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When all is done and over with, Salvador Perez will go down as one of the great major league backstops to ever pick up a bat. He has given the Kansas City Royals 15 years of consistency, but he is struggling mightily in 2026. In this video, we'll dive into why Perez is having so much trouble and what adjustments he needs to make to keep his game competitive at 36 years old. View the full article

The Chicago Cubs have called up their fourth-ranked prospect in Kevin Alcantara. This is the third time in as many seasons that the speedy outfielder will make the jump from Triple-A to the big leagues. What does the 'Jaguar' need to do to make Wrigleyville his permanent home? We break it all down in this video. View the full article

After having Tommy John surgery that led to a hiatus in 2025, Toronto Blue Jays top 30 prospect Nolan Perry looks like a new man. In this video, we'll break down Perry's arsenal, his change in velocity post-surgery, the key to an insane strikeouts-per-nine innings mark, and ultimately when to expect his major league debut. Enjoy! View the full article

After losing four in a row and 10 out of their last 11 games, the Kansas City Royals were looking for a spark on Saturday afternoon at Kauffman Stadium. Nearly 26,000 fans were in attendance, primarily to celebrate "Star Wars Day at the K". That massive attendance helped create an environment far from the sparse, lifeless crowds of the Red Sox series earlier in the week. Furthermore, the Kansas City branch of the "Tarps Off" crew was in full force in the 427-429 sections of the K, which helped bring energy to the stadium in the later innings. Below is a progression of how it grew over the course of the game (from my vantage point in section 418). However, the main spark on Saturday in the Royals' 5-0 victory over the Seattle Mariners? It was starting pitcher Stephen Kolek, who not only pitched a four-hit shutout but also accomplished the first Royals shutout since Brad Keller did it back in 2020. (That's right, it's been six years since a Kansas City pitcher produced a complete game shutout.) The Royals now sit at 21-31 and will look to take the series from the Mariners in the Sunday finale. A victory over the Mariners tomorrow would not only improve their record to 5-1 against them, but it would also build some much-needed momentum for the three-game series against the New York Yankees, which begins on Memorial Day. Let's take a look at not only Kolek's masterful performance on Saturday at the K, but what he's done since joining the Royals last year. Furthermore, I will also dive into his outlook with this club for the remainder of the 2026 season, as they look to get back into playoff contention. Kolek Works Efficiently in Shutout Win What's most remarkable about Kolek's performance against Seattle on Saturday was that it wasn't an outing with a ton of strikeouts. He only struck out two batters, both coming in the 8th and 9th innings, respectively. That said, Kolek's ability to work efficiently and quickly through at-bats, especially in the early innings, helped keep his pitch count reasonable for a shot at the shutout. In his stellar outing, Kolek threw 108 pitches and didn't throw more than 18 pitches in an inning. Furthermore, he maintained a consistent velocity throughout each inning, which helped him remain effective against a dangerous Mariners lineup. Below is his pitch count and velocity by inning, via Baseball Savant. After an eight-pitch first inning, Kolek threw more than 14 pitches in an inning only once, which was 18 in the fifth inning. Even though he gave up four hits and a walk, the 29-year-old was able to navigate through innings with runners on base thanks to stellar defense by the Royals. They turned two double plays in the game, including a key 3-2-5 in the 2nd that prevented Luke Raley from scoring at third with less than two outs. When looking at Kolek's TJ Stuff+ summary from this outing, it didn't have the "look" of a traditional shutout. The former Texas A&M product didn't generate a ton of chase or whiff in this outing, as illustrated by his overall 24% CSW. Additionally, he had only a 46.3% zone rate, which is slightly below the league average. And yet, despite these issues and a mediocre TJ Stuff+ profile, he limited hard contact (via xwOBACON), which proved to be the most important trait today. Kolek generated a .227 overall xwOBACON with his four-seamer (.143) and sinker (.165), his two most-thrown pitches on Saturday, both sporting xwOBACON marks under .200. He had an overall TJ Stuff+ of 96 on Saturday, with only his slider sporting a TJ Stuff+ over 100. That seemed to affect his ability to generate chase (25.9%) and whiff (14%), but did not prevent him from achieving efficient results. The former Dodgers 11th-round pick was fearless in the zone, as illustrated in his pitch type chart below. However, as seen in his corresponding pitch description chart, Seattle hitters were unable to consistently square up on Kolek's pitches, even if they primarily sat in hittable areas of the strike zone. A big key for Kolek was that he was able to generate contact that just wasn't barreled by Mariners hitters on Saturday. Even though his velocity wasn't elite, Seattle seemed to struggle with timing. As a result, a lot of balls were hit in the air and to right-center, especially. That helped Kolek produce many flyball outs, as seen in the spray chart below from today's game via Savant. Only one ball was hit with authority, which was a double by Raley (who had three hits of the Mariners' four hits against Kolek). Everything else? Well, the Mariners ended up hitting a lot of groundballs and flyballs to the right side of the field. Furthermore, not many of those balls were hit all that hard. That is illustrated in his radial chart below via Savant. Much has been made of Seth Lugo and his pitch efficiency in his 2+ seasons in Kansas City. However, on Saturday, Kolek showed that he may be the Royals' most efficient pitcher in the rotation, and his shutout, the first for Kansas City in six seasons, illustrated that. Kolek Has Thrived In Kansas City (And His Fastball Improvement Has Been Key) When the Royals acquired Kolek and fellow Padres pitcher Ryan Bergert from San Diego in exchange for catcher Freddy Fermin at last year's trade deadline, the Royals knew they were getting a pitcher with some big-league success. Kolek pitched 79.2 innings with the Padres in 2025 before getting traded over to Kansas City. In 14 starts, he posted a 4.21 ERA, 1.31 WHIP, and 4.28 FIP. He also generated a 16.7% K%, 7.7% BB%, and 8.9% K-BB% with San Diego. Even though he started in Triple-A Omaha, when Kolek made his Royals debut, he proved to be even more effective down the stretch in 2025. In five starts and 33 IP, he posted a 1.91 ERA, 0.76 WHIP, and 2.71 FIP. His K% remained stable at 16.8%, but his BB% dropped to 4%, thus increasing his K-BB% to 12.8%. As a result, in 112.2 IP, he posted a 3.51 ERA, 1.14 WHIP, 3.83 FIP, and 10% K-BB%. He did this with slightly subpar TJ Stuff+ (96), as well as mediocre chase (26.3%) and whiff (17.7%) rates. However, his ability to fill the strike zone and generate weak contact on his key pitches proved to be key to success, especially with a diverse seven-pitch mix. This season, his second in Kansas City, he has kept the same formula, albeit with more efficiency. Kolek has gotten rid of the curveball and improved his overall TJ Stuff+ and ability to limit hard-contact, while maintaining solid zone rates. That has resulted in his posting a 2.77 ERA and 0.85 WHIP over 26 IP with the Royals this season. The four-seamer has seemed to be key to his success this year. The TJ Stuff+ difference isn't all that great, but it is better in 2026 (91) than it was in 2025 (90). However, the biggest improvement in the pitch is that he's throwing it in the strike zone more (60.9% to 52.5% in 2025) and generating more chases (33.3% to 17.1% in 2025). It has become more of a vertical offering in 2026, as the iVB went from 12.9 last year to 13.3 this year, and his HB on the pitch went from 8.2 to 6.7. It is also generating more spin, as its 2,243 RPM is higher than the four-seamer's 2,176 RPM in 2025. Below is a clip compilation of Kolek's four-seamer with the Padres back in May of 2025 and his four-seamer this year against the Cardinals. Both produce whiffs up in the zone, but there is much better velocity and vertical movement on the 2026 four-seamer than the 2025 version. Even though it's not an elite pitch based on TJ Stuff+, the four-seamer has shown enough improvement and effectiveness to be not just a solid offering but also to set up the other five pitches in his repertoire. The growth of Kolek's four-seamer is another success story for this pitching-coaching team, especially for assistant pitching coach Mike McFerrin, who primarily works with pitchers to improve the shape of their pitches. What Will Kolek's Outlook for the Remainder of 2026 Be? Kolek was called up to replace Cole Ragans, who landed on the IL due to left elbow impingement. That said, Ragans made a rehab start on Saturday against St. Paul, and he looked good overall, with solid TJ Stuff+ and chase numbers, in addition to three strikeouts and just three hits and one run allowed in 4.1 IP. Based on this rehab outing, it's likely that Ragans will return to the rotation soon. However, even if Ragans returns, Kolek will not lose his place in the rotation. With Kris Bubic also on the IL, Kolek will have more time as a starter, but when Bubic is ready to come off the IL as well, the Royals will have a dilemma on their hands. First off, even when Bubic returns, Kolek needs to remain in Kansas City. He has proven that he is a valuable member of this pitching staff, regardless of role. That said, he has proven that he may deserve a regular spot in the rotation, even with Ragans and Bubic healthy (as Jack Johnson of Locked On Royals stated on Twitter). Noah Cameron has looked better recently and produced a quality start in his last outing on Friday against Seattle. Unfortunately, he didn't get any run support and, as a result, got the no-decision. Still, his TJ Stuff+ summary from Friday's game looked solid and demonstrated that Cameron may be on the upswing after a slow start. Thus, the Royals may be forced to move Bubic back to the bullpen, a role he hasn't had since 2024. While Bubic has been serviceable as a starter this year, he hasn't been as dominant as he was in 2025, when he made his first All-Star team. His ERA is 4.11, his WHIP is 1.23, and his FIP is 3.77 in 50.1 IP. That said, while those are solid numbers, the zone, chase, and xwOBACON have been average to slightly below this year, as illustrated in his TJ Stuff+ summary below. Would the Royals be better off moving Bubic to the bullpen? That would allow him to not just stabilize the bullpen a bit (it's unlikely Carlos Estevez returns to 2025 form or at all), but allow his stuff to play up more. Furthermore, that would also preserve his health, which is something he's struggled with in the past (he had Tommy John surgery in 2023). Then again, that may be too bold a move, especially with Ragans' own checkered injury history. If Ragans goes down, they will need Bubic in the rotation again. Regardless, the decision isn't IF Kolek will be in Kansas City. It will be whether he is in the rotation or the bullpen after Ragans and Bubic return from the IL. That's a good place for the Royals to be, especially considering how hard their pitching depth has been hit early in the year. View the full article

