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Blue Jays Affiliate Overview (June 11-12) Triple-A Buffalo Bisons Series vs Syracuse Mets (New York Mets): 3-1 Season Record: 31-36 Double-A New Hampshire Fisher Cats Series vs Hartford Yard Goat (Colorado Rockies): 1-3 Season Record: 30-29 High-A Vancouver Canadians Series vs Everett AquaSox (Seattle Mariners): 3-1 Season Record: 26-35 Single-A Dunedin Blue Jays Series vs Fort Myers Mighty Mussels (Minnesota Twins): 2-2 Season Record: 27-34 FCL Blue Jays Week Record: 0-2 Season Record: 20-9 DSL Blue Jays Blue Week Record: 0-4 Season Record: 3-6 DSL Blue Jays Red Week Record: 2-2 Season Record: 2-7 Triple-A Buffalo Bisons Season Record: 31-36 Series vs Syracuse Mets (New York Mets) June 11: On Thursday, Shane Bieber made another rehab start for the Buffalo Bisons, and it was by far his best to date. He would make it through the fifth innings without giving up a run and put Buffalo in a great position to earn a win against Syracuse. While the outing didn't result in Bieber allowing a run, each inning did seem to get worse for him. In the first inning, Bieber was flawless, getting the Mets in order, 1-2-3. In the second, he allowed a single, but pitched around it. The next inning, he gave up a lead-off double, followed by a single. Je'Von Ward picked up his pitcher though, throwing out the runner at home and keeping the Mets off of the scoreboard. In the fourth, Bieber saw the Mets get a single and a stolen base, then Buffalo got the runner out on a fielder’s choice, before getting out of the inning. In his last inning, Bieber was again working around trouble, allowing a walk and a double, but getting a ground out to strand the runners at second and third base. The Buffalo bats were doing much less work than Syracuse's were, as they also put up a zero on the scoreboard by the end of the top of the fifth, but with much fewer threats. In the bottom half of the inning, Carlos Mendoza finally broke the scoring drought from both teams. He launched his third home run of the season, a two-run blast to left field that brought home Ryan McCarty, who had walked. Later in the inning, Jonatan Clase doubled home Sean Keys, who had reached on a single to center. Buffalo closed the game out with 2.1 scoreless innings from Chad Dallas. The Bisons won 3-1 and stopped the slide they have been on, which saw their record plummet to 30-36 following the win. June 12: Josh Fleming was on the mound Friday, and he had what was possibly the best start of any pitcher this season for Buffalo. He dominated the Syracuse Mets lineup for six innings; his only blemishes in the game were two singles in the third inning, which resulted in one run. Outside of those two hits, he was perfect on the day and even struck out eight batters. Despite his near perfection on the mound, he handed the ball to the bullpen with a no-decision. Je'Von Ward singled home Jonatan Clase in the bottom of the fourth. Sean Keys gave Buffalo the lead in the bottom of the seventh with an RBI double. Eloy Jiménez added to the lead by following Keys with an RBI single on a line drive to left. Carlos Mendoza added an insurance run in the bottom of the eighth with a sacrifice fly that scored William Simoneit. Buffalo turned to Brendon Little for the ninth, and he rewarded them with a 1-2-3 inning to earn the save and secure the win for, 4-1, for Buffalo. Double-A New Hampshire Season Record: 30-29 Series vs Hartford Yard Goat (Colorado Rockies) June 11: Jake Bloss got the start for New Hampshire as he continued working his way through the minor leagues on his rehab assignment. Hartford got to him quickly with Dylan Jorge hitting a double, and then he swiped third base, finishing off his trip around the bases with a steal of home. In the bottom of the second inning, a walk and a two-run home run from Zach Kokoska put Hartford up three. In the fifth, Roc Riggio doubled to give Hartford a four-run lead. New Hampshire finally got on the scoreboard in the seventh, when Victor Arias led off the inning with a monster line drive home run. He was quickly followed by Aaron Parker, who launched his sixth home run of the season to put the Fisher Cats down two. An RBI groundout later in the inning made the deficit just one. In the ninth, Cole Messina drove in a run on an error by Jorge Burgos. New Hampshire would go on to lose 5-3. June 12: In the Friday night game between New Hampshire and Hartford, the Fisher Cats fell behind early and often. Bryant Betancourt launched a home run in the second inning, a two-run shot. In the fourth inning, things went from manageable to ugly, as Hartford brought 13 men to the plate and scored eight runs. Betancourt continued his hot hitting against the Fisher Cats with two singles in the inning, and Hartford added two doubles, which scored five runs themselves. New Hampshire finally got on the board in the eighth inning, when Adrian Pinto launched his second home run of the season, a solo shot to left field. In the end, the Fisher Cats lost this one pretty easily, 11-1. High-A Vancouver Season Record: 26-35 Series vs Everett AquaSox (Seattle Mariners) June 11: The Canadians tried to win three straight against the Aqua Sox, and Johnny King taking the mound was a good way to go about that. The lefty went four innings, and despite allowing four walks, was able to prevent those runners from scoring, as the only run he gave up was a solo homer in the fourth inning. Tucker Toman, who’s been much better this season after dropping switch-hitting, hit an early two-run homer in the first inning. Reece Wissinger got the win, as although he gave up an RBI double in the fifth inning, he went four strong innings himself. The Canadians then took the lead in the eighth, with Alexis Hernandez having an RBI double himself, and J.R. Freethy scored him with a single right after. Trace Baker then came in the ninth and got the save, striking out the side for the Canadians' third win in a row. June 12: The Canadians did not have the fourth game of the series go their way, as the AquaSox bats woke up and scored 11 runs. Holden Wilkerson had his second start in a row, and he pitched well heading into the third inning. He got the first two outs, but then walked a batter, and gave up a double as the AquaSox took the lead. Wilkerson got the first out with a K, but then walked the next three batters, forcing in recently promoted Jack Nedrow. Nedrow got a grounder back to the mound, but was unable to field it cleanly, resulting in a run scoring. He then allowed a sac fly for a second run to score, before getting out of the inning with a pop-up. Nedrow allowed three more runs in the fifth inning, and then Jack Eshleman gave up a bomb in the seventh. The Canadians finally got on the board with an RBI groundout from J.R. Freethy, but the runs kept coming from Everett, as the Canadians lost 1 to 11. Single-A Dunedin Season Record: 27-34 Series vs Fort Myers Mighty Mussels (Minnesota Twins) June 11: The D-Jays got their seventh straight win, with the offense doing a lot of damage in what was supposed to be the first game of the doubleheader. Hedbert Perez hit a homer at 106.9 mph in the first inning, with Juan Sanchez driving in JoJo Parker with an RBI double, which gave the Jays a two-run lead. Dylan Watts took the mound, and he didn’t look sharp, giving up a homer in the second inning and then another in the third as the Mighty Mussels tied it up. It stayed tied until the sixth inning, where Watts walked the first two batters and allowed a single to load the bases, before being taken out for Lluveres Severino without getting an out. Severino allowed a base hit and then allowed a sac fly for all three inherited runs to score. The Jays came back, however, loading the bases in the seventh themselves, and they put up eight runs in the seventh and final inning, as they won 10-5. June 12, Game 1: This game was supposed to be played the day prior, but it was suspended until the 12th, and Carson Messina ended up making his Dunedin debut. The talented righty didn’t show the velocity he had in the Florida Complex League, but he sat in the mid-90s, showing really strong shape with his fastball, striking out four batters in a little over two innings pitched. He did allow a run in the third inning, but the Jays tied it up with a Juan Sanchez single in the fifth. They went to extra innings, as Austin Smith, Angel Obando and Bradley Wilson kept it scoreless. Adam Hackenberg then took the lead for the Jays with an RBI single in the top of the eighth, scoring the ghost runner Blaine Bullard, but Wilson could not close it out in the bottom of that inning, as he gave up a three-run homer to lose on a walk-off to end the win streak. June 12, Game 2: Blake Purnell took the bump for game two, and the Mighty Mussels were able to tag him for a homer in the second inning. The Jays answered back with a three-run third, as Kolten Smith balked in two runners before allowing a sac fly. Purnell ended up giving up the lead as former D-Jay Alan Roden hit his first homer on rehab assignment to tie it up, and Purnell lost the lead in the fifth, giving up a sac fly. The Jays had a chance to tie it up in the top of the seventh, as they had the bases loaded with Aldo Gaxiola up to bat, but he grounded into a double play for a disappointing end to the game. FCL Blue Jays Season Record: 20-9 June 11: Thursday saw the FCL Blue Jays take on the FCL Yankees. Miguel Pantoja was on the mound for the Blue Jays, and he continued to throw deep into games for a young pitcher in Rookie ball. He went 4.2 innings this time and allowed three