago they all had an ERA under three, offering one of the biggest reasons for optimism looking forward. But now they're all simultaneously going through it, and that is beyond deflating. On the offensive side, it's hard to look forward when so many lineup spots are being occupied by mediocre-or-worse veterans who have no real purpose other than holding a place. Tristan Gray, still inexplicably drawing regular starts at shortstop while Kaelen Culpepper remains in the minors, went 2-for-13 with five strikeouts. Arcia was 1-for-8 before being DFA'ed at week's end. Victor Caratini homered on Sunday and Ryan Kreidler came through with the game-winning RBI double off the bench, but those two were previously a combined 3-for-17 and in general, neither inspires any kind of confidence offensively. Granted, the Twins are semi-limited in their healthy options to replace these guys — a state of affairs that may soon change, as we'll discuss — but it's just such a drag to watch them flail away day after day. The same goes for Minnesota's misfit-laden relief corps. Why is Justin Lawrence throwing in the seventh inning of a tie game, as he did on Saturday while taking the loss? We know why: because the Twins are utterly talent-deprived in the bullpen, largely by their own doing. It's quite upsetting to watch marginal minor-league signings and waiver-wire fodder fumble games away while wasting the high-end performances of Buxton and Joe Ryan in their primes. This rotation and lineup had the core components to put up a fight but the surrounding cast is grossly insufficient, and that was evident coming in. There's rather little to be done about that now, but even if the Twins aren't going to be factors in the postseason race, I at least want to watch players who have some semblance of intrigue or future potential. Fedko, while not likely to be a difference-maker, is a step in the right direction. Culpepper's arrival can't be far off. And more then there's this: TRENDING STORYLINE Reinforcements are on the way. Several key acquisitions from last year's deadline who've been sidelined are on the official rehab trail. It starts with Abel, who has a strong rehab start in the books and looks to be in line for one more before rejoining the Twins rotation. He's set to start in St. Paul on Tuesday with a target of 65 pitches. If Abel can return and pick up where he left off (16 K over 13 scoreless innings in his last two starts before going down), that would provide a critical boost for a unit that is currently floundering. Kendry Rojas threw a live bullpen in Ft. Myers on Saturday as he tracks toward a rehab assignment. He'd provide a much-needed bullpen salve. Alan Roden is on the verge of completing his own rehab at Triple-A, which is noteworthy as Trevor Larnach and Austin Martin slump in the outfield corners. All three of these pickups from last year's deadline bullpen sell-off have been sidelined and Bradley's been struggling while Louis Varland, Jhoan Duran and Griffin Jax all excel for their new teams to varying degrees. It's not the best look. The Twins (and their front office) could badly use a shift in the narrative, and if these rehabbing players can come back and bolster the club in needy areas, it'll definitely move the needle. One other big development on the injury recovery front: #1 prospect Walker Jenkins returned to action over the weekend in Ft. Myers to start a rehab stint. In his first game back on Saturday, he went 4-for-4 with a home run. Jenkins been out since early May with a shoulder injury but is working toward a return to the Saints, and could still be in line for a second-half MLB debut. That's the kind of spark of energy this fanbase really needs. The current product has gotten stale but it really feels like there's some motion toward a refresh. LOOKING AHEAD The Twins travel to Texas to face a middling Rangers team that is hovering around .500 in an underwhelming AL