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It's best to keep expectations for Cooper Pratt in his debut season a bit muted. That's not a knock on his abilities or physical ceiling, but a reminder that a player's development is rarely complete when he reaches the big leagues. There's maturation—both physical and mental—that can only take place at the game's highest level. That's especially true for Pratt, who is just 21 years old and playing in his third full professional season. It might be tempting to think that a,s one of the Brewers' top prospects (including Brewer Fanatic's No. 4), Pratt could transform the left side of the infield from anemic to dynamic by replacing Luis Rengifo and Joey Ortiz. In reality, the left side will probably remain the weakest portion of the lineup. Pratt helps by raising the floor there. He can be a well-below-average hitter and still exceed the combined 58 wRC+ of Rengifo and Ortiz. He'll be a better defensive shortstop than David Hamilton, and Hamilton and Ortiz will field better at third base than Rengifo. "The pieces fit easily," Pat Murphy said ahead of Pratt's debut on Tuesday, also noting that the realigned infield would allow for more days off for Brice Turang, who has appeared in 67 of Milwaukee's first 71 games. Murphy similarly sees Pratt's impact this year as more about floor than ceiling. He has a solid foundation as a player that will make the Brewers better right now. Murphy praised his defense and baseball IQ in spring training, and has done so again multiple times in the two days since Pratt's promotion. However, the whole coaching staff knows they won't see the best version of him until later, after continued development at the big-league level. "He's not going to come into his power until later on in his career, in my opinion, but I think right now we can expect him to be an on-base guy, a guy that can do some things offensively for us," Murphy said. For now, that's the best approach for Pratt to have. At 6-foot-4 and 210 pounds, he's prompted scouts to dream about the potential power in his build, but it hasn't yet developed at this stage of his career. In Triple-A Nashville this year, his 34.6% hard-hit rate and 84.4-mph average exit velocity were well below average. The current version of Pratt won't be productive if he hits the ball in the air, so maximizing his high contact rate makes much more sense. That means seeing the ball deep to make good swing decisions, with a focus on hitting low line drives and using the opposite field. The Brewers are nearing the tail end of a similar development process with Pratt's new double-play partner. After struggling early, Brice Turang minimized his swing to become an on-base-oriented hitter. Paired with his defense, that was enough to make him a solid player. Since he established that base, a stronger, more mature Turang has eased back into a longer, steeper swing and unlocked more in-game power. "With Brice, you didn't know for sure he could be this as a hitter," Murphy said. "But by his second time around, you could just see it, like, 'This guy's ready to go, he's ready to take off.' And then it doesn't always happen on your terms, because the game deals you what the game deals you. But I think it's the same way with Cooper." Pratt's at-bats in his first two games have reflected the on-base approach. He went hitless in his debut, hitting two of his three groundouts to the right side of the infield. On Wednesday, the first two hits of his career (a ground-ball single and a line-drive, RBI base hit) were both to right field. "He'll tell you it was predicted by some great swami that his first hit would be between the three and four hole," Murphy joked postgame. "I was afraid he was going to dive or something and throw me out," Pratt said. "Once I saw it go through, I was like, 'Oh, yeah.' I heard the crowd, and it was sick." Pratt's baserunning, which drew positive reviews in the minor leagues as part of his high-IQ makeup, was tested quickly. After advancing on a sacrifice bunt by David Hamilton, Christian Yelich lined a base hit just over the head of Cleveland Guardians shortstop Brayan Rocchio. Pratt read it well and got a good jump, allowing him to score from second base. "I knew once [Yelich] hit it, it was over his head," he said, "so I just freaking ran as hard as I could." After his second hit, Pratt stole his first career base. Despite not having great speed, he swiped 27 bases in 2024 and 31 last season due to his awareness. Two days in, Murphy continues to see the little things that led him to believe Pratt can be a meaningful player this year, even if he only scratches the surface of his long-term potential. "He had two great at-bats where he stayed in the zone and didn't try to do too much," Murphy said. "Really proud of him." View the full article

Perhaps in a different timeline, Andrew Morris is in the back end of the Twins’ rotation, filling in for their many starting pitching injuries. Instead, he was one of the first starting pitching prospects to pivot to a bullpen role, where the team has been desperate for help all season. As the sample size grows, he looks like he can be the next great internal reliever the Twins develop. Morris has posted an unimpressive ERA so far, just below 5.00. Taking a look under the hood, however, there's much more to like. From xERA to FIP to xFIP, he looks like a pitcher with a low-2s to mid-3s ERA in his first taste of bullpen action. An unfortunately high batting average on balls in play, as well as a below-average stranded runner rate, have held him back, but he’s still posted a solid performance with even more to like the deeper you dig. Morris still uses what would be considered a starting pitcher’s repertoire, with five pitches he throws at least 10% of the time. Each of these pitches has drawn a whiff rate of at least 20%, giving him the ability to turn to them in all counts. Only his sinker has been truly punished by opposing hitters, and we’ve already seen him decrease the usage from almost 15% in April to under 9% so far in June. The four-seamer remains his most used pitch, and we’ve seen him dial it up to 100 mph when he’s needed it. The most interesting development in his repertoire is the increase in cutter usage. So far in June, it’s Morris’s second-most-used pitch and has drawn a 30% whiff rate. When hitters do connect, an average launch angle of -12 degrees allowed has resulted in plenty of ground balls. If this pitch can continue getting the whiffs and weak contact, Morris has a legitimate plus offering to build the rest of his repertoire around. Once considered a low-ceiling starting pitching prospect, Morris is already flashing signs of being a true impact, late-inning reliever. Forming his pitch mix around his new role, drawing more whiffs than ever, and showing increased velocity, this is exactly what you hope for when you drop a starting pitcher in the bullpen. Time will tell whether Morris can become the next Taylor Rogers, Griffin Jax, Louis Varland, etc., but what he’s already shown has been plenty for this Twins team that quite simply had nothing in the way of upside relievers headed into 2026. There’s still a chance that the Twins chose to move him back to the rotation at some point, but as things currently stand, Morris can spend the rest of this season positioning himself as one of the Twins’ high-leverage relievers in 2027. It’s been a strong debut for Andrew Morris. He has an opportunity to position himself atop the Twins’ 2027 bullpen with more development down the stretch in 2026. Do you agree? View the full article

Since the dawn of MLB Interleague play in 1997, the I-70 Series between the Kansas City Royals and St. Louis Cardinals has been one of the more heated Interleague rivalries in baseball. Part of it is due to the 241-mile distance between Kansas City's Kauffman Stadium and St. Louis' Busch Stadium. Part of it is due to the history between the two clubs, especially in the postseason. Regardless, when the Cardinals come to town, it tends to be one of the more heavily attended series of the season at the K. If you ask any Royals fans which team they hate the most, if it isn't the Yankees, it's the Cardinals. That only adds more juice to any series at Kauffman series between the Birdos from Eastern Missouri. Hence, in this article, with the Cardinals coming for a three-game series this weekend (Thursday, Friday, and Sunday), I will highlight five reasons why Royals fans care so much about the I-70 Series, even if the same sentiment is not shared by the "other" baseball team in Missouri. Cardinals Fans Don't Look at the Royals as Their True "Rivals" One of the biggest reasons the I-70 series matters more to Royals faithful than to Cardinals fans is that the Cardinals already have a traditional rival: the Chicago Cubs. The Cubs play in the same division as the Cardinals and hold a 1,293-1,237 advantage over their St. Louis rival. They have also played each other much more in the postseason, with the Cubs holding a 3-1 record in modern postseason history (they beat the Cardinals 3-1 in the 2015 NLDS). When it comes to which shade of blue Cardinals fans dislike, it's the Cubbie blue, not the Royals blue. And Cubs fans share similar disdain for the Cardinals, with even the stadium staff partaking in the hate. Furthermore, the Cardinals and Cubs have much more in common. Wrigley Field and Busch Stadium are in the heart of each team's respective downtowns (unlike Kauffman, which is on the outskirts). The Cubs have been around for 157 years, while the Cardinals have been around for 144 years. The Royals? They've been in Kansas City for 57 years, 100 years less than the Cubs in Chicago. Because of that, there's a sense of arrogance among Cardinals fans when it comes to how they view the Royals and their fanbase. They don't see the Royals as a "rival" baseball club because the Royals are in the American League, and they only see each other six times a year (unlike the Cubs, whom they see 12). The Cardinals Have An Advantage in Wins (But the Gap is Smaller at the K) The Cardinals are not just an older organization than the Royals. They also have the advantage in the head-to-head record as well. St. Louis leads the I-70 Series with an overall record of 86-64. The Cardinals are especially dominant at Busch Stadium against the Royals, as they have a 49-33 record against their Western Missouri neighbor. This season, the Royals lost two of three against the Cardinals at Busch Stadium in mid-May, though Kansas City was competitive in each game (the aggregate score of all three games was 9-8 in favor of the Cardinals). At Kauffman Stadium, the Royals have historically been a much tougher team against their I-70 rival. In 68 games in Kansas City, the Cardinals lead the series 37-31. That is a .544 winning percentage for the Cardinals compared to a .597 winning percentage at Busch Stadium. However, the Royals haven't had much success recently at Kauffman against the Cardinals, despite having overall winning records in the past two years. The Royals have gone 3-4 against the Cardinals at Kauffman in 2024 and 2025, including 1-2 in 2025 (they played only a two-game series at the K in both 2024 and 2025, and split both times). There Are Cultural Differences Between Kansas City and St. Louis In addition to the baseball reasons, the rivalry between the cities themselves only amplifies the bad blood among Royals fans in the I-70 Series. St. Louis is an older city with much more history. St. Louis has been around for 262 years, while Kansas City has only been around for 188 years. Thus, the St. Louis metro seems to have a larger footprint in Missouri than the KC Metro, which has a large footprint in Kansas outside of sports (though that may change with the Chiefs moving to Wyandotte County in Kansas soon). Furthermore, St. Louis feels more Metropolitan, especially when one is visiting downtown. It's easier to walk between sites and use public transportation in St. Louis than in Kansas City, though the growth of the Streetcar in KC is helping. Still, while there are great landmarks to visit in Kansas City, the landmarks in St. Louis feel more accessible, especially if one doesn't have a car. On the other hand, there is an "elite" attitude of St. Louis denizens that drives Kansas City folks crazy. While Kansas City folks are excited to show visitors their city, St. Louis natives seem more apt to ask, "What High School Did You Go To?" (It's a code that can be interpreted in a bunch of ways, both good and bad.) Furthermore, Kansas City takes pride, and rightfully so, in their BBQ culture, while St. Louis lags behind, but thinks it's on the same level. And soccer? Each city thinks it's the soccer capital of the Midwest, and arguably, America. However, based on the World Cup, there is a true winner in that category. I guess St. Louis holds the advantage in "regional" pizza style (there is no KC-style pizza)? Even then, however, the St. Louis pizza delicacy has its fair share of detractors, especially in Kansas City. The "Best Fans in Baseball" Moniker One of the characteristics of Cardinals fans that drives Royals fans insane is their pride in being the "Best Fans in Baseball" (or at least in their own eyes). Part of that is due to the Cardinals and their strong ties to being "Midwest Nice". For those unfamiliar, it's the stereotype that people in the Midwest are "friendlier" than their East and West Coast counterparts. Cardinals fans seem to have embraced that in the baseball sense, and others have taken notice and recognized them, even though the origin of the phrase is up for debate, as discussed in this SB Nation article from 2013. Here's a quote of the early "supposed" origins of the title. That said, the Cardinals being the "Best Fans in Baseball" irritates Royals fans because they share the same characteristics with Cardinals fans, but get little recognition for it. Royals fans are known for being friendly and welcoming to other baseball fans. And they do this despite seeing many losses on the field over the years, unlike the Cardinals, who have had a much better record. It's easy to be gracious when a club wins, but a harder thing to do when one is losing, especially as much as Kansas City in the post-Ewing Kauffman era. (An example of this is Coach K from Duke, who is classy when he wins, but petulant when he loses.) Lastly, Royals fans don't have a Twitter account that's dedicated to retweeting Tweets that contrast the BFIB moniker. Things changed a bit in the Royals' favor after the 2015 World Series win. In 2016, Kansas City earned the title of "Most Liked" fans in baseball, and the Cardinals got the "Least Liked" fans title in a poll by USA Today. Ten years later, however, the Royals have faded a bit in the eyes of the national baseball world, with only one playoff appearance since 2015. The 1985 World Series is Something Royals Fans Can Hold Over Cardinals Fans The Cardinals have more World Series titles as a franchise, with 11 compared to the Royals' 2 (though the Royals have a more recent World Series title than the Cardinals; St. Louis' last World Series title was in 2011). That said, in the one World Series matchup between the two Missouri teams, the Royals won in seven games. That win was the first title for the Royals in franchise history after they fell short in the 1980 World Series against the Phillies. Even though it was a joyous moment for Kansas City, the championship is still met with apprehension among angry Cardinals fans, who refer to umpire Don Denkinger's missed call in Game 6 of the World Series, with the Cardinals leading the series three games to two. A weak groundball hit by Kansas City's Jorge Orta to first baseman Jack Clark caused a close play where pitcher Todd Worrell had to cover first base. Worrell covered in time and received the ball from Clark, but Denkinger, the first-base umpire, ruled Orta safe. If replay had existed, the Royals might not have won that 1985 World Series title. Below is a clip of the infamous call. Even though the Cardinals have 11 titles, fans will wax poetic about how they were "screwed" over by Denkinger, Major League Baseball, and the Royals. That attitude grinds the gears of Royals fans because it dims the franchise's one crowning achievement until 2015. Royals fans could say "Hey, we beat you in 1985" to Cardinals fans, and they would always respond with "Yeah, because of Denkinger!" Thankfully, the 2015 World Series wasn't nearly as controversial, as the Royals beat the Mets in five games. Furthermore, the Cardinals won titles in 2006 and 2011. Thus, the wounds from that Denkinger incident have healed a bit. Still, when they want to, Cardinals fans can be salty about 1985. And when they do, it remains as annoying now as it was over 40 years ago. View the full article

