DiamondCentric

On Wednesday, the Royals lost 7-0 to Gerrit Cole and the New York Yankees at Kauffman Stadium. The win for the Bronx Bombers clinched not only a series sweep, but a season sweep, as the Yankees won all three games at Yankee Stadium back in April. Since beating the Yankees in Game 2 of the 2024 ALDS, the Royals have not won a game against them since. To make matters worse, not only did the Royals go winless against the Yankees (again), but they were outscored by 40 runs in the series, as pointed out by Joel Goldberg of Royals TV on Twitter. Kansas City now sits at 22-34 as they head into the off day on Thursday. On Friday, they begin a nine-game homestand, which starts this weekend in Arlington against the Texas Rangers. For the Royals to keep any semblance of being a playoff team, they will need to start this series against the Rangers on a positive note. The Rangers are 25-30 and are 4-6 in their last 10 games. However, this Royals team is 7-17 on the road, so their work will be cut out for them. The Royals have a much-needed day off tomorrow. That said, what did Royals fans learn from this brutal series against the Yankees and their performance overall against a team that's been widely hated by the Kansas City faithful since the 1970's? Let's take a look at three takeaways with this club after this latest lackluster series against the Yankees. The Royals Have A Mental Block Against the Yankees Baseball is a mental game at the end of the day. And sometimes, teams can struggle mentally against an opponent. That mental block for the Royals against the Yankees was on full display in this latest three-game home series. On Monday, it seemed like the Royals were on their way to overcoming the "mental block". Michael Wacha was masterful, producing another quality start. In 7 IP, he allowed only two runs on five hits and two walks while striking out two. Despite some early struggles (he gave up a home run to Cody Bellinger in the second inning), he got the Yankees out of their approach and ended up producing a vintage Wacha start, as illustrated below via his TJ Stuff+ summary. Furthermore, in addition to a quality Wacha performance on the mound, the Royals got a huge moment from Bobby Witt Jr., who hit the go-ahead home run for the Royals in the bottom of the eighth inning off Yankees reliever Jake Bird. That moment should've been the dagger the Royals needed to overcome the New York demons that have haunted them for over two seasons. Doing it on national TV on ESPN, on Memorial Day, would only make it sweeter. And yet, the Royals couldn't close it out. Lucas Erceg gave up two runs in the top of the ninth, and Kansas City came up punchless in the bottom of the inning. The gutting loss on Memorial Day carried over into losses on Tuesday and Wednesday. Over the final two games of the series, the Yankees outscored the Royals 22-1. The mental block against the Yankees team was on full display on Wednesday in the series finale. Yes, Gerrit Cole is an elite pitcher. However, he was making just his second start of the year, his second MLB start since Tommy John surgery back in March of 2025. And yet, despite those factors, Cole made absolute mincemeat of the Royals' lineup, striking out 10 batters in 6.2 IP. Cole not only generated strikeouts, but he also produced whiffs, chases, and flooded the zone while showcasing excellent stuff on his pitches. That is evident in his TJ Stuff+ summary from tonight's outing. Cole was good, and that shouldn't be taken away from a pitcher who's a likely Hall of Famer. At the same time, this Royals lineup looked shellshocked and overwhelmed by the former Cy Young winner. That was especially true with the Royals' young hitters, especially Carter Jensen and Jac Caglianone. The pair combined for three strikeouts against Cole. Royals fans knew the Yankees were a better team entering this series. They knew the Yankees had a history of success against Kansas City. Unfortunately, Royals fans also learned that the Yankees simply own this club, mentally and on the field. 14 straight losses in less than three years demonstrate that advantage. To make matters worse, the Royals will have to wait another full year to show they can overcome the mental advantage the Boys in Blue have over them. The Royals' Offense Needs a Shakeup In May, the Royals rank 26th in OPS at .647. Only the Rockies (.644), Angels (.634), Tigers (.615), and Padres (.598) have been worse. Furthermore, they rank 22nd in batting average, 26th in OBP, and 25th in slugging. Thus, it isn't surprising that the Royals rank 26th this season in OPS so far this year (.683) and 28th in runs scored (211). Surprisingly, despite their poor record (10-17), the Royals actually posted a higher OPS in April, ranking 10th at .730. Thus, Kansas City should consider itself lucky to have 10 wins in May despite its poor offense this month. When looking at Royals hitters individually this month, this is how they have fared, via MLB.com stats. The Royals' bullpen has gotten excellent production this month from John Schreiber (0.93 ERA), Daniel Lynch IV (2.38 ERA), and Alex Lange (2.53 ERA). Luinder Avila (3.14 ERA) and Steven Cruz (3.86 ERA) have been serviceable, as was Matt Strahm (3.18 ERA) before he landed on the IL. So the bullpen hasn't been bereft of talent or production in May. Conversely, some relievers have taken major steps back, and it's hurt the bullpen as a whole. Erceg has an ERA over 6.00 this month as well as a 1.78 WHIP. Nick Mears has been even worse with an 8.64 ERA and 2.04 WHIP in 8.1 IP. Mears struggled on Wednesday, allowing three runs on two hits and two walks in 0.2 IP. Furthermore, when looking at his TJ Stuff+ summary, while Mears showcased decent stuff, his inability to generate whiffs and chases ultimately hurt him, especially against a good Yankees lineup. Lastly, Bailey Falter (14.21 ERA) and Eli Morgan (18.00 ERA) have become unusable in any spots. Falter was designated for assignment on Wednesday after his latest brutal outing on Tuesday against the Yankees. Morgan could find himself back in Omaha soon and may be designated for assignment as well, especially if they need to clear a roster spot for another reliever. When looking at these May bullpen metrics, it's obvious that Quatraro and the Royals need to shake up the bullpen usage. Right now, they should be investing in their young arms with upside, which includes Lynch, Avila, Cruz, and Lange. Schreiber has emerged as a key piece this month,, and he deserves to keep his spot, but Erceg probably needs to be utilized less like a traditional closer and more like the "fireman" he was utilized a year ago when Carlos Estevez closed things out in the ninth. Even with Erceg out of the closer's spot, the Royals need to adopt a different philosophy for building a bullpen. Other than a year ago, the Royals' weakness has always been the bullpen under Quatraro and Picollo. A big reason for that seems to be that they trust "experience" over "stuff". That strategy blew up on them with free-agent relievers like Chris Stratton and Will Smith. It's blowing up a bit, not just with Estevez and Strahm on the IL, but with Erceg as well, who looks like a shell of his 2024 self. At this point, the Royals need to invest in a younger bullpen and scour other teams for younger arms they can help develop into success. They need to focus on one type and see if they can mold it into their system, much like Seattle and Tampa Bay are well known for doing. Brian Sweeney and Mike McFerrin are well-regarded pitching coaches. However, their philosophy is not "gelling" with this bullpen group. The Royals may need to make some tough decisions to make this strategy a reality. They may need to trade Schreiber to see if they can get a package of younger pitchers with upside. They may need to part ways with Mears and possibly Erceg. They may need to trust Avila, Cruz, Lynch, and Lange in high-leverage spots, even though that group has been inconsistent. That said, they need to mix things up with the bullpen, much like the lineup. Right now, the bullpen isn't getting it done with the current mixture. Giving the younger, higher-velocity arms more of a chance could not just help their chances this year, but build a better foundation for years to come. The Yankees exposed this bullpen badly over the past three games. Picollo and Quatraro need to learn from it and make the adjustments necessary to turn this group around. View the full article

With an expected batting average under .200 and an xwOBA under .300, one would think Miguel Amaya is in danger of losing his roster spot, especially with slightly below-average defense at a premium position. While he probably won’t push Carson Kelly to reclaim equal playing time any time soon, though, Amaya is holding his own. He has been 14% better than league average at the plate, despite his underlying metrics. Is it a mirage? Although he only came to the plate 103 times, Amaya was 31% better than league average last season despite walking only 4 times. He had never had a walk rate that low before, but because he combined that with successfully pulling the ball in the air, his numbers didn’t take a hit. In 2026, he has a career-high walk rate (12%), but he's back to pulling the ball in the air less. Is it either/or, or can he do both? In what appears to be a response to the loss of bat speed he's suffered, Amaya has swung a lot less frequently this year than he did in 2025. While cutting his chase rate from 36.8% to 27% is great, it has also come with cutting his swing rate at pitches in the zone by a similar percentage. Well, maybe that means he is taking more pitches around the edges, right? Here's his swing rate by pitch location for 2025: And here's the same image for 2026: As you can see, Amaya stopped swinging at pitches right down the middle, or “meatballs” as Statcast classifies them. In short, this is likely why his expected numbers are as low as they are. Those are pitches in the highest run value location, and Amaya is only swinging at 54% of them. Out of 337 hitters that have at least 75 plate appearances this year, that is good for 330th. Another factor that is causing the difference in his underlying statistics is his contact quality. That's not surprising, once you consider that he's swinging in areas of the zone where one is less likely to barrel it up. There was ways to find hits with swings at pitches on the edges, but the damage comes mostly when you pounce on a mistake. Not quite organized in his understanding of the zone this year, Amaya isn't doing that. Put it all together and it looks like he is struggling to adapt to this new, more passive approach. To be clear, sporting a .728 OPS as a backup catcher is a good thing. But his underlying metrics portend a regression to the mean is coming for Amaya. Correcting his contact quality and getting back to pulling the ball in the air depends on attacking pitches that permit those results, so if Amaya wants to fight off regression, the easiest path is to start swinging at those meatballs. View the full article

As he manages a staff of young starters, Pat Murphy frequently muses aloud about how pitching development and strategy have evolved throughout his time in baseball. "In the old days, guys would come out and throw their heater the first time around because they could locate their heater," Murphy said during a pregame media session earlier this month. "They'd come out and throw their heater and rarely show you something secondary. Second time around, they show you the second pitch. You don't see a changeup until the third time around." In an era where technology and physics have made pitch design a science, more pitchers have expanded their arsenals and know exactly which pitch types to throw based on their motor preferences. That's left fewer hurlers reliant on four-seam fastballs, particularly since the turn of the decade. In 2026, 30.4% of pitches thrown have been four-seamers. It's still the most prevalent pitch in the game, but the standard fastball is being thrown at the lowest rate in the pitch-tracking era, which began in 2008. Instead, the game has entered an era of meticulously crafting and utilizing pitch shapes. "The game's just changed," Murphy said. "Now, you might show all your pitches on the first hitter. It's the way the game has changed because command is different. Now it's stuff." The Brewers have diverged somewhat from most of the league in this department, throwing fastballs 65.2% of the time this year, compared to the league average of 54.5%. That number is a bit misleading, though. While much of baseball is mixing entire arsenals of pitches more evenly, the Brewers are mixing four-seamers, sinkers, and cutters. Their 31.5% four-seamer usage rate is comparable to the rest of MLB; it's the two other flavors of fastball they throw unusually often. Milwaukee's top two starters, however, are eschewing both versions of the mix-it-up approach. Jacob Misiorowski has thrown his four-seamer 62.3% of the time, the highest rate among pitchers who have thrown at least 50 innings this season. Kyle Harrison ranks second, throwing his four-seamer 58.9% of the time. It's hard to argue with the results. Misiorowski boasts a 1.83 ERA, 1.89 FIP, and 53 DRA- in 11 starts. Harrison isn't far behind, posting a 1.57 ERA, 2.46 FIP, and 76 DRA-. Those numbers give the pair a statistical case as the best one-two punch atop any rotation in baseball. Misiorowski can supplement that fastball with a full arsenal that also includes a cutter, slider, curveball, and changeup. Harrison has improved at executing his slurve, which he used a season-high 42.4% of the time on Tuesday night when he didn't have his best fastball. But much of the time, neither has needed those secondary pitches to carve through opposing lineups. Misiorowski struck out a season-high 12 on Monday while throwing 76% four-seamers. Last week, Harrison punched out 11 at Wrigley Field while throwing 68.1% heaters. "It's both their bread and butter," Murphy said. "I think you've got to go with it and not shy away from it." According to Statcast, both fastballs have been worth 8 runs, tying them for fourth among four-seamers. Many hitters keep seeing one heater after another from both pitchers, and they've been unable to square them up. They've slugged just .268 against Misiorowski's four-seamer while whiffing on 45.2% of swings, and they've slugged .318 with a 30.8% whiff rate against Harrison's. Mixing speeds and locations is often cited as one of the keys to effective pitching. At the end of the day, though, a pitcher's goal is to prevent hitters from making contact on time and on the barrel, whether the result is a whiff, a ground ball, or a lazy flyout. Misiorowski and Harrison can do that with such heavy doses of fastballs because they have unusual movement and enter the zone at deceptive angles. "They're both unique fastballs," said pitching coordinator Jim Henderson. Both hurlers release the ball closer to the ground than many pitchers, from crossfire deliveries. Misiorowski throws his fastball from an average arm angle of 29 degrees, and even though he stands 6-foot-7, his release height is just 5.25 feet off the ground. At 34 degrees, Harrison's arm slot is a bit higher, but his average release height of 5.04 feet is even lower. Generally speaking, the lower the release height of a pitch, the less "carry" or "rise"—measured as induced vertical break—a hitter expects it to have. That's because the lower a pitcher's arm slot, the more the seam orientation of a baseball shifts, so it spins in a direction that counteracts gravity less and creates less of that perceived rise as it interacts with the air around it. Misiorowski and Harrison are different. The former averages 15.9 inches of induced vertical break, while the latter averages 15.1 inches. By generating so much carry from a low release height, Misiorowski's fastball has a -3.66° vertical approach angle (VAA, the angle at which the ball enters the hitting zone, relative to an imaginary line parallel to the ground), the lowest among four-seamers thrown by regular starting pitchers. Harrison's four-seamer has a -3.88° VAA, which ranks fourth. To put that into more practical terms, a low vertical approach angle means a fastball appears "flat" in a good way. Instead of entering the hitting zone on a downhill plane, as a hitter would expect from a pitcher throwing off an elevated mound, the ball appears to stay up or even travel on an uphill plane as it crosses the plate. Misiorowski adds even more freakish qualities to his fastball. It's the hardest among starting pitchers, averaging 99.8 mph. But because he averages 7.5 feet of extension down the mound, he delivers the ball closer to home plate than any other pitcher in the game. With that reduced reaction time, the average perceived velocity of his fastball is 101.9 mph. "I'd probably say it's pretty unique with everything that he's able to do, and how he makes it really difficult on guys with the extension, the perceived velocity—all that stuff is probably one of one," Christian Yelich said. "It's electric stuff," Andrew Vaughn said. "That fastball is probably the best in the game." Harrison can't quite dial his fastball up to that level, but it can be nearly as untouchable on a given day against certain opponents. It's returned a whiff rate of at least 40% in three of his starts, including that outing against the Chicago Cubs. "I got onto the bus after the game, and I'm looking at the highlights, and I'm just like, 'That's 95 pitches of Josh Hader,'" Henderson recalled, invoking the same comparison to the fastball-dominant former Brewers reliever as lead pitching coach Chris Hook did before Harrison's season debut. Misiorowski has become untouchable in May by spotting more fastballs to the glove-side corner, but Harrison's execution has been even simpler. There's an emphasis on elevating his fastball, where it's most effective, but he's thrown the majority of them right down the middle of the zone. For fastballs with their qualities, throwing them in the zone is often good enough. "It's nice," Henderson said. "They don't have to get so crazy on locations, either, so they can kind of pitch with some more freedom there." That simplicity of attacking the zone with fastballs isn't the only thing spurring breakouts for Misiorowski and Harrison, but not having to get too cute with their sequencing or game planning has played a significant role. When a hitter does show signs of getting to those fastballs, they have good enough secondary stuff to slow them down. "When you don't have to mix as much, it simplifies your approach, and you can just kind of get to more of just reading swings," Henderson said. "You can kind of get after your game plan a little bit easier with two pitches sometimes, where you just have to read what the hitter's looking for, and then just kind of adjust from there, instead of trying to trick them." Misiorowski still has those three additional pitches in his repertoire, should he need them. In addition to his breaking ball, Harrison and the Brewers are still working on honing his kick changeup, and they could also reintroduce a cutter down the line. For now, though, the fastballs are doing the job and then some. "I think you build a reputation of it, too, that you got to try to get to the heater," Henderson said. "And if it has a little angle, a little bit of movement to it, and you start feeling as a hitter like you have to cheat to it, and it opens up even just one other pitch for you to kind of get through a game with a two-pitch mix. It's just about being unique and having to honor it, really." View the full article