runs on six hits, with three walks. He only struck out two. The runs came on a groundball single in the second inning and two solo home runs in the fourth. Giaconino Lasaracina homered in the second and the eighth inning for the Blue Jays. In between, Angel Guzman continued his hot hitting with a pair of RBI singles. It wasn't enough, though, as Wilberson De Pena homered for the Yankees to help them score seven. The Blue Jays couldn't match them, losing 7-6. June 12: Suspended DSL Blue Jays Blue Season Record: 3-6 June 11: BJB had a 3-1 deficit and went into the seventh inning with a challenge to overcome. Cristopher Polanco rose to the challenge and, with bases loaded, smacked a bases-clearing triple to give BJB the lead. Juan Caricote then hit a ball to left field for a sacrifice fly, scoring Polanco. BJB turned to David Hernandez after a lead-off walk to open up the bottom of the seventh. He gave up a single and a walk to load the bases up, then a sacrifice fly and a single tied the game back up at five. Jonathan Valle for the Giants DSL team would provide the fireworks for the wrong team. He launched a walk-off three-run home run to left field. BJB fell late, 8-5. June 12: BJB had another rough game on Friday. They only reached base six times, which included only four hits. Juan Caricote had an RBI double in the sixth, which followed Michael Mesa's RBI groundout. The team didn't strike out much at all, only three times in the game, but just couldn't get anything going to get runs on the board. 19-year-old Manuel Parra was the best of the arms for BJB. He went 2.1 innings out of the bullpen, giving up just one hit and one unearned run. BJB lost this one by a score of 6-2. DSL Blue Jays Red Season Record: 2-7 June 11: On Thursday, BJR sent Cristhian Duarte to the mound, and he was spectacular. He went five innings, struck out six, only walked one, allowed just one hit, and one unearned run. He actually left the game in line for a win, as the bats pushed two runs across the plate early in the game. In the second, Ayberson Ortega doubled, followed by a walk from Fabian Gonzalez, then a groundout by Frelian Flores scored a run. In the bottom of the third inning, Gabriel Porras singled, stole second, moved to third on a throwing error by the opposing catcher, then scored on a groundout from Elian Reyes. In the sixth, Duarte's replacement, Fayon Dumorne, was wild to begin with. He ultimately would give up two sacrifice flies, which would prove to be the game-winning runs. BJR lost this one 3-2. June 12: Friday's game was another competitive, but a heartbreaker for BJR. Elaineiker Coronado helped to get things started with a walk and two stolen bases in the first inning. Luis Nunez then had the only extra-base hit of the game for BJR, an RBI triple to right field. Diego Arce then singled Nunez home and gave BJR the 2-0 lead. After giving up four runs in the bottom half of the first inning, BJR got another run on an error from a pickoff attempt. BJR would get three more runs in the top of the fifth to take the lead back. They got one when Jose Gori was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded, another on a wild pitch, and a third from a sacrifice fly by Coronado. With the game tied back up at six, it would be another loss on a walk-off home run for the Blue Jays DSL organization. Samil Serrano led off the bottom of the seventh for the Nationals with the walk-off blast, and BJR lost 7-6. View the full article

PITTSBURGH -- Common tropes of the Marlins' scorching two-week stretch have been steady late-game pitching and timely hitting. On a picture-perfect Saturday afternoon in the Steel City, it was the same knacks that flipped for the worst. Miami's 2-for-13 day with runners in scoring position and struggle to secure a clutch knock in the final two frames proved fatal, as a rare sideways eighth from Anthony Bender ended up being the inevitable nail in the coffin of their season-long six-game win streak. Gregory Soto's tenth save of the year raised the Jolly Roger and sank Miami simultaneously, evening the weekend set with a 3-2 Pirates victory. "It was intense. It was a good game," said Marlins skipper Clayton McCullough postgame. "We had some chances, got the tying run there to second base in the ninth. It was just a good game, and they came through a little bit more than we did." Incredibly, Pittsburgh boasted even worse numbers with runners on, sporting an abysmal 1-for-12 with RISP and eleven men left stranded. The decisive run scored against Bender was the product of a two-out rally that featured two singles and a walk, before a 97 mph sinker drifted too far in, beaning Spencer Horwitz on the shin and plating the eventual winning run. Bender's rocky inning marked both his first loss of the season and first earned runs of June. Most notably, the 31-year-old surrendered multiple hits in an appearance since the end of April in San Francisco. "I thought Anthony threw the ball well," added McCullough. "Unfortunately, it was a hit by pitch with the bases loaded, but hey, you know what, they did their job, move some forward and push one across...Anthony's been on a really incredible run." Preluding Bender was Miami's latest bullpen game, started by Lake Bachar. Both Bachar and John King surrendered a run apiece in their efforts, but scoreless outings from Calvin Faucher, Cade Gibson and Michael Petersen held down the fort, keeping their offense in it. Miami's aforementioned chances in the eighth and ninth saw runners on first and second and a runner on second, respectively. Three strikeouts and the decision not to pinch-hit Owen Caissie for the slumping Leo Jimenez stifled the former, while a forceout, strikeout and putout of Liam Hicks spelled doom in the latter. "(We were) weighing the potential of (lefty Evan) Sisk versus Caissie or Leo, who's been in the game. Certainly trust him in that at-bat there against Yohan (Ramirez) in the eighth, so that's what went into that." It was team RBI leader Hicks and Heriberto Hernandez who cashed in Miami's only two runs earlier in the contest. Hernandez, who was a Bryan Reynolds robbery away from a sixth homer of the year, continues to shine in parallel with Miami's stretch. The sophomore outfielder's OPS sits north of 1.000, courtesy of seven RBI and base hits in eight of nine. "The swings he's getting off are incredibly aggressive," said McCullough of Hernandez's success. "Bert hits the ball hard, can handle velocity, and hits a mistake with spin. I think we've just seen a much more confident version of Bert since he's come back. He's cleared his head a little bit, and he's not as tentative as I thought his plate appearances were early in the season; there's more conviction behind it. This is the Bert-the type of swings he's getting off-that I think we saw last year." If you crave another mid-day, low-scoring affair, look no further than Sunday's series finale. Max Meyer, still sporting an undefeated 6-0 record, goes toe-to-toe with 2025 National League Cy Young winner and superstar Paul Skenes. First pitch from a likely rainy day in Pittsburgh is slated for 12:15. View the full article

Box Score SP: Connor Prielipp - 6 IP, 7 H, 4 ER, 2 BB, 2 K (98 pitches, 66 strikes (67%)) Home Runs: Byron Buxton (22), Royce Lewis (6), Luke Keaschall (2) Bottom 3 WPA: Justin Lawrence (-0.32), Travis Adams (-0.14), Prielipp (-0.12) Win Probability Chart (via FanGraphs) The Twins came into Saturday's matinee at Target Field riding the waves of an exciting comeback victory. Young lefty Connor Prielipp hoped to right his ship after a series of sub-par performances, especially as his 2026 inning count approaches max capacity. Not-so-young lefty Matthew LIberatore took the ball for the Cardinals in hopes of sparking another St. Louis winning streak. Prielipp Ambushed Early and Often This game got off on the wrong foot for the home team, as Prielipp couldn't control his fastball in the opening at-bat, losing Masyn Winn to a five pitch walk with mostly non-competitive efforts. As designated hitter Ivan Herrara stepped into the box, Prielipp was determined to get a fastball over the plate. By the time that center-cut fastball landed in the bullpen for a 2-0 Cardinals lead, the momentum of Friday night had morphed into a typical Saturday afternoon funk. The top of the second inning didn't start out any better for the home team. Prielipp again served up a center-cut first pitch fastball, this time to Blaze Jordan who promptly put it over the super-short arms of Austin Martin and off of the right-field wall. By the time Ryan Kreidler could catch up to the ball, Jordan was standing on third with a lead-off triple. Pedro Pages doubled in Jordan, and eventually came around to score himself to make it 4-0 Cardinals. Royce Lewis is On a Tear, and that Buxton Guy Liberatore tore through the Twins lineup in the early innings like they were wet toilet paper. When he faced Lewis in the bottom of the second inning, Lewis ripped a double but got stranded at third. That was the only hit the Twins could muster in the first three frames, so things were starting to get desperate as the bats came back around in the bottom of the fourth. This time it was Liberatore's turn to see what happened when a first pitch fastball catches the power zone for a major league hitter. That hitter was Byron Buxton, and the Twins were finally on the board. Two batters later, Lewis decided to not rely on his teammates to get him home. He took of that part himself with his third homer in the last four days to pull the Twins within two at 4-2. Afternoon Rallies and Homer Hankies The