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The Milwaukee Brewers have brought Coleman Crow back up. Now the question is: Will this be for more than one game? The right-hander was called up by the Brewers from Triple-A Nashville to start Friday's series opener against the Minnesota Twins. Left-handed reliever Brian Fitzpatrick was sent down to Nashville. Also, outfielder Akil Baddoo was sent to Nashville to begin a rehab assignment. Baddoo strained his left quad in spring training. For Crow, this will be his second start after making his MLB debut April 17 on the road against the Miami Marlins. He went 5⅓ innings, allowing two runs on four hits with a walk and four strikeouts. But that was a spot start and he went back down to Nashville the next day. This move could last at least a little while. Right-hander Chad Patrick was in the Opening Day rotation, but has made his last two appearances and three out of his last five out of the bullpen. Patrick proved very effective in that role in the postseason last year and still gives the Brewers some length out of the bullpen. Crow has made five starts and one relief appearance at Nashville, where he compiled a 4.70 ERA, walking 13 and striking out 34 in 30⅔ innings. Fitzpatrick also made his MLB debut with the Crew this year with very good results. Thus far, he has made four appearances out of the bullpen, covering 5⅔ innings with three walks and four strikeouts. Baddoo signed a split contract with the Brewers in the offseason after five seasons with the Detroit Tigers, where he had been a Rule 5 draft pick. He has a career .224/.305/.369 slash line, including a .259/.330/.436 mark with 13 homers, 55 RBIs and 18 steals as a rookie in 2021. But as the Tigers were infused with prospects, his playing time diminished to just seven games in the majors last year. View the full article

By mid-May, New York is still trying to figure out what kind of teams the Yankees and Mets actually are. The Yankees continue winning just enough games to remain firmly inside the American League conversation, but they arrive at the Subway Series carrying bullpen concerns and an offense that finished its series against the Baltimore Orioles with 15 consecutive scoreless innings. When Aaron Judge and Ben Rice are not producing, the Yankees’ offense has struggled badly to create runs. The Mets, meanwhile, are trapped between conflicting signals: Francisco Lindor, Luis Robert Jr., Jorge Polanco, Francisco Álvarez, Ronny Mauricio, and Kodai Senga are all on the injured list. Bo Bichette’s elite swing still looks disconnected—he currently owns the worst barrel rate of his career at just 3.4%. In the middle of the chaos, Juan Soto is enduring one of the worst offensive stretches of his recent career, yet around him, small signs of a more dangerous and less improvised lineup are beginning to emerge. That is what makes this edition of the Subway Series feel different. It does not arrive as a simple rivalry series on the calendar. It arrives at that uncomfortable point of the season when the first cracks start feeling real. When offensive struggles stop looking temporary. When teams begin understanding which parts of the roster truly work and which ones are still surviving more on reputation than production. And that is why this series feels far heavier than a typical May matchup. Because while the noise surrounding Juan Soto and Aaron Judge will dominate every headline, the true backdrop of this Subway Series feels deeper: two teams trying to prove there is still a more dangerous version of themselves hidden underneath all the inconsistency. The Yankees enter the series having lost five of their last six games, while the Mets just completed their first sweep of the season behind five home runs Thursday against the Detroit Tigers. Over the last decade, the Mets have controlled the Subway Series with a 25-23 record and a plus-33 run differential (253-220). If we narrow the sample to the last five seasons, the Mets own two series victories and three splits, including a 2024 sweep with wins at both Yankee Stadium and Citi Field, respectively. New York Mets vs. New York Yankees New York Mets New York Yankees Rk Season GP W L R R GP W L R R 1 2025 6 3 3 29 33 6 3 3 33 29 2 2024 4 4 0 36 14 4 0 4 14 36 3 2023 4 2 2 20 16 4 2 2 16 20 4 2022 4 2 2 13 13 4 2 2 13 13 5 2021 6 4 2 44 29 6 2 4 29 44 6 2020 6 3 3 29 29 6 3 3 29 29 7 2019 4 2 2 20 23 4 2 2 23 20 8 2018 6 3 3 27 25 6 3 3 25 27 9 2017 4 0 4 14 21 4 4 0 21 14 10 2016 4 2 2 21 17 4 2 2 17 21 11 2015 6 2 4 20 31 6 4 2 31 20 12 2014 4 2 2 21 19 4 2 2 19 21 13 2013 4 4 0 16 7 4 0 4 7 16 14 2012 6 1 5 21 32 6 5 1 32 21 15 2011 6 2 4 14 29 6 4 2 29 14 16 2010 6 3 3 19 18 6 3 3 18 19 17 2009 6 1 5 17 44 6 5 1 44 17 18 2008 6 4 2 38 25 6 2 4 25 38 19 2007 6 3 3 27 34 6 3 3 34 27 20 2006 6 3 3 30 35 6 3 3 35 30 21 2005 6 3 3 32 23 6 3 3 23 32 22 2004 6 4 2 43 38 6 2 4 38 43 23 2003 6 0 6 19 39 6 6 0 39 19 24 2002 6 3 3 29 27 6 3 3 27 29 25 2001 6 2 4 20 26 6 4 2 26 20 26 2000 6 2 4 24 25 6 4 2 25 24 27 1999 6 3 3 30 28 6 3 3 28 30 28 1998 3 1 2 8 16 3 2 1 16 8 29 1997 3 1 2 11 9 3 2 1 9 11 Totals 152 69 83 692 725 152 83 69 725 692 Heading into a promising weekend series that opens with a pitching matchup between Cam Schlittler and Clay Holmes, here are five storylines that could shape the direction of the Subway Series: 1. Juan Soto vs. Aaron Judge Everything starts, naturally, with Juan Soto and Aaron Judge, former teammates in 2024. Because while the marketing will sell this matchup as a battle between superstars, the interesting part is not simply who is performing—it is who will carry the heavier pressure. Judge still looks like the gravitational center of the Yankees lineup. Over the last ten days, he is slashing .278/.409/.583 with three home runs and a .992 OPS. Those numbers almost feel routine for him now, but behind the production lies a deeper issue: New York has needed virtually every Judge swing to keep the offense alive. Because around him, there are concerning signs. Paul Goldschmidt is probably enjoying his best offensive stretch of the season, posting a 1.256 OPS with three home runs—two of them leadoff shots—in eight games. But after that, the lineup collapses into a dangerous mixture of late swings, strikeouts, and rallies that never fully materialize. Jazz Chisholm Jr. has struck out 14 times in ten games. Ben Rice is hitting just .125. Austin Wells sits at .095. And then comes the statistic that changes the tone of the entire series: the Yankees enter without scoring a run over their last 15 innings. Since leaving Yankee Stadium, the offense has collapsed on the road, hitting .158 with runners in scoring position over the last six games. They have struck out 14 times while drawing only four walks. The only memorable productive swing was Trent Grisham’s three-run homer Tuesday that capped a five-run rally in the third inning. Since then, the Yankees have not scored again. On the other side, Soto is not arriving hot either. He is arriving under pressure. Although he hit his fifth home run of the season and drove in two runs Thursday during the Mets’ five-homer explosion to complete the sweep over Detroit, Soto is still searching offensively. His line over the last eight games stood at .138/.212/.310, far from the elite discipline and zone control that define his profile. But the context around Soto has started to change. The Mets do not look explosive offensively, yet they do appear to be finding a more functional structure. Carson Benge is beginning to look like a hitter finally understanding the rhythm of the major leagues. His .379 average and .971 OPS over the last eight games represent stability in front of Soto. His swings no longer look rushed. There is now intention behind them, especially against fastballs in the middle of the zone, and that changes the entire offensive dynamic for the Mets. The 21-year-old rookie A.J. Ewing has also made an impact in his recent debut with the Mets. After launching the first home run of his career Thursday against Tigers right-hander Keider Montero, Ewing has gone 3-for-9 with two extra-base hits, including a triple. He has also drawn four walks—more than his three strikeouts—and stolen a base. Mark Vientos has two home runs and seven RBIs over his last nine games, while Brett Baty, who homered Thursday, has also delivered quality at-bats. It is not a dominant offense. But it is one that seems to be searching for a more coherent identity. So once again, the expectation will center on how much impact Juan Soto and Aaron Judge can create, but the true turning point may depend on how hot the hitters around them become. 2. Can the Mets stop Cam Schlittler? One of the biggest arms to watch in the entire series is undoubtedly Cam Schlittler, who has posted a 0.57 ERA with 29 strikeouts and only one home run allowed across 31 2/3 innings over his last five starts. During that span, opposing hitters have slashed just .168/.223/.212 against Schlittler while generating 67 whiffs. But the interesting part is not only the ERA or the sheer volume of swing-and-miss. It is the way he controls at-bats. Some young pitchers survive by hiding on the edges of the strike zone. Schlittler appears to do the exact opposite: he challenges hitters. His fastball plays above the zone with late life, and that could become especially uncomfortable for this Mets lineup, which at times still depends too heavily on early-count contact. Against four-seam fastballs, the Mets have produced the worst on-base percentage (.304) in baseball and the second-worst ISO (.127), trailing only the Red Sox (.115). That is where one of the central conflicts of the series emerges, because Schlittler throws his four-seam fastball 44% of the time and attacks the upper part of the zone with 51% of those pitches. This advanced report probably will not surprise you: Lowest OBP against high four-seam fastballs this season Table context: The leaderboard is sorted by lowest OBP allowed among pitchers with at least 20 plate appearances ending on a high fastball, either inside or outside the strike zone. Behind Jacob deGrom, Schlittler owns the second-best whiff rate (32.3%) in this group of upper-zone fastball predators, as well as the second-best strikeout rate (38.3%), trailing only Paul Skenes (38.5%). That is not good news for the Mets lineup, because Soto is struggling. Bo Bichette arrives offensively lost, carrying a .369 OPS over recent days, although his .314 expected batting average against four-seamers and 61.8% hard-hit rate suggest he has also been somewhat unlucky. Without key hitters like Lindor, Robert, Polanco, and Álvarez, several secondary Mets bats still show problems adjusting to sustained velocity up around the hands. That is why Schlittler could completely control the rhythm of the game if he gets ahead in counts, especially while pairing the four-seamer with a devastating cutter that has held hitters to a .113 average without an extra-base hit in 57 plate appearances. The Yankees and Mets both arrive with inconsistent offenses, but Schlittler possesses the exact type of profile capable of turning a bad offensive week into a full-blown multi-day crisis. 3. Freddy Peralta and Clay Holmes could extend the Yankees’ offensive collapse Perhaps the most interesting matchup of the entire series is not Soto versus Judge. Perhaps it is Freddy Peralta versus the Yankees. Peralta represents exactly the kind of starter that has historically disrupted this lineup: elevated fastballs, hidden velocity, and enough slider usage to destroy aggressive swings. Now the question becomes whether Peralta will bring back his fastball the way he did in his last start, when he generated 13 whiffs against the Detroit Tigers on Tuesday. Eleven of those 13 misses (85%) came on the four-seam fastball. The rest were split between the changeup and slider. That was encouraging news for the Mets, although there is another layer here; the Yankees have crushed sliders all season, leading baseball with 14 home runs, a .260 ISO, and a 45.3% hard-hit rate against the pitch. So, which version of these Yankees will appear against Peralta? What adjustments will they make? We will find out soon enough. If we dive into the individual matchups, another fascinating detail appears immediately: Judge has faced Peralta three times and still does not have a hit against him, striking out twice. The sample is tiny, but it perfectly captures the visual conflict Peralta often creates for larger hitters. The ball seems to appear on top of them. Still, the history also carries warnings. Goldschmidt has hit two home runs against Peralta and owns an .887 OPS in the matchup. Cody Bellinger has also punished him historically with an OPS north of 1.100. That forces Peralta to pitch with more precision than aggression. Against this offensively limited version of the Yankees, he probably does not need to dominate the entire lineup—he simply needs to prevent Judge and Bellinger from changing the game with one swing, especially since Aaron Boone typically avoids starting Goldschmidt against right-handed pitching. On the Mets' side, Clay Holmes could quietly become one of the most important figures of the series. Holmes’ old problem has always been the same: when the sinker loses depth, everything unravels quickly. Early this season, opponents are finding the sinker more often. His whiff rate has dropped from 16.4% to 12.8%, and his strikeout rate has declined by 5.5%. The sinker remains the foundation of his mix, but now the sweeper has become the true put-away weapon, generating 52% of his strikeouts. If Holmes’ movement shows up, he could turn games into a sequence of weak grounders and uncomfortable swings. During this 15-inning scoreless streak, the Yankees look particularly vulnerable to that kind of pitching profile. New York is not simply enduring an offensive drought. The Yankees are also chasing too many pitches outside the zone and losing hard contact early in counts. Against an aggressive Holmes attacking below the strike zone, that can quickly turn into ten-pitch innings and easy outs. 4. Will the Yankees bullpen return to dominance? The Yankees bullpen enters the Subway Series with numbers that inspire both confidence and concern at the same time. The positive side is obvious enough: there is still plenty of swing-and-miss to finish important games. The group has recorded 17 strikeouts in 17 innings over the last six games, and arms like David Bednar and Fernando Cruz continue generating whiffs even when they do not look fully dominant. Bednar owns 13.5 strikeouts per nine innings during that stretch, while Cruz carries a 4.0 strikeout-to-walk ratio, signs that the Yankees still possess relievers capable of surviving traffic through pure stuff. But the problems emerge immediately afterward: too much hard contact and too many unstable innings. The bullpen owns a collective 4.76 ERA over the last six games, has allowed four home runs, and several relievers are living through outings where one mistake destroys the entire inning. Camilo Doval still does not look fully consistent inside the strike zone. Brent Headrick surrendered two home runs in just two innings. Paul Blackburn arrives especially vulnerable with three walks and a 2.25 WHIP in only 2 2/3 innings. Even the overall bullpen profile is starting to reveal something interesting: too many dangerous fly balls and not enough complete weak-contact suppression outside of what Tim Hill has provided, as he continues looking like the steadiest reliever in the group because of his ability to generate ground balls consistently. And that could matter greatly against the Mets. Because even if this offense is not exploding consistently, it is beginning to create offensive traffic ahead of Soto. If the Mets force games into the bullpen early—especially in situations where Aaron Boone must extend secondary relievers—the series could suddenly open the door to chaotic innings. The problem for the Yankees is that this no longer looks like a bullpen that simply enters and suffocates games automatically. Right now it looks more human. More vulnerable to the big inning. And in an emotional series like the Subway Series, that can change everything with one swing. The contrast between both bullpens could quietly become one of the defining themes of the weekend. While the Yankees enter with a 4.76 ERA over their last six games and several relievers vulnerable to hard contact, the Mets bullpen appears to be stabilizing at exactly the right moment. New York’s bullpen ERA sits at 3.16 over the last seven games, but the most revealing detail emerges once the disastrous outings from Tobias Myers and Craig Kimbrel are removed: the rest of the bullpen has combined for a microscopic 0.43 ERA. That completely changes the perception of the group. Devin Williams is once again generating uncomfortable swings with his changeup. Brooks Raley has been extremely stable. The Mets also enter with 30 strikeouts in 25 2/3 innings during that stretch. More than overwhelming dominance, the important detail is that the bullpen seems to be producing clean innings precisely when the Yankees are enduring one of their worst offensive stretches of the season. 5. Can the Mets solve the Yankees’ left-handed starters? The end of the series could ultimately be decided by a problem that has haunted the Mets for nearly the entire season: left-handed pitching. Behind Schlittler, Carlos Rodón and Ryan Weathers will close out the series. It just so happens that the Mets own the worst OBP in Major League Baseball against left-handed pitchers (.276). That turns Rodón and Weathers into massive threats for the final games of the weekend. Current Mets hitters have combined to hit just .203 (13-for-64) with 14 strikeouts across 72 plate appearances against them. Only three hitters have homered: Tyrone Taylor, Marcus Semien, and Luis Torrens. Soto is 0-for-4 with four walks and one strikeout. Bichette is 4-for-14 (.286) with two RBIs and three strikeouts. That is why names like Soto, Bichette, and Benge become so important in this matchup. The Mets do not need to destroy Rodón. But they do need to avoid the offensive pattern that has followed them for months: late swings, nonexistent offensive traffic, and rallies dying before they even begin. Meanwhile, Ryan Weathers could quietly play a major role in Sunday’s finale. Soto has gone 4-for-8 (.500) with a home run against Weathers, while Semien is 2-for-5 with a double. The rest of the projected lineup will mostly be facing him for the first time. For many of them, their struggles against left-handed pitching this season tell the story clearly: Player Split Year G PA BA OBP SLG OPS HR RBI K% BB% MJ Melendez vs LHP 2026 2 2 .000 .000 .000 .000 0 0 50.0% 0.0% Juan Soto vs LHP 2026 19 45 .146 .222 .293 .515 1 2 20.0% 8.9% Bo Bichette vs LHP 2026 24 53 .188 .264 .313 .577 1 8 15.1% 9.4% Brett Baty vs LHP 2026 12 21 .222 .333 .278 .611 0 1 38.1% 9.5% Tyrone Taylor vs LHP 2026 19 36 .235 .235 .441 .676 2 7 22.2% 0.0% Marcus Semien vs LHP 2026 20 39 .257 .333 .314 .648 0 1 20.5% 7.7% Mark Vientos vs LHP 2026 20 43 .268 .302 .415 .717 1 3 14.0% 2.3% Carson Benge vs LHP 2026 12 21 .278 .381 .278 .659 0 1 38.1% 14.3% A.J. Ewing vs LHP 2026 2 4 .333 .500 1.000 1.500 0 1 50.0% 25.0% Luis Torrens vs LHP 2026 11 19 .353 .389 .471 .859 0 4 10.5% 5.3% The numbers speak for themselves. Soto, Bichette, Baty, and Semien will need to make quick adjustments. Benge and Ewing bring some stability in small samples, although the strikeouts remain significant. So. the story here is not simply Soto versus Judge. It is about two teams trying to prove they still have a dangerous version of themselves hidden underneath all the inconsistency. The Yankees are searching for offense again. The Mets are trying to prove they can survive velocity and left-handed pitching after finally securing their first sweep of the season. And in the middle of all that, New York once again finds itself inside a series where every inning feels heavier than normal. View the full article