In 2012, the Twins acquired a 23-year-old infielder named Eduardo Escobar, part of the return for two months of a severely diminished Francisco Liriano at the trade deadline. At the time, Escobar was not all that highly regarded, and his initial run with Minnesota in 2012 and 2013 (negative-0.2 fWAR in 80 games) did little to bolster his rep. To his great credit, though, Escobar developed into a highly useful player for the Twins. He didn't get much hype in an organization that was anticipating the arrival of premier prospects like Byron Buxton and Miguel Sanó, but Escobar was one of the team's better regulars over the next several years, posting solid offensive numbers as a versatile, shortstop-capable fielder. Escobar was amidst a career year in 2018 when the Twins cashed him in for Jhoan Durán in one of the best moves of the Derek Falvey era. Durán, much like Escobar, would become an example of how key contributors can be uncovered in unlikely places. They don't always have to be top draft picks like Buxton or high-profile international signings like Sanó. Which brings us to present day. As the Twins rebuild and set their sights on future improvement, there's understandably a lot of focus on those top prospects who will hopefully help elevate the club over the next few years: Walker Jenkins, Emmanuel Rodriguez, Kaelen Culpepper and Gabriel Gonzalez, who made his Twins debut on Friday night against Boston. There's also plenty of attention being paid to Royce Lewis and Matt Wallner — former top prospects whose ability to reboot and rebound in Triple-A feels very weighty at the moment. While these rising and reeling talents all plug away in the minors, there are a number of players currently on the MLB roster who are making their own cases to play a role going forward, as the team hopefully transitions into a more competitive state. Acquired via waivers, minor-league deals or low-scale trades, none of these players have anything promised. They need to fight for their MLB futures, and that's exactly what makes their stories compelling to follow this summer. Kody Clemens The Twins acquired Clemens in exchange for cash considerations last April, jumping the waiver line for a player who was potentially headed to the minors at age 28. He impressed enough over the remainder of the season to earn another chance this year, but had much to prove. He largely slumped through the first month, but Clemens has come on in a big way. He heated up in late April and is has an OPS over .800 here in May. While bigger names have fizzled, Clemens has sizzled enough to expand his role, best demonstrated on Friday night when started in right field and batted seventh against a left-handed starter at Fenway. He's held his own against southpaws, which is one thing helping his case. Clemens has also been not just good but excellent defensively at first base, and he saw time at second as well before getting his first starting outfield nod over the weekend. That's the kind of flexibility that helps a good (if streaky) hitter and valued clubhouse presence stick around. Clemens is arbitration eligible for the first time in the coming offseason, and could be retained year-to-year at a reasonable cost through 2029. He's not gonna be a star but he could definitely be a stable roster fixture for a while. Ryan Kreidler Willi Castro is another example of the player type we're talking about. He was acquired as an unheralded minor-league free agent in 2023 — envisioned as a speedy light-hitting utilityman, if he made the team — but turned himself into a quality regular and even an All-Star. It's hard to look at Kreidler and not see the parallels. Both players ranked #7 in the Tigers system, per MLB Pipeline, before debuting in the majors. (Castro in 2019, Kreidler in 2022.) Both fell out of favor in Detroit after failing to hit in parts of four seasons. Both got scooped up by the Twins for essentially nothing. Castro proved to be a find. And while it's still very early, Kreidler is trending in the same direction. He's already hit three home runs in 11 games with the Twins, which is more than he totaled (two) in 89 games with the Tigers. Much like a younger Castro, Kreidler offers considerable value if he hits at all, because he can play center field and shortstop. In fact, he's probably the team's best defender at short, evidenced by Derek Shelton's decision to start him there (with Brooks Lee at third base) over the weekend. He's not going to maintain a 1.000+ OPS but the offensive bar for Kreidler to be a valuable multi-year roster asset is not high. He won't even be arb-eligible until after next season. Tristan Gray Many middling talents like Gray never get much of an extended opportunity in the majors. The 30-year-old admitted to reporters ahead of this season that he was considering retirement before catching on with the Twins and holding down a roster spot. This is his chance. We'll see what he can do with it. Gray's had some nice moments this year but overall hasn't been terribly effective. It can be hard when you're playing sporadically and constantly feeling like your roster spot is at risk. For now, the Lewis demotion lessens those impediments for Gray, whose spot should be secure and his role expanded in the coming weeks. Can he show enough to convince the Twins he might be worth keeping around cheaply as a backup infielder or potential platoon partner? It's going to require his power showing up more consistently to offset a poor plate approach. Gray, currently away from the team on paternity leave, has just one extra-base hit in his 57 plate appearances. Alex Jackson The loss of Ryan Jeffers opens the door for Jackson to try and play his way into Minnesota's catcher setup in 2027. He's been stashed at Triple-A, third on the depth chart, up until the starter went down with a hamate fracture this past week, forcing the Twins to confront the reality of a Jeffers-less future behind the plate. Jackson could be part of it. He's got MLB experience and is still two years away from free agency. Like Kreidler, he offers enough defensive value in a limited role to justify rostering without a great deal of offensive production. But he's got to at least hit a little, and the .527 career MLB OPS up to this point won't cut it. He posted a career-high 111 OPS+ in Baltimore last year and has flashed pop at Triple-A with the Saints, albeit with a .295 OBP. Jackson got the start at catcher on Friday (going 0-for-4 with three strikeouts) and figures to play semi-regularly over the next couple of months. Will he establish himself as a credible option to share time with Victor Caratini in 2027 after Jeffers presumably moves on? The dilemma here is that if Jackson plays well enough to earn a spot in the team's 2027 plans, it decreases his odds of getting through waivers again when Jeffers returns. But you cross that bridge when you get there. Yoendrys Gómez The advantage of having a wide-open bullpen, as the Twins do this year, is that you can audition intriguing arms and hopefully run into a few overlooked useful pieces along the way. In the past we've seen Minnesota use this method to come upon multi-year contributors like Brandon Kintzler, Casey Fien and Jared Burton. The relievers who've rotated through their bullpen carousel so far this year, like Zak Kent and Garrett Acton, have failed to capture the imagination. Gómez, their latest waiver-wire pickup, is a little more interesting. I certainly don't want to blow out of proportion his tiny sample of work with the Twins, but in eight appearances, he's looked legitimately good with seven strikeouts and just one hit allowed in 6 ⅓ innings. His appearance in last Wednesday's series finale against Houston, striking out five of seven batters faced, was an eye-opener. The fact that he's appeared on five different MLB teams since the start of last year could be viewed as a negative, a sign of his perceived dispensability, or a more positive indicator of the intrigue that numerous different front offices — including the Dodgers, Yankees and Rays — have seen in him. There's nothing stopping the Twins from giving Gómez a more extended look than any of those other clubs saw fit. The Twins whiffed on almost all of their minor-league bullpen signings, from Liam Hendriks and Andrew Chafin to Matt Bowman and John Brebbia, so they really could use a hit on a random find like Gómez. Or Cody Laweryson, or Eric Orze. This relief corps needs all the help it can get going forward. View the full article

The Omaha Storm Chasers rallied past St. Paul 7-6, with Dustin Dickerson driving in four runs and Luca Tresh adding three RBIs and a home run. David Shields was nearly untouchable for Quad Cities, blanking Beloit over six innings with five strikeouts in a 5-2 win. Sean Gamble and Josh Hammond paced Columbia's 6-4 win at Augusta, while Jordan Woods struck out eight in five innings. The Naturals trailed Amarillo 4-2 when rain suspended play. Royals Transactions Kansas City Royals designated C Elias Díaz for assignment. Kansas City Royals signed free agent RHP Luke Jackson to a minor league contract. Kansas City Royals recalled 2B Tyler Tolbert from Omaha Storm Chasers. Dickerson, Tresh Combine For Seven RBIs In Storm Chasers' 7-6 Win The Omaha Storm Chasers held off a late charge to beat the St. Paul Saints 7-6 on the road, powered by big nights from Dickerson and Tresh. Dickerson finished 2-for-4 with a double, a home run, and four RBIs. Tresh went 3-for-4 with a home run and three RBIs. Cole Ragans, on rehab from Kansas City, allowed one run on three hits across 4 1/3 innings, walking one and striking out three. Omaha grabbed the lead in the top of the second. Brett Squires singled, Abraham Toro walked, and Dickerson followed with a two-run double to right field that made it 2-1. Tresh stretched the lead to 4-1 in the top of the sixth with a two-run home run to center that scored Drew Waters. The bullpen could not hold the cushion. Henry Williams entered in the sixth and gave up a solo home run, three consecutive walks, and a two-run single as the Saints tied the game at four, then surrendered another solo home run in the seventh that put Omaha behind 5-4. Williams finished with five hits and four earned runs allowed across 2 1/3 innings. Kameron Misner walked to open the eighth, and with two outs, Tresh singled to left to score Misner and tie the game at five. In the top of the ninth, Gavin Cross singled and Dickerson followed with his first home run of the season, a two-run shot to left field that gave Omaha a 7-5 lead. Eric Cerantola walked two in the bottom of the ninth and yielded a run on a groundout, but closed out the win with a strikeout. The Storm Chasers stranded five and committed no errors. Player AB R H RBI BB K Josh Rojas, 3B 5 0 1 0 0 0 John Rave, DH 3 0 0 0 2 0 Kameron Misner, RF 4 1 0 0 1 3 Drew Waters, CF 4 1 1 0 0 1 Brett Squires, 1B 3 1 1 0 0 1 Luca Tresh, C 4 1 3 3 0 0 Gavin Cross, LF 4 1 1 0 0 0 Abraham Toro, 2B 3 1 0 0 1 3 Dustin Dickerson, SS 4 1 2 4 0 0 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Cole Ragans 4 1/3 3 1 1 1 3 1 Andrew Pérez 2/3 0 0 0 0 0 0 Henry Williams 2 1/3 5 4 4 4 2 2 Luke Jackson 2/3 0 0 0 0 0 0 Eric Cerantola 1 0 1 1 2 2 0 Rain Suspends Naturals' Comeback Bid Trailing Sod Poodles 4-2 The Northwest Arkansas Naturals trailed the Amarillo Sod Poodles 4-2 when rain suspended play before the bottom of the fourth inning. Connor Scott went 2-for-2 with two RBIs to lead the offense. Daniel Vazquez, Jorge Alfaro, and Omar Hernandez each added a double. Leadoff hitter Carson Roccaforte singled in the first. Hunter Owen started and allowed four earned runs on three hits across three innings, walking two and recording no strikeouts. All four runs came in a single inning. Northwest Arkansas opened the scoring in the top of the second. Vazquez doubled to center with one out, then Scott lined an RBI single to left to score him before being thrown out trying to advance. Amarillo answered in the bottom of the inning, stringing together four hits and a sacrifice fly against Owen to plate four runs and grab a 4-1 lead. The Naturals cut the gap to 4-2 in the top of the fourth. Alfaro doubled to center with one out and later scored on another Scott single to left. Rain halted play before Amarillo could bat in the bottom half, leaving the visiting Naturals trailing by two with five and a half innings still scheduled to be played. Northwest Arkansas finished the partial game with seven hits, three doubles, no errors, and two runners left on base. Player AB R H RBI BB K Carson Roccaforte, CF 2 0 1 0 0 0 Spencer Nivens, LF 2 0 0 0 0 1 Sam Kulasingam, RF 2 0 0 0 0 0 Jorge Alfaro, DH 2 1 1 0 0 1 Daniel Vazquez, SS 2 1 1 0 0 1 Connor Scott, 1B 2 0 2 2 0 0 Colton Becker, 3B 2 0 0 0 0 2 Omar Hernandez, C 1 0 1 0 0 0 Justin Johnson, 2B 1 0 0 0 0 1 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Hunter Owen 3 3 4 4 2 0 0 Shields, Pelzer Power River Bandits Past Sky Carp 5-2 The Quad Cities River Bandits leaned on a Quality Start from Shields and a power surge from cleanup hitter Luke Pelzer to beat the Beloit Sky Carp 5-2 at home. Shields turned in six innings of one-hit shutout ball, walking one and striking out five. Pelzer finished 2-for-4 with a home run, three RBIs, and a stolen base. Ramon Ramirez went 1-for-4 with an RBI double and two RBIs. Quad Cities jumped ahead in the bottom of the first. Leadoff hitter Nolan Sailors drew a walk, and after two outs, Pelzer drove a two-run home run to left center to make it 2-0. Shields then carried that lead deep into the game, allowing only one base hit through six innings. Beloit chipped back in the seventh, scoring once off reliever Josh Hansell. The visitors tied it in the eighth when Hansell walked a batter, then Kamden Edge entered and gave up a single and an RBI groundout that brought the inherited runner home. Hansell was charged with two earned runs and two walks across 1 1/3 innings, though he also struck out three. The River Bandits answered immediately in the bottom of the eighth. Angel Acosta walked to open the inning and moved to second on a Sailors groundout. Blake Mitchell walked, and a passed ball pushed Acosta to third. Ramirez then drilled a two-run double to left to score Acosta and Mitchell, and Pelzer followed with an RBI single to center that brought Ramirez home for a 5-2 lead. Edge worked the final 1 2/3 innings on two hits without allowing a run to close out the win. The River Bandits stranded four. Player AB R H RBI BB K Nolan Sailors, CF 2 1 0 0 2 1 Blake Mitchell, C 3 1 0 0 1 1 Ramon Ramirez, DH 4 1 1 2 0 1 Luke Pelzer, LF 4 1 2 3 0 1 Jose Cerice, 1B 3 0 0 0 0 0 Derlin Figueroa, 3B 4 0 0 0 0 1 Erick Torres, RF 2 0 0 0 1 1 Tyriq Kemp, SS 3 0 0 0 0 2 Angel Acosta, 2B 1 1 0 0 2 0 Player IP H R ER BB K HR David Shields 6 1 0 0 1 5 0 Josh Hansell 1 1/3 2 2 2 2 3 0 Kamden Edge 1 2/3 2 0 0 0 1 0 Four-Run Seventh Pushes Fireflies Past GreenJackets 6-4 The Columbia Fireflies broke open a 1-1 game with a four-run seventh inning and held on for a 6-4 road win over the Augusta GreenJackets. Hammond and Gamble each delivered two-RBI doubles in the rally. Hammond finished 2-for-5 with two doubles and two RBIs. Gamble went 2-for-4 with a double, two RBIs, and a walk. Woods worked five innings of one-run, eight-strikeout relief, allowing three hits and two walks. Kendry Chourio opened the game with two scoreless innings on one hit, three strikeouts, and no walks. Columbia got on the board first in the top of the fourth. Hammond doubled to left, moved to third on a Brooks Bryan single, and scored when Hyungchan Um lined an RBI single to center. Augusta answered in the bottom of the fifth, scoring once on a pair of singles and a walk to tie the game at one, with the run charged to Woods. The Fireflies blew it open in the seventh. With one out, JC Vanek walked. Connor Rasmussen struck out, but Roni Cabrera kept the inning alive with a double to left to put runners at second and third. Henry Ramos walked to load the bases. Gamble then doubled to right to score Vanek and Cabrera, and Hammond followed with another double to center that brought home Ramos and Gamble for a 5-1 lead. Ramos added an RBI single in the ninth that scored Rasmussen. The bottom of the ninth turned tense. Andy Basora walked the bases loaded with no one out and was lifted for Jhon Reyes. A wild pitch let one run score, and a two-run double cut the lead to 6-4, but Reyes retired the next three Augusta hitters to lock in the win. Columbia stranded six and committed no errors. Player AB R H RBI BB K Henry Ramos, LF 4 1 1 1 1 1 Sean Gamble, CF 4 1 2 2 1 2 Josh Hammond, SS 5 1 2 2 0 2 Brooks Bryan, DH 3 0 1 0 1 1 Hyungchan Um, C 4 0 1 1 0 2 Stone Russell, 3B 4 0 0 0 0 1 JC Vanek, 1B 2 1 0 0 1 1 Connor Rasmussen, 2B 3 1 0 0 1 1 Roni Cabrera, RF 4 1 1 0 0 0 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Kendry Chourio 2 1 0 0 0 3 0 Jordan Woods 5 3 1 1 2 8 0 Andy Basora 1 0 3 3 3 2 0 Jhon Reyes 1 1 0 0 0 1 0 Top-20 Prospect Performance Kendry Chourio: 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K David Shields: 6 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 5 K Sean Gamble: 2-for-4, 2B, 2 RBI, BB, 2 K Blake Mitchell: 0-for-3, BB, K Josh Hammond: 2-for-5, 2 2B, 2 RBI, 2 K Ramon Ramirez: 1-for-4, 2B, 2 RBI, K Drew Beam: DNP Asbel Gonzalez: DNP Ben Kudrna: DNP Carson Roccaforte: 1-for-2 Yandel Ricardo: DNP Felix Arronde: DNP Blake Wolters: DNP Michael Lombardi: DNP Luinder Avila: DNP Steven Zobac: DNP Frank Mozzicato: DNP Daniel Vazquez: 1-for-2, 2B, K Warren Colcano: DNP Shane Panzini: DNP View the full article

