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Boston Red Sox Weekly Snapshot Record Last Week: 2-4 Runs Scored Last Week: 11 Runs Surrendered Last Week: 19 Standings: 5th in AL East 11.5 GB First Place Transactions: 05/15/26: Red Sox sent LHP Danny Coulombe on a rehab assignment to Portland Sea Dogs. 05/15/26: Red Sox recalled 1B Nick Sogard from Worcester Red Sox. 05/15/26: Red Sox placed SS Trevor Story on the 10-day injured list, retroactive to May 15, 2026. Sports hernia. Scores: Game 40 (05/12): BOS 1, PHI 2 Game 41 (05/13): BOS 3, PHI 1 Game 42 (05/14): BOS 1, PHI 3 Game 43 (05/15): BOS 2, ATL 3 Game 44 (05/16): BOS 3, ATL 2 Game 45 (05/17): BOS 1, ATL 8 Series Breakdown/Highlights Phillies Series: Much like every other series this season, the Phillies series was defined by stellar starts from the Red Sox that couldn’t be backed up with any sort of offense. Time and time again, Boston had opposing pitchers on the ropes with runners in scoring position and they failed to capitalize. Maybe the biggest flaw in the Red Sox’s offensive approach is that they can’t get deep into counts. In the first game of this series they saw a combined 16 pitches through the first three innings against Zack Wheeler, who is still working his way back from a medical procedure and isn’t quite the pitcher the Phillies need him to be. In game two, the Red Sox managed to ride Sonny Gray’s best start of the season to a win, thanks in large part to some excellent defense from Willson Contreras and Marcelo Mayer. Ranger Suarez shoved in his return to action against his former club, tossing 5 ⅓ innings with eight strikeouts, one walk, and zero earned runs. Wilyer Abreu also kept his hot streak against left-handed pitching going against the Phillies. Maybe the best thing to happen during this part of the week was when Garrett Crochet began throwing off a mound. Braves Series: The series against the Braves was more of the same, except for terrible starting pitching in the rubber match on Sunday. Why the decision to abandon the opener for Brayan Bello was made is something that will be discussed for the next few days as the club looks to rebound, but it’s obvious he’s not cut out for a full starter’s role at this point in the season. Connelly Early and Payton Tolle both got tagged by Drake Baldwin to start games one and two, but they settled in nicely. As it currently stands, the two rookies are the brightest spots of the Red Sox’s rotation. They carry themselves like veterans and have an infectious energy each time they step on the mound. Game one ended in an extra-inning walk-off for the Braves, but the Red Sox were mostly in it despite some defensive miscues from Caleb Durbin at the hot corner. Game two saw Tolle toss eight innings of three strikeout baseball, but the defense behind him picked him up and made sure he secured the win. Game three was over by the end of the first inning. In other news, Trevor Story landed on the injured list with a sports hernia during this series. Website Highlights Payton Tolle Has Earned A Long-Term Spot In the Red Sox’s Rotation by Nick John The Red Sox Are One of Baseball’s Fastest Teams, but Gosh Are They Bad At Manufacturing Runs by Maddie Landis Red Sox must Balance Andruw Monasterio’s Bat & Glove Following Trevor Story’s Injury by Gottie Chavez Wilyer Abreu Has Covered Up His Greatest Weakness This Season by Alex Mayes Looking Ahead May 18: Red Sox (Sonny Gray) @ Royals (Seth Lugo): 7:40 PM EDT May 19: Red Sox (Ranger Suarez) @ Royals (Kris Bubic): 7:40 PM EDT May 20: Red Sox (Connelly Early) @ Royals (Michael Wacha): 7:40 PM EDT May 22: Twins @ Red Sox: 7:10 PM EDT May 23: Twins @ Red Sox: 4:10 PM EDT May 24: Twins @ Red Sox: 1:35 PM EDT View the full article

A few notable prospect names have moved up the Twins system over the last week. One of note is Yasser Mercedes, who finally moved on from Single-A to High-A Cedar Rapids after two full seasons in Fort Myers. Jamie and Jeremy break down his hot start and ask if it can be sustained with the Kernels. View the full article

San Diego Padres Weekly Snapshot Record last week: 4-2 Runs scored last week: 25 Runs allowed last week: 21 Standings Scores Off Game 41 (Tuesday): Brewers 6, Padres 4 Game 42 (Wednesday): Padres 3, Brewers 1 Game 43 (Thursday): Brewers 7, Padres 1 Game 44 (Friday): Padres 2, Mariners 0 Game 45 (Saturday): Padres 7, Mariners 4 Game 46 (Sunday): Padres 8, Mariners 3 Week in Review and Highlights Brewers series Game 1: It what could very well be his last game in a Padres uniform, right-hander Matt Waldron didn't make a very strong statement to keep him around. In fact, it was just the opposite. Waldron coughed up six runs in 2⅔ innings as the Padres fell to the Milwaukee Brewers 6-4. With Lucas Giolito set to join the roster this weekend, Waldron is the easy choice to be replaced in the rotation. In five games, including three starts and following an opener the last two outings, Waldron has amassed a 9.28 ERA. Waldron has no minor-league options remaining, which means he is likely to be designated for assignment and potentially be claimed by another team. He could stick around if he goes unclaimed and accepts being outrighted to the minors. Coming in after right-hander Bradgley Rodriguez served as his opener again, Waldron pitched a scoreless second and gave up a run in the third on a rare Joey Ortiz homer. But it was the fourth inning where Waldron came undone. After the Friars took a 2-1 lead in the top half on a two-run Nick Castellanos single, the Brewers pieced together a five-run outburst via hard hits, soft hits, a walk and pressuring Waldron into a fielding faux pas en route to a 6-2 lead. Meanwhile, the Padres' bats were kept off-balance by Brewers rookie right-hander Brandon Sproat, who allowed three runs on six hits in 5⅓ innings, striking out six and walking two. Sproat was lifted after giving up a solo homer to Miguel Andujar, his third of the season, and a single to Xander Bogaerts. The Padres put together a rally in the eighth inning as Fernando Tatis Jr. had a leadoff single and went to second on a wild pitch. One out later, Andujar doubled home Tatis, but Bogaerts and Ty France struck out to and the threat. Game 2: For the second time in three games, the Padres entered the ninth inning with zero runs. And for the second time in three games, the Padres were victorious because of ninth-inning rallies. After scoring twice in the bottom of the ninth Sunday and winning in the 10th vs. the St. Louis Cardinals, the Padres turned to late-inning hero Gavin Sheets once again and he delivered a dramatic three-run homer with two outs in the top of the ninth for a 3-1 victory. For Sheets, it was his third homer in the ninth inning of at least three runs that put his team ahead. There have only been a total of four in all of MLB, including Sheets' trio. It was the 13th comeback win in 42 games, including an MLB-best five from a deficit of four or more runs, and 25th win of the season, keeping the Friars atop the NL West. In the ninth, Tatis and Manny Machado were retired by Brewers closer Abner Uribe to begin the frame. Andujar got things going with a single to center and was replaced by pinch-runner Bryce Johnson. Bogaerts drew a walk on a 3-2 pitch, bringing up Sheets, who went out an got an 87.6 mph slider on the outside corner and at the top of the zone, yanking it into the right-field stands for the go-ahead homer and his sixth blast of the year. The Padres have scored 38 runs in the ninth inning or later, the most in MLB. Before the ninth, it was a pitching duel. Michael King kept the Brewers off the board until an RBI groundout in the fifth inning. King would finish with 5⅔ innings, allowing six hits and two runs with five strikeouts. It was King's fifth start this year (nine total) of allowing one or fewer runs. But as good as King was, Brewers right-hander Jacob Misiorowski was even better. The flamethrower struck out 10 in seven shutout innings, allowing just four hits. Misiorowski threw 40 pitches at more than 100 mph. Sheets' blast gave Mason Miller a save opportunity. Following scoreless outings by right-handers Jeremiah Estrada and Jason Adam, Miller gave up a hit, but struck out two to secure his 13th save in as many chances. Game 3: The Padres have come back so many times this season that when the Friars fell behind 6-0 after two innings in the series finale, you had to think there was plenty of time to erase that deficit. But not on this occasion. Right-handed starter Griffin Canning struggled for the first time in his three starts since joining the Padres, who dropped the series with a 7-1 setback. Canning only got five outs and allowed six runs to the Brewers, who like to nickel-and-dime teams to death. Canning, who threw 43 pitches in the first inning, walked four and gave up five hits, while notching a pair of strikeouts. That put the onus on the bullpen, which once again came through, but could use a few quality starts from the rotation. Included in that bullpen effort was a surprise appearance by Waldron, the starter just two days prior. Waldron allowed one hit and struck out four in two scoreless innings. Manager Craig Stammen said postgame that Waldron would be joining the bullpen this weekend for the Mariners series, giving the relievers another multi-inning arm. Meanwhile, the Padres' offense was stifled again. Left-hander Kyle Harrison spun five shutout innings, striking out seven with no walks and five hits. The Padres couldn't break into the scoring column until the ninth inning. Castellanos reached on a one-out error by the first baseman, went to second on Freddy Fermin's single and to third on Johnson's walk that loaded the bases. Sung-Mun Song hit an RBI grounder to short, easily beating the relay to first to prevent a game-ending double play. Mariners series Game 1: The evolution of Randy Vasquez from questionable back-end starter to an extremely reliable No. 3-type took another big step. The right-hander turned in his third shutout outing, allowing four hits and striking out three while not issuing a walk paved the way for a 2-0 victory to open the second leg of the Vedder Cup. The Padres improved to 8-1 in Vasquez starts as he lowered his ERA to 2.68 (3.30 FIP). This one got at little sticky at the end. After a scoreless seventh from left-hander Adrian Morejon, Adam came on for the eighth with a 2-0 lead. After a strikeout, Morejon gave up a single to Brendan Donovan and a walk to Julio Rodriguez before Josh Naylor flew out to center. With Randy Arozarena due up, Stammen summoned Miller for a four-out save. Arozarena reached on an infield single when he threw the bat at one of Miller's wicked sliders and the bat shattered into a gazillion pieces as no play was able to be made on the ball, loading the bases. But Miller escaped by winning a seven-pitch battle with Connor Joe, who looked at a center-cut slider for strike three to end the eighth. In the ninth, Miller walked J.P. Crawford on five pitches and struck our Rob Refsnyder on six pitches. Cole Young singled Crawford to second before Miller struck out Mitch Garver and Donovan to end the inning. It was Miller's third four-out save of the season and second in six days. Offense is always at a premium when playing at T-Mobile Park and this day was no exception. Andujar continued his recent hot run in the fourth when he doubled home Sheets, who had walked with one out stole second with two outs. Andujar was in the middle of things in the seventh, too. He had a one-out single and moved to third on Laureano's single, with Song driving him in with a groundout to first. Three of the Padres' four shutouts this year have come in Vasquez starts. The victory also clinched the Vedder Cup for the Padres, who swept the Mariners in the earlier series. Game 2: The Rodolfo Duran game. After spending 11 seasons in the minor leagues, Duran finally got a call-up May 7, but had yet to get a hit. That changed in his fourth game and in his 11th plate appearance when he not only got his first MLB hit, but he did it by smacking a first-pitch fastball for a two-run homer in the seventh inning that helped the Padres to a 7-4 triumph. Duran has hit 81 homers in 631 career minor-league games, including 20 at Triple-A El Paso as he has spent the last two seasons in the Padres' organization. Now he has one in the majors, coming on national television, after lining one out to left off right-handed starter Logan Gilbert. He should have had a second, but his ninth-inning drive to center was snared by Julio Rodriguez, who reached over the wall to bring it back. Duran's blast was the third by the Friars in the game. Sheets hit a solo shot in the second inning, his seventh this year, while Castellanos drilled a three-run homer in a four-run fourth. It was Castellanos' third homer of the season and second in his last five games, with this one putting the Padres up 5-0. Andujar drove in a run with an RBI groundout following walks to Machado and Sheets and a single by Bogaerts. Padres right-handed starter Walker Buehler was solid and threw a season-high 101 pitches to make it through five innings. He surrendered two runs on five hits with two walks and six strikeouts. He gave up an RBI single in the fourth and Crawford's solo homer in the fifth. Five relievers were needed to finish this one out, with right-hander Alek Jacob, called up Friday, when Waldron went on the 15-day injured list, providing the only blemish by allowing two runs without getting an out in the eighth. That made it a 7-4 game. With Miller unavailable, Stammen turned to Estrada to get the save, which he did despite giving up a single and a walk. That was Estrada's five career save and gave the Padres a series win in Seattle for the first time since 2018. Game 3: Lucas Giolito's much-anticipated debut went about as well as he could have imagined, albeit the finish could have been better. And thanks to two more Sheets homers, it was a victorious first game with the Padres, too. Giolito took a shutout into the sixth inning and Sheets went 3-for-3 and drove in four as the Padres swept the Mariners for the second time with an 8-3 win in the finale of this year's Vedder Cup. Giolito allowed just one hit in five-plus innings, striking out three, but he walked three straight to open the sixth inning to end his day. He threw 78 pitches, 44 for strikes, and looked in control until the sixth. After walking the bases loaded, left-hander Yuki Matsui came on to face Josh Naylor, a left-handed hitter whom he walked to trim the Padres' lead to 7-1. Two sacrifice flies followed, meaning all three of Giolito's runners that Matsui inherited scored. Meanwhile, thanks to Sheets, the Friars had a big offensive day against an ace-quality opponent. Sheets cranked a solo homer against Mariners right-hander George Kirby with two outs in the first, then a two-run shot in a five-run sixth inning as the Padres took a 7-0 lead. France, who has a team-high nine homers, had an RBI single in the fifth, with Merrill an run-scoring double and France another single to bring home the final two in the top of the sixth. After the Mariners got their three runs in the bottom of the sixth, Sheets got one back when he rifled an RBI double down the right-field line to score Tatis, who hit leadoff in this game. Sheets was on base in all five plate appearances as he also drew a pair of walks. Now the Padres have their first series against the Los Angeles Dodgers, separated by just half a game atop the NL West standings. Marvelous Mason Miller Some of the amazing stats for the Padres' closer: Season stats: 20 games, 1-0, 14 saves in 14 chances, 0.86 ERA, 21 innings, 10 hits, two runs, six walks, 44 strikeouts. In May, has four saves with 15 of 17 outs via strikeout. Struck out the side seven times this year, including in five straight appearances. Random Stats Gavin Sheets became the first player in MLB history to hit a three-run homer or grand slam in the ninth inning to put his team ahead three times in a full season, according to OptaStats. The Padres are 13-5 this year in games decided by two runs or less. Miguel Andujar's double Friday vs. the Mariners was his ninth on the road this year, which were the second-most in MLB. He has only one double at home and leads the team with 10. Randy Vasquez is now tied with Michael King for the team lead in quality starts with four. Walker Buehler has the other two. Adrian Morejon has held left-handed hitters hitless in 13 of his last 14 appearances when facing at least one lefty hitter, including 0-for-16 in the last eight instances. Fernando Tatis Jr.'s season power outage reached 193 plate appearances. Only three other players with enough plate appearances to qualify for hitting leaders have yet to hit a homer: Nick Gonzales of the Pittsburgh Pirates, Nasim Nunez of the Washington Nationals and Luis Rengifo of the Milwaukee Brewers. Transactions Friday: Placed RHP Matt Waldron on the 15-day injured list with a right brachialis muscle injury. Friday: Recalled RHP Alek Jacob from Triple-A El Paso. Sunday: recalled RHP Lucas Giolito from Double-A San Antonio. Sunday: Optioned RHP Alek Jacob to Triple-A El Paso. Sunday: Sent RHP Jhony Brito on a rehab assignment to Double-A San Antonio. Website Highlights Bogaerts' improvements are the result of one hilariously simple root cause — Randy Holt Laureano suddenly can't turn left — N.B. Lindberg Is Salas suddenly an untouchable prospect again for the Padres? — Randy Holt Don't sleep on Miranda: Why the former top prospect is the ultimate Padres depth piece — Taylor Leonard What Andujar lacks in patience, he makes up for in contact — Tom Gatto Padres' farm system update: Breaking down Padres Mission's new Top 20 list — Steve Drumwright Looking Ahead Monday: Dodgers (Yoshinobu Yamamoto) at Padres (Michael King), 6:40 p.m. Tuesday: Dodgers (Emmet Sheehan) at Padres (Griffin Canning), 6:40 p.m. Wednesday: Dodgers (Shohei Ohtani) at Padres (Randy Vasquez), 5:40 p.m. Thursday: Off Friday: A's at Padres (German Marquez), 6:40 p.m. Saturday: A's at Padres (Lucas Giolito), 6:40 p.m. Sunday: A's at Padres (Michael King), 1:10 p.m. View the full article