Plenty of damage has already been done by the bullpen, which is why the Twins need to stay diligent in cycling through arms in hopes that they can build a functional group as the season goes on. We’ve seen some debuts and roster claims, but it’s still very much a work in progress. Three names in the minor leagues could find themselves with the big league club in short order. John Klein We already saw Klein briefly, and it’s worth wondering exactly what the plan is for him. The Twins had him stuck in a bulk innings role, which neither prepared him to start games nor to serve as a traditional reliever, ultimately leading to his demotion last week, as he wouldn’t have been available for back-to-back outings. Upon his return to the minor leagues, the Twins stuck him in the same role. He wouldn’t be an option for the big league rotation, and if he were to get recalled any time soon, he would likely just serve as a mop-up reliever to be demoted the day after pitching again. If the Twins decide on a path for Klein that would actually be useful to an MLB roster, it’s easy to see him being an impact arm, especially in the bullpen. His mid to high-90s fastball, paired with a good-looking cutter and changeup combo, would play up in short stints and could help the Twins tremendously. If the Twins finally decide to go down this path with Klein, he could be up in short order. Marco Raya Drafted out of high school in 2020, Raya has disappointed thus far in his career, but his story is far from written. His days as a starting pitcher are over, and his body of work as a reliever is less than impressive, but if something clicks, Raya can still be an impact reliever out of the Twins’ pen. We may already be seeing signs. Raya’s stuff isn’t in question between his mid to high-90s fastball and devastating sweeper. Control and command are the bigger concerns, and have led to an ERA over 7.00 in St. Paul this season. Relievers are unpredictable, however, and in his last few outings, Raya has flashed his ability to be a dominant reliever. He’s already on the 40-man roster, so the Twins have no reason not to be quick to call him up if he’s showing signs of finally putting things together. C.J. Culpepper Injuries have derailed Culpepper’s hopes of sticking as a starting pitcher, but his stuff remains intact. After an injury-riddled 2025 season, the Twins saw this and fast-tracked him to St. Paul, immediately converting him to the bullpen upon his promotion. While they’ll surely give him time to get accustomed, Culpepper could find himself with the big league club in short order if he performs well in relief for the Saints. Some outlets had notched Culpepper in the Twins' top 10 prospects in the last few years. He had the stuff to navigate opposing lineups multiple times as a starter. Now that he’s settled into a bullpen role, he can focus on the best of his repertoire, which includes a cutter/sweeper combo. His fastball ticked down amid injuries, but he’s flashed 98 mph on the heater in the past. If he can stay healthy, Culpepper could find himself pitching out of the bullpen at Target Field later this summer. We’re approaching the point where the Twins should feel less concerned about what could go wrong with some of their younger arms should they be called up to the big league bullpen. As June approaches, it’s getting close to time to swap out some of the low upside, short-term veteran relievers and live with the results of whatever the younger arms have to offer. Do you disagree with any of the names listed? Are there any other minor leaguers that should be fast-tracked to the MLB bullpen? Let us know below! View the full article

Twins System Recap: Quentin Young hit the ball harder than just about anybody in baseball early this week. Another guy blasting his way through is Billy Amick, who now has a system-leading 11 home runs. Also this week, Eli Jones impressed in his Double-A debut. Today's video features info on those players plus all the other top performers from Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday's games. View the full article