Fish On First staffers react to the latest Miami Marlins series and prepare you for what lies ahead. Wednesday's show was hosted by Kevin Barral and featured panelist Nate Karzmer. 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 Sunday at approximately 6:30 p.m. ET following the Marlins-Blue Jays series finale. View the full article

There was one number the Blue Jays could no longer ignore: -33. Thirty-three outs above average on the negative side, accumulated across seven years of trying to make Bichette work as a shortstop. Thirty-three outs that eventually turned into runs. The Mets knew it. And they bet on the improvement anyway. The story of the “Bo Bichette at third base experiment” in Queens began as a footnote, one of those ideas that sounds clever at a winter press conference but rarely survives contact with the reality of April baseball. The kind of move analysts label a “creative solution” and skeptics call “desperation disguised as strategy.” As it turns out, this one survived. And the metrics so far explain why with remarkable clarity. But to reach that conclusion, you have to follow the entire path. You have to understand where Bichette comes from, what broke in Toronto, and why that same flaw suddenly becomes perfectly functional in a different context. Bo Bichette's Bat Arrived Before the Glove Before talking about what Bichette is doing in the field, it’s necessary to talk about what’s happening at the plate. Because if there was always one thing that justified patience with him — in Toronto or anywhere else — it was the bat. And in 2026, that bat still hasn’t met expectations. The numbers are uncomfortable: .217/.266/.316, a 68 wRC+, and a tiny .099 ISO. For context, his career line in those same categories is .289/.332/.459 with a 118 wRC+. This is not simply a cold streak. This is a different level of offensive dysfunction, the kind that frustrates fans and forces people to search for root causes instead of waiting for regression to fix everything on its own. Metric 2025 (TOR) 2026 NYM Career AVG .311 .217 .289 OBP .357 .266 .332 SLG .483 .316 .459 wRC+ 134 68 118 ISO .172 .099 .170 xwOBA .353 .321 .341 And yet, there is one detail preventing full-scale panic: the .321 xwOBA against an actual .263 wOBA. The gap between expected and observed production is nearly 60 points, a difference that in Statcast language translates more to sustained bad luck than true collapse. His .241 BABIP — compared to a .333 career mark — screams positive regression. His barrels remain respectable: a 6.9% barrel rate and 44.6% hard-hit rate. The quality of contact is still there. The results are not. There’s more in the bat-tracking data. His SwStr% dropped to 7.6%, the lowest mark of his career. He’s making contact. He’s showing patience (6.6% walk rate) but he’s hitting the ball on the ground far too often: a 51.4% groundball rate, also a career high. His opposite-field contact climbed to 37.7%, another number that historically correlates with stretches of diminished production for him. Something in the swing mechanics is failing to create the launch angle he needs. Projection systems, however, remain optimistic. FanGraphs DC projects him for a 110 wRC+ the rest of the way. Steamer says 112. ZiPS projects sustained 109-112 wRC+ production through 2028. The projection market consensus does not see a broken player. It sees a hitter who started cold and should eventually look like the same player who posted a 134 wRC+ in Toronto in 2025 once the BABIP normalizes. The question is not whether Bichette will hit again. It’s whether the Mets can sustain this defensive experiment while waiting for the offense to wake up. And the answer, at least so far, appears to be yes. Precisely because at third base, for the first time in his career, he is no longer costing them anything in the field while he searches for his timing at the plate. The Problem Toronto Never Solved To understand why this works defensively in Flushing, you first have to understand why it failed in Toronto. The Fielding Run Value numbers tell the story of an entire career filled with accumulated defensive losses: Year Teams Pos FRV OAA Attempts Success Rate 2021 TOR SS -4 -6 569 73% 2022 TOR SS -5 -7 566 75% 2023 TOR SS -4 -3 425 71% 2025 TOR SS -10 -13 455 69% Career SS -25 -30 2,687 72% His OAA success rate dropped all the way to 69% in his final Toronto season, three points below expected. He became the worst shortstop in baseball in Outs Above Average, and the third-worst defender at any position among qualified players. But the truly revealing detail is not the total number. It’s the anatomy of the failure. Bichette’s central problem as a shortstop was always his lateral range toward third base: -6 in 2021, -10 in 2022, -4 in 2025. Moving to his left was not merely a weakness. It was his greatest vulnerability, the zone opposing hitters eventually learned to attack because information travels quickly in this sport. And still, Toronto kept waiting for defensive improvement that never came. Year after year. As if the Bichette surname itself justified the patience. There’s something tragic about that, and something understandable too. Bichette was a prospect whose identity had been tied to shortstop since adolescence. His father, Dante Bichette, played in the major leagues. His identity as a prospect, franchise cornerstone, and face of Toronto’s rebuild was stitched directly to the position. Moving him off shortstop was not just a tactical decision. It almost felt like an institutional admission of failure. The Blue Jays never managed to separate the player from the narrative. The Mets project arrived without that emotional baggage. That changed everything. The Position Shift That Changes Everything When a shortstop cannot move effectively to his left, the consequences are catastrophic. The hole between shortstop and third base is one of the most demanding zones on the field, where range, transfer, and arm strength determine whether a right-handed hitter ends up with a single or an out. Bichette consistently lost there. But when a third baseman struggles moving to his right — toward the line and foul territory — the position demands that skill far less frequently. Third base protects him from his worst flaw. At the hot corner, his weakness is hidden in a region where relatively few balls are actually hit. The 2026 OAA numbers confirm the theory: Year Team Pos FRV OAA Left Right Attempts Success Rate Added 2025 TOR SS -10 -13 -5 -3 -4 69% -3% 2026 NYM SS 1 1 -1 0 2 73% 1% 2026 NYM 3B 1 2 1 1 0 67% 2% 2026 NYM ALL 2 2 — — — 69% 2% The most revealing detail is the directional split at third base: +1 moving to his right — toward the line — and +1 moving to his left. The direction that once represented his Achilles’ heel at shortstop is now simply one component among many, no longer the defining factor determining whether a defensive inning ends in disaster. The position flipped the equation. That +2% success-rate-added number deserves attention. It is not enormous. It is not prime Nolan Arenado. But it is positive. Consistently positive. And for a player who spent his entire career producing negative defensive value, that is not a marginal improvement. It is a categorical shift. Bichette has gone from being a defensive liability to becoming, in value terms, an above-average defender at his position. From a roster-construction standpoint, that represents millions of dollars in defensive WAR the Mets are essentially receiving for free, bundled inside the contract of a hitter who already justified his salary with the bat alone. A bat that still appears close to waking up. On the 2026 OAA leaderboard among third basemen, he ranks sixth. He is not a Gold Glover yet, but he sits above Arenado, above Alex Bregman, above Matt Chapman in outs generated. For an organization making a calculated gamble, that is more than enough. The Arm as the Hidden Variable There is another detail in the data that does not immediately jump off the page, but one every talent evaluator should underline in red: throwing velocity. The arm-strength leaderboard ranks Bichette third among all third basemen in baseball: Rk. Player FRV OAA Vel. Avg. Vel. máx 1 Garcia, Maikel (KC) 5 5 88.2 mph 89.1 2 Chapman, Matt (SF) 3 2 86.1 mph 88.3 3 Bichette, Bo (NYM) 1 2 82.9 mph 88.6 4 Machado, Manny (SD) 3 3 83.6 mph 85.5 5 Ramírez, José (CLE) 2 4 83.4 mph 85.6 At shortstop, that arm was almost redundant. Difficult throws from the hole rarely rewarded his raw strength because the problem was reaching the baseball in the first place. At third base, however, that same arm becomes an entirely different weapon. At the hot corner, nearly every difficult play ends with the longest throw in the infield. The backhand near the line, where the fielder stretches, fields from an awkward angle, and still has to fire across the diamond. The bunt play, where the third baseman charges forward, gathers the ball on the move, then plants and throws before the runner arrives. The slow roller that punishes hesitation. In all those situations, the difference between an out and a hit is arm strength. An 88.6 mph max throw from third base is not a trivial detail. It is the difference between a difficult out and a single nobody remembers. And that arm was always there. The interesting part is that Bichette did not develop new strength. For the first time in his career, he is simply playing a position where that tool exists in its ideal environment. The Mets did not teach him something new. They changed the stage. That, ultimately, is what makes this story bigger than Bo Bichette. It is a story about how organizations cling to mistakes. About how the sunk cost of a previous decision — the draft pick, the contract, the public narrative — can cloud years of accumulated evidence. Toronto watched it happen in real time and could not act. The Mets arrived later, looked at the same numbers, and made the decision Toronto could not make for five years. In baseball, sometimes the competitive advantage is not discovering something new. It is seeing clearly what has been sitting in front of everyone all along. The experiment ended before it even began. It is no longer an experiment. It is a solution. And the solution had been waiting for years for someone willing to look at the data without blinking. View the full article

Note: I wrote this story yesterday, before the news broke that the Blue Jays will call up Charles McAdoo. While they haven't officially announced that Sosa will be cut to make room for McAdoo, it seems like the inevitable corresponding move. Lenyn Sosa is celebrating a home run in the picture you see above. He hit that home run on May 2. It was his first (and remains his only) home run of the season. Yet, until last night, Sosa somehow had more home runs than walks on the year. The infielder didn't earn a base on balls until his 113th plate appearance of 2026. Sosa's walk rate still starts with a goose egg, but at least it doesn't end with a zero anymore. Sitting at 0.9%, it ranks last among major league hitters with at least 50 PA. (Tyler Heineman ranks second-to-last. Nathan Lukes ranks sixth from the bottom. The Blue Jays as a team have the third-worst walk rate in baseball.) In the grand scheme of things, the difference between one and zero walks is negligible. But I love anything odd and unusual, and Sosa's long walk-less streak definitely fits into that category. It took him 38 games (excluding one in which he only appeared as a pinch-runner) to draw his first free pass. That's the longest such streak to start a season since Willians Astudillo in 2021, who didn't draw a walk until his 40th game of that year. It's also the longest walk-less streak to start a season in Blue Jays history, although that comes with an asterisk, since Sosa played his first 12 games of 2026 with the White Sox. The longest walk-less streak at any point in Blue Jays history belongs to Alfredo Griffin. The shortstop didn't walk at all in his final 56 games of the 1984 season. He was then traded to Oakland and spent the next seven seasons with the A's and Dodgers. When he returned to the Blue Jays in 1992, he appeared in another 10 games (with at least one PA) before he drew a walk, so technically, his walk-less streak with Toronto lasted an incredible 66 games – and almost eight years. For the sake of remembering guys, other Blue Jays with long walk-less streaks include Dámaso García, John McDonald, Darwin Barney, Tony Fernández, Pat Borders, and Garth Iorg. McDonald, one of my favourite remembersome guys, holds the team record for lowest walk rate in a season (min. 100). In 2009, the infielder walked just once in 156 trips to the plate, a 0.6% rate. Among hitters who played a more regular role, Griffin holds the record with a 0.9% walk rate over 442 PA in 1984. No other Blue Jay with even 300 PA in a season has ever finished with a walk rate under 2.0%. Turning back to Sosa, his walk-less streak actually extended several games back into 2025. From last September to this May, he went 175 PA without a base on balls. So, how does something like this happen? Are opposing pitchers so unafraid of Sosa that they only throw him pitches in the strike zone? Not at all. Sosa ranks third among all batters this season (min. 50 PA) in out-of-zone rate. Almost 60% of the pitches he's seen have been outside the zone, according to Statcast. The MLB average is 52.6%. The only two batters who have seen more out-of-zone pitches than Sosa are Moisés Ballesteros and Junior Caminero. And unlike those two, Sosa isn't a serious power threat. He just has really poor plate discipline, and, well, pitchers know it. The righty batter is one of only four hitters (min. 50 PA) with a chase rate over 50%. His opponents are taking advantage. Let me summarize. About 60% of the pitches Sosa gets are outside the strike zone. He has swung at just over half of them. That means 30% of all pitches opposing pitchers have thrown to Sosa have resulted in a swing on a pitch outside the zone. No wonder he never walks! It's hard to overstate how much good Sosa could do himself by just keeping the bat on his shoulder more often. It wouldn't work forever. Eventually, opposing pitchers would start challenging him in the zone. Temporarily, however, I think he should just try mentally flipping a coin. Heads, he swings; tails, he lays off. It might sound dumb, but we're talking about a guy with a .207 on-base percentage and a 32 wRC+ this season. Do you really think the coin flip approach would be any worse than whatever approach he's trying right now? I'll leave you with the sequence of pitches that led to Sosa's first (and who knows, maybe his only) walk of 2026: It was a garbage time plate appearance – the Jays were down six in the bottom of the ninth – but to his credit, Sosa worked back from an 0-2 hole. That said, all four balls from Marlins lefty Cade Gibson were so far outside that even you or I could have drawn the walk. Hopefully, that walk helped Sosa remember how nice it is to trot to first base unencumbered. (He got hit by his first pitch of the season the next day, but I'm sure he prefers reaching base without any searing pain.) The fact that he can bat right-handed and play multiple infield positions has kept him on the roster to this point, but the Blue Jays won't be willing to stomach his .207 OBP forever. View the full article