New York Mets Weekly Snapshot Record Last Week: 5-1 Runs Scored Last Week: 27 Runs Surrendered Last Week: 22 Standings: 5th in NL East (15-25) 8.0 GB of 1st Place Transactions: 5/10 New York Mets sent 1B Eric Wagaman outright to Syracuse Mets. 5/10 New York Mets optioned RHP Joey Gerber to Syracuse Mets. 5/12 New York Mets designated 2B Andy Ibáñez for assignment. 5/12 New York Mets selected the contract of LF A.J. Ewing from Syracuse Mets. 5/13 New York Mets placed C Francisco Alvarez on the 10-day injured list. Right meniscus tear. 5/13 New York Mets recalled C Hayden Senger from Syracuse Mets. 5/15 New York Mets sent 1B Jared Young on a rehab assignment to St. Lucie Mets. 5/15 New York Mets sent 2B Andy Ibáñez outright to Syracuse Mets. 5/16 New York Mets placed RHP Clay Holmes on the 15-day injured list. Right fibula fracture. 5/16 New York Mets recalled RHP Joey Gerber from Syracuse Mets. Scores: Game 40: NYM 10, DET 2 Game 41: NYM 3, DET 2 (10) Game 42: NYM 9, DET 4 Game 43: NYM 2, NYY 5 Game 44: NYM 6, NYY 3 Game 45: NYM 7, NYY 6 (10) Series Breakdown/Highlights Tigers Series: The flood of youth gave the Mets some new life. AJ Ewing made his MLB debut on Tuesday against the Detroit Tigers, collecting his first MLB hit and RBI – a triple – and getting on base four times in five at-bats. This game saw every Met in the starting lineup besides Austin Slater reach base as the offense scored 10 runs. Freddy Peralta turned in six solid innings against a struggling Tigers lineup on their way to a nice 10-2 win. On Wednesday, Christian Scott turned in another solid outing for the Mets, surrendering two first-inning runs, both a result of a dropped pop-up from Carson Benge. Benge would pay him back later as the Mets were able to get two runs off Framber Valdez and keep the game tied going to extras, where the rookie outfielder hit a walk-off, RBI single, scoring Ewing to win the game, and series, for the Mets. In the series finale with Nolan McLean on the bump, the Mets fell behind 3-0 early. It was far from McLean’s best start of the season, but he kept the Mets in the game, enough for his offense to get to Keider Montero. McLean went seven innings, earning the win as homers from AJ Ewing, Juan Soto, and Marcus Semien lifted the Mets to their first series sweep of 2026. Yankees Series: Game one of the 2026 subway series was no easy task. The Mets were going against the AL Cy Young leader Cam Schlittler, with former Yankee Clay Holmes on the other side. Holmes struggled, giving up four runs in 4.2 innings of work. The worst part about Holmes’ outing was that he was hit on the leg with a line drive off the bat of Spencer Jones, which fractured his fibula, and landed him on the IL. The only blemish on the line of Schlittler was a Juan Soto solo home run in the seventh inning. The Mets did not go quietly in the ninth, a theme in this series, making it 5-2 Yankees, and that would be your final. In game two, the Mets pitched a bullpen game, and it worked. Huascar Brazobán, David Peterson, Brooks Raley, Luke Weaver, and Devin Williams held the Yankees offense to just three runs. Weaver was the most impressive, entering the game with the bases loaded and no outs and escaping without a run scoring. The floodgate of Mets runs opened when Carlos Rodon spiked a pitch in the dirt for a wild pitch in the third inning, then attempted to make a throw that got away and allowed another run to score. The Mets took the middle game 6-3. In the series finale, the Mets got very little going against Yankees rookie Elmer Rodriguez in his 4.1 innings of work. Freddy Peralta was only able to go five-plus innings, leaving runners on first and second, no outs for Sean Manea. The Yankees would score four runs in the frame, helped out by a dropped pop-up by Bo Bichette that would have ended the inning. The Yankees handed their closer, David Bednar, a three-run lead. Two singles opened the bottom of the ninth, and the Mets had hope. They were 0-90 in these situations dating back to the 2024 ALWCS. After Bednar got Soto to ground out and Vientos to strike out, Tyrone Taylor took a first pitch curveball off Bednar into the left field seats and tied the game. The Yankees did not score in the top of the 10th and an RBI infield single by Carson Benge walked-off the crosstown set. Website Highlights Carson Benge Is Finding His Rhythm After A Turbulent Start Mets Farm System Updates: Breaking Down Grand Central Mets’ New Top 20 Prospect List Austin Slater Isn't Living Up to His Reputation With the Mets Looking Ahead May 18th: at WAS (6:45pm) May 19th: at WAS (6:45pm) May 20th: at WAS (6:45pm) May 21st: at WAS (4:05pm) May 22nd: at MIA (7:10pm) May 23rd: at MIA (4:10pm) May 24th: at MIA (1:40pm) View the full article

The North Siders' three biggest pillars of success in 2026 — clutch situational hitting, baserunning, and sparkling defense — all but dried up in the most frustrating week of the season. We had alluded to the fact that it doesn't get easier, but with the Cubs' warts put on full display, their ability to right the ship will determine whether or not the squad's larger aspirations are attainable. A day off this past Monday allowed the Cubbies to settle into the accommodations at Truist Park as they set to do battle for three games with the dreaded Atlanta Braves. The two clubs briefly traded places, boasting the best record in baseball. By the end of their three-game tilt, Atlanta presented as the real cream of the crop. The consistently average Colin Rea took the ball for the North Siders opposite Grant Holmes in the opener. A seesaw defensive struggle turned in the fourth inning as the home team put up a four-run tally on the Cubs, including a two-run blast off the bat of Mike Yastrzemski. Holmes and the Atlanta pitching staff silenced Chicago's bats, with a solo shot from the ascending Alex Bregman providing the only hit of the contest for the Cubs in a 5-2 loss. Squandering an absolute gem from the southpaw Shota Imanaga, a dormant offense hamstrung the Cubbies once again in the middle game of this matchup. The de facto ace of this club was as sharp as we've come to expect this season, striking out six batters and surrendering just five hits. His impressive effort set his team up nicely heading into a tied eighth inning, where, in relief of Imanaga, the beleaguered Phil Maton sank the visiting team's hopes for a series-tying victory. The little things in this game make the biggest difference, and this rang painfully true in the Cubbies' 4-1 defeat. The margins between these two clubs are slim yet pronounced. When clicking, the Cubs have one of the most fearsome offenses in all of the majors. Squaring off against a Cy Young-caliber hurler in Chris Sale, the North Siders rose to the level of their competition. Ben Brown matched Sale stride for stride in the early going. Brown threw four remarkably efficient innings, allowing only a run and striking out seven Braves. His mastery on the mound gave Ian Happ and an opportunistic offense a chance to secure their 28th win of the season in the series' finale. With that consolation prize in hand, the Cubs arrived in the neighborhood of Bridgeport for the renewal of the Crosstown Classic. While still not among baseball's elite, Will Venable's White Sox are heading in the right direction faster than an express train leaving the Sox/35th station. This truth notwithstanding, the North Siders slugged their way to a late, convincing victory in the opener. The cathartic offensive output came from batters throughout this lineup, especially Carson Kelly, who bashed his way to a 3-for-5, four-RBI day. The rally turned a nip-and-tuck, tie game into a cakewalk for the visiting team, earning them a 10-5 triumph. Starting pitcher Jameson Taillon has earned his fair share of criticism for lacking control, mental stamina, and giving up too many home runs. Those criticisms roared louder than ever on the veteran's worst start of the season. Jamo was pelted, surrendering eight earned runs and five long balls, raising his ERA to an alarming 4.97. He is a glaring liability in this rotation, putting the onus for improvement not just on the pitching staff, but the front office as well. Pete Crow-Armstrong provided a silver lining in the ninth, blasting a two-run bomb, his fifth long fly of the year in the losing effort. "Summer Time Chi" was in full swing this past weekend on the South Side. For a fleeting, tantalizing time, it looked like the North Siders would board the team bus with bragging rights in tow. But it was the fans from the part of town that gave us Grammy award-winning rapper Common, who ran back to their fantasy, a win over their hated rivals in extra innings. Knotted at four, Phil Maton coughed up a three-run blast to the Sox Tristan Peters. The homer completed the rally for the South Siders, who erased a 4-1 deficit. The thunderous bomb from Peters had all but sealed the fate of Craig Counsell's squad, until the scorching-hot Michael Conforto crushed a dramatic, game-tying home run off of SerAnthony Dominguez. The Cubs took the lead in the tenth yet failed to tack on insurance, making way for Edgar Quero's cinematic two-run walk-off blast, silencing the raucous Cubs fans in attendance. The loss marked the North Siders' third straight series loss. No reprieve will come to this struggling Cubs squad as it heads back to Wrigley for a six-game homestand. Up next, the Cubbies host Christian Yelich and the defending NL Central champion Milwaukee Brewers. This upcoming weekend sees the Houston Astros paying a visit to the North Side of Chicago. No ardent supporter of this Chicago Cubs team should situate themselves too close to the panic button, but this week, with a chance to either cushion or relinquish their division lead, stands to shed light on where this club is right now. View the full article

Welcome back to Blue Jays Clutch Plays, a recurring post that highlights the six most pivotal plays (three pitching, three hitting) from the past week of Blue Jays baseball, according to MLB's win probability model. Click here to read last week's edition. The Toronto Blue Jays remained a tough watch for most of the past week, but after a couple more losing efforts against the Rays, a walk-off grand slam from Daulton Varsho prevented another sweep before the Jays prevailed in a three-day war of attrition in Detroit. It hasn't been a pretty month, but the AL is such a logjam that the Blue Jays' 21-25 record puts them only one game back of the final Wild Card spot. Opportunity awaits in the form of their upcoming four-game set versus the Yankees, who are 6.5 games up on the Jays after dropping a series against their crosstown rival Mets over the weekend. Pitching 3. Louis Varland: Cedric Mullins Popout, Top 9, 5/12 (+15.0% wPA) Tuesday night's loss to Tampa Bay was a 10-inning nailbiter, and Louis Varland's scoreless ninth didn't come easy. With the go-ahead run at third and two outs in the frame, Varland went with a 98-mph fastball as his payoff pitch to Cedric Mullins and elevated it enough that Mullins skied it harmlessly to shallow center. Daulton Varsho had a lot of ground to cover, but he got there in time to make a sliding backhanded catch. 2. Louis Varland: Jake Rogers Groundout, Bot 10, 5/16 (+15.8% wPA) Varland's biggest performance of the year came on Saturday afternoon as he authored a six-out save on 26 pitches to steal a victory on a bullpen day. The offense didn't manage to score anyone besides the ghost-runner in the top half, but "The Committee" needed just one pitch to start closing the door in the bottom half as this outside fastball incinerated Jake Rogers's bat before rolling slowly into Ernie Clement's glove at shortstop. 1. Louis Varland: Dillon Dingler Strikeout, Bot 10, 5/16 (+16.8% wPA) The final punch from Varland's latest herculean effort was a tumbling knuckle curve to get Dillon Dingler swinging after the tying run had moved up 90 feet. Following this week, Varland now has the eighth, ninth, and 10th-most clutch plays of the season amongst Blue Jay pitchers, which are worth a combined 47.6% wPA on their own...and don't even include the plays at No. 1, 4, and 7 on that list, for which he was also on the mound. If this team rights the ship, we may talk about this Varland performance alongside the Mason Fluharty game at Dodger Stadium from last August. Hitters 3. Vladimir Guerrero Jr.: Reached on Error, Bot 7, 5/12 (+22.1% wPA) Vladimir Guerrero Jr. finally broke out of his weeks-long home run drought on Sunday, but early in the week, he was still searching for that big break. Junior Caminero gifted it to him with two outs in the bottom of the seventh and the Jays down by one on Tuesday, failing to come up with the groundball to his left. Yohendrick Piñango scored from second, and for a moment, the baseball gods smiled upon the Blue Jays instead of their rivals to the south. 2. Daulton Varsho: RBI Single, Top 10, 5/16 (+25.2% wPA) For the second time in three games, Varsho delivered the decisive blow in extra innings for an otherwise struggling offense. In a lefty-lefty matchup with Detroit reliever Tyler Holton, Varsho got a pitch in his wheelhouse down in the zone and stayed on it long enough to line it up the middle and score Guerrero from second. Toronto's center fielder has had an inconsistent year, but his timely hits last week have helped his wRC+ tilt back to the right side of league average. 1. Daulton Varsho: Walk-Off Grand Slam, Bot 10, 5/13 (+68.4% wPA) It doesn't get much more dramatic than a come-from-behind victory on a walk-off slam. The Jays would be incredibly fortunate if one of their hitters comes up with another swing as big as this at any point the rest of the season. At the time, it was the ninth-biggest single-play change in wPA in the major leagues in 2026. The Blue Jays have only had eight offensive plays worth at least a 60% jump in wPA since the start of 2021. Here's an eerie fun fact: The team's most clutch play of 2025? A go-ahead home run by Varsho in the eighth inning...also against the Rays at the Rogers Centre...exactly one year before this grand slam on May 13. View the full article