Chicago Cubs Transactions No Roster Moves Late Push Falls Short In Iowa Cubs' 6-5 Loss At Nashville The Iowa Cubs jumped on top in Nashville before the Sounds chipped back inning by inning, eventually taking the lead late and holding on for a 6-5 win. Pedro Ramírez had the standout day at the plate, going 4-for-5 with a stolen base. BJ Murray added three hits in four at-bats with a double, an RBI, and a walk. Jonathon Long collected two hits, leadoff hitter James Triantos doubled and drove in a run, and Christian Bethancourt added two hits. Iowa took the lead in the third. Triantos doubled to left, scoring Justin Dean. Murray followed with a single to center to plate Triantos, putting the Cubs ahead 2-1. The fifth produced two more runs. Cleanup hitter Kevin Alcántara grounded out to score Murray, then Scott Kingery drew a bases-loaded walk to score Ramírez, pushing the lead to 4-2. Starter Doug Nikhazy worked 3 1/3 innings, allowing two earned runs on two hits while walking seven and striking out four. Iowa pitching issued 11 walks in all. Nashville scored single runs in the fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth, with one run unearned after a Bethancourt throwing error. Justin Dean's ninth-inning sacrifice fly scored Long to cut the deficit to 6-5, but the Cubs could not pull even. Iowa stranded 12 baserunners. Player AB R H RBI BB K James Triantos, 2B 5 1 1 1 0 0 BJ Murray, 3B 4 1 3 1 1 1 Owen Miller, LF 0 0 0 0 0 0 Pedro Ramírez, 3B 5 1 4 0 0 0 Kevin Alcántara, DH 4 0 0 1 1 2 Jonathon Long, 1B 5 1 2 0 0 2 Christian Bethancourt, C 4 0 2 0 1 2 Scott Kingery, SS 4 0 0 1 1 2 Justin Dean, RF 4 1 1 1 0 1 Brett Bateman, CF 4 0 0 0 0 1 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Doug Nikhazy 3 1/3 2 2 2 7 4 0 Yacksel Ríos 1 1/3 1 1 1 1 0 1 Corbin Martin 1 1/3 2 1 1 0 4 0 Luis Peralta 1 0 1 0 1 1 0 Gabe Klobosits 1 1 1 1 2 1 0 Three Home Runs Power Smokies Past Columbus 5-1 The Knoxville Smokies hit three home runs and got nine scoreless innings of relief on the way to a 5-1 win in Columbus. Right fielder Alex Ramírez had the biggest day, going 2-for-5 with a two-run home run and an RBI single for three runs batted in. Carter Trice and Ethan Hearn each added solo home runs. Leadoff man Karson Simas reached three times on a single and two walks, scored twice, and stole two bases. Cleanup hitter Jefferson Rojas added a hit and a walk, and Hearn finished 2-for-4. Trice opened the scoring in the first with a solo shot to right. Hearn went deep to right in the second, putting Knoxville ahead 2-0. The fifth was the biggest inning. Simas singled to right and stole second, then Ramírez launched a two-run home run to right that opened the game up at 4-0. Knoxville added another in the seventh when Simas walked and came home on a Ramírez single to center. Right-hander Jake Knapp started and worked 2 2/3 hitless innings with one walk and five strikeouts. Jace Beck followed with three innings, surrendering one unearned run on two hits with a walk and three strikeouts to pick up the win. Frankie Scalzo Jr. held the lead with 2 1/3 scoreless innings and three more strikeouts, and Evan Taylor finished with a scoreless ninth. Knoxville pitching combined for 13 strikeouts. Columbus scored its only run in the sixth, an unearned run set up by a throwing error. Player AB R H RBI BB K Karson Simas, CF 3 2 1 0 2 0 Alex Ramírez, RF 5 1 2 3 0 0 Carter Trice, LF 5 1 1 1 0 1 Jefferson Rojas, 3B 4 0 1 0 1 0 Ethan Hearn, C 4 1 2 1 0 0 Ariel Armas, DH 4 0 1 0 0 1 Edgar Alvarez, 1B 3 0 0 0 0 3 Devin Ortiz, 2B 3 0 1 0 0 0 Ed Howard, SS 3 0 0 0 1 1 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Jake Knapp 2 2/3 0 0 0 1 5 0 Jace Beck 3 2 1 0 1 3 0 Frankie Scalzo Jr. 2 1/3 1 0 0 0 3 0 Evan Taylor 1 1 0 0 0 1 0 South Bend Cubs Erupt For 25 Runs In Rout Of Wisconsin After falling behind 3-0 in the first, the South Bend Cubs answered with a 19-run flurry over the final three innings to bury the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers 25-6. Matt Halbach led the way with a 5-for-5 night that included a three-run home run, six runs batted in, five runs scored, and two walks. Leadoff hitter Kane Kepley reached six times with four hits, two walks, five runs scored, two RBI, and four stolen bases. Justin Stransky drove in five runs on a grand slam and a sacrifice fly. Alex Madera reached five times and drove in three. Cleanup hitter Kade Snell scored four times with two hits and two walks. Christian Olivo tripled and drove in two from the bottom of the order, and Leonel Espinoza added two hits and two RBI. South Bend trailed 6-4 heading to the seventh before the offense broke open. Kepley scored on a Snell forceout, and Halbach launched a three-run shot to left to make it 10-6. The eighth produced the biggest haul. Olivo and Kepley singled to start the inning, with Olivo scoring on Kepley's hit. After back-to-back walks, bases-loaded passes to Snell and Halbach forced in two more runs. A wild pitch scored Cole Mathis, Espinoza added a sacrifice fly, Madera doubled in another, Olivo tripled in two, and Kepley capped it with a second RBI single. Nine runs in all. Stransky's grand slam highlighted a six-run ninth. Starter Ethan Flanagan worked four innings, allowing three earned runs on five hits with two walks and five strikeouts. Kevin Valdez followed with three innings, two runs, one earned, two hits, and seven strikeouts to earn the win. Here's a recap of the wild last two innings of the game. You'll want to take a minute and check this out: Player AB R H RBI BB K Kane Kepley, LF 5 5 4 2 2 0 Ty Southisene, DH 5 2 1 0 2 3 Cole Mathis, 1B 5 1 1 1 1 1 Kade Snell, CF 5 4 2 2 2 1 Matt Halbach, 3B 5 5 5 6 2 0 Leonel Espinoza, RF 5 2 2 2 1 1 Alex Madera, 2B 3 2 2 3 3 0 Justin Stransky, C 3 2 1 5 2 1 Christian Olivo, SS 6 2 2 2 0 1 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Ethan Flanagan 4 5 3 3 2 5 0 Kenyi Perez 1 1 1 1 3 1 1 Kevin Valdez 3 2 2 1 2 7 0 JP Wheat 1 0 0 0 1 1 0 Hartshorn's Four RBI And Reid's Quality Start Lift Pelicans Past Augusta The Myrtle Beach Pelicans cruised to a 6-1 win over the Augusta GreenJackets behind a four-RBI day from Josiah Hartshorn and six strong innings from right-hander Dominick Reid. Hartshorn went 2-for-4 with a double, a home run, four runs batted in, and a run scored. Leadoff hitter Alexis Hernandez reached three times with two hits, a double, a walk, and two runs scored. Geuri Lubo went deep for two more RBI, Yahil Melendez singled, walked, and stole a base, and Darlyn De Leon chipped in a hit and a run. Myrtle Beach broke through in the second when Lubo launched a two-run home run to left center to score Melendez, putting the Pelicans up 2-0. The third doubled the advantage. After Hernandez and De Leon reached, Hartshorn ripped a two-run double to left that plated both runners for a 4-0 lead. Hartshorn closed the scoring in the seventh, lining a two-run home run to right center that brought home Hernandez and pushed the lead to 6-0. Reid turned in a quality start, throwing six innings of one-hit ball with no runs, no walks, and four strikeouts to earn the win. Aiden Moffett followed with two scoreless innings of relief, allowing one hit and a walk while striking out three. Daniel Avitia closed out the ninth and surrendered an unearned run on two hits. Player AB R H RBI BB K Alexis Hernandez, SS 3 2 2 0 1 0 Josiah Hartshorn, RF 4 1 2 4 0 0 Logan Poteet, C 3 0 0 0 0 1 Jairo Diaz, C 0 0 0 0 0 0 Jose Escobar, 2B 3 0 0 0 1 1 Derniche Valdez, DH 4 0 0 0 0 2 Yahil Melendez, 3B 3 1 1 0 1 0 Geuri Lubo, LF 4 1 1 2 0 1 Edward Vargas, 1B 4 0 0 0 0 3 Darlyn De Leon, CF 3 1 1 0 0 0 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Dominick Reid 6 1 0 0 0 4 0 Aiden Moffett 2 1 0 0 1 3 0 Daniel Avitia 1 2 1 0 0 1 0 Top-20 Prospect Performance Jefferson Rojas: 1-for-4, BB Jaxon Wiggins: DNP Pedro Ramirez: 4-for-5, R, SB Kevin Alcantara: 0-for-4, RBI, BB, 2 K Josiah Hartshorn: 2-for-4, 2B, HR, 4 RBI Ethan Conrad: DNP Kane Kepley: 4-for-5, 5 R, 2 RBI, 2 BB, 4 SB Jonathon Long: 2-for-5, 2 K James Triantos: 1-for-5, 2B, RBI Cole Mathis: 1-for-5, RBI, BB, K Owen Ayers: DNP Brooks Caple: DNP Juan Cabada: DNP Kaleb Wing: DNP Angel Cepeda: DNP Dominick Reid: 6 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 4 K, W Jostin Florentino: DNP Ty Southisene: 1-for-5, 2 R, 2 BB, 3 K Will Sanders: DNP Brandon Birdsell: DNP View the full article

Milwaukee won five of six games against the New York Yankees and San Diego Padres, and the energy on Brewer Fanatic reflects it. The Brewers now turn their attention to the Minnesota Twins and Chicago Cubs as the community weighs in on three of the best thread topics from the past week. Brewers: What would it cost now to extend Miz? Jacob Misiorowski is the most electrifying pitcher in baseball, and the Brewer Fanatic community spent the week wrestling with an uncomfortable question: is there any realistic path to keeping him in Milwaukee beyond 2031? The thread opened with a 7-year, $150 million framework. The community quickly concluded it falls short, with the two buyout free agent years alone worth north of $50 million at current market rates. Posters noted that Misiorowski signed for $2.3 million out of the draft and has every incentive to bet on himself and reach free agency. There was substantive discussion around whether his injury risk is elevated beyond even a typical fireballing pitcher. Many posters agreed that the lower-dollar extensions provided to Freddy Peralta and Aaron Ashby worked precisely because the downside was manageable if injury struck, and a Miz deal at market rates carries a significantly different risk profile for a small-market club. In any case, Milwaukee is fortunate to have a "great, great, great young star" (according to Aaron Judge) for up to another five seasons. Brewers: 1/4 of the way analysis If the first quarter of the Brewers' season were a movie, the plot keeps changing, the stars are delivering award-winning performances, but the audience can't stop worrying about the supporting cast. There has been plenty of action, drama, and even horror. There is plenty to examine after 40 games. The most heated debate surrounded whether Garrett Mitchell has proven himself to be a mediocre 27-year-old after four partial seasons, or whether his 506 big-league at-bats essentially still make him a rookie. The offense has been a mystery, ranking dead last in home runs but third in all of baseball in runs scored per game. Would Luis Lara, Jett Williams, or even Eddys Leonard boost an unsettled Milwaukee outfield? The answers aren't straightforward, with options status, and even CBA lockout concerns all part of the conversation. Minors: 2026 Injury Updates - Answering Your Questions When Possible (ARobsBrewCrew Thread) Injuries have been an important part of the 2026 season, and Brewer Fanatic is fortunate to receive exclusive information from ARobsBrewCrew on how Milwaukee's minor league players are recovering. Our source invites the Brewer Fanatic community to "let me know what players you would like injury updates on, and I will do my best to deliver." ARobsBrewCrew most recently confirmed that Luis Pena is doing fine after his recent hospitalization. The Brewers are taking every precaution to determine if there is a deeper issue, prioritizing Pena's long-term health over his playing career. Pena recently posted photos in his Timber Rattlers uniform, hinting at a possible return in the near future. It's a great day to be a Brewers fan at Brewer Fanatic! View the full article

Will the Twins suffer another ramblin wreck with their #3 overall pick in the upcoming MLB amateur draft? Codie Christie adds to Twins Daily's excellent and thorough coverage with a look at a possible Georgia Tech catcher. Many good takes from readers here...what do you think? Forrest Lake's Matt Wallner struggled mightily through the first quarter of the season, both defensively and at the plate. Walks down, K's up, power virtually nonexistent. On this past Thursday, the Twins reached a no doubt painful decision and sent him on the green line to St Paul. Weigh in here: While Wallner is no longer with the big club, Royce Lewis remains. Are his problems at the plate fastball related? Betwixt the ears? Too much eyeblack? What say ye? View the full article

Boston Red Sox Affiliate Recap (May 14) Triple-A Worcester Red Sox The WooSox offense could not get anything going and somehow came up just short, losing 4-3 to the Buffalo Bisons. Nick Sogard, who’s slashing .310/.404/.548 so far in May, launched a lead-off home run in the first inning, putting Portland on top 1-0. That early lead didn't last as Jake Bennett ran into trouble in the bottom of the second. Buffalo strung together a single, a double, and a pair of RBI singles to score three runs. A fourth run scored on a fielding error by right fielder Allan Castro. Worcester was staring at a 4–1 deficit entering the third inning. The ninth inning brought a late spark for the WooSox, with two outs and nobody on, Seigler ripped a single to center. Mikey Romero followed up and crushed a two-run homer to right, cutting the deficit to 4–3, bringing the tying run to the plate. Unfortunately, Castro grounded out to end the game. Other than the rough start from Bennett, Worcester’s bullpen was outstanding the rest of the way. Seth Martinez tossed 1 ⅔ scoreless innings with two strikeouts. Noah Song had two scoreless frames of his own, and Tayron Guerrero worked a clean inning with two strikeouts. Over 4 ⅔ combined relief innings, they allowed zero runs, but the offense couldn't capitalize. Double-A Portland Sea Dogs The Portland Sea Dogs jumped on the Hartford Yard Goats early and never trailed in the game, taking a 5-3 victory. The Sea Dogs put up a three-spot in the second inning, Marvin Alcantara launched a solo homer to left-center, then Nelly Taylor and Max Ferguson worked a walk, Taylor stole a base, then Ahbram Liendo ripped a two-run double to the left field gap, scoring Taylor and Ferguson. They tacked on another run in the third when Ronald Rosario singled home Will Turner, making it 4-0 entering the fourth. Hartford got one back in the fourth with a solo shot, but Liendo answered back in the seventh with a solo homer of his own to push it to 5-1, giving Portland a comfortable lead. The Yard Goats chipped away with a run in the bottom half of the seventh and another run in the eighth, making it a 5-3 game. Blake Wehunt was the starter for Portland and dominated through 3 ⅓ innings, striking out seven while allowing just three hits and no runs. The bullpen held it together from there; each pitcher coming out of the bullpen gave up one run, but did not let anything crazy happen. Max Carlson earned the win working 1 ⅔ innings, Reidis Sena gave up a run over two innings, and Cooper Adams locked it down with a four-strikeout save over the final two innings. Key Performances: Ahbram Liendo: 3-for-4, R, 2B, 3 RBI Marvin Alcantara: HR, R, RBI Blake Wehunt: 3 ⅓ IP, 3 H, 0 ER, 7 K High-A Greenville Drive The Greenville Drive had a tough night, going scoreless up until the ninth inning in a 5-1 loss to the Bowling Green Hot Rods. Bowling Green did its damage in small doses: one run each coming in the third, fourth, and sixth off Greenville's pitching, then tacked on two more in the eighth to put it out of reach at 5-0. Despite collecting eight hits and drawing five walks on the night, the Drive never managed to string hits together in big moments, going 1-for-8 with RISP. Although he suffered a loss, Dylan Brown is still adjusting to Greenville since his promotion, but pitched well, striking out seven batters and giving up two runs in his five innings of work. Steven Brooks pitched two perfect innings and struck out three. At the plate, Henry Godbout led the way, going 3-for-5 with a double, and Antonio Anderson went 2-for-4 with a double as well, including the only RBI in the ninth inning that scored Yophery Rodriguez to break up the shutout. Key Performances: Henry Godbout: 3-for-5, 2B Antonio Anderson: 2-for-4, RBI Single-A Salem RidgeYaks It was down to the wire, but Salem had a two-run ninth inning and came away with the 6-3 win over the Nationals. Enddy Azocar was the catalyst for the RidgeYaks, earning his third multi-hit game in four games, including a solo homer in the third inning to break Salem off with a 1-0 lead. Azocar was not done, however, in the sixth, after Starlyn Nunez legged out a two-out triple to center, Azocar ripped a double to bring in Nunez and push it to 4-0. He finished 2-for-4 with a homer, a double, two RBIs, and a walk. Barrett Morgan was dominant on the mound, spinning five shutout innings on just 62 pitches while giving up three hits with three strikeouts. He earned the win and kept the Nationals in check. Fredericksburg worked a comeback in the eighth, making it a one-run 4-3 game by hitting two RBI singles and an RBI triple. Salem's lineup responded exactly when they needed to. In the top of the ninth, Skylar King and Ty Hodge got on base (King went 2-for-4 with a stolen base; Hodge was 2-for-3 with two walks and a double). Avinson Pinto singled in King to make it 5-3, and D'Angelo Ortiz followed with another RBI single to push it to 6-3 to seal it for Salem. Key Performances: Enddy Azocar: 2-for-4, HR, 2B, R, 2 RBI, BB Ty Hodge: 2-for-3, 2B, R, 2 BB Barrett Morgan: 5 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 3 K View the full article