Twins came into Saturday's contest a measly 14-20 during day/afternoon games in 2026. If they want to get back into the Wild Card race, finding a way to get awake in time for matinee outings will have to be a part of the equation. Liberatore did his best to wake-up the Twins offense again in the bottom of the fifth. After losing Kriedler on a full count walk to start the inning, the Cardinals lefty thought he might get away with a first pitch fastball to Luke Keaschall. Wake up Twins fans! Its a 4-4 ballgame! Falvey's Sins Remain As unlikely as it seemed in the second inning, Prielipp managed to cover six full innings before giving way to his minor league bullpen. For all the excitement of last night's victory, the effort left the Twins bullpen pretty exhausted. With few quality options available, first man up was Justin Lawrence. The seventh inning started off innocently enough with two strike outs, but then Herrera and Jordan Walker went back-to-back. Derek Shelton stuck with the steaming hand of Lawrence not once, but twice more, as Lars Nootbaar and Alec Burleson both got to tee off for singles. Finally, Travis Adams came in to stop the bleeding. Instead, he started a gusher. This time the center-cut fastball gave Blaze Jordan his first career homerun, and the Cardinals a sudden and depressing 9-4 lead. Adams remained in the game as the sacrificial bullpen lamb, and he managed to get his team into Sunday. The Twins briefly got their rally mojo going again in the bottom of the eighth, but after a Kody Clemens RBI single, Lewis aggressively tried to pull a first pitch changeup on the outside corner. That leads to a rolled-over 6-4-3 rally killer in most Major League ballparks, and it did here today as well. Things got slightly interesting again in the bottom of the ninth, as reliever Riley O'Brien tried his best to keep the home crowd in it by walking the bases loaded to bring the tying run to the plate with nobody out. Keaschall got the first crack at the hero moment, but went down looking for the first out. Josh Bell got the next attempt, and he could only muster an RBI fielder's choice grounder to second. Shelton thought that Victor Caratini stood a better chance of keeping the rally alive than today's lead off man Austin Martin, but he was wrong. A harmless pop fly generated a 9-6 Cardinals victory, with Buxton left on-deck. What’s Next? Tomorrow is another day, but unfortunately for the afternoon-challenged Twins its another day game. Twins righty Taj Bradley (5-3, 4.02 ERA) looks to get his season back, while the Cardinals will turn to former 1st rounder, righty Michael McGreevy (3-5, 2.99 ERA). First pitch is scheduled for 1:10pm CDT. Twins bullpen implosion is scheduled for approximately 3:15pm CDT. Postgame Interviews: Coming Soon Bullpen Usage Spreadsheet TUE WED THU FRI SAT TOT Adams 0 31 0 0 37 68 Paredes 0 58 0 0 0 58 Rogers 17 14 0 22 0 53 Lawrence 26 0 0 0 24 50 Morris 0 39 0 9 0 48 Laweryson 12 0 32 0 0 44 Gómez 0 27 0 15 0 42 Orze 23 0 0 16 0 39 Banda 0 30 0 9 0 39 View the full article

For much of the 2026 season, the Twins have been forced to navigate an endless stream of injuries. While the club continues to battle through those setbacks, Friday brought several pieces of positive news. Three notable names—top prospect Walker Jenkins, right-hander Mick Abel, and left-hander Kendry Rojas—are all progressing toward returns. Each player reached a significant checkpoint in his recovery process this weekend, offering hope that reinforcements could soon be on the way. Walker Jenkins Nearing Return to Game Action The Twins expect Jenkins to begin a rehab assignment with Low-A Fort Myers on Saturday, marking his first game action since suffering a Grade 2 AC joint sprain in his left shoulder on May 5. The injury occurred while he crashed into an outfield wall while making a catch for Triple-A St. Paul. Minnesota's top prospect was still finding his footing early in the season after arriving at Triple-A, but he entered the injured list on a much stronger note than he started. Before getting hurt, Jenkins had improved his season line to .256/.396/.389 (.785) across 111 plate appearances. That followed a 2025 campaign in which he posted a .286/.399/.451 (.850) slash line while climbing all the way to Triple-A. Since being selected fifth overall in the 2023 MLB Draft, the 21-year-old has dealt with a series of injuries. A hamstring strain cost him significant time in 2024, while an ankle sprain sidelined him for nearly two months in 2025. He also battled another hamstring issue during spring training this year. When healthy, Jenkins has consistently looked like one of baseball's premier prospects. If he returns from this latest injury and performs well at Triple-A, the possibility of a major-league debut later this season remains very much alive. At minimum, he appears poised to put himself in a position to contribute in Minnesota sometime during 2027. Mick Abel Closing In on Return to Rotation Abel's next step comes Saturday when he is scheduled to throw a light bullpen session following an impressive rehab outing earlier this week. Pitching for Triple-A St. Paul on Wednesday, Abel tossed three scoreless innings, striking out five while allowing only two hits. Perhaps most encouraging was the quality of his stuff. His fastball averaged 96.3 mph and topped out at 97.9 mph, looking much like the weapon that helped him dominate before landing on the injured list. The Twins shut Abel down on April 20 because of inflammation in his right elbow. His recovery appeared to be nearing completion in early May before lingering soreness in his right triceps after a simulated bullpen session temporarily halted his progress. The setback eventually led to a cortisone injection and additional recovery time. Before the injury, Abel was pitching some of the best baseball of his young career. He had thrown 13 consecutive scoreless innings over his final two starts and looked increasingly comfortable against major-league hitters. His return would arrive at an ideal time for Minnesota. Bailey Ober remains sidelined with a right flexor strain, leaving the Twins scrambling to piece together a rotation. The club has relied on multiple bullpen games in recent weeks, with Joe Ryan, Taj Bradley, Connor Prielipp, and Zebby Matthews carrying the workload. If Abel continues progressing without issue, he could soon provide the stability Minnesota desperately needs in the fifth spot. Kendry Rojas Taking Another Step Forward Rojas is scheduled to face hitters in a live batting practice session Saturday in Fort Myers as he works his way back from left triceps inflammation. The 22-year-old has been sidelined since May 29. Few pitchers have exceeded expectations this season the way Rojas has. He quickly established himself as a valuable multi-inning weapon. In 14 1/3 innings, Rojas has posted a sparkling 1.26 ERA while striking out 14 hitters. He has also demonstrated the flexibility to help in multiple roles. Earlier this season, Rojas made a spot start against the Houston Astros and responded by throwing four scoreless innings at Target Field. That versatility has become increasingly important as injuries continue to pile up throughout Minnesota's pitching staff. Whether he returns as a long reliever, spot starter, or bulk innings option, Rojas would give the Twins another reliable arm capable of reducing the burden on an already stretched pitching corps. After weeks of discouraging injury news, Minnesota finally has reason for optimism. None of these returns is guaranteed to happen immediately, but the progress of Jenkins, Abel, and Rojas offers a reminder that help may finally be on the horizon. View the full article

One of the San Diego Padres' subtle offensive contributors will be sidelined for a bit. Designated hitter-third baseman Miguel Andujar was placed on the 10-day injured list Saturday by the San Diego Padres due to a strained left hamstring. Outfielder-DH Nick Solak was called up from Triple-A El Paso to take his place. The Padres had an opening on their 40-man roster after outfielder Bryce Johnson was designated for assignment Friday. Andujar injured his hamstring in Sunday's 7-3 loss to the New York Mets on a seventh-inning single. While he originally stayed in the game, he was removed, with Johnson pinch-running for him. Andujar did have pinch-hit appearances Tuesday and Wednesday against the Cincinnati Reds, replaced by pinch-runner Jase Bowen after drawing a walk Tuesday. It is the same hamstring that bothered Andujar earlier in the season. Solak is the fourth member of the Chihuahuas to come up in the past two weeks, joining outfielder-infielder Samad Taylor, outfielder Jase Bowen and infielder Will Wagner. Solak has a good track record offensively, but has been a liability defensively, particularly when he was playing second base. He has stuck to corner spots (first base, left field, right field) in recent seasons. This year at El Paso, Solak was slashing .333/.412/.512 with nine homers and a team-high 40 RBIs. His .333 batting average is the highest among players currently in the Pacific Coast League and has reached base in 17 of his last 18 games. Solak has 259 games of MLB experience since making his debut in 2019 with a career slash line of .250/.325/.369 with 21 homers and 93 RBIs. View the full article