West. That three-game series has a unique quirk: a day off sandwiched in the middle, due to a World Cup game scheduled next door at AT&T Stadium on Wednesday. Over the weekend the Twins will head to Arizona to take on the Diamondbacks, who've been mediocre overall but have one of the best home records in the NL. There are two TBD (bullpen) games in the queue for Minnesota, on Monday and Sunday; I'd expect Paredes to be the bulk guy again on Monday, but if things go smoothly for Abel on Tuesday, he'll be in line to step back for the second of those games. MONDAY, JUNE 15: TWINS @ RANGERS — TBD v. LHP MacKenzie Gore TUESDAY, JUNE 16: TWINS @ RANGERS — RHP Zebby Matthews v. RHP Kumar Rocker THURSDAY, JUNE 18: TWINS @ RANGERS — RHP Joe Ryan v. RHP Jack Leiter FRIDAY, JUNE 19: TWINS @ DIAMONDBACKS — LHP Connor Prielipp v. RHP Michael Soroka SATURDAY, JUNE 20: TWINS @ DIAMONDBACKS — RHP Taj Bradley v. RHP Zac Gallen SUNDAY, JUNE 21: TWINS @ DIAMONDBACKS — TBD v. RHP Ryne Nelson View the full article

Seth ran into trouble finishing up the minor league report for 6/13, so this will be a hybrid post including what he had written with minor amendments from me, and the report for 6/14. TRANSACTIONS 6/13: RHP Andrew Bash activated from development list (AAA) OF Hendry Mendez placed on 7-day IL with left shoulder impingement OF Walker Jenkins sent to A Fort Myers on rehab RHP Ruddy Gomez sent to FCL Twins on rehab RHP Jason Doktoczyk moved from 7-day IL to 60-day IL RHP Hendry Chivilli promoted to A Fort Myers 6/14: SS Harry Genth promoted to AAA St. Paul RHP Reed Moring placed on 7-day IL with right biceps tendinitis (A Fort Myers) OF Graham Brown promoted to AAA St. Paul Saints Sentinel 6/13: St. Paul 6, Toledo 1 Box Score Aaron Rozek: 6 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 5 K HR: Matt Wallner (8) Multi-hit games: David Bañuelos (2-for-3, 2B, 2 R, BB) (Seth): The only innings that there were runs scored in this game were the third and fourth innings. The Saints scored three runs in the top of the third. The Mudhens scored one run in the bottom of the third inning. The Saints added three more runs in the top of the fourth inning. Besides those frames, nothing but zeroes. In the third inning, Matt Wallner hit his eighth Saints home run, a three-run blast. The top of the fourth inning began with walks to 7-8-9 hitters, Noah Cardenas, Henry Kusiak, and David Banuelos. Cardenas scored when Kaelen Culpepper reached on an error. Kusiak scored on a wild pitch. Banuelos scored on a Matt Wallner fielder's choice. Aaron Rozek did his part, putting together a Quality Start. The lefty from Burnsville tossed six innings of one-run ball. He gave up four hits, walked two and had five strikeouts. Marco Raya came on and threw two scoreless innings. Raul Brito pitched a scoreless ninth inning. Wallner went 1-for-5 but he hit his eighth home run and drove in four runs. David Banuelos was 2-for-3 with a walk and his second double. Noah Cardenas walked twice, and Kyler Fedko walked three times. (Matt): A call-up for Kaelen Culpepper? Not so. The shortstop was removed from the game early—prompting speculation and excitement—but it was because of glute tightness. Always watch out for your butts, kids. 6/14: St. Paul 14, Toledo 10 Box Score Ryan Gallagher: 3 IP, 7 H, 7 ER, 1 BB, 2 K HR: Graham Brown (1), Noah Cardenas (3) Multi-hit games: Ben Ross (2-for-4, 2B, 3 RBI, BB), Tanner Schobel (2-for-5, 2B, 2 R, BB), Noah Cardenas (3-for-5, HR, 3 R, 2 RBI), Henry Kusiak (3-for-5, 2B, 3 R, RBI), Graham Brown (3-for-3, HR, 3 R, 2 RBI, BB) The Saints won in an offensive explosion on Sunday. The sixth. That was the only inning that didn’t see a run. What, did the Las Vegas series bleed out into all the other baseball played in the country? It was an “everyone get in here” kind of showing from the lineup: every batter in the lineup reached base at least once, and five players did so at least thrice; Graham