Boston Red Sox Affiliate Recap (May 14) Triple-A Worcester Red Sox The WooSox offense could not get anything going and somehow came up just short, losing 4-3 to the Buffalo Bisons. Nick Sogard, who’s slashing .310/.404/.548 so far in May, launched a lead-off home run in the first inning, putting Portland on top 1-0. That early lead didn't last as Jake Bennett ran into trouble in the bottom of the second. Buffalo strung together a single, a double, and a pair of RBI singles to score three runs. A fourth run scored on a fielding error by right fielder Allan Castro. Worcester was staring at a 4–1 deficit entering the third inning. The ninth inning brought a late spark for the WooSox, with two outs and nobody on, Seigler ripped a single to center. Mikey Romero followed up and crushed a two-run homer to right, cutting the deficit to 4–3, bringing the tying run to the plate. Unfortunately, Castro grounded out to end the game. Other than the rough start from Bennett, Worcester’s bullpen was outstanding the rest of the way. Seth Martinez tossed 1 ⅔ scoreless innings with two strikeouts. Noah Song had two scoreless frames of his own, and Tayron Guerrero worked a clean inning with two strikeouts. Over 4 ⅔ combined relief innings, they allowed zero runs, but the offense couldn't capitalize. Double-A Portland Sea Dogs The Portland Sea Dogs jumped on the Hartford Yard Goats early and never trailed in the game, taking a 5-3 victory. The Sea Dogs put up a three-spot in the second inning, Marvin Alcantara launched a solo homer to left-center, then Nelly Taylor and Max Ferguson worked a walk, Taylor stole a base, then Ahbram Liendo ripped a two-run double to the left field gap, scoring Taylor and Ferguson. They tacked on another run in the third when Ronald Rosario singled home Will Turner, making it 4-0 entering the fourth. Hartford got one back in the fourth with a solo shot, but Liendo answered back in the seventh with a solo homer of his own to push it to 5-1, giving Portland a comfortable lead. The Yard Goats chipped away with a run in the bottom half of the seventh and another run in the eighth, making it a 5-3 game. Blake Wehunt was the starter for Portland and dominated through 3 ⅓ innings, striking out seven while allowing just three hits and no runs. The bullpen held it together from there; each pitcher coming out of the bullpen gave up one run, but did not let anything crazy happen. Max Carlson earned the win working 1 ⅔ innings, Reidis Sena gave up a run over two innings, and Cooper Adams locked it down with a four-strikeout save over the final two innings. Key Performances: Ahbram Liendo: 3-for-4, R, 2B, 3 RBI Marvin Alcantara: HR, R, RBI Blake Wehunt: 3 ⅓ IP, 3 H, 0 ER, 7 K High-A Greenville Drive The Greenville Drive had a tough night, going scoreless up until the ninth inning in a 5-1 loss to the Bowling Green Hot Rods. Bowling Green did its damage in small doses: one run each coming in the third, fourth, and sixth off Greenville's pitching, then tacked on two more in the eighth to put it out of reach at 5-0. Despite collecting eight hits and drawing five walks on the night, the Drive never managed to string hits together in big moments, going 1-for-8 with RISP. Although he suffered a loss, Dylan Brown is still adjusting to Greenville since his promotion, but pitched well, striking out seven batters and giving up two runs in his five innings of work. Steven Brooks pitched two perfect innings and struck out three. At the plate, Henry Godbout led the way, going 3-for-5 with a double, and Antonio Anderson went 2-for-4 with a double as well, including the only RBI in the ninth inning that scored Yophery Rodriguez to break up the shutout. Key Performances: Henry Godbout: 3-for-5, 2B Antonio Anderson: 2-for-4, RBI Single-A Salem RidgeYaks It was down to the wire, but Salem had a two-run ninth inning and came away with the 6-3 win over the Nationals. Enddy Azocar was the catalyst for the RidgeYaks, earning his third multi-hit game in four games, including a solo homer in the third inning to break Salem off with a 1-0 lead. Azocar was not done, however, in the sixth, after Starlyn Nunez legged out a two-out triple to center, Azocar ripped a double to bring in Nunez and push it to 4-0. He finished 2-for-4 with a homer, a double, two RBIs, and a walk. Barrett Morgan was dominant on the mound, spinning five shutout innings on just 62 pitches while giving up three hits with three strikeouts. He earned the win and kept the Nationals in check. Fredericksburg worked a comeback in the eighth, making it a one-run 4-3 game by hitting two RBI singles and an RBI triple. Salem's lineup responded exactly when they needed to. In the top of the ninth, Skylar King and Ty Hodge got on base (King went 2-for-4 with a stolen base; Hodge was 2-for-3 with two walks and a double). Avinson Pinto singled in King to make it 5-3, and D'Angelo Ortiz followed with another RBI single to push it to 6-3 to seal it for Salem. Key Performances: Enddy Azocar: 2-for-4, HR, 2B, R, 2 RBI, BB Ty Hodge: 2-for-3, 2B, R, 2 BB Barrett Morgan: 5 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 3 K View the full article

On Thursday, I wrote about the nine errors that the Blue Jays' pitchers have made in 2026. Instead of discussing the individual plays, I focused on the high total and how unusual it is – especially when errors, on the whole, have never been less frequent. Personally, I'm a glutton for statistical oddities. I love to research obscure major league records, and I love to figure out how many records a team or player might break if they continue at their current pace, even if I know there's no chance that pace will continue. Yet, I know that most people watch baseball for, you know, the actual baseball. So, I figured you might like to see the individual defensive misplays that I wrote about in the aggregate. Here are all nine errors the Blue Jays' pitchers have made in 2026, along with a little bit of my commentary. Error No. 1: Worst Is First - Cody Ponce, March 30 Oftentimes, errors are annoying in the moment and funny in retrospect. This one just sucked. Cody Ponce suffered a season-ending ACL sprain on this play. Let's move on. Error No. 2: Should've Had Him - Tommy Nance, April 1 This one was impossible to find a good clip of online, but it's definitely worth watching, so I GIF'd it. (Apologies for the quality. It's a little better at this link.) The biggest mistake here is that the Blue Jays let Troy Johnston get as far as he did toward second base before they reacted, but Tommy Nance still had plenty of time to make a better throw on this play. Even Johnston thought they had him at first; he almost stopped to run back to first before he realized Andrés Giménez didn't have a good handle on the ball. Error No. 3: That's Why You Keep Your Eye on the Ball - Dylan Cease, April 3 You know how I said errors can be funny in hindsight? This is what I'm talking about. At the time, it was frustrating. It was even more frustrating a few days later. If Dylan Cease had just caught that ball, maybe the Blue Jays wouldn't have suffered an embarrassing sweep at the hands of the White Sox. Yet, you have to admit it's funny to watch Cease swat the ball away, step on first base anyway, and then look at his glove as if he can't believe isn't in there. Error No. 4: Fleming's Best Pitch? - Josh Fleming, April 6 Josh Fleming made one appearance for Toronto this year. Half of the 18 batters he faced reached base, and four came around to score. It wasn't great. That's why it isn't that much of an exaggeration to call this his best pitch of the season. The only problem? It wasn't a pitch. It was a throw to first base. Fleming absolutely let loose on this one and sent it hurtling past first base. All Vladimir Guerrero Jr. could do was get out of the way and watch it sail to the wall. Error No. 5: Calling Canada's Funniest Home Videos - Kevin Gausman, April 7 You can watch the rest of the errors if you want, but this is the best one. Hands down. No contest. I could watch this again, and again, and again. (And I already have.) I only wish I had the filmmaking skills to add in a "boi-oi-oing" sound effect as Kevin Gausman's throw ricochets off of Alex Freeland's helmet. Errors No. 6-8: Ernie Clement Stares Into Center Field, Episodes I, II, III Braydon Fisher, April 17 Braydon Fisher, April 22 Dylan Cease, April 27 Toronto's next three pitcher errors were all botched pickoff attempts at second base, so I've combined them into one highlight reel. None of the clips does a great job of capturing the errors, but all of them show an exasperated Ernie Clement watching the ball roll to the center fielder. Error No. 9: At Least He Didn't Hit Anyone in the head - Kevin Gausman, May 5 After bobbling this one twice, Gausman had no choice but to eat the ball and let the Rays load the bases. Is it possible that the Blue Jays would have won this game if Gausman had made the play? Sure. But at least he didn't throw it straight into Cedric Mullins's helmet. Let's watch that one again, shall we? View the full article

From the moment they reacquired him from the Boston Red Sox a few weeks before spring training, the Brewers have raved about David Hamilton’s athleticism. “From an ability standpoint and his work, I couldn't ask for anything more to work with,” third base and infield coach Matt Erickson said. “I think he’s a part of this for a while.” Compared to the headline return of left-handers Kyle Harrison and Shane Drohan, Hamilton may have looked like a throw-in piece in that Boston trade—a part-time player who could replace Andruw Monasterio in a utility role. The Brewers see him as anything but an afterthought. He’s appeared in 34 of the team’s 41 games, has taken the seventh-most plate appearances despite hitting near the bottom of the order, and has recently taken much of Joey Ortiz’s playing time at shortstop against right-handed pitchers. Hamilton’s track record as a 28-year-old doesn’t point to much upside. In 668 career plate appearances, he’s hit for a 76 wRC+, 80 DRC+, and .272 xwOBA, meaning both his results and process in the box have been extremely poor. But the Brewers see a player who can move quickly and explosively. Hamilton’s average sprint speed of 29.2 feet per second ranks in the 95th percentile of runners this year. That athleticism, they believe, gives him the potential to be an elite defender at any position and hit for more pop than he’s shown so far. “He's not even scratching the surface of what he's capable of,” Murphy said, “but there are some big, big adjustments he needs to make to be the player we think he can be. And I'm sure the Red Sox saw the same thing.” So far, the Brewers have not gotten much more out of Hamilton than the Red Sox. In 118 plate appearances this year, he owns a 75 wRC+, 86 DRC+, and .269 xwOBA. Each of those numbers nearly matches what he did in Boston. Baseball Prospectus has credited him with 0 Deserved Runs Prevented at both third base and shortstop, meaning he’s been an average defender instead of a plus one. There have been two noticeable changes to Hamilton’s offense this year: he’s walking 11% of the time, and he’s leveraging his speed by bunting, leading baseball with eight bunt hits. That approach has gotten him on base more often, but it’s tanked any semblance of power in his game. Hamilton’s .327 on-base percentage is easily a career high, but he has just one extra-base hit. That walk rate might not hold up, either, as he expands the zone much more than the average hitter with two strikes. Shrinking the field with bunts and making speed his defining attribute won’t help Hamilton unlock his upside. If anything, it discourages a breakthrough. The Brewers aren’t trying to pigeonhole him into playing that style of offense, Murphy said, but for him to be a helpful piece right now, he needs to reach base with walks and singles on the ground. “If he gets to first, wow, he's dangerous,” Murphy said, alluding to Hamilton’s base-stealing ability. “So we're trying to build it from there. The swing part, the amount of impact he can have, he's got some in there. He's got some bat speed, and his hands work. He can handle different pitches. He can hit the ball hard. But that's a process, though.” Behind the scenes, the Brewers are trying to make Hamilton’s swing—most specifically, how he rotates his torso—more nuanced. He’s always been a pull-happy hitter who has hit the ball hardest when it leaks back over the middle or is low and inside. Pitchers have countered that by pitching him away, where he often fails to stay on the ball. Because of his inclination to open up and pull the inside pitch, nearly all of Hamilton’s hard-hit fly balls this year have occurred on pitches around that low-and-in pocket. The problem is that he’s doing that same thing on most pitches, regardless of location. In both clips below, you can see Hamilton’s front side fly open as he swings. On the middle-in fastball, he rips a hard fly ball to center field. On the middle-away sinker, he rolls over to second base. hamilton_swings.mp4 If you freeze the video just as he’s about to make contact, his chest is similarly open toward right field on both swings, even though they’re on opposite sides of the plate. Hamilton keeps his eye on the ball and adjusts his swing path to make contact with both pitches, but he’s not in a position to work through the pitch away because his chest is already rotating toward right field. “Your direction is here,” Murphy said, gesturing toward a hypothetical right field before pointing in the opposite direction, “and that pitch is coming from here. You’re going to pull off it. You’re going to hit around it. You’re going to smother it, when it’s closer to him. So having him understand how to get on the ball line is a really tough process.” That process has yet to bear fruit. The results have been more mixed for Hamilton’s continued work with Erickson on the left side of the infield, where he has misplayed a handful of routine opportunities. Ortiz got off to a similarly unremarkable start as a full-time shortstop last year, and it took him months to develop a more explosive first step alongside his fluid hands and body control. Hamilton is the opposite: his first step and range are elite, but he struggles with controlling that explosiveness. According to Baseball Prospectus’s Attempt Range metric, he has fielded two more balls than the average shortstop would reach, but he has completed plays at a slightly below-average rate. “His metrics are unbelievable, but controlling the baseball, throwing accurately, redirecting the ball, tags, all that stuff, he's got a ways to go,” Murphy said. “But his movement and the ground he can cover, those metrics are unbelievable.” On some occasions, Erickson said, Hamilton has been so eager to complete a play that he’s taken his eye off the ball prematurely. It caused him to miss a catch on an attempted double play turn against the Pittsburgh Pirates last month. hamilton_field_error.mp4 Other times, Hamilton has gotten stuck in his fielding position after a grounder enters his glove, prompting him to urgently fire an errant throw to make up for that lost time. That also happened multiple times in that Pittsburgh series. hamilton_throws.mp4 In each instance, Hamilton struggled with the start-and-stop rhythm of completing certain plays. At times, his raw athleticism has outpaced his tempo on the infield. “I think that's something with all infielders in general, and especially ones that are super explosive and twitchy, not to play the game too fast,” Erickson said. “You want to break down and slow down for the catch, and then kind of keep that same rhythm through the catch and through the exchange and into your throw. And I think the guys that do that are the most consistent throwers with accuracy.” After still grading as a negative defender at shortstop a few weeks ago, Hamilton’s metrics have trended positively since the calendar flipped to May. There’s still work to be done (Erickson wants to see a more consistent arm action across throws), but he’s looked more comfortable lately. “He's a versatile piece, because he can play all three infield spots, and he can play them all very well,” Erickson said. “Now we’ve just got to get him to be consistent as much as possible.” Even if the Brewers remain bullish on his ceiling, the reality is that Hamilton has not progressed enough overall as the club nears a decision point on the left side of the infield. Milwaukee shortstops have combined for a 49 wRC+ so far this year, and prospects Cooper Pratt and Jett Williams have started adapting to Triple-A pitching within the last two weeks. Ortiz is more likely to lose his roster spot to one of those two, but their arrival would push Hamilton into more of a part-time role. For now, he’ll remain in the lineup against most right-handed pitchers as the Brewers keep trying to tap into his skill set. “This is a super valuable kid, but it's got to come together,” Murphy said. “He’s got to understand exactly who he is and what he can become, and understand what adjustments he needs to make and how to do it.” View the full article