There is something beautiful about afternoon baseball. It is how the game used to be played, and whether it is “work from dome” or just a weekend matinee, afternoon baseball has a different feel than the version under the lights. Don’t get me started about playoff baseball starting at 8:07 pm or 8:37 pm… 7:07 pm starts are what we are pretty well used to. Yet, every season, the Blue Jays play about 70 of their 162 games earlier in the day. Over the next six days, the Jays will play five games starting before 6:00 pm, including three straight against the Cubs at Wrigley. Like every team, the Jays are creatures of habit. Get to the dome when gates open, and you’ll likely see the visiting team taking batting practice. Once the grounds crews have prepped the field for the game, you’ll see several Jays come out with the strength and conditioning support staff to stretch and toss the ball around. What fans don’t often see is the work being done hours beforehand under the stands in the batting cages or on the field before the public is allowed in. Repetition is pivotal to success for professional athletes. Break those routines, and cracks can form in the foundation. Meals and rest need to be moved. Prep time reviewing opposing pitchers or batters shifts. Literally, the view changes for batters and fielders. From losing the ball in the sun as a fielder to losing it in the shadows as a batter, daytime games are different. The Jays have an advantage, or disadvantage depending on how you look at it, of playing at the dome. They can control the roof to alleviate some of those issues. Road environments can be even more challenging. In Boston, shifting shadows at Fenway Park can complicate both hitting and fielding. In Chicago, wind patterns at Wrigley Field can dramatically alter how the ball travels. Looking across its history, the Jays’ relationship with afternoon baseball has fluctuated. Some seasons have seen the club thrive under bright skies, while others have exposed vulnerabilities that seem tied as much to routine disruption as to talent gaps. The Jays tend to hover around a .500 record in day games. This mirrors not only the team’s overall quality in any given season but also reflects the broader challenges Major League Baseball teams face when playing outside their preferred schedules. The Blue Jays’ strongest performances in afternoon games came during seasons when they were already among the league’s better teams. In 1993, a year they won the World Series, the club handled day games with authority (38-16), winning roughly 70 percent of them. A more recent example came in 2021, when the Blue Jays again approached that 70 percent mark in daytime contests (42-18). In weaker seasons, such as the late 1970s when the club was still in its infancy, the results could be much worse. In 1978 and 1979, Toronto won just over 30 percent of its day games, but those results aligned with a team that struggled overall, not just in afternoon settings. Outside of those standout years, the Blue Jays have generally been average in afternoon games. That is not a coincidence. The Blue Jays typically play their daytime games in three predictable windows. Midweek getaway games are perhaps the most common. These games are usually scheduled on Wednesdays or Thursdays, allowing teams to wrap up a series and travel to their next destination later in the day. Weekend matinees are also standard, particularly on Saturdays and Sundays. Then there are occasional hybrid start times, such as weekday games that begin in the late afternoon. Even a quick glance at an upcoming schedule illustrates how concentrated these games can be. A Thursday afternoon game in Boston, followed by travel to Chicago for a full series of day games against the Cubs, represents a classic example of how quickly routines can be disrupted. Adding a 4:07 p.m. home game immediately after such a road stretch on Tuesday against the Astros creates a sequence where players are constantly adjusting their internal clocks. For athletes who rely heavily on routine, that kind of inconsistency can have an impact. The Jays then finish off their homestand against the Rangers and Mets before hitting the West Coast for series against the Mariners, Giants and Padres. The folks who make the schedule for the MLB try to provide teams an opportunity to adjust to shifts in routine. When the Jays wrap up their series with the Mets, it will be a Wednesday 3:07 start in Toronto. The team will be at the airport around 8:00 or 9:00 pm for the five-hour flight to Seattle. If all goes well, and adding the three-hour time change into the equation, they are at the hotel around 12:00 am Pacific. They won’t need to get to the ballpark until around 11:00 am or 12:00 pm to prep for their evening game that night. Despite these challenges, day games remain an essential part of Major League Baseball. Their continued presence comes down to a blend of logistics, tradition, and commercial considerations. Travel is one of the biggest factors. With 162 games spread across North America, teams need to move between cities. Afternoon getaway games allow players to leave at a reasonable hour and arrive at their next destination without sacrificing sleep or preparation time entirely. There is also a historical element that cannot be ignored. Baseball was built on daytime play. For many fans, especially those who grew up attending summer games, afternoon baseball represents a connection to the sport’s roots. The Blue Jays’ tendency to settle around a .500 record in day games ultimately might not tell us much. Throughout a season of ups and downs, this team is keeping itself in the fight but needs to find a stretch where they can build some breathing room either in the Wild Card race or the division. Between these upcoming series, the expanded homestand and the West Coast road trip, they need to overcome the elements, schedules and time zones to pick up wins. When the Blue Jays have exceeded expectations in day games, it has usually been because they have a roster that can perform at or above expectations. Deep lineups, reliable pitching, and positive momentum can carry a team through any time slot. When they have struggled, it has typically been part of a broader pattern of inconsistency rather than a problem limited to daytime play. Somewhere in the dizzying schedule over the next few weeks, by breaking routines and adapting to circumstances, the Jays might find the consistency they have been lacking all season. If not, this might be a frustrating stretch of games. View the full article

I know, I know. We’ve been here before. I’ve discussed trading Jarren Duran here on Talk Sox more than maybe any other topic. There’s sound reasoning behind it, though. Ever since 2024, there has been reason after reason to offload Duran. Now, we sit in the 2026 season mired in mediocrity and not even within sniffing distance of a playoff spot in a weak American League. So now, dear friends, the time has come to make the definitive case for finally trading Jarren Duran away from the Boston Red Sox. In short, Jarren Duran has been awful this season. I recently talked about his struggles during the month of June but it’s no secret that the entirety of 2026 has been abysmal for Duran. He’s slashing .214/.270/.398 with 12 home runs, 37 RBIs, and 11 stolen bases. To go along with that awful slash line, he’s striking out 29.4% of the time and is only posting a 79 wRC+, hence his meager 0.7 fWAR. The power is nice, but it's hardly been impactful in an otherwise struggling lineup. He’s tinkered more with his batting stance and leg kick this season than he ever has in the past and it’s messed with his timing so much that he's striking out more than ever. The stolen bases also look good, but Duran also isn’t getting any younger. He’s 29 right now and turns 30 in September. Speed is the first tool to deteriorate as a player ages, and although there hasn't been a massive decline in his sprint speed, it’s been a downward trend for the last two years. Eventually, he'll age out of elite territory in that regard, too. But you all know what I think of him by this point. Leave it to the man himself to succinctly sum up his season in a recent postgame conversation: "Absolutely terrible. I’m gonna be honest with you, I’ve felt terrible. Playing like s*** at the plate. But just got to figure it the f*** out, you know?" And he’s right, he does need to figure it out. There’s no question about that, but he doesn’t need to figure it out in Boston past this trade deadline. The outfield is still jammed, even though Roman Anthony’s injury has allowed Duran ample playing time in left field. When Anthony returns, will Duran go back to primarily playing at designated hitter? The results there have been less than stellar this season. You could argue that Anthony should spend the majority of his starts at DH, but the team didn’t guarantee him a nine-figure sum to just take swings. He needs to be in the outfield on a daily basis. Duran is going to be squeezed back out of his every-day playing time because you’re not going to bench Gold Glovers Ceddanne Rafaela or Wilyer Abreu. Once the entire outfield is healthy again, and that should come right around the trade deadline, Duran is once again the odd man out. If we move away from the actual baseball side of things though, Duran likely just needs a change of scenery to unlock what’s next for him. Boston is a difficult market to perform in and he has struggled with it from time to time throughout his career. He’s used derogatory language and made lewd gestures towards fans, refused to speak to the media in the wake of Alex Cora’s dismissal, and has eschewed a leadership role within the clubhouse. While leadership isn’t for everyone, Duran is now one of the longest tenured players in the organization and there’s a certain expectation that comes along with that in professional sports. He may not ever be a true leader of men, but since the roster is currently constructed with such a focus toward younger players, that’s a role he has to step into more as he gets older. Obviously, the elephant in the room is that every other team can see his terrible numbers as well. What the Red Sox are likely hoping for is that there is a team that is willing to take a chance on him turning things around once he leaves Boston. It’s a gamble worth making, but the return for him is going to be lower than it would have been during the offseason or at the trade deadline last year when the Padres were offering both Dylan Cease and Ethan Salas in return. I'll end with this: Jarren Duran is a good baseball player. I've always believed that, and none of his struggles over the years have ever convinced me otherwise. At the same time, it's clear to me that he's overextended his welcome in Boston. A breakup can be painful, but also healing. It's best to rip that band-aid off now and deal with the fallout later. View the full article

The New York Mets' rotation is in shambles in early June. Consistency is key with any pitching staff, and so far the Mets have not had that, especially when it comes to Kodai Senga. The one-time All-Star was placed on the injured list at the end of April with lumbar-spine inflammation. He made his return on Tuesday and started the Mets' 5-3 loss to the Cincinnati Reds, offering little hope as a solution to the team's longstanding pitching problems. Kodai Senga's Future With Mets Is On Shakier Ground Than Ever Senga started his night in this sequence: walk, walk, three-run home run, lineout, strikeout, and home run. Those were the only two hits Senga gave up during his outing. He only allowed one more baserunner, a walk in the third inning that was erased on a double play. He only went four innings because his first inning was 36 pitches long. Interestingly, Senga cut down the usage of the forkball from 23% to 14% in the outing and raised the usage of his cutter from 22% to 33% and got four whiffs. His slider and forkball velocity were a slight tick down. The home runs came off one cutter and one fastball, which could explain the pivot to his slider as a primary offering after the first inning. "I noticed that they weren't swinging up much down in the zone, so I pivoted over to the slider. " Senga said after the game via interpreter. "There were a lot of sliders, and that was effective, because those last three innings were effective. That first inning is frustrating." The right-hander has been very ineffective this season, and that showed up early; his .417 wOBA allowed is in the bottom 1% in baseball. In other words, batters are hitting Senga at a Hall of Fame level in 2026. That is not sustainable for the Mets to have in their rotation long term. No one is going to win games with pitchers who can't get out of the first inning. The Mets could, of course, consider an opener, but that would mean three-fifths of the rotation would be on such a plan. It goes without saying that this plan would kill the Mets' already-taxed bullpen. When asked postgame, Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said he's "pretty sure" that Senga will get another start. Mendoza added that he needs to confirm with the president of baseball operations, David Sterns, and the coaching staff before making that decision official. It's important to note that Senga will need to accept an option to the minor leagues as per a clause in his contract. Senga did strike out five batters in the outing, so that is a positive. It’s also good that he was able to lock in after a poor start, but throwing 36 pitches in the first inning and 82 over four innings is not a recipe for success. If he is granted another opportunity to pitch, his leash will be short. It's difficult to believe given how good he's been in the past, but we may be coming up on the end of Senga's tenure in New York. View the full article