Chicago Cubs Minor League Report - June 13 Affiliate Overview Triple-A Iowa Cubs Series at Louisville Bats (Cincinnati Reds): Tied, 2-2 Season Record: 27–38 Double-A Knoxville Smokies Series at Montgomery Biscuits (Tampa Bay Rays): Smokies lead, 3-2 Season Record: 33–28 High-A South Bend Cubs Series vs. Peoria Chiefs (St. Louis Cardinals): Tied, 2-2 Season Record: 36–21 Single-A Myrtle Beach Pelicans Series vs. Augusta GreenJackets (Atlanta Braves): Tied, 2-2 Season Record: 23–36 Affiliate Highlights Triple-A: Iowa Cubs Season Record: 27–38 Series Opponent: Louisville Bats (35–31) Series Standing: Tied, 2-2 June 12: The Iowa Cubs evened their series at the Louisville Bats with a 6-4 win on Friday night at Louisville Slugger Field. BJ Murray’s (2-for-3) RBI-triple in the first put the Cubs in front and the visitors doubled their lead on Scott Kingery’s (1-for-4) RBI-groundout in the second. The Bats pulled one back in the third but Iowa got that run back in the fourth when Murray drew a bases-loaded walk. Will Sanders delivered a much-needed good start for the I-Cubs, allowing just one run on three hits over five innings of work, striking out eight batters to improve to 3-0 on the season. The Cubs made it 6-1 in the sixth when Jonathan Long (1-for-3) doubled home a pair and Murray followed with an RBI-double of his own. Louisville pulled three runs back in the eighth to make it 6-4 but Gavin Hollowell worked a 1-2-3 ninth to earn his second save of the campaign. Double-A: Knoxville Smokies Season Record: 33–28 Series Opponent: Montgomery Biscuits (32–28) Series Standing: Lead, 3-2 June 12: The Knoxville Smokies won their third-straight game and took a 3-2 series lead with their 9-3 victory over the Montgomery Biscuits on Friday night at DABOS Park. Andy Garriola (1-for-4) broke the deadlock in the fourth with a solo shot, his 12th of the year. Owen Ayers’ (2-for-5) RBI-double in the sixth made it a 2-0 game but the Biscuits evened the contest with a pair of runs in the home half of the frame. Alex Ramírez (2-for-5) put Knoxville back in front with a two-run blast in the seventh and the visitors broke the game open with four in the eighth. Carter Trice (2-for-4) brought in a run with a single and Ramírez left the yard for a second time with a three-run homer to make it 8-2. Montgomery plated one in the eighth but Jefferson Rojas (3-for-5) got that run back with a single in the ninth to make it 9-3, which would be the final score of the ballgame. Jace Beck got the start on the mound for the Smokies and took no decision. Beck tossed four scoreless frames, allowing just two hits, to go along with seven strikeouts and two walks. Rojas turned in a three-hit performance for the second-straight game and for the third time this month. It was also his sixth multi-hit effort in June in 11 games. Rojas is now slashing .378/.420/.667 during that span with two doubles, a triple, three home runs and 12 RBI. High-A: South Bend Cubs Season Record: 36–21 Series Opponent: Peoria Chiefs (32–29) Series Standing: Tied, 2-2 June 12: The South Bend Cubs had their bats go quiet in a 3-1 defeat to the Peoria Chiefs on Friday night at Four Winds Field. The Chiefs scored twice in their first trip to the plate before the Cubs were able to get on the board in the fifth when Josiah Hartshorn (1-for-3) was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded. Peoria restored their two-run advantage with a run in the seventh and would shut down South Bend’s offense the rest of the way to draw the series even at 2-2. Jostin Florentino got the start on the mound for the Cubs and took the loss, falling to 0-3 on the season. Florentino allowed two runs on two hits over three innings of work, striking out four and walking three. Adam Stone worked 1 2/3 scoreless innings in relief, allowing just two hits to go along with two strikeouts and a walk. The South Bend offense was held to just five hits on the night, with none going for extra bases, going 2-for-9 with runners in scoring position, leaving 10 on base. Single-A: Myrtle Beach Pelicans Season Record: 23–36 Series Opponent: Augusta GreenJackets (32–29) Series Standing: Tied, 2-2 June 12: The Myrtle Beach Pelicans were routed by the August GreenJackets, 13-3, on Friday night at Pelicans Ballpark. Both teams put crooked numbers up on the board in the first, with the GreenJackets scoring three times and the Pelicans twice through a two-run shot from Logan Poteet (1-for-3). The Myrtle Beach offense was unable to keep up with their Augusta counterparts, who made it a 9-1 game after scoring four in the second and two more in the sixth. In the home half of the sixth, the Pelicans would get their final tally of the ballgame on a sacrifice fly from Geuri Lubo (0-for-3). The visitors would add one more in the seventh and three more in the ninth to cruise to the 13-3 win. Dominick Reid started on the mound for Myrtle Beach and suffered the loss, falling to 2-4 on the season. Reid allowed five runs on three hits over 1 1/3 innings of work, walking four and striking out one. View the full article

For years, following a Xander Bogaerts season was almost an exercise in predictability. The numbers might fluctuate slightly from one year to the next, but the outcome was usually the same: a hitter well above league average, capable of getting on base, driving in runs, and providing offensive stability from a premium defensive position. That consistency was exactly what convinced the Padres to make a major investment in him before the 2023 season. Three years later, the conversation looks very different. Bogaerts continues to provide value through his defense, experience, and durability. However, the 2026 season appears to confirm a trend that began shortly after he left Boston: the hitter who spent years as one of Major League Baseball’s most complete shortstops is no longer showing up with the same frequency. The percentiles help illustrate the problem. In 2026, Bogaerts ranks below average in several key offensive metrics, including Run Value (41st percentile), xwOBA (48th percentile), and Sprint Speed (47th percentile). His power has also declined noticeably, with Barrel% (35th percentile) and Sweet Spot% (17th percentile) among the lowest marks of his career. By contrast, his defense remains a strength, supported by an 83rd-percentile Fielding Run Value and an outstanding 88th-percentile Outs Above Average. Xander Bogaerts' Numbers Tell a Concerning Story The progression of his statistics since his final season with the Red Sox reveals more than a simple decline. It shows the point at which Bogaerts stopped looking like the player he had been for much of the previous decade. Season AVG OBP SLG wRC+ 2022 (BOS) .307 .377 .456 133 2023 (SD) .285 .350 .440 119 2024 (SD) .264 .307 .381 95 2025 (SD) .263 .328 .391 104 2026 (SD) .231 .303 .356 90 His first season in San Diego was a successful one. A 119 wRC+ still represents production comfortably above league average and helped justify part of the organization’s investment. It has also been his best offensive season as a Padre. Since then, the results have ranged from mediocre to below average. His current 90 wRC+ is the second-worst mark of his career among seasons with at least 200 plate appearances and reflects a decline that can no longer be dismissed as temporary. The expected metrics offer some room for optimism. His .320 xwOBA sits well above his actual .296 wOBA, suggesting a degree of bad luck. Even so, that expected production remains far below the standard he maintained during his peak years in Boston. The Power That Supported His Offensive Profile Has Eroded What stands out most about Bogaerts’ decline is that it does not appear to be driven by a major loss of plate discipline. His 9.3% walk rate is his highest since 2022. His strikeout rate remains a reasonable 18.6%, while his chase metrics are still close to the levels he posted throughout much of his career. The problem begins when he makes contact. Season Team Events Barrel% HardHit% ISO 2015 BOS 518 2.5% 33.8% .101 2016 BOS 532 5.3% 33.5% .152 2017 BOS 457 1.3% 31.7% .130 2018 BOS 417 9.8% 41.7% .234 2019 BOS 498 8.6% 44.4% .246 2020 BOS 163 8.6% 36.8% .202 2021 BOS 423 9.7% 43.0% .198 2022 BOS 446 6.5% 39.5% .149 2023 SDP 492 6.1% 34.6% .154 2024 SDP 355 5.1% 33.2% .117 2025 SDP 406 6.9% 39.2% .128 2026 SDP 177 6.8% 36.7% .122 The best version of Bogaerts never needed to hit 40 home runs to dominate. His value came from a rare combination of contact ability, plate discipline, and enough power to turn mistakes into immediate damage. That balance has gradually disappeared. His ISO has remained below .130 for three consecutive seasons, a significant drop from the years when he was one of the most productive offensive shortstops in the majors. Likewise, his barrel rates and hard-hit rates are no longer close to the levels he produced during his peak seasons in Boston. The consequence is straightforward: he creates less damage when he puts the ball in play and has less margin for error to overcome the inevitable ups and downs that come with a long season. Pitchers Are Exploiting An Older Bogaerts During his best years, Bogaerts was especially dangerous against fastballs. Between 2019 and 2022, he posted wRC+ marks of 204, 234, 149, and 168 against four-seam fastballs. That was the kind of production that forced opponents to completely rethink their pitching plans. Today, the situation is different. While he has shown some improvement against fastballs compared to 2025, the real problem emerges against secondary pitches. Pitchs (2026) AVG K% wRC+ Changeup .071 31.3% -4 Curveball .250 50.0% 50 Splitter .000 80.0% -100 If there is one primary explanation for Bogaerts’ offensive decline in 2026, it is probably found here. Off-speed pitches have given him enormous trouble. Against changeups, he is hitting just .071 with a