Transactions: Wisconsin Timber Rattlers activated SS Luis Pena from the 7-day injured list. Wisconsin Timber Rattlers transferred RHP Jose Nova to the Development List. OF Jesus Mancera assigned to DSL Brewers Gold RHP Manuel Davila assigned to DSL Brewers Blue Nashville pre-game media notes Final: Gwinnett (Braves) 5, Nashville 3 Box Score & Game Log Quinn Priester’s outing included 38 pitches, only 18 for strikes, five base runners and only two outs recorded. Priester’s ERA in Nashville now sits at 17.65 as memories of the pitcher who won 12 straight decisions for the Brewers last season seem very distant. Video highlights available via the Sounds game writeup include Jefferson Quero hitting his sixth home run of the year. Quero added a single as well, on the downside, all four Stripers that attempted to steal against him were successful. After beginning his season with ten scoreless outings and then hitting the injured list, Will Childers got back to putting up zeros in his second outing since returning to active duty. Childers will need to be added to the 40-man roster this coming winter, and his continued development could add yet more depth to the Brewers playoff push this season. Cooper Pratt and Jett Williams each had two strikeouts today and have slowed down a little of late, perhaps cooling talk of imminent callups to Milwaukee for the duo. Tyson Hardin will look for a third straight strong outing with the Sounds on Thursday, as he’s made the jump from AA look easy so far. Biloxi pre-game media notes Final, Game 1: Columbus (Braves) 2, Biloxi 1 Box Score & Game Log 1 Final, Game 2: Columbus 4, Biloxi 1 Box Score & Game Log 2 Two runs in two games. Not great. With Jesus Made out with an illness (not pulled for promotion) the Shuckers went a combined 0-15 with runners in scoring position across the two games. Dylan O’Rae managed two singles in each game raising his batting average to .319 with the 4-hit day, while building a five-game hit streak with four multi-hit games and 11 hits in his last 20 at-bats. After throwing 100 MPH on Saturday, Cameron Wagoner pitched two clean innings in the opener, striking out three without allowing a baserunner. In 10.1 innings pitched this season he has 14 strikeouts and one walk, albeit with four HBP. Darien Miller provided the other offensive bright spot on the day, hitting his eighth home run with a moonshot to right-center in the opener and drawing two walks in the second game. Brett Wichrowski will make the start for the Shuckers on Thursday. Wisconsin Pre-Game Media Notes (download link) Final, Game One: Peoria (Cardinals) 6, Wisconsin 0, seven innings as scheduled Box Score and Game Log Via the Timber Rattlers, game details: Chiefs Shut out Rattlers in Game One - Van Dyke and Sparks combine on two-hit shutout GIDP: Baez, J; Bitonti; Castillo, L; Peña; Ragsdale. Wow, as the game summary noted, five GIDP's in just seven innings. That's one way to limit the men left on base (official number was three). Note the media team did not include any of them in their highlight package, blessedly brief at just under two minutes: OF Braylon Payne has now missed a week's worth of action, having last played on Thursday the 21st. We await formal word on his absence. Payne was the lone position player to not see action in either game. Luis Pena returned to the Timber Rattlers lineup as the designated hitter after a scorching three-game stint in Maryvale. He walked once, in the first of his three plate appearances. After being a GIDP victim, he lined out to short in his final at-bat. Pena would not play in Game Two, understandably. Eric Bitonti's missed catch was his first error of the season in 38 games (36 at first base, two at third base). Andrew Fischer reached base twice (BB, HBP), as did Daniel Dickinson (double, BB), though Dickinson was immediately thrown out attempting to steal third base after his leadoff two-bagger in the 2nd. That broke the don't make the first out at third base rule. That became painful when Luis Castillo lined a single as the next batter, and yes, those two back-to-back knocks represented the entirety of Wisconsin base hits in this opener. After his rude three-run 5th inning introduction to the Midwest League, just-promoted RHP Tanner Perry settled in for two additional innings in which only one man reached (HBP). *** Final, Game Two: Wisconsin 12, Peoria 7, seven innings as scheduled Box Score and Game Log Via the Timber Rattlers, game details: Rattlers Score Twelve to Earn Split in Doubleheader - Wisconsin scores six in first to bounce back from game one loss The nearly 5,000 in attendance (4,864) were rewarded for their patience, and as the game summary title notes, didn't have to wait long. As you'd imagine, the 19 combined runs produced a much lengthier highlight package: It's been a minute since we got to enjoy a Postgame Podcast, so the combined video and pod give you a nearly 30-minute feast of catching up with this club. Postgame Podcast with Manager Nick Stanley, infielder Juan Baez and RHP Garrett Hodges Yes, Marco Dinges has not seen action behind the plate in two and a half weeks, as he singled and walked in the designated hitter spot here after sitting out Game One. We now know what Dinges has been dealing with, but it's promising that the injury has not fully sidelined him and allowed him to swing the bat. Within your box score review, you'll see that all nine T-Rats reached base, and that the one player not to have a base hit, SS Luiyin Alastre, contributed with a walk and sacrifice fly. Left fielder Josh Adamczewski (double, single, walk) and first baseman Tayden Hall (two singles, walk) led the way among the seven Wisconsin batters to reach base multiple times, impressive when one considers that the team only had six innings as the home team to put together their stat lines. Be sure to review that Game Two summary for a more thorough breakdown of the game log. The mound efforts in the nightcap (afternooncap?) were a mixed bag - starter Braylon Owens did not issue a free pass over four innings but surrendered five runs. Fellow righty Quinton Low struck out three in his lone inning and was credited with the win, even though his elevated ERA took another hit with two runs allowed. Garrett Hodges earned the save despite the five-run final margin because his effort in the 6th inning came when the lead was only two runs. Wilson pre-game media notes Final: Myrtle Beach (Cubs) 6, Wilson 2 Box Score & Game Log Jayden Dubanewicz had an uneven but successful start. In his fifth outing of the season Dubanewicz pitched three innings, surrendering only two hits, while striking out three and not giving up any runs, however, he did walk four batters. Prior to this game he had 3 total walks in his first 4 games. Last week’s Carolina League Player of the week, Brady Ebel, went 1-4 with a walk and extended his hitting streak to 11 games. Leading off Handelfry Encarnacion went 2-4 with a walk and his ninth steal of the season. Venezuelan 2024 international signee, Enderson Mercado will make his sixth start of the season on Thursday. Final: ACL Royals 6, ACL Brewers 2 Box Score & Game Log Alexander Frias had three more hits raising his average to an Arizona Complex League leading .434. The 18-year-old supreme athlete had singles of 103.2 and 99.9 MPH in the game. 2025 19th round draft pick and $750K overslot bonus signee, Chase Bentley, struck out five over four innings, but gave up two home runs in his fourth professional outing. Rehabbing Luke Adams was hitless in three at-bats. Also rehabbing, Griffin Tobias threw 32 pitches, 23 for strikes, giving up two runs (1 ER), three hits allowed and one strikeout. Kenny Fenelon and Brailyn Antunez each had a hit, with Antunez’s hit a triple. Preview Thursday's action, five games in all, below. Organizational Scoreboard including starting pitcher info, game times, MiLB TV links, and box scores Arizona Complex League Scoreboard Current Milwaukee Brewers Organization Batting Stats and Depth Current Milwaukee Brewers Organization Pitching Stats and Depth View the full article

Nick Solak's homer binge continued as Triple-A El Paso beat Albuquerque 8-5. Ryan Wideman was one of three players with three hits and he also stole two more bases in Low-A Lake Elsinore's 10-4 triumph over Inland Empire. Ian Koenig struck out seven over five innings in Double-A San Antonio's 11-3 loss. High-A Fort Wayne fell 13-5 despite drawing 11 walks. Padres Minor-League Transactions El Paso Chihuahuas activated OF Pablo Reyes from the temporarily inactive list. El Paso Chihuahuas transferred 2B Nate Mondou to the Development List. San Antonio Missions released 1B Leandro Cedeno. Nick Solak Stays Hot With 4th HR In 5 Games As Chihuahuas Win Nick Solak's torrid streak continued with his fourth homer in five games and his fourth straight two-hit game as the Triple-A El Paso Chihuahuas notched an 8-5 victory over the host Albuquerque Isotopes. Nick Schnell also homered, had two hits and two RBIs, while Mason McCoy went 3-for-5 with an RBI and a run scored. Jase Bowen and Pablo Reyes had two hits apiece. Trailing 1-0, Schnell led off the top of the third inning with his eighth homer of the season. Two outs and a walk later, Solak lined his sixth homer of the season down the left-field line for a 3-1 advantage and his second homer in as many days. In the fourth, Schnell had a two-run single to extend the lead to 5-1, while McCoy added an RBI single in the fifth to go up 6-1. After the Isotopes pulled within 6-4, Carlos Rodriguez and Bowen drove in runs for an 8-4 cushion. Chihuahuas left-hander Jackson Wolf went 5⅓ innings, giving up four runs on seven hits with two walks and two strikeouts. EP_0527.mp4 Player AB R H RBI BB K Pablo Reyes 5 1 2 0 1 0 Carlos Rodriguez 4 1 1 1 1 0 Nick Solak 5 2 2 2 0 1 Jase Bowen 5 0 2 1 0 0 Will Wagner 4 1 1 0 1 0 Mason McCoy 5 1 3 1 0 0 Clay Dungan 4 0 0 0 0 3 Nick Schnell 3 1 2 2 0 1 Samad Taylor 1 1 1 0 1 0 Anthony Vilar 5 0 2 0 0 2 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Jackson Wolf 5 1/3 7 4 4 2 2 1 Garrett Hawkins 2/3 1 0 0 0 2 0 Kyle Hart 2 1 0 0 1 1 0 David Morgan 1 1 1 1 0 2 1 Missions' Bullpen Can't Slow Down Hooks The host Double-A San Antonio Missions' bullpen gave up eight runs in an 11-3 loss to the Corpus Christi Hooks. Missions right-handed starter Ian Koenig struck out seven and allowed three runs over five innings, but his solid outing was spoiled by the bullpen. He gave up seven hits and two walks. Luis Verdugo reached back four times with two hits and a pair of walks, while Carson Tucker also had two of the Missions' six hits and drove in a pair of runs. Corpus Christi jumped out to an early lead, with two runs in the first and another in the third. Tucker had an RBI single in the fifth, but the Hooks came back with a run in the sixth and two more in the seventh for a 6-1 lead. Tucker had an RBI double in the bottom of the seventh and another run scored on a wild pitch to pull the Missions within 6-3. But the Hooks cemented the outcome with five runs in the ninth, including an error. SA_0527.mp4 Player AB R H RBI BB K Carson Tucker 4 0 2 2 1 0 Kai Murphy 5 0 0 0 0 1 Romeo Sanabria 4 0 0 0 0 2 Tirso Ornelas 4 0 0 0 0 1 Braedon Karpathios 4 0 1 0 0 2 Ryan Jackson 3 1 1 0 0 1 Albert Fabian 3 0 0 0 1 2 Luis Verdugo 2 1 2 0 2 0 Chris Sargent 2 0 0 0 0 1 Ethan Salas 0 1 0 0 0 0 Jake Bold 1 0 0 0 0 0 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Ian Koenig 5 7 3 3 2 7 1 Clark Candiotti 2/3 0 1 1 1 2 0 Johan Moreno 1/3 1 0 0 0 0 0 Andrew Dalquist 1 1 2 2 3 2 0 Andrew Thurman 2 3 5 3 1 3 0 TinCaps' 11 Walks Not Enough In Blowout Loss To Cubs Despite drawing a club-record 11 walks, the High-A Fort Wayne TinCaps couldn't put together the hits to keep pace with the host South Bend Cubs in a 13-5 loss. Jack Costello drew a career-high four walks for the TinCaps, who scored four times in the eighth inning without a hit thanks to five free passes, a wild pitch and an error. TinCaps right-handed starter Maikel Miralles was lit up for seven runs on seven hits in 2⅔ innings, including a five-run third inning. Kasen Wells had two of the TinCaps' six hits, while Lamar King Jr. and Alex McCoy had back-to-back doubles in the top of the third inning, with McCoy, Padres Mission's No. 12 prospect, driving in King, Padres Mission's No. 10 prospect. It was McCoy's Midwest League-leading 17th double this year. FW_0527.mp4 Player AB R H RBI BB K Justin DeCriscio 4 1 1 0 1 0 Kasen Wells 4 0 2 0 1 0 Lamar King Jr. 3 1 1 0 2 1 Alex McCoy 4 0 1 2 1 1 Jake Cunningham 4 1 0 0 1 2 Kavares Tears 5 0 1 0 0 1 Jack Costello 1 1 0 0 4 1 Oswaldo Linares 3 1 0 0 1 0 Jonathan Vastine 4 0 0 1 0 1 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Maikel Miralles 2 2/3 7 7 7 2 0 0 Will Varmette 1 1/3 3 2 2 0 1 0 Ty Adcock 1 3 4 4 1 2 1 C.J. Widger 2 1 0 0 0 3 0 Jeferson Villabona 1 1 0 0 0 1 0 Trio Has Trio Of Hits, Storm Explode For 8-Run Fifth In Victory Ryan Wideman had three hits and two more stolen bases, while Jose Verdugo and Yoiber Ocopio also had three hits as the Low-A Lake Elsinore Storm used an eight-run fifth inning to surge past the Inland Empire 66ers. Wideman, Padres Mission's No. 5 prospect, stole third base twice to retain the minor-league lead with 35 stolen bases. Wideman, Verdugo and Ocopio also scored two runs each. Storm right-handed starter Jesus Castro struck out five over four innings, allowing three runs on six hits with no walks. Right-hander Brandon Langley struck out five in two hitless innings, while left-hander Joseph Herrera pitched a perfect seventh, left-hander Cal Riehl a scoreless eighth and right-hander Sean Barnett allowed a run while striking out a pair in the ninth. The Storm trailed 3-1 when they sent 12 batters to the plate in the fifth. Ocopio singled and Conner Westenburg drew a one-out walk. Wideman doubled home Ocopio before Westenburg and Wideman pulled off a double steal of home and third to tie the game. Verdugo followed with a go-ahead RBI single. Bradley Frye singled Verdugo to third and took second on a throwing error. Yimy Tovar reached on an error that brought in the fifth run of the inning and 6-3 lead. After a pitching change, Jorge Quintana walked and Ocopio, batting for the second time in the inning, doubled home two runs. Qrey Lott was hit by a pitch and Westernburg singled home Ocopio, but Lott was thrown out at the plate to end the inning. Kerrington Cross added an RBI single in the eighth. LE_0527.mp4 Player AB R H RBI BB K Ryan Wideman 5 2 3 1 0 0 Kerrington Cross 5 0 1 1 0 1 Jose Verdugo 5 2 3 1 0 2 Bradley Frye 4 1 1 0 0 2 Yimy Tovar 4 1 0 0 0 2 Jorge Quintana 3 1 1 0 1 2 Yoiber Ocopio 4 2 3 2 0 0 Qrey Lott 3 0 1 0 0 0 Conner Westenburg 3 1 1 1 1 0 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Jesus A. Castro 4 6 3 3 0 5 0 Brandon Langley 2 0 0 0 0 5 0 Joseph Herrera 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 Cal Riehl 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 Sean Barnett 1 2 1 1 2 2 0 Top 20 Prospect Performance Ethan Salas: 0-for-0, R, reached on catcher interference Kash Mayfield: DNP Miguel Mendez: DNP Kruz Schoolcraft: DNP Ryan Wideman: 3-for-5, 2B, RBI, 2 SB Jorge Quintana: 1-for-3, BB, 2 K Ty Harvey: Injured list Kale Fountain: Injured, out for season Braedon Karpathios: 1-for-4, 2 K Lamar King Jr.: 1-for-3, 2B, 2 BB, K Jagger Haynes: DNP Alex McCoy: 1-for-4, 2B, 2 RBI, BB, K Truitt Madonna: DNP Tucker Musgrove: DNP Garrett Hawkins: ⅔ IP, H, 0 R, 2 K Michael Salina: DNP Eric Yost: DNP Rosman Verdugo: DNP Bryan Balzer: DNP Deivid Coronil: DNP View the full article