"I don't think I'm gonna change anything." And why would you if you're Tyler Phillips? Phillips has been the Miami Marlins' best right-handed relief pitcher this season, and that was also true throughout the second half of 2025. Beginning on Sunday, that production is being rewarded with a starting rotation spot. The 28-year-old will pitch less frequently in this new role and shoulder a heavier workload when he does take the mound, but he told the media at loanDepot park he expects to attack opposing hitters with the same approach that served him so well out of the bullpen. Phillips' spot originally belonged to free agent acquisition Chris Paddack. The Marlins booted him to make room for highly touted prospect Robby Snelling, who lasted just one start before blowing out his elbow. Then Braxton Garrett got his opportunity...and quickly squandered it, landing barely half of his pitches for strikes en route to a pair of early exits. Paddack, Snelling and Garrett combined for a staggering 8.10 ERA. Miami went 0-9 in their starts. The bar for Phillips to clear is laughably low. The way that the Marlins used Phillips during the past two months has been head-scratching. His results are brilliant (1.20 ERA in 30.0 IP), but they've often come in meaningless situations. In 11 of his 15 appearances, he took the mound with his club trailing, hence why he has accrued a modest total of 0.18 win probability added, per FanGraphs. Instead of inserting him to put out fires, he was cast as a glorified mop-up guy. Phillips has had only three days' rest since his previous outing. Against the New York Mets, don't expect him to be stretched far beyond his season-high of 52 pitches. But by mid-June, we should have a clear idea of how well he's suited to a starting role. View the full article

Nick Solak and Will Wagner homered as the Triple-A El Paso Chihuahuas fell to Round Rock 7-5. Romeo Sanabria hit a homer as part of a four-hit night as the Double-A San Antonio Missions lost 7-5 to Frisco. The High-A Fort Wayne TinCaps were blanked by Dayton 5-0 and the Low-A Lake Elsinore Storm suffered a 6-2 loss to Visalia. Padres Minor-League Transactions No roster moves. Nick Solak's 3-Run Homer Wasted As Chihuahuas Crumble Late Despite a five-run third inning, the host Triple-A El Paso Chihuahuas saw the Round Rock Express score four times in the final two innings, including three in the top of the ninth for a 7-5 loss. Nick Solak had three hits, including a three-run homer, and Will Wagner also homered for the Chihuahuas. El Paso left-handed starter Marco Gonzales went 4⅔ innings, allowing two runs on five hits and four walks while striking out three. Gonzales gave up a run in the top of the first, but the Chihuahuas came back and scored all their runs in the third inning. Solak blasted his three-run shot to left-center, his fourth of the year and second in as many games, with no outs and Wagner cranked his first of the year one out later to make it 4-1. Mason McCoy reached on an error and Carlos Rodriguez doubled him home to put the Chihuahuas up 5-1. Round Rock got one in the fourth, one in the sixth and another in the eighth to pull within 5-4. Right-hander Alek Jacob came on for the Chihuahuas in the top of the ninth and, after one out, he walked four straight hitters to push in the tying run and ended his night. A two-run single followed for the decisive runs. EP_0523.mp4 Player AB R H RBI BB K Samad Taylor 4 1 1 0 1 1 Marcos Castañon 3 1 1 0 1 1 Nick Solak 3 1 2 3 0 0 Jase Bowen 4 0 0 0 0 1 Will Wagner 4 1 2 1 0 1 Mason McCoy 3 1 0 0 1 1 Carlos Rodríguez 4 0 1 1 0 1 Nate Mondou 4 0 0 0 0 1 Victor Duarte 4 0 1 0 0 3 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Marco Gonzales 4 2/3 5 2 2 4 3 0 Sean Boyle 2 1 1 1 0 0 1 Kyle Hart 1 1/3 2 1 1 0 2 0 Alek Jacob 1/3 0 3 3 4 0 0 Michael Flynn 2/3 1 0 0 0 0 0 Missions Watch Early Lead Go Away In Loss To RoughRiders Romeo Sanabria matched his career high with four hits, including a homer, and Ethan Salas equaled his season best with three hits, but the Double-A San Antonio Missions watched an early 4-0 lead evaporate in a 7-5 loss to the Frisco RoughRiders. Padres right-handed starter Jhony Brito made his second rehab appearance as he makes his way back from Tommy John surgery. Brito went 3⅓ innings, allowing three runs on six hits with three walks and one strikeout. Brito faced 19 hitters and threw 68 pitches, 40 for strikeouts. He induced nine groundouts in his 10 outs. Salas and Sanabria got the Missions going in the top of the first with one-out singles, with Tirso Ornelas doubling home Salas and Albert Fabian singling home Sanabria for a 2-0 edge. In the third, Salas had a leadoff double and Sanabria hit a first-pitch two-run homer, his fourth long ball of the year and first since May 12. Frisco got two back in the bottom of the third and another in the fourth to make it 4-3. The Missions went up 5-3 in the sixth as Francisco Acuna singled, stole second and went to third on Chris Sargent's sacrifice bunt. Carson Tucker then lofted a sac fly to plate Acuna. But the RoughRiders took control of the game with a four-run seventh against Missions right-hander Clark Candiotti, who got just one out while allowing three hits and two walks in his third Double-A appearance. Salas, Padres Mission's No. 1 prospect, had his third three-hit game of the season and eighth of his career. He had a career-high four hits in 2023 for Low-A Lake Elsinore. Sanabria has had four hits in a game seven times before in his career, including three in 2025. SA_0523.mp4 Player AB R H RBI BB K Carson Tucker 4 0 0 1 0 2 Ethan Salas 5 2 3 0 0 0 Romeo Sanabria 5 2 4 2 0 1 Tirso Ornelas 4 0 2 1 1 0 Albert Fabian 5 0 1 1 0 3 Ryan Jackson 3 0 1 0 1 1 Kai Roberts 3 0 0 0 1 1 Francisco Acuna 4 1 1 0 0 2 Chris Sargent 3 0 1 0 0 0 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Jhony Brito 3 1/3 6 3 3 3 1 0 Andrew Thurman 2 2/3 0 0 0 1 2 0 Clark Candiotti 1/3 3 4 4 2 1 0 Francis Peña 1 1/3 1 0 0 3 2 0 Harry Gustin 1/3 0 0 0 1 1 0 TinCaps' Offense Flames Out Against Dragons The host High-A Fort Wayne TinCaps had another rough go of it at the plate, notching just three hits in being shut out by three Dayton Dragons pitchers in a 5-0 loss. Alex McCoy doubled, while Lamar King Jr. and Rosman Verdugo singled to account for the TinCaps' hits. McCoy leads the Midwest League with 15 doubles and 24 extra-base hits. TinCaps right-handed starter Abraham Parra allowed three runs on four hits and a pair of walks with four strikeouts. Right-hander Ty Adcock, on a rehab assignment from Triple-A, made his second appearance and was one of three TinCaps relievers who didn't allow a run. Adcock gave up two hits and struck out one. Left-hander Javier Chacon went two innings, allowing one hit and a walk with four strikeouts. Dayton scored one run in the second, two in the fifth and two in the ninth. Player AB R H RBI BB K Justin DeCriscio 3 0 0 0 1 1 Rosman Verdugo 4 0 1 0 0 2 Lamar King Jr. 4 0 1 0 0 2 Alex McCoy 4 0 1 0 0 0 Jake Cunningham 3 0 0 0 1 1 Jack Costello 3 0 0 0 1 0 Carlos Rodriguez 2 0 0 0 1 1 Zach Evans 3 0 0 0 0 1 Kasen Wells 3 0 0 0 0 2 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Abraham Parra 5 4 3 3 2 4 0 Javier Chacon 2 1 0 0 1 4 0 Ty Adcock 1 2 0 0 0 1 0 Jeferson Villabona 2/3 2 2 2 2 2 0 Luis Germán 1/3 0 0 0 1 0 0 Yoiber Ocopio Homers, But Storm Overrun By Rawhide Yoiber Ocopio came off the bench to record two hits, including a homer, but the Low-A Lake Elsinore Storm dropped a 6-2 decision to the Visalia Rawhide. Ryan Wideman didn't get a hit, but he did steal his minors-leading 33rd base after reaching on a fielder's choice in the top of the fifth. Visalia scored a run in the first and third innings, three in the fifth and another in the sixth. Ocopio entered the game after Ty Harvey was injured during a catcher's interference play in the fifth inning. He singled in his first at-bat in the sixth inning, then homered in the eighth inning, a solo for his third homer of the season and second in three games. His single led off the sixth and he went to third on a wild pitch and to third on Truitt Madonna's single. Jorge Quintana drove him in with a grounder. Storm right-handed starter Tyler Schmitt gave up five runs on 10 hits and a walk with two strikeouts in 4⅓ innings. LE_0523.mp4 Player AB R H RBI BB K Ryan Wideman 5 0 0 0 0 2 Kerrington Cross 3 0 1 0 1 1 Bradley Frye 4 0 1 0 0 1 Ty Harvey 2 0 0 0 0 1 Yoiber Ocopio 2 2 2 1 0 0 Truitt Madonna 4 0 1 0 0 1 Jorge Quintana 4 0 1 1 0 1 Dylan Grego 4 0 1 0 0 1 Qrey Lott 4 0 1 0 0 2 Conner Westenburg 3 0 1 0 0 1 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Tyler Schmitt 4 1/3 10 5 5 1 2 1 Joseph Herrera 1 2/3 2 1 1 1 2 0 Sean Barnett 2 1 0 0 1 3 0 Top 20 Prospect Performance Ethan Salas: 3-for-5, 2B Kash Mayfield: DNP Miguel Mendez: DNP Kruz Schoolcraft: DNP Ryan Wideman: 0-for-5, 2 K Jorge Quintana: 1-for-4, K Ty Harvey: 0-for-2, K Kale Fountain: DNP Braedon Karpathios: DNP Lamar King Jr.: 1-for-4, 2 K Jagger Haynes: DNP Alex McCoy: 1-for-4, 2B Truitt Madonna: 1-for-4, K Tucker Musgrove: DNP Garrett Hawkins: DNP Michael Salina: DNP Eric Yost: DNP Rosman Verdugo: 1-for-4, 2 K Bryan Balzer: DNP Deivid Coronil: DNP View the full article