Lake Bachar has been successful out of the Marlins bullpen for parts of three seasons since being claimed off waivers from San Diego. Bachar has been one of the steadiest arms out the ‘pen in 2026. Through 39.1 innings, he has a 2.97 ERA, 3.68 FIP, 20.5 K-BB%. Bachar has seen his pitch mix expand every season with the Fish. Coming into 2025, he only threw a four-seam fastball, split-finger, and sweeper. Adding a slider in 2025, and now both a curveball and sinker this year has expanded his mix from three pitches to six. Baseball Savant’s movement profile, illustrates how Bachar can throw many different shapes and attack batters in a plethora of ways, how many top starting pitchers attack hitters in today’s game. Bachar ideally fits into how the Marlins approach pitching: off-speed and breaking ball heavy. All of Bachar's non-fastballs have an xAVG under .208 with a xWOBA under .260 and 37.5 whiff% or more, throwing those 4 pitches 10% or more, evenly distributing his mix to keep hitters off balance. a0RsWUtfVjBZQUhRPT1fQUZBQ1VsTUFWbEVBQVZGVUFnQUhVZ1VIQUFBQkFBQUFDbDBOQ1FvRVVGZFNBZ0pX.mp4 Bachar has already been used in multi-innings efforts out the ‘pen this season, 13 out of his 23 appearances have been two or more innings, Bachar has also been used as an opener 3 times this season. If that continues, do not be shocked if Bachar gets more opportunities to go past 2-3 innings. The addition of the sinker may be pivotal for Bachar's development as a pitcher. Bachar's four-seam struggles against vs. LHB, compared to righties, a CSW% 8% less vs. lefties, and a 57.1% hard-hit rate. The addition of the sinker will be strong vs. RHB, like his four-seam, experimenting with a cutter, like many other pitchers have, may be a ideal addition for Bachar to have a variation of fastball to attack lefties with. Adding a cutter would continue a league-wide trend of three fastball shapes for pitchers, 49% of the league has 3 fastballs they utilize, compared to 32% ten years ago. Due to Bachar's lack of extension and league-average velocity on the four-seam it will be more likely to regress more stretched out compared to how the pitch has performed overall, which admittedly has been solid. The longer Bachar's outings are, the more plausible that his velo will drop, which is common when players move from the ‘pen to the rotation. TzA0TDRfWGw0TUFRPT1fQjFJSEFnSlJCd2NBRFZFQUFnQUhDRlJVQUZrQlVBQUFCQUVCVmxJREExSlZVbEZU.mp4 Lastly, like with any starter, Bachar's command would be tested. So far out the pen, Bachar has a 8.3% BB%. Fangraphs Location+ metric, gives Bachar overall a 99 Location+ score (100 being average), although this score is severely hindered by his split-finger which registers a 52 Location+. (Heat map via Fangraphs) Overall, Bachar's expanded pitch-mix, lack of intensity pitching which bods well for players moving from the bullpen to rotation, and Bachar's ability to utilize all his pitches in different quadrants of the zone, could allow him to move to the rotation for the Marlins if needed as the 2026 season continues. View the full article

Transactions: Wisconsin Timber Rattlers activated RHP Michael Fowler from the 7-day injured list. Wisconsin Timber Rattlers activated RHP Daniel Corniel from the 60-day injured list. Nashville Pre-Game Media Notes (unavailable) Nashville 10, Memphis (Cardinals) 8 Box Score & Game Log Via the Sounds, game details, and we encourage readers to always review affiliate write-ups as part of their Link Report routine: Sounds Jump out to Early Lead, Hold off Redbirds Another day, another slugfest between the top two teams in the standings. After losing Tuesday, the Sounds flipped the scoreboard on Wednesday, while both teams stayed hot at the plate with 28 total hits and six home runs. Jett Williams followed up his two-homer game with his ninth home run of the season (108.5 MPH exit velo) on a 1-5 night. Akil Baddoo added two home runs, proving that he can hit them against teams other than the Durham Bulls. In 88 PAs for Nashville this season, Baddoo is sporting a .955 OPS with six home runs, giving the Brewers the roster depth that he was brought in to provide. Jefferson Quero hit three singles following his home run yesterday. Greg Jones and Ethan Murray also added three hits apiece with a double for each. VIDEO: Greg Jones RBI double caps the scoring Rehabbing Jared Koenig got the win, giving up two hits, a walk and one earned run while striking out two. Biloxi pre-game media notes Columbus (Braves) 9, Biloxi 4 Box Score & Game Log Adamczewski, Fischer Drive in Runs in Double-A Debuts, Shuckers Fall to Clingstones - New Shuckers Shine in Loss to Clingstones Welcome to Double-A Andrew Fischer! Fischer hit a home run in his first AA at-bat. Stay hot! Josh Adamczewski also got a hit in his first game with Biloxi, ripping a double to the wall in left center. Unfortunately, Adamczewski collided with Jesús Made in the sixth inning and Made exited the game with a left quad contusion. (video of collision posted with story) Catcher Matthew Wood went 1-3 with a double and now has an .841 OPS on the season. Quietly having a solid year, Wood sports a walk rate above 20 percent, almost double his 11.7 percent strikeout rate. After pitching a clean six innings last week, Tanner Gillis gave up four earned runs and two homers this week. Wisconsin pre-game media notes Quad Cities (Royals) 3, Wisconsin 2 Box Score & Game Log Small Ball Bandits Beat Wisconsin - Quad Cities back-to-back bunts in sixth inning pushes go-ahead run across the plate Braylon Payne stayed hot going 3-4 with an RBI, a steal and a caught stealing. With the promotion of Fischer and Adamczewski, Payne has taken over as the lineup anchor batting in the 3-hole. Wisconsin took a 2-1 lead in the 5th, first set up by Daniel Dickinson with this double: VIDEO: Payne then drove in Dickinson with a dive into first base for an RBI single, as Dickinson was on the move with two outs and did not stop. Josiah Ragsdale provided the rest of the offense going 2-4 with a home run, while extending his on-base streak to twenty-three games. Josh Knoth took another step forward, setting a season high for innings with 4.2 and strikeouts with seven. Knoth gave up two runs but only allowed 3 hits, one walk and no home runs. Wilson pre-game media notes Wilson 12, Charleston (Rays) 3 Box Score & Game Log Wilson Blasts Off to Victory Over Charleston - Warbirds Mash Four Homers Of the Warbirds four home runs, two were by lead-off hitter Handelfry Encarnacion. Infielder Juan Ortuna had a home run as part of a 3-3 night with two walks and a steal. Jadyn Fielder hit the final home run for Wilson. VIDEOS: Find contributing RBI from Filippo Di Turi, Frederi Montero and Jose Anderson Brady Ebel missed the party with an 0-5 game. Jarrette Bonet came on in relief to earn the win, pitching five innings with three strikeouts, allowing one run, 3 hits and two walks. DSL Blue 12, DSL Astros Orange 11 Box Score & Game Log Brewers Blue scored 12 runs on 12 walks with only four hits. Astros Orange came up just short with 11 runs on 12 walks and eight hits. Luckily for team Blue, three of the four hits were home runs and the fourth was a double. Top winter signing ($1.6MM bonus) Diego Frontado went 1-2 with a grand slam, two walks, two steals and three runs. The 17-year-old shortstop now has four home runs on the season. Gerlyn Payano also hit his fourth home run of the season and catcher Johanderson Tarazona hit his first. If you had to pick a pitcher to highlight, Jean Rodriguez didn’t allow a run over two innings, while striking out two and giving up a hit and three walks. There are eight games scheduled Thursday as Biloxi hopes to complete two. The Arizona Brewers play a rare weekday afternoon game. Organizational Scoreboard including starting pitcher info, game times, MiLB TV links, and box scores Current Milwaukee Brewers Organization Batting Stats and Depth Current Milwaukee Brewers Organization Pitching Stats and Depth View the full article

San Diego Padres affiliates went 3-1 with a rainout as the Triple-A El Paso Chihuahuas downed Reno 9-6, the Double-A San Antonio Missions split a doubleheader with Corpus Christi, winning 4-3 and then losing 7-4, while the High-A Fort Wayne TinCaps and South Bend were rained out and the Low-A Lake Elsinore Storm prevailed 7-4. Padres Minor-League Transactions El Paso Chihuahuas released LHP Marco Gonzales. San Diego Padres sent RHP Ty Adcock outright to El Paso Chihuahuas. RHP Kleiber Olmedo assigned to ACL Padres from Fort Wayne TinCaps. Carlos Rodriguez's Streak At 22 As Chihuahuas Triumph Carlos Rodriguez went 2-for-4 to send his career-high hitting streak to 22 games and Bryce Johnson doubled home a pair of runs to snap a fifth-inning tie as the host Triple-A El Paso Chihuahuas bounced the Reno Aces 9-6. Rodriguez also has a 26-game on-base streak. Padres right-hander German Marquez, in his fourth rehab appearance with the Chihuahuas as he makes his way back from right forearm nerve inflammation, gave up his first runs on this assignment. Marquez allowed three runs in five innings on five hits, including a homer, and three walks with three strikeouts. Marquez threw 73 pitches, including 43 strikes. Mason McCoy and Anthony Vilar homered for the Chihuahuas. McCoy hit his seventh homer, a solo shot, in the first inning and the Aces tied it in the top of the third. Rodriguez singled to extend his hitting streak in the bottom of the third, driving in Nate Mondou, who had walked and been bunted to second. The Aces took a 3-2 lead in the top of the fourth. But the Chihuahuas would take control in the fifth and sixth innings. Mondou doubled home the tying run and Johnson doubled home a pair to put the Chihuahuas up 5-3. Johnson was in his first game back at Triple-A after being designated for assignment by the Padres and outrighted to El Paso. Reno scored once in the top of the sixth, but the Chihuahuas put up another three-spot in the bottom half. Vilar hit a two-run homer, his third this season, Johnson walked, stole second and came home on Rodriguez's double for a 8-4 lead. EP_0617.mp4 Player AB R H RBI BB K Bryce Johnson 4 1 1 2 1 2 Carlos Rodríguez 4 0 2 2 1 1 Mason McCoy 3 1 1 1 1 1 Marcos Castañon 4 0 0 0 0 2 Nick Pratto 4 1 1 0 0 1 Clay Dungan 3 1 1 0 0 1 Nick Schnell 4 1 1 0 0 2 Nate Mondou 2 2 1 1 2 1 Anthony Vilar 2 2 1 2 1 1 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Germán Márquez 5 5 3 3 3 3 1 Sean Boyle 1 1 1 1 1 2 1 Logan Gillaspie 1 3 2 1 0 1 0 Alek Jacob 2 1 0 0 0 1 0 Late Walk, Strong Pitching Helps Missions Get Doubleheader Split Tirso Ornelas hit a first-inning three-run homer and Braedon Karpathios drew a bases-loaded walk to snap a seventh-inning tie as the Double-A San Antonio Missions beat the host Corpus Christi Hooks 4-3 in the first game of a doubleheader. Karpathios, Padres Mission's No. 9 prospect, and Francisco Acuna homered in the nightcap, which the Missions dropped 7-4. In the opener, Missions right-hander Eric Yost matched his season best with six innings, allowing three runs on just two hits and a walk with two strikeouts. Right-hander Josh Mallitz picked up the save, his third this year, by pitching a perfect seventh inning. Ryan Jackson opened the game with a single, Ethan Salas walked and, after a one-out double steal, Ornelas lined a three-run homer, his seventh of the season, deep to right field. The Hooks tied the game with a three-run second inning. It stayed 3-3 until the top of the seventh. With two outs, Salas, Padres Mission's No. 1 prospect, drew his third walk of the game and went to third on Romeo Sanabria's single to right. Ornelas walked on four pitches to load the bases for Karpathios, who drew a walk on 3-2 pitch to push home Salas with the tiebreaking run. SA1_0617.mp4 In the second game, Karpathios hit his fifth homer of the season, a two-run shot, back-to-back with Acuna's fourth this year for a 3-0 lead in the second inning. But the Hooks countered with two runs in the bottom of the second, then two more in the fourth and three in the seventh to go up 7-3. Acuna tripled with one out in the sixth and scored on Kai Murphy's groundout. Missions right-handed starter Miguel Mendez, Padres Mission's No. 3 prospect, went just three innings, giving up a pair of runs on two hits with three walks and five punchouts. Missions right-hander Johan Moreno gave up two runs on a hit and three walks in the fourth inning and right-hander Harry Gustin allowed three runs (one earned) on three hits while striking out three in the fifth. Right-hander Clark Candiotti struck out two in a perfect sixth. SA2_0617.mp4 FIRST GAME Player AB R H RBI BB K Ryan Jackson 4 1 1 0 0 2 Ethan Salas 1 2 0 0 3 1 Romeo Sanabria 4 0 1 0 0 2 Tirso Ornelas 3 1 1 3 1 1 Braedon Karpathios 3 0 1 1 1 1 Luis Verdugo 3 0 0 0 0 3 Albert Fabian 1 0 0 0 2 0 Francisco Acuna 3 0 1 0 0 1 Kai Roberts 2 0 0 0 0 1 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Eric Yost 6 2 3 3 1 2 0 Josh Mallitz 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 SECOND GAME Player AB R H RBI BB K Ryan Jackson 4 0 0 0 0 3 Albert Fabian 3 0 1 0 1 0 Romeo Sanabria 2 0 1 0 2 0 Tirso Ornelas 4 1 2 0 0 2 Braedon Karpathios 3 1 1 2 0 0 Luis Verdugo 3 0 0 0 0 1 Francisco Acuna 3 2 2 1 0 0 Kai Murphy 3 0 0 1 0 2 Brendan Durfee 2 0 0 0 1 0 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Miguel Mendez 3 2 2 2 3 5 0 Johan Moreno 1 1 2 2 3 1 0 Harry Gustin 1 3 3 1 0 3 0 Clark Candiotti 1 0 0 0 0 2 0 TinCaps Rained Out, Will Play Two Thursday The second game of the High-A Fort Wayne TinCaps' home series against the South Bend Cubs was postponed due to rain. The game will be made up as part of a doubleheader Thursday, with a pair of seven-inning games. Newcomer Dawson Willis, Qrey Lott Spark Storm Victory Dawson Willis doubled home the go-ahead run in the seventh inning of his Low-A debut and Qrey Lott tacked on a two-run homer as the Lake Elsinore Storm turned back the host San Jose Giants 7-4. The Storm on Tuesday wrapped up the first-half championship in the California League's South Division. Willis, an infielder, was promoted from the Arizona Complex League, where he slashed .300/.373/.617 with four homers and 13 RBIs in 16 games. He made his Storm debut one to remember as he went 3-for-5 with a pair of doubles and three RBIs. He also stole a base and scored twice. Willis and Lott did damage early, with Willis doubling home a pair of runs and Lott singling him home in a three-run third inning for a 3-2 lead. George Bilecki added an RBI single in the fourth inning, before the Giants tied it with a pair of runs in the fifth. In the seventh, Alcides Hernandez, in his fourth game since coming up from the ACL, singled with one out and went to second on a groundout. Willis then lined a double that ricocheted off third base and into left field, scoring Hernandez with the go-ahead run. Two pitches later, Lott launched his fifth homer of the season to left to make it 7-4. Hernandez went 2-for-4 with two runs scored. Storm right-handed starter Jesus Castro surrendered four runs (three earned) in five innings on seven hits and a walk with three strikeouts. LE_0617.mp4 Player AB R H RBI BB K Bradley Frye 5 0 0 0 0 1 Dawson Willis 5 2 3 3 0 2 Qrey Lott 4 1 2 3 1 1 Yoiber Ocopio 4 0 0 0 0 1 Truitt Madonna 2 0 0 0 1 0 Kerrington Cross 1 0 0 0 0 0 Yimy Tovar 4 1 1 0 0 1 George Bilecki 3 0 1 1 0 1 Conner Westenburg 4 1 1 0 0 0 Alcides Hernandez 4 2 2 0 0 1 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Jesus A. Castro 5 7 4 3 1 3 0 Joseph Herrera 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 Daichi Moriki 2 3 1 0 0 1 0 Will Koger 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 Padres Mission Top 20 Prospect Performance Ethan Salas: 0-for-1, K Kash Mayfield: DNP Miguel Mendez: 3 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 3 BB, 5 K Kruz Schoolcraft: DNP Ryan Wideman: DNP Jorge Quintana: DNP Ty Harvey: On injured list Kale Fountain: Injured, out for season Braedon Karpathios: 1-for-3, K (Game 1); 1-for-3, HR (Game 2) Lamar King Jr.: DNP Jagger Haynes: DNP Alex McCoy: DNP Truitt Madonna: 0-for-2 Tucker Musgrove: DNP Garrett Hawkins: DNP Michael Salina: DNP Eric Yost: 6 IP, 2 H, 3 R, 1 BB, 2 K, W Rosman Verdugo: DNP Bryan Balzer: DNP Deivid Coronil: DNP View the full article