After missing a week due to technical difficulties, Nick is back with talk about the 2025 draft class. While Anthony Eyanson, Marcus Phillips, and Kyson Witherspoon have gotten most of the attention, other members of the draft class are also having good seasons. Guys like Ethan Walker, Dylan Brown, and Jason Gilman are putting up numbers that should have people watching them as well. Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-talk-sox-podcast/id1783204104 Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3qPrPXEngu0CxgTmlf0ynm Listen on iHeartRadio: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/263-the-talk-sox-podcast-244591331/ Listen on Pocket Casts: https://pca.st/4tmd121v Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@talksox View the full article

The San Diego Padres have largely continued to win baseball games despite an offense that has slowly worked its way from below average to more of a middling nature. While they continue to wait on the likes of Fernando Tatis Jr. and Jackson Merrill to become regular contributors to the cause, it’s been an unlikely source spearheading the runs they are able to score: Xander Bogaerts. Bogaerts hasn’t been entirely lost on offense during his time with the Padres, but there have certainly been stretches where it looked as if the organization would regret his 11-year deal far too early into it. He’s done his best to stave off those concerns in 2026, however, working at a pace that has him to set to exceed his prior production just about everywhere if he’s able to maintain it. Through more than 160 plate appearances thus far, Bogaerts carries a line that reads .262/.337/.423 with a 121 wRC+. His 16.9 percent strikeout rate sits up in the 78th percentile with a walk rate that rests nicely at 10.2 percent. The former is down slightly and the latter is up more significantly from his trends since arriving in San Diego prior to 2023. Most notable within his performance, though, is the power. Bogaerts has a .161 isolated power figure to this point. That’s not a gaudy number relative to the league’s genuine sluggers, but he previously topped out for the Padres back in that initial 2023 campaign with a .154 ISO. The two subsequent years featured marks of .117 and .128, respectively. He compensated well in those two middle years with his baserunning acumen, but the absence of any real impact stifled his ability to contribute regularly to an offensive attack to which his place in the payroll indicates he should be central. Nevertheless, there’s a contribution happening here that wasn’t before. With a player experiencing even a modest upswing in power after an extended sample without it, the sustainability question generally harkens to mechanics and approach as preeminent sources of the increase. And what’s interesting in this case is that Bogaerts isn’t doing anything demonstrably different within his swing that is indicative of an uptick in power. He’s actually swinging the bat slower, with an attack angle, attack direction, and tilt that have all remained fairly similar to every other season on which we have data. The mechanics of the swing have remained just about constant. As for the approach, Bogaerts has remained fairly steady there, too. He’s become a touch more aggressive overall, raising his swing rate from 41.7 percent last year to 44.3 percent thus far in 2026. He’s also managed to make slightly more contact, so there’s a higher volume of balls in play. That tends to help the overall line, especially when the contact is happening to all fields (Bogaerts has driven his Oppo% up by nearly six percent). He’s also swinging at more fastballs (also by about six percent), which can help to yield the type of all-fields contact helping Bogaerts to maintain his production to date. But there isn’t anything particularly noteworthy within this area of his game either. What it may, in fact, come down to is rather simple: he’s healthy. In each of Bogaerts’ first three seasons with the Padres, he has dealt with an injury of some sort. He battled a lingering wrist injury and a calf issue in 2023, a shoulder injury in 2024, and a myriad of problems in 2025 that included his shoulder, hamstring, and foot. Only the 2024 injury cost him legitimate time as he appeared in just 111 games. The rest, however, were of the lingering variety which certainly tamped down his production across even games in which he was still playing. Which means that there’s a decent shot that Bogaerts is the same player he’s always been in matters of his mechanics and his approach. We know the talent has always been there. Perhaps something in the underlying data will manifest as the sample grows and provides us with another rationale. In the meantime, a healthy Xander Bogaerts is not only an improved player for the Padres in 2026, but an absolutely crucial one given the slow start of some of his counterparts. View the full article

The Brooklyn Cyclones blanked Rome behind a sterling effort from Channing Austin, who allowed three hits across five scoreless innings while Daiverson Gutierrez crossed home three times. Chris Suero homered for Binghamton in a tough 5-3 loss, and Elian Peña tripled in St. Lucie's 4-2 setback to Jupiter. Jonah Tong absorbed his third loss as Syracuse fell 11-3 to Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, surrendering six earned runs in only one and two-thirds innings of work. Mets Transactions New York Mets signed free agent SS Jaylen Palmer to a minor league contract. Tong Roughed Up As Syracuse Falls In Scranton Syracuse dropped its game against the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders 11-3. Starter Jonah Tong was tagged for six earned runs on five hits in one and two-thirds innings, walking three and striking out three. Tong gave up two home runs, both during a five-run bottom of the second that opened a 7-1 gap. Reliever Carlos Guzman did not stop the bleeding, allowing four earned runs on four hits in his one and two-thirds innings, including three home runs in a four-run bottom of the fourth that pushed the score to 11-1. The Syracuse offense managed three hits and pushed across single runs in the second, fifth, and sixth. Ben Rortvedt accounted for two RBI, including a sacrifice fly to right field that scored Christian Arroyo in the top of the second. Cristian Pache went 1-for-3 with a double and a walk, and Jihwan Bae added a base hit. Yonny Hernández, who later took the mound himself, drew two walks and scored a run, and Jackson Cluff drew a walk and crossed home in the sixth. The bullpen finally settled in. Dan Hammer, Alex Carrillo, Cionel Pérez, and Yonny Hernández combined for four and two-thirds scoreless innings, surrendering five hits and striking out six. Syracuse left seven runners on base. Player AB R H RBI BB K Nick Morabito (CF) 3 0 0 0 1 1 Matt Rudick (PH) 1 0 0 0 0 0 Ji Hwan Bae (2B) 4 0 1 0 0 0 Ryan Clifford (LF) 4 0 0 1 0 3 Christian Arroyo (3B) 4 1 1 0 0 1 Eric Wagaman (1B) 4 0 0 0 0 3 Yonny Hernández (P) 1 1 0 0 2 0 Cristian Pache (RF) 3 0 1 0 1 2 Ben Rortvedt (C) 3 0 0 2 0 1 Jackson Cluff (SS) 2 1 0 0 1 0 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Jonah Tong (L) 1 2/3 5 7 6 3 3 2 Carlos Guzman 1 2/3 4 4 4 2 3 3 Dan Hammer 1 2/3 1 0 0 1 2 0 Alex Carrillo 1 2 0 0 0 1 0 Cionel Pérez 1 1 0 0 1 3 0 Yonny Hernández 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 Suero Homer Not Enough In Binghamton's 5-3 Loss Binghamton fell 5-3 to the Somerset Patriots. Starter Jonathan Santucci took the loss after five innings, allowing four runs (two earned) on six hits with one walk and four strikeouts. The Patriots reached him for two runs in the bottom of the first and added another in the bottom of the fourth before the Rumble Ponies tied things up an inning later. With Diego Mosquera aboard after his second walk, Chris Suero crushed his sixth home run of the season to left center, knotting the score 3-3 in the fifth. The lead was short-lived. Somerset answered with a run in the bottom of the inning, and untied the game for good in the bottom of the seventh on a solo home run charged to reliever Douglas Orellana. Suero finished the night 2-for-4 with the home run, two RBI, a stolen base, and a run scored. JT Schwartz tripled in the top of the second to plate Nick Lorusso for Binghamton's first run. Lorusso, TT Bowens, and Kevin Parada each added a hit, and Mosquera scored a run while drawing two walks from the nine hole. Player AB R H RBI BB K Eli Serrano III (CF) 4 0 0 0 0 2 Chris Suero (C) 4 1 2 2 0 1 Jose Ramos (RF) 4 0 0 0 0 2 Kevin Parada (DH) 3 0 1 0 1 1 Nick Lorusso (3B) 4 1 1 0 0 2 TT Bowens (LF) 4 0 1 0 0 2 JT Schwartz (1B) 4 0 1 1 0 1 Wyatt Young (2B) 4 0 0 0 0 1 Diego Mosquera (SS) 1 1 0 0 2 1 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Jonathan Santucci (L) 5 6 4 2 1 4 0 Jefry Yan 1 1 0 0 0 1 0 Douglas Orellana 1 1 1 1 0 2 1 Felipe De La Cruz 1 0 0 0 1 2 0 Cyclones Roll To 7-0 Shutout In Rome The Brooklyn Cyclones blanked the Rome Emperors 7-0, riding a five-inning, scoreless start from Channing Austin and a twelve-strikeout team effort on the mound. Austin scattered three hits and three walks while striking out five and earning the win. The bullpen completed the shutout. Gregori Louis worked two scoreless innings with four strikeouts, Hunter Hodges followed with a one-strikeout frame, and Juan Arnaud added a strikeout of his own in the other relief inning. Brooklyn built the score one run at a time before breaking the game open. Mitch Voit drove in the first run with a third-inning groundout that scored Sam Biller, and Colin Houck doubled to center in the fourth to plate Daiverson Gutierrez. Yonatan Henriquez singled home Yohairo Cuevas in the fifth. The sixth inning produced the breathing room. Cuevas walked with the bases loaded to score Gutierrez, and Henriquez followed with another bases-loaded walk that brought home Houck. Brooklyn tacked on two more in the seventh: Trace Willhoite grounded out to score Ronald Hernandez, and Sam Biller's sacrifice fly to left brought Gutierrez home for the seventh and final run. Player AB R H RBI BB K Mitch Voit (SS) 3 0 0 1 2 2 Yonatan Henriquez (3B) 4 0 1 2 1 1 John Bay (LF) 4 0 0 0 1 0 Ronald Hernandez (DH) 5 1 2 0 0 1 Daiverson Gutierrez (C) 2 3 1 0 2 0 Colin Houck (2B) 4 1 1 1 0 2 Trace Willhoite (1B) 4 0 0 1 1 1 Sam Biller (CF) 3 1 1 1 1 1 Yohairo Cuevas (RF) 2 1 0 1 2 1 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Channing Austin (W) 5 3 0 0 3 5 0 Gregori Louis 2 0 0 0 0 4 0 Juan Arnaud 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 Hunter Hodges 1 0 0 0 0 2 0 St. Lucie Drops 4-2 Decision To Jupiter The St. Lucie Mets fell 4-2 to the Jupiter Hammerheads. Starter Frank Camarillo worked four and two-thirds innings, surrendering two earned runs on five hits with three walks and five strikeouts. In the fifth, Elian Peña tripled to center with one out, and he later came home on a pickoff error at third base during Randy Guzman's strikeout, an unearned run that tied things 1-1. The Mets briefly took the lead an inning later when Julio Zayas singled, advanced to second on a groundout, and scored on Sam Robertson's RBI single to center. The deciding run came in the top of the seventh. Reliever Elwis Mijares allowed an RBI single that pushed Jupiter back in front and was charged with the loss for his two innings of work. Closer Zack Mack walked three in a wild ninth inning, and a throwing error by Peña allowed an additional unearned run to cross. Robertson finished 2-for-3 with a double, a walk, and the RBI. Peña added the triple, a walk, and a run scored. Joe Scarborough turned in one and one-third scoreless relief innings. The Mets managed four hits, struck out ten times, and stranded seven runners. Player AB R H RBI BB K Elian Peña (SS) 2 1 1 0 1 1 JT Benson (LF) 3 0 0 0 1 0 Randy Guzman (1B) 4 0 0 0 0 2 AJ Salgado (RF) 3 0 0 0 1 1 Julio Zayas (DH) 3 1 1 0 1 0 Chase Meggers (C) 3 0 0 0 0 1 Sam Robertson (CF) 3 0 2 1 1 1 Kevin Villavicencio (3B) 4 0 0 0 0 2 Jamari Baylor (2B) 3 0 0 0 1 2 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Frank Camarillo 4 2/3 5 2 2 3 5 0 Joe Scarborough 1 1/3 4 0 0 0 1 0 Elwis Mijares (L) 2 2 1 1 1 2 0 Zack Mack 1 0 1 0 3 2 0 Top-20 Prospect Performance Carson Benge: DNP A.J. Ewing: DNP Jonah Tong: 1 2/3 IP, 5 H, 7 R, 6 ER, 3 BB, 3 K, 2 HR (L) Elian Pena: 1-for-2, 3B, R, BB, K Jack Wenninger: DNP Ryan Clifford: 0-for-4, RBI, 3 K Jacob Reimer: DNP Nick Morabito: 0-for-3, BB, K Mitch Voit: 0-for-3, RBI, 2 BB, 2 K, SB Jonathan Santucci: 5 IP, 6 H, 4 R, 2 ER, BB, 4 K (L) Chris Suero: 2-for-4, R, 2 RBI, HR, K, SB Zach Thornton: DNP Wandy Asigen: DNP Will Watson: DNP Eli Serrano III: 0-for-4, 2 K Randy Guzman: 0-for-4, 2 K Ryan Lambert: DNP Dylan Ross: DNP Antonio Jimenez: DNP R.J. Gordon: DNP View the full article