wRC+ of -4. Splitters have produced strikeouts in 80% of plate appearances ending with that pitch, while curveballs have generated strikeouts in half of his matchups. Bogaerts vs. Off-speed Pitches (2023–2026) Season Perfect Contact % Flawed Swing % Whiff Rate Avg. Miss Dist. (in) Avg. Under Swing 2023 23% 7% 31.1% 2.9 64% 2024 18% 8% 33.3% 4.1 71% 2025 32% 15% 37.7% 3.7 62% 2026 6% 19% 39.6% 3.7 40% The most alarming statistic in the entire table is not the increase in flawed swings or even the rising whiff rate; it is the collapse of perfect contact. In 2023, Bogaerts produced ideal contact against off-speed pitches 23% of the time. That figure climbed to 32% in 2025. In 2026, it has plummeted to just 6%. That drop helps explain much of his offensive decline. He is no longer punishing the pitches he once recognized with ease. Too often, he arrives late, misses entirely, or produces contact incapable of doing meaningful damage. Fastballs still allow him to compete. Secondary pitches, however, have become an obvious vulnerability. And when a hitter loses the ability to adjust to changing speeds, opposing pitchers usually find a way to exploit it quickly. These are the indicators that point toward a gradual and sustained decline rather than an isolated bad season. At 33 years old, he still provides value through his defense, experience, and baseball intelligence. But the offensive profile that made him one of the most complete shortstops in the game for so many years appears increasingly distant. View the full article

Byron Buxton is putting together a stretch unlike anything Twins fans have seen from him before. The center fielder's recent power binge isn't just impressive by modern standards. It is historic when viewed through the lens of franchise history. Over the last month and a half, Buxton has joined a group that includes Harmon Killebrew, Kent Hrbek, Brian Dozier, and Nelson Cruz—some of the most prolific home run hitters ever to wear a Twins uniform. As he continues launching baseballs at a remarkable rate, the conversation is beginning to shift from whether Buxton can stay healthy to just how high his ceiling might be this season. A Slow Start Gave Way to an Explosive Turnaround It wasn't long ago that Buxton looked completely out of sync at the plate. Through his first 14 games of the season, he failed to hit a home run while slashing just .182/.258/.273 (.531). He collected only four extra-base hits during that span and posted a 17-to-5 strikeout-to-walk ratio. For a player expected to carry Minnesota's lineup, it was an alarming start. The sluggish beginning was largely attributed to his participation in the World Baseball Classic. While representing Team USA provided a unique opportunity, it also disrupted his normal spring routine. Buxton returned from the tournament with fewer traditional spring training at-bats than usual and appeared to spend the opening weeks of the regular season searching for his timing. For most players, a rough two-week stretch isn't noteworthy. For Buxton, however, it now serves as a dramatic contrast to what has followed. Baseball's Hottest Power Hitter Since that slow start, Buxton has transformed into arguably the most dangerous power hitter in baseball. Over his last 44 games, he has crushed 20 home runs while slashing .279/.337/.645 (.981). During that stretch, no hitter in baseball owns a higher slugging percentage. In fact, Buxton's mark sits 28 points ahead of the next closest player. The only hitter who has matched his 20 home runs during that timeframe is Kyle Schwarber, and Schwarber needed six more games to reach the same total. What's perhaps most impressive is that Buxton hasn't produced these numbers while operating at full strength. He has already missed time because of both hip and shoulder issues, reminders of the physical challenges that have followed him throughout his career. Even while battling through those ailments, he has continued to punish opposing pitchers at a historic pace. Joining Some of the Greatest Power Surges in Twins History Buxton's recent stretch becomes even more impressive when viewed against more than six decades of Twins history. Only four other Twins hitters have recorded a stretch of more than 20 home runs across a 45-game span: Harmon Killebrew in 1964 Kent Hrbek in 1987 Brian Dozier in 2016 Nelson Cruz in 2019 That's elite company. Killebrew finished the 1964 season with 49 home runs, still the highest single-season total in franchise history. Hrbek launched 34 homers while helping lead Minnesota to its first World Series championship in 1987. Dozier authored one of the most memorable offensive seasons by a Twins infielder when he blasted a career-high 42 home runs in 2016. Cruz followed three years later by pacing the Bomba Squad with 41 home runs as Minnesota set a major league record with 307 team homers. Now Buxton's name sits alongside theirs. For a player who has had his fair share of ups and downs throughout his career, that distinction highlights just how extraordinary this stretch has become. Why Is Buxton Hitting for More Power Than Ever? At first glance, the answer shouldn't make sense. Buxton's bat speed has declined compared to previous seasons. Last season, he was at 75.0 mph, and this season he is down to 74.0 mph. That's a natural part of aging and something nearly every player experiences as they move through their 30s. Normally, less bat speed leads to diminished power. Instead, Buxton is producing the best power numbers of his career. The explanation may actually be tied to that slight decline in bat speed. Against fastballs, Buxton has been late a bit more often than he was in previous years. However, he has also done a better job of centering those pitches horizontally on the barrel. The occasional late swing has been more than offset by his improved performance against breaking pitches. He's covering spin more effectively than ever. Buxton is swinging over fewer breaking balls and running out of bat less frequently than he did a year ago. The slightly slower swing appears to have improved his timing window, allowing him to stay back longer and make more consistent quality contact against off-speed offerings. In short, he has sacrificed very little against velocity while becoming significantly better against secondary pitches. That tradeoff has unlocked a new level of offensive production. However, it's also a sign of more inevitable decline ahead. Can Buxton Become the First 50-Home Run Twin? That question no longer feels unrealistic. Killebrew's franchise-record 49 home runs have stood for more than six decades. Numerous Twins sluggers have threatened the mark, but none have reached the 50-homer plateau. Buxton is now forcing his way into that conversation. If he maintains anything close to his current pace and stays on the field, he has a legitimate opportunity to challenge Killebrew's record and become the first player in franchise history to hit 50 home runs in a season. Twins fans have spent years imagining what a peak Buxton season might look like. The answer may finally be unfolding in front of them. After a slow start that appeared tied to a disrupted spring schedule, Buxton has erupted into one of the most dominant power hitters in baseball. His recent run places him alongside some of the greatest home run stretches in franchise history and has revived conversations about records that once seemed untouchable. Whether he ultimately reaches 50 home runs remains to be seen. What is already clear is that Buxton is producing a stretch of power that deserves a place among the most memorable offensive runs ever witnessed in a Twins uniform. Can Buxton reach 50 homers? Should fans be worried about his decreased bat speed? Leave a comment and start the discussion. View the full article

On the one-year anniversary of his big-league debut, Jacob Misiorowski delivered one of the best starts in modern baseball history. That might sound like hyperbole, but it’s hard to dominate hitters more wholly than Misiorowski dismantled Philadelphia Phillies hitters on Friday night at American Family Field: a 95-pitch, one-hit complete-game shutout with 15 strikeouts. According to Stathead, it was the most strikeouts in a Maddux (a complete-game shutout in under 100 pitches, named for inner-circle Hall of Famer Greg Maddux) since consistent pitch-count tracking began in 1988. “For me, personally, that was as good as it gets,” Pat Murphy said postgame. “That’s probably the first one ever,” Misiorowski said, when asked if he had ever pitched that well at any level in his life. Just listing the box score line doesn’t fully do the start justice. Misiorowski threw hard. He missed bats. He induced weak contact. He controlled the count. He showed five different pitches. There’s a lot to unpack regarding just how complete his dominance was, so let’s walk through each notable number one by one. 104.5 mph This is where Misiorowski first turned heads, and it happened right out of the gates, when he struck out Kyle Schwarber to lead off the game. The 2-2 fastball that Schwarber foul-tipped for strike three was 104.5 mph, the fastest pitch thrown by a starting pitcher in the pitch-tracking era (since 2008). And Misiorowski threw it when he felt his worst all night. “To be honest, the first few innings, I feel like I didn’t have it all that well,” he said. “I was just hoping they would swing, and they were hacking away, so that helped a lot.” Misiorowski has set that record multiple times, as he now owns the 17 fastest measured pitches thrown by a starter. He actually set the new high twice in the Schwarber at-bat, the first coming when he unleashed a 104-mph fastball with his third pitch. He still thinks there’s more in the tank, too. “It’s awesome,” Misiorowski said of setting another velocity record. “I mean, honestly, that’s really cool, but I think there’s always another step to go with it, so keep pushing it.” 15 strikeouts It was a career-high for Misiorowski, who has already pitched eight 10-plus strikeout games in 29 career regular-season appearances. He became the third pitcher in franchise history to record at least 15 strikeouts in a game, and the first since Corbin Burnes on August 11, 2021. Misiorowski’s outing was also baseball’s first 15-strikeout start in nearly a year, since Atlanta’s Grant Holmes did it on June 15, 2025. Eight of those strikeouts came against the first nine batters he faced, and 12 were on his signature fastball. Misiorowski’s heater has done the heavy lifting in most of his starts this year, and Friday night was no different. 