TRANSACTIONS RHP Hendry Chivilli was promoted to Fort Myers from the FCL Twins. SAINTS SENTINEL St. Paul 6, Omaha 7 Box Score Most important, it was great to see Kaelen Culpepper back in the Saints lineup on Saturday after this scare on Saturday night. (Reminder: in the first inning, he stole second. On the head-first slide, his helmet came off his head, hit second base, bounced up and hit the sliding Culpepper under the jaw causing a cut. They were unable to stop the bleeding, so he came out of the game.) Also nice to see, Culpepper led off the bottom of the first by hitting his 10th home run of the season, a blast at 103.3 mph to center. Mike Paredes made the Saints start. He gave up two runs (both in the top of the second) on four hits and a walk. Andrew Bash had a walk and a strikeout over his scoreless fifth inning. A rehabbing Cody Laweryson gave up two runs on two hits (including a homer) over two innings. The Saints were down 4-1 going to the bottom of the sixth innings. Royce Lewis led off with a home run. Hendry Mendez and Kyler Fedko followed with walks. Matt Wallner also walked which gave the Saints bases loaded and no one out. The next two batters were called out on strikes. Fortunately, Ricardo Olivar picked up his teammates with a big, game-tying, two-run single to right field. With one out in the bottom of the seventh inning, Lewis stepped to the plate and launched his second home run of the day for the Saints. Five of his six Saints hits this season have gone over the fence. With the 5-4 lead, Brian Dinkelman turned things over to Alejandro Hidalgo. He made his Saints debut and gave up three runs on three hits and two walks over the final two innings. He struck out three batters. In the bottom of the ninth inning, Lewis and Hendry Mendez walked to start the inning. On a strikeout, both runners advanced a base on a wild pitch. Lewis scored on a Matt Wallner ground out to make it 7-6, and that’s how the game ended. Lewis went 2-for-4 with a walk and two home runs. Olivar also had two hits in the game and two big RBI. He also stole a base. Check out one of our sister sites, Royals Keep, for more on the Kansas City Royals organization. Here are their Top 20 Royals prospects. WIND SURGE WISDOM Wichita 5, Tulsa 3 Box Score At the 7th-Inning Stretch, the hometown team from Wichita was tailing 3-1. In their half of the seventh, they surged into the lead with a three-run inning to take a 4-3 lead. Billy Amick led off with a homer, his second of the game and 13th of the season. Murphy Stehly singled with one out and later stole second. With two outs, Harry Genth tied the game 3-3 with a double. He scored one batter later when Jose Salas lined a single to right to give that 4-3 lead. With two outs in the bottom of the eighth frame, Billy Amick walked. Poncho Ruiz gave the team an insurance run with a double to center to make it 5-3. Sam Armstrong started the game on the bump. He was charged with two runs on just one hit. He walked three and had four strikeouts over the first four innings. Jake Higginbotham tossed two scoreless relief innings and had four strikeouts. Ricky Castro struck out three batters over 1 2/3 innings. He gave up one run on four hits and a walk. Sam Ryan got the final four outs to earn his second save of the season. He gave up two hits and a walk but not runs. Two of the outs came via the strikeout. Billy Amick went 2-for-3 with a walk, his 12th and 13th homers. The first one gave the Surge a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second inning. Ruiz has seen an uptick in playing time since Ricardo Olivar moved up to St. Paul. He went 2-for-4 with a key RBI. KERNELS CHRONICLE Cedar Rapids 2, Peoria 7 Box Score It was another tough start for right-hander Ivran Romero. In three innings, he gave up five runs on six hits. He walked two and had two strikeouts. Christian Becerra tossed the next 2 2/3 innings and gave up three hits and a walk, but no runs. He left with the bases loaded in the sixth inning, but Cole Peschl left them all stranded. He then gave up two runs on two hits (both homers) over the final two innings. He struck out four batters. The Kernels actually took the game’s first lead. In the top of the second, Khadim Diaw hit his second homer of the season to give them a 1-0 lead. Jump to the top of the seventh. The Kernels are down 5-1. With one out, Quinn McDaniel tripled and then scored on a Rayne Doncon single to left to make it 5-2. Diaw went 3-for-4 with the homer. McDaniel went 2-for-4 with the triple. The latter went 14-for-26 (.538) with a double, two triples, and two home runs in six games at Fort Myers. He is now 6-for-11 (.545) with a triple over his three games with the Kernels. MIGHTY MATTERS Ft. Myers 4, Dunedin 6 Box Score The Mussels were down 4-0 through six innings. Thy scored four runs the rest of the way, but it wasn’t enough. Justin Mitrovich started and gave up one run on three hits and a walk over 2 2/3 innings. Chivilli made his Mussels debut. He gave up three runs (2 earned) on seven hits over 2 2/3 innings. He struck out two and issued no walks. Jake Murray came in and over the next 2 1/3 innings, he gave up two runs on one hit. He walked three and had four strikeouts. He left with the bases loaded. Xavier Kolhosser allowed two runs to score on one hit before a strikeout ended that eighth inning. Down 4-0, Ryan Sprock led off the top of the seventh inning with a single. He scored on Jayson Bass’s fifth home run of the season. Down 6-2 heading for the ninth inning, Jayson Bass led off with a walk. Quentin Young reached on a fielding error. With one out, Byron Chourio doubled to drive in Bass with the team’s third run. Young scored on a Bryan Acuna groundout. The Dunedin Blue Jays are the Low-A affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays. Check out our sister site at Jays Centre. Here are their rankings of the Top 20 Blue Jays prospects. COMPLEX CHRONICLE FCL Twins 19, FCL Red Sox 2 Box Score This game was over shortly after it even got started. They scored four runs in the first inning, two more runs in the second inning, and ten (10!) runs in the third inning to take a 16-0 lead. And then over the final four innings, the Twins scored three runs, one more than the Red Sox. The Twins scored their 19 runs on 13 hits, 14 walks and two hit batters. The team went 7-for-21 with runners in scoring position and left 11 runners on base. So, let’s start with pitching. 19-year-old Santiago Rojas tossed three scoreless innings to start the game. He gave up no hits, walked two and had four strikeouts. Josh Walker, a lefty signed two weeks ago, gave up one hit, hit a batter, and walked two batters. However, he gave up no runs. All four outs he recorded were on strikeouts. Yoel Roque came in with two runners on base and one out in the fifth inning and kept both from scoring. He pitched a scoreless sixth inning and then gave up two runs in the seventh frame. Jhomnardo Reyes led the offense by going 4-for-6 with two doubles, a triple, four runs and five RBI. Yovanny Duran led off and went 2-for-5 with a walk and three runs scored. Miguel Caraballo went 2-for-4 with three runs scored. He also stole three bases. Teillon Serrano went 1-for-2 with three walks. He was hit by a pitch and scored twice. Daniel Pena went 1-for-1, with three walks and a stolen base. Yilber Herrera walked four times. Jose Barrios added a double. Anatomy of a 10-run inning: (Leading 6-0.) Almanzar hit by pitch. Herrera walk. Barrios RBI double. Duran RBI single. Caraballo reach on Catcher’s Interference. Reyes 3-RBI triple. Serrano hit by pitch. D Pena walk. Wild Pitch) Paez walk. Almanzar RBI walk. (Pitching Change) Herrera RBI walk. Two runs scored on a fielding error. Strikeout. Fly out. (Leading 16-0.) PLAYERS OF THE DAY Hitter of the Day Jhomnardo Reyes (FCL Twins): 4-for-6, 2-2B(3), 3B(2), 4 R, 5 RBI, 2 K Royce Lewis (St. Paul): 2-for-4, BB, 2 HR(5), 2 RBI, 3 R, K. Billy Amick (Wichita): 2-for-3, BB, 2 HR(13), 3 R, 2 RBI, K. Pitcher of the Day Santiago Rojas (FCL Twins): 3 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 4 K, 51 pitches, 31 strikes (60.8%) Jake Higginbotham (Wichita): 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 4 K, 27 pitches, 19 strikeouts (70.4%) PROSPECT SUMMARY Check out the Prospect Tracker for much more on our Twins Top 20 prospects after seeing how they did today. #1 - OF Walker Jenkins (St. Paul) - 7 Day Injured List (left shoulder) #2 - IF Kaelen Culpepper (St. Paul) - 1-for-5, HR(10), R, RBI (batted first, played SS) #3 - OF Emmanuel Rodriguez (St. Paul) - 7 Day Injured List (thumb) - Had surgery. #4 - LHP Connor Prielipp (Minnesota) - 4 IP, 7 H, 6 R, 5 ER, 3 BB, 1 K, 85 pitches, 49 strikes (57.6%). #5 - C Eduardo Tait (Cedar Rapids) - 0-for-3, BB, K (batted third, catcher). #6 - LHP Dasan Hill (Cedar Rapids) - Did Not Pitch. #7 - SS Marek Houston (Cedar Rapids) - 0-for-3, BB, K, SB(10) (batted first, played SS) #8 - RHP Riley Quick (Cedar Rapids) - Did Not Pitch. #9 - LHP Kendry Rojas (Minnesota) - 3 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 3 K, 45 pitches, 27 strikes (60.0%) #10 - OF Gabriel Gonzalez (Minnesota) - Did Not Play. #11 - RHP Charlee Soto (Cedar Rapids) - Injured List #12 - RHP Andrew Morris (Minnesota) - 2/3 IP, 1 H, 1 ER, 3 BB, 0 K, 32 pitches, 15 strikes (46.9%) #13 - OF Hendry Mendez (St. Paul) - 0-for-2, 3 BB, R, (batted third, DH) #14 - 3B/SS Quentin Young (Ft. Myers) - 1-for-4, R, E (batted fifth, played SS) #15 - 3B/CF Brandon Winokur (Cedar Rapids) - 1-for-4, K (batted second, played CF) #16 - RHP Ryan Gallagher (St. Paul) - Did No Pitch. #17 - RHP C.J. Culpepper (St. Paul) - Did Not Pitch. #18 - RHP James Ellwanger (Ft. Myers) - 60 Day Injured List (right elbow sprain) #19 - C/OF Khadim Diaw (Cedar Rapids) - 3-for-4, HR(2), R, RBI, K (batted fifth, played DH) #20 - 2B/SS/CF Kyle DeBarge (Wichita) - 0-for-3, BB, 2 K (batted first, played 2B).. UPCOMING PROBABLES Sunday, May 24: Omaha @ St. Paul (5:07 pm CT) - RHP Ty Langenburg (1-0, 3.00 ERA) Tulsa @ Wichita (4:05 pm CT) - TBD Cedar Rapids @ Peoria (6:35 pm CT) - RHP Riley Quick (0-1, 2.79 ERA) Ft. Myers @ Dunedin (11:00 am CT) - TBD CURRENT W-L Records Minnesota Twins: 25-27 St. Paul Saints: 25-24 Wichita Wind Surge: 20-23 Cedar Rapids Kernels: 23-21 Fort Myers Mighty Mussels: 24-20 FCL Twins: 9-7 DSL Twins: 0-0 (season begins Monday, June 1) Please feel free to ask questions about the teams, the rosters, and discuss today’s games, or anything else Twins minor-league related! View the full article

MIAMI, FL — Thanks to two home runs by Liam Hicks and another Max Meyer quality start, the Miami Marlins defeated the New York Mets Saturday afternoon by a final score of 4-1. Marlins manager Clayton McCullough said that Meyer was able to get through seven shutout innings even without his best stuff. "I think he's been sharper and crisper in some other outings," McCullough said, "but I think he threw some insane sweepers today, and they did a good job of using his fastball appropriately. I just felt like today was more of a grind for him, even though it wasn't a lot of traffic." Meyer allowed just one hit and walked three. He also struck out eight, one shy of his season-high. Through 11 starts this season, Meyer now has a 2.52 ERA, 3.00 FIP, 10.09 K/9 and 3.26 BB/9. Meyer's sweeper (32% usage) and four-seam fastball (27%) complemented each other very well. "I think we can feel when they're starting to sit spin," Meyer said. "I was able to get some ride on a couple heaters when I needed to and freeze them up on a few heaters when I needed to. I got to get that going for next outing." The Marlins jumped on New York Mets starter Freddy Peralta early. In the bottom of the second inning, with runners on second and third, Owen Caissie drove both of them in on a double. Cassie has quietly found consistency at the plate after going through an extended slump during most of April and early May. Since the beginning of the series against the Minnesota Twins (5/13), he entered Saturday's game slashing .300/.391/.600/.991 with two home runs and five RBI. Liam Hicks notched his first career multi-homer game, hitting his 10th of the season in the bottom of the third inning and his 11th in the bottom of the fifth. That gave Miami a 4-0 lead. Hicks and CJ Abrams of the Washington Nationals continue to duel for the RBI leader in baseball. Abrams currently has the most with 45, while Hicks is in second with 44. On Sunday, the Marlins will have Tyler Phillips start the game. That would have been Braxton Garrett's rotation spot, but he was optioned to Triple-A earlier in the week. Once a starter at the beginning of his MLB career, Phillips will now get an opportunity go out there every fifth day, per McCullough. "We believes he has the pitches and the ability to start it," McCullough said. "He's done it in the past, something we had spoken with him about last year and had stretched him out some on the fly. As circumstances have happened in recent weeks, felt like he's been throwing the ball terrifically. His arsenal is much deeper, better than it was in the past. With how the splits come along and the velocity he's been showing, I think he has the pitch mix to go and do this." In 15 appearances out of the bullpen in 2026, Phillips has a 1.20 ERA, 3.43 FIP, 8.10 K/9 and 4.80 BB/9. The right-hander has a five-pitch mix, primarily throwing his sinker and splitter. He has only maxed out at 52 pitches this season, so it will take multiple outings for him to be stretched out for a typical starter's workload. The Marlins will go for their second series sweep of the season on Sunday at 1:40 pm. Christian Scott will start for the Mets. View the full article