What's that line from The Dark Knight? Oh yeah, "You either die a hero or live long enough to see yourself become the villain." Eric Lauer was a hero for the Blue Jays in 2025, pitching to a 3.18 ERA over 104.2 innings between the bullpen and the rotation. He gave the team another 8.2 innings with a 3.12 ERA in October. While he seemed superfluous throughout most of the 2025-26 offseason, the southpaw had a spot in Toronto's Opening Day rotation. Yet, although the team's rotation depth is even thinner now than it was then, Lauer just wasn't pitching well enough to hold onto a roster spot. By the time he was designated for assignment last Monday, he had more runs (27) than strikeouts (26) on the season. He also gave up 16 walks, 38 hits, and 11 home runs in 36.1 innings. Yesterday, Lauer finally escaped DFA limbo when the Blue Jays announced they had traded him to the Dodgers for a player to be named later or cash considerations. According to The Athletic's Fabian Ardaya, he will take on a "reliever/swingman" role in L.A. View the full article

Jake Bauers has changed his stance this season. He's changed his contact point and his approach a bit. But all that work has amounted to the programming of muscle memory. Once he steps to the plate, his mind and his eyes are clear. He says that's the key to his late-blooming success. He changed his setup after dealing with an injury-related slump last summer, but hasn't spent time refining his new stance or tweaked swing. He's just focused on seeing the ball. "I'll be honest with you," Bauers said Sunday morning, inside the visitors' clubhouse at Target Field in Minneapolis. "I haven't thought about mechanics in the box even one time since I got [to Arizona for spring training]." The stats say it's working, and working exceptionally well. Bauers went 4-for-8 with a pair of doubles, a walk and a stolen base over the weekend against the Twins, and (as manager Pat Murphy noted) Sunday's double and one long flyout could easily have been home runs, if not for swirling winds that knocked the ball down for most of the final game of the set. He's batting .281/.358/.489 on the season, and there's room for growth from there, based on his batted-ball profile and the lowest strikeout rate of his career (21.9%). He's been a godsend, for a team sorely in need of that offensive juice. They're just stick figures, but you can see the relaxation in Bauers's swing by comparing a Statcast animation of the very start of it to those of other lefty batters who roughly match his near-elite bat speed. Here's what Jac Caglianone looks like when his front foot lands and his swing begins. His bat is fairly flat behind him, forcing it to describe a long arc to the hitting zone. Meanwhile, hie front shoulder is turned in, while his weight is already shifting from his back leg to his front one, opening his hips. It's not hard to see where Caglianone is getting the torque in his swing, but nor is it hard to guess why he whiffs on 31.8% of his swings. Here's Kyle Schwarber, who does a lot of the same things—though he stays on his back leg a hair longer, allowing him to make slightly later adjustments and find the barrel more often. Here's teammate Garrett Mitchell, built much the same way as Bauers. Now, here's Bauers. Notice how upright he is, and how his barrel isn't wrapped around behind him or flattened the way the others' are. Notice, too, how much closer together his feet are, and how even is his weight distribution. This hasn't always been how he's hit. You can see the difference even by looking at last year's visual, but to wash out the distortion created by the changes he implemented in late 2025, let's look at his 2024 self. This is a much more standard lefty power hitter's initial swing position. The feet are farther apart; he's taken a longer stride. He's leaning forward a bit more as he uses his lower half to generate power, forcing a compensatory movement up top to stay balanced. His bat is flatter, and his hands are farther behind his torso. This was the version of Bauers the league saw for years. This year's is a new guy, full of confidence and clarity and the added functional strength on which he worked hard late last year and throughout the offseason. It doesn't look like most lefty sluggers do. That's a good thing. "I'm just trusting myself," Bauers said. "It sounds simple; it's not simple. But you have to take some of those other thoughts out of it. In the past, I would be in the box thinking about my swing, thinking about what I was trying to do physically, and it just got in the way." It takes a great deal of hard work to earn the privilege of hitting that way, of course. You have to know your swing exceptionally well, in order to start pushing thoughts about it down into the subconscious part of the brain during the activity itself. Bauers said he's also simplified the way he digests information about opposing pitchers, and uses reps on the Trajekt machine when the Crew is at home to prepare for encounters with specific pitchers in a setting that feels more alive than pages of a scouting report. "Part of it is trusting the hitting coaches, that they'll bring something to me if there's something going wrong or something I need to be doing," Bauers said. "But I just want to be in the box with the plan to see it well." Prospect lists can be overrated, in the sense that they give a false impression of certainty about which current minor-leaguers will become great big-leaguers. They encourage fans to see the game through the prism of talent, when there's much more in the stew that becomes success than just that key ingredient. However, they're not as irrelevant as some of their denigrators would have you believe, either. When you're a top prospect, you get an abundance of one irreplaceable currency: opportunity. When a team has a player in whom they've made a major investment, and when that player gets the marketability and trade-value boost of being identified as a top prosect, they funnel chances toward that player. They pave a road to the majors for them, including a full-time role when they first arrive, and they don't give up on them easily. That stability—that routine, and that rapid familiarity with the league, and that absence of pressure to make something happen in every plate appearance, and most of all, all those reps—is hugely valuable. In 2013, Bauers was a 7th-round pick by the Padres out of his California high school. He signed, but not for big money. After his first full season in the San Diego system, he was part of the infamous trade sending Wil Myers to the Padres and Trea Turner to the Nationals. Bauers landed with the Rays, where he spent the next four seasons. He didn't debut until 2018, but to their credit, the Rays did set him up to succeed, handing him a job on June 7 that year and never taking it away. Unfortunately, it would be (essentially) the last time he ever got that luxury. That winter, Bauers was part of the beefy three-team trade that sent Yandy Díaz to Tampa, Carlos Santana back to Cleveland (for the first time) and Edwin Encarnación to Seattle. Bauers landed on the shores of Lake Erie, and Cleveland tried to give him (more or less) a full-fledged shot. He struggled so mightily, though, that they demoted him to Triple-A Columbus for all of August. He would languish a little longer in the Cleveland system, but get no more real chances. They traded him to Seattle for a player to be named later in June 2021. Seattle cut him that fall. He latched on with the Reds for 2022, and the Yankees scooped him up in a cash deal that June. New York cut him that fall. They re-signed him about a month later, though, and a pattern began to emerge: Once you have Bauers around for a bit, you tend to want him around longer than you'd think. He certainly wasn't in Cleveland's plans, after that initial failure in 2019, but they weren't quick to jettison him, by any means. The Yankees went out of their way to get him twice. They traded him to the Brewers after 2023, and the Brewers would cut him one year later—but they also re-signed him, and voluntarily retained him again this winter. Bauers's career high in plate appearances is still 423, from that 2019 season. That might change this season, though. Finally, at age 30, Bauers is getting some runway—partially because Andrew Vaughn got hurt on Opening Day, but partially because he's earned it, and is taking full advantage of it. He's on pace to qualify for the batting title, and he's been worth 6 runs more than an average batter, according to Baseball Reference. It's been difficult to make the last several years work for him, rather than against him, but Bauers now feels that he's amassed enough reps in the majors to achieve a level of physical and mental comfort that empowers him. "It's just been getting the chances, getting the reps, and getting more confident about what I know to do," he said. The simplicity of it all undersells the achievement, especially because he never got his uninterrupted shot for a full season in the majors—let alone two or three of them, as many higher-profile prospects might have gotten. Bauers is, quite suddenly, a respected veteran in the clubhouse, rather than someone clinging to the edge of the roster. He's friendly, thoughtful and just the right amount of talkative to fit into a big-league clubhouse. He, Brice Turang, Christian Yelich and others pass information well back and forth, and they have an easy camaraderie in their personal interactions, too. He exudes a California cool. Even though he's meandered from those roots and spends his winters in the Dallas area, he still likes the beach, and wears the same sand-colored sleeveless t-shirt around the clubhouse virtually all the time. A relaxed mindset was always where he was likely to find the power to emerge as a star, or as close to it as a 7th-round pick gets after only establishing themselves upon joining their eighth pro organization. That relaxation is a privilege conferred on elite prospects, but through enough resiliency and focused work, it can also be achieved by the Other Guys. View the full article

Boston Red Sox Minor League Affiliate Recap Triple-A Worcester Red Sox Series at Buffalo Bisons (Toronto Blue Jays): 2-4 Season Record: 23-20 Worcester got back in the win column with a 4-0 victory in the series finale. Six pitchers made appearances for the WooSox as they emptied out their bullpen. Devin Sweet pitched a scoreless first inning, allowing two walks and striking out one before turning the ball over to Eduardo Rivera. Rivera earned his fourth win of the season for his two innings of work, allowing a hit and a walk while lowering his ERA to 2.13. Jack Anderson got a hold for his three innings of work, the longest outing of the afternoon for Worcester. He also allowed just one hit and one walk before Angel Bastardo came into the game. He pitched a perfect inning, striking out two. Tayron Guerrero also pitched a perfect inning, and Tommy Kahnle closed out the game, allowing one hit but completing the shutout for Worcester. It was a successful day at the plate as well for Worcester as they tallied four runs on eight hits. Mikey Romero and Nathan Hickey led the way with two hits and an RBI apiece. Hickey hit his third homer of the year in the third inning, grabbing a 1-0 lead. Romero then added on a run of his own driving in Nate Eaton on a single. Later in the sixth inning, Kristian Campbell doubled, driving in Romero. To cap off the three-run inning, Vinny Capra drove in Campbell on a single as the WooSox put the game out of reach. Double-A Portland Sea Dogs Series at Hartford Yard Goats (Colorado Rockies): 3-3 Season Record: 17-21 Portland lost on a walk-off for the second straight game, losing 6-5. Michael Sansone got the start and notched five frames of work. He allowed four runs on five hits in what was one of his worst starts of the season. He allowed two home runs while striking out three. Caleb Bolden pitched three innings of relief and flipped the script. He gave up two walks and just one hit, striking out one. He lowered his ERA to 4.43 as he rectified Sansone’s rough start. Unfortunately for Portland, the momentum gained by Bolden faltered when Cooper Adams came into the game. Over ⅔ innings of work he allowed two runs on two hits as he relinquished the lead and Hartford won the game on a walk-off fly ball to center. Franklin Arias has begun to come back to Earth after his scorching start to the season. He went 0-for-4 with a walk as his batting average sunk to .330. Brooks Brannon and Miguel Bleis each tallied two RBIs as they made up the bulk of Portland’s offense. Brannon crushed his seventh homer of the season in the first inning, giving Portland a two run advantage early. Bleis then hit a two-run homer of his own later in the inning as the Sea Dogs took an early four-run lead early. After Hartford tied the game at four runs apiece, Max Ferguson singled in the top of the ninth to score Tyler McDonough and take a one run edge. Despite the homers, Portland couldn’t produce enough to make up for the spotty pitching, falling for the second day in a row. High-A Greenville Drive Series vs. Bowling Green Hot Rods (Tampa Bay Rays): 1-5 Season Record: 15-24 Greenville snapped their eight-game losing streak as they beat Bowling Green 12-10. Alex Bouchard got the nod, starting Sunday’s contest with high hopes for Greenville. He allowed three runs on six hits across four and ⅓ innings. He walked four, but limited the potent Hot Rods offense. P.J. Labriola earned the win for his performance on Sunday. He gave up two runs on two hits but struck out three across one and ⅔ frames of work. Danny Kirwin had trouble keeping Bowling Green in check, allowing four more runs in his one and ⅓ inning appearance. In a close game, Matt McShane entered in a high stakes situation. He handled the pressure well however, allowing nothing but a solo homer as he was just good enough to help Greenville snap their skid. Greenville’s offense was hot on Sunday, amassing 12 runs on nine hits. Mason White contributed five RBIs as he helped lead the Drive to victory. Jack Winnay carried his excellent performance from Saturday into Sunday, getting Greenville on the board with a one-run single in the first inning. White then drove in Yoeilin Cespedes later in the inning with a single of his own. Freili Encarnacion added the third run of the inning as he drove Winnay in on another single. Yophery Rodriguez joined the party in the third inning, reaching on a throwing error as Winnay and Isaiah Jackson scored. Justin Gonzales then hit his eighth double of the season, adding two runs and extending the lead to six. In the fourth, White collected four more RBIs as he crushed his eighth homer of the season, a grand slam to make the lead ten. Justin Gonzales then hit a homer in the fifth inning as he brought the run total to 12. It was just enough to snap the losing streak as Greenville emerged victorious. Low-A Salem RidgeYaks Series at Fredericksburg Nationals (Washington Nationals): 2-4 Season Record: 17-22 Salem lost by one run for the third straight game, this time by a score of 6-5. Jacob Mayers worked the first two frames of the afternoon, allowing two hits and one run but struck out six as he maintained a respectable 2.41 ERA. Myles Patton took the next one and ⅓ innings, allowing the same stat line as Mayers, one run on two hits. Harry Blum took over in the fourth inning, allowing three runs on three hits and three walks. Wuilliams Rodriguez came out of the bullpen hot. He turned in three innings of perfect ball, striking out two. Nicolas De La Cruz entered in the ninth inning looking to stave off a walk-off from the Nationals. He failed to do so, however, walking three and allowing the walk-off on a wild pitch as Salem fell for the third straight time. Salem’s offense has been consistent as of late, and this continued into Sunday’s contest. Kleyver Salazar got the scoring started early, driving in Enddy Azocar on a line drive single in the first. Down 5-1 in the eighth, Ilan Fernandez doubled, driving in Anderson Fermin. Later in the inning, Azocar brought Fernandez home on a double of his own. With the lead within reach in the ninth, Luke Heyman scored on a wild pitch to bring the RidgeYaks within one. D’Angelo Ortiz then tied the game with a sacrifice fly to drive in Avinson Pinto. Unfortunately it wasn’t enough for the win as Salem fell just short yet again. View the full article