Frank Mozzicato earned the win with two scoreless innings of four-strikeout relief as the Northwest Arkansas Naturals beat Tulsa 7-2. Emmanuel Reyes worked six innings of two-run ball with five strikeouts to lift the Quad Cities River Bandits past Wisconsin 3-2, with Tyriq Kemp collecting three hits. For Columbia, Darwin Rodriguez struck out seven over six innings in a 9-5 loss, while Sean Gamble went 2-for-3 with a double and Josi Novas homered. Omaha's game against the St. Paul Saints was postponed due to weather or Ghostbusters-esque conditions. Royals Transactions Kansas City Royals activated RHP Connor Seabold. Kansas City Royals optioned RHP Mitch Spence to Omaha Storm Chasers. Naturals Pile On In The Fourth To Down Tulsa 7-2 The Northwest Arkansas Naturals scored in three different innings to take a 7-2 win over the Tulsa Drillers, whom the Naturals have not beaten this season until tonight (They lost all their games in Tulsa back in May). Jack Pineda led the offense, going 2-for-4 with two RBIs, and Rudy Martin Jr. reached three times with two hits, two runs scored, and two stolen bases. Northwest Arkansas struck first in the first inning when Pineda singled home leadoff man Carson Roccaforte, and Spencer Nivens followed with a sacrifice fly to score Pineda for a 2-0 lead. The decisive frame came in the fourth, when the Naturals plated four runs. Connor Scott singled home Martin, Roccaforte added a sacrifice fly, and Pineda capped the inning with a two-run single that scored Alberto Rodriguez and Justin Johnson to push the lead to 6-2. Rodriguez added an insurance run with a sacrifice fly in the eighth. Felix Arronde, our No. 12 prospect at Royals Keep, started and allowed two runs on two hits with two walks, three strikeouts, and a home run over three innings. He held his own despite facing a Drillers lineup stacked with Top-100 prospects from the Dodgers system. Mozzicato, our No. 17 prospect at Royals Keep, earned the win, striking out four over two scoreless innings while allowing one hit and three walks. Andrew Morones, Caden Monke, and Dennis Colleran Jr. combined for the final four innings. Northwest Arkansas left seven runners on base and went 3-for-10 with runners in scoring position. They are now 28-35. Player AB R H RBI BB K Carson Roccaforte 2 1 0 1 1 1 Jack Pineda 4 1 2 2 1 1 Sam Kulasingam 2 0 1 0 2 0 Spencer Nivens 3 0 0 1 0 0 Omar Hernandez 4 0 0 0 0 0 Rudy Martin Jr. 3 2 2 0 1 1 Connor Scott 4 1 1 1 0 2 Alberto Rodriguez 2 1 0 1 1 2 Justin Johnson 2 1 0 0 2 0 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Felix Arronde 3 2 2 2 2 3 1 Frank Mozzicato 2 1 0 0 3 4 0 Andrew Morones 1 1 0 0 0 1 0 Caden Monke 2 1 0 0 0 2 0 Dennis Colleran Jr. 1 1 0 1 1 1 0 Reyes Goes Six As River Bandits Edge Wisconsin 3-2 The Quad Cities River Bandits manufactured just enough offense to slip past the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers 3-2. The Dutch-born Kemp paced the lineup, going 3-for-3 with a double, an RBI, two stolen bases, and a walk, and Ramon Ramirez added a double, two runs scored, and a stolen base. Quad Cities scored single runs across three innings, breaking through in the second when Kemp singled home Ramirez. In the fifth, Connor Rasmussen doubled to drive in Kemp, and the eventual winning run came in the sixth when Derlin Figueroa laid down a sacrifice bunt that scored Ramirez. Reyes turned in the night's strongest pitching performance, working six innings and allowing two runs on seven hits with one walk, five strikeouts, and a home run to earn the win. The 22-year-old now has a 3.64 ERA and 1.38 WHIP in 12 starts and 59.1 IP. Jordan Woods followed with two scoreless innings, striking out two, and Yimi Presinal struck out two in a scoreless ninth for the save. The River Bandits left nine runners on base and went 3-for-10 with runners in scoring position. With the win over the Rattlers, Quad Cities improved their record to 29-33. Player AB R H RBI BB K Nolan Sailors 3 0 1 0 0 0 Asbel Gonzalez 3 0 0 0 1 1 Blake Mitchell 4 0 1 0 0 1 Ramon Ramirez 3 2 1 0 1 1 Luke Pelzer 4 0 1 0 0 2 Derlin Figueroa 3 0 0 1 0 3 Tyriq Kemp 3 1 3 1 1 0 Connor Rasmussen 3 0 1 1 1 0 Angel Acosta 3 0 0 0 1 1 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Emmanuel Reyes 6 7 2 2 1 5 1 Jordan Woods 2 1 0 0 1 2 0 Yimi Presinal 1 0 0 0 0 2 0 Fireflies Undone By Seventh-Inning Rally In 9-5 Loss At Hickory The Columbia Fireflies could not hold an early lead and fell to the Hickory Crawdads 9-5. Gamble, our No. 3 prospect, led the offense, going 2-for-3 with a double, an RBI, a walk, and a stolen base. Angel Ramirez reached three times with a hit, two walks, two runs scored, and a stolen base. Columbia built a 4-2 advantage in the third inning, getting an RBI groundout from JC Vanek that scored Yandel Ricardo, a Novas solo home run, and a run-scoring single from Gamble. The lead did not last. Hickory plated two in the fifth to tie the game, then broke it open with four runs in the seventh to take command. Rodriguez was strong in his outing, striking out seven over six innings while allowing four runs on six hits and a walk. Jhon Reyes took the loss after retiring just one batter and surrendering four runs on five hits, and Yeri Perez allowed one run over 1 2/3 innings. Ivan Sosa drove in Gamble in the eighth for Columbia's final run. The Fireflies left seven runners on base and went 3-for-11 with runners in scoring position. They are 33-32 this season. Player AB R H RBI BB K Yandel Ricardo 5 1 0 0 0 1 Angel Ramirez 3 2 1 0 2 0 Stone Russell 5 0 1 0 0 2 JC Vanek 4 0 0 0 0 1 Sean Gamble 3 1 2 1 1 1 Roni Cabrera 3 0 0 0 1 1 Ivan Sosa 4 0 1 1 0 1 Gabriel Silva 4 0 0 0 0 3 Josi Novas 3 1 1 1 1 2 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Darwin Rodriguez 6 6 4 4 1 7 0 Jhon Reyes 1/3 5 4 4 0 0 1 Yeri Perez 1 2/3 1 1 1 1 0 0 Top-20 Prospect Performance Kendry Chourio: DNP David Shields: DNP Sean Gamble: 2-for-3, 2B, RBI, BB, K, SB Blake Mitchell: 1-for-4, K Josh Hammond: DNP Ramon Ramirez: 1-for-3, 2B, BB, K, SB Drew Beam: DNP Asbel Gonzalez: 0-for-3, BB, K Ben Kudrna: DNP Carson Roccaforte: 0-for-2, RBI, BB, K Yandel Ricardo: 0-for-5, K Felix Arronde: 3 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 3 K, HR Blake Wolters: DNP Michael Lombardi: DNP Luinder Avila: DNP Steven Zobac: DNP Frank Mozzicato: 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 3 BB, 4 K, 0 HR Daniel Vazquez: DNP Warren Colcano: DNP Shane Panzini: DNP View the full article

Last week, the Blue Jays designated Tyler Heineman for assignment when they activated Alejandro Kirk from the injured list. Today, they traded him to the Angels for cash considerations. Heineman, 34, spent parts of the past five seasons with Toronto. In that time, he played 126 games over numerous stints with the Jays, hitting .242 with a .663 OPS, while consistently playing superb defense. He was a surprisingly important contributor to the 2025 AL pennant-winning team, enjoying an unusually productive season for a backup catcher. While his defense in 2026 has been as excellent as ever, his offense has been poor. Considering Brandon Valenzuela's success on both sides of the ball, it wasn't surprising when the Blue Jays decided to DFA Heineman last Friday. However, considering how many times they have re-acquired Heineman in the past, it also wouldn't be surprising to see the journeyman backstop back in a Blue Jays uniform someday. View the full article