An interesting thing about grabbing guys off the waiver wire, or signing them as freegies after they pass through waivers, is you often see your team grabbing guys out of the same organization, losing teams to the same organization. Maybe there's a favorite scout that they trust who has just returned from a look at that team. Transactions, 5/26/2026 GOING Transferred from 10-Day to 60-Day Injured List with Lubar Spine Disc Herniation Signed away by TBR to Minor-League Contract Outfielders Luis Robert, Jr. Austin Slater R/R DoB: 1997-08-03 High Level: MLB (2026) R/R DoB: 1992-12-13 High Level: MLB (2026) Merely hours after signing a post-waivers Craig Kimbrel to a minor-league contract, the Rays extended the same courtesy to Austin Slater, who similarly exercised his veteran's right to refuse a minor-league assignment and shop himself around. At 34-18 and in first place in the big-spending AL East, all the while playing in a park they had to fix up just to get the team to return in preparation for leaving again, the Rays may the best team in baseball at the same time as being the most irrelevant. It's a strange world, and the Rays may be collecting players waived by a last-place team, but they are sure doing something right. Luis Robert, Jr. got bumped to the 60-Man IL to make room for recent roster jugglage, so while the assignment may not represent a change in his health status, there isn't much of a peep of his improvement, leaving the Mets, among other things, a little short of righthanded hitters. Transactions, 5/27/2026 COMING Sent to Binghamton on Rehab Assignment Infielders Jorge Polanco S/R DoB: 1999-11-13 High Level: MLB (2026) While that righthanded hitter shortage has led the Mets to give a second look to corner infielder/corner outfielder Eric Wagaman, Jorge Polanco looms in the professional on-deck circle, suggesting Waggy's time could again be short. Polanco has historically been better from the left side, so he wouldn't particularly solve that righty issue. It is unclear how mobile he will be when he comes back, so he might well be seeing the bulk of his time at DH, leaving a deeply slumping (but still possibly the team's best righthanded hitter) Mark Vientos at first. We mean, yeah, that's not the way it is supposed to be, but putting the Vientos season side by side with those of Bo Bichette, Marcus Semien, and Luis Torrens, you kinda know what we mean, right? Your 2026 New York Mets Starting Pitchers Nolan McLean Freddy Peralta David Peterson Christian Scott Jonah Tong R/R DoB: 2001-07-24 R/R DoB: 2996-06-04 L/L DoB: 1995-09-03 R/R DoB: 1999-06-15 R/R DoB: 2003-06-19 Relief Pitchers Huascar Brazobán Sean Manaea A.J. Minter Tobias Myers Brooks Raley Austin Warren Luke Weaver R/R DoB: 1989-10-15 R/L DoB: 1992-02-01 L/L DoB: 1993-09-02 R/R DoB: 1998-08-05 L/L DoB: 1988-06-29 R/R DoB: 1996-02-05 R/R DoB: 1993-08-21 Relief Pitchers Catchers Infielders Devin Williams Hayden Senger Luís Torrens Bo Bichette Brett Baty Vidal Brujan Marcus Semien R/R DoB: 1994-09-21 R/R DoB: 1997-04-03 R/R DoB: 1996-05-02 R/R DoB: 1998-03-05 L/R DoB: 1999-11-13 S/R DoB: 1998-02-09 R/R DoB: 1990-09-17 Infielders Outfielders Mark Vientos Eric Wagaman Carson Benge A.J. Ewing MJ Melendez Juan Soto Jared Young R/R DoB: 1993-12-11 R/R DoB: 1997-08-14 L/R DoB: 2003-01-20 L/R DoB: 2004-08-10 L/R DoB: 1993-11-29 L/L DoB: 1998-10-25 L/R DoB: 1995-07-09 Also on 40-Player Roster Starting Pitchers Relief Pitchers Clay Holmes Tylor Megill Kodai Senga Zach Thornton Alex Carrillo Daniel Duarte Reed Garrett R/R DoB: 1993-03-27 R/R DoB: 1995-07-28 L/R DoB: 1993-01-30 L/L DoB: 2002-01-17 R/R DoB: 1997-06-06 R/R DoB: 1996-12-04 R/R DoB: 1993-01-02 Relief Pitchers Catchers Infielders Justin Hagenman Dedniel Núñez Jonathan Pintaro Dylan Ross Francisco Alvarez Francisco Lindor Ronny Mauricio R/R DoB: 1996-10-07 R/R DoB: 1996-06-05 R/R DoB: 1997-11-07 R/R DoB: 2000-09-01 R/R DoB: 2001-11-01 S/R DoB: 1993-11-14 S/R DoB: 2001-04-04 Infielders Outfielders Jorge Polanco Luis Robert, Jr. Nick Morabito Tyrone Taylor S/R DoB: 1999-11-13 R/R DoB: 1997-08-03 R/R DoB: 2003-05-07 R/R DoB: 1994-01-22 Your Mets Coaching Staff Manager Bench Coach Pitching Coach Hitting Coordinator Third Base Coach First Base Coach Bullpen Coach Ass't Pitching Coach Carlos Mendoza Kai Correa Justin Willard Jeff Albert Tim Leiper Gilbert Gomez José Rosado Dan McKinney DoB: 1979-11-27 DoB: 1989-07-14 DoB: 1990-09-09 DoB: 1992-08-16 DoB: 1996-07-19 DoB: 1992-03-08 DoB: 1974-11-09 DoB: 1989-06-06 Hitting Coach Strategy Coach Catching Coach Coaching Assistant Bat'g Practice Pitcher Equipment Manager Bullpen Catchers Bullpen Catchers Troy Snitker Danny Barnes J.P. Arencibia Rafael Fernandez Kevin Mahoney Kevin Kierst Eric Langill Dave Racaniello DoB: 1988-12-05 DoB: 1989-10021 DoB: 1986-01-05 DoB: 1988-08-03 DoB: 1987-05-11 DoB: 1964-07-09 DoB: 1979-04-09 DoB: 1978-06-03 Your Mets Training Staff Director of Player Health Head Athletic Trainer Assistant Athletic Trainer Reconditioning Coordinator Reconditioning Therapist Head Performance Coach Assistant Performance Coach Performance Coordinator Soft Tissue Specialist Brian Chicklo Joseph Golia Bryan Baca Sean Bardanett Josh Bickel Dustin Clarke Tanner Miracle Jeremy Chiang Hiroto Kawamura DoB: 1972-07-17 DoB: 1978-??-?? DoB: Circa 1980 DoB: 1988-06-23 DoB: 1996-??-?? DoB: 1987-??-?? DoB: 1991-??-?? DoB: ????-??-?? DoB: 22846 View the full article

Charles McAdoo is heading to Baltimore. Jays Centre's No. 14 prospect will join the Blue Jays tomorrow as they start a series against the Orioles, according to ESPN's Jeff Passan. He'll be making his MLB debut when he first gets in a game. The Jays can free up space for McAdoo on the active and 40-man rosters by designating Lenyn Sosa for assignment. While I'm only speculating, it's all but certain that's how they're going to do it (unless there's been another injury we don't know about). McAdoo, like Sosa, is a right-handed-hitting infielder. He is primarily a third baseman but has recently started getting reps in at second base, which is Sosa's primary position. And while Sosa is hitting beyond poorly this season (.195 with a .490 OPS), McAdoo has hit well down in Triple-A Buffalo. He has eight home runs and a 13.9% walk rate, and his wRC+ is 12% better than league average. The Blue Jays will hope McAdoo can keep it up at the MLB level, much like his former Bisons teammates Yohendrick Piñango and Brandon Valenzuela. View the full article

TRANSACTIONS In anticipation of the DSL season starting June 1st, players were officially assigned to rosters today. You can check out the Twins’ collection of players here. We now have minor leaguers born in 2009, the Joe Mauer MVP year. And so, the passage of time trudges on. Saints Sentinel St. Paul 5, Louisville 10 Box Score SP: Mike Paredes: 5 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 7 K HR: Ben Ross (3) Multi-hit games: None The Saints were outgunned on Wednesday. Though, Mike Paredes did his best to ensure that wasn’t true. The St. Paul starter was phenomenal, working five innings with seven strikeouts, allowing a lone run on an awkwardly-caromed fly ball turned inside-the-parker from Héctor Rodríguez (more on him soon). Otherwise, Paredes was magnificent. His sweeper ushered Bats’ hitters to the dugout. On 19 offerings at the pitch, Louisville hitters came up empty 12 times. Rodríguez remained a nuisance, however, as the inside-the-parker perhaps fueled a vengeful rage to clear the great outfield walls. And so, he did. Twice: once as a part of a three-homer barrage against reliever Alejandro Hidalgo in the sixth, and again in the seventh off Kody Funderburk. He likely possesses one of the rare three-homer games that includes a long-ball that didn’t actually go long. The outburst obscured what was once a 5-1 lead for the Saints. In the second Kaelen Culpepper singled home two off this excuse-me poke to center. Then, an extra base onslaught in the fifth: Gabriel Gonzalez tripled, Kyler Fedko doubled him home, and Ben Ross hit one that remained in the air for about an hour before finally landing safely in the fan section. Old friend Darren McCaughan started for Louisville. MLB.com’s 99th-ranked prospect, Edwin Arroyo, played shortstop for the Bats on Wednesday. You may remember Arroyo as one of the critical youngsters netted by the Reds in the Luis Castillo trade in 2022. He went 0-4 in the game. Wind Surge Wisdom The Wind Surge did not play on Wednesday. Kernels Nuggets Cedar Rapids 3, Quad Cities 7 Box Score Jason Doktorczyk: 1 2/3 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, 1 BB, 1 K HR: None Multi-hit games: Brandon Winokur (2-for-3), Danny De Andrade (2-for-4, RBI) The Kernels fell behind early and never recovered on Wednesday. Three straight run-scoring innings in the early going will get you. Starter Jason Doktorczyk labored for 49 pitches before he could record his first out, portending what would become a poor day on the mound for Cedar Rapids hurlers. Neither Adam Falinski nor Cole Peschl could improve on the situation. And by the time Paulshawn Pasqualotto established order, the deficit was so dire that it no longer mattered. Brandon Winokur continued his torrid month of May, collecting two singles and swiping a base to extend his hitting streak to six games. He was also hit by a pitch. He’s now slashing .341/.430/.518 in the month, a drastic improvement over his .198/.323/.358 line in April. RBIs in this game went to Jacob McCombs and Danny De Andrade, respectively. Catcher Blake Mitchell ranks as MLB’s 55th-best prospect, and he walked twice in five plate appearances against the Kernels on Wednesday. Mussel Matters “Inclement weather and unplayable field conditions” ended matters in Fort Myers before they could begin. A doubleheader is scheduled for Thursday, May 28th. TWINS DAILY PLAYERS OF THE DAY Twins Daily Minor League Pitcher of the Day – Mike Paredes Twins Daily Minor League Hitter of the Day – Brandon Winokur PROSPECT SUMMARY Here’s a look at how the Twins Daily Top 20 Twins Prospects performed: #2 – Kaelen Culpepper (St. Paul) - 1-5, 2 RBI, 2 K #4 – Connor Prielipp (Twins) - 4 1/3 IP, 8 H, 6 ER, 3 BB, 5 K #5 – Eduardo Tait (Cedar Rapids) - 0-4, 2 K #10 – Gabriel Gonzalez (St. Paul) - 1-4, 3B, R, BB #15 – Brandon Winokur (Cedar Rapids) - 2-3 #19 – Khadim Diaw (Cedar Rapids) - 1-4, 2B, R THURSDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS St. Paul @ Louisville (5:35 PM) - RHP Ryan Gallagher Wichita @ Springfield (4:35 PM) - RHP Sam Armstrong Quad Cities @ Cedar Rapids (6:35 PM) - LHP Dasan Hill Jupiter @ Fort Myers (3:35 PM) - RHP Jason Reitz Jupiter @ Fort Myers (Game Two) - TBD FCL Orioles @ FCL Twins (11:00 AM) - TBD View the full article