Arjun Nimmala is one of the most advanced prospects in the Toronto Blue Jays' pipeline. After logging more High-A at-bats than any other player aged 19 or younger in his respective league last year, Nimmala got the promotion to Double-A New Hampshire just a few weeks into the 2026 campaign. What makes his game so advanced, and when will we see him in the big leagues? We break it all down in this video! View the full article

Spencer is joined by Ryan Topp of Milwaukee's Tailgate to discuss the Brewers' sweep over the Yankees, their series win over the Padres, Jacob Misiorowski's dominance, Brice Turang's continued ascension, and a lot more! Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-brewer-fanatic-podcast/id1740648724 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5CY8mWsQayqjDXqw9OT2Td iHeartRadio: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/263-the-brewer-fanatic-podcast-166534588/ Pocket Casts: https://pca.st/ommzz627 Watch On YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@brewerfanatic View the full article

The Brewers' top prospect, Jesus Made, is now baseball's top prospect. With Konnor Griffin and Kevin McGonigle both graduating to the majors, the 19-year-old phenom out of the Dominican Republic is now the most highly touted prospect in Major League Baseball. In this video, we'll dive into each of his tools and unearth what makes Made so special. View the full article

Samuel Lewiston "Sloot" Von Hansen has been a baseball fan and a math geek his whole life. When he discovered the world of sabermetrics, it intensified both interests and opened up a post-collegiate career in the world of baseball statistics. He was getting paid to do what he loved, and there was no looking back. His opinion on sabermetrics in May 2026? "Meaningless. A dog's breakfast. Mere darts at a board," he said. "A handful of dust blown by an idiot wind." The cause of Von Hansen's loss of faith? Twins starter Bailey Ober. "How can you explain what he's doing," cried the married father of two. "You cannot. The math does not math. He strikes nobody out. His fastball never hits 90. His changeup isn't even a changeup, it's just 5 mph slower than his fastball, which, as I have already said and will say again, isn't fast." The final straw for Von Hansen was Ober's Tuesday night outing, a masterful "Maddux" (a complete game shutout with less than 100 pitches thrown, named after Hall of Famer Greg Maddux) versus the Miami Marlins. "The Minnesota Twins defense, outside of Byron Buxton, has never met a ball in play that they didn't want to turn into a meal," shouted a red-faced Von Hansen, growing louder by the second. "All Ober does is put balls in play because he can't strike anyone out. Is no one else watching this happen? How can we abide this? Agahghaehage [sic]!" Von Hansen said he tried to calculate the probability of Ober's Tuesday stat line on his laptop after the game, using Ober's velo, BABIP, and team defense metrics. The result, he said, broke him irreparably. "The machine wouldn't provide an answer," said Von Hansen. "Instead, it made a sound akin to a wave hitting a pier. The screen went to blue and the air smelled of ozone. A message appeared. It read: ALL THESE WORLDS ARE YOURS EXCEPT EUROPA ATTEMPT NO LANDING THERE USE THEM TOGETHER USE THEM IN PEACE "Then it melted." Von Hansen said he has abandoned sabermetrics, math, baseball, reason itself, and his family. "I flew to Belgium last night and am driving to a remote monastery as I speak. I have renounced all my worldly possessions. I will sleep on the ground and help them make bread and vinegar. Nothing matters, you see? Do you see?" Von Hansen broke down in tears and said he was throwing his phone out the window into a nearby pond. The line went dead. Ober sits at 4-2 for the season with a 3.46 ERA. His next start is slated to be against Milwaukee this Sunday. View the full article

More than a quarter of the way through the minor league season, Miami Marlins affiliates are on pace to make history. The organization's strikeout rate is not only up significantly from 2025, but it's higher than any other mark that any org has posted in a single season. This is the continuation of a trend. In 2023—the final year before Peter Bendix became Marlins president of baseball operations—the farm system struck out 22.2% of opposing batters. In 2024, that rose to 23.9%. In 2025, it reached 25.0%. Entering play on Friday, the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp, Pensacola Blue Wahoos, Beloit Sky Carp, Jupiter Hammerheads and FCL Marlins are collectively at 28.2%. The organization’s emphasis on swing-and-miss stuff ("throw nasty strikes") is showing at every level. Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp Coming off a Triple-A title, expectations were still high with Robby Snelling and Thomas White leading the Jumbo Shrimp rotation. Even with Snelling now in the big leagues, Jacksonville still has a loaded rotation consisting of Thomas White, Ryan Gusto, Dax Fulton, and Bradley Blalock. White is currently ranked as the top left-handed pitching prospect in baseball. The bullpen has been just as dominant. Josh White is putting up Josh White numbers as usual, William Kempner owns a K/9 approaching 20, and Jack Ralston has been one of the more underrated signings made by Bendix. Even with constant pitching transactions between Jacksonville and Miami, the Jumbo Shrimp staff has arguably been even more dominant than last year’s championship team. The team K/9 has jumped from 9.28 last season to 10.90 this year, while opponents are hitting just .207 against them compared to .228 last season. Players with a K/9 Above 11 (min. 10 IP, Excluding Current MLB Roster Players) William Kempner — 19.21 Tyler Zuber — 14.95 Josh Ekness — 14.92 Thomas White — 13.50 Jack Ralston — 13.08 Zach McCambley — 10.71 Pensacola Blue Wahoos With quite a few pitchers getting promoted between last season and this offseason, the Blue Wahoos entered 2026 with a much different pitching staff. Headlined by Fish On First’s No. 10 prospect Karson Milbrandt, Pensacola has still managed to take another leap in the strikeout department. After leading the Southern League in 2025 with a 9.83 K/9, the Blue Wahoos were not satisfied. Through the first quarter of the 2026 season, they currently rank second in the Southern League with a 10.56 K/9. They also lead the league with a .226 batting average against. Milbrandt has continued to dominate, Brandon White has been one of the bigger surprises in the system so far, and Kade Bragg, who was acquired from the Twins during the offseason, has been productive as well. Even with roster turnover throughout the organization, Pensacola has continued to develop into one of the better swing-and-miss staffs in Double-A baseball. Players with a K/9 Above 11 (min. 10 IP) Justin King — 16.2 Gabe Bierman — 15.30 Alex Williams — 12.88 Livan Reinoso — 12.00 Logan Whitaker — 11.93 Karson Milbrandt — 11.87 Kaden Bragg — 11.09 Brandon White — 10.73 Stephen Jones — 10.26 Beloit Sky Carp When it comes to pure pitching talent, Beloit stands out within the organization. The rotation consists of Fish On First’s No. 15 prospect Eliazer Dishmey, No. 30 prospect Nate Payne, 2024 CB-B pick Aiden May, 14th-round pick Carson Laws, and 2025 Florida State League All-Star Liomar Martinez. Beloit finished last season with a 9.21 K/9, which was good enough for second in the Midwest League. So far this year, that number has jumped all the way to 11.06. While walks have been an issue, as the Sky Carp also lead the Midwest League in BB/9 at 6.63, the raw talent is clearly there. With several pitchers in Jupiter excelling as well, Beloit could see multiple arms promoted to Pensacola later this season. Players with a K/9 Above 11 (min. 10 IP) Luis Ramirez — 15.68 Liomar Martinez — 14.10 Cannon Pickell — 13.15 Eliazar Dishmey — 13.50 Peyton Fosher — 11.90 Nate Payne — 11.32 Justin Storm — 10.90 Juan Reynoso — 10.80 Carson Laws — 10.71 Dameivi Tineo — 10.03 Jupiter Hammerheads The Hammerheads have done a complete 180 with their pitching staff from last season to this year. They finished with the second-worst ERA in the Florida State League in 2025, but through 33 games this season they own the second-best ERA in the league at 3.47, trailing only Fort Myers. The staff has been led by a couple of pitchers who broke out last season in Julio Mendez and Keyner Benitez. Walin Castillo is beginning to break out as well, while the bullpen has been anchored by Jake Faherty, who is capable of touching 100+ mph. Walks and injuries have slowed the start of Faherty’s professional career, but the raw stuff has never been in question. Out of all four affiliates, Jupiter has made the biggest leap in the strikeout department. Last season, the Hammerheads finished with a 9.82 K/9, which ranked second in the Florida State League. This year, that number has exploded to 12.68 K/9, nearly a full strikeout per nine higher than the next closest team in the league. Players with a K/9 Above 11 (min. 10 IP) Elier Morillo — 19.00 Michael Perez — 15.88 Julio Mendez — 13.09 Luis De La Cruz — 12.39 Franklyn Moreta — 12.19 Jake Clemente — 11.81 Braulio Salas — 11.72 Samuel Carpio — 11.30 Keyner Benitez — 11.17 From Jacksonville all the way down to the rookie ball, there is legitimate talent throughout the system, and the numbers back it up. Each affiliate currently boasts a K/9 of 10 or higher, featuring multiple pitchers who should be on everyone’s radar moving forward. There is a logjam of arms at every level, including the major league roster, and that is the type of problem an organization loves to have. View the full article