Now that we're beyond the annual sample-size caveats of April, Kane Kepley is growing impossible to ignore. The team’s No. 7 overall prospect (per North Side Baseball) is off to a very strong start to his 2026 campaign. Let’s dive into his skillset, what he’s been up to lately, and how long we’ll have to wait before he breaks into the major leagues. Kane Kepley’s Background For starters, Kepley was Chicago’s second-round pick in the 2025 MLB Draft. The Cubs selected the outfield prospect at 56th overall. He was originally a walk-on before topping Conference UCA with 53 walks drawn and 25 stolen bags for Liberty before earning an All-Star nod in the Cape Cod summer baseball league. He then transferred to North Carolina to become a Tar Heel, where he led the ACC in strikeout rate at just 7% and stole 45 bags. Kepley wasted no time getting his licks in at the professional level, as he hit .299 over 28 games at Low-A Myrtle Beach after being drafted last year. The Ideal Contact Hitter In terms of his strengths, the hit tool and speed pop right out at you immediately. It’s what scouts notice, it’s what drew North Carolina in, and ultimately it caught the Cubs’ attention enough for them to pick him late in the second round last year. He’s currently operating with a .298 career batting average, and he already has five triples in just 58 pro contests, now including some time in High-A South Bend, where the 22-year-old started this season. Arguably the most impressive part of his game, to me, is that stinginess that we just mentioned from his college days. It has followed him into the professional ranks, as he’s sporting an on-base percentage just below .500. Building off of that? He has 61 walks to just 35 strikeouts. Any time a prospect can walk as much as they strike out, it’s a great sign. This isn’t even close. He also has 39 stolen bags while only being caught on five occasions In terms of how Kepley is performing in High-A so far, let's start here: He had a game on May 15 where he racked up four hits AND four stolen bases in just one contest. This was his first four-hit game of the season, though likely not his last. I think you’re figuring out pretty quickly why this guy has earned a 60-grade for his hit tool and a 60-grade for his run tool. And that speed translates to him being a strong fielder; Kepley has plenty of range in South Bend’s outfield. Weaknesses In regards to parts of his game that are bringing up the rear, Kepley doesn’t have the strongest arm, but it’s serviceable in center field, and his ability to cover a lot of ground in not a ton of time can compensate for that. His power tool doesn’t have much to it either, since he hasn’t generated a ton of above average exit velocities and is already 22 years of age, but that isn’t really his game. This is someone who can cover ground fast and will use that to impact the game on both offense and defense. MLB ETA When will we see Kane Kepley debut in the major leagues? We’ve brought this situation up before as it pertains to Kevin Alcantara, but with Pete Crow-Armstrong locking down in center field and both Ian Happ and Seiya Suzuki in contract years, we’re kind of in a wait-and-see scenario. In terms of Kepley’s overall ability, I wouldn’t be shocked if he gets up there by the final sprint of the 2027 season since he is 22, looks advanced compared to his peers, and does have multiple college baseball seasons under his belt. An outfield featuring him and Crow-Armstrong would be among the fastest and most dynamic in recent history. View the full article

Player development is a winding and often treacherous road. Some prospects fly through the minors and arrive in the big leagues within two years. Others battle injuries, make swing changes, or need extra time refining their approach before they are ready for the next level. For organizations like the Minnesota Twins, those first-round picks carry great weight because competing with lower payrolls means the organization must consistently develop homegrown talent into impact contributors. Unfortunately, that doesn't exempt the team from the vagaries of turning those picks into top-tier players. The Twins will once again have a premium opportunity to add talent this summer. Minnesota owns the third overall pick in the 2026 MLB Draft, its highest selection since 2017, when the club selected Royce Lewis with the first overall pick. As the organization prepares for another important draft, it’s worth examining how the Twins’ recent first-round selections have progressed in professional baseball. 2025 First Round (16th Overall): SS Marek Houston When the Twins drafted Houston, the appeal centered around his glove. Evaluators viewed him as a Gold Glove-caliber defensive shortstop with excellent instincts, clean actions, and advanced defensive reliability. The bigger question was always going to be the bat. Houston answered some of those concerns during his junior season at Wake Forest, when he posted a 1.055 OPS with 15 home runs and 14 doubles. Still, some scouts wondered if those offensive gains would translate against professional pitching. Now in his age-22 season, Houston has returned to the Midwest League. Through his first 30 games, he has slashed .282/.348/.403, with eight extra-base hits, a 20.9% strikeout rate and a 7.9% walk rate. The elite defense has remained intact, and the Twins are likely to challenge him with a promotion to Double-A later this summer. Houston’s development path could resemble that of another recent Twins first-round shortstop (see below), who steadily climbed the ladder through strong defense and enough offensive growth to profile as an everyday player. Updated ETA: Second Half of 2027 2024 First Round (21st Overall): SS Kaelen Culpepper Culpepper quickly became one of the more intriguing prospects in the organization after the Twins selected him in the first round. Minnesota believed in the offensive upside and arm strength, but many evaluators projected him to move off shortstop eventually. So far, Culpepper has done plenty to quiet those concerns. He posted a 138 wRC+ during the 2025 season, while showing enough athleticism and defensive consistency to remain at shortstop in the near term. The Twins challenged him aggressively by assigning him to Triple-A to begin the 2026 campaign, and he has largely handled the jump well. Culpepper has emerged as a consensus top-100 prospect and is viewed by many as the organization’s second-best prospect. In 36 Triple-A games, he has slashed .253/.345/.460, with eight home runs and seven doubles. One encouraging sign has been his improved plate discipline. His walk rate climbed from 9.7% in 2025 to 11.5% this season, although his strikeout rate has also increased by roughly three percentage points. Given Minnesota’s current roster construction, it would not be surprising if Culpepper makes his major league debut sometime this season, when injuries inevitably create opportunities. Updated ETA: Second Half of 2026 2023 First Round (5th Overall): OF Walker Jenkins The Twins were one of the biggest winners of MLB’s inaugural Draft Lottery. Minnesota jumped from the 13th position based on their 2022 record to fifth overall, in a draft class that many evaluators considered exceptionally strong at the top. The organization selected Jenkins, and he has been viewed as the club’s top prospect ever since. Jenkins has shown flashes of why scouts viewed him as a potential superstar, but injuries have complicated the beginning of his professional career. He's currently on the injured list after injuring his shoulder while making a catch and running into the outfield wall. Even with the injuries, Jenkins has advanced rapidly through the system. Reaching Triple-A during his age-20 season is a significant accomplishment, especially for a player drafted out of high school. Last season, he produced a 135 wRC+ across multiple levels, and he carried a 111 wRC+ in 2026 before landing on the injured list. The talent is obvious. The remaining question is whether Jenkins can remain healthy enough to play consistently. If he does, the Twins still believe he has the upside to become the franchise-caliber player this organization has lacked in recent years. Updated ETA: First Half of 2027 2022 First Round (8th Overall): SS Brooks Lee Few players on this list arrived with as polished an offensive profile as Lee. Many evaluators viewed him as the best pure college bat in the 2022 draft class, and the Twins were thrilled when he remained available at eighth overall. Questions existed about his long-term defensive home, but scouts believed the hit tool would carry him to becoming an above-average major league regular. Out of the players discussed here, Lee has become the most important part of Minnesota’s major-league roster so far—though, of course, that's mostly because he was drafted longest ago. After the Twins traded Carlos Correa at last year’s deadline, Lee took over as the club’s everyday shortstop. Across 139 games, Lee posted a 79 OPS+, though there were encouraging signs beneath the surface. He hit 16 home runs and 15 doubles, which exceeded expectations for a player once viewed as having limited power potential. The beginning of 2026 was rough, but Lee has been looking more comfortable in recent weeks. He currently owns a 99 OPS+ with five home runs, and he has hit close to .300 during the month of May. While the defensive limitations remain part of the equation, the offensive production is beginning to resemble the player the Twins envisioned when they drafted him. Updated ETA: Made His Debut in 2024 The Twins’ recent first-round history reflects both the uncertainty and importance of player development. Houston is trying to prove his bat can complement elite defense. Culpepper is rapidly forcing his way into the major-league conversation. Jenkins still possesses superstar upside if he can remain healthy. Lee is establishing himself at the highest level while continuing to adjust to the league, but showing the warts that will become his ceiling. Not every first-round pick becomes an All-Star, and even successful prospects rarely follow the same developmental timeline. Still, for an organization like Minnesota, consistently finding contributors through the draft remains essential. With another top-three pick approaching in 2026, the next cornerstone player could soon be joining this list. How have the Twins fared in recent drafts? Leave a comment and start the discussion. View the full article

The San Diego Padres are not a fast baseball team when it comes to moving around the bases. Anyone who has watched Manny Machado sidle up the basepaths would not be surprised by that fact. But while Machado represents the most noticeable element of the team’s collective lack of speed, he’s hardly the only sole representative in this department. In fact, when it comes to the broader major-league picture, only a trio of Padres would come highly recommended in their ability to scoot on the basepaths: Jake Cronenworth, Jackson Merrill, and Fernando Tatis Jr. Those three sit in the 91st, the 89th, and the 85th percentiles, respectively, in sprint speed. You’d have to trek down the 71st to find the next-closest Padre in Ramón Laureano before you saw another name from this roster. That there are so few fleet-footed members of the 2026 Padres doesn’t feel particularly surprising. This is a veteran-laden roster that is heavily comprised of first base/corner outfield types. However, the actual distribution of spring speed does paint a rather sobering picture of what the group is able to do on the basepaths: In the above visual, Luis Campusano represents the slower of the two catchers indicated, while Ty France is the slower of the two first basemen. Nick Castellanos and Bryce Johnson, respectively, are represented as part of the right field group. Ultimately, that is a contingent that falls quite heavily below average in matters of spring speed, or, at best, decidedly average. Interestingly, though, it’s not something that is proving to be too much of a surface-level detriment. We can see where the issue is manifesting for them, however. Statcast’s Run Value illustrates the value of the baserunner, taking into account runs created via steals or extra bases taken. The Padres actually rank ninth in the league in this metric, checking in with a run value of two. Where things get complex is in where that run value emerges. In establishing run value via extra-bases taken, the Padres’ ranking falls all the way down to 17th where their run value is zero. Instead, the run value they do have is rooted in their ability to steal bases, where they rank tied for second. That’s where the impact of the team’s collective (lack of) speed comes into focus. In the breakdown of run value via extra bases taken, the Padres are 26th in advances (6), 13th in runners thrown out (-2), and fourth in runners held up (-4). That’s where a team’s lack of speed is going to hurt you. It leads to conservative tendencies on the basepaths and a 23rd-place ranking in advance attempts overall (102). You’re not going to have a Manny Machado or a Ty France or even a Nick Castellanos try to grab an extra base. Such a conservative approach helps to buoy them in the rankings a bit in avoiding throw-outs and makes holds the more logical approach, but it certainly isn’t generating much in actually producing value. The steals game, meanwhile, is where the Padres are proving effective. They rank eighth in the league in steals (41), with Tatis (10), Jackson Merrill (8), and Xander Bogaerts (5) leading the way. An even dozen players have at least one steal to their credit this year. As a result, they’re fifth in league in run value added via steals of second (1), and seven in the league in run value in steals of third (0). They have six more attempted steals of second versus the average (which ranks fifth) and two more attempted steals of third against the average (which ranks sixth). Their 12th-place standing in attempted steals is indicative of a certain efficiency in this phase of the game. It’s important to note the difference in how sprint speed impacts the two sides of the Padres’ run value. A runner doesn’t have to be fast to steal bases. While it can be a positive factor, the concept of a read and a jump also have a bearing on a successful steal. The taking of extra bases, however, requires less on the instinct front and more on the ability to get around the bases with a certain degree of speed. The Padres visibly have the former but lack the latter. Given the two’s standing in opposition with one another, it’s hard not to feel like they cancel each other out. The Padres aren’t hurt in their ability to score because they can get runners into scoring position with the steal. They’re also held back some by a relative absence of extra bases being taken upon contact. At the end of the day, it’s the byproduct of the team’s roster construction and something that will likely be maintained moving forward. For a team that finds offensive production quite challenging on any given night, that's not the most satisfying answer to give, but it's one the Friars will have to live with. View the full article

Chad Tracy was promoted as intern manager following the firing of Alex Cora. Since he has taken over, the team has responded by playing .500 ball to this point. Tracy coached about 75% of the current roster, making this transition welcoming, though he's still new as an MLB manager. Today, we discuss Tracy and what his future role may look like. View the full article

The Cubs' seventh-ranked prospect, Kane Kepley, is on an absolute tear to start his 2026 campaign. With wicked speed, a knack for getting favorable jumps on the bases, and an approach that has led to almost double the amount of walks to strikeouts in his pro career, this video breaks down why Kepley could be a fast riser up Chicago's pipeline. View the full article

Kansas City Royals third baseman Mikael Garcia is taking the next step towards being a true power hitter in 2026. The 26-year-old righty is timing up the baseball, has an above-average hard hit percentage, and has honed in on a few other key elements that could make this season a breakout campaign. View the full article

Twins System Recap: Over the weekend, both Hendry Mendez (of the Saints) and Yasser Mercedes (of the Kernels) hit their first home runs since being promoted. Ben Ross is another recently-promoted prospect who is also maintaining momentum. Switching gears to the pitching side, Dasan Hill, Justin Mitrovich, and Mike Paredes are all really rolling. View the full article

Owen Hill and Jesse Burrill went live to talk Blue Jays immediately following the series finale in Detroit. They talked about Vladimir Guerrero Jr.'s slump, Yohendrick Pinango's hot start, and took comments and questions from listeners. Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-jays-centre-podcast/id1846108462 Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3Bi7SzfpcqMo5xYWnbCeoL Listen on iHeartRadio: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/263-the-jays-centre-podcast-300304824/ Listen on Pocket Casts: https://pca.st/2qk9wqxd Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@jayscentre View the full article