With such a poor start to the 2026 season, can Royce Lewis's struggles be chalked up to more of a mental or physical struggle, which led him to be sent down to Triple-A? View the full article

When the Twins hired Derek Shelton, the early reaction around the organization felt overwhelmingly positive. After years of watching Rocco Baldelli manage with a calm and measured personality, Shelton brought a more energetic and outwardly emotional style to the dugout. That difference has been noticeable from Day One. Shelton has always been comfortable in front of a microphone and has shown a natural ability to connect with both players and the media. That doesn’t automatically make someone a good manager, but it helped establish confidence, during a season wherein the Twins were already facing plenty of uncertainty. The real question was whether Shelton could navigate a flawed roster while keeping the club in contention. So far, the answer has mostly been yes. Lineup Construction One of the biggest talking points entering the season was the top of the lineup. The Twins had multiple candidates to hit leadoff, including Luke Keaschall, Ryan Jeffers, and Brooks Lee. Instead of endlessly rotating options, the club quickly settled on the obvious answer. Byron Buxton wanted the role, and Shelton embraced it. It has been the right decision, and it wasn't an easy one. Buxton remains the team’s most dynamic offensive player, but if he could hit equally well regardless of lineup position, you'd want him to bat second, third or fourth. More than Baldelli, Shelton came in trying to make that work, but once he recognized how big a difference it makes for Buxton in matters of preparation and mindset, he changed tack. The Twins have not spent the season overcomplicating lineup construction with constant matchup-based shuffling. Injuries have forced adjustments, but the everyday structure has largely remained stable. Shelton also deserves some credit for the organization’s willingness to make difficult decisions with struggling veterans and former stars. Royce Lewis and Matt Wallner were both expected to anchor significant portions of the offense this season. Instead, both players played themselves into demotions. While Shelton wasn’t the sole voice behind those moves, he deserves credit for managing the situation without creating unnecessary distractions (although, arguably, also some blame for the fact that each has cratered so badly). The Twins prioritized production over reputation. Offensively, the results have been encouraging in several important categories. Minnesota ranks as the eighth-biggest improver in Hard Hit%, up 0.2% from last season. Only three American League clubs have improved more. The Twins have also posted the AL’s largest increase in Launch Angle Sweet-Spot%, improving by 1.3%. That doesn’t mean the offense has been perfect. There have still been prolonged slumps and inconsistent performances throughout the lineup. However, Shelton has shown a willingness to move on from underperforming players rather than wait endlessly for improvement. Shelton's Lineup Grade: B Starting Pitchers The rotation looked like a potential disaster before the season even started. When Pablo López went down on the first day of spring training, it felt like Minnesota’s margin for error disappeared immediately. Instead of collapsing, the Twins have pieced together one of the better rotations in the American League. Taj Bradley has looked like a legitimate frontline starter. Joe Ryan continues to pitch at an All-Star caliber level despite an injury scare earlier in the year. Connor Prielipp has exceeded expectations during his rookie campaign, even as the organization carefully monitors his workload. Then there’s Zebby Matthews, who opened the season in the minors before injuries forced him into a critical role. He has responded exactly the way the Twins hoped. Shelton has also pushed the rotation aggressively, because he understands the limitations of the bullpen. Minnesota’s starters have consistently been asked to work deeper into games, and for the most part, they’ve delivered. He's been bitten a few times by leaving in starters too long, but there's no doubt that he has a different philosophy of pitcher usage and managing injury risk than Baldelli did. Last year, the Twins had 12 starts in which a hurler topped 100 pitches. This season, they already have nine, even though Bailey Ober only needed 89 pitches to complete one game. They're also staying on more of a five-day rotation, with 23 starts coming on four days' rest so far. Last year, under Baldelli, the Twins only had 41 such starts. The overall numbers back it up. Twins starters rank 10th in MLB in fWAR, which is sixth in the American League. They also sit eighth in ERA, eighth in Hard Hit%, and sixth overall in HR/FB rate. Given the circumstances, it’s hard to imagine Shelton squeezing much more out of this group. Shelton's Starting Pitcher Grade: A Bullpen Usage This bullpen probably should not work as well as it has. Entering the season, Minnesota lacked established high-end relief arms, and the concerns only intensified as injuries and inconsistency piled up. Shelton has responded by embracing complete bullpen chaos. So far, it has mostly worked. Eleven different pitchers have recorded a save this season, and no reliever has more than two saves. It has been a full committee approach, with Shelton constantly searching for favorable matchups and hot hands. There have absolutely been questionable moments along the way. Some pitching changes have backfired, and there are nights when the bullpen still feels one bad inning away from disaster. However, the overall results have been better than anyone reasonably expected. Twins relievers currently own a positive WPA, which felt nearly impossible entering the year, considering the available personnel. The organization also deserves credit for refusing to stay loyal to struggling veterans. Luis García and Justin Topa were designated for assignment after failing to establish consistency. Meanwhile, the Twins continue searching for undervalued contributors who can stabilize innings. Yoendrys Gómez has carved out a useful role, while younger pitchers like Andrew Morris and Travis Adams are beginning to adjust to leverage situations at the major-league level. Shelton hasn’t magically transformed the bullpen into a strength, but he has managed to keep it from sinking the season. Shelton's Bullpen Grade: B Overall Grade: B+ Shelton inherited a roster with obvious flaws, limited bullpen certainty, and major injury concerns in the rotation before Opening Day even arrived. Instead of letting the season spiral out of control, he has established a clear clubhouse identity while keeping the Twins competitive in a wide-open American League. His style differs noticeably from Baldelli’s, but different doesn’t necessarily mean better or worse. It simply means Shelton has put his own stamp on this team. There’s still plenty left to prove over a full season, especially when it comes to handling late-game situations and offensive consistency. However, considering the circumstances, Shelton’s first season in Minnesota has been a successful one (to this point). What grades should Shelton get for the areas above? What’s his overall grade? Leave a comment and start the discussion. View the full article

Unlike most sports, baseball is a game where a one or two-player effort won't push a team to victory, no matter how impressive it is. The Marlins were reminded of that the hard way on Wednesday afternoon. All-Star level performances from Xavier Edwards and Otto Lopez put their club in prime position to secure back-to-back series victories for the first time since Opening Week and creep back to four games under .500, but a dreadful four outs on the bases and a 2-11 showing with runners in scoring position was too much to overcome. Miami dropped an upsetting series finale to Toronto and two-time All-Star Kevin Gausman by a score of 2-1 while clinching the fourth series loss of their past five. A team reliant on small-ball, the Marlins completely fell apart on the base paths in the later innings. A caught stealing of Jakob Marsee and mental gaffe by Heriberto Hernandez ended the sixth while a strike to nab Esteury Ruiz at second stopped Miami in their tracks an inning later. The most critical mishap, though, came in the eighth with runners on first and third, one out, facing a one-run deficit with Connor Norby at the plate. Needing at the bare minimum a sacrifice fly to tie, Norby watched a hanging slider for strike three while Marsee bolted to second where he was dead to rights. The strike 'em out, throw 'em out took all the remaining wind out of Miami's sails as they were sat down in order by Tyler Rogers in the top of the ninth. Beyond baserunning, the Fish squandered multiple opportunities to put runs on the board early. Leading 1-0. with the bases loaded and one out in the third, Kyle Stowers grounded into an inning ending double play. A frame later, Christopher Morel and Graham Pauley couldn't cash in their first chance with one away and runners on the corners. Taking credit for over half of Miami's hits was the budding star duo of Lopez and Edwards. The two combined for seven hits, four stolen bases and the lone RBI opposite Gausman and a trio of Blue Jay relievers. The two now sit alone atop the hit lead in all of MLB, with Lopez at 75 and Edwards close behind at 67. Now over fifty games into 2026, there should be little to no doubt where the best middle-infield in the league resides. Lost in the late-game malaise was the success and sudden worry for Marlins starter Eury Perez. Perez, who dazzled in his previous outing last Friday against New York, showed more of the same promise that he became renowned for as a top prospect. "Baby Goat" punched out seven through just three innings on his way to a season-high nine. It's a number that had the potential to be even higher if not for a bizarre situation in the middle of the fifth. The 23-year-old right-hander was shown on the broadcast to be writhing in pain out of seemingly nowhere before being helped to the clubhouse by team doctors and his mentor Sandy Alcantara. Shortly after, the team announced it was a right hamstring spasm. Christina De Nicola of MLB.com reported postgame that Perez noted he would be getting imaging and the initial pain was a 10/10, but was a 7 during his scrum. Should the injury lead to an IL stint, it would sting that much more knowing Perez's recent adjustments have proved to be quite effective against formidable lineups. The incorporation of a two-seam pitch with sinking action has kept hitters off balance from a strong, but at times predictable four-seam offering. Increased command—Perez walked zero for the second consecutive outing—and trust in secondary offerings has been key as well. Toronto was able to grab the lead following the youngster's departure, capitalizing in back-to-back frames off Michael Peterson and Andrew Nardi, the latter surrendering his fourth homer of the season. The good news for Miami? A trip to Queens is on deck. Having just swept the Mets and enjoying success against their division foe dating back to 2025, the Fish enter Citi Field with confidence knowing they can mirror what happened at loanDepot park. Max Meyer, having dominated yet again against New York last Saturday with seven innings of scoreless ball looks to continue his sensational early-season campaign on Friday night opposite Freddy Peralta. First pitch is slated for 7:10 pm EST. View the full article

Abner Uribe is, in one reading of all this, just that loud person at the party who no longer has any desire to let some quiet tensions simmer. Maybe they actually challenge someone to step outside and take care of things, but more often, they say something they know will stir up what they feel has been allowed to settle and stagnate when it shouldn't. They don't throw fists; they throw down the proverbial gauntlet. A mess ensues, and everyone at the party ends up doing one form of cleanup or another. You just hope the air is actually clearer afterward. In this case, the match that lit the waiting fuse was fairly vulgar, like a drunken but unmistakable accusation of cheating or a carefully chosen, exceptionally rude bit of name-calling. He struck out Alec Burleson Tuesday night, and turned to the Cardinals dugout with relish. As gleefully as untold millions of 11-year-olds have done it over the last few decades, he gyrated his hips and elaborately, repeatedly chopped his crotch, inviting the Cardinals to suck it and (ironically) drawing a sharp intake of breath from just about everyone except the occupants of the visitors' dugout. The tea has spilled pretty freely since. Uribe removed subtext and shattered the fragile privacy of the diamond by doing what he did, so reporters have followed up doggedly ever since. In brief, here's what happened: The Cardinals suspected the Brewers of picking up a tip or a pitch grip from St. Louis starter Matthew Liberatore on Monday afternoon, and relaying the needed information to their batters via the hitting coaches in the dugout. No one has suggested to me, on or off the record, that the Brewers were using illegal sign-stealing, with any kind of technological assistance, but the league has cracked down this year on the practice of base coaches relaying intel to hitters, too. That's why base coaches have to stay in their boxes now, and the spirit of that rule is that non-players shouldn't use their advantageous angles to give information directly to the batter. If the Brewers were doing so, it's not a violation of a written rule, but it won't be taken kindly by opponents. Once that suspicion arose, Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol began staring daggers into the Brewers dugout throughout the game Monday. That, too, is considered gauche, if not outright aggressive. Brewers personnel saw him staring them down in a way they interpreted as both intrusive and threatening, and he gestured to his side and to his head as he yelled across at one juncture. Marmol admitted to this in the fallout after Uribe broke the seal, saying his message was, "Don't do it. Be smart. You're going to get someone hurt." During the Cardinals' batting practice on Tuesday, hitting coach Daniel Vogelbach and Marmol aired their respective grievances with one another. It caused a minor commotion, but no fracas or physicality came of it. Uribe saw some of the above first-hand, and heard some about it from teammates after the game Monday and before the game Tuesday. In his mind, the aggression toward the Cardinals after finishing the top of the eighth inning was a matter of showing them Milwaukee would not be intimidated or denigrated. If all of this sounds a bit petty or childish, it should; that's what it is. Uribe's demonstrations were inappropriate in their intensity and escalatory effect, but apropos in their immaturity. Every team is trying to pick up and relay information, at all times. It should very rarely lead to this kind of sudden surge in tension, and certainly didn't need to do so this time. That said, let's assess some of the claims on both sides. Were the Brewers Doing Something Wrong in the First Place? This is the hardest question to answer, really, because it depends a great deal on whom you ask. For a long time, players and teams felt that any intelligence that could be gleaned with naked eyes on the field or from the dugouts or bullpens was fair game, as long as it was relayed via organic means. The infamous trash can-banging Astros were regarded as doubly criminal, because the way they got their information broke the first part of the unwritten rules, and the way they got that information from the tunnel behind the dugout to the field broke the second part. For most of baseball history, though, what the Cardinals accused the Brewers of doing this week would not have been considered a breach. As discussed above, the league changed an actual rule (or, rather, its enforcement) recently, to try to curb on-field collection and relaying of tips and tells. That's partially because, in the wake of the revelations about the Astros, the league's collective attitude toward intelligence gathering and communication shifted. Ironically, the Cardinals—an organization with a reputation for extreme old-fashionedness—took umbrage with the Brewers because they have a very new-school understanding of what's ok when it comes to picking up information from the other side. Two players, a coach and two front-office employees from other organizations acknowledged that the Brewers have a reputation for drawing a bead on you, often via the acuity of non-players. They get that information to the field, the sources said, via direct conversations between players and coaches both on the field and in the dugout, but also via surreptitious signaling. No one I spoke to said they believe the Brewers are doing anything explicitly against the rules or egregious, but one former Brewer now playing for another team admitted that his new teammates asked him some probing questions about Milwaukee's methods at the beginning of spring training. Crucially, Marmol didn't accuse the Brewers of doing anything truly wrong—and teams are often trying to enforce something other than actual rules when they engage in the kind of behavior Marmol did Monday. That brings us to the next question. Was Marmol Really Threatening to Hit Brewers Batters with Pitches? This one, by contrast, is easy. Yes. Yes, of course he was, and this is one of the silliest layers of unwritten rules and their passive-aggressive enforcement. Marmol explained to reporters exactly what he communicated to the Brewers on Monday, as detailed above. He said that wasn't a threat to hit anyone, but a simple matter of telling them to knock it off. Well, that's stupid, and anyone really listening and unwilling to put up with microaggressions will see why. "Be smart," Marmol told the home side, pointing to his head. "You're going to get someone hurt," he said, pointing to his side. He wasn't implying that Christian Yelich was going to strain an oblique turning to peak at whatever sign Vogelbach might have been sending him. The gesture to the side is a threat to hit a batter if the other team doesn't stop the behavior they're being told to stop. Marmol refused to characterize it that way, but in doing so, he was either insulting the intelligence of the whole baseball world or (more like) asking everyone to play along with him. Moreover, doing so is a bit of old-school intimidation in the service of Marmol's aforementioned new-school ethics about the game and its balance of intelligence and counterintelligence. For the lion's share of baseball history, a threat (veiled or otherwise) to plunk someone for being in violation of the unwritten rules has been considered in-bounds, but that's going the way of the complete game. Teams very rarely throw at anyone on purpose anymore, and the intimation of an intention to do so is no longer considered light fare between friends. So: Was Marmol Wrong, and If So, for What? Ask many baseball people about this aspect of Marmol's tenure with the Cardinals, and you get quick, decisive answers. The Cardinals' skipper is not well-liked inside any other dugout in the league. In most of them, he's one of the most aggressively disliked. Implying that the team would throw at a Brewers batter might not have been over the line for everyone, and Marmol said he's never actually ordered any such action. However, players, coaches and one former opposing manager all confirmed that Marmol is often guilty of staring into the opposing dugout, looking for a reason to get upset or to raise the temperature of the conflict on the field. Even those who guard information dearly and don't want to let a rival get an advantage without feeling some pushback often try not to introduce the distraction of these often subtle but distracting bouts of back-and-forth. Marmol, one ex-Cardinal who spoke only on condition of anonymity because of their new role with another organization, "seems to love that s---," and tries to motivate his team by raising the emotional stakes that way. Few people in modern dugouts take well to the threat gestures Marmol made, but his eyes can be as much of a problem as his hands and mouth. In the opinion of most people outside this particular conflict, Marmol effectively started it, by hunting for something to which to react and (arguably) overreacting when he found it. To return to the metaphor of a late-night house party, Marmol is the guy who actually wants to fight way too often, even if he has the restraint and the cooler-headed friends to prevent that from happening most of the time. Vogelbach might have actually committed a party foul, or Marmol might have only imagined he did, but either way, the party took on an uneasy edge after the two had their say and went back to their sides of the room. Uribe, who emotes freely, loves antagonism just as much as Marmol, and didn't care for the vibe shift on his side of the party after the initial dustup, decided he would put things right by doing a foolish stunt to assert his side's dominance. It didn't work as well as he might have envisioned, in that plenty of people on his own side found his tactics distasteful. It will surely draw a fine from Major League Baseball, as well it should, and the Cardinals will skate without any tangible punishment. But it was just ridiculous enough to take some of that serrations off the whole thing. Wednesday's series finale was a taut game, but not an overly tense one, and the teams both say they've put the matter to bed. As a visual communicator, Uribe is to be commended for his layered (though not nuanced) messaging, as well as his clarity. He asserted dominance. He stood up for his teammates. He also said, without words, "Here's a sign everyone will see, so we can all be clear about what we're being clear about." Of course, he also has to be castigated for a gesture that holds within it some implied homophobia, sexism and wanton malice, as well as being stupid-looking. This was an interesting glimpse into the things often going on beneath the radar for the average fan, but the most important takeaways from it are that the Brewers are clearly in the heads of all their NL Central rivals; that the Cardinals and their skipper were looking for a fight when one wasn't really there to be had; and that Uribe can always be counted on to dispense with subtlety. Going forward, the Crew will hope he focuses on dispensing with batters, instead. View the full article