24 fastball whiffs That’s the second-most swings and misses against a four-seam fastball in any outing in the pitch-tracking era. Only James Paxton managed more when he induced 25 four-seam whiffs on May 2, 2018. (Paxton struck out 16 that day in just seven innings of work, but needed 105 pitches to get those 21 outs.) Misiorowski threw his fastball 72.6% of the time, the second time this season he’s thrown it at more than a 70% rate in a start. For most of the night, he peppered one after another near the top of the zone, where it’s nearly impossible to get on top of with the bat. 3 hard-hit balls When the Phillies did make contact, it wasn’t solid contact. Of their 12 batted balls against Misiorowski, only three were hit with an exit velocity above 95 mph. Two of those were ground balls. The other was Schwarber’s line-drive single on a slider in the fourth inning, the lone Philadelphia baserunner of the night. “I thought I located it well, maybe slightly off,” Misiorowski said. “I don’t remember exactly where it was at, but I’m happy with it. Just trying to jump out ahead of him. He’s probably thinking heater, and he poked it through.” 95 pitches, 74 strikes Getting as much swing-and-miss as Misiorowski did is often a double-edged sword. It can put the pitcher in control of an outing, but it can also cut that outing short by inflating pitch counts. Balls in play make for quicker outs than strikeouts. That didn’t matter for Misiorowski, though, because he was historically efficient. He issued zero walks and never reached a three-ball count. Only five batters reached two balls. Misiorowski’s command has made massive strides this year. A year ago at this time, he was debuting in the big leagues after walking 12.2% of batters in Triple-A Nashville. His walk rate in 2026 is now 6.7%, well below the league average of 9.2%. That’s the product of focused, diligent work with the Brewers’ big-league trainers and pitching coaches. After adding muscle and ironing out his mechanics, Misiorowski’s lower half is stronger and more controlled than ever. “It’s a lot of work from people behind me and in the training room and weight room and all that,” he said. “The kid is working for it,” Murphy said. “He’ll be here tomorrow doing his work, and that’s what it’s about. Today is over. It’s a great accomplishment, enjoy it, but tomorrow’s a day of work. Get back to it tomorrow. He’s that type of kid.” 9 innings Given how he felt earlier in the outing, the thought of going the distance didn’t cross Misiorowski’s mind for most of the night. “Honestly, I thought the seventh was going to be it,” he said. “When we scored all those runs, I thought they were going to turn to me and be like, ‘Well, you’re done.’” Misiorowski went back out for the eighth, though. After he completed that frame with just 86 pitches, there wasn’t much discussion. “At the end of the eighth, I’m like, ‘You’re good, right?’” Murphy said. “He looked at me like, ‘No way. I’m going back out.’ I was joking, of course. William [Contreras] looked at me like, ‘Really?’” American Family Field came to its feet when Misiorowski returned for the ninth inning. When he reached the mound, he paused for a few seconds to take it all in. “That was cool,” he said. “It’s awesome to have the support from the city and everyone like that.” Misiorowski’s velocity dipped below triple digits a few times in the eighth inning, but the adrenaline boost of the moment helped him reach back for some of his best velocity to close things out. His average fastball velocity in the ninth was 102.6 mph, his highest since the first inning. His last fastball of the night was 103.1 mph. It struck out Justin Crawford swinging, the final bow on the most dominant Maddux on record. “I can’t remember one better,” Murphy said. In Milwaukee, at least, no one can. View the full article

Nick Lorusso drove in five runs with a double and a three-run homer as Binghamton outlasted Somerset, 7-5. Colin Houck added four RBIs and Daviel Hurtado spun five scoreless innings in Brooklyn's 13-4 rout of Frederick. Jonathan Santucci struck out five for the Rumble Ponies. Jackson Hauge's two-run double lifted St. Lucie past Palm Beach, 2-1, with Joel Lara and Zack Mack combining to allow one run. Syracuse dropped its game at Buffalo. Mets Transactions No Roster Moves Morabito's Third-Inning Single Is Syracuse's Only Answer In Buffalo Loss The Syracuse Mets managed just three hits and a single run in a 4-1 loss to the Bisons in Buffalo. The lone run came in the third inning. Kevin Parada singled to start the rally, Jackson Cluff reached on a force out, and Nick Morabito followed with a single to right field that brought Cluff around to score. That was the extent of the offense. Syracuse did not record another hit until Yonny Hernández doubled in the seventh, and the lineup finished with twelve strikeouts. Morabito, Hernández, and Parada accounted for all three Syracuse hits. Starter Jack Weisenburger turned in the most effective outing of the day for Syracuse, working four innings and allowing one run on four hits with three walks and four strikeouts. The bullpen let things creep away. Buffalo scratched out a run in the fourth, added two more in the seventh, and tacked on another in the eighth to pull away. Jefry Yan struck out three over a scoreless inning, and Ben Simon worked around two hits in a scoreless frame, but Nate Lavender and Adbert Alzolay each surrendered runs. Ryan Clifford, batting cleanup, went 0-for-3, and the heart of the order could not string anything together. Syracuse Mets: Hitting Player AB R H RBI BB K Nick Morabito 4 0 1 1 0 3 Ji Hwan Bae 4 0 0 0 0 2 Andy Ibáñez 4 0 0 0 0 1 Ryan Clifford 3 0 0 0 0 0 Yonny Hernández 3 0 1 0 0 0 Hayden Senger 3 0 0 0 0 3 Cristian Pache 3 0 0 0 0 2 Kevin Parada 3 0 1 0 0 0 Jackson Cluff 3 1 0 0 0 1 Totals 30 1 3 1 0 12 Syracuse Mets: Pitching Player IP H R ER BB K HR Jack Weisenburger 4 4 1 1 3 4 0 Jefry Yan 1 0 0 0 2 3 0 Nate Lavender 1 2 2 2 1 2 0 Ben Simon 1 2 0 0 0 1 0 Adbert Alzolay 1 1 1 1 1 0 0 Totals 8 9 4 4 7 10 0 Nick Lorusso's Five RBIs Carry Binghamton Past Somerset Binghamton scored three runs in the ninth inning to break a tie and beat the Patriots, 7-5, in Somerset. Nick Lorusso was the driving force, going 3-for-5 with a double, a home run, and five runs batted in. He opened the scoring in the first inning, when Eli Serrano III walked, Jose Ramos reached on a fielder's choice and advanced on a throwing error, and Lorusso laced a two-run double to center field. The Rumble Ponies and Patriots traded runs from there, and Chris Suero's solo home run in the fourth was part of a back-and-forth that left the score tied at four entering the ninth. In the ninth, Serrano and Ramos drew walks, and Lorusso ended the tie with a three-run home run to right field. Somerset pushed across a run in the bottom half, but it was not enough. Serrano finished 2-for-3 with a double, two runs, and two walks, and Ramos added a double and two runs. Starter Jonathan Santucci pitched four innings and allowed three runs, all earned, on four hits with five walks and five strikeouts. The bullpen carried it from there. Gabriel Rodriguez, Carlos Guzman, Dan Hammer, and Brian Metoyer combined to strike out ten over the final five innings. Guzman and Hammer were perfect across their two-plus innings, while Rodriguez and Metoyer each yielded a run. Binghamton's eight walks made the difference. Binghamton Rumble Ponies: Hitting Player AB R H RBI BB K Chris Suero 5 1 1 1 0 2 Eli Serrano III 3 3 2 0 2 0 Jose Ramos 4 2 1 0 1 0 Nick Lorusso 5 1 3 5 0 1 JT Schwartz 4 0 0 0 1 1 Vincent Perozo 3 0 0 0 1 0 Jaylen Palmer 4 0 1 0 0 1 TT Bowens 4 0 0 0 0 2 Kevin Villavicencio 4 0 0 0 0 2 Totals 36 7 8 6 5 9 Binghamton Rumble Ponies: Pitching Player IP H R ER BB K HR Jonathan Santucci 4 4 3 3 5 5 1 Gabriel Rodriguez 1 2/3 2 1 1 1 3 0 Carlos Guzman 1 1/3 0 0 0 1 3 0 Dan Hammer 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 Brian Metoyer 1 1 1 0 1 3 0 Totals 9 7 5 4 8 15 1 Colin Houck And A Five-Run Fifth Power Brooklyn's Rout Of Frederick Brooklyn pounded out ten hits and overwhelmed the Keys, 13-4, at home. The Cyclones broke the game open with a four-run second inning and a five-run fifth. In the second, John Bay and JT Benson drew walks, Colin Houck reached on a force out, and Trace Willhoite walked to load the bases before Diego Mosquera laced a two-run double. Mitch Voit added a run-scoring groundout, and Yonatan Henriquez doubled home another to make it 5-0. The fifth was capped by Houck, who launched a three-run home run after John Bay reached on an error and JT Benson