Box Score SP: Taj Bradley 5.0 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 7 K (73 pitches, 48 strikes (66%)) Home Runs: N/A Top 3 WPA: Taylor Rogers (0.18), Bradley (0.17), Kendry Rojas (0.17) Win Probability Chart (via FanGraphs) The Twins welcomed back their flamethrower phenom Taj Bradley to the mound at Fenway Park on Saturday afternoon. In a matinee that got pretty heated, Bradley and the Twins kept their cool and stayed hot in Boston. Starting Hot The Red Sox sent a familiar face out as an opener, with lefty Jovani Moran getting the first frame against his former squad. Moran got ahead of Byron Buxton 0-2 to lead things off, but Buck stroked a single to get the offense rolling. Trevor Larnach roped a single of his own to start off his four-hit day, and then Austin Martin took Moran to the gap to get the Twins on the board at 1-0. Bradley's Heater A Josh Bell sacrifice fly spotted Bradley another run to work with, and he worked with the lead quite well. After facing some rehab time for a pectoral muscle issue over the past two weeks, Bradley looked to return to his dominant ways. The first three innings saw little resistance from the Boston bats, with Taj alternating between low-90's movement and 99 mph heaters. The fourth inning saw the Red Sox get their first hit, and eventually their first run as a Ceddanne Rafaela double plated Mickey Gasper. Willson Contreras tried to follow Gasper home, but Martin threw a bead to Orlando Arcia, who in turn threw a pea to Victor Caratini for the tag at home. That play not only kept the Twins in the lead, but it also set a fire under the Twins offense as Caratini took exception to Contreras' bump at the plate, and Contreras took exception to any human interaction that ensued. With the bullpens and benches all lathered up, the top of the fifth inning began with the third of Larnach's four hits. Martin followed with an infield hit up the middle to put runners at first and second with nobody out. Bell stepped to the plate after having been the first man off the bench to skirmish in the previous inning, and he ironically exposed Contreras with a grounder to first that ate up the normally elite defender to load the bases against righty bulk man Brayan Bello. Kody Clemens failed to make them pay by flying out to shallow left, but Caratini hit a fly ball to right jussssssst far enough to score Larnach on a sweet slide to make it 3-1. Arcia then hit a grounder that was headed for out number three until Bello mindlessly reached behind his back and deflected the ball into no mans land. Martin scored, and the Twins bullpen got itself a three-run lead to work with. Rojas Holds the Fireline, and Morris Pours on Gas Bradley wasn't going to go very deep into the game in his first outing back, and Kendry Rojas was ready and waiting to keep the heaters coming. Rojas surrendered only one hit and struck out three over his three innings of work, and it looked like the Twins were on their way to an easy road victory. Then Andrew Morris took the hill for the bottom of the ninth, and Contreras laced a lead-off single into left. Morris followed by walking Rafaela on five pitches. Now the Twins were feeling the heat, and the tying run stepped into the box in the form of young Nick Sogard. Sogard took a 95 mph heater, and then popped up a changeup to ease some of the tension. Masataka Yoshida pinch hit, and Arcia made a slick play on a grounder up the middle to take out the runner at second to get the Twins within one out of a big win. Connor Wong was next man up, and he worked a walk on a full count to load em up. Derek Shelton stuck with the rookie Morris in this new-to-him crucial spot. The first two pitches to Isiah Kiner-Falefa were not close, and Morris was limited to heaters only to finish off the game. On a full count, Morris yanked a fastball into the ground to walk in the second run for the Red Sox. With the tying run on second, Shelton went to lefty Taylor Rogers to face the dangerous lefty Jarren Duran. Rogers got ahead 0-2, and for the sixth, seventh, eighth and ninth times on the evening the Red Sox got down to their final strike. This time, Rogers caught Duran looking on a top shelf sweeper. Duran challenged, but the Twins victory got "confirmed." Thank you homeplate umpire Jen Pawol for doing your job well, as the Twins didn't have a challenge left in the tank had you botched that call. Twins Territory owes you a $2 beer next time you come to Target Field! What’s Next? The Twins look to get out the brooms at Fenway for the first time since 2015. The Bearded Nightmare (5-2, 3.63 ERA) looks to keep the good times rolling in Bean Town. Facing Bailey Ober will be former Twins ace Sonny Gray (5-1, 2.93 ERA) who is 1-2 with a non-stellar 7.20 ERA against his former team since leaving via free agency after the 2023 season. First pitch is scheduled for 12:35pm CDT. Postgame Interviews Bullpen Usage Spreadsheet TUE WED THU FRI SAT TOT Gómez 0 36 0 13 0 49 Adams 19 0 0 29 0 48 Rojas 0 0 0 0 45 45 Morris 0 10 0 0 32 42 Banda 16 0 0 14 0 30 Orze 0 0 0 14 0 14 Rogers 0 0 0 0 6 6 Woods Richardson 0 0 0 0 0 0 View the full article

It was fun while it lasted — four rookies in the rotation. FOUR! But that bloated the rotation beyond the pentatonic standard, and one had to be farmed out. Transactions, 5/23/2026 GOING NEUTRAL COMING Demoted to Syracuse Transferred from Bullpen Promoted from Syracuse Starting Pitchers Relief Pitchers Zach Thornton Jonah Tong Jonathan Pintaro L/L DoB: 37273 High Level: MLB (2026) R/R DoB: 2003-06-19 High Level: MLB (2026) R/R DoB: 1997-11-07 High Level: MLB (2025) Seeing Zach Thornton go down is sub-optimal. The initial upside of it, however is that it creates rotation room for Jonah Tong — suggesting that his initial appearance out of the bullpen was a one-off. It wouldn't have been the first time that the quest for ever-more, ever-stronger bullpen has ensnared a top starting prospect. Tong even committed the cardinal sin of of doing well his first time out of the bullpen, which the likes of Grant Roberts, Aaron Heilman, Seth Lugo, and Robert Gsellman will tell you is the fastest way to lose control of the narrative. But the opening now is in the rotation. Hopefully, Jonah can plant his Canadian flag there, at least until Kodai Senga is ready to perform. Making his 2026 debut in the bullpen is Jonathan Pintaro. Jonathan's last name means painter in Italian and they painted it in Spanish and door in Ndebele, and he has been painting the back door nicely for Syracuse, with a 2.81 ERA and 32 strikeouts in 25 2/3 innings. I mean, we were hoping they'd call up Stan Musial, but he was apparently not available. 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 Tobias Myers Jonathan Pintaro Brooks Raley Austin Warren Luke Weaver R/R DoB: 1989-10-15 R/L DoB: 1992-02-01 R/R DoB: 1998-08-05 R/R DoB: 1997-11-07 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 MJ Melendez 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 L/R DoB: 1993-11-29 Infielders Outfielders Marcus Semien Mark Vientos Carson Benge A.J. Ewing Nick Morabito Juan Soto Tyrone Taylor R/R DoB: 1990-09-17 R/R DoB: 1993-12-11 L/R DoB: 2003-01-20 L/R DoB: 2004-08-10 R/R DoB: 2003-05-07 L/L DoB: 1998-10-25 R/R DoB: 1994-01-22 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 A.J. Minter Dedniel Núñez Dylan Ross Francisco Alvarez Francisco Lindor Ronny Mauricio R/R DoB: 1996-10-07 L/L DoB: 1993-09-02 R/R DoB: 1996-06-05 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. Jared Young S/R DoB: 1999-11-13 R/R DoB: 1997-08-03 L/R DoB: 1995-07-09 Designagted for Assignment Relief Pitchers Outfielders Craig Kimbrel Austin Slater R/R DoB: 1988-05-28 R/R DoB: 1992-12-13 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

The Twins welcomed an important piece back to their rotation on Saturday, activating Taj Bradley from the 15-day injured list ahead of Minnesota’s matchup against the Boston Red Sox. Bradley is projected to start on Saturday after missing just over two weeks with a pectoral issue. To clear a roster spot, the Twins designated veteran reliever Luis Garcia for assignment, marking another abrupt stop in what has become a turbulent 2026 season for the longtime right-hander. Bradley’s IL move was backdated to May 6, allowing the Twins to bring him back after only a slightly extended minimum stay. The organization appeared to take a cautious approach with the injury from the start, and Bradley only needed one rehab outing with Triple-A St. Paul before being deemed ready to return. Outside of the brief injury interruption, Bradley has been one of the steadier arms in Minnesota’s rotation this season. Through eight starts covering 47 innings, the 25-year-old owns a 2.87 ERA while striking out 26.1% of opposing hitters. His walk rate sits at 8.5%, a touch higher than ideal, though still manageable considering the swing-and-miss ability he brings to the mound. Advanced metrics suggest some regression could eventually come, as Bradley’s 3.48 FIP points to a little help from an elevated 84.3% strand rate. Even so, the Twins have gladly taken the production. With injuries testing the club’s pitching depth throughout the first two months of the season, Bradley has helped stabilize a rotation that has rarely been at full strength. Meanwhile, Garcia’s tenure with the Twins may already be finished. Minnesota signed the 39-year-old to a minor league contract after he was cut loose by the New York Mets in April. The Twins selected his contract not long after, hoping the veteran could provide innings in a taxed bullpen, but the results never materialized. Across nine appearances with Minnesota, Garcia struggled to a 10.38 ERA over 8 2/3 innings. Combining his time with both the Mets and Twins this year, he posted a 9.00 ERA with six walks and six strikeouts in 15 total innings. Financially, the move carries little risk for Minnesota. Garcia signed a one-year, $1.75 million contract with New York during the offseason, leaving the Mets responsible for nearly all of the remaining salary. The Twins only owed him a prorated portion of the league minimum while he occupied a spot on the active roster. Given both his performance and contract situation, Garcia appears likely to clear waivers. If that happens, free agency would probably be more appealing than accepting an outright assignment to Triple-A. Now, he heads back into roster limbo once again as the Twins continue searching for stability behind a pitching staff that has already been forced to absorb plenty of turnover this season. View the full article

Kaelen Culpepper exited Friday’s Saints game in the bottom of the first inning. While stealing second base, his helmet came off, bounced back, and hit him in the face. Culpepper’s lip was busted open, and the Saints' training staff couldn’t get the bleeding to stop. View the full article

Blue Jays Affiliate Overview (May 21-May 22) Triple-A Buffalo Bisons Series vs Syracuse Mets (New York Mets): 1-3 Season Record: 24-25 Double-A New Hampshire Fisher Cats Series vs Hartford Yard Goats (Colorado Rockies): 1-3 Season Record: 23-18 High-A Vancouver Canadians Series vs Spokane (Colorado Rockies): 2-2 Season Record: 18-25 Single-A Dunedin Blue Jays Series vs Fort Myers Mighty Mussels (Minnesota Twins): 2-2 Season Record: 17-26 FCL Blue Jays Week Record: 1-2 Season Record: 12-3 Triple-A Buffalo Bisons Season Record: 24-25 Series vs Syracuse Mets (New York Mets) May 21: Thursday's games against the Syracuse Mets really came down to whose bullpen flipped the worst. Buffalo was patient at the plate, walking 10 times in the game, and leading the way was Josh Kasevich. He would walk twice, have two singles, and score three times in the game. Charles McAdoo was also one of the big bats at the plate, knocking in three runs for the game. In the first inning, he started off his night with an RBI single, scoring RJ Schreck, who reached with a double. McAdoo got the lead back in the third inning, when he doubled home Kasevich and Schreck. Jonatan Clase extended the Buffalo lead to 4-2 in the fifth inning, with a big home run on a middle-middle fastball. With the game tied at four in the sixth inning, Brendon Little replaced CJ Van Eyk, as a runner was on first base. Little walked the first two batters he faced before hitting the third, allowing a run to cross home plate. After a strikeout, Ryan Clifford got a hold of a Little sinker and roped it for a bases-clearing double. Following another walk, Little was yanked with Buffalo in a huge hole. Pat Gallagher was almost as bad as Little, giving up three runs himself, in the bottom of the eighth. The Bisons would mount a little comeback, scoring four between the eighth and ninth innings, but the hole their bullpen dug was far too deep to climb out of, and Buffalo fell 12-8. May 22: Friday night's game was a much better display of pitching for Buffalo. Josh Fleming gave up a lot of hits (seven), but managed to work around them for the most part and make it into the fifth inning before being pulled. He would give up just two runs, both on sacrifice flies in the second and third innings. The runs would tie up the game, as Buffalo scored two in the top of the first, on a two-RBI double from Willie MacIver. The bullpen was magnificent in this one, combining to get 4.2 one-hit innings from Devereaux Harrison, Michael Plassmeyer, and Tanner Andrews. The performance was just enough to allow Buffalo to take the lead late in the game. In the eighth, Charles McAdoo launched his eighth home run of the season, a solo shot to left center. They added another run in the top of the ninth, on an RBI groundout by Josh Kasevich. Buffalo took a close game, 4-2, to begin their season record to 24-25. Double-A New Hampshire Season Record: 23-18 Series vs Hartford Yard Goats (Colorado Rockies) May 21: In the Thursday game between New Hampshire and Hartford, Gage Stanifer took the mound for the Fisher Cats and fired off his fourth start of zero or one earned runs in his last five games. He gave up three runs, though, and New Hampshire was having trouble with the bats. Stanifer went 4.2 innings, gave up three hits, only walked one, and struck out four. The first two runs scored on a home run by Bryant Betancourt, after an Arjun Nimmala errant throw on a routine ground ball extended the inning. It was the only bad pitch from Stanifer on the night. His lone walk should have been a strikeout as well, but a bad ball call ended Stanifer's night, and after he left, the first batter doubled in the run. Overall, Stanifer didn't have his best stuff, but his split/change was a key in this game and has been improving immensely. Offensively for New Hampshire, Jay Harry homered in the second inning, and Jackson Hornung did so in the eighth. Both weren't enough, though, as New Hampshire lost this one 6-2. May 22: Friday night was another rough night for New Hampshire as the bats seemed to have been slowing down recently. A Jorge Burgos home run in the third inning was the whole offense in the game for the Fisher Cats. Sean Keys got on base four times, with two hits and two walks, but the team only managed six hits and the lone run. Roc Riggio had the big hit for Hartford, a home run in the sixth inning. The Yard Goats would get to New Hampshire for eight runs over the third, fifth, and sixth innings. The Fisher Cats lost this one as well, this time 8-1. High-A Vancouver Season Record: 18-25 Series vs Spokane (Colorado Rockies) May 21: Landen Maroudis seems to have been figured out, as although the defense didn’t help him with a few errors, he gave up three homers on the night, with two coming in the third inning before being taken out after taking a comebacker. The Canadians were able to load the bases up the next inning, but all they could come up with was a bases-loaded walk for Brennan Orf. Gilberto Batista was the replacement for Maroudis and was solid, although he gave up another three runs in the fifth inning to make it 9-1 for Spokane. The Canadians showed some signs of life with a three-run homer from Jacob Sharp in the seventh inning, but they couldn’t surmount such a large lead, leading to another loss. May 22: The Canadians’ offense had an explosion, as the team combined for 15 runs on seven hits and 10 walks. Daniel Guerra was also excellent starting for Vancouver, going five shutout innings with six strikeouts. Juanmi Vasquez matched the strikeout total in just three one-hit innings, and then Trace Baker also brought the punchies with three of them himself. On the offensive end, there were huge games from Alexis Hernandez, who hit his sixth homer of the season with a grand slam to break the game open in the fifth inning. Dub Gleed and Maddox Latta both also hit homers on multi-hit nights, each being a three-run shot. The Canadians just ran away with this one thanks to that power surge on the night. Single-A Dunedin Season Record: 17-26 Series vs Fort Myers Mighty Mussels (Minnesota Twins) May 21, Game 1: The Dunedin Blue Jays just couldn’t close this game out. They went down early in the first inning as Silvano Hechavarria gave up a two-run shot in the first inning, adding on to his early-season woes, and then he gave up another two runs in the second inning to put the Jays behind. Blaine Bullard and Nathan Lukes cut the lead to two with two RBI-hits in the second inning, and in the fifth inning, the Jays were able to take the lead with a Lukes homer, a hard RBI single from Juan Sanchez, and then David Beckles had himself a two RBI double to make it six to four for the Jays. Newly signed Bradley Wilson could not hold the lead, however, as he gave up a two-run homer in the seventh inning to force the game to go to extras. Wilson struggled even more in extras, as the Mighty Mussels scored four runs in the eighth. Beckles had another big extra-base hit in the bottom of the eighth with a two-run homer, but the Jays could not score another run in a close loss. May 21, Game 2: It was another nailbiter in the second game of the doubleheader. Troy Guthrie and Matthew Dalquist both went five innings with four strikeouts, but Guthrie gave up two earned runs compared to Dalquist’s single earned run given up. Austin Smith then gave up a homer in the sixth inning, giving the Mighty Mussels a two-run lead heading into the bottom of the sixth inning. The Jays were able to get within one after a wild pitch scored Jake Cook, but they were still down heading into the final inning of the game. Dariel Ramon hit a single to put the tying run on base, and Raimundo De Los Santos drove him in on an RBI triple to even it up. Cook was on deck and drove in De Los Santos for a walk-off victory in another close one. May 22: Walk-off magic happened again, this time with the other speedy outfielder for the Dunedin Blue Jays. Karson Ligon returned from the 7-day IL, sitting 95 mph and striking out five batters. The Jays scored the first four runs of the game unanswered, and the Mighty Mussels were only able to get on the board in the seventh inning against Dylan Watts, who went four innings with three strikeouts. Josbel Garcia allowed a couple of base runners in the eighth inning after Watts was taken out, and gave up a three-run homer to Luis Fragoza, making it a one-run game. An error led to an unearned run scoring in the bottom of the ninth, and the Jays yet again headed into extra innings. FCL Blue Jays Season Record: 12-3 May 21: The FCL Blue Jays had their hitting shoes on for the Thursday game. They would pour in 12 hits, four walks, and 12 runs. They were doing damage with those hits as well, with the team hitting three home runs. Jean Joseph homered in the second, Sam White in the fifth, and Brock Tibbitts in the eighth inning. All of the starters had at least one hit, and Angel Guzman led the way with three of them. The FCL Blue Jays won this one 12-5. May 22: It was the opposite of the Thursday game for the FCL Blue Jays on Friday. They had seven hits, with two each from Angel Guzman, Franklin Rojas, and Andres Arias. Owen Gregg added a single as well, but the six singles and double from Rojas weren't good enough to score a run. The FCL Tigers scored two in the third inning and didn't look back in this one. They would add three more in the sixth inning, as the FCL Blue Jays lost easily, 5-0. View the full article