It took long enough, but the Milwaukee Brewers and Chicago Cubs are finally playing their first series of the 2026 season. While the Cubs have put the loyal followers at North Side Baseball in a euphoric stage with a pair of 10-game winning streaks, there is also the knowledge that work has only produced a 1½-game lead in the NL Central. As you might know, objects in the rearview mirror may be closer than they appear. In this case, the Brewers (and somehow the St. Louis Cardinals) are tied for second as the entire NL Central is above .500 entering the three-game series vs. the Cubs at Wrigley Field that runs Monday-Wednesday. The whole division is separated by five games. Being in first place has been good for the Cubs after the Brewers won a feisty five-game NL Division Series in October, the teams' first meeting in postseason history. Meanwhile, the Brewers have just been doing Brewers things to this point in the season, as they have done en route to three consecutive NL Central championships. Pitching pretty well and getting timely hits. Both teams have dealt with their share of injuries, although the Cubs have gotten the shorter end of that stick. So what do Cubs fans need to know about the Brewers entering this series? Let's take a look. Jacob Misiorowski Headlines Excellent Pitching Staff Despite trading away ace right-hander Freddy Peralta in February, the Brewers have one of the best pitching staffs in all of MLB. The Brewers have a team ERA of 3.29, which ranks third in MLB, a year after finishing second at 3.58. That begins with the emergence of flamethrowing right-hander Jacob Misiorowski as ace material. The Miz has a 2.12 ERA (2.28 FIP) in nine starts and leads MLB with 80 strikeouts. That translates into a remarkable 39.6% strikeout rate (22.2% is the MLB average), while cutting down his walk rate from 11.4% as a rookie to 8.4% in his second year (8.6% is the average). But it isn't Misiorowski alone. Left-hander Kyle Harrison, acquired when the Brewers traded third baseman Caleb Durbin to the Boston Red Sox in a six-player deal just as players were reporting to spring training, has a slightly better ERA at 2.09 (2.86 FIP), a remarkable improvement from his brief time with the Red Sox and the beginning of his career with the San Francisco Giants. Between the two, Harrison posted a 4.39 ERA (4.43 FIP) in 42 games, all but five starts. Milwaukee Brewers (@brewers) • Instagram photo WWW.INSTAGRAM.COM 9,784 likes, 53 comments - brewers on May 14, 2026: "All of these guys are 25 and under btw". The Brewers' rotation is doing this, at the moment, without veteran right-hander Brandon Woodruff, who went on the 15-day injured list May 1 with what was deemed inflammation in his right shoulder. He had a procedure to aspirate a cyst and remove fluid, then had a bullpen session Thursday as he hopes for a quick return. Currently, the oldest of the Brewers' five rotation members is 26-year-old Robert Gasser, who made his season debut Sunday. The backbone of the team is the bullpen. The back end has been a bit unsettled with right-hander Trevor Megill, the closer who had 30 saves a year ago, had some rocky outings early and has been in a setup or middle-relief role since. Right-hander Abner Uribe has taken over closer duties, notching four in six chances, but even he hasn't been a lockdown reliever, having yielded nine runs in 17⅓ innings. Left-hander Aaron Ashby has been the most valuable member of the bullpen. He leads MLB in wins with eight, making 21 appearances and throwing 29 innings for a 2.17 ERA (2.06 FIP). Another left-hander, Shane Drohan, is starting to get a more prominent role. He was another player the Crew acquired in the Durbin trade. Drohan made his MLB debut with a start this season and has flourished in relief, sporting a 3.24 ERA (2.39 FIP). Lacking Power, Speed Is The Focus Of Brewers' Offense The Brewers rank dead last in MLB with 30 homers, yet they are eighth in runs scored. How? Milwaukee draws a lot of walks (fourth-most), but also is pretty aggressive with its team speed, often using bunts to put pressure on the defense and then taking an extra base whenever possible. This has been an early-season identity carved out of necessity due to injuries to three of their power bats in outfielder Jackson Chourio, designated hitter Christian Yelich and first baseman Andrew Vaughn. Chourio went on the injured list Opening Day and Vaughn a day later. Both returned two weeks ago and have hit the ground running, adding a right-handed presence in the lineup even if they have a combined two homers after Chourio went deep Saturday. Yelich returned from the IL Monday following a strained left adductor, but then sat out the final two games of a series vs. the San Diego Padres and the first two against the Minnesota Twins with a back issue, something that has plagued him during his Milwaukee tenure. He was back in the lineup Sunday and hit second homer of the season. But the speed is real. David Hamilton, who starts at third base or shortstop, is second on the team in stolen bases with eight and is the primary bunt threat, something that works well at the bottom of the order as the big bats come up. Former Platinum Glove-winning second baseman Brice Turang leads with nine steals and has continued the momentum he built last year with six homers thus far. A healthy Garrett Mitchell patrols center field and has six steals, but his offensive contributions are more inconsistent despite being a true power-speed threat. There are black holes in the Brewers' offense. Shortstop Joey Ortiz and infielders Luis Rengifo and David Hamilton, who split time at third, are batting .198, .203, .225, respectively. Yet the Brewers have the 11th-best team batting average and the third-best on-base percentage. Who Are The Brewers' Scheduled Starting Pitchers? The Brewers' rotation sets up very well for the series against the Cubs as right-hander Brandon Sproat, Misiorowski and Harrison will start. All three will be coming off an extra day of rest with the Brewers getting a pair of spot starts over the weekend against the Twins. Sproat is one of the two players the Brewers got from the New York Mets in the Freddy Peralta trade. Infielder-outfielder Jett Williams, Brewer Fanatic's No. 4 prospect, is the other and currently at Triple-A Nashville. Sproat has bounced back from a pair of subpar outings with two decent ones. Following four shutout innings against the St. Louis Cardinals on May 6, he went 5⅓ innings in Tuesday's series opener vs. the San Diego Padres. Walks have been a little bit of an issue for Sproat, with a 13% walk rate, much worse than the MLB average of 8.6%, while his 23.4% strikeout rate is about one point better than the MLB average (22.2%). The issue for Sproat thus far has been trying to harness the excellent movement he has on his pitches. Misiorowski, meanwhile, is coming off two of his finer starts of his not even one-year-old career. One of the things that made baseball fans latch onto Miz as he made a splashy MLB debut was the emotion he carried. He still does that, but he doesn't let the emotion overtake him. That was very evident in his May 8 start vs. the New York Yankees. He limited a potent Yankees lineup to two hits over six innings, walking a pair and matching his season high with 11 strikeouts. He threw 29 pitches that lit up the radar gun at 101 mph or more, which was the second-most since the pitch-tracking era began in 2008. Misiorowski was pumped to face the Yankees as his first-inning velocity revealed. He had the four fastest pitches in the pitch-tracking era and seven pitches that registered at 103 mph, peaking at 103.6, and the two fastest strikeouts. This chart is from just the first two innings against the Yankees. Then, Wednesday against the San Diego Padres, he wasn't quite as amped up, but turned in another spectacular performance. Misiorowski struck out 10 over seven innings and gave up four hits, but did not walk a batter for just the second time in his career, both coming this year. This time, he had 30 pitches at 101 mph or better, one better than his previous outing and giving him three of the top five spots. That is showing some of the maturity that may have been lacking in the second half last year that resulted in him going to the bullpen at the end of the regular season and for the postseason. Harrison has been very steady in all eight of his starts with the Brewers. He hasn't allowed more than two runs in any start, with strikeout totals at five or above in six starts, with a high of 12 April 26 vs. the Pittsburgh Pirates. Walks were an issue in his start May 9 vs. the Yankees, issuing four. In his last start, Thursday vs. the Padres, Harrison struck out seven over five shutout innings, buoyed by a pair of three-run innings by the Brewers' offense to begin the game. View the full article

Week in a Nutshell The Royals' woes on the road continued this week in their travels to Chicago and St. Louis. Kansas City went 1-5 on this Midwest road trip, bringing their road record to 7-17 (they are 13-10 at home). Their seven road wins are tied with the Tigers and Marlins for the fewest road wins in baseball, and only the Tigers have a worse road record (7-19) than the Royals. It wasn't necessarily one thing that hurt the Royals on this recent road trip, which has been the story of this frustrating season through 47 games. Against the White Sox, it was the pitching that let the team down, as they gave up 18 runs in their three losses (the Royals scored 12 runs). Against the Cardinals, it was the offense, as the pitching staff allowed only 9 runs, but the offense scored only 8. On a positive note, it felt like the Royals were in all these games, despite going 1-5. Hopefully, the positive momentum from winning the series finale in St. Louis can carry over into their upcoming nine-game homestand. Record this Week: 1-5 Run Differential for the Week: -7 Record for the Year: 20-27 Run Differential for the Year: -21 Standing: Tied for 4th in the AL Central Game 42: CHW 6, KC 5 Early solo home runs by Bobby Witt Jr. and Salvador Perez in the first inning set the tone, but a five-run fifth took away all that momentum (Stephen Kolek was cruising until that fifth inning). The Royals tied it up in the sixth thanks to RBI base hits by Nick Loftin and Maikel Garcia. Unfortunately, a pinch-hit Derek Hill home run in the bottom of the eighth ended up being the nail in the coffin for Kansas City in game one. Game 43: CHW 6, KC 5 The White Sox got off to an early lead in this one, leading 3-0 after three. However, a two RBI single by Vinnie Pasquantino tied the ball game in the 5th. Despite getting a fresh game in the fifth, Seth Lugo couldn't keep it tied, as a two-run double by Jarred Kelenic gave them a two-run lead, which was padded on by a run in the sixth. A two-run home run by Witt in the ninth made it close, but Kansas City couldn't complete the comeback. Game 44: CHW 6, KC 2 It was a Randal Grichuk revenge game as the former Royals outfielder had two hits, including a home run and four RBI. Starter Kris Bubic, who was sensational against the White Sox at Kauffman, struggled at The Rate, as he gave up five runs on five hits and three walks while striking out four in just four innings of work. Despite getting seven hits, just one less than the White Sox, they were 0-for-5 in RISP situations and stranded eight. Game 45: STL 5, KC 4 (11) It was a back-and-forth slugfest between the two Missouri-based ballclubs. Kansas City and St. Louis traded leads at different points in the game and actually answered one another in the 10th inning with one run each in their frame. Witt and Carter Jensen both had two hits each, while Isaac Collins had two RBI, despite not getting a hit. The Royals also got a quality start from Michael Wacha. Unfortunately, after coming up empty in the top of the 11th, the Cardinals ended the game in the bottom of the 11th, as pinch-hitter Yohel Pozo had a game-winning single that drove in Nathan Church with two outs. Game 46: STL 4, KC 2 The Royals got a much-needed bounce-back game from Noah Cameron on Saturday. The St. Joseph, Missouri, product delivered a quality start, allowing three runs on five hits and no walks while striking out four over six innings. Unfortunately, Cameron didn't get much run support, as Cardinals starter Kyle Leahy held the Royals offense to one run on five hits and three walks while striking out two in six innings of work. Jac Caglianone had a nice day with two hits and a mammoth 428-foot home run in the top of the ninth. Game 47: KC 2, STL 0 Kolek proved to be the "stopper" for the Royals on Sunday in St. Louis, as he added another quality start to his Kansas City resume. In 6.1 IP, the 29-year-old righty allowed no runs, four hits, one walk, and struck out three. Daniel Lynch IV and Lucas Erceg shut the door on the Cardinals in the final two innings, as they received the hold and save, respectively. The offense had nine hits, but went 0-for-6 in RISP situations and stranded eight. Salvy launched his seventh home run of the season. News and Notes The Royals only made one move this week, but it was a big one that affected their bullpen. Matt Strahm pitched on Friday, going 0.2 IP and allowing no runs, one hit, one walk, and striking out one. However, he was visited by manager Matt Quatraro in the middle of the inning, as they noticed him wincing. On Saturday, the Royals confirmed that he had injured his right knee and would be placed on the 15-Day IL due to right knee inflammation. Bailey Falter was recalled from Omaha as a result, where he had been on a rehab outing after suffering a minor elbow injury earlier in the year. Highlights Witt continued his solid pace this season on this road trip. In 23 at-bats, he hit .304 with a 1.016 OPS. That included two home runs, four RBI, three runs scored, and a stolen base. He also walked four times and struck out four times, showing excellent plate discipline and pitch recognition on this road trip. While the rest of the Royals' lineup has been inconsistent, Witt has been a rock for this Kansas City offense. The AL MVP candidate also showed some incredible baseball IQ on Saturday by deking St. Louis' Ivan Herrera on a passed ball that kept Herrera at third base (he should've scored). Perez and Jensen also had nice road trips, which is good as they were less-than-stellar in the previous homestand. In 23 at-bats this week, Salvy hit .292 with an .850 OPS. That also included two home runs, three RBI, and three runs scored. He also walked once and struck out four times. Perez got a lot of heat for still being in the cleanup spot despite his struggles this year. However, he helped silence the critics a bit with a big homer on Sunday. As for Jensen, he had been struggling going into this road trip, but he seemed to turn it around away from Kauffman Stadium this week. In 16 at-bats, he hit .375 with a .944 OPS, and he walked twice while striking out four times. He didn't hit a homer and had two RBI and two runs scored, which isn't a massive amount. However, he looked a lot more comfortable and locked in at the plate, something that wasn't really the case in the last homestand. Kyle Isbel has struggled on the road this year, but he had an encouraging road trip this week. In 20 at-bats, he hit .300 with an .833 OPS. That included two doubles and a triple. He struck out five times and walked only once. However, he has a .641 OPS on the road (compared to an .864 OPS at home). Thus, to see him hit well away from the K this week should be a good sign for him going forward. Isbel also flashed his signature leather, with an amazing catch in game one in the bottom of the ninth that sent the game to extra innings. On the pitching end, Lynch was absolutely nails on this road trip. In three outings and 3.2 IP, he didn't allow a single run, gave up only three hits, walked one, and struck out five batters. He's becoming the Royals' most important reliever beyond Lucas Erceg, and that role should only grow with Strahm on the IL. The Royals also got quality starts from Cameron and Kolek in St. Louis, which shouldn't be dismissed, as they were coming off rough outings in their previous starts. In his one outing this week, Cameron not only produced a quality start but also generated some solid TJ Stuff+, impressive whiff and chase rates, and induced a lot of weak contact in six innings of work. As for Kolek, he had a brutal outing against the White Sox, though that was primarily due to a nightmarish fifth inning where he gave up home runs to Drew Romo and Chase Meidroth. He was much more settled against St. Louis, throwing only 82 pitches in 6.1 IP. With six pitches, Kolek looked very Lugo-esque on Sunday. He didn't generate a ton of whiff, but he lived on the edges, generated a good amount of chase and strikes, and kept the ball on the ground. As a result, he earned another quality start for the Royals and helped get them a much-needed win. Luinder Avila also had a good week, allowing no runs on no hits in two outings and 3.1 IP. He walked three, but he also struck out four. Avila may also be pushing for more high-leverage opportunities soon, especially with Strahm's return questionable. Lowlights It was not a great road trip for the "Michaels": Maikel Garcia hit .143 with a .379 OPS in 28 at-bats, while Michael Massey hit .143 with a .286 OPS in 14 at-bats. Both hitters have struggled on the road this year. Garcia has a 57 wRC+ away from Kauffman Stadium, while Massey has a -36 mark. Unfortunately, that trend didn't change much this week. Collins has had his issues away from the K as well. His 28 wRC+ on the road is the second-worst mark among Royals hitters with five or more plate appearances this season. This week was more of the same, as he hit .158 with a .531 OPS in 19 at-bats. On a positive note, he at least walked three times and struck out just three times. Lane Thomas didn't get a whole lot of action this week, as he only received nine at-bats. Unfortunately, he struggled in his limited opportunities this week, hitting .111 with a .419 OPS. While he walked three times, he struck out five times, which was tied with Isbel for the most this week (Isbel had 11 more at-bats). On the pitching end, Bubic and Isbel had forgettable outings this week in Chicago. Not only did Bubic go four innings of work, but he also struggled with command and didn't generate a whole lot of chases or whiffs. He also was hit around hard, as illustrated below via his TJ Stuff+ summary from his Thursday outing against the White Sox. Lugo's outing felt very similar to Bubic's. The 36-year-old veteran struggled with efficiency and command, producing just a 59.8% strike% in five innings of work and 92 pitches. His zone, whiff, and chase rates were subpar, and he allowed not only a lot of hits (eight) but also hard contact, as evidenced by his xwOBACON below. Lugo and Bubic are allowed to have bad outings. On one end, Lugo has been solid on the road this season. He has a 3.00 ERA and 1.93 FIP in 24 IP away from Kauffman Stadium. Thus, this outing against the White Sox may have just been a blip on the radar. As for Bubic, he's been a much worse pitcher on the road this year. In 20.2 IP on the road, he has an 8.8% K-BB%, 5.23 ERA, and 3.68 FIP. In 29.2 IP at the K? He has a 14.7% K-BB%, 3.34 ERA, and 3.74 FIP. Thus, Bubic may be looking forward to this upcoming nine-game homestand, and hopefully, he can build some positive momentum during this stretch to carry over into his next road trip. The bullpen was fine for the most part in this series, with only John Schreiber (6.75 ERA) and Strahm (5.40 ERA) sporting ERA marks over five this week. Strahm is on the IL, so he won't be a factor for at least this upcoming homestand, maybe longer depending on how his knee heals. As for Schreiber, he's been better recently, but he's still struggling to generate chase and whiffs, collect strikes consistently, and limit hard contact. Unless something dramatic happens, Schreiber may be pitching himself out of Kansas City sooner rather than later. Looking Ahead The Royals have a nine-game homestand, with the first two series against the Boston Red Sox and Seattle Mariners, two playoff teams from a year ago that have gotten off to disappointing starts this year as well. The Red Sox are 19-27 with a -20 run differential and are 11.5 games behind the division-leading Tampa Bay Rays. Boston has struggled on offense, as many of its key players have gotten off to brutal starts. Three of the 10 worst-qualified players in OPS happen to be Red Sox players, as TJ Stats shared on Twitter. The Royals will face the Mariners a second time, after sweeping them in Seattle during the first weekend in May. Unlike the Red Sox, the Mariners have a positive run differential at +11. That makes them a tougher opponent than their 22-25 record suggests, and the Royals can't afford to overlook them because they took three in Seattle. One of their hottest hitters has been Randy Arozarena, who is slashing .440/.500/.640 in his last 25 at-bats. After the weekend series against the Mariners, the Royals begin a three-game slate against the rival New York Yankees starting on Memorial Day. The Yankees swept the Royals back in April in the Bronx, and Kansas City is 0-11 against the Yankees since beating them in Game 2 of the 2024 ALDS in Yankee Stadium. The Royals will have to do a lot to avoid going 0-14 against the Yankees since that Game 2 ALDS victory. New York is one of the best teams in the league with a 28-19 record and +68 run differential, the third-best run differential in baseball (only the Atlanta Braves and Dodgers have better marks at +98 and +94, respectively). View the full article