TRANSACTIONS LHP Kendry Rojas sent to AAA St. Paul on rehab. Saints Sentinel The 1952 film with Gene Kelly and Debbie Reynolds taught us that one can sing in the rain; however, the movie mentions nothing about the impossibility of playing baseball in it. Indeed, the Saints learned this the hard way, and will play a doubleheader on Thursday because of the precipitation. Wind Surge Wisdom Wichita 10, Springfield 9 Box Score SP: Cory Lewis: 4 IP, 4 H, 0 ER, 3 BB, 1 K HR: Kala’i Rosario (11) Multi-hit games: Andrew Cossetti (3-for-4, 3B, R, 3 RBI, BB), Kala’i Rosario (2-for-4, HR, R, 3 RBI, BB), Khadim Diaw (2-for-4, 2 R, BB) The Wind Surge won a thriller on Wednesday. The typical wasn’t cutting it, so why not try the atypical? Cory Lewis dabbled in effectively wild territory, walking three while allowing four hits. That’s almost a 2.00 WHIP—deadly endeavors for any pitcher. Yet, Lewis walked away without an earned run to his name and given the season he was having coming into the game, he’ll certainly take it. The “zero-earned runs” thing befalls a terrible truth of this game: the Wind Surge couldn’t field for squat. They committed four errors. A particularly brutal stretch occurred in the fifth when a Quinn McDaniel mishap added a second runner to the bases, a Jaime Ferrer botch scored a run and put men on the corners, and an Andrew Cossetti throwing error turned a double steal attempt into a run. That’s how poor Ruddy Gomez could only be credited with one earned run while five scored in the inning. Fortunately, the bats were ready to make up for what the gloves couldn’t do. Wichita was in a hitting mood. Shoot, they were in a walking mood, too. They collected 10 knocks and nine free passes; everyone outside Garrett Spain reached base at least once. Two touched home in the third off an Andrew Cossetti triple. A third arrived in the fifth when McDaniel cleverly dashed home on the front-end of a strikeout/double-steal attempt. Then the point became moot when Kala’i Rosario clobbered a homer one batter later. At least McDaniel has bragging rights. Springfield swapped pitchers and did nothing to stop the run avalanche started by the Wind Surge in the fifth. A lineup-wide flurry—the kind of piranha production that would make Ron Gardenhire smile—ambushed the new hurler for three more runs. RBIs went to McDaniel, Billy Amick, and Rosario. Unsatisfied and ravenous proved to be a Wichita lineup dead-set on swooning ERAs and bludgeoning pitcher egos: they once-again loaded the bases in the seventh and pushed a pair of runs across thanks to a hit by pitch and a walk. A good day indeed when a lineup plates a run four separate times without needing a hit. Khadim Diaw singled twice and walked in his AA debut. Springfield’s unique “switch-pitcher” started on Wednesday. Jurrangelo Cijntje, ranked as the 84th-best prospect in baseball, according to MLB.com, tossed 4 2/3 innings, allowing five earned runs. He only pitched right-handed. Life is often boring. Kernels Nuggets Cedar Rapids 4, Beloit 8 Box Score Riley Quick: 4 2/3 IP, 5 H, 3 ER, 3 BB, 5 K HR: Miguel Briceno (5) Multi-hit games: Marek Houston (2-for-3, 2 2B, 2 R, 2 BB), Miguel Briceno (2-for-4, HR, R, RBI) The Kernels were solidly bested on Wednesday. Riley Quick’s regal dominance at Fort Myers has dissipated into an ordinary muck. The righty who once appeared incapable of allowing runs has not only surrendered them at consistent rate, but he’s also allowed free passes far more often than one would expect given his raw ability. These are the common traits of a player figuring things out, learning more about himself as an athlete. He’s less than 40 innings into his professional career, after all. It seems inevitable he’ll figure it out. Marek Houston has commanded his level. It’s too easy for him now. The 2025 first round pick is slashing an unbelievable .442/.561/.651 since June started with 13 walks to six strikeouts. That’s dominance. He also stole two bases. That’s dominance. He should be driving to Wichita soon. Miguel Briceno provided the lone big blast for Cedar Rapids, homering in the fourth. The infielder was a Minor League Rule-5 pick before the 2025 season, a fact you may need to know as he’s now slashing .324/.380/.577 with the Kernels. OF Brandon Compton slots in as the 12th-best prospect in the Marlins system, and he collected three hits, including two homers. Perhaps he’s ranked too low. Mussel Matters Fort Myers 9, Tampa 7 Box Score Justin Mitrovich: 4 1/3 IP, 3 H, 4 ER, 3 BB, 6 K HR: Quentin Young (7) Multi-hit games: Quentin Young (2-for-5, HR, 2B, 2 R, RBI), Byron Chourio (2-for-4, 3B, 2R, RBI) The Mighty Mussels hit their way to a win on Wednesday. “It’s about scoring them in bunches,” espoused Fort Myers, probably. They only scored in three frames, but made them worth their while, plating a trio in the fifth thanks to a rally started by a Jayson Bass hit by pitch turned not-pickoff when the second baseman dropped the ball that should have nabbed the running Bass. So it goes. And so it be, sometimes. Byron Chourio and Ryan Sprock reaped the rewards with RBI knocks later in the inning. We do it again. This time in the seventh. Chourio tripled. Ricardo Pena walked. Dameury Pena singled. Two outs nearly neutered the rally. Then, an error on a Quentin Young batted ball. Floodgates and such. The error, a wild pitch, and oncoming singles by Luis Fragoza and Merphy Hernandez put a five-run capitalization on the matter. And, for good measure, Young returned in the ninth to pop an opposite-field moonball that may have punctured a cloud before returning to land. Callan Fang—which sounds like the name of a horror movie villain from the 90s—debuted for the Mighty Mussels, tossing 2 2/3 effective innings with zero earned runs and three strikeouts. He looks to join the fraternity of the 35 Harvard men who have become big leaguers. The Tarpons are an affiliate of the nefarious—yet undeniably awesome—Yankees farm system. They sent forward their ninth-ranked prospect, starter Thatcher Hurd, who racked up eight strikeouts across 4 1/3 innings while allowing just one earned run. TWINS DAILY PLAYERS OF THE DAY Twins Daily Minor League Pitcher of the Day – Cory Lewis Twins Daily Minor League Hitter of the Day – Quentin Young PROSPECT SUMMARY Here’s a look at how the Twins Daily Top 20 Twins Prospects performed: #5 – Eduardo Tait (Cedar Rapids) - 1-5, 3 K #7 – Marek Houston (Cedar Rapids) - 2-3, 2 2B, 2 R, 2 BB #8 – Riley Quick (Cedar Rapids) - 4 2/3 IP, 5 H, 3 ER, 3 BB, 4 K #10 – Gabriel Gonzalez (St. Paul) - 1-3, 2 RBI #14 – Quentin Young (Fort Myers) - 2-5, HR, 2B, 2 R, RBI, 2 K #15 – Brandon Winokur (Cedar Rapids) - 1-3, R, RBI, 2 BB, K #19 – Khadim Diaw (Wichita) - 2-4, 2 R, BB MONDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS Omaha @ St. Paul (5:07 PM) - RHP Ricky Castro Omaha @ St. Paul (Game Two) - TBD Springfield @ Wichita (6:35 PM) - RHP Preston Johnon Beloit @ Cedar Rapids (6:35 PM) - LHP Cesar Lares Fort Myers @ Tampa (10:00 AM) - RHP Charlee Soto FCL Twins @ FCL Rays (11:00 AM) - TBD DSL Arizona Red @ DSL Twins (10:00 AM) - TBD View the full article

When Pat Murphy and the Brewers staff sits down to fill out the lineup card each day, they have a wealth of good options. Frustrating though it might be for fans to watch some of the weak hitters at the bottom of the order bat, Joey Ortiz, David Hamilton, Cooper Pratt and Blake Perkins each have considerable defensive and baserunning value. Ditto for Sal Frelick, when he's right. And even among their more offense-focused personnel, they have several good guys from whom to choose. Murphy has loved having such flexibility all season. Even during spring training, he was effusive about the improved depth of his team. It does make the choices on which they settle more interesting, though. For instance, against a starter without stark platoon splits—and with different approaches based on the handedness of the opposing batter—how do you choose between Jake Bauers and Andrew Vaughn at first base? Earlier this week, our Jack Stern wrote about the team's tendency to default to Bauers, even since Vaughn returned from the injured list at the beginning of May. Jack couched that daily dilemma largely in terms of the platoon advantage, and indeed, with right-handed starter Gavin Williams taking the ball for Cleveland on Wednesday night, it's Bauers starting over Vaughn. But there's a bit more to that decision, too. Firstly, Williams is one of an increasingly common breed of pitcher who essentiually workessentially from two distinct arsenals. Against righties, he leans heavily on a sinker and sweeper, moving east and west to find outs. Against lefties, he switches gears, going mostly with a four-seamer and a curveball and mixing in a cutter. Thus, when evaluating which hitters match up best against him, the Brewers almost have to ask which hitter they trust against the type of pitcher Williams is in those specific matchups—while baking in the demonstrated value of having at least a couple of same-handed batters in a lineup to force a pitcher to switch back and forth between approaches or pitch mixes. Because of the way the team's lineup works right now, this means assessing Vaughn, Bauers, Jackson Chourio, William Contreras and Frelick. In theory, the Brewers could sit any of them, or start all five, but mostly, Contreras's days at catcher and the imperative to use Christian Yelich when he's available will set up a short series of real dilemmas: Is Bauers or Vaughn better-suited to hit the opponent? If it's Bauers, should he go play the outfield for the night, at the expense of either Chourio or Frelick, making way for Vaughn? The Brewers gave us their answer when they issued the night's lineup card. Bauers is in there. So are Frelick, Garrett Mitchell and David Hamilton, over possible right-handed alternatives like Gary Sánchez and Joey Ortiz. Contreras and Chourio made the cut from the right side, but Vaughn didn't. The interesting question is: Why those guys? And now, we can furnish some answers to ourselves, using new Statcast data. Simply put, Vaughn struggles with the sinker-sweeper righty. That might be his toughest matchup. Looking at the distributions of his swing timing in all three dimensions against sinkers and sweepers from right-handed hurlers, you can see that Vaughn is often off the center of the barrel, often early or late, and unable to line up the barrel with the ball vertically as much as the average batter. This data is quite new, so I'm not expecting you to have contextualized the above already. Hopefully, though, you can see the difference between those distributions and these, for Chourio: Chourio can cover both pitches from a righty much better than Vaughn can. Even some of the times on which he's slightly off—early on the sweeper, for instance—result in hard contact in the air, because of his bat path and the way he adapts based on what he sees. Vaughn's best swing takes him through the ball on the inner third, and he struggles to connect cleanly if a pitch appears to be headed there and then ends up on the outer edge, instead. Chourio is much better at it. Starting Chourio over Vaughn, then, would be an easy choice, but that's not really the choice the Brewers faced. They first had to decide whether to give the nod to Vaughn or Bauers at first base, and that meant evaluating Bauers's ability to handle a righty who throws a four-seamer, a curveball and a cutter. The curve is awfully tough on Bauers, truth be told, but he's unexpectedly excellent at covering the four-seamer from a righty—especially up, His ability to line up the barrel with the ball vertically is far superior to that of the average batter, and with his elite bat speed, he's able to punish mistakes on either the cutter or the curve. In the past, we could have shrugged and said that a lefty is likely to hit a righty better than a righty is. Now, we can see clearly that Bauers is better able to stay on time and make solid contact against a pitcher like Williams than Vaughn is. The final option for the team would be to bench Frelick at Vaughn's expense, by moving Bauers out to right field. That's a decision they need to weigh a bit more seriously, unless and until Frelick shows more than he has of late either at bat or in the field. When it comes to hitting a righty like Williams, though, Frelick is much better equipped to make solid contact than is Vaughn. Frelick is superb at staying on time and finding the barrel against this suite of pitches, in this kind of matchup. His very low bat speed and tendency to let the ball get too deep on him are real concerns, but he's still much better against this type of pitcher than Vaughn is against the type of pitcher Williams is against righties. That's not to mention that a defensive configuration with Frelick in right field and Bauers at first is more robust than one with Vaughn at first and Bauers in right. Not all starting pitchers pose such interesting problems. Not all teams have such an array of possibilities when building a lineup. Thankfully, though, we now have some insight into how the Brewers can choose between those options on a fascinating night like Wednesday. Vaughn doesn't belong in the lineup initially, but that doesn't mean there won't be a pitcher later in the game against whom he's the right bat. And the Brewers are armed with terrific data to tell when and whether that moment comes. View the full article

On Wednesday afternoon, the MLB insider Jeff Passan reported that the Royals would be acquiring right-handed pitcher Randy Dobnak from the Seattle Mariners. Dobnak has not pitched with the Mariners and has spent the entirety of the season in Triple-A Tacoma. The 31-year-old pitcher is expected to be added to the 40-man roster. Dobnak should be familiar with Royals fans as he spent most of his career with the Minnesota Twins prior to this season. Last year, he only made one 5.1 IP appearance with the Twins and posted a 1.69 ERA. This year, with the Tacoma Rainiers, the Mariners' Triple-A team, he posted a 4.24 ERA and 1.44 WHIP in 70 IP. He also has a 4.06 FIP and 4.9% K-BB%. While he doesn't generate a ton of whiffs or strikeouts, Donbnak minimizes hard contact and is a groundball machine, as evidenced by his 66.5% groundball rate and .334 xwOBACON. The move has not been made official, and no word has been mentioned about who Dobnak would replace on the 40-man roster. One possibility could be moving Cole Ragans to the 60-Day IL, as he has not been progressing well with his injury since being added to the 15-Day IL, according to recent reports. The Royals come back home to Kauffman Stadium on Thursday to begin a three-game series against the I-70 rival, the St. Louis Cardinals. They will play on Thursday, Friday, and Sunday. There will be no game on Saturday due to the World Cup match between Ecuador and Curacao at Kansas City Stadium (i.e., Arrowhead Stadium). View the full article