Kevin Alcántara is heading back to the big leagues. In a week where the Chicago Cubs have called up two of their top five prospects, their fifth-ranked farmhand is headed to Wrigley Field to try and prove himself yet again. Let’s break down what Alcántara has been up to, what he can provide a big-league club that’s aiming to snap a painful slump, and what a realistic outlook for this outfielder looks like. Context On The Jaguar The New York Yankees originally signed Alcántara out of the Dominican Republic back in 2018. He signed for one million dollars and was scouted as a young talent with a sky-high ceiling among that year’s international class. He came over to the Cubs as a part of the Anthony Rizzo trade in 2021, when the North Siders were embarking on a rebuild, and he’s become a flashy prospect in the upper levels of the minor leagues in recent years. Now, he gets the call to show off his skillset in the major leagues for the third time in as many years. Strengths For Alcántara’s strengths, his frame jumps off of the page right away. Standing at a slender 6-foot-6 and 188 pounds, the combination of power, speed and overall ability to make rangy plays fits the bill. His best attribute is a 60-grade fielding tool, as the lengthy D.R. native has is able to cover plenty of ground out there in the outfield. His next three attributes are all a 55-grade on the 20-to-80 scouting scale. The power has really come through to start Alcántara’s 2026 campaign. Through just 41 games in Triple-A Iowa, the ‘Jaguar’ has slugged 15 home runs, a mark that’s tied for the most in the International League. The strong righty also managed to register six doubles for what is one of his career-best tallies of a .906 OPS. The run-tool sits at a 55-grade as well, and while he’s never stolen more than 15 bases in a season, the ability to stretch a base hit the extra 90 feet, and to really challenge opposing arms, is there. Lastly, Alcántara’s arm has been on display too. Just like how his wiry frame allows for a naturally long swing path, he can whip the ball into the field, showcasing an ability to be a playmaker in multiple capacities. Competition And Weaknesses If this guy has so much power, and grades as a plus defender, then why has the fifth-ranked Cubs’ prospect been sent back down to Triple-A both times after getting to the Windy City? One reason is Chicago’s rather crowded outfield. Pete Crow-Armstrong just signed a long-term deal in center field. On top of the Gold Glover’s long-term future getting secured, Ian Happ has provided Gold Glove defense in left field, while Seiya Suzuki’s slugging has justified an everyday spot in the lineup, usually slotting him over in right field. Michael Conforto has also been hanging around a .300 batting average, and after some late-game heroics, he has found himself in right field a handful of times too. Along with Craig Counsell’s talented outfield, Alcántara has struggled mightily with strikeouts. It’s an issue that’s plagued him throughout his career, and his career-worst 30 percent strikeout rate in 2025 showed that the 23-year-old still has a pretty assertive approach. It’s been the same story to start this year, as the talented outfielder struck out 60 times in 41 Triple-A games despite the uptick in power numbers. Kevin Alcántara’s Outlook What happens with the ‘Jaguar’ this time around? There are a couple of factors at play. Ian Happ and Seiya Suzuki are both on contract years. Their play will determine the future of the outfield, but if Alcántara can showcase his raw skills at the major-league level and reels in his plate discipline, that could just as easily influence his immediate and long-term future with the big-league ball club. View the full article

Chicago Cubs Minor League Report - May 22 Affiliate Overview Triple-A Iowa Cubs Series vs. Memphis Redbirds (St. Louis Cardinals): Redbirds lead, 3-1 Season Record: 19–29 Double-A Knoxville Smokies Series vs. Montgomery Biscuits (Tampa Bay Rays): Biscuits lead, 2-0 Season Record: 21–20 High-A South Bend Cubs Series at West Michigan Whitecaps (Detroit Tigers): Cubs lead, 3-1 Season Record: 23–16 Single-A Myrtle Beach Pelicans Series at Kannapolis Cannon Ballers (Chicago White Sox): Cannon Ballers lead, 4-0 Season Record: 18–23 Affiliate Highlights Triple-A: Iowa Cubs Season Record: 19–29 Series Opponent: Memphis Redbirds (30–19) Series Standing: Trail, 3-1 May 22: The Iowa Cubs dropped Friday night’s contest to the Memphis Redbirds, 8-4, and have now lost 10 of their last 11 ballgames. The Redbirds plated five runs in their first trip to the plate but the Cubs were able to get two runs back in the bottom of the inning thanks to BJ Murray’s (2-for-4) two-run double. Murray then made it a 5-4 game in the second with a two-run single but Memphis would pull away with a run in the fourth and two more in the fifth to ease to the 8-4 win. Javier Assad got the start for Iowa and took the loss, falling to 0-1 on the season. Assad allowed five runs on six hits over 3 2/3 innings of work, walking two and striking out one. Luke Little worked two scoreless innings out of the bullpen, issuing one free pass. Double-A: Knoxville Smokies Season Record: 21–20 Series Opponent: Montgomery Biscuits (22–19) Series Standing: Trail, 2-0 May 22: The Knoxville Smokies had their game vs. the Montgomery Biscuits suspended in the bottom of the second, with the Smokies leading 1-0. The two teams will play a doubleheader tonight, with Friday’s game being played as a nine-inning contest with a seven-inning ballgame to follow. High-A: South Bend Cubs Season Record: 23–16 Series Opponent: West Michigan Whitecaps (14–19) Series Standing: Lead, 3-1 May 22: The South Bend Cubs claimed at least a series split with a 5-4 victory over the West Michigan Whitecaps on Friday night at LMCU Ballpark. The Whitecaps took the lead in the contest with a run in the first but the Cubs got that run right back in the second through Justin Stransky’s (1-for-4) RBI-double. Cameron Sisneros (1-for-4) gave South Bend its first lead of the game with an RBI-single in the fifth but West Michigan hit back with three runs in the home half of the frame to take a 4-2 lead. Kane Kepley (1-for-5) sparked the Cubs’ rally in the seventh by stealing home, his 24th stolen base of the campaign, and South Bend would tie the game on an error. Leonel Espinoza (2-for-5) would give the Cubs the lead for good with an RBI-single, capping a three-run frame. Adam Stone picked up the win in relief for South Bend to improve to 3-0 on the season. He tossed 1 2/3 scoreless frames and did not allow a hit but issued four walks. JP Wheat worked two shutout innings and struck out three to earn his third hold of the year and Ethan Bell pitched a scoreless ninth, striking out two, to earn his third save. Single-A: Myrtle Beach Pelicans Season Record: 18–23 Series Opponent: Kannapolis Cannon Ballers (22–21) Series Standing: Trail, 4-0 May 22: The Myrtle Beach Pelicans saw their losing skid hit six games as they dropped Friday night’s ballgame to the Kannapolis Cannon Ballers, 3-2. The two teams traded zeroes through the first three innings before Yahil Melendez (2-for-4) broke the deadlock with a two-run single in the fourth. After four scoreless innings from Pelicans starter Kaleb Wing, who struck out six batters, the Cannon Ballers would score all three of their runs in the fifth and would hold their lead until the end of the game. Jose Escobar (2-for-4) also tallied a multi-hit effort for Myrtle Beach and Jordan Henriquez worked two scoreless innings out of the bullpen, whiffing three. View the full article

The Minnesota Twins had limited options to choose from on the 40-man to replace Tristan Gray as he moves onto the paternity list for a short while. Royce Lewis and Matt Wallner had both been recently sent down, while outfield prospects Alan Roden and Emanuel Rodriguez are both injured. That left Hendry Mendez, recently called up to St. Paul from Wichita, and Gabriel Gonzalez, whom the Twins eventually called up. Gonzalez made his major-league debut on Friday night at Fenway, batting fifth in left field. Even though this figures to be a brief introduction, fans should be excited for the #10 prospect in the Twins system to hopefully provide some pop from the right-handed side of the plate, now and going forward. The 22-year-old played for three levels in the minor league system last year, moving from High-A to Triple-A with his longest stint being with Wichita in the middle of the chain. Gonzalez slashed .319/.378/.529 in 156 plate appearances at High-A before being promoted to Wichita, where he performed better, hitting .344/.429/.509 in 245 plate appearances. He wrapped up the year by earning another promotion to St. Paul, finishing with a slash line of .316/.358/.504 in 148 plate appearances with the Saints. Twins Daily’s Minor League Hitter of the Year for his overall performance last year, Gonzalez has begun 2026 with some struggles, earning a line of .216/.294/.392. He has been better as of late, riding a six-game hitting streak before his promotion. A few underlying metrics can be observed about Gonzalez to provide more context. His BABIP this season is very low at .231, so some bad luck may be involved. However, Gonzalez is also smacking the ball into the ground, possessing a GB rate of 48.5%. In addition to that, he is popping the ball up on the infield at a 17.8% rate. Lower those two numbers, and his overall production should start to tick back up to what we saw last year from the promising young Venezuelan. Flashing back a little further, Gonzalez was part of the Jorge Polanco trade with the Seattle Mariners in which the Twins also acquired the recently DFA’d Justin Topa, starter Anthony DeSclafani, and pitching prospect Darren Bowen. Topa was solid last year for the Twins, possessing a 3.90 ERA (3.04 FIP) in 60.0 innings pitched before blowing up this year to a tune of an 8.05 ERA (6.47 FIP). DeSclafani never pitched a game for the Twins due to injury and eventually moved on to the Diamondbacks last year. Bowen is now 25 and is down in Wichita, pitching to a 3.74 ERA through 21 ⅔ innings so far this year as a reliever. Despite the lackluster results from the rest of the package, Gonzalez has a legitimate chance to “win” this trade for the Twins. Given that Polanco was a pending free agent when he was traded and hit the open market (even though he resigned with the Mariners), he accounted for 1.3 bWAR in his first year in Seattle. Topa is the only player to crack the major league roster so far, and he’s been worth -0.1 bWAR over his three seasons. From that perspective, Gonzalez would only need 1.4 bWAR for the Twins to “break even”, and given his offensive production from last season, there are hopes he can do that with purely his bat. Gonzalez doesn’t play plus defense, but he can handle the corners and has been mixing in at first base this year as well, giving him another spot he could fit in if the Twins move on from a veteran near the deadline. While his initial run with the team may be short, Gonzalez has the talent to contribute strongly in the near future. While he struggled early at Triple-A this season, Gonzalez had been heating up before his promotion, and the underlying numbers suggest there is still plenty of reason for optimism. His combination of bat-to-ball skills and emerging power gives the Twins another young, intriguing option that can come up and play multiple positions. For a team that has struggled this year at first base and in right field when Wallner was there, Gonzalez could play himself into a more consistent big-league role later in the year if he performs in his first chance with the Twins. No matter how long the call-up lasts for, fans should view Gonzalez as one of the important young hitters in the organization and the key piece to achieving the perceived value obtained for Jorge Polanco back in 2024. View the full article