walked. Voit drove in another with a single, and Daiverson Gutierrez added a bases-loaded walk. Corey Collins and John Bay hit solo home runs in the eighth. Houck led the way, going 2-for-5 with the home run and four runs batted in. Gutierrez finished 2-for-4 with a double and two runs batted in, Mosquera drove in two, and Voit added two from the leadoff spot. Starter Daviel Hurtado set the tone, throwing five scoreless innings and allowing just one hit with one walk and two strikeouts. Tanner Witt followed with one and two-thirds scoreless innings and three strikeouts. The Keys did their damage late, scoring three in the eighth on a home run off Ryan Dollar and one more in the ninth against Hoss Brewer. Eight walks and four doubles fueled a balanced Brooklyn attack. Brooklyn Cyclones: Hitting Player AB R H RBI BB K Mitch Voit 4 2 1 2 0 1 Yonatan Henriquez 4 0 1 1 1 0 Corey Collins 4 1 1 1 1 2 Daiverson Gutierrez 4 1 2 2 1 0 John Bay 3 3 1 1 2 0 JT Benson 3 1 0 0 2 2 Colin Houck 5 2 2 4 0 1 Trace Willhoite 3 2 1 0 1 1 Diego Mosquera 4 1 1 2 0 0 Totals 34 13 10 13 8 7 Brooklyn Cyclones: Pitching Player IP H R ER BB K HR Daviel Hurtado 5 1 0 0 1 2 0 Tanner Witt 1 2/3 0 0 0 2 3 0 Ryan Dollar 1 1/3 2 3 3 2 3 1 Hoss Brewer 1 1 1 1 1 1 0 Totals 9 4 4 4 6 9 1 Jackson Hauge's Eighth-Inning Double Lifts St. Lucie Over Palm Beach St. Lucie rallied for two runs in the eighth inning to beat the Cardinals, 2-1, in Palm Beach. The Mets trailed 1-0 after the Cardinals scratched across a run in the seventh. In the eighth, Chase Meggers and Branny De Oleo singled, with Meggers taking third on an error, and Jackson Hauge delivered the decisive blow, a two-run double to left field that scored both runners. Hauge finished 1-for-2 with the double, a walk, and two runs batted in. Trey Snyder added a double among the team's five hits. The pitching held the slim lead. Starter Joel Lara worked three innings and did not allow a run, surrendering two hits while walking three and striking out two. Tyler McLoughlin followed with two scoreless innings and three strikeouts, and Luis Alvarez gave up the Cardinals' only run over his two innings. Zack Mack closed it out with two scoreless innings and three strikeouts to preserve the win. St. Lucie's staff struck out eleven and scattered six hits, holding Palm Beach to a single run despite the home team putting runners on throughout. The two-run eighth was all the offense the Mets needed. St. Lucie Mets: Hitting Player AB R H RBI BB K Jeremy Rodriguez 4 0 0 0 0 1 Trey Snyder 4 0 1 0 0 0 Antonio Jimenez 4 0 0 0 0 0 Yohairo Cuevas 4 0 1 0 0 0 Julio Zayas 4 0 0 0 0 1 Chase Meggers 3 1 1 0 0 0 Branny De Oleo 3 1 1 0 0 1 Simon Juan 3 0 0 0 0 1 Jackson Hauge 2 0 1 2 1 0 Totals 31 2 5 2 1 4 St. Lucie Mets: Pitching Player IP H R ER BB K HR Joel Lara 3 2 0 0 3 2 0 Tyler McLoughlin 2 3 0 0 0 3 0 Luis Alvarez 2 1 1 1 2 3 0 Zack Mack 2 0 0 0 0 3 0 Totals 9 6 1 1 5 11 0 View the full article

A huge spike in strikeouts hasn't been enough to offset another troubling development in Andrew Morris's recent outings. View the full article

We've got you covered in case your minor league attention was distracted by a certain 6'7" righty in Milwaukee. We wish we had more victories to tell you about, but as always, we find positives to spotlight. Transactions: Milwaukee Brewers recalled RHP Craig Yoho from Nashville Sounds (as RHP Coleman Crow hits the big-league IL) SS Leonard Rijo assigned to ACL Brewers from DSL Brewers Blue RHP Lonell Downs assigned to DSL Brewers Blue from DSL Brewers Gold Nashville Pre-Game Media Notes (unavailable) Final: Durham (Rays) 7, Nashville 4 Box Score and Game Log Via the Sounds, game details, and we encourage readers to always review affiliate write-ups as part of their Link Report routine: Nashville Drops First of Series to Durham There really is no 5th starter on the team at this moment to complete the Stallings - Hardin - Pannone - Wichrowski rotation. Perhaps Jake Woodford is stretched out to that role in time. Easton McGee is not the answer for that spot, he allowed ten baserunners in his three-inning struggle here. Lefty Tate Kuehner is missed, as are Carlos Rodriguez and Coleman Crow on the big-league injured list. From May 26th to June 5th, Jett Williams was hitless in six of eight games. He currently has a five-game hit streak including two hits on Thursday but sat out Friday night. Overall, it's been an uninspiring stretch and an at-best middling .229/.342/.37 line overall (.709 OPS). Cooper Pratt 0-for-4 with a K, flied out twice, topping out at 93.6 MPH on one of those outs. Tyler Black has dropped to a .200 batting average with a .300 slug, and to be honest, has never been more irrelevant in the big picture. In case recent Nashville posts on 'X' have you confused, the admins for the Sounds and Bulls have had a silly thing going mainly because Durham only awards some sort of beef reward to their own players who hit the scoreboard in Durham, but not visitors. It's time to drop the back-and-forth, but that'll explain any odd captioning on this Luke Adams HR, also 93.6 MPH. Adams also doubled in the 5th (only 74.4 MPH off the bat), The prettiest of the Sounds' five base hits may have been this Luis Lara 96.8 MPH single poked the other way from the LH batter's box. We'll give props to RH relievers Kaleb Bowman and Junior Fernandez for the six innings of one-run ball they provided. Catch up with the latest Biloxi pre-game audio interview archives - RHP Jack Seppings, recently up from Wisconsin, is the latest chat Biloxi Pre-Game Media Notes Final: Birmingham (White Sox) 3, Biloxi 2 Box Score and Game Log Hurtubise Has Multi-RBI Game in Shuckers 3-2 Setback - Shuckers Walked Off by Barons for Third Straight Loss The Southern League standings show a well-balanced eight-team quagmire of mostly mediocrity, but the Shuckers have now lost three in a row to the one league outlier - the Birmingham Barons are still only 24-37 after their three wins over Biloxi. Fortunately for Biloxi, division frontrunner Montgomery has also lost three in a row. Barons first baseman Anthony DePino is on a tear, you'll see him victimize an otherwise strong Jaron DeBerry and then Travis Smith for the walk off in the two videos linked here. DePino had clubbed a three-run homer in Thursday's 8-0 Biloxi loss. 28-year-old OF Jacob Hurtubise pretty much made it a one-on-one tennis match with DePino, including clutchness in the top of the 9th. Take away the DeBerry DePino deposit (see what I did there?) and Jaron would have pitched six shutout frames. DeBerry's game log shows five of his last six starts as very attractive. Jesús Made singled in four trips (described as a sharp line drive to left), though his 11 June games have been sub-par to his standards. Made avoided striking out, something his lineup mates (save for Hurtubise) did not do, 14 K's altogether. Wisconsin Pre-Game Media Notes (download link) Final, Game One: Wisconsin 5, Great Lakes (Dodgers) 3, seven innings as scheduled Box Score and Game Log Via the Timber Rattlers, game details: Fischer Does It Again! - Rattlers slugger hits twentieth homer of the season to beat Great Lakes Enjoy Chris Mehring's write-up linked just above and the two home run videos within. Then settle in and watch the long balls a second time as part of the overall game package here: You'll notice no Luis Pena here (nor in the nightcap). Pena exited Tuesday's game early, limping after legging out a strike out on a wild pitch. Not the sharpest final line for 6'5" 19-year-old (yes, 19 years old all season at High-A) RH starter Ethan Dorchies, but he looks the part on the mound and seemingly there were encouraging aspects of this outing, though three walks, a HBP and a wild pitch will be found within the stat totals. This was the best of RHP Tanner Perry's three relief appearances since his promotion from Wilson. Now for a score copy-and-paste with a bit of unfortunate reversal - Final, Game Two: Great Lakes 5, Wisconsin 3, seven innings as scheduled Box Score and Game Log Via the Timber Rattlers, game details: Great Lakes Gains Split with 5-3 Victory over Wisconsin - Rattlers suffer costly loss in first half playoff race Before you watch this next set of highlights, you are strongly encouraged to read the linked game summary for details on why the T-Rats were the road team here, the bleak playoff picture and much more. "Ever so softly" - yes, that was the call on the key base hit vs. reliever Ayendy Bravo as he attempted to rescue starting southpaw Wande Torres from a bases-loaded situation. Bravo's a 19-year-old who was jumped to Wisconsin, bypassing Wilson, in an extreme need for the T-Rats back on May 17th. Torres, meanwhile, remains exceedingly frustrating, as he issued eight free passes (six walks, two HBP's). Pena provides a right-handed bat, and it's missed. We've seen on several occasions this season where a left-handed reliever is lined up with a very LH-leaning Wisconsin lineup - speaking in general terms, the Rattler outfield mix (Adamczewski, Ragsdale, Payne, Castillo, plus the corner infield of Bitonti and Fischer). You likely noticed that late in the highlight package for Game Two. Former Brewers draft pick LHP Justin Chambers (sent to the Dodgers for LHP Bryan Hudson before he ever saw action for the Crew) pitched for Great Lakes, the second time he has faced Wisconsin this season. Suspended, bottom of the first inning: Wilson 0, Hill City (Guardians) 0 Box Score and Game Log (thus far) Unlike the Howlers, Wilson did not "waste" a starting pitcher with a brief outing. RHP Carlos Carra did not throw an official pitch, but