Brown one-upped everybody by safely touching first all four times he stepped up to the plate. Did we mention this was his AAA debut? Or that he had never taken an at-bat above A-ball? Unfortunately, Ryan Gallagher struggled mightily in his start. Sunday was his second-straight start allowing seven earned runs, pushing his AAA ERA to a ghastly 8.00 mark across 36 innings. He’ll need to adjust somehow. The tricks that got him to the level are not cutting it. Matt Wallner has thoroughly enjoyed the month of June. He’s slashing .326/.367/.848 in the month with 10 of his 15 hits going for extra-bases. A sign that he found again what once made him an elite MLB hitter? The Royce Lewis secret sauce? Who knows. At least his confidence must be overflowing. One pitcher who avoided the run quagmire that bogged down other hurlers was C.J. Culpepper, who tossed his finest outing as a Saint, whiffing four across two shutout innings. He allowed no baserunners. With the big league squad desperate for bullpen help, the blonde California Baptist product could find himself in the majors soon, if he continues to pitch like this. Mud Hen Max Clark ranks as the seventh-best prospect in baseball, and he lived up to the billing, scattering three hits in four at-bats with a walk. Wind Surge Wisdom 6/13: Wichita 7, Tulsa 8 Box Score Preston Johnson: 4 ⅔ IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 7 K HR: Billy Amick (16), Kala’i Rosario (10) Multi-hit games: Billy Amick (3-for-5, HR, 2 2B, 2 R, 3 RBI) (Seth): This game was going quite well for the Wind Surge and their fans. They held a 6-1 lead and things were looking good. However, the Dodgers Double-A affiliate crossed home plate six times in the bottom of the sixth to take the 7-6 lead. That’s how the score remained until the ninth inning. Preston Johnson started and gave up one run on three hits. In 4 2/3 innings, he walked two and had seven strikeouts. Yehizon Sanchez came on to get the final out of the fifth inning. He quickly got the bases loaded and nobody out. Bengard got three outs, but not before all three inherited runners scored and one more run over his two ok (Matt): frames. That sixth inning proved a deadly endeavor: Wichita had plated six between the third and fourth innings thanks to a Garrett Spain double, and a fourth-frame skirmish capped by a Billy Amick three-run shot. And what a homer that was, huh? Amick barely budged, raising his left foot slightly as an 0-2 defense mechanism, then he reached down, nearly scraping the plate with his swing in an effort to catch the slider, and the whole ordeal resulted in a bomb. That’s just good hitting. The Drillers are, of course, a member of the famous Dodgers farm system. Though the names and faces change, the talent remains, always replenished, always impressive. This year they possess two top-20 prospects in Jose De Paula and Zyhir Hope. De Paula earned three hits while Hope singled once in four at-bats. 6/14: Wichita 10, Tulsa 21 Box Score Jose Olivares: ⅔ IP, 5 H, 6 ER, 2 BB, 1 K HR: Poncho Ruiz (2), Caleb Roberts (3), Andrew Cossetti (6) Multi-hit games: Andrew Cossetti (2-for-5, HR, 2 R, 2 RBI), Garrett Spain (2-for-5, 2B), Poncho Ruiz (3-for-4, HR, 2B, 3 R, RBI, BB) The Wind Surge were clubbed on Sunday. A terrible day to be a man on the mound. Pitches went for nothing and the hits were free. No matter who walked out of the Wind Surge bullpen, one future stared at them with ferocity: pain. An ERA bump that would hurt. All six hurlers surrendered at least one run, and four of them suffered multi-run outings, and it’s best to leave what happened to Jose Olivares and William Fleming unspoken. Poncho Ruiz found the day inviting, at least, as he ripped three hits and walked in a game so potent it raised his season OPS by over .100 points. Perhaps some attention should go to Kala’i Rosario, who entered the series in Tulsa slugging a relatively meager .386, and who left the city