In the long run, the Cubs need Dansby Swanson and Nico Hoerner to hit. They can't trade either player. They can't cut either player. They certainly can't permanently bench either player, having invested roughly $50 million a year in them for each of the next four seasons. Nor can they afford for Moisés Ballesteros not to pan out at the plate, after they effectively chose him over Owen Caissie when they traded the latter to Miami this winter. Swanson, Hoerner and Ballesteros are indispensable pieces of the team's present and future. That's one reality. Another, grimmer one is that: Swanson is batting .145/.228/.206 since the start of May; Hoerner is batting .190/.269/.231 since April 21, the day on which he hit his last home run; and Ballesteros is batting .128/.217/.170 in 106 plate appearances since the final days of April. Swanson is being eaten alive by a league force-feeding him breaking balls. Hoerner keeps hitting the ball squarely, in theory, but unproductively in practice. Ballesteros got squeezed a bit positionally amid the red-hot start of Michael Conforto, and has run into some major problems related to his bat path as the league has made their adjustments to him. The three have combined for over 450 plate appearances in these spans, and they're the most hideous black holes imaginable on the lineup card. The Cubs continue to try to develop Ballesteros into a catcher even while easing him into full-time duty as a hitter in the majors, which has probably contributed to his poor showing on offense. Unfortunately, because he's still not an adequate receiver at this point in his career, that makes him a net negative on both sides of the runs ledger. Swanson and Hoerner still have great defensive and positional value, but the team can't afford to keep running them both out everyday unless and until at least one of them gets right. That brings the conversation around to two players who have found their way into more games (and even the starting lineup, now and then) lately, and whom the Cubs also need to be developing, anyway: Matt Shaw, and Pedro Ramírez. Shaw has manned right field in three of the team's last four games, as Seiya Suzuki deals with a balky right knee. Ramírez has rotated in at both second and third base, with Alex Bregman getting some half-days-off as the designated hitter and Hoerner and Swanson getting turns on the bench to reset. As the Cubs' season spirals out of control, Shaw and Ramírez have been rare bright spots. Shaw has four hits, a walk and a base via being hit by a pitch since coming off the injured list earlier this month, in just 12 plate appearances. Ramírez has only made eight starts among the 15 games in which he's appeared and has only 38 plate appearances, but he's hitting a respectable .257/.316/.400. Shaw has come along faster than expected as a right fielder, although the back strain that shelved him for a few weeks will bear monitoring. Ramírez has been relentlessly impressive in the field and at the plate, never awing you with his tools but making the right play consistently and well. For the balance of June, the Cubs should be playing Shaw and Ramírez as much as anyone on the team, save Pete Crow-Armstrong and Ian Happ. Ramírez's combination of versatility and reliability means that Swanson, Hoerner and Bregman can be taken off the diamond on any given day without the team missing a beat defensively. He's also shown above-average bat speed and a good feel for contact, though he'll have to make a round of adjustments himself as the league learns not to throw him changeups. Shaw is consistenly under four-seam fastballs, but because Swanson is drawing a lot of sinkerballers who are throwing their heaters right under his bat, that creates a natural timeshare. Shaw can take plate appearances for which Swanson is ill-suited for a while, so the veteran can continue working on the needed tweaks. He can play second base, sliding Hoerner over to shortstop. He also offers the only real backup to Crow-Armstrong, Happ and Suzuki, now that Conforto is showing his decrepitude again. It wouldn't be fair to expect Shaw and Ramírez to be above-average players for the rest of this season. They're better off in smaller roles; neither profiles as a future star. But they're exactly the kind of sparky young players a team often needs when they struggle, and the Cubs should embrace the fact that they have them. Awkward though it might be at first, Swanson, Hoerner, Bregman and Ballesteros need to be told that their playing time will be curtailed while they work behind the scenes to get right; they've each had more than enough chances to work their way out of their current funks via everyday game reps. Shaw and Ramírez won't save Chicago's season, but for the highly-paid stars to do so, the youngsters will have to keep them afloat for a while first. View the full article

The Royals launched home runs early and held on for a 6-2 win at Nationals Park, getting a four-hit afternoon from Carter Jensen, who finished 4-for-4 with a home run and a double. Three other Royals went deep — John Rave, Lane Thomas, and Michael Massey — to build the lead. Starter Luinder Avila handled the rest, working 5 1/3 innings and allowing one run on three hits with one walk and five strikeouts. The bullpen covered the final innings to close out the four-run margin. Here are all four home runs the Royals hit in the game: Michael Massey Homers to Center (+0.068 Win Expectancy) Massey batted in the top of the third inning with the Royals already ahead 3-0 and one out. Facing Zack Littell with a 1-1 count, he turned on an 87.7 mph slider and drove it to center field. The ball left the bat at 105.6 mph and traveled 430 feet for his seventh home run of the season, pushing the lead to 4-0. It was the second Royals home run of the inning and was the second of consecutive long balls against the Washington starter. Lane Thomas Homers to Center (+0.087 Win Expectancy) Thomas came up in the top of the third with the Royals leading 2-0 and one out. He worked the count to 2-2 against Zack Littell and connected on a 92.5 mph sinker, sending it to center field. The ball came off the bat at 100.8 mph and carried 411 feet for his fifth home run of the year, extending the lead to 3-0. It set the stage for back-to-back Royals home runs in the inning. Carter Jensen Homers to Right (+0.096 Win Expectancy) Jensen led off the game in the top of the first against Zack Littell. Down 1-2 in the count, he got an 82 mph splitter and lifted it to right field. The ball traveled 366 feet for his ninth home run of the season and opened the scoring at 1-0. The leadoff shot was the first of his four hits on the day and set the tone for the Royals' early offense. John Rave Homers to Center (+0.098 Win Expectancy) Rave batted in the top of the second inning with the Royals up 1-0 and one out. He jumped on the first pitch from Zack Littell, a 92.1 mph four-seam fastball, and lined it to center field. The ball left the bat at 106.3 mph and traveled 402 feet for his first home run of the 2026 season, increasing the lead to 2-0. It was the hardest-hit of the Royals' four home runs on the afternoon. The Royals return home Thursday to open a series against the St. Louis Cardinals at Kauffman Stadium, with first pitch scheduled for 6:40 PM CT. Kansas City is expected to start Noah Cameron (4.11 ERA), with St. Louis countering with left-hander Matthew Liberatore (4.71 ERA). View the full article

The return of right-hander Max Scherzer to the Toronto Blue Jays' starting rotation lasted one week. Scherzer, a three-time Cy Young Award winner, went back on the 15-day injured list Wednesday with back spasms. Right-hander Chad Dallas was called up from Triple-A Buffalo. Scherzer, 41, came off the 15-day IL a week ago Wednesday after missing more than a month with right forearm tendinitis, but lasted just 3⅓ innings and gave up five runs in a 7-4 loss to the Philadelphia Phillies. He would have been in line to start Wednesday, but right-handed reliever Braydon Fisher got the call as an opener. Dallas is back with the Jays after making his MLB debut June 4. In that 7-2 win over Atlanta, Dallas was the bulk guy after Mason Fluharty opened. Dallas went 3⅔ with one run on two hits and two walks with two strikeouts. Eight of his 11 appearances with Buffalo have been as a starter. Whether he sticks around is another issue. Right-hander Shane Bieber had a rehab start Wednesday and could be ready to return to the rotation. Bieber has not pitched for the Jays this season after coming down with right elbow inflammation in spring training. View the full article

After entering spring training as a serious option to make the back end of the San Diego Padres' starting rotation, left-hander Marco Gonzales has been released while with the Triple-A El Paso Chihuahuas. The 34-year-old Gonzales missed the entire 2025 season after having flexor tendon surgery in September 2024. In the hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League, Gonzales had 12 starts and one relief appearance, posting a 7.99 ERA over 47⅓ innings, with 18 walks and 36 strikeouts. His last outing came Saturday and was one of his best of the season. He gave up three runs, but only one earned, in four innings on a season-low three hits with one walk and two strikeouts. He also had four starts where he gave up six or more runs. View the full article

Sometimes, our experiences become our prison wardens, rather than our teachers. Every player we don’t like is “just another Miguel Sanó.” When Derek Shelton manages the bullpen well, he “reminds me of Tom Kelly.” When the bullpen blows up, Shelton “has too much Rocco Baldelli in him.” One such trope is figuring out who The Next Willi Castro is. If you don’t believe me when I say people are hung up on the idea of finding the Next Willi Castro, a couple of quick Twitter searches showed me that the following players have been called the Next Willi Castro or the New Willi Castro: Kody Clemens, Austin Martin, Vidal Bruján, Tristan Gray, Dan Altavilla, and Ryan Kreidler. Our own Eric Blonigen asked last year if Thomas Hatch was the Next Willi Castro. To paraphrase the honorable Supreme Court Justice Potter Stewart, I don’t know how to define a Willi Castro, but I know one when I see one, and it is hot, hot, HOT! Well, I lied. I think I’ve defined a Willi Castro. Or at least I’ve tried to. In the never-ending search to find the Next Willi Castro, it’s important to know what we’re looking for. What is a Willi Castro? Willi Castro played two and a half seasons for the Minnesota Twins. He was a roughly league-average hitter; he played every position except first base and catcher; and he stole a handful of bases. Prior to coming to Minnesota, he was an exciting prospect for the Tigers who fizzled out and was released. Minnesota signed him to a minor-league contract, but gave him $1.8 million when he made the team. Given this, he would probably be classified as a late bloomer. He was traded at the 2025 trade deadline for Ryan Gallagher and Sam Armstrong. Obviously, no current Twins are going to map perfectly onto that. But if we’re going to continue to ask “is Mickey Gasper the Next Willi Castro??”, the least we can do is try to attack this scientifically. Positional Flexibility Love it or hate it, the Twins prefer players who can play multiple positions. That’s probably the most obvious place to start the Willi Castro discussion. It’s probably his most notable feature (though not the only Willi Castro feature). The Twins have several players with positional flexibility. Ryan Kreidler has played short, third, center, and left, and he can also play second and right, essentially matching Castro’s flexibility, though with better fielding. Kody Clemens has played all three outfield spots, second, and first. He can also be an emergency option at third. Austin Martin has lost positional flexibility over the years, and is now mostly confined to right field. Royce Lewis can play first, second, and third, and he’s allegedly asked to play the outfield as well—probably in an effort to establish himself as the Next Willi Castro. Orlando Arcia is technically still in the system, and he played all four infield positions and pitched. The newest Twin, Kyler Fedko, can play all three outfield positions and first base, and he’s also played a little second base in the minors. Luke Keaschall is a second baseman, but he’s played first and outfield in the minors, so maybe someday he’ll be in the running. I’m giving Willi Castro points to Kreidler, Clemens, Arcia, and Fedko, because they all have at least five positions in their bag. Speed The Twins haven’t been very fast in a long time. But Castro was. Anyone on the team who has a red bubble (anything over league-average) for sprint speed wins a Willi Castro point here. Byron Buxton, Keaschall, Kreidler, Martin, Clemens, Lewis. Fedko doesn’t have a competitive sprint in the majors yet, but I’ll add him in. Late Blooming Castro had a rough first four seasons in the major leagues, playing at roughly replacement level. He wasn’t old when he joined the Twins, but he was 26 with little MLB success. Clemens certainly fits this criterion, as he seems to have finally become an everyday-caliber player in his late 20s. Martin is trending in that direction, as well. Fedko went from being a non-prospect to being on an MLB roster at 26. Trevor Larnach might fit the bill, too, but he’s basically been who he’s always been this year. Kreidler has played well, but probably not enough to have “bloomed” yet. But let’s not forget the pitchers. Yoendrys Gómez is 26 and might be developing into a real late-inning arm. Joe Ryan and Bailey Ober were both old when they debuted (25), but only Ober was surprising, performance-wise. I’ll give points to Clemens, Martin, Fedko, Gómez, and Ober. Average or Better Hitter This is pretty easy. If your OPS+ is 100 or higher this season, you get a point: Buxton, Clemens, Kreidler, Larnach, Gabriel González, and Ryan Jeffers. Signed to a Minor League Contract The Twins got Castro as a 26-year-old MiLB free agent. What a steal! Other players on the team to have been acquired as such are: John Klein, Cody Laweryson, and I guess Emmanuel Rodriguez, if you wanna get technical. I’d also give a point here to players purchased or claimed on waivers: Clemens, Kreidler, Gómez, Justin Lawrence, Anthony Banda, and Taylor Rashi (I bet you didn’t expect Taylor Rashi to score a Next Willi Castro point). Half-points to Gray, Alex Jackson, Eric Orze, and Garrett Acton for being acquired in unremarkable trades. Played for the Tigers Yes, we’re getting this granular. The funny thing is, though, the top candidates for the role, Clemens and Kreidler, both played for Detroit. They’re the only two guys on the current roster to have done so. Traded at the Deadline Castro was part of the 2025 selloff. Now this hasn’t happened yet, but I’m gonna boldly predict who it’ll be this year: Josh Bell, Matt Wallner, Larnach, Banda, Lewis, Ryan, and Clemens. If you disagree, argue with the wall. Final Tally .5 Willi Castro points: Acton, Gray, Jackson, Orze 1 Willi Castro point: Arcia, Bell, Gonzalez, Jeffers, Keaschall, Klein, Laweryson, Lawrence, Ober, Rashi, Rodriguez, Ryan, Wallner 2 Willi Castro points: Banda, Buxton, Fedko, Gómez, Larnach, Lewis, Martin 5 Willi Castro points: Kredlier 7 Willi Castro points: Clemens Kody Clemens went seven-for-seven in this very scientific, peer-reviewed analysis (Matthew Trueblood is, after all, a peer who reviewed this before publication). Congratulations, Kody. You are the Next Willi Castro. View the full article

Marek Houston's breakout season is accelerating a roster puzzle that the Twins may have to solve much earlier than anticipated. View the full article