There are little things. The cutter that the team loved is coming in a tick slower this year, putting more pressure on every other facet of his game. It also has a bit less ride than it did last year, which gives it less separation from his sweeper. The curveball has a bit less of the extreme horizontal movement it's showed in the past. But mostly, Phil Maton looks like himself. That's what's worrying everyone. When the Cubs signed Maton to a two-year deal worth $14.5 million this winter, many lamented that the team was investing in yet another reliever who doesn't throw hard. That was unfair, though. What teams should really prioritize isn't velocity itself, but the two things that tend to correlate with velocity when it comes to results: whiffs, and weak contact. Maton was excellent in both regards in 2025. He's spent a long career consistently inducing weak contact because of a deceptive delivery and that peculiar cutter, and last season, he also sported an excellent strikeout rate. So far, though, his Cubs tenure has been an unmitigated disaster. He's struggled mightily on both sides of a three-week stint on the injured list, and it just doesn't look like he's fully healthy, even now that he's back on the mound. Already, he's put up a Win Probability Added of -0.288 or worse in three games for the Cubs. He cost them 29.7% of a win in their 4-1 loss to the team from suburban Atlanta Wednesday, and 40.8% of one on the South Side on Sunday. He's killing the team, especially because they need him even more than they'd planned to, with Hunter Harvey (unsurprisingly) sidelined for the long haul by arm trouble; Daniel Palencia being used carefully after his own stint on the IL; and Ben Brown dragooned into starting again because of injuries to the team's top two starters. Here's the thing: Maton can still miss bats. His whiff rate is down, but still above average, and when he executes properly, you can see how he keeps hitters so defensive. Unfortunately, he's not executing with any consistency—and, in particular, he's leaving a lot of balls in the fat part of the strike zone. Here are Maton's heatmaps for location by pitch type for 2025. This is what an elite contact manager-slash-whiff guy looks like. His curveball consistently hit the edge on the glove side; his cutter stayed at the top of the zone, tending toward the arm side to tunnel with his breaking stuff; and his sweeper was used to generate chases and the poor results that come with them. His sinker tucked into the one quadrant of the zone untouched by his other pitches, forcing righty batters to defend a big zone and inviting more weak contact. Here's the same visual for 2026. Wwwh, uh-oh. Everything is missing arm-side, with predictable results. The cutter has gone for a ball way too often, putting him behind in counts. You can (sort of) live with that, though. If the main problem were that the cutter is getting lost off the arm-side edge, we'd expect Maton's problems to be taking the shape of lots and lots of walks. That's not what's happening. Maton only has one walk in his last six appearances, but in the aforementioned pair of clunkers last week, he gave up two homers and a double. That's because of what's happening to the two breaking balls. Missing arm-side with the cutter has put him behind in counts; missing arm-side with the curveball and sweeper have brought those pitches right into the middle of the zone to be hammered. That's what happened on Mike Yastrzemski's double and Mauricio Dubón's home run in the armpit of the Atlanta interstate nexus. It's what happened when Tristan Peters took him deep for a three-run gut punch on Sunday. Patterned misses like this tell a story. In Maton's case, it's one of lost athleticism, either due to injury or due to age. Maton is only 33, though, and he's tall and thickly built. It looks like he's nursing an injury, be it the tendinitis in his right knee that shelved him earlier this season or something in his lower back. Either way, he's not getting through his front side as well when he delivers; he looks creakier and stiffer. It's not surprising, then, that he's missing in the same direction over and over. The question is whether he can fix that. If so, he'll go right back to being a good reliever, and the Cubs' most important setup man. The stuff, as we said, is essentially intact. If player and team can't find a way to get him moving better down the mound again, though, that won't matter. Right now, Craig Counsell can't trust Maton, which is a huge problem for a team that doesn't enjoy a big margin for error. View the full article

For the week, Nashville (6-0) and Wilson (4-2) were series winners, Biloxi (3-3) managed a draw and Wisconsin (1-4) struggled. Transactions: RHP Peter Strzelecki designated for assignment by MLB Brewers LHP Robert Gasser recalled to MLB Brewers from AAA Nashville C Eric Martinez transferred to Development List from AAA Nashville RHP Tyson Hardin promoted to AAA Nashville from AA Biloxi RHP Ayendy Bravo assigned to High-A Wisconsin from ACL Brewers RHP Argenis Aparicio assigned to High-A Wisconsin from ACL Brewers RHP Bryan Rivera placed on High-A Wisconsin’s 7-day injured list Game Action: Nashville Pre-Game Media Notes Final: Nashville 4, Iowa (Cubs) 3 Box Score and Game Log Via oursportscentral.com, game details: Sounds Walk off Iowa to Secure Series Sweep Starting 24-year-old RHP Tyson Hardin’s AAA debut did not disappoint, as he struck out 3 of the first 4 batters faced and only allowed 2 runs (1 earned) in 7 strong innings (4 H, 3 BB, 6 Ks). Hardin’s velocity peaked at 96.1mph in the 2nd inning and he looked like he might be spent at 89 pitches after conceding a 104mph single, 9-pitch RBI double and 5-pitch walk to consecutive batters with one out in the 7th inning, but he buckled down to induce two ground outs to strand 2 critical baserunners and finish at a season-high 94 pitches. The Sounds saved the best for last for 6,513 home fans, plating 3 runs in the bottom of the 9th for a series sweep. That final half-inning, which commenced with a 4-pitch walk drawn by substitute OF Jacob Hurtubise (one of 3 free passes in the frame), was highlighted a 106.4mph first pitch single by OF Luis Lara to load the bases and of course DH Eddys Leonard’s walk-off 105.4mph single to win it. 3B Jett Williams (2-for-3, HR, triple, walk, RBI) was Nashville’s offensive star, tripling (101.9mph) but picked off in the 1st inning, smacking a solo homer (101.4mph) to tie the game 1-1 in the 6th inning and using an ABS challenge to help draw a walk in the 9th inning comeback. Sounds’ Extras: Hurtubise entered the game for rehabbing OF Akil Baddoo in the 6th inning, gunning down speedy James Triantos (3 stolen bases in the game) at home on a fly ball double play to end the top of the 9th inning, then starting the walk-off rally. LHP Rob Zastryzny made his second rehab appearance of the week, needing just 10 pitches complete the 8th inning (walk, pick-off, K, ground out). C Jeferson Quero (7 stolen bases allowed) wasn’t able to match his counterpart Eric Yang defensively (one pick-off, one caught stealing; no stolen bases allowed), but he did have a base hit and contributed the game-tying sacrifice fly in the 9th inning. The Sounds got some help in the 4th inning by an Iowa baserunner forgetting to tag up from 3rd base as part of an inning-ending double play. Next week’s outlook: Nashville (26-19) travels eight hours due east for a six-game set against Ray’s affiliate Durham (19-26), with the series beginning at 10:05 AM CST on Tuesday. Biloxi Pre-Game Media Notes Final: Montgomery (Rays) 7, Biloxi 4 Box Score and Game Log Via the Shuckers’ website, game details and we encourage readers to review affiliate write-ups as part of their Link Report routine: DeBerry Continues to Dazzle in Shuckers Setback to Biscuits Despite outhitting the Biscuits 9 to 7, Biloxi fell short in their quest for a road series win, done in by stranding nine baserunners (vs. 4 for Montgomery), including a runner at third base in each of the final three innings. After starting RHP Jaron DeBerry threw well but was hurt by the long ball (3 homers – 6 IP, 5 R, 6 H, 2 BB, 8 Ks), C Matt Wood (2-for-3, triple, walk) started a comeback with a 1-out, 5th inning triple, with SS Jesus Made driving in 2 runs with 2 outs to cut the deficit to 4-3. 1B Mike Boeve (2-for-4, HR, RBI) briefly tied the game in the 6th inning with his 4th homer of 2026 and 2B Dylan O’Rae valiantly tried to tie it again by manufacturing a run an inning later (bunt single, SB, passed ball), but was left stranded. Trailing 5-4 in the 8th inning, OF Damon Keith singled to open the frame and later stole 3rd base, but the team could not cash in. An inning later, Keith was at the plate with 2-on, 2-out, trailing 7-4, but flew out for the final play. Shuckers’ Extras: RHP Ryan Birchard once again recorded his 3 relief outs via strikeout (31 Ks in 22 IP this year), but also allowed a walk and 2-run homer this time out. The blast came on a 1-2 pitch which likely got too much of the plate. OF Mark Coley II put his recent slump further behind him with a 2-for-4 game, including an infield RBI single in the 5th inning. 3B Eduardo Garcia went 0-for-4 with 3 Ks, but it was nice to have him return to action after exiting Thursday’s game early. RHP Cameron Wagoner retired 3 of 4 batters faced in the 7th inning, but also hit old friend Jadher Areinamo with a pitch. Another old friend Gregory Barrios put the first run on the board with his 2nd inning solo shot. Next week’s outlook: Biloxi (17-21) returns home for six games against White Sox affiliate Birmingham (16-23), commencing on Tuesday. Wisconsin Pre-Game Media Notes Postponed: South Bend (Cubs) at Wisconsin Via the Timber Rattlers’ website, rainout details: Sunday’s Timber Rattlers Game with South Bend Rained Out After giving up 74 runs in 5 games this week, which included 3 2/3 innings tossed by Timber Rattlers’ position players, perhaps a rain out cleanse and re-set were truly in order. Next week’s outlook: Wisconsin (20-16) heads over to Midland, Michigan to play six games against Dodgers’ affiliate Great Lakes (25-13), with LHP Wande Torres scheduled to start the series opener at 10:05 AM CST on Tuesday. Wilson Pre-Game Media Notes Final: Wilson 7, Hill City (Guardians) 4 Box Score and Game Log Via the Warbirds’ website, game details: Warbirds Fly to Series Win With Four in the First 19-year-old C Rylan Mills’ full season affiliate debut was an immense success as he earned an RBI walk in the 1st inning for a 4-2 lead, then homered on a 2-2 pitch in the 3rd inning to give Wilson some important breathing room (6-3 at that point). An 18th round draft pick in 2025 ($247,500 signing bonus), Mills also threw out attempted base stealers in the 7th and 8th innings. Starting RHP Carlos Carra (4 2/3 IP, 4 H, 2 BB, 4 Ks) allowed 3 runs to the first 12 batters faced as Wilson’s advantage was cut to 4-3 but did well to ultimately retire the last 6 hitters in order. The team’s early patient eye allowed the Warbirds to draw 5 first inning walks and a hit-by-pitch, chasing the Howlers’ starting pitcher after he conceded 4 runs and only recorded one out. DH Brady Ebel (2-for-4, double, RBI, 2 SBs) recorded the team’s sole hit in that 1st inning, then tag-teamed with OF Handelfry Encarnacion (2-for-4, double, HBP) on back-to-back doubles (video) in the 7th inning. RHP Peyton Niksch (3.12 ERA) and LHP Anfernny Reyes (2.41 ERA) were solid in relief, combining on 4 1/3 innings (1 R, 3 H, 3 BB, 4 Ks). Warbirds’ Extras: Reyes did struggle initially (back-to-back walks and a wild pitch to open the 8th inning), but delivered a 3-up, 3-down 9th inning to close out the series victory. Each of OF Pedro Ibarguen (single, walk, RBI), 3B Filippo Di Turi (single, walk, SB), SS Juan Ortuno (2 walks, SB) and 2B Luis Lameda (2 walks) reached base twice to keep the pressure on Hill City pitchers. Next week’s outlook: Wilson (19-20) remains home this week to take on Orioles’ affiliate Delmarva (14-25) for six games, beginning on Tuesday. We hope that you enjoy the Minor League Link Report. On Monday, the Milwaukee Brewers (26-18) start their critical series at Wrigley (29-18) at 6:40 PM, while the ACL Brewers (4-7) play at the ACL Mariners (7-4) at 8:00 PM CST. Organizational Scoreboard including starting pitcher info, game times, MiLB TV links, and box scores Current Milwaukee Brewers Organization Batting Stats and Depth Current Milwaukee Brewers Organization Pitching Stats and Depth View the full article