with a more robust .459 mark. His second go-around at AA hadn’t yet evolved beyond the tepid; might this series propel him forward, potentially into St. Paul? The Two Towers prospects De Paula and Hope were once again effective, combining for five hits, four runs, and three RBIs. De Paula was especially excellent: the strapping 6’3” combines a powerful left-handed hack with unreal plate discipline, resulting in a .563 slugging percentage with more walks than strikeouts this year. He reached base five times on Sunday. Kernels Nuggets 6/13: Cedar Rapids 23, Lansing 15 Box Score Garrett Horn: 2 ⅔ IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 3 BB, 4 K HR: Eduardo Tait (11), Khadim Diaw (5), Danny De Andrade 2 (5, 6), Yasser Mercedes (4), Miguel Briceno (4) Multi-hit games: Marek Houston (5-for-6, 2B, 4 R, RBI), Eduardo Tait (2-for-7, HR, R, 2 RBI), Khadim Diaw (3-for-7, HR, 3 R, 3 RBI), Jay Thomason (6-for-6, 3 R, RBI), Yasser Mercedes (4-for-6, HR, 2B, 3 R, 4 RBI), Miguel Briceno (2-for-5, HR, 2 R, 4 RBI, BB), Danny De Andrade (4-for-6, 2 HR, 2 2B, 3 R, 4 RBI), Luis Hernandez (4-for-6, 3 R, RBI) (Seth): What a crazy game in Michigan on Saturday night. The Kernels scored in each of the first six innings. Lansing scored in six straight innings between the third and eighth innings. Fortunately, the Kernels scored 23 runs in their six-inning run while the Lugnuts “only” scored 15 runs in their six-inning run. The Kernels had innings in which they scored three runs twice, four once, and six twice. The Kernels had 30 hits in the game. Brandon Winokur has been playing really well the past 5-6 weeks, and I have to say that because he took an 0-for-7 in this game. He was the only Kernels hitter with less than two hits. First Baseman Jay Thomason went 6-for-6 with three runs scored. Shortstop Marek Houston went 5-for-6 with his 12th double, his 20th stolen base, and four runs scored. He is now hitting .326 with an .854 OPS. Second Baseman Danny De Andrade went 4-for-6 with his fourth and fifth doubles, his fifth and sixth home runs, three runs scored and four RBI. Right Fielder Yasser Mercedes went 4-for-6 with his seventh double, fourth home run, three runs scored and four RBI. Catcher Luis Hernandez went 4-for-6 with three runs scored. Center Fielder Khadim Diaw went 3-for-7 with his fifth home run, three runs and three RBI. He ended the day hitting .300 on the dot with an .859 OPS. Left Fielder Miguel Briceno went 2-for-5 with a walk and his fourth home run, and four RBI. Eduardo Tait DH’d and was 2-for-7 with his 11th home run. Garrett Horn started for the Kernels. He was charged with one run on four hits and three walks. In 2 2/3 innings, he had four strikeouts. MItch Mueller came on for his first Kernels outing. He gave up two runs on two hits in 1 1/3 innings. Brian Zeldin completed two innings and gave up two runs on two hits and two walks. He also had two strikeouts. Eston Stull gave up one run in the seventh inning. He started the eighth inning, faced seven batters, and all of them reached base. He left the game with the bases loaded and four runs already on the board. Xavier Kolhosser came in and allowed all three inherited runners to score and two more runs in the nine-run eighth frame. Stull was charged with eight runs in one inning. Kolhosser pitched a scoreless ninth, so his line showed him giving up two runs on four hits in two innings. He had five strikeouts. (Matt): Sometimes you just have to stare in awe of a box score like this. I think my favorite stat is that the Kernels only walked once. This was an onslaught of hitters doing just that—hitting. 