Boston Red Sox Minor League Recap (May 22) Triple-A Worcester Red Sox Series vs. Rochester Red Wings (Washington Nationals): 0-4 Season Record: 23-24 After starting the season hot, the WooSox fell below .500 as they lost their fourth straight. It was a woeful day on the mound for the entirety of Worcester’s pitching staff. Jack Anderson started the game and let up six runs off nine hits over just three innings. Seth Martinez took over in the fourth and was only marginally better. He allowed three more runs and walked two despite collecting four strikeouts over two and ⅔ innings. Wyatt Olds took the next inning and ⅓, putting together the best outing of the day. He allowed just one baserunner via a hit, and struck out four more. However, Tommy Kahnle still took over in the eighth despite Olds’ dominance. Kahnle was good, however, allowing three baserunners as he prevented any further damage. To close out the game, Worcester brought in catcher Nathan Hickey, who let up three more runs as Rochester put the game way out of reach. Just like on the mound, Worcester was downright miserable at the plate. The WooSox recorded just three hits and drew six walks. The lone run came on a Braiden Ward single that drove in Max Ferguson in the fifth inning. Worcester never really had a chance to come back as they fell for the seventh time in their last eight contests. Double-A Portland Sea Dogs Series vs. Reading Fightin Phils (Philadelphia Phillies): 4-0 Season Record: 21-21 Portland won 2-1 as they fought back to .500. John Holobetz has had a mixed bag of recent outings, but he settled in on Friday and pitched six scoreless innings. He lowered his ERA to 4.06 as he struck out six and allowed five hits, recovering from a turbulent start to the month. Caleb Bolden earned a hold for his two innings of relief work. He allowed one run and two hits, but struck out four. To complete the solid day on the bump for Portland, Reidis Sena allowed a walk in his one-inning appearance. He earned the save for his efforts, striking out two of the four batters he faced. Franklin Arias led the way for Portland at the plate with perhaps his best hitting performance so far this season. He led off the bottom of the first with a solo home run, his ninth of the year. Then, in the fifth inning, he hit his second home run of the night and tenth on the year. He made up the entirety of the Sea Dogs offense, collecting three hits as he bumped his average to .341. Overall, Portland was 0-for-7 with RISP and left eight runners on base. In the end, however, it didn’t matter as they eked out the win behind Arias’s outstanding game. High-A Greenville Drive Series @ Frederick Keys (Baltimore Orioles): 1-1 Season Record: 16-25 Friday’s doubleheader was postponed due to inclement weather. It was the second forced cancellation in a row and makeup information has not yet been provided. Low-A Salem RidgeYaks Series @ Hill City Howlers (Cleveland Guardians): 2-2 Season Record: 19-24 Following the postponement of Thursday’s game, Salem and Hill City split a doubleheader on Friday. Jason Gilman started the first game of the afternoon for Salem and turned in four and ⅔ innings of great work. He allowed two hits and one unearned run as he stalled the Howlers’ offense. He punched out five batters and walked two. Jay Allmer took the final two and ⅓ innings of the seven inning contest in his first appearance since being demoted from High-A Greenville. He spun an excellent outing, allowing a hit and a walk but striking out three and slamming the door on any sort of comeback effort. It was a slow game for Salem at the plate. The RidgeYaks reached base only eight times and went 1-for-6 with RISP. However, they were able to prevail behind the efforts of Givian Sirvania who made his first start since being activated from the FCL Red Sox. He helped Salem take the lead early with a two-RBI double in the second inning. In the seventh inning, with a one-run edge, Avinson Pinto put the game away with his second homer of the season. In the second game of the day, Jose Bello put together an excellent start of his own. He lowered his season ERA to 2.82, allowing three hits and one unearned run through five and ⅔ innings. He K’d three and allowed one walk. Nicolas De La Cruz started the seventh inning with the game tied 1-1. Despite sitting down five on strikes, he allowed five walks as he struggled with command. In the eighth, Hill City walked off Salem with a bases loaded single to split the doubleheader. It was an even slower second game for Salem at the dish. They recorded just seven baserunners this time around and went an abysmal 0-for-8 with RISP. The lone run game on a Skylar King groundout with men on the corners and no outs. Kleyver Salazar and Stanley Tucker each recorded two hits, but the rest of the team was silent in the hits column. View the full article

Brooklyn's Frank Camarillo delivered a Quality Start with three strikeouts as the Cyclones routed Hudson Valley 10-3. In Single-A, Jamari Baylor's leadoff homer in the bottom of the ninth lifted St. Lucie to a 7-6 walk-off win, with Jose Chirinos striking out ten across 5 1/3 innings of relief. Nick Lorusso homered in Binghamton's 10-5 loss to Richmond, while the Syracuse bullpen surrendered late runs in a 4-2 defeat to Buffalo. Mets Transactions New York Mets sent RHP Kodai Senga on a rehab assignment to St. Lucie Mets. New York Mets designated RHP Craig Kimbrel for assignment. New York Mets sent RF Austin Slater outright to Syracuse Mets. New York Mets recalled RHP Jonah Tong from Syracuse Mets. Syracuse Bats Quiet After Early Rally In Loss To Buffalo The Syracuse Mets dropped a 4-2 decision to the Buffalo Bisons at home, picking up eight hits but leaving eight runners on base. Jared Young and Kevin Parada each finished 2-for-4, with Young doubling and scoring a run. Eric Wagaman added a single and drew a walk, Jihwan Bae went 1-for-4 with a run scored, and Yonny Hernández contributed an RBI and a stolen base. Cleanup hitter Ryan Clifford drove in a run on a sacrifice fly. Daniel Duarte allowed two runs on one hit and two walks across one inning, striking out two. Buffalo opened the scoring in the first on a two-run double. The Mets answered in the second on a Bae single, a Parada single that pushed Bae to third, and a Hernández sacrifice fly to center that brought him home. They tied the game in the third when Young singled, advanced on a Wagaman single, and scored on Clifford's sacrifice fly to right. That was all Syracuse would muster. Ofreidy Gómez, Ben Simon, and Zach Peek combined for five scoreless innings out of the bullpen, but Cionel Pérez surrendered a solo home run in the eighth that broke the tie and stuck him with the loss. Buffalo tacked on an insurance run in the ninth off Alex Carrillo on a fielder's choice. The Mets went quietly the rest of the way, with the late bullpen lapses overshadowing the strong middle relief work. Player AB R H RBI BB K Christian Arroyo 5 0 1 0 0 1 Jared Young 4 1 2 0 0 0 Eric Wagaman 3 0 1 0 1 0 Ryan Clifford 3 0 0 1 0 2 Andy Ibáñez 4 0 1 0 0 1 Ji Hwan Bae 4 1 1 0 0 1 Cristian Pache 3 0 0 0 1 0 Kevin Parada 4 0 2 0 0 0 Yonny Hernández 2 0 0 1 1 0 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Daniel Duarte 1.0 1 2 2 2 2 0 Ben Simon 1.0 1 0 0 2 0 0 Zach Peek 2.0 1 0 0 1 2 0 Ofreidy Gómez 2.0 1 0 0 0 2 0 Cionel Pérez (L) 1 2/3 2 1 1 0 3 1 Alex Carrillo 1 1/3 0 1 1 2 1 0 Lorusso Homers But Rumble Ponies Fall In Richmond The Binghamton Rumble Ponies dropped a 10-5 game in Richmond, undone by a bad start on the mound that left them trailing 7-1 after five innings. Nick Lorusso powered the offense with a 2-for-5 night that included a two-run home run, two runs scored, two RBIs, and a stolen base. Jose Ramos went 1-for-2 with two runs, an RBI, and three walks. Wyatt Young chipped in with a 2-for-3 effort and an RBI, and Jacob Reimer drew three walks and scored a run. Eli Serrano III added a double. The Rumble Ponies took eight walks but left ten runners on base. Starter Jordan Geber gave up three runs, only one earned, on two hits and three walks over three innings, with two strikeouts. The defense did not help him, as a second-inning sacrifice fly turned into a two-run play after a Jose Ramos throwing error from center field. Things unraveled in the middle innings, with the Flying Squirrels stringing together three runs in the fifth on a double, a groundout, and a wild pitch to push the lead to 7-1. The Rumble Ponies added two more in the eighth on an RBI lineout from TT Bowens and a sacrifice fly from Young, but the hole proved too deep. Jefry Yan was the bright spot in relief, striking out four over two scoreless innings. Player AB R H RBI BB K Marco Vargas 5 0 0 0 0 1 Chris Suero 4 0 0 0 1 1 Jacob Reimer 2 1 0 0 3 0 Eli Serrano III 5 0 1 0 0 3 Jose Ramos 2 2 1 1 3 0 Nick Lorusso 5 2 2 2 0 1 Jaylen Palmer 2 0 0 0 1 1 TT Bowens 4 0 0 1 0 2 Wyatt Young 3 0 2 1 0 0 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Jordan Geber (L) 3.0 2 3 1 3 2 0 Gabriel Rodriguez 1.0 1 2 2 3 0 0 Carlos Guzman 1.0 4 3 3 0 1 0 Jefry Yan 2.0 0 0 0 1 4 0 Wyatt Young 1.0 3 2 2 1 0 1 Cyclones Erupt For Ten Runs Behind Camarillo's Quality Start The Brooklyn Cyclones rolled past the Hudson Valley Renegades 10-3 at home, riding nine walks to a comfortable win. Yonatan Henriquez led the way at 3-for-5 with a double, a run, and an RBI. John Bay went 2-for-5 with two runs, an RBI, and a stolen base, while JT Benson and Daiverson Gutierrez each drove in a run, the latter adding a walk. Leadoff hitter Mitch Voit walked, was hit by a pitch, swiped a bag, scored a run, and drove one in on a sacrifice fly. Corey Collins reached base four times with three walks and an RBI on a fielder's choice. Brooklyn left eight runners on base. Starter Frank Camarillo turned in a Quality Start, going six innings and allowing two runs on four hits and one walk with three strikeouts. He gave up one home run and earned the win, his first of the season. After Hudson Valley took a 1-0 lead in the fourth, the Cyclones answered with four runs in the bottom of the inning. John Bay stole second to set up Voit scoring on a throwing error, Gutierrez tied the game with an RBI groundout, Henriquez singled home Collins, and a balk during the next at-bat brought Henriquez home for a 4-1 lead. The game broke open in the eighth, when Brooklyn pushed across five runs. A Roselli fielder's choice scored Benson on a throwing error, Voit's sacrifice fly brought home Biller, Bay singled in another, and a fielding error allowed two more to cross. Adbert Alzolay, Joe Jacques, and Garrett Stratton finished things out from the bullpen. Player AB R H RBI BB K Mitch Voit 2 1 0 1 1 1 John Bay 5 2 2 1 0 1 Corey Collins 2 1 0 1 3 1 Daiverson Gutierrez 4 0 0 2 1 0 Yonatan Henriquez 5 1 3 1 0 2 JT Benson 5 1 1 0 0 3 Sam Biller 3 1 0 0 0 2 Nick Roselli 3 2 0 0 1 2 Diego Mosquera 1 1 0 0 3 1 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Frank Camarillo (W) 6.0 4 2 2 1 3 1 Adbert Alzolay 1.0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Joe Jacques 1.0 3 1 1 0 2 1 Garrett Stratton 1.0 1 0 0 1 1 0 Baylor's Walk-Off Homer Lifts St. Lucie Past Palm Beach Jamari Baylor crushed a leadoff home run in the bottom of the ninth to give the St. Lucie Mets a 7-6 walk-off win over the Palm Beach Cardinals. Chase Meggers was the catalyst all night, going 3-for-4 with two doubles, a home run, three runs scored, and an RBI. Leadoff hitter Elian Peña singled twice and drove in a run, Randy Guzman went 2-for-3 with a run scored, and Branny De Oleo provided a solo homer in the seventh. Cleanup hitter Yohairo Cuevas walked and scored. Baylor finished 1-for-3 with the game-winning shot. Starter Kodai Senga, on a rehab assignment from New York, allowed two runs on four hits and one walk over 3 1/3 innings, striking out two. He surrendered the Cardinals' first runs in the third on a pair of singles and was pulled in the fourth after another run scored on a bases-loaded walk. Jose Chirinos answered the call with 5 1/3 innings of one-run relief, scattering three hits and three walks while striking out ten. St. Lucie chipped away through the middle innings, with Meggers homering in the fifth and De Oleo and Jeremy Rodriguez producing in the seventh to push the lead to 6-3. The Cardinals stormed back in the ninth, plating three runs on two singles and a balk against Miguel Mejias to tie the game at six. Baylor ended it on the first pitch of the bottom of the ninth, sending one to left-center for his third home run of the year. Player AB R H RBI BB K Elian Peña 4 0 2 1 0 1 Jeremy Rodriguez 3 0 0 1 0 1 Randy Guzman 3 1 2 0 0 1 Yohairo Cuevas 2 1 0 0 1 1 Julio Zayas 4 0 0 0 0 1 AJ Salgado 2 0 0 0 2 1 Branny De Oleo 4 1 1 1 0 2 Chase Meggers 4 3 3 1 0 1 Jamari Baylor 3 1 1 1 0 0 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Kodai Senga 3 1/3 4 2 2 1 2 0 Jose Chirinos 5 1/3 3 1 1 3 10 0 Miguel Mejias (W) 1/3 2 3 3 2 0 0 Top-20 Prospect Performance Carson Benge: DNP A.J. Ewing: DNP Jonah Tong: DNP Elian Peña: 2-for-4, RBI, K Jack Wenninger: DNP Ryan Clifford: 0-for-3, RBI, 2 K Jacob Reimer: 0-for-2, 3 BB, R Nick Morabito: DNP Mitch Voit: 0-for-2, BB, RBI, K, SB Jonathan Santucci: DNP Chris Suero: 0-for-4, BB, K Zach Thornton: DNP Wandy Asigen: DNP Will Watson: DNP Eli Serrano III: 1-for-5, 2B, 3 K Randy Guzman: 2-for-3, R, K Ryan Lambert: DNP Dylan Ross: DNP Antonio Jimenez: DNP R.J. Gordon: DNP View the full article