While there were a slew of moves Wednesday by the Toronto Blue Jays, there was only one set that affected the 26-man roster. That was the Jays calling up right-handed reliever Austin Voth from Triple-A Buffalo and sending right-handed reliever Tanner Andrews back down to Triple-A. The others included a trade, with right-hander Connor Seabold being reacquired from the Detroit Tigers in exchange for left-hander Juanmi Vasquez, and right-handed starter Jose Berrios (15-day injured list, right elbow stress fracture) and catcher Alejandro Kirk (10-day injured list, fractured left thumb) being transferred to the 60-day injured list. Those were paperwork moves to create room on the 40-man roster for Voth and Seabold. Seabold had been designated for assignment by the Tigers. The Jays will have to make a 26-man roster move once Seabold reports to the team. Another move, reported Tuesday, was made official as the Jays signed right-handed reliever Matt Bowman to a minor-league contract. Voth is making his second appearance with the Jays this season. He was called up April 5 and pitched 2⅔ innings that day against the Chicago White Sox in a 3-0 loss, allowing one run on three hits with a walk and a strikeout. Voth was DFA'd the next day, went unclaimed and chose to become a free agent only to re-sign with the Jays on April 11 on a minor-league contract. He didn't pitch in the majors in 2025, last appearing with the Seattle Mariners in 2024. Andrews was called up Monday to make his MLB debut and he appeared in games Monday and Tuesday, pitching two innings, giving up no runs on one hit with two walks and a strikeout. Seabold is back with the Jays after signing a minor-league contract in January. But the Jays released him a few days before Opening Day and scooped up by the Tigers, who included him on the season-opening roster. He then went on the 15-day IL on April 26 with inflammation in his left ankle and returned to the MLB roster May 15, but was DFA'd Sunday. He appeared in 11 games for the Tigers, with a 3.45 ERA over 15⅔ innings, with 17 hits, five walks and 14 strikeouts. View the full article

With the current MLB Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) set to expire on December 1, there’s already a growing sense around the baseball world that the sport could be headed toward another lockout. That doesn't mean games will be lost—an offseason stoppage is almost guaranteed, but last time, they resolved it before Opening Day—but the risk of that is real. A major reason why? The conversation surrounding a salary cap and salary floor. Right now, Major League Baseball technically has neither, though the players' union does have the right to pursue a grievance against any revenue-sharing receiving teams who don't spend more than a certain threshold, and even though the competitive-balance tax tiers act as progressively harder caps as payrolls get large. Spending across the league remains wildly uneven. Teams like the Dodgers, Yankees, and Mets are operating in an entirely different financial world than smaller-market organizations, while some clubs continue to spend at the absolute bottom of the league with little pressure to increase their payroll. That imbalance has created growing frustration on both sides—despite a relatively weak correlation between spending and actual wins. Owners are far more likely to push for a salary cap, hoping to create cost certainty that can drive their franchise values even higher. Players, on the other hand, are much more likely to push for a salary floor, forcing lower-spending teams to invest more heavily in their rosters. Obviously, there will be both, if there is either, but whether to switch to such a system (the owners want it; the players don't) and where to set the top and bottom thresholds of one are hard questions on which to agree; hence the tough talk from both sides. The last MLB lockout began at the start of December 2021 and lasted until March 10, 2022. Ultimately, the league still managed to play a full 162-game season, though Opening Day was pushed back roughly a week while the two sides finalized a new agreement. But there’s no guarantee the next one would be resolved that quickly. There's a possibility that the 2027 lockout could drag on longer, and if that happens, the major-league season would essentially be suspended until a new CBA is agreed upon. However—and this is where things get especially interesting for teams like the Twins—a major-league lockout would not impact the minors. Minor league baseball would continue as normal. That immediately raises an interesting question for Minnesota, moving forward: might the Twins choose to keep some of their top prospects in the minors, to avoid losing valuable development time during a potential lockout? Their top-end talent is getting awfully close to the majors. Walker Jenkins, Kaelen Culpepper, and Emmanuel Rodriguez (the Twins’ top three prospects) are all nearing the point where they could realistically debut sometime this summer, health-permitting. Under normal circumstances, getting those players major-league reps during a season where the Twins (still) probably aren’t serious American League contenders would make a ton of sense. Let the young core learn at the highest level, and give them experience heading into a more competitive window down the road. If Rodríguez can get healthy, it still makes sense to give him a look later this year. He's already on the 40-man roster, so he'll be affected by any lockout, anyway. Only players not on a 40-man MLB roster will be able to participate in minor-league spring training and/or games, if those get started before the big-league ones do next year. Several other could-be rookies—CJ Culpepper, Ty Langenberg, Ricardo Olivar and Aaron Sabato, to name a few—either are already eligible for the Rule 5 Draft or have to be added to the 40-man roster this fall to avoid that, so they also don't need to be held back. Even if a lockout comes, the deadline to add players to the 40-man and protect them from the Rule 5 Draft will come first, in mid-November, so the Twins have to decide on those guys before a work stoppage can enter the equation. Jenkins, Kaelen Culpepper and pitching prospect Ryan Gallagher, however, belong to the class of players who won't need to be added to the 40-man roster until the fall of 2027 for Rule 5 purposes. If Jenkins could get and stay healthy, he would probably force his way to the majors, anyway, but he's likely to be sidelined several more weeks by the shoulder injury he sustained earlier this season. He, Culpepper and Gallagher are where this gets incredibly tricky for the Twins. Do you prioritize getting your top prospects exposure to the majors now? Or do you protect their ability to continue playing and developing next season in the event of a lengthy lockout? For Minnesota specifically, there may not be an easy answer. Right now, the state of the infield could force the issue, sooner rather than later. With both Luke Keaschall and Royce Lewis struggling, and with Lewis currently back in the minors, Culpepper may simply become too difficult to keep down. If the Twins believe he’s clearly one of their best infield options, they may not have much choice but to bring him to the majors and worry about any disruptions to his development right along with those to the development of Keaschall, Austin Martin or any other young players. Good stretches from Tristan Gray and Ryan Kreidler or a return to the bigs by a rehabilitated Lewis would make keeping Culpepper down more feasible, which emphasizes the importance of those potential developments, even beyond winning games this year. The outfield situation, though, is a bit different. With Trevor Larnach and Martin both playing well, the Twins may actually have the flexibility to slow-play some of their outfield prospects throughout the remainder of 2026. Rodríguez's thumb surgery will keep him on the shelf a while, but he could still debut this year. All things considered, it might make sense for Jenkins not to. It’s honestly an unfortunate situation, all around. You’d love for organizations to simply call players up the moment they’re ready and allow them to develop naturally at the major-league level. But given the very real possibility of a lockout following the 2026 season, along with where the Twins currently sit as a franchise, Minnesota may have to think about this differently than most fans would initially expect. For both the futures of those players and the future of the organization itself, keeping some of their top prospects in the minors for all of 2026 may ultimately be the smartest long-term move. View the full article

On Wednesday morning, the Kansas City Royals announced that they had designated left-handed pitcher Bailey Falter for assignment and had recalled right-handed pitcher Mason Black from Omaha. Falter had come over to the Royals at the Trade Deadline from Pittsburgh last season in exchange for lefty reliever Evan Sisk. In 2024, Falter posted a 4.43 ERA in 142.1 IP, and in 2025 with the Pirates, he posted a 3.73 ERA in 113.1 IP. However, he struggled in his move to Kansas City last year, posting an 11.25 ERA in four outings (two starts) and 12 IP before landing on the IL for the remainder of the year. The struggles Falter experienced with the Royals in 2025 carried over into this season. In five outings (two starts) and 9.2 IP, the 29-year-old posted a 13.97 ERA, 3.10 WHIP, and 9.10 WHIP. He also landed on the IL early in the year due to some elbow issues and looked better in his rehab outing in Omaha. Unfortunately, the results from Omaha didn't follow Falter to Kansas City. As discussed in a post this morning, Falter showed an interesting TJ Stuff+ profile and extension on his pitches, but struggled to generate whiffs and CSWs this season at the Major League level. Falter will likely declare for free agency if he clears waivers. It doesn't seem like he was happy with his role, flipping between starter and reliever, as evidenced by this quote from the Kansas City Star's Pete Grathoff. Mason Black will replace Falter on the Royals' pitching staff. Black has made four appearances with the Royals this year. In that 4.2 IP sample, he has not allowed a run, has a 1.93 WHIP, 2.24 FIP, and 13.6% K-BB%. His profile is very similar to Falter's, albeit from the right, as seen below in his TJ Statcast Percentiles summary. In 13 outings and 20.2 IP with Omaha this year, Black has a 6.53 ERA, 1.55 WHIP, and 4.3% K-BB%, which isn't impressive. However, his FIP is much better at 3.49, and he's done a much better job in Triple-A of throwing strikes (67% strike rate) and limiting the long ball (0.0% HR/FB rate). View the full article

If you watch a San Diego Padres game this year, you'll note that closer Mason Miller makes major-league hitters look like they are playing on a broken video game simulator. Headlines are rightfully tracking his staggering 19.4 K/9 ratio across 8.1 innings in May. However, analyzing Miller purely through box scores ignores a fascinating web of cause-and-effect, league-wide context, inherent player risk, and macroscopic team strategy. Evaluating a relief pitcher’s monthly impact through Wins Above Replacement (WAR) usually yields a microscopic number. Because relievers throw limited innings compared to everyday starters, building massive value over a four-week span is difficult. Yet, Miller’s May output has been an entirely different beast, propelling his seasonal total to a team-leading 1.3 WAR. What makes his May metrics so unique is how he is generating value. Looking closely at his game logs, his pinpoint command has actually wavered slightly this month. He's walked a total of six batters in eight appearances, including tight outings against both the St. Louis Cardinals and Los Angeles Dodgers. However, against the relievers' former team, the Athletics, he was back to his former self while lowering his WHIP to 1.20. Normally, a sudden spike in walks destroys a reliever's value. However, Miller has weaponized an extreme strikeout-or-nothing approach to completely erase his own mistakes. Across 36 total batters faced in May, he has collected 18 strikeouts. It's not hard to understand how he's maintaining a stellar 0.76 seasonal ERA over 23 appearances when he's striking out half the hitters he faces. In May, Miller weaponized a devastating two-pitch mix, highlighted by a slider generating an astronomical 51% whiff rate during this dominant stretch. To put that figure in context, the average major-league slider yields roughly a 35% whiff rate. He relies heavily on a four-seam fastball, throwing it 45% of the time, that sits at an average velocity of 101.3 mph. By suffocating batters with triple-digit heat and a historic breaking ball, he creates an inescapable defensive vacuum. The ultimate team-wide benefit of Miller’s bizarre May numbers is structural. When a closer can guarantee strikeouts at a 19.4 K/9 clip, it alters the Padres' entire bullpen blueprint. By completely removing the ball from play, Miller eliminates "luck" from the 9th inning. There are no sacrifice flies, bloop hits, or defensive errors to worry about. This security blanket allows the coaching staff to exhaust their best middle-relief bridge options in the 7th and 8th frames. They do not have to hold back high-leverage arms out of fear of extra innings. While his maximum-effort velocity creates an inherent health tightrope, his dominant month of May proves that extreme high-leverage efficiency can bend a team's entire winning strategy in your favor. Throughout the rest of the season, Miller will continue to dominate on the mound, anchoring the bullpen while leading the National League with 16 saves. Cleveland Guardians reliever Cade Smith is currently two ahead of him on that front; however, there is still plenty of baseball to be played. While his challenges with walk ratios and workload in May remind us of his human side, the historically elite strikeout metrics leave no doubt why the Friar faithful firmly believe in him as our closer of the future. View the full article