6/14: Rain cleared any chance of a sequel to Saturday’s bizarre adventure. The game was canceled and will not be made up at a later date. Mussel Matters 6/13: Fort Myers 5, Dunedin 15 Box Score Ramiro Villanueva: 4 1/3 IP, 5 H, 6 ER, 0 BB, 3 K HR: Ryan Sprock (3), Walker Jenkins (1) Multi-hit games: Walker Jenkins (4-for-5, HR, 2B, 2 R, RBI), Luis Fragoza (2-for-5, 2B, R) The Mighty Mussels were thoroughly bested on Saturday. Let’s skip to the shining good news beacon from this game: Walker Jenkins played baseball. Mighty good baseball, at that. The rehabbing 21-year-old cracked four hits including a double and an aesthetically gorgeous home run that streaked through the Fort Myers night like Halley’s Comet. Dunedin is an affiliate of the Blue Jays, and they are spearheaded by MLB’s 29th-ranked prospect, shortstop JoJo Parker. He collected four hits in six at-bats including a triple. 6/14: Unplayable field conditions ended matters on Sunday before they could begin. The game was canceled and will not be made up at a later date. TWINS DAILY PLAYERS OF THE DAY Twins Daily Minor League Pitcher of the Day – C.J. Culpepper Twins Daily Minor League Hitter of the Day – Poncho Ruiz PROSPECT SUMMARY Here’s a look at how the Twins Daily Top 20 Twins Prospects performed on Sunday: #10 – Gabriel Gonzalez (St. Paul) - 1-3, 2 RBI #12 – Andrew Morris (Twins) - 1 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 3 K #16 – Ryan Gallagher (St. Paul) - 3 IP, 7 H, 7 ER, 1 BB, 2 K #17 – C.J. Culpepper (St. Paul) - 2 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 4 K #20 – Kyle DeBarge (Wichita) - 1-4, 2B, R, BB MONDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS FCL Orioles @ FCL Twins (9:00 AM) - TBD FCL Orioles @ FCL Twins (Game Two) - TBD DSL NYY Bombers @ DSL Twins (10:00 AM) - TBD View the full article

Weekly Snapshot: Record Last Week: 3-3 (Overall: 43-26) Runs Scored Last Week: 41 Runs Surrendered Last Week: 34 Standing: 1st in NL Central Game 64 (6/8) | MIL 15, OAK 14 Game 65 (6/9) | OAK 7, MIL 5 Game 66 (6/10) | OAK 4, MIL 3 Game 67 (6/12) | MIL 6, PHI 0 Game 68 (6/13) | PHI 9, MIL 8 Game 69 (6/14) | MIL 4, PHIL 0 Game 64 | Brewers 15, Athletics 14 MIL Starter: Kyle Harrison (2.1 IP, 8 H, 2 BB, 8 ER, 4 K) Top Performers: Jake Bauers (2 H, BB, HR, 3 RBI) Andrew Vaughn (4 H, 2 2B, HR, 4 RBI) William Contreras (3 H, BB, HR, 3 RBI) It was a tough day to be a pitcher in Las Vegas on Monday, with the Brewers and A’s facing off in a game that saw the most hits (34), runs (29), home runs (11), and ABS challenges (16) a single game had seen all season. (Tellingly, some of those standards were topped by another game the A's played on Sunday against the Rockies.) The absurdities don’t end at just the counting stats, though, as the game saw multiple blown 4-run leads and 14 different pitchers, coupled with other late-game dramatics. William Contreras’s 3-run homer (+26.7 WP%) Game 65 | Athletics 7, Brewers 5 MIL Starter: Robert Gasser (5.0 IP, 8 H, 2 BB, 6 ER, 7 K) Top Performers: Coleman Crow (2.0 IP, H, BB, 0 ER) Garrett Mitchell (3 H, 2 2B) Jackson Chourio (H, HR, 2 RBI) It was a much more normal affair scoring-wise on Tuesday, but like all the pitchers had the day before, Brewers starter Robert Gasser struggled to keep the ball in the ballpark, as Athletics batters put the ball over the fence four times against the lefty. No furious comeback followed him either, despite a 3-hit day from Garrett Mitchell. The A’s evened the series with a 7-5 win. Jackson Chourio goes deep (+15.0 WP%) Game 66 | Athletics 4, Brewers 3 MIL Starter: Brandon Sproat (6.0 IP, 4 H, BB, ER, 4 K) Top Performers: Trevor Megill (1.0 IP, H, 0 ER, 2 K) Andrew Vaughn (2 H, BB, RBI) Jackson Chourio (2 H, HR, RBI) Brandon Sproat turned in what was debatably his best start as a Brewer in the rubber match, twirling six innings of one-run baseball. Once again, though, the home run ball bit the Brewers, with two big flies off of Chad Patrick in the 7th inning flipping the scoreboard in favor of the A’s for good. Gary Sánchez’s solo homer (+9.5 WP%) Game 67 | Brewers 6, Phillies 0 MIL Starter: Jacob Misiorowski (9.0 IP, H, 0 BB, 0 ER, 15 K) Top Performers: Joey Ortiz (2 H, 2B) Jake Bauers (H, BB, HR, 3 RBI) Friday night was