After suffering multiple injuries to their pitching staff early in the season, the San Diego Padres hoped Griffin Canning's return from the injured list would help round out the back of their rotation. However, after missing the second half of last season with a ruptured left Achilles, Canning has struggled to find his footing, posting a 9.00 ERA through his first four starts. Known throughout his career as a pitcher who generates ground balls by attacking the lower part of the strike zone, he has struggled with his command this season. The issue was most noticeable in his third appearance against the Milwaukee Brewers, when he gave up six runs in 1 2/3 innings, which included walking four straight batters in the first inning. This season, he is walking hitters at a career-high 13.3% rate, and spotting pitches in the strike zone only 43.2% of the time, a drop from his previous career low of 43.9% during his rookie season. Although these numbers do call for some concern, Canning has not been entirely ineffective. Despite a slow start, he is still generating a career-high 10.69 K/9 while allowing a career-low 6.3% barrel rate. That's a promising sign that he can be more efficient with better location. Plus, the underlying metrics suggest that while Canning has struggled, his face-value stats may be a little inflated. The most notable difference is the gap between his ERA and his expected stats. He has allowed 16 runs through four starts, but carries an expected ERA of 4.06 and 3.94 xFIP, suggesting his performances have been closer to league average than his ERA indicates. His most recent start against the Los Angeles Dodgers definitely supported this narrative. Against the Dodgers, he allowed a two-run home run to Freddie Freeman in the first inning before settling in and giving up just two hits and one run over his last four innings of work. To improve, he needs to fix his changeup more than anything. Before his injury, Canning’s approach relied heavily on a four-seam fastball and slider combination, with an effective changeup that could force batters into off-balance swings. Last season, opponents hit just .196 against the pitch, and it produced a +6 run value, leading to Canning choosing to rely on it more. Once his third-most-used pitch, the changeup has become the primary pitch in his arsenal, deploying it 32.9% of the time, but not to the results he was expecting. This season, the changeup has gone from a strength to a weakness, with opponents having a .423 batting average and .500 slugging percentage against the pitch, and its run value has dropped to -3, the lowest in his arsenal. Canning is locating his changeup in the strike zone just 38.5% of the time, down from 53.2% last season. But early struggles do not necessarily mean the pitch should be abandoned. Despite the poor results, the changeup is still generating a 33.3% whiff rate and a 33.9% chase rate, both improvements from last season. Normally, Canning has used the changeup low or below the zone to generate whiffs or soft contact. But this season, opposing hitters are making more contact when they do swing. His opponents' O-contact rate against the pitch has risen from 48.1% to 55.3%, indicating that while batters are still chasing, they are also having better results when they do make contact. Control is normally the thing to return last when a pitcher returns from a long layoff, as Canning is after a season-ending Achilles injury in June of 2025. With more reps, he should be able to attack the zone more frequently. If the rest of his results are to be believed that could unlock something for the Padres. View the full article

Despite an extremely competitive National League Central and a wave of injuries that threatened to derail the season before it ever gained momentum, the Milwaukee Brewers have once again climbed to the top of the division standings. Now sitting with the fourth-best record in baseball, Milwaukee has leaned on its trademark pitching development, timely hitting, and organizational depth to weather the storm. But with the trade deadline approaching and the postseason picture beginning to take shape, the Brewers still have clear areas where they can improve. Whether it’s reinforcing the bullpen internally or giving a top prospect such as Jett Williams or Cooper Pratt an opportunity to spark the lineup, Milwaukee is in a position not only to hold first place but to become an even more dangerous contender down the stretch. The Brewers Bullpen Even with the Brewers now atop the division, the bullpen remains one of the biggest areas to monitor as the season progresses. Inconsistent performances from former All-Star Trevor Megill and an injury to Angel Zerpa, acquired over the offseason in the Isaac Collins trade, have left a group led in appearances by Aaron Ashby, Abner Uribe, and Grant Anderson. While that trio has managed to stabilize things for stretches, Milwaukee still lacks the consistency and proven late-inning depth that championship contenders typically rely on entering October. The Brewers could choose to address those concerns externally at the deadline, but they may also look internally toward younger arms capable of stepping into higher-leverage roles as the season unfolds. There are multiple arms on the 40-man roster who could play into the configuration of the bullpen later in the year, such as Brian Fitzpatrick, Easton McGee, Carlos Rodriguez, and Craig Yoho, the Brewers’ no. 27 prospect according to MLB.com. All those arms besides Yoho have made appearances with the Brewers already this season, and the hope is that one, if not more, can provide quality innings for the Brewers as the summer unfolds. Injuries are a part of baseball, and given that the Brewers will need to have arms ready to go from Nashville. Yoho is the most intriguing of that option with his 70-grade changeup, and so far for the Sounds, he’s had good results with a 1.38 ERA in 13 innings pitched, though that comes with an ungainly 4.60 FIP. He's striking out a little over 32% of the batters he's facing. Yoho started the season on the injured list with a right calf strain, so some more appearances would be nice before seeing some MLB action, especially given his struggles in the big leagues last year. Craig Yoho, per Prospect Savant If even one or two of those internal options emerge as reliable contributors, the Brewers could avoid overpaying for bullpen help at the deadline while continuing to lean on the organizational pitching depth that has defined their success in recent years. Furthermore, if one breaks out in a big way, there could be an opportunity for late-inning work later in the year. Third Base & Shortstop Early struggles from the left side of the infield could cause top prospects such as Williams or Pratt to move up. Both are heating up as of late: Williams is slashing .321/.473/.589 in May, while the recently extended Pratt is hitting .226/.333/.468. Luis Rengifo (47 wRC+), Joey Ortiz, (59 wRC+), and David Hamilton (88 wRC+) have all struggled offensively this year. Rengifo would likely be the first man out, given Hamilton’s speed and Ortiz’s defense, and it should be a move the Brewers consider if all these players continue their hardships at the plate. Williams would require a 40-man roster move and would likely slot in at third base, while Pratt is on the 40-man and would be a shortstop at the major league level. Neither prospect is guaranteed to immediately solve Milwaukee’s offensive inconsistencies, but both would inject upside and energy into a lineup that has leaned heavily on its pitching staff for much of the season. If the Brewers remain in first place as the trade deadline approaches, promoting one of their young infielders could be viewed as an aggressive but necessary step toward raising the ceiling of the roster for the second half. Jett Williams, per Prospect Savant Cooper Pratt, per Prospect Savant As the summer pushes toward the trade deadline at the beginning of August, the Brewers find themselves in a delicate position: leading a competitive division while still carrying clear areas for improvement. Their success to this point has been built on pitching depth, organizational flexibility, and timely contributions from unexpected sources, but sustaining that formula into October and pushing past where they’ve been in the past will require continued evolution. Whether Milwaukee chooses to lean on its internal pipeline of arms and infield talent or supplement the roster externally, the path forward is centered on maximizing the roster’s upside without disrupting the identity that has carried them this far. If the Brewers can successfully thread that needle, they could evolve into one of the most complete and dangerous teams in the National League. Not to say that they aren’t already, but next steps need to be taken to reach the ultimate goal. View the full article

David Hamilton was part of a complex trade between the Milwaukee Brewers and Boston Red Sox heading into this season. In that deal, the Brewers received Hamilton, Shane Drohan, and one of the better starters in MLB this year in Kyle Harrison. In this video, fresh off his little league three-run home run, we'll dive into what makes Hamilton special and how he can positively impact Pat Murphy's squad going forward. View the full article

While the Twins have had no shortage of highly-touted prospects, the hit rate has been far below where you'd like to see. Do the Twins, as an organization, have a development problem?View the full article

Max Meyer entered the 2026 season with a chip on his shoulder, and then some. A former third overall draft pick in 2020, Meyer's career to that point had largely been one of unrealized expectations and disappointment. Among a sample of 479 pitchers to throw at least 125 innings from 2022 through 2025, Meyer's 82 ERA+ kept company with the likes of Kyle Gibson and Meyer's recently released former teammate, Chris Paddack. So, as the 2026 season dawned, it was time for Meyer to put up or shut up and accept a long-term role as a reliever. Ten starts into the season, Meyer is doing the former, posting a 2.85 ERA and averaging north of 10 K/9. But what's the reason for the Max Meyer breakout? One good place to start is Meyer's pitch mix, more specifically, the redistribution of his arsenal. In his first extended period at the Major League level in 2024, Meyer was essentially a two-pitch pitcher, throwing his four-seam fastball and slider a combined 80.2 percent of the time. This predictability explains why Meyer's early career was riddled with inconsistency. Come 2025, Meyer ramped up the usage of his sweeper (+11.4 percent) and sinker (+11.8 percent), throwing his lead fastball just north of 22 percent of the time. The results, while still underwhelming a la a 4.73 ERA, marked an improvement over the 5.68 he posted the previous calendar year. Sensing a trend here? By diversifying his arsenal, Meyer has gradually become far less predictable to big-league hitters, with the 2026 Max Meyer model the best example to date. Meyer is throwing his slider and sweeper 28.5 and 24.6 percent of the time, respectively, while his four-seam fastball usage has held steady year-over-year at 23 percent. The theoretical modus operandi for Meyer here: lean into your strengths, and Meyer's strengths are his ability to spin the baseball. Through 10 starts, the 27-year-old's breaking ball duo ranks in the 98th percentile in run value, per Savant. Collectively, the league is 22 for 114 (.192) against said offerings against Meyer, with his slider garnering whiffs in nearly half of the swings against (44.5 percent). The year-over-year changes in Meyer's sweeper, though, may be the most startling. Among pitchers to throw at least 100 sweepers in 2025, Meyer's .368 opponent's batting average against ranked seventh-worst among 170 qualifiers. Fast forward to 2026, and Meyer's .217 average against said offering is now 36th best, with Meyer being one of just 11 pitchers with at least 25 plate appearances this season to fan at least 40 percent of hitters ending on a sweeper. Below, you'll see Meyer inducing one of those strikeouts while facing another 2026 breakout player, St. Louis' Jordan Walker. The continued backing off of his four-seamer—a pitch that scouts were skeptical of while Meyer was still a prospect— has too yielded better output against. There have been decreases of 126 points in batting average and 225 points in slugging percentage against from 2025. Because of this, Meyer's four-seamer has graded out as an above-average pitch (plus-1 run value) for the first time in his big league career. And while the version of Meyer we have seen thus far is the best yet, he is not completely out of the woods of speculation. While we noted Meyer as sporting a sub-3.00 ERA to this point, his xERA (Expected Earned Run Average) of 4.08 suggests there may be luck at play via exit velocity and launch angle. That being said, the 90.1 mph average exit velocity against Meyer is his best in any of the three seasons where he's made at least 10 starts. Batter launch angle, however, currently sits at a career-high 13.7 degrees, as does his 35 LA-Sweet Spot % (Launch Angle-Sweet Spot), while also allowing soft contact at the lowest clip of his career (2.1%). At the very least, it's fair to say that Meyer has shown himself worthy of a spot in a big league starting rotation. That alone constitutes a win for the organization given what the dreary outlook for him was mere months ago. View the full article