As the MLB trade deadline inches closer, Minnesota Twins catcher Ryan Jeffers continues to appear on more and more national trade boards. While much of the focus around the Twins has centered on potential blockbuster conversations involving bigger names, Jeffers may quietly be one of the organization's most valuable short-term trade chips. Three prominent MLB insiders recently connected Jeffers to the New York Yankees, a team that entered 2026 believing it had enough catching depth but has instead watched the position become a significant weakness. From Minnesota's perspective, the situation warrants close monitoring. The Twins have a difficult decision looming with Jeffers. He is set to reach free agency after the 2026 season, and it seems unlikely for the Twins to extend him. Before landing on the injured list with a broken hamate bone, Jeffers was enjoying arguably the best offensive stretch of his career, batting .295 with seven home runs and 26 RBI in 122 at-bats while posting a remarkable .949 OPS. For a catcher with a career .755 OPS and 75 major league home runs, that production represents a substantial jump. National evaluators have taken notice. As part of a recent piece discussing front offices facing pressure, ESPN insider Buster Olney identified Jeffers as a potential target for Yankees general manager Brian Cashman. "(Brian) Cashman might also have to deal for one of the better relievers available -- as well as a right-handed hitter, such as Twins catcher Jeffers." The Yankees' interest makes plenty of sense. New York expected Austin Wells to take another step forward offensively this season while J.C. Escarra emerged as a capable complementary option. Instead, injuries and underperformance have left the Yankees searching for answers. Wells has struggled to provide consistent production, Escarra remains better suited for a supporting role, and the organization lacks a proven right-handed bat behind the plate. Jeffers checks every box. Sports Illustrated's Karl Rasmussen recently argued that the Yankees should aggressively pursue the Twins catcher. "The Yankees should look no further than Minnesota's Ryan Jeffers, who has had an excellent season. Jeffers, 29, is a right-handed batter and boasts a .949 OPS and a superb 163 wRC+. He's hit seven home runs—more than Wells and Escarra combined—and is a solid framer behind the plate. A tandem of Jeffers and Wells would be a major upgrade over the current setup in the Bronx, and with Jeffers set to be a free agent this offseason, the Twins should be looking to deal him." Rasmussen hits on the main points that the Yankees need offensive help at catcher, and few available options can match Jeffers' combination of power, experience, and defensive competence. Former MLB executive Jim Bowden of The Athletic reached a similar conclusion while discussing potential catching upgrades for contenders. "However, I think more realistic options include Ryan Jeffers of the Twins (once he gets healthy), Agustín Ramírez of the Marlins, Joey Bart of the Pirates, Carson Kelly of the Cubs, Gabriel Moreno of the Diamondbacks and Keibert Ruiz of the Nationals." Bowden's mention of Jeffers comes with an important caveat. The Twins catcher is currently on the injured list, meaning any trade discussions will likely remain preliminary until clubs can evaluate his health upon returning to action. That timing could work in Minnesota's favor. If Jeffers returns and continues hitting anywhere near his current pace, the Twins could find themselves with multiple interested suitors. Catching is one of the thinnest positions across baseball, and contenders are always willing to pay a premium for offensive production behind the plate. The Yankees are simply the most obvious fit. Beyond their catching concerns, New York is expected to pursue infield upgrades and bullpen help before the deadline. Still, catcher may be the organization's clearest weakness. A healthy Jeffers would immediately become the club's best right-handed catching option and provide lineup balance against left-handed pitching. For the Twins, the calculus is more complicated. Minnesota must decide whether they are buyers or sellers. The organization has received strong production from Jeffers throughout his career, but with free agency approaching and catching depth developing throughout the system, moving him could become a realistic consideration if the Twins find themselves in sell mode. Whether a deal ultimately materializes remains to be seen. What is increasingly clear, however, is that national insiders continue to arrive at the same conclusion. If the Yankees are shopping for a catcher this summer, Jeffers appears to be near the top of their list. And if the Twins decide to listen, New York may be waiting with the strongest offer. View the full article

Chicago Cubs Minor League Report - June 17 Affiliate Overview Triple-A Iowa Cubs Series vs. Indianapolis Indians (Pittsburgh Pirates): Cubs lead, 1-0 Season Record: 28–39-1 Double-A Knoxville Smokies Series vs. Chattanooga Lookouts (Cincinnati Reds): Lookouts lead, 1-0 Season Record: 35–29 High-A South Bend Cubs Series at Fort Wayne TinCaps (San Diego Padres): Cubs lead, 1-0 Season Record: 39–21 Single-A Myrtle Beach Pelicans Series at Delmarva Shorebirds (Baltimore Orioles): Pelicans lead, 1-0 Season Record: 25–37 Affiliate Highlights Triple-A: Iowa Cubs Season Record: 28–39-1 Series Opponent: Indianapolis Indians (28-42) Series Standing: Lead, 1-0 June 16: The Iowa Cubs opened their 12-game homestand with a 13-7 victory over the Indianapolis Indians on Tuesday night at Principal Park. Kevin Alcántara (3-for-3) gave the Cubs the lead in the first with an RBI-single but the Indians put up three in the second to take their first lead of the game. In the home half of the second, Christian Bethancourt (3-for-4) doubled home a run and Justin Dean (0-for-3) tied the game at 3-3 with a sacrifice fly. Another three-spot from Indianapolis in the third put the visitors ahead 6-3 but Iowa was able to pull one back in the bottom of the inning on Alcántara’s solo shot, his 16th of the season. Bethancourt launched a two-run shot in the fourth to knot the contest at 6-6, his sixth homer of the season. The I-Cubs plated three in the fifth to take the lead for good in the ballgame, with Owen Miller (1-for-4) giving the club the lead with a sacrifice fly followed by an RBI-double from Jonathan Long (2-for-5) and an RBI-single from Chas McCormick (2-for-4) to make it 9-6. Miller brought his RBI total to three with a two-run single in the seventh and Bethancourt picked up his fourth RBI of the night later in the frame on a single. BJ Murray’s (1-for-4) RBI-double capped the scoring for the Cubs before the Indians pushed one more across in the ninth to make it 13-7. Jordan Wicks got the start for Iowa and took no decision. Wicks allowed six runs on nine hits over three innings of work, picking up four strikeouts. Tyler Beede picked up the win in relief after tossing two scoreless frames, yielding no hits to go along with three strikeouts and a walk. Offensively, eight of the nine Cubs starters hit safely in the ballgame, with six batters tallying multi-hit efforts. Double-A: Knoxville Smokies Season Record: 35–29 Series Opponent: Chattanooga Lookouts (35–29) Series Standing: Trail, 1-0 June 16: With a first-half division title on the line, the Knoxville Smokies opened this vital series vs. the Chattanooga Lookouts with a 5-3 defeat. The two teams are now tied for first in the Southern League North Division with five games remaining. The Smokies’ magic number to clinch a playoff spot remains at four. The Lookouts plated two runs in their first trip to the plate and eventually would make it a 5-0 game after adding one run in the fifth and two in the sixth. Knoxville scored all three of their runs in the home half of the sixth, with Alex Ramírez (1-for-3) launched a solo shot, his eighth of the season, and Ariel Armas (1-for-4) bringing home two with a single. The Smokies were unable to mount a rally over the final three frames, ultimately dropping the opener 5-3. Connor Schultz got the start on the mound for Knoxville and took the loss, falling to 0-3 on the season. Schultz allowed three runs, one earned, on six hits over 4 2/3 innings of work, striking out six and walking one. Tyler Ras turned in 2 1/3 scoreless frames out of the bullpen, allowing two hits to go along with one walk and two strikeouts. Jefferson Rojas went 2-for-4 with a run and double at the dish, extending his hitting streak to five games. Rojas has tallied a multi-hit effort in each of those contests and is now slashing .424/.453/.712 through 14 games in June. High-A: South Bend Cubs Season Record: 39–21 Series Opponent: Fort Fayne TinCaps (25–39) Series Standing: Lead, 1-0 June 16: The South Bend Cubs opened their series at the Fort Wayne TinCaps with a narrow 4-3 victory on Tuesday night at Parkview Field. The Cubs enter the final series of the first half having already clinched the Midwest League West Division crown. South Bend took a 1-0 lead in the second on Alex Madera’s (2-for-4) but Fort Wayne hit back with three runs in the bottom of the inning to go in front. Miguel Useche (2-for-4) picked up an RBI in the fourth to make it 3-2 and Matt Halbach (3-for-4) made it 3-3 with a solo shot in the sixth, his fifth long ball of the season. Ben Johnson turned in three scoreless innings in relief to help the Cubs come back in the ballgame and he would eventually pick up the win to improve to 2-1 on the season. Johnson did not allow a hit and whiffed one batter, retiring all nine that he faced. He was rewarded for his stellar outing in the eighth when Useche singled in the go-ahead run to make it 4-3. Grayson Moore earned his second save of the campaign by firing 1 1/3 shutout frames to end the game, retiring all four batters he faced, with three coming via a strikeout. Four South Bend hitters would tally multi-hit efforts. Josiah Hartshorn went 0-for-3 with a run, which snapped his 12-game hitting streak. Hartshorn was hit by a pitch, which extended his on-base streak to 19. Single-A: Myrtle Beach Pelicans Season Record: 25–37 Series Opponent: Delmarva Shorebirds (23–41) Series Standing: Lead, 1-0 June 16: The Myrtle Beach Pelicans opened their series at the Delmarva Shorebirds with an emphatic 12-4 victory on Tuesday night at Arthur W. Perdue Stadium. The Pelicans took a 1-0 lead in the second thanks to Yahil Melendez’ (1-for-2) RBI-double and later made it 3-0 in the fourth, plating runs on a passed ball and a wild pitch. The Shorebirds made it 3-3 with three in the fifth but Myrtle Beach responded with four in the sixth to re-take the lead for good. After opening the scoring in the frame with two runs on an error, Alexey Lumpuy (2-for-5) doubled in two, his seventh of the campaign, to make it 7-3. The Pelicans then added five in the seventh to put the contest well out of reach. Delmarva would score later in the inning to make it 12-4 but the visitors would cruise to the series-opening win. Braylon Myers got the start for Myrtle Beach and took no decision. Myers spun four shutout innings, allowing just three hits to go along with one walk and two strikeouts. Daniel Avitia picked up the win to improve to 1-1 on the season. Avitia allowed four runs, three earned, over three innings of work, walking three and whiffing two. Henry Cone worked two scoreless frames in relief and did not allow a hit, walking one and shifting one. Four Pelican hitters would tally two-hit performances on the night, with five of the team’s 10 hits going for extra bases. View the full article

The New York Mets have had to navigate through injuries and unexpected circumstances all year. Even though they have gotten Kodai Senga back from the injured list, they are still dealing with a whole lot of absences. We have listed them all here, sorted by expected timeline. New York Mets' Updated Injury Report: Expected Timelines for Return We'll start with players who should return to Queens before or around the All-Star break, though note that any setbacks can obviously shift these timelines in the wrong direction. Mets Players Who Should Return Soon SS Francisco Lindor The Mets shortstop has been out since April 22 with a calf strain, but is finally starting to turn a corner in his rehab. He played three innings in a simulated game on Monday and could be days away from starting a rehab assignment in the minor leagues, per MLB.com, should additional sim games go well. He had a 93 wRC+ with two homers and two steals in 24 games before hitting the injured list. His return would definitely represent a boost for the Mets. SP Christian Scott On Monday, the Mets placed Scott on the 15-day injured list with a right hip impingement. The move is retroactive to June 12, and it’s seen as a minor issue, so there is a very good chance he makes it back before the end of the month. With a 3.10 ERA and a 1.35 WHIP, Scott had been one of the best and hottest starters on the roster for the Mets. Before allowing four runs in his most recent turn last week, he had an impressive streak of eight consecutive starts with three runs or fewer. IF Jorge Polanco Achilles issues have derailed Polanco’s season to this point. Just when he was getting ready to return, he suffered a difficult setback on June 5 and hasn’t played ever since. In fact, he has been transferred to the 60-day injured list. That, however, was seen as a procedural move. As manager Carlos Mendoza said this week, there’s still a chance Polanco resumes his rehab assignment in a matter of days, not weeks. "I heard he had a good day today, as far as like swinging the bat and all that," the manager said on Monday. "This is a day-to-day type deal." In 14 games at the MLB level this season, the infielder has a .179 batting average and a .532 OPS. IF Ronny Mauricio Mauricio is dealing with a fractured left thumb that he sustained while sliding into first base in early May. He could start a rehab assignment later this week and should be able to return this month if everything goes according to plan. The talented but inconsistent infielder was hitting .219 with a 45 wRC+ in 10 games with New York before hitting the injured list. OF Tyrone Taylor The defensive wizard in center field hit the shelf on May 26, nursing a right hip flexor strain. He resumed running on June 4 and is now performing all baseball activities, so his return is just a matter of getting back into baseball shape. Mendoza said this week that he’s already sprinting at 90 percent effort and making steady progress. Late June seems like a realistic return date for Taylor, who had a disappointing 45 wRC+ at the moment of the injury. Mets Player Who Will Be Out A While Longer OF Luis Robert Jr. Robert has been on the shelf since April 30, nursing a lumbar spine disc herniation. Last week, the outfielder said he hopes to begin running on the field this month. He still has a long way to go before he can be an option to help the Mets, because he needs to run without restrictions, face live pitching, and then go on a rehab assignment. August seems like a good bet for him if there aren’t any setbacks along the way. P Justin Hagenman Hagenman has been a valuable swingman for the Mets since 2025. Unfortunately for him, he went down during a spring training game on March 5 when he fractured a rib. The initial timeline was 4-8 weeks, so he should have returned by now. Instead, he wasn’t even throwing in early June and could be looking at next month in an absolute best-case scenario. August seems more likely, if he returns at all in 2026. SP Clay Holmes Holmes fractured his right fibula on May 16 after being hit by a comebacker. Back then, he was told he needed 6-8 weeks for the injury to heal and another six weeks to build up strength and stamina, so he’s looking at 12-14 weeks since the moment of getting hurt. That makes August a likely return target. The right-hander, owner of a 2.39 ERA in nine starts this year with the Mets, started playing light catch in June so he still has a long way to go. Mets Players Facing Long-term Absences P Tylor Megill Megill underwent Tommy John surgery in September and is already out for the entire 2026 campaign. He is under team control through 2027, so he’s focusing on having a clean, setback-free rehab in order to return to full strength next season. RP Reed Garrett Just like Megill, Garrett underwent Tommy John surgery in October and won’t be an option to return to the Mets until 2027. The steady veteran is under team control through the 2029 campaign. RP Dedniel Nunez Nunez underwent Tommy John surgery last July, so he is highly unlikely to return in 2026. View the full article