a historic one for Jacob Misiorowski. On just 95 pitches, Misiorowski faced the minimum against the Phillies, allowing just one hit, walking none, and striking out 15 in what is surely the most dominant start in Brewers history. Misiorowski's historic complete game shutout Game 68 | Phillies 9, Brewers 8 MIL Starter: Shane Drohan (5.0 IP, 8 H, 0 BB, 4 ER, 7 K) Top Performers: Jackson Chourio (4 H, 2 HR, 4 RBI) Garrett Mitchell (2 H, HR, 2 RBI) William Contreras (3 H) Another rough day on the pitching front followed the Miz's dominance, as Shane Drohan and Chad Patrick couldn't contain the Phillies' offense through the first six innings. The Brewers would battle back, though, thanks in part to a two-homer day from Jackson Chourio and a 3-hit day from William Contreras. That comeback effort wasn't quite enough, however, with the Phillies nabbing a 9-8 win to set up a Sunday decider with their ace on the mound. Jackson Chourio's monster day Game 69 | Brewers 4, Phillies 0 MIL Starter: Kyle Harrison (6.0 IP, 3 H, 0 BB, 0 ER, 3 K) Top Performers: Blake Perkins (2 H, HR, 2B, 3 RBI) Jackson Chourio (2 H, HR, RBI) Aaron Ashby (2.0 IP, 0 H, 0 BB, 0 ER, 3 K, SV) Kyle Harrison bounced back from his rough Vegas outing by outdueling Christopher Sanchez, cruising through six innings of scoreless baseball. Meanwhile, Jackson Chourio hit his third homer in two days, while Blake Perkins was the hero, launching his first homer of the season off one of the NL's best pitchers to land an early KO blow. Blake Perkins' first home run of the season (+22.0 WP%) Transactions: 06/12/26 - Placed RHP Coleman Crow on the 15-day injured list with a right forearm flexor strain. (Retroactive to June 10, 2026) 06/12/26 - Recalled RHP Craig Yoho from Nashville Sounds. 06/10/26 - Signed free agent RHP Lyon Richardson to a minor league contract. 06/10/26 - Traded RHP Jacob Waguespack to Detroit Tigers. 06/09/26 - Sent RHP Brandon Woodruff on a rehab assignment to ACL Brewers. 06/09/26 - RHP Jake Woodford assigned to Milwaukee Brewers. 06/09/26 - LHP Brian Fitzpatrick was transferred from the 15-day injured list to the 60-day injured list with a Left elbow injury. 06/09/26 - Optioned CF Luis Lara to Nashville Sounds. 06/09/26 - Selected the contract of CF Luis Lara from Nashville Sounds. 06/08/26 - Placed RHP Carlos Rodriguez on the 15-day injured list retroactive to May 31, 2026. 06/08/26 - Activated RHP Joel Kuhnel. 06/08/26 - Optioned RHP Craig Yoho to Nashville Sounds. 06/08/26 - Sent RHP Jake Woodford outright to Nashville Sounds. Looking Ahead: Tuesday, 6/16 - Guardians @ Brewers - 6:40 PM CDT Wednesday, 6/17 - Guardians @ Brewers - 6:40 PM CDT Thursday, 6/18 - Guardians @ Brewers - 1:10 PM CDT Friday, 6/19 - Brewers @ Braves - 6:15 PM CDT Saturday, 6/20 - Brewers @ Braves - 3:10 PM CDT Sunday, 6/21 - Brewers @ Braves - 12:35 PM CDT View the full article

The month of June has not been exceptionally kind to either Jarren Duran or Masataka Yoshida. The Boston Red Sox, naturally, are worse off for it. While Duran had a massive May, it seems like things have gone haywire for him again. His nine home runs last month pointed towards him finally figuring out a batting stance and leg kick combination that made sense for him. He was starting in the outfield on a daily basis and the thought was the consistent playing time was letting him finally find his groove offensively. Yoshida had seen a bit of an uptick in playing time in the wake of Roman Anthony’s finger injury, but so far this month, he has been regulated to occasional pinch hitter duty while mostly being seen wandering around the dugout and taking dry swings as he sits on the bench. It’s gotten so bad that he’s essentially been replaced in the lineup by Mickey Gasper. That’s not totally a knock on Gasper (he’s played well since being promoted in May), but he’s a journeyman, Quadruple-A level of player who is already falling back to earth after his hot