The Minnesota Twins always knew Connor Prielipp’s arm came with risk. That was part of the profile long before he reached the big leagues. A former first-round talent who underwent Tommy John surgery twice before establishing himself professionally, Prielipp’s path has never resembled that of a typical starting pitching prospect. Now the Twins are asking him to do something he has literally never done before: Pitch every fifth day (or so) against major-league hitters, while carrying a workload that continues to climb into unfamiliar territory. Last Friday night against Cleveland showed both the challenge and the upside. Prielipp’s outing began with immediate disaster, as the Guardians loaded the bases against him in the first inning. A defensive mistake from Luke Keaschall opened the door for trouble before Rhys Hoskins added a sacrifice fly and Travis Bazzana launched his first career home run. What looked like it might become another short outing instead turned into one of the most encouraging performances of Prielipp’s young career. After the rocky opening frame, the left-hander settled in completely. He dominated over the next four innings, piling up six strikeouts while allowing very little hard contact. Even though he was charged with the loss, only one of the four first-inning runs counted as earned because of the Keaschall error. More importantly, he pushed through five innings while throwing a career-high 93 pitches. “It wasn't my cleanest inning of all time, but the team needed me, and I was able to buckle down and get through five,” Prielipp said. That quote probably explains exactly why the Twins are so intrigued by him. The stuff has always been there. The swing-and-miss ability is real. The fastball explodes at the top of the strike zone, and the slider can disappear underneath bats. The question has never been whether Prielipp has enough talent to start in the majors. The question has always been whether his body can withstand the demands it entails. Right now, the Twins are discovering the answer in real time. Minnesota already appears ready to slow things down. Prielipp’s next turn in the rotation lined up with Thursday’s series finale against Miami, but the Twins gave him an extra day. He'll pitch on six days of rest Friday night against the Brewers, as the team carefully monitors his workload and his recovery. “This is just being mindful of the player, because we really like him and believe in him,” Twins manager Derek Shelton said prior to Prielipp’s last start. “We have to be thoughtful that way. He will be monitored very closely, and I’ll presume it will happen for the foreseeable future.” That balancing act is complicated, because Prielipp’s current workload is unlike anything he has handled before. MLB.com’s Matthew Leach recently asked him how he was feeling physically with the demands of major-league life, and Prielipp admitted that pitching every fifth day is difficult. That may sound routine for established starters, but for him, it is completely new territory. Last season, Prielipp crossed the five-inning mark only twice in the minors. He topped 80 pitches only twice all year. In his last two major-league starts, he has surpassed 90 pitches both times. The Twins have also pushed him to complete at least five innings in three of his five starts. That jump matters. Minor-league pitching schedules differ from those in the majors. Mondays are typically off days across the league, which naturally creates more recovery time between outings. Organizations also carry larger pitching staffs because development matters more than squeezing every possible inning out of a prospect. Young pitchers are often removed early, regardless of effectiveness, simply to protect health and preserve long-term value. There are clear benefits to that philosophy. Pitchers avoid unnecessary wear and tear during critical developmental years. Teams can gradually build strength while refining mechanics and pitch design. Organizations also gain more opportunities to evaluate multiple arms rather than overwork a single prospect. Prielipp is probably a perfect example of why teams take that cautious approach. Given his injury history, there is a reasonable argument that aggressive workloads earlier in his career could have derailed him completely. At the same time, there are downsides to modern pitching development. Pitchers can arrive in the majors without ever learning how to manage fatigue deep into outings or bounce back quickly between starts. Five innings and 75 pitches may dominate player development plans, but major-league rotations still require durability. Starters eventually need to navigate lineups a third time, adjust when they lose command, and survive when their best stuff is not present. Prielipp is learning those lessons against major-league competition, because the Twins do not really have another choice. Minnesota’s pitching depth has collapsed faster than anyone expected. Pablo López is out. Taj Bradley is on the injured list. Mick Abel is sidelined. David Festa still has not contributed in the majors this season because of injuries. Simeon Woods Richardson has struggled badly enough, but the Twins have reached the point where there are few realistic alternatives available. What once looked like an organizational strength now feels dangerously thin. That reality places additional pressure on Prielipp. Under normal circumstances, the Twins might have preferred to shelter him more aggressively. They could have skipped starts more often, capped outings earlier, or even shifted him into shorter bursts to preserve innings. Instead, they need him to hold together meaningful portions of the rotation. That creates both opportunity and risk. The opportunity is obvious. Few pitchers in the organization possess Prielipp’s upside. Even Friday’s outing demonstrated how overpowering he can become once he settles into a rhythm. Over those middle innings against Cleveland, he looked every bit like the high-ceiling arm the Twins envisioned when they drafted him. The risk is equally obvious. Every additional inning pushes him further beyond any workload he has carried before. Every five-day turnaround becomes another test his body has never experienced. The Twins are trying to develop a future starter while simultaneously relying on him to help stabilize a damaged rotation in the present. That is not an easy line to walk. For now, the Twins appear committed to remaining cautious, while still letting Prielipp compete. Extra rest periods will likely continue. Shorter outings may appear periodically, even when he is pitching well. Some inconsistency is probably inevitable as he adapts to the rhythm of a full major league schedule. But last week may have revealed why the organization is willing to take the risk in the first place. Prielipp got punched in the mouth immediately. He could have unraveled. Instead, he regrouped, attacked hitters, and delivered four outstanding innings afterward while reaching a career high pitch count. That combination of stuff, resilience, and competitiveness is exactly what teams dream about in a young starter. The Twins just have to figure out how to protect it long enough for him to fully become one. Are the Twins handling Prielipp appropriately? Should they have pushed him harder in the minors? Leave a comment and start the discussion. View the full article

We’re excited to team up with Brewer Fanatic for a dual-city celebration that brings baseball fans together in Minneapolis and Milwaukee for a full night of baseball, community, giveaways, and game-day energy. On Saturday, Twins fans in and around Milwaukee can join a watch party at Broken Bat Brewing, while Twins fans (and Brewers fans) in Minneapolis will be kicking off the night from 4-5:30 pm at Smorgie’s in Minneapolis – just blocks from the ballpark. In true Twins Daily Social Club style, our hometown gathering will have drink specials, giveaways, baseball conversation, and plenty of Twins Daily vibes throughout the afternoon, including chances to win one of the most popular collectibles in Twins Daily history: the exclusive 2026 Winter Meltdown pint glass. Fans can also enter raffles for Smorgie’s gift cards and other baseball-themed prizes during the event. Once the game begins, the festivities continue in Wisconsin with a full watch party at Broken Bat Brewing from 5:30–9 pm. Located in Milwaukee’s Walker’s Point neighborhood, Broken Bat Brewing will host Brewers and Twins fans alike for a lively watch party complete with giveaways (including the Winter Meltdown pint glass), contests, baseball talk throughout the evening, AND your first beer of the evening is free! Expect a fun-filled night of camaraderie and baseball excitement. If you joined us at Smorgie’s earlier this season for the Home Opener party, you already know how much fun these gatherings can be. The energy was incredible, and we cannot wait to do it again with the Brewers in town this weekend. So, grab your Twins gear, bring your friends, and celebrate another great baseball weekend with the Twins Daily community! MPLS PREGAME PARTY DETAILS What: Minneapolis Pregame Party Cost: Free Where: Smorgie’s, 508 N 1st Ave, Minneapolis When: 5/16/26 4-5:30 pm MILWAUKEE WATCH PARTY DETAILS What: Milwaukee Watch Party Cost: Free Where: Broken Bat Brewery, 135 E Pittsburgh Ave, Milwaukee When: 5/16/26 5:30-9 pm View the full article

We are thrilled to team up with Twins Daily for a dual-city baseball celebration that brings Brewers and Twins fans in Milwaukee and Minneapolis together for a full night of baseball, giveaways, community, and game-day energy. On Saturday, Brewers fans traveling to Minneapolis can join a pregame gathering near Target Field. For those that aren't making the trip, Milwaukee is where the full watch party experience comes alive at Broken Bat Brewery. The night begins in Minneapolis, where Brewers and Twins fans will enjoy a pregame gathering at Smorgie’s from 4–5:30 pm just steps from Target Field. We'll have 2-4-1 drink specials, giveaways, baseball conversation, and plenty of Brewers vibes throughout the afternoon, including chances to win a first-of-its-kind Brewer Fanatic pint glass. Once first pitch arrives, the party shifts to Milwaukee as Brewer Fanatic takes over Broken Bat Brewing from 5:30–9 pm for a full Brewers vs. Twins watch party. Brewers fans can expect a night packed with baseball on the TVs, great beer flowing, giveaways throughout the night, and plenty of Brewers conversation inside one of the most baseball-themed breweries around. Even better? Your first beer of the night is free, making Broken Bat Brewing the perfect place to spend a Saturday night cheering on the crew with fellow Brewers fans. Both parties will provide chances to win our exclusive Brewer Fanatic x Broken Bat Brewing co-branded pint glass. These limited-edition glasses are a must-have collectible for Brewers fans and the perfect way to remember a night built around baseball, beer, and Milwaukee baseball culture. Both locations will also be raffling off gift cards and additional baseball-themed prizes throughout the evening. If you have never been to Broken Bat Brewing before, tomorrow is the perfect excuse. The Walker’s Point brewery was practically built for baseball fans, complete with baseball decor, craft beer, big screens for watching the game, and an atmosphere that feels tailor-made for Brewers baseball nights. And if you're in Minneapolis, Smorgie's is a bratwurst-throw from Gate 34, so you won't miss a minute of the game. Whether you are coming with friends, meeting fellow Brewers fans for the first time, or just looking for the best place to pregame or watch the game, tomorrow night is shaping up to be one of the most fun fan events of the season. Throw on your Brewers gear, grab your crew, and join us. We cannot wait to celebrate and watch Brewers baseball with you! MILWAUKEE WATCH PARTY DETAILS What: Milwaukee Watch Party Cost: Free Where: Broken Bat Brewery, 135 E Pittsburgh Ave, Milwaukee When: 5/16/26 5:30-9 pm MPLS PREGAME PARTY DETAILS What: Minneapolis Pregame Party Cost: Free Where: Smorgie’s, 508 N 1st Ave, Minneapolis When: 5/16/26 4-5:30 pm View the full article

We are thrilled to team up with Twins Daily for a dual-city baseball celebration that brings Brewers and Twins fans in Milwaukee and Minneapolis together for a full night of baseball, giveaways, community, and game-day energy. On Saturday, Brewers fans traveling to Minneapolis can join a pregame gathering near Target Field. For those that aren't making the trip, Milwaukee is where the full watch party experience comes alive at Broken Bat Brewery. The night begins in Minneapolis, where Brewers and Twins fans will enjoy a pregame gathering at Smorgie’s from 4–5:30 pm just steps from Target Field. We'll have 2-4-1 drink specials, giveaways, baseball conversation, and plenty of Brewers vibes throughout the afternoon, including chances to win a first-of-its-kind Brewer Fanatic pint glass. Once first pitch arrives, the party shifts to Milwaukee as Brewer Fanatic takes over Broken Bat Brewing from 5:30–9 pm for a full Brewers vs. Twins watch party. Brewers fans can expect a night packed with baseball on the TVs, great beer flowing, giveaways throughout the night, and plenty of Brewers conversation inside one of the most baseball-themed breweries around. Even better? Your first beer of the night is free, making Broken Bat Brewing the perfect place to spend a Saturday night cheering on the crew with fellow Brewers fans. Both parties will provide chances to win our exclusive Brewer Fanatic x Broken Bat Brewing co-branded pint glass. These limited-edition glasses are a must-have collectible for Brewers fans and the perfect way to remember a night built around baseball, beer, and Milwaukee baseball culture. Both locations will also be raffling off gift cards and additional baseball-themed prizes throughout the evening. If you have never been to Broken Bat Brewing before, tomorrow is the perfect excuse. The Walker’s Point brewery was practically built for baseball fans, complete with baseball decor, craft beer, big screens for watching the game, and an atmosphere that feels tailor-made for Brewers baseball nights. And if you're in Minneapolis, Smorgie's is a bratwurst-throw from Gate 34, so you won't miss a minute of the game. Whether you are coming with friends, meeting fellow Brewers fans for the first time, or just looking for the best place to pregame or watch the game, tomorrow night is shaping up to be one of the most fun fan events of the season. Throw on your Brewers gear, grab your crew, and join us. We cannot wait to celebrate and watch Brewers baseball with you! MILWAUKEE WATCH PARTY DETAILS What: Milwaukee Watch Party Cost: Free Where: Broken Bat Brewery, 135 E Pittsburgh Ave, Milwaukee When: 5/16/26 5:30-9 pm MPLS PREGAME PARTY DETAILS What: Minneapolis Pregame Party Cost: Free Where: Smorgie’s, 508 N 1st Ave, Minneapolis When: 5/16/26 4-5:30 pm View the full article