Weekly Snapshot: Record Last Week: 4-2 (Overall: 26-18) Run Scored Last Week: 23 Runs Surrendered Last Week: 16 Standing: 2nd in NL Central Game 39 (5/12) | MIL 6, SDP 4 Game 40 (5/13) | SDP 3, MIL 1 Game 41 (5/14) | MIL 7, SDP 1 Game 42 (5/15) | MIL 3, MIN 2 Game 43 (5/16) | MIL 2, MIN 1 Game 44 (5/17) | MIN 5, MIL 4 Game 39 | Brewers 6, Padres 4 MIL Starter: Brandon Sproat (5.1 IP, 6 H, 2 BB, 3 ER, 6 K) Top Performers: Joey Ortiz (2 H, HR, 2 RBI) Brice Turang (2 H, 2B, 2 RBI) Jake Bauers (2 H, 2B, RBI) Brandon Sporat kicked off the week battling through traffic in his start against an NL West-leading Padres team, powering through 5.1 innings of three-run baseball. Against the Friars hurlers, the Brewers got to Matt Waldron, tagging him for eight hits and six runs in just 2.2 innings, which would be enough to take game one as the bullpen behind Sproat surrendered only a single run. Joey Ortiz goes deep (+12.1 WP%) Game 40 | Padres 3, Brewers 1 MIL Starter: Jacob Misiorowski (7.0 IP, 4 H, 0 BB, 0 ER, 10 K) Top Performers: Luis Rengifo (3 H) Sal Frelick (2 H) Aaron Ashby (1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 2 K) The Brewers let Wednesday’s contest slip through their fingers, as a dominant start by Misiorowski was pushed aside when Gavin Sheets tagged Abner Uribe for a 2-out, 3-run homer in the 9th to snatch back a game that saw the Brewers lead 1-0 for most of the contest. Misiorowski’s dominant outing Game 41 | Brewers 7, Padres 1 MIL Starter: Kyle Harrison (5.0 IP, 5 H, 0 BB, 0 ER, 7 K) Top Performers: Luis Rengifo (2 H, 3 RBI) Andrew Vaughn (2 H, BB, 2B, RBI) Brice Turang (H, 2 BB, 2B, RBI) No comeback was in store for the Padres on Thursday, as the Brewers claimed the series Rubber match in comfortable fashion. It all started by getting to San Diego starter Griffin Canning, with the Brewers putting up a pair of 3-spots in the first and second innings to chase him from the game. Kyle Harrison kept the Padres bats quiet on the other side, throwing a scoreless outing of his own. No dramatics followed the hot start, with the final being 7-1. Rengifo drives in a pair (+11.3 WP%) Game 42 | Brewers 3, Twins 2 MIL Starter: Coleman Crow (5.0 IP, 3 H, ER, 3 K) Top Performers: Jackson Chourio (2 H, 2B) Jake Bauers (2 H, 2B, RBI) Trevor Megill (1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, K, SV) Coleman Crow earned himself another spot start for game one in Minnesota, and was excellent. Through five innings, Crow allowed just three hits, walked none, and surrendered only a single run. That was enough to match Twins ace Joe Ryan, who settled in after allowing a first-inning run, and after his exit, the Brewers would plate the two deciding runs in the eighth, capped by a go-ahead double from Jake Bauers. Jake Bauers’ RBI double (+21.1 WP%) Game 43 | Brewers 2, Twins 1 MIL Starter: Logan Henderson (Pitching Line) Top Performers: Chad Patrick (4.0 IP, 1 H, 0 BB, 0 ER, 3 K, SV) Jackson Chourio (2 H, 2B, HR, RBI) Andrew Vaughn (H, BB) Logan Henderson was on the slab for the Brewers in game two, and behind his five strong innings, they secured the series. Following Henderson’s strong start was an even stronger outing from Chad Patrick, who threw four scoreless innings and earned his first career save. With the bats, the decisive blow came from Jackson Chourio's first home run of the season, giving the Brewers a 2-1 win. Jackson Chourio’s first home run of the season (+16.0 WP%) Game 44 | Twins 5, Brewers 4 MIL Starter: Robert Gasser (4.0 IP, 3 H, 2 BB, 2 ER, 3 K) Top Performers: Jake Bauers (2 H, BB, 2B, RBI) Sal Frelick (2 H, 2B, RBI) DL Hall (1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 BB, 0 ER, 2 K) The series finale saw Robert Gassar make his return to the major leagues, and the Brewers' power bats come alive. For his part, Gasser was admirable working around significant traffic and an error in his four innings, while the offense saw both Garett Mitchell and Christian Yelich go deep. That wouldn't be enough, though, as it was the Twins who'd manage to hold a one-run lead and avoid the sweep 5-4. Christian Yelich's home run (+14.1 WP%) Transactions: 05/17/26 - Designated RHP Peter Strzelecki for assignment. 05/17/26 - Recalled LHP Robert Gasser from AAA Nashville. 05/16/26 - Sent RHP Quinn Priester on a rehab assignment to High-A Wisconsin. 05/16/26 - Optioned RHP Coleman Crow to AAA Nashville. 05/16/26 - Selected the contract of RHP Peter Strzelecki from AAANashville. 05/15/26 - Sent LF Akil Baddoo on a rehab assignment to AAA Nashville. 05/15/26 - Recalled RHP Coleman Crow from AAA Nashville. 05/15/26 - Optioned LHP Brian Fitzpatrick to AAA Nashville. 05/14/26 - Sent LHP Rob Zastryzny on a rehab assignment to AAA Nashville. 05/12/26 - Activated LF Christian Yelich from the 10-day injured list. 05/12/26 - Optioned DH Tyler Black to AAA Nashville. Looking Ahead: Monday, 5/18 - Brewers @ Cubs - 6:40 PM CDT Tuesday, 5/19 - Brewers @ Cubs - 6:40 PM CDT Wednesday, 5/20 - Brewers @ Cubs - 6:40 PM CDT Friday, 5/22 - Dodgers @ Brewers - 6:40 PM CDT Saturday, 5/23 - Dodgers @ Brewers - 6:15 PM CDT Sunday, 5/24 - Dodgers @ Brewers - 1:10 PM CDT View the full article

Coming out of the 2025 season, first base looked like one of the weaker positions on the Twins’ roster. The front office added veteran bats in Victor Caratini and Josh Bell to provide depth and offensive production, while also hoping to solidify the designated hitter role. Despite that, the position has become another question mark for a team searching for consistency early in the season. While the free agent additions have largely underperformed, a bright spot has emerged in Kody Clemens, whose strong two-way play has given the Twins stability both offensively and defensively. With prospects beginning to heat up in St. Paul and pressure mounting to improve the lineup, the Twins now face important decisions about how to handle first base moving forward. Clemens leads the way for this first base group. In 128 plate appearances, he's batting .245/.345/.441, with 14 extra-base hits. He's been worth 3 runs above average at the plate and a whopping 5 in the field, according to Baseball Reference. Advanced metrics back up Clemens’s raw numbers, too. He hits the ball hard in the air at a solidly above-average rate; that's a sustainable way to generate above-average offense. He's continued (and even improved upon) his performance from last season. He should be the starter moving forward, as he has been most of the season. The main issue with that, at the moment, is the two free-agent signings the Twins made who have made starts at first base this season. Victor Caratini was signed as the backup catcher this offseason and has played first base 13 times so far. Caratini has been around a league-average bat the past few seasons, but so far this year, the same can’t be said. He’s currently slashing .192/.294/.231 in 126 plate appearances. A little bit of that is bad luck—he has the same .329 xwOBA he had last season, but last year, his actual wOBA was .318, and this year, it's .249. However, we're also seeing the risks of signing a switch-hitter away from Houston, one of the best parks in the league for finding extra-base hits down the lines. Here are Caratini's batted balls so far this year, mapped onto his new home park in Minnesota. Now, here are the same batted balls overlaid onto the dimensions of Daikin Park in Houston, which Caratini called home for the last two years. Four balls that have been flyouts this season would clearly have been extra-base hits of some kind had he hit them in Houston. Factor in weather, and another three or four might have been, too. That's the difference between Caratini's more productive recent past and his current dreadfulness, right there. He's still controlling the strike zone reasonably well, and the weather will be more conducive to hitting as the weather warms, so Caratini also belongs in the mix. In all likelihood, though, he'll spend a good chunk of that time at catcher. Josh Bell is another story. The 33-year-old slugger has been 11 runs below average so far in 2026, according to Baseball Reference, and his advanced numbers back that up. He’s slashing .210/.275/.315, with 3 home runs in 178 plate appearances. Signed in December, Bell hasn’t been great defensively and hasn’t been the past few seasons either, but it appears the Twins know that and are using him there sparingly: he only has 8 appearances at the position so far, compared to 34 at DH. Given that his deal is a one-year contract worth $7 million (with a mutual option for 2027), Bell is the most likely candidate to be moved on from at some point this season. There are two prospects in St. Paul who’ve been spending time at first base, though neither is knocking very loudly on the door to the majors. Aaron Sabato has been especially hot of late, slashing .319/.396/.830 so far in May, bringing his slash line this year to .281/.343/.652 with 8 homers. Sabato was the Twins’ first-round pick back in 2020 out of the University of North Carolina, and the 26-year-old could see some time with the big-league club this year if he continues hitting (though it's a long shot). Gabriel Gonzalez hasn’t been nearly as good at the plate, slashing .207/.280/.396 in 182 plate appearances. First base is a new experience for the 22-year-old, who didn’t appear in a game at the position before this season. Acquired in the Jorge Polanco trade with the Mariners, Gonzalez will look to get back to his offensive numbers from last year to factor into the first base conversation this year. Although the Twins entered the season expecting their veteran additions to strengthen the lineup, the results at first base have largely fallen short of expectations. Clemens has certainly earned the opportunity to remain the everyday starter, thanks to his strong defense, improving offensive profile, and encouraging underlying metrics. Caratini’s struggles may not be permanent, but his new home park will never permit him to put up the numbers he managed in Houston. Bell’s continued decline makes him the most likely candidate to lose playing time or eventually be moved. Ultimately, the Twins’ best path forward may be trusting Clemens at first base, while remaining flexible with the rest of the position as the summer months rapidly approach. View the full article