To say that the start of the Royals' season has been bad would be an understatement; it has been an unmitigated disaster so far. Nothing seems to be going right for the Royals this season, and it would be easy to assume that the Royals will be sellers at the trade deadline of the season were to continue in this direction. The deadline is still three months away, but with the way the season is going, it looks like the Royals will not be anywhere near the playoff hunt. But what moves could the Royals make? Here are some realistic and far-fetched ideas. Realistic Royals Trade Scenarios Michael Wacha to the Chicago Cubs for Jacob Webb and Pedro Ramirez Wacha is having a fantastic season so far, so if that were to continue, teams will definitely be looking at his services. A team in need of starting pitching is the Cubs, whose team ERA of 4.05 could definitely be improved once Wacha joins the team. The Royals are in need of reliable bullpen arms and a second baseman, so Webb and Ramirez will do the trick. Seth Lugo and Ramcell Medina to the Padres for Kale Fountain Another team in need of pitching is the Padres, who are in need of some depth in the starting rotation. A reunion with Lugo could do the trick, as he could fill in as a 4 or 5 starter right away, and Medina could also be developed into a middle infielder of the future. Fountain is an interesting prospect whose power and arm could fit in nicely in the lineup for a future Royals team. Far-Fetched Royals Trade Scenarios Bobby Witt Jr. to the Dodgers for Tommy Edman, Emmitt Sheehan, Mike Sirota, Zyhir Hope Now the chances of this trade even happening are slim to none. The Royals would not willingly move on from their superstar shortstop that easily unless the Dodgers gave them an offer the team just could not refuse. This could be one of those offers. Mookie Betts is getting older and might have to transition to another position, so BWJ would fit right in in this already loaded lineup. But the price for Witt’s services will be steep, so the Dodgers would have to give up a ton just to get him. I could see JJ bargaining his way to getting Edman, Sheehan, and two of the Dodgers top prospects in Sirota and Hope. Vinnie Pasquantino to the Guardians for Steven Kwan With the way Vinnie has been producing at the plate and with Brett Squires mashing in the minors, the Royals may want to move him in exchange for one of the more underrated players in baseball, Steven Kwan. Both players are struggling to produce, so a change of scenery for both of them could be beneficial. But again, the chances of this trade even happening are extremely low. View the full article

Boston Red Sox Affiliate Recap (May 26) Triple-A Worcester Red Sox Season Record: 24-25 Worcester hopped on the road and defeated the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Railriders (New York Yankees) 6-3. Worcester came out on top first and never trailed in this matchup. They jumped on the Railriders starter early, scoring two runs in the top of the first. Nate Eaton drew a leadoff walk, then Anthony Seigler brought him in after he ripped a line drive single, then Mikey Romero drove in Kristian Campbell with a productive groundout. The RailRiders answered back immediately in the bottom half with a two-run homer to tie it, but that was the last time they would be a threat. Vinny Capra put Worcester back in front in the third with an RBI single, scoring Campbell, who continued to be a pest on the basepaths all night, scoring his second run. From there, the WooSox pitching staff locked things down. Starter Raymond Burgos gave up those two early runs but was pulled after two innings, and Alec Gamboa was phenomenal in long relief, pitching four scoreless innings and giving up just two hits while striking out four. He earned the win, moving to 2-2. Worcester tacked on some insurance runs with Eaton's sacrifice fly in the sixth and then blew it open in the eighth. Eaton crushed a solo homer, his fifth of the year, then Seigler followed later with a sharp RBI double to make it 6-2. Seigler was arguably the best bat in the lineup, going 2-for-3 with two walks and two RBIs. Zack Kelly earned the hold, pitching the seventh and eighth, allowing just one run, then Tommy Kahnle slammed the door in the ninth for his third save. Key Performance: Anthony Seigler: 2-for-3, 2B, 2 RBI, 2 BB Nate Eaton: 1-for-3, HR, 2 R, 2 RBI, BB Kristian Campbell: 1-for-3, 2 R, BB Alec Gamboa: 4 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 2 BB, 4 K Double-A Portland Sea Dogs Season Record: 23-22 The Sea Dogs won it on the road in a tight, low-scoring game but broke open with a four-run inning to end it 7-3 against the Binghamton Rumble Ponies (New York Mets). Portland got off to an early start in the first inning. Marvin Alcantara, who is currently riding a five-game hitting streak and batting .421 in that span, hit an infield single and stole a base, then Brooks Brannon hit a single to bring him in. But the lead didn't last too long; Binghamton tied it in the third on a solo homer, then took the lead with an RBI double. The Sea Dogs were staring at a 2-1 deficit through four innings. However, they clawed back in the fifth, Tyler McDonough roped a single and scored on a Caden Rose line drive single, knotting it at 2-2. The Rumble Ponies retook the lead after hitting a sacrifice fly in the bottom half of the inning. Portland's bats went quiet again up until the eighth, when Nate Baez lifted a sac fly to right to score Alcantara and tie it at 3-3. Caleb Bolden had an outstanding relief appearance, throwing three shutout innings, including the ninth to force extras. The tenth inning is where the Sea Dogs' bats woke back up. With Miguel Bleis as the ghost runner at second base, McDonough ripped an RBI triple to break the tie. Franklin Arias followed with an RBI double to earn his 30th RBI of the year, then Alcantara collected his second hit of the game with a single to left and advanced to third base due to a throwing error from the pitcher, making it a 6-3 game. Brannon capped the rally with another RBI double. Four runs on four hits put the game out of reach, 7-3. Anthony Eyanson was tagged a little bit, giving up three runs, but he still looked terrific. Eyanson struck out eight batters in four innings while also generating 14 whiffs. The bullpen combination of Cade Feeney and Bolden shut Binghamton down over the next five frames. Reidis Sena pitched great as well, tossing a scoreless tenth inning while working around two base runners with no outs. Key Performances: Anthony Eyanson: 4 IP, 3 H, 3 ER, 2 BB, 8 K Caleb Bolden: 3 IP, 3 H, 0 ER, 3 K Marvin Alcantara: 2-for-4, 3 R, BB, 2 SB Tyler McDonough: 2-for-4, 3B 2 R, RBI Brooks Brannon: 2-for-5, 2 RBI High-A Greenville Drive Season Record: 17-27 With some new additions to the team, the Greenville Drive crushed the Asheville Tourists (Houston Astros) 10-2. Greenville scored two runs in the first inning to start the slugfest. Enddy Azocar drew a walk in his first High-A at bat, then Yoeilin Cespedes hit his 10th homer of the year with a two-run shot, giving the Drive an early 2-0 lead. Asheville cut the deficit with a solo home run in the top of the second, afterwards in the bottom half, for Luke Heyman’s first Greenville at bat since his promotion, he smacked a solo homer to make it a 3-1 game. The Drive got some comfort room in the third inning, scoring three runs. It all started when Cespedes hit a single and advanced to second on a passed ball, then advanced to third due to a disengagement violation. Gerardo Rodriguez brought him in with an RBI single to left. In the next at-bat, Heyman put on a good impression for the new squad, hitting a two-run blast, his second home run of the game, giving Greenville a 6-1 lead. The Tourists made it a 6-2 game in the fourth, but the Drive did not flinch. Henry Godbout belted a solo homer to lead off the fifth inning. Rodriguez roped a double to left field and advanced to third on a pitch, then Heyman hit him in to earn his fourth RBI of the game with a sacrifice fly. Turning the lineup over, Godbout came back up and hit a sacrifice fly to bring in Rodriguez once again. Azocar got his first High-A hit to lead off the eighth, hammering a ball past a diving center fielder and legging out a triple, his fourth of the year. Cespedes brought him in with a single to put the game way out of reach, 10-2. Other than the homer he gave up, Tyler Uberstine pitched well in his first rehab start and his first outing since April 14, tossing 1 ⅓ one-hit innings and striking out four batters. Danny Kirwin had a scoreless appearance to finish off the second inning for Uberstine. Dylan Brown was outstanding in relief, giving up four hits, one unearned run, and striking out nine batters in 4 ⅓ innings. Steven Brooks finished the last 2 ⅔ innings and had a scoreless appearance as well, while striking out three. Key Performances: Luke Heyman: 3-for-4, 2 HR, 2 R, 4 RBI Yoeilin Cespedes: 3-for-5, HR, 2 R, 3 RBI Henry Godbout: HR, 2 RBI Gerardo Rodriguez: 2-for-5, 2B, 2 R, RBI Dylan Brown: 4 ⅓ IP, 4 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 3 BB, 9 K Single-A Salem RidgeYaks Season Record: 21-25 Salem took the victory in a game that ended in the middle of the sixth inning due to rain, 3-1, against the Hickory Crawdads (Texas Rangers). The RidgeYaks got started early in the first inning when Andrews Opata hit a single and was a pest on the bases, stealing second and third base, his 22nd and 23rd of the year, the third most in the Carolina League. A perfectly timed error by the Crawdads' first baseman gave Salem a free run, putting them on top 1-0. Hickory answered back quickly, hitting an RBI single to tie it up 1-1. It was uneventful up until the fifth inning when Frederik Jimenez worked a lead-off walk, then Stanley Tucker crushed a two-run homer, giving Salem a 3-1 lead just in time for the umpire crew to call the game in the sixth. Barrett Morgan has continued to look incredible this season, earning his third win of the year, throwing four strikeouts in five innings of work while giving up just one run, lowering his ERA to 1.98 and WHIP to 0.95. Wuilliams Rodriguez gave up a lead-off single, forced a groundout, and recorded a strikeout, then was one out away from a scoreless inning until the game was called; however, he earned his first save of the season. View the full article