Boston Red Sox Affiliate Recap (June 16) Triple-A Worcester Red Sox Season Record: 34-32 A ninth-inning rally propelled the WooSox to a 5-3 road victory over the IronPigs (Philadelphia Phillies). Worcester erased the IronPigs' lead twice. The first time it happened was in the third inning when Mikey Romero singled home Anthony Siegler to put them up 1-0. Afterward, in the bottom half, Lehigh Valley went up 3-1 on a two-run homer and an RBI double. The WooSox answered in the fifth: Tsung-Che Cheng led the inning off with a lead-off homer, and a run came across on a perfect steal from Siegler on a pickoff attempt that led to Vinny Capra stealing home, knotting it 3-3. Nothing much happened up until the ninth, with one out, Braiden Ward was plunked by a pitch then stole his 30th base of the season, Vinny Capra walked to put two runners aboard, Seigler punched a go-ahead RBI single on a fly-ball to right field that the fielder read terribly, then Romero followed with another RBI single (his third hit of the game) to make it 5-3, giving Worcester the best chance to take control of the first game of the series. On the mound, opener Jack Anderson started and went three innings with two runs allowed. Tyler Uberstine pitched well in his four-inning long-relief appearance with four strikeouts and just one earned run on two hits. Tyler Samaniego worked a scoreless eighth to earn the win, and Angel Bastardo closed it out in the ninth for his first save of the season, despite walking two. Standout Performances: Mikey Romero: 3-for-4, 2 RBI, BB Vinny Capra: 2-for-4, 2B, 2 R, BB, SB Anthony Seigler: 2-for-4, R, RBI, BB, SB Tyler Uberstine: 4 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 4 K Double-A Portland Sea Dogs Season Record: 32-31 Portland scored two runs to pull out a two-out walk-off 7-6 victory against Somerset (New York Yankees). Nate Baez led off the scoring in the first inning with a solo home run to right field. Somerset tied it up in the second with an RBI groundout, Portland took back the lead in the bottom half after Miguel Bleis roped a double to set up Marvin Alcantara to hit him home with a single, 2-1. The Patriots blew it open in the third inning. Blake Wehunt loaded the bases after allowing a couple of walks and a single. A potential double-play ball went to waste, leading to a run and tying the game after Ronald Rosario muffed a tough hop grounder. Somerset extended their lead after launching a grand slam to make it 6-2. Portland started clawing back in the bottom of the third. Franklin Arias drew a lead-off walk. Romy Gonzalez, a key contributor from the Boston Red Sox 2025 season, made his first 2026 season appearance on a rehab assignment. He came up to the plate and crushed a two-run homer to left-center to make it a 6-4 game. The next four innings were scoreless until the eighth inning. Stanley Tucker was aboard after a fielding error, after stealing second and third base, he scored on a Rosario sacrifice fly, pulling the Sea Dogs within one, 6-5. The bottom of the ninth inning was magical. With one out, Marvin Alcantara caught the Patriots by surprise after blasting a homer to left, tying it 6-6. Now with two outs, Abraham Liendo lined a double to keep the inning alive, Arias was intentionally walked, bringing up Tucker. He made them pay after smacking a double to right, bringing in Liendo for the winning run, 7-6. Blake Wehunt started on the mound for the Sea Dogs and did not have his best stuff, giving up six runs, though only two earned due to the error that led to a grand slam in 3 ⅔ innings. The bullpen was locked in: Caleb Bolden was dominant, tossing 3 ⅓ scoreless one-hit innings with five strikeouts. Patrick Halligan tossed two scoreless for the win, including a scoreless ninth to set up the walk-off. Standout Performances: Romy Gonzalez: 1-for-2, HR, R, 2 RBI, BB Marvin Alcantara: 2-for-4, HR, R, 2 RBI Nate Baez: 1-for-4, HR, R, RBI Stanley Tucker: 1-for-2, 2B, R, RBI, 2 SB (hit a walk-off double) Caleb Bolden: 3 ⅓ IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 5 K Patrick Halligan: 2 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 1 K High-A Greenville Drive Season Record: 26-35 A pitchers' duel led to a close 2-1 victory for Greenville, facing the BlueClaws (Philadelphia Phillies). The story was Greenville's pitching. Devin Futrell was incredible, throwing seven shutout innings, just two hits allowed, no walks, and five strikeouts to pick up the win. Other than the one mistake pitch that led to a homer, Steven Brooks pitched great as well, closing it out with two innings, allowing one run on three strikeouts for the save. The first runs of the game came in the fifth inning when Greenville star outfielder Enddy Azocar doubled to left to bring in their first run, then a second came across the plate when Mason White came home due to a wild pitch during Justin Gonzales' at-bat to make it 2-0. Jersey Shore got one back in the eighth after they homered, making it a 2-1 game, but that was as close as they'd come. At the plate for Greenville, Jack Winnay had the standout night, going 3-for-3 with a double and a walk, reaching base all four times and scoring the game's first run. Enddy Azocar drove in the key run with his double despite a 1-for-5 night. Both hitters combined for four of the Drive's six hits. Standout Performances: Devin Futrell: 7 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 5 K Steven Brooks: 2 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 3 K Jack Winnay: 3-for-3, 2B, R, BB Enddy Azocar: 1-for-5, 2B, RBI Low-A Salem RidgeYaks Season Record: 24-39 An all-around bad performance by the RidgeYaks led to a 7-2 loss to Fredericksburg (Washington Nationals). Salem actually out-hit Fredericksburg eight to five, but could not punch in runs due to some bad errors; the Nationals scored in pairs across three different innings. The Nationals jumped out early in the first inning, scoring a run with a single and a second run scored after a passed ball from Kleyver Salazar, 2-0. Salem got on the board in the third when Andrews Opata doubled to center, bringing in Ilan Fernandez, 2-1, then tied the game up 2-2 in the fourth after D’Angelo Ortiz singled home, Skylar King. The game seemed tight, and Salem looked like they had a chance to come out with a win, but that was not the case. The RidgeYaks bullpen fell apart in the later innings. A three-run inning from the Nationals in the sixth put them up 5-2, then increased their lead more in the eighth, bringing in two more runs to put the game out of reach, 7-2. For Salem at the plate, King had the best night, going 2-for-4 with a double and a run scored. Opata (1-for-4, RBI double) and D'Angelo Ortiz (1-for-3, RBI single) drove in the runs, and the lineup spread eight hits around but went hitless in too many key spots. View the full article

The Minnesota Twins have no shortage of pitching depth, and that's a great problem to have—especially when situations like the one they're dealing with right now pop up. At the moment, the Twins essentially have two starting rotations: a healthy one and an injured one. Their current major-league rotation consists of Joe Ryan, Taj Bradley, Connor Prielipp, Zebby Matthews, and Mike Paredes. Despite some inconsistencies, that group has managed to keep the Twins afloat while the organization waits for reinforcements. Those reinforcements are significant, too. Pablo López, Mick Abel, Bailey Ober, David Festa, and Kendry Rojas are all currently on the injured list. Assuming they return fully healthy, that's five additional starting pitching options already in the organization. Add those names to the current group, and suddenly you're looking at 10 pitchers who could realistically make a case for a rotation spot in 2027, before considering any more young arms who progress to readiness for the bigs or the possibility that the club takes a starter with the No. 3 overall pick in next month's MLB Draft. Having too many options is a good problem to have, but 10 starters fighting for five or six rotation spots feels a little excessive. So, what moves or decisions could the Twins make to clear up the picture? And more importantly, what could their 2027 starting rotation actually look like? The first place to start is with the pitchers who may ultimately fit better in hybrid roles. Festa and Paredes have both given us reasons to remain intrigued. But if we're projecting forward, each may ultimately provide more value as a long reliever or spot starter, rather than full-time rotation pieces. For Festa, the stuff is intriguing, but he hasn't consistently worked deep into games. The same can be said for Paredes, who has largely been developed as a length reliever. Both pitchers have averaged fewer than five innings per start, neither has an extensive major-league track record as a starter, and both have seen their numbers worsen significantly once opposing lineups get a second or third look at them. That's not necessarily a knock on either pitcher. Plenty of valuable arms have carved out successful careers in bullpen roles. But for the sake of this exercise, let's move Festa and Paredes out of the rotation conversation and into bullpen roles. That brings us down from 10 names to eight. I still believe Joe Ryan will not be a member of the Twins by the start of next season. Ryan has been outstanding this year. In fact, that's part of the reason why moving him makes so much sense. The Twins entered the season with expectations of competing, but if they ultimately fall short, Ryan could become one of the most valuable starting pitchers available on the trade market. He's performing at an extremely high level. Contenders would line up for his services, and Minnesota has enough pitching depth behind him to at least entertain the possibility. Surely, such a deal would bring back a potential starter, too, so that player could go into the mix for the moment when injuries force the team to turn to its store of prospect arms. Bailey Ober is another name worth discussing. If the Twins decide to make additional trades, Ober could certainly generate interest. He's proven he can be a reliable major-league starter despite lackluster velocity, and teams are always looking for affordable pitching. That said, given his current injury situation and the uncertainty that comes with it, I'd lean toward him remaining with the organization through the start of 2027 in what would be a contract year for him. Matthews has had an up-and-down professional career. At times, he's looked like a potential mid-rotation starter with excellent control of the strike zone and swing-and-miss ability. At other times, he's struggled to put hitters away consistently and has been prone to giving up damaging contact. Because of that, he feels like another pitcher who could attract interest from other organizations. A team looking to buy low on upside might view Matthews as an ideal trade target. Still, if I'm making a prediction today, I think he sticks around. That brings us to the actual projection. If I had to guess what the Twins' 2027 starting rotation looks like right now, I don't think it'll be a traditional five-man group. Given the injury history throughout this staff and the direction major-league pitching continues to trend, a six-man rotation feels increasingly likely. And if that's the route the Twins take, here's how I see it shaping up. López would headline the group. Assuming he's healthy—and all indications suggest he should be—he remains the most accomplished starter in the organization and the obvious choice to lead the staff. Behind him, Bradley slots in as the No. 2 starter. Bradley's power arsenal and ability to miss bats give him frontline upside, and he's already shown stretches where he looks capable of dominating major-league hitters. Another offseason of development could take him to that full-on frontline starter. Abel would follow. He has flashed the raw stuff to become a major factor in the rotation if he can stay healthy and continue refining his command. Prielipp comes next. Injuries have always been the biggest question mark, but the talent has never been in doubt. Few pitchers in the organization possess his combination of stuff and upside, and he would give opposing teams a different look from the left side in the middle of the rotation. Ober would occupy the fifth spot, giving the rotation a unit different look from the harder-throwing arms ahead of him. And finally, Matthews rounds out the six-man unit. When he's right, Matthews has shown enough to justify continued opportunities as a starter, and the Twins may ultimately decide his upside is worth betting on. That leaves Rojas as the odd man out in my book (for now). What makes this group particularly interesting is the variety it offers. You have power arms and control specialists. You have different pitch mixes, different release points, and different ways of attacking hitters. And perhaps most importantly, you'd still have additional depth waiting in the wings. Festa, Rojas, and Paredes could all serve as bullpen weapons, spot starters, or emergency rotation options when injuries inevitably arise. Because if there's one thing we've learned over the past few years, it's that you can never have too much pitching. The Twins may soon find themselves in a situation where they have more viable starters than available rotation spots. And while that could force some difficult decisions, it's ultimately the kind of problem every organization would love to have. That's how I see the Twins' 2027 rotation shaping up right now. But what do you think? Which names would you keep, and which ones would you move? Let me know in the comments! View the full article