As the ivy on the brick walls at Wrigley grows stronger and greener and prospects have had a chance to separate themselves over a month of play, we here at North Side Baseball have finished up our first round of 2026 prospect voting and have seen a significant shakeup in the Chicago Cubs' top 20. A shifting of the tide was always expected; the Cubs have seen many of their top prospects graduate or be traded in the past two years, but there have been a few surprises, both good and bad so far in the new year. Who made our new top 20? We'll break it down below. Chicago Cubs Top 20 Prospects (May 2026): 1. Jefferson Rojas, SS 2. Jaxon Wiggins, SP 3. Pedro Ramirez, 2b/3b 4. Kevin Alcantara, OF 5. Josiah Hartshorn. OF 6. Ethan Conrad, OF 7. Kane Kepley, OF 8. Jonathon Long, 1b 9. James Triantos, INF 10. Cole Mathis, 1b/3b 11. Owen Ayers. C 12. Brooks Caple. SP 13. Juan Cabada, SS 14. Kaleb Wing, SP 15. Angel Cepedad, SS 16. Dominick Reid, SP 17. Jostin Florentino, SP 18. Ty Southisene, SS 19. Will Sanders, SP 20. Brandon Birdsell, SP Who's Stock is Up? Simply put, it feels like it would be malpractice if this section didn't begin with Pedro Ramirez. Ramirez is someone who has hit at every level and to be fair, everyone has probably slept on him a bit. How many switch hitting infielders put up a 122 wRC+ while striking out just 15.1 % of the time at Double-A to begin with? How many of them are 21 years old? And how many players who put up those data points wouldn't even make an organization's top five, let alone be hanging around on the back end of a top 10? I'm not even blaming anyone, I've remained skeptical too, mainly because he looked mostly like a second baseman and one with limited power. It feels like that old Michael Jordan meme; as it seems, Pedro Ramirez took that personally. As of publishing, Ramirez has already set his career high for HR's hit at any level in any season with nine. He's done so with a sterling 136 wRC+, a strikeout rate under 17%, a wOBA in the 80th percentile, and an in-zone contact rate in the 96th percentile. He's done this as a 22-year-old in Triple-A. While Baseball America contributor Eli Ben-Porat is almost assuredly being hyperbolic considering it's 38 games and he wasn't anywhere near a top-100 list to start the year, he compared him to Guardians star-third baseman Jose Ramirez. You don't get put in a sentence with that level of a player if you're not having a hell of a season, regardless of how exaggerated that comment may be. Ramirez is not the only prospect who's stock is way up, as the early returns on the 2025 draft class are simply fantastic so far. First off, sixth-round selection, and the receiver of the second highest slot bonus of the draft, Josiah Hartshorn looks like an absolute menace for opposing pitchers. Thus far, the switch hitting outfielder has a 154 wRC+, has walked 30 times compared to just 10 strikeouts, and has four home runs. Simply put, you will not find a 19-year old with a better idea of what is and isn't a strike than this kid. And unlike Ramirez's early days, people won't be worried about the power potential of a 6'0", 220lbs prospect like Hartshorn. Not to be outdone, 19-year-old pitcher Kaleb Wing has been generating a ton of strikeouts and whiffs down in Arizona and feels like he's way ahead of schedule. Wing, the Cubs' fourth-round pick in the 2025 draft, has massive upside and is flashing it already. He's got a fastball that has added value (and people in the organization, according to Cubs' prospect guru Bryan Smith, believe this offering could hit 100mph). My favorite aspect? A 19-year-old who's relatively new to the position already has a changeup. Again, you just don't see teenagers with this pitch very often. Usually, it's a story more like Cade Horton or Ben Brown; it's a pitch you learn later. It's hard not to dream on Wing's upside. A few other notable names who have raised their stocks: Brooks Caple has had a wonderful start in South Bend, has already been promoted to Knoxville, and his stuff has jumped and looks like he could be a real MLB starting pitcher down the road. Arizona Fall League standout Owen Ayers made short work of South Bend as well and now is also in Double-A. The power has really begun to pop and despite being 25, he's new to being a catcher so some of that is easily forgiven. As well, Kevin Alcantara has showed off some impressive power and a new swing change, and is now among the top homer hitters regardless of level across all of MiLB. Who's Stock is Down? The reality of prospects is that while as fun as it is to count your wins, not everyone is going to succeed all the time. The first month of the season has certainly had some players whose stock is down. Jonathon Long, one of the darlings of the 2025 season, hasn't had the best start to his 2026 campaign. While his .305/.377/.413 line looks good, the International League is a bit of a hitters' paradise, so his wRC+ is sitting at just 105. More importantly, his quality of contact just isn't as good as it was last year. He's seen a decline in his barrel rate, pull rate, zone contact, whiff rate and hard-hit rate. Though some of them are only a few percentage points, you'd like to see someone who is now pushing 800 PA's at his current level remain in that upper crust, especially as a 1B prospect who relies so heavily on his bat. It's not dire, but it's not in the right direction either. The good news is that it's just one month of data; we can look back at this in a few weeks and consider ourselves silly for worrying. A few injuries have also been a bit of an annoyance for various players. For some, like Jaxon Wiggins and Ethan Conrad, it has just (knock on wood) delayed the start of their seasons. Wiggins, the Cubs' de facto best arm in the system, has dealt with elbow soreness. The hope is that a weekend bullpen session will jumpstart his 2026 campaign, but it's yet to have been reported how that went (as of this writing). Top 2025 draft selection, Ethan Conrad, has also been sidelined with a back injury and has yet to make his debut. The Cubs have also seen other injuries to starting pitchers such as Will Sanders, who was placed on the seven day injured list on April 23rd and Brandon Birdsell, who is still recovering from Tommy John surgery last year. Both pitchers are currently hanging on to the 19th and 20th spots on our list, but could fall off if a few of the other risers keep pushing upward. State of the Farm System The Chicago Cubs' minor-league system was always going to take a hit here. The team has graduated a lot of players recently and has traded others. There should be no panic in a tumble down the rankings due to these reasons; good baseball teams do this. Prospects are capital; sometimes that capital is used to graduate players and turn them into MLB contributors, such as Moises Ballesteros, Pete Crow-Armstrong, Matt Shaw and others. Sometimes you trade that capital (such as Jackson Ferris, Owen Caissie and Zyhir Hope) to acquire MLB contributors like Michael Busch. The trick is in what you do afterward, and it'd be hard to argue this year hasn't been promising. Entering the offseason, the Cubs were generally a team you'd feel comfortable placing in the bottom-10 in baseball but as of today, things are trending closer to being an "average" system than a "below-average" one. I didn't even hit on our new top prospect Jefferson Rojas, despite a pretty solid 114 wRC+ on the year from the 21-year-old who's currently playing in Knoxville. That's how you know it's been a pretty good start down on the farm; the guy in the top spot is kind of an afterthought so far (and really, by no fault of his own). Another sign it's been a good start: Jonathon Long is the one statistical player in the top-20 you can find some fault with, and even then he's not off to a drastically bad season, just a less than impressive one. So far, the highs are pretty highs and the lows are pretty acceptable. It's early, however, so the Cubs shouldn't count their chickens too fast. Pedro Ramirez is flying high, but it's been less than 40 games into his breakout and we should probably stop short of the hyperbolic dreams (he probably isn't the next Jose Ramirez). Jaxon Wiggins isn't entirely out of the crosshairs of a potential injury, and what does or doesn't happen to Kevin Alcantara's contact rate moving forward is unknown. That said, it's hard not to be at least optimistic as we sit here in the middle of the May that the Cubs are at least showing signs that they're capable of finding replacements for all of those prospects who have either been promoted or traded. Which Cubs top-20 prospects are you most excited about? Did someone make your personal top-20 list that didn't make ours? Let us know in the comments below! View the full article

The Royals were swept this week by the Chicago White Sox at Guaranteed Rate Field, losing the series finale on Thursday, 6-2. That brings Kansas City's record to 19-25, tying them for last in the AL Central with the Detroit Tigers. Currently, the Royals are 4.5 games behind the Cleveland Guardians, who lead the AL Central with a 24-21 record. The upcoming stretch is not an easy one for the Royals. They go to St. Louis this weekend for a three-game series against the rival Cardinals in Busch Stadium. Then, they come back home for a nine-game homestand that includes series against the Red Sox, Mariners, and Yankees. The Yankees are one of the best teams in the American League with a 27-17 record. While the Red Sox (18-25) and Mariners (22-23) have struggled this year, they still have high-quality talent and could beat the Royals in a three-game series. Thus, Kansas City may need to shake up a roster that ranks 21st in runs scored and pitching ERA. After 44 games, the Royals have a decent sample of at-bats and innings and thus have enough evidence to make the changes needed to turn their fortunes around. Let's take a look at three changes the Royals could make, whether to the lineup, rotation, or bullpen, to help provide a much-needed spark to this currently floundering squad. Move Salvador Perez Out of the Cleanup Spot Salvy is the heart of the Royals and the captain for a reason. He has a long history of production with the Royals, especially on the offensive end. He had 27 home runs and 104 RBI in 2024 and 30 home runs and 100 RBI in 2025. Thus, it makes sense why manager Matt Quatraro and GM JJ Picollo decided to lean on Salvy to be the Royals' cleanup hitter for another season. However, Perez has finally shown signs of decline this year, especially at the plate. This year, the 36-year-old Royals catcher has six home runs, but he's only hitting .200 with a .578 OPS in 176 plate appearances. His bat speed and hard-hit metrics are down across the board, as evidenced by his TJ Stats Statcast profile. As fans can see above, there are many alarming trends with Salvy this year. His bat speed ranks in the 38th percentile, his hard-hit ranks in the 24th percentile, his pull-air% ranks in the 35th percentile, and xwOBA ranks in the 16th percentile. Furthermore, his 49 TJ Bat+ ranks in the 14th percentile, making him not just the worst cleanup hitter in baseball, but one of the worst regular hitters as well. At some point, the Royals need to try something different in this slot. One option could be to bat Jac Caglianone in the cleanup spot against righties and Maikel Garcia against lefties. Here's a look at Cags' TJ Stats' Statcast splits profile this year, and notice how solid he's been against righties, especially in those exit velocity, barrel, and hard-hit categories. Now, let's look at Garcia's TJ Statcast Summary splits this season. Against righties, Cags has an 80th percentile xwOBA and 97th percentile barrel rate. Against lefties, Garcia has a 99th percentile xwOBA and 75th percentile barrel rate. Thus, the Royals could get that ideal cleanup production in the aggregate, though that would mean Quatraro would have to find a different leadoff hitter against lefties (whether that's Lane Thomas or Starling Marte, who have shown solid performances against lefties this year). Designate Elias Diaz For Assignment; Promote Kameron Misner Diaz has filled in nicely for the Royals with Salvy dealing with some hip injuries. He's not hitting for a high average or getting on-base much, but he's at least hitting the ball hard and with power, as evidenced by his TJ Stats Statcast profile below. I think Diaz is serviceable as a third catcher for the Royals. However, the Royals do not need a third catcher. Instead, they need a bat that can provide some pop and production off the bench. One hitter in Omaha who could provide that much-needed production is Misner, who is off to a strong start with the Storm Chasers this season. In 39 games and 165 plate appearances, Misner is hitting .273 with a .894 OPS. He also has seven home runs, 34 RBI, 26 runs scored, and seven stolen bases. Add that with solid defense in the outfield, and he could be a player who could get some at-bats in left field or designated hitter, depending on the matchup. Looking at his Statcast percentiles, there are some flaws, especially in hard-hit rate and strikeout rate. However, there's more upside in his profile than John Rave, who saw some time with the Royals a season ago. The former Tampa Bay outfielder and Miami draft pick has also had a penchant for clutch hitting. On Thursday, he hit a walk-off home run against Toledo, his second-straight game with a walk-off hit. Misner is the kind of hitter who walks, launches, and pulls the ball in the air well. That may not result in everyday playing time, especially with this lineup already flush with lefties. However, he could be a fourth outfielder who could get hot and give this Royals lineup a much-needed jolt. Move Kris Bubic to the Bullpen I know this is a tough move to make, especially with the Royals' rotation affected by injury right now. Ryan Bergert is out for the year. Cole Ragans is on the IL. Thus, Quatraro may not want to move Bubic to the bullpen, especially since he's been decent with a 4.11 ERA, 1.23 WHIP, and 3.72 FIP in 50.1 IP this season. However, the Royals do not need a "decent" starting pitcher from Bubic. They need an elite one, and right now, the metrics and profile haven't been quite elite, as seen below in his TJ Stuff+ summary from this season. Bubic is posting a 12.6% BB% and 12.1% K-BB%, both worse than his 2025 marks (8.2 BB% and 16.2% K-BB%). He is also throwing fewer strikes, as his 62.9% strike rate is down from 66% in 2025. Those aren't good trends, especially for a pitcher about to enter free agency this offseason. The Royals have some pitchers returning from the IL soon who could take Bubic's place. Ragans has been throwing and could be up for a quick return from the IL. Furthermore, the Royals also have Bailey Falter, who could be utilized in the rotation as a No. 4-5 starter, though he would need some help from a long reliever in his starts. That said, even though he may not be a frontline starter, his TJ Stuff+ summary from Omaha shows that he could be an intriguing arm who could go 3-5 innings, depending on the outing. Another reason the Royals could use Bubic in the bullpen is that their relievers have been mediocre this year, to put it nicely. They rank 27th in ERA, 26th in WHIP, and 28th in BB/9 and HR/9. The group needs help, and it's too early in the season to acquire any reliever of note in a trade. When he pitched in the Royals bullpen in 2024, Bubic was elite. In 27 outings and 30.1 IP, Bubic posted a 2.67 ERA, 1.02 WHIP, 1.88 FIP, 32.6% K%, and 28.1% K-BB%. Below is what his TJ Stuff+ summary looked like that season. As fans can see, there are a lot of benefits to moving Bubic to the bullpen in terms of his stuff and profile. As a reliever, Bubic posted excellent zone, chase, whiff, and xwOBACON rates. He has been paltry in those categories, even with a TJ Stuff+ profile that, in 2024, was similar to his 2026 profile. Even though the stuff was pretty similar in 2024 to his 2026 marks, the fastball velocity is markedly different. In 2024, he averaged a 93 MPH and 108 TJ Stuff+. In 2026, his four-seamer averaged 91.7 MPH and a 104 TJ Stuff+. Those are good marks, but they could be even better if he's able to pump the velocity a bit. That would be easier to achieve as a reliever than as a starter. The Royals could use Bubic as their primary setup man for the remainder of the season. While Strahm has veteran credibility, his TJ Stuff+ profile has declined, and as a result, he is posting a 4.02 ERA in 15.2 IP this year. It's a bold move and a big risk, especially considering Bubic's history as a starter last year. That said, the Royals need to preserve Bubic over the course of the season, especially since his season was cut short due to injury just after the All-Star Break. Moving to relief preserves his health and gives the Royals bullpen the big-out arm that they desperately need, especially in those high-leverage situations in the late innings. View the full article