The Omaha Storm Chasers earned the lone Royals system win Saturday, holding off Toledo 6-3 behind Brett Squires' 3-for-4 night with a home run and three RBI. Ben Sears earned the win with 2 2/3 hitless innings, and Hunter Owen logged seven strikeouts over five frames in Northwest Arkansas' 9-5 loss. Frank Mozzicato gave up seven runs and David Shields six, while Hiro Wyatt took the loss in Columbia's 10-0 defeat at Hickory. Royals Transactions No Transactions Squires Powers Storm Chasers Past Mud Hens The Omaha Storm Chasers held off the Toledo Mud Hens, 6-3, behind a big day from Squires. The first baseman finished 3-for-4 with two doubles, a home run, two runs scored, and three RBI as the cleanup hitter. Omaha jumped on Toledo in the home half of the first. Tyler Tolbert worked a leadoff walk and came around to score on a Luca Tresh RBI double. Tresh then came home when Squires followed with an RBI double of his own, giving the Storm Chasers a 2-1 lead after one. The third inning provided the decisive blow. Tolbert again drew a walk, John Rave singled, and Kameron Misner walked to load the bases. A Tresh grounder turned into a run-scoring double play that brought Tolbert in, and Squires followed by lifting a two-run home run to center field that scored Rave. Gavin Cross added an insurance run in the sixth with an RBI double that scored Squires. Starter Henry Williams labored through 3 1/3 innings, allowing three runs on six hits with three walks and three strikeouts. He surrendered two home runs and was charged with all of Toledo's damage. Ben Sears collected the win in relief, working 2 2/3 hitless innings with four strikeouts and no walks to improve to 2-0. Beck Way, Eli Morgan, and Jose Cuas combined to bridge the game to Mason Black, who closed it out with a clean ninth for his third save. Player AB R H RBI BB K Tyler Tolbert 2 2 0 0 2 1 John Rave 4 1 1 0 0 1 Kameron Misner 3 0 0 0 1 0 Luca Tresh 4 1 1 1 0 1 Brett Squires 4 2 3 3 0 1 Abraham Toro 3 0 0 0 0 1 Gavin Cross 3 0 1 1 0 0 Dustin Dickerson 3 0 1 0 0 1 Josh Rojas 3 0 0 0 0 1 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Henry Williams 3 1/3 6 3 3 3 3 2 Ben Sears 2 2/3 1 0 0 0 4 0 Beck Way 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 Eli Morgan 2/3 1 0 0 1 1 0 Jose Cuas 1/3 0 0 0 0 0 0 Mason Black 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 Mozzicato Tagged Early In Naturals' Loss To Travelers The Northwest Arkansas Naturals fell to the Arkansas Travelers, 9-5, on a day when Mozzicato struggled to keep the ball in the yard. The left-hander was charged with seven runs on six hits over three innings, walking three and striking out three, and surrendered two home runs in a four-run first. Sam Kulasingam led the offense, finishing 2-for-5 with two RBI and two runs scored. He answered the early deficit with a solo home run in the first, then added an RBI single in the fifth. Spencer Nivens reached safely all four times he came to the plate, going 3-for-3 with a double, a walk, and two RBI. His two-run double in the fifth, which also scored Kulasingam and Jorge Alfaro, pulled the Naturals within three. Colton Becker chipped in a 2-for-4 line with an RBI single in the second that scored Daniel Vazquez. Vazquez added a walk, a stolen base, and a run scored, and Rudy Martin Jr. also swiped a bag in his 1-for-5 night. Mozzicato exited after three innings and was tagged with the loss to fall to 0-2. Brandon Johnson allowed a two-run home run in his lone inning of work. Owen provided the staff's lone bright spot, working five innings of one-run baseball with seven strikeouts, no walks, and a home run allowed. Cleanup hitter Alfaro went 1-for-4 with a run scored, while Carson Roccaforte went 0-for-5 with three strikeouts. Player AB R H RBI BB K Carson Roccaforte 5 0 0 0 0 3 Rudy Martin Jr. 5 1 1 0 0 1 Sam Kulasingam 5 2 2 2 0 0 Jorge Alfaro 4 1 1 0 0 0 Daniel Vazquez 3 1 0 0 1 0 Spencer Nivens 3 0 3 2 1 0 Colton Becker 4 0 2 1 0 0 Connor Scott 3 0 0 0 0 2 Canyon Brown 3 0 0 0 0 1 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Frank Mozzicato 3 6 7 7 3 3 2 Brandon Johnson 1 1 1 1 0 1 1 Hunter Owen 5 6 1 1 0 7 1 Shields Struggles As River Bandits Fall To Lugnuts The Quad Cities River Bandits dropped an 8-2 decision to the Lansing Lugnuts, with Shields taking the loss. The left-hander allowed six runs on six hits over three innings, walking two and striking out one. He surrendered a solo home run in the second and was tagged for five more in the third on four straight hits, including a two-run double, before exiting after 65 pitches. Shields fell to 3-3. The damage piled up quickly in the third, when four consecutive one-out hits put five on the board. Quad Cities was held off the scoreboard through four innings before breaking through in the fifth, when Tyriq Kemp lined an RBI double to left that scored Derlin Figueroa. Lansing answered in the bottom half with a two-run home run off Mason Miller, who allowed two runs on two hits over 2 1/3 innings while walking three. Trevor Werner provided the final tally for the visitors in the eighth, lifting a solo home run to right. Figueroa reached three times in his 2-for-3 night, also drawing a walk and scoring a run. Asbel Gonzalez added a 2-for-4 effort with a stolen base. Top prospect Blake Mitchell went 1-for-4 with two strikeouts, and Ramon Ramirez was held hitless in four trips. Yimi Presinal contributed an inning of hitless relief, and Kamden Edge struck out one over 1 2/3 scoreless frames to finish the game. Player AB R H RBI BB K Nolan Sailors 4 0 0 0 0 1 Asbel Gonzalez 4 0 2 0 0 1 Blake Mitchell 4 0 1 0 0 2 Ramon Ramirez 4 0 0 0 0 2 Derlin Figueroa 3 1 2 0 1 1 Austin Charles 3 0 1 0 0 0 Angel Acosta 1 0 0 0 0 1 Erick Torres 3 0 0 0 0 0 Tyriq Kemp 3 0 1 1 0 0 Trevor Werner 3 1 1 1 0 1 Player IP H R ER BB K HR David Shields 3 6 6 6 2 1 1 Yimi Presinal 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 Mason Miller 2 1/3 2 2 2 3 1 1 Kamden Edge 1 2/3 1 0 0 0 1 0 Fireflies Shut Out By Crawdads The Columbia Fireflies were blanked by the Hickory Crawdads, 10-0, mustering five hits but never crossing the plate. Brooks Bryan and Stone Russell each finished with two hits, and Connor Rasmussen added a single. The lineup combined to leave five runners on base. Hickory broke through in the second against Wyatt. The Crawdads loaded the bases on a single, a walk, and a hit by pitch, then plated runs on a bases-loaded walk, a hit by pitch, and a two-RBI double, putting four on the board in the frame. Wyatt was charged with the loss after three innings, allowing four runs on two hits with three walks and one strikeout to fall to 1-2. The fifth inning unraveled similarly. Yeri Perez allowed a bases-loaded hit by pitch and a two-RBI single before Andy Basora entered with the bases loaded. Basora walked in a run and gave up a two-run single, completing a six-run inning. Perez was tagged with six runs in 1 2/3 innings. Basora settled in to finish his 2 1/3 innings without allowing a run, striking out two and walking three. Randy Ramnarace tossed a scoreless frame, and Max Martin closed the game with a clean ninth. Top prospects Sean Gamble, Josh Hammond, and Yandel Ricardo combined to go 0-for-12, with Gamble striking out twice. Bryan's double in the eighth accounted for Columbia's lone extra-base hit. Player AB R H RBI BB K Henry Ramos 3 0 0 0 0 0 Josi Novas 1 0 0 0 0 1 Yandel Ricardo 4 0 0 0 0 0 Josh Hammond 4 0 0 0 0 1 Brooks Bryan 3 0 2 0 1 0 Sean Gamble 4 0 0 0 0 2 Stone Russell 3 0 2 0 0 0 Daniel Lopez 3 0 0 0 0 1 Jhosmmel Zue 3 0 0 0 0 2 Connor Rasmussen 3 0 1 0 0 1 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Hiro Wyatt 3 2 4 4 3 1 0 Yeri Perez 1 2/3 2 6 6 3 0 0 Andy Basora 2 1/3 1 0 0 3 2 0 Randy Ramnarace 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 Max Martin 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 Top-20 Prospect Performance Kendry Chourio: DNP David Shields: three IP, 6 H, 6 R, 6 ER, 2 BB, 1 K, 1 HR Sean Gamble: 0-for-4, 2 K Blake Mitchell: 1-for-4, 2 K Josh Hammond: 0-for-4, 1 K Ramon Ramirez: 0-for-4, 2 K Drew Beam: DNP Asbel Gonzalez: 2-for-4, SB, 1 K Ben Kudrna: DNP Carson Roccaforte: 0-for-5, 3 K Yandel Ricardo: 0-for-4 Felix Arronde: DNP Blake Wolters: DNP Michael Lombardi: DNP Luinder Avila: DNP Steven Zobac: DNP Frank Mozzicato: three IP, 6 H, 7 R, 7 ER, 3 BB, 3 K, 2 HR Daniel Vazquez: 0-for-3, BB, R, SB Warren Colcano: DNP Shane Panzini: DNP View the full article

At times, baseball feels like a memory test. On Mat 13, Carson Benge started passing it. The ball that came off his bat in the 10th inning barely cleared the infield, a low, sharp line drive that split the middle of the diamond before the Detroit Tigers could react. From second base, A.J. Ewing never looked back. By the time he touched home plate, the New York Mets had won another improbable game, 3-2 at Citi Field, and Benge had his first major-league walk-off hit. But the single was not really the beginning of the story. It was the response. Hours earlier, Benge had endured the kind of night that perfectly captures how difficult it is to be a rookie in New York. He misplayed a line drive in right field that sparked Detroit’s early rally. Later, in the seventh inning, he was thrown out at the plate after getting a late break on a double steal attempt. In the decisive moment of the play, his first reaction was a step backward. Two visible mistakes. Two moments where the game seemed to move faster than he did. And yet, he still ended up deciding the game. That is precisely what makes his May performance so interesting. Roughly two weeks ago, Benge woke up carrying a .498 OPS and an offense that looked trapped somewhere between mechanical adjustments and recognition issues. Across March and April, he hit just .189 with a .278 slugging percentage. He went 2-for-18 (.111) against breaking pitches and 3-for-19 (.158) against off-speed offerings. His combined whiff rate climbed to 31.3%. The clearest positive sign was that he had homered against every pitch type. When he connected, his swing still generated average exit velocities above 90 mph. But pitchers had already started discovering the blueprint for attacking him. First came the mix of breaking balls and changeups. Then came the finishing touch: the fastball. That became the real stress test. In April, 48% of Benge’s strikeouts came against fastballs. At times, his swing looked late. Other times, his hands and pitch recognition appeared too delayed to attack pitches in the zone. The breaking point arrived on April 26 and 27, when Benge struck out four times in eight plate appearances to close the month during a series against the Washington Nationals. Since then, Benge has started solving the problem. The results are beginning to look encouraging. The samples remain small, but meaningful. Just look at the evolution of his walk and strikeout rates: March/April: 5 walks (5.1 BB%), 17 strikeouts (17.1 K%) in 97 plate appearances. May: 4 walks (10 BB%), 6 strikeouts (15 K%) through that May 13 walk-off Benge made his MLB debut on March 26 with a two-walk game. His next multi-walk performance did not arrive until May 3. Since the recent adjustments, his .240 on-base percentage from April has jumped to a near-.400 mark this month. In other words: he has renewed his approach at the plate, he is selecting pitches more effectively, and the success is finally beginning to follow. Those are exactly the kinds of signs the Mets were hoping to see, especially during this difficult stretch in which the club is dealing with injuries to several key players. Beyond Benge’s clutch hit, let’s take a closer look at the surprisingly rapid offensive growth he is beginning to show at the plate. Sign #1: He Can Now Compete Against MLB Velocity Pitchers usually challenge rookies with one simple question: “Can you hit MLB fastballs?” During April, the answer still felt incomplete. But May has changed the conversation. Against fastballs, Benge now looks like a hitter capable of sustaining quality at-bats. He is hitting .294 against heaters, while the expected metrics suggest even more production ahead: a .335 xBA and a .596 xSLG. The quality of contact supports the adjustment as well. His average exit velocity against fastballs is now above 92.3 mph. That explains a significant portion of his recent offensive surge. The clearest example came in the matchup that ended Wednesday’s game and sent Citi Field into chaos. Tigers right-hander Drew Anderson tried to challenge him with a 97 mph fastball over the plate. You already know what happened. Benge was ready to punish velocity. But Anderson’s mistake was not just the pitch selection. The fastball leaked directly into a danger zone against this newer version of Benge. “Simply don’t throw it there.” That has been Benge’s recent message to the league. His swing has dominated pitches in the upper part of the zone, showing notable improvement compared to some of the breakdowns visible earlier in the season. If Benge starts solving pitches on the outer edge, his offensive evolution could accelerate even further. The improvement in his slugging percentage, barrel rate, and hard-hit rate all originates from the same place: he is getting to the fastball much better now. He no longer looks like a hitter merely trying to survive major-league reaction time. Now, he looks prepared to punish it. When a rookie starts winning that battle, the entire at-bat changes. Sign #2: The Real Test Is Still Spin The crack still exists. And the numbers practically underline it. Against breaking balls, Benge is hitting just .167, with a .204 xwOBA and a 25.6% whiff rate. Visually, the issue shows up too: uncomfortable swings, late contact, and too many sliders that begin in the zone before disappearing beneath his hands. That is probably where much of his difficult April was born. Once the scouting reports spread around the league, pitchers stopped attacking him exclusively with fastballs. They began expanding the zone with spin, forcing him to make decisions later in the count. The game sped up on him. But even within that problem, there is an important sign hiding underneath: he has probably experienced some bad luck against certain breaking pitches. Because although the results remain poor, his xSLG against breaking balls (.277) is noticeably better than the overall quality of contact suggests. The limited extra-base production and inconsistent contact indicate that some of the contact he is producing has not yet fully translated into sustainable offensive damage. And there is an even more interesting detail against off-speed pitches. He is hitting only .185 against them, but his xBA approaches .300 and his xSLG climbs to .455. That usually means one thing: the recognition is beginning to arrive before the results do. And for a young hitter, that is often the most important frontier in development. The key point that should stay in perspective? Entering Wednesday’s game, Benge had already reduced his whiff rate against breaking balls from 31.3% down to 9.1%. Better fastball damage. More contact against breaking pitches. Improved balance against changeups. That is where the turn begins. Sign #3: The Game Has Stopped Breaking Him Inning by Inning That May 13 game was probably the clearest evidence of that, because baseball goes far beyond swings, tablet reviews, and hours spent studying advanced scouting reports on video. A month ago, a night like that might have consumed him. An early defensive mistake. A poor read at home plate. Citi Field growing tense around him. The classic environment where rookies begin chasing heroic swings in an attempt to erase previous mistakes. But Benge did not do that. His at-bat in the 10th inning was small, simple, and mature. He did not try to lift the ball. He did not chase the emotional home run. He simply took the pitch and shot a line drive back through the middle of the field. That is development too. Because the Mets are no longer watching only an athletic prospect trying to survive rookie turbulence. They are beginning to see something more interesting: a hitter who has already answered the first Major League question — the fastball — and is now entering the real offensive chess match of this league. Learning to recognize the slider that looks like a strike for twenty feet before vanishing. The devastating changeup. That is where many rookies break. And that is exactly where Carson Benge appears to be growing. Need further proof? How about this: Mere days later, the budding star delivered his second walk-off hit of the week to close out the Subway Series. View the full article