On July 27, 2024, the Blue Jays acquired Yohendrick Piñango and Josh Rivera from the Cubs in exchange for Nate Pearson. Last season, Piñango posted a 124 wRC+ with the Buffalo Bisons. However, Toronto left him off the 40-man roster before the Rule 5 draft. Fortunately for the Blue Jays, another team did not select him. Let us take a deeper dive into Piñango’s numbers. Since Piñango made his MLB debut on April 26, he has been one of the Blue Jays’ better hitters. As of May 25, his .342 OBP ranked second on the team, and his .333 wOBA and .403 SLG were the team's fourth-highest. In the field, many scouts considered his defence to be below average. Entering the May 25 game, Piñango had a 1 OAA and 0 FRV in limited innings (144). However, that evening, he misplayed two very makeable catches, which are not reflected in those OAA and FRV numbers. Also, he is not fleet of foot (44th percentile in sprint speed). For a more fulsome prospect report, please refer to the Jays Centre’s top prospect rankings. From a batted ball perspective, he is a straightaway hitter. Piñango’s pull rate is 32.7%, lower than the 37.4% MLB average. His straightaway contact rate is 43.6%, higher than the MLB average of 37.3%. Regarding opposite field rate, the MLB average is 25.1%, higher than Piñango’s 23.6% mark. He is also a contact hitter, as shown by his 83.7% contact rate (74.7% MLB average) and swings at pitches out of the zone at a 32.0% clip, slightly higher than MLB’s 30.1% average chase rate. Piñango’s strikeout, walk, and whiff rate marks are 17.1%, 5.3% and 19.9%, respectively. Those scores are lower than the corresponding MLB averages (22.1%, 9.3%, and 25.3%). Generating power is an area where Piñango lags the average MLB hitter: his .097 ISO and .099 xISO trail MLB’s average .148 ISO and .155 xISO. There are three reasons why Piñango has produced below-average power numbers. First, his pull rate lags the MLB average. On batted balls pulled, hit straightaway and to the opposite field, the MLB average ISO numbers are .312, .112 and .139, respectively. Piñango’s opportunity to generate ISO is limited due to his below-average amount of pulled contact. The second reason is launch angle. The MLB average launch angle is 13 degrees, whereas Piñango’s is 7 degrees. Consider that, on batted balls with a launch angle between 0 and 10 degrees, the average ISO and xISO are .065 and .071, respectively. Contrast those figures with launch angles between 11 and 15 degrees, on which the average ISO and xISO are .182 and .192, respectively. If Piñango could raise his average launch angle, we should observe higher ISO numbers. The third factor that negatively impacts Piñango’s power numbers is his attack angle/timing. According to the MLB website, attack angle is “in large part a timing metric, as the hitter’s attack angle is constantly changing throughout the course of the swing … When the hitter is behind the pitch with his swing (i.e., too late), he will tend to have a lower attack angle.” The MLB average attack angle is 9 degrees, but Piñango’s is -1 degree. Regarding ideal attack angle rate, his 21.9% is well below the MLB average of 48.8%. For context, the average ISO on batted balls with an attack angle between 5 and 20 degrees is .203. Concerning Piñango’s average attack angle, the MLB average ISO on batted balls with an attack angle between -1 and 4 degrees is .081. Notably, an issue for Piñango is not bat speed, as his average is 73.7 mph, faster than the MLB average of 69.8 mph. Therefore, as he gains MLB experience, if Piñango can generate a higher pull rate, launch angle and attack angle, he should post better power numbers. Now, to the question of whether Piñango should be Buffalo-bound when Barger returns, let us peek at a long-overdue table! SLG wOBA ISO OBP # Rank # Rank # Rank # Rank Lukes 0.357 10 0.309 8 0.071 13 0.328 5 Piñango 0.403 4 0.333 4 0.097 9 0.342 2 Sánchez 0.435 2 0.327 6 0.156 4 0.315 7 Straw 0.349 11 0.300 9 0.108 8 0.312 8 Varsho 0.420 3 0.336 3 0.155 5 0.338 3 Schneider 0.211 13 0.254 12 0.085 11 0.295 9 Sosa 0.286 12 0.214 13 0.091 10 0.203 13 MLB Average 0.387 0.316 0.148 0.318 Higher than MLB Average: Source: Baseball Savant. Data is as of May 25. The metrics I selected for the table are those with the highest correlation with scoring runs. In a prior article, I calculated regression results for the last 11 162-game regular seasons (2013-2019 and 2021-2024) with various metrics and runs. Why the focus on runs? Toronto ranks 22nd in runs per game as of May 25. Concerning the decision to make room for Barger, one of the factors the Blue Jays should consider is a player’s performance in metrics that lead to run scoring. As shown in the table, Piñango’s SLG, wOBA and OBP are better than the MLB average. Furthermore, his SLG, wOBA and OBP rankings among the 2026 Blue Jays with at least 50 plate appearances are fourth, fourth and second, respectively. His xSLG, xwOBA, and xOBP numbers are marginally below the corresponding MLB averages. Accordingly, except for ISO, Piñango’s metrics that are strongly correlated with run-scoring scream, “No Buffalo for the rookie!” However, there are other issues to consider. The table demonstrates that Piñango has generated better numbers than Lenyn Sosa. However, if Toronto removed Sosa from the 26-man roster instead of Piñango, Sosa would have to clear waivers because he has no MiLB options remaining. Given that Sosa has been awful (32 wRC+), losing him to waivers would not be catastrophic, to say the least. Nevertheless, the primary concern is that Sosa is Toronto’s only backup middle infielder. If the Blue Jays add Barger, keep Piñango and cut ties with Sosa, Toronto will have six outfielders (Piñango, Barger, Nathan Lukes, Daulton Varsho, Jesús Sánchez, and Myles Straw). Who would play second base or shortstop if Andrés Giménez or Ernie Clement were not available? Therefore, Toronto needs a backup middle infielder, but it does not need to be Sosa. Perhaps Davis Schneider can rebound after his stint in Buffalo, or a Buffalo Bison (Josh Kasevich) can replace Sosa. Of course, there is always the possibility that Toronto could add a middle infielder from the trade market. Lastly, a topic for another day is the batter-handedness of Toronto’s outfielders. Of the six, including Piñango, only one (Straw) is a right-handed batter. As of May 25, Toronto’s outfielders have a 65 wRC+ versus left-handed pitchers, which ranks 24th. Against right-handed pitchers, the Blue Jays’ outfielders have posted a 109 wRC+, good for ninth-best. At some point this season, Toronto’s management should add a lefty-masher to the outfield mix. What does this mean for Piñango when Barger returns? Unfortunately, he appears to be the one who would be Buffalo-bound. Suppose Toronto wants to carry 13 pitchers on the 26-man roster. Accordingly, there will be eight slots occupied by non-outfielders: four infielders, two catchers, one designated hitter, and one middle infielder. Hence, Toronto will deploy five outfielders. Barger, Sánchez, and Varsho should remain because they offer the power that the team needs. Lukes and Straw offer flexibility because they can play more than one outfield position well. The three primary strikes against Piñango remaining on the 26-man roster are his below-average power (ISO), his left-handed bat for a team with a surplus of left-handed-hitting outfielders, and his recent defensive woes. Hence, the game of roster musical chairs leaves Piñango standing (in Buffalo). The Last Word Piñango has had a particularly good season thus far. Since joining the big league club in April, he has produced a 112 wRC+ and a 0.4 fWAR. However, with Barger's imminent return, Toronto will have one too many outfielders, and Piñango will likely be Buffalo-bound. View the full article

Chicago Cubs Minor League Report - May 27 Affiliate Overview Triple-A Iowa Cubs Series at Indianapolis Indians (Pittsburgh Pirates): Cubs lead, 1-0 Season Record: 22–29 Double-A Knoxville Smokies Series at Chattanooga Lookouts (Cincinnati Reds): Lookouts lead, 1-0 Season Record: 22–23 High-A South Bend Cubs Series vs. Fort Wayne TinCaps (San Diego Padres): Cubs lead, 1-0 Season Record: 26–16 Single-A Myrtle Beach Pelicans Series vs. Wilson Warbirds (Milwaukee Brewers): Warbirds lead, 1-0 Season Record: 18–26 Affiliate Highlights Triple-A: Iowa Cubs Season Record: 22–29 Series Opponent: Indianapolis Indians (21–31) Series Standing: Lead, 1-0 May 25: The Iowa Cubs opened their series at the Indianapolis Indians with a 9-7 comeback victory on Monday at Victory Field. The Indians took a 1-0 lead after one but the Cubs scored twice in the second to take their first lead of the ballgame. Scott Kingery’s (1-for-3) sacrifice fly started the scoring and Brett Bateman (3-for-5) put Iowa in front with an RBI-single. Indianapolis would score five times in the bottom of the second to take a 6-2 advantage. The I-Cubs got two of those runs back in the fourth on another RBI-single from Bateman and a run-scoring bunt single from Justin Dean (1-for-4). Ben Cowles (1-for-5) brought home a run in the fifth to cut the lead to one but the Indians answered back with a run of their own in the home half of the frame to make it 7-5. Iowa went in front for good with three runs in the sixth, with Owen Miller (4-for-5) tallying an RBI-single and Cowles delivering the go-ahead swing with a two-run single. Miller’s solo blast in the eighth, his third of the year, gave the Cubs some insurance as they were able to hold on for the series-opening win. Tyler Beede picked up the win out of the bullpen and improved to 1-2 on the season. Beede allowed one run on two hits over three innings of work, striking out two and walking one. Luke Little earned his first save of the season by tossing two perfect frames, whiffing two. Eight of the nine Iowa starters tallied at least one hit in the ballgame with four recording at least three-hit efforts. Double-A: Knoxville Smokies Season Record: 22–23 Series Opponent: Chattanooga Lookouts (26–20) Series Standing: Trail, 1-0 May 26: The Knoxville Smokies dropped their series opener to the Chattanooga Lookouts, 12-3, on Tuesday at Erlanger Park. The Lookouts took a 3-0 lead in the first and later made it a 9-0 game with a six-spot in the fourth. The Smokies finally got on the board with two in the seventh through a solo shot from Jefferson Rojas (2-for-2), his fifth of the season, and an RBI-single from Alex Madera (1-for-2). Chattanooga plated three more in the bottom of the inning to make it 12-2. Andy Garriola (2-for-4) notched a consolation tally in the ninth with a solo blast, his ninth of the season. Frankie Scalzo Jr. turned in three scoreless innings out of the bullpen, allowing just two hits, striking out three while issuing just one walk. High-A: South Bend Cubs Season Record: 26–16 Series Opponent: Fort Wayne TinCaps (22–24) Series Standing: Lead, 1-0 May 26: The South Bend Cubs pushed their winning streak to six games with a 5-2 series-opening win over the Fort Wayne TinCaps on Tuesday night at Four Winds Field. Josiah Hartshorn (1-for-2), making his High-A debut, gave the Cubs the lead with a sacrifice fly in the first. Kade Snell (1-for-2) doubled the lead two batters later with an RBI-double, his sixth two-bagger of the year. The TinCaps halved the lead in the second but South Bend got that right run back in the home half of the inning to go up 3-1. Hartshorn picked up his first High-A hit in the fifth, doubling home Ty Southisene (1-for-3). The Cubs added another run in the eighth before Fort Wayne pushed one across in the ninth but they were able to hold on for the 5-2 win. Alfredo Romero improved to 2-1 on the season by firing 5 2/3 innings of one-run ball, allowing four hits and whiffing four, to go along with two walks. Jackson Brockett earned his first save of the season by working the final 3 1/3 frames, allowing one run on three hits to go along with five strikeouts. Single-A: Myrtle Beach Pelicans Season Record: 18–26 Series Opponent: Wilson Warbirds (24–22) Series Standing: Trail, 1-0 May 26: The Myrtle Beach Pelicans dropped their ninth-straight contest, falling to the Wilson Warbirds, 4-1, on Tuesday night at Pelicans Ballpark. The Warbirds took a 1-0 lead in the second and added runs in the fourth and the fifth to make it 3-0. The two teams traded runs in the eighth, with Eli Lovich (4-for-4) providing the Pelicans’ lone run of the ballgame on a solo shot, his fifth of the season. Pierce Coppola got the start for Myrtle Beach and took the loss, falling to 0-3 on the season. Coppola allowed two runs on three hits over four innings of work, striking out eight and walking two. View the full article

On Monday, the Blue Jays selected the contract of right-hander Tanner Andrews from Triple-A Buffalo. The next day, they signed a new arm to replenish their right-handed minor league relief depth. Matt Bowman, 35 on Sunday, has appeared in 231 games over seven major league seasons. From 2016-19, he pitched to a 4.02 ERA and 3.20 xERA in 183 games for the Cardinals and Reds. He underwent Tommy John surgery in 2020 and did not return to the majors until September 2023. Since then, he has tossed 59.1 innings with a 5.46 ERA and 5.05 xERA for the Yankees, Twins, Diamondbacks, Mariners, and Orioles. While Bowman hasn't had much success since his surgery, he's been an interesting pitcher to watch. If you're curious to learn more about Bowman, Michael Rosen of FanGraphs wrote a great piece about the unusual right-hander last season. This past winter, Bowman signed a minor league deal with the Twins. Although he pitched to a 1.69 ERA with 25 strikeouts in 21.1 innings at Triple-A St. Paul, he never got a call-up to the majors. Last week, he exercised an opt-out clause in his contract, prompting Minnesota to grant him his release. Matt Bowman will now report to the Buffalo Bisons, and it wouldn't be surprising to see him pitching for the Blue Jays at some point this year. View the full article

When the Minnesota Twins selected Royce Lewis with the first overall pick in the 2017 MLB Draft, the organization believed it was taking the highest-upside position player available. Nearly a decade later, the results have been frustrating, complicated, and increasingly difficult to defend. Last week, the Twins officially optioned Lewis to Triple-A after a brutal opening stretch to the 2026 season. In 31 games, Lewis slashed just .163/.261/.279 while producing only six extra-base hits. For a player once viewed as a franchise cornerstone, the performance became impossible for the organization to ignore. The frustrating part is that Lewis has shown flashes of being exactly what the Twins hoped he could become. Injuries interrupted multiple seasons, but when healthy, he looked like an explosive middle-of-the-order bat capable of carrying an offense. Those stretches are why he has still managed to accumulate 3.7 rWAR for his career, ranking 10th among first-round selections from the 2017 draft class. Unfortunately, most of that value came earlier in his career. Right now, Lewis looks lost offensively, overaggressive at the plate, and short on confidence. The Twins are hoping a reset in St. Paul can help him rediscover the version of himself that once looked destined for superstardom. Still, the bigger picture surrounding the 2017 draft is important context. In hindsight, the Twins may have been trapped in a no-win situation, no matter which direction they chose. Let’s revisit the names that followed Lewis near the top of the draft board. RHP Hunter Greene The Cincinnati Reds selected Greene second overall and handed him the largest signing bonus in the draft at $7.23 million. When healthy, Greene has absolutely looked like the best player from the class. He has accumulated 13.3 rWAR, the highest total among all first-round picks from 2017, thanks to overpowering stuff and ace-level flashes. If the Twins could redo the draft today, Greene is probably the choice. But that comes with a giant asterisk. Injuries have constantly interrupted his career. Greene underwent an elbow procedure this March and is expected to miss 14-16 weeks. Last season, he also missed more than two months because of a groin strain. The talent is undeniable, but durability concerns have followed him since the moment he entered professional baseball. LHP MacKenzie Gore The San Diego Padres went with Gore third overall, betting heavily on a high-school left-handed pitcher. That’s always a terrifying profile at the top of the draft, especially for a small-market organization that can’t afford a complete miss. Gore eventually found success after being traded to Washington, earning his first All-Star appearance last season while posting a career-best 3.0 rWAR campaign. This year has been a different story. Through 10 starts with Texas, Gore owns a 76 ERA+ and -0.1 rWAR. His career has featured massive swings in performance, and it’s easy to understand why the Twins avoided prep pitching at the top of the board altogether. Minnesota likely viewed both Greene and Gore as too risky for the first overall selection. 1B/RHP Brendan McKay Few players in the draft generated more intrigue than McKay, the Louisville two-way standout selected fourth overall by Tampa Bay. McKay was dominant on both sides of the ball in college, posting a .966 OPS while also recording a 2.23 ERA across three collegiate seasons. Tampa Bay gave him a $7 million signing bonus, another total that exceeded Lewis’s deal. It never came together professionally. Injuries completely derailed McKay’s development. He appeared in only 13 major-league games as a pitcher, and his last professional appearance came in Double-A during the 2024 season. Considering the expectations attached to him entering the draft, McKay would have been an even more painful outcome for Minnesota than Lewis has become. RHP Kyle Wright The Atlanta Braves selected Wright fifth overall after a dominant college career at Vanderbilt. He was viewed as one of the safer collegiate arms in the class and eventually delivered at least one excellent season. In 2022, Wright won 21 games for Atlanta while posting a 128 ERA+ over 180 innings. For a moment, it looked like the Braves had landed a frontline starter. Since then, his career has stalled out. Wright has bounced between multiple organizations in recent years, including the Royals and Cubs organizations. He hasn’t appeared in a major-league game this season, and last year he split time between Double-A and Triple-A. That’s the reality of this draft class. Even some of the “successful” picks came with major caveats. The painful truth for the Twins is that the top of the 2017 MLB Draft was loaded with warning signs. Nearly every option carried significant risk, whether it was injuries, inconsistency, stalled development, or outright collapse. Minnesota chose the player it believed offered the best combination of upside and long-term value. At times, Lewis absolutely justified that belief. There were stretches where he looked like a future superstar capable of changing the direction of the franchise. Right now, though, something clearly isn’t working. The Twins are hoping this stint in Triple-A becomes a reset instead of a farewell. Because while the 2017 draft may have been full of landmines, Minnesota still needs Royce Lewis to prove he isn’t one that permanently blew up their future plans. If the Twins could repick, who would they take with the first overall selection? Leave a comment and start the discussion. View the full article