start. Before we dive into what may be going on for both outfielders, let’s take a look at their numbers so far in June. Jarren Duran: .167/.167/.286, .194 wOBA, 12 wRC+ 42.9 K%, 0.0 BB%, -0.2 fWAR over 42 at bats Masataka Yoshida: .111/.200/.111 .161 wOBA, -10 wRC+, 30.0 K%, 5.0 BB%, -0.3 fWAR over 20 at bats Duran has looked like a shell of himself at the plate for the majority of the season. It’s not a mirage that he hasn’t walked once and is striking out almost half of the time this month. If we take a step back and look at his swing decisions as a whole over the season, we see that he’s chasing pitches out of the zone at a 35% clip, the most he’s done in his career. To go along with that, his chase contact percentage is down to 38.9% in 2026 from 44% in 2025. Likewise, his whiff percentage has shot up from 24.8% during his career year in 2024 to 35.9% this season. To make matters worse, when he is making contact this month, he’s driving the ball into the ground almost 46 percent of the time; when he's hitting the ball into the air, 37.5% of those are infield fly balls. He’s making weak, ineffective contact the majority of the time when he’s at the plate and the team is suffering because of it. Due to the fact that he’s swinging at less and less first pitches, opposing pitchers are able to get a strike over on him and start him off down in the count. His pitch heatmap shows that most pitchers don’t even have to nibble around the zone to get Duran out. Instead, they are peppering the strike zone against him. Once he’s down, his approach at the plate shifts dramatically and he becomes the free-swinger that aggravated fans in 2021 and 2022 when he was new to the league. Meanwhile, Yoshida’s fall from grace has been long predicted and shouldn’t surprise any astute observer. Former manager Alex Cora arguably played Yoshida more than he should have, neither Chaim Bloom nor Craig Breslow have able to move his contract when it’s best for roster construction to do so, and interim manager Chad Tracy seems to have no desire to get Yoshida any real playing time on a regular basis since taking over the job. Taking that same step back as we did with Duran, we see almost the exact opposite approach. He’s only chasing 28% of the time but he’s making contact on 74.4% of those chases. Even his 2026 whiff percentage is tied for a career low at 14.6%. So what is going on with him? In short, he’s getting nothing to hit and when he does make contact, it’s weak. His pitch heatmap is also the exact opposite from Duran’s. With Duran, we see a hitter who is struggling with pitches in the heart of the zone. With Yoshida, we see someone who is getting fed pitches high in the zone almost exclusively. Yoshida's biggest issue seems to be that he just can’t barrel a baseball to save his life. He’s currently ranked in the sixth percentile for barrel percentage at 1.8%. There’s just nothing productive going on for him when he’s at the plate. He’s not impacting the ball in any meaningful way, and on the off chance he does manage to put something in play, his groundball percentage is right at 50%. Like Duran, he’s driving the ball directly into the ground for easy and weak outs. The question is how can Jarren Duran and Masataka Yoshida be fixed in 2026? More consistent playing time in the field? Duran has proven that’s not working. Exclusively hitting at designated hitter so they can study mechanics and make alterations in the cage between at-bats? Both have shown that doesn’t work. There’s no easy answer to the question anymore, as both Duran and Yoshida are costing the Red Sox valuable production as they attempt to navigate the rest of this season and beyond. The alternatives are practically nonexistent while Anthony is down, so the Red Sox have little choice but to keep deploying this duo. Barring a turnaround from either, the offense figures to continue being a train wreck in Boston. View the full article