surely went through his pre-game routine, and we'll have to see if he throws as scheduled in Saturday's resumed game, or perhaps the nightcap. Shortstop Brady Ebel was among the players scheduled to have Friday night off. Via the Warbirds: LYNCHBURG, V.A. – The Wilson Warbirds and Hill City Howlers game on Friday night at City Stadium was suspended due to rain and will be made up as part of a doubleheader on Saturday beginning at 3:30 p.m. (2:30 Central) The first game of the doubleheader will be picked up in the bottom of the first inning and will be a 9-inning contest while the second game of the twin bill will follow approximately 30 minutes after the conclusion of game one and will be a 7-inning game. Final: ACL Angels 13, ACL Brewers 9, seven innings as scheduled Box Score and Game Log We'll dive deeper in a moment, but your keys: Behold the #4 and #5 spots in that box score for Maryvale, wow. In the #6 spot, Jonathan Rangel singled, walked, and reached via HBP. We'd love to see Rangel find a home with his glove, but the 19-year-old has now split eight errors evenly between catcher (Friday night) and first base. Perhaps there isn't a better example in several years of a player benefitting more from repeating the Dominican Summer League than infielder Juan Martinez, as his MiLB Player Page yearly stat lines will show. His 2024 $125,000 signing bonus could prove quite the bargain. Speaking of bonus bargains, hello to the $350,000 Alexander Frias received in January of 2025. As trade deadline season nears, we don't see Frias going anywhere, but other organizations would be wise to ask for a bonus add-on prospect like Martinez on any proposed deals. 18-year-old Dominican native Leonard Rijo made his stateside debut, drawing a walk and stealing a base (Rijo was 21-for-24 in SB attempts in 2025). In a combined 98 DSL/ACL games the prior two seasons OF Engel Paulino hit two home runs. He clubbed his 4th here (105.8 MPH) in 51 at-bats though other aspects of his game have dropped in 2026 and he's seeing action in only about 60% of the team's games. Undrafted RHP Caleb Nieman has been hit-or-miss in his seven appearances, this was a miss and a matter of getting work in as scheduled. RHP Hayden Vucinovich with small steps of improvement, two scoreless frames that included two walks, two wild pitches and a hit batter, one unearned run allowed. Hey, you don't learn how to pitch around men on base unless, you guessed it, there's men on base. In his four starts, this was the first time RHP Luke Roupe (2025 17th round pick out of a North Carolina high school) completed two innings. His pro debut was complicated and delayed a bit by an unspecified injury. The Brewers K'd 15 times in the seven-inning game, which had a first-pitch temperature of 100 degrees. Final: DSL Padres Gold 9, DSL Brewers Gold 6 Box Score and Game Log Game was tied at 5-5 through seven innings, but the golden San Diego players four-run 8th trumped the golden Milwaukee men and their one-run 9th. That 9th inning run came off the bat of Ricki Moneys, his lone hit in five at-bats, but it was a line drive pulled out of the yard. Moneys was the DH here, and his small-sample 6-for-38 isn't exquisite, but four of the six knocks have gone for extra bases, and he has walked (six) nearly as often as he's K'd (eight) and remains 4-for-4 in SB attempts. Speaking of going deep, infielder Osiris Ramirez, only five weeks removed from his 17th birthday, went deep for the 4th time in just 31 at-bats, well, hello there. Pipeline wrote this on January 15th: "Another standout in the Amateur Scouting League, much like Moneys, was Dominican shortstop Osiris Ramirez. Although he will reportedly fetch just a $100,000 signing bonus from Milwaukee, there’s a ton of power coiled up in his right-handed swing, and he moves well laterally on the infield. His defensive home is a bit more of a question mark, but it’s the offensive profile that will earn his keep." We've seen subsequent reports that Ramirez' final bonus figure was actually $450,000. Either way, the initial power reports are proving conclusive. First baseman Matthew Moses' six-game sample is well, just six games, but he reached four times here (two singles, two walks) to lift his OPS to 1.108. First-year OF Manny De Los Santos turned 17 in March. In 28 plate appearances, he has walked ten times and stolen nine bases in ten tries. Baseball America indicated De Los Santos signed for a $325,000 bonus, with reports highlighting "his standout contact abilities, along with his strong baseball IQ and plus speed". Despite three wild pitches, no batter put a ball in the air vs. suddenly exciting 2nd year southpaw Santiago Martinez, who will turn 18 in July. Of course, when batters are striking out eight times in four one-run innings, any ball in play is a story. Behold Santiago's game log for his two appearances thus far on the young season. Exciting! Suspended, bottom of the 5th inning: DSL Red Sox Red 3, DSL Brewers Blue 3, scheduled for seven innings Box Score and Game Log (thus far) Game at the Brewers complex was delayed by 40 minutes. Where's the roof? This game will be completed on Monday, June 22nd as part of a doubleheader. In just his 2nd pro appearance, 17-year-old Venezuelan native RHP Daniel Munoz dazzled. In four innings, the only three men to reach base against him were via free passes (two walks, one HBP). Munoz struck out seven. Also making just his second ever appearance, 6'5 lefty Alexander Mercedes' outing to start the 5th was limited to just two batters - walk, balk, home run, then exit. Unless weather was complicating things, something to monitor? It's not like there's a three-batter rule at the complex level (we don't think). Infielder Leander Matos, again playing third base here, doubled in each of his at-bats. He is 16 years old until July 2nd, and yes, the small sample on another mid-level bonus signing ($300,000) is very shiny in the box score line. Premium bonus baby Diego Frontado walked both times up thus far, giving him ten in 41 plate appearances. See you on the 22nd. We'll be reporting on six scheduled games when our next Link Report is out Sunday AM, including a matchup of Brewers' DSL clubs, 6-2 Blue at 3-6 Gold. The game in Arizona has the usual Saturday daytime start time despite the sun and heat, allowing folks to get to the rest of their weekend off. In late afternoon and then evening action, Wilson will play two games as referenced above. Hope it's a wonderful Saturday for all! 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

There's a simple way to describe how Huascar Brazobán is succeeding in 2026: hitters are late, they can't find the barrel, and when they do make contact, it doesn't hurt. But that description doesn't do justice to what's actually happening mechanically, and it doesn't explain why this year's numbers look sustainable rather than like a hot stretch waiting to collapse. The story doesn't start with velocity. Brazobán throws his sinker at 95.9 mph, virtually unchanged from previous years. There's no new pitch. No grip adjustment, no revelation about a revamped approach. The Statcast data, however, tells a different story. Huascar Brazobán's Pitch That Changed Everything In 2025, Brazobán's changeup was functional. Hitters posted a .235 AVG and .331 wOBA against it — respectable numbers for a middle-innings reliever. In 2026, those figures have collapsed to .137 AVG and .192 wOBA, with an xwOBA of just .179. The whiff rate on the changeup sits at 32.3%, the hard-hit% dropped from 36.8% in 2025 to 15.8% in 2026, the SLG allowed is .196, and the pitch has generated a +5 Run Value on the season. Those are the numbers of a genuinely eliet pitch. Changeup Metric 2025 2026 AVG .235 .137 wOBA .331 .192 xwOBA .309 .179 xSLG .362 .278 Hard-Hit% 34.5% 22.2% Whiff% 23.9% 25.6% Barrel% 8.1% 2.2% Avg Exit Velocity 87.1 mph 83.5 mph ERA 3.57 2.18 xERA 3.96 2.75 Source: Baseball Savant The Sinker as Setup, Not Star The easy analytical mistake is to dismiss the sinker because it doesn't miss bats. Its whiff% is modest, and a 27.0% hard-hit rate isn't going to show up in any Statcast highlight. But the sinker isn't designed to strike anyone out; it's designed to set up the changeup. At 95.9 mph, the sinker forces hitters to respect the inner-lower portion of the zone. It shapes their mechanics. It demands a short, explosive swing toward that quadrant. Then, the changeup arrives — out of nearly the same tunnel, at 90.5 mph — with a movement profile that stays indistinguishable for most of its flight path. The velocity gap isn't dramatic, just five miles per hour. But both pitches share the same visual corridor before separating late, and that's where the damage gets done. Savant's Bat Tracking tab makes the strongest case that this improvement is real. Against his changeup in 2026, hitters are generating an elevated rate of late swings. The "Under" contact rate sits at just 3%, meaning almost no one is getting to the ball with the barrel in a good position. On the sinker, 72% of contact is "lined up," though it hardly results in real damage, because the timing was already compromised before the swing even started. The 2026 percentile rankings confirm it from another direction: 98th in Hard-Hit%, 99th in GB%, 92nd in xERA, 99th in Average EV, 98th in Barrel%. Five independent metrics pointing the same way. The one outlier is the strikeout rate, sitting at the 31st percentile — which fits the profile perfectly. Brazobán isn't a strikeout pitcher. He's a controlled-contact pitcher, and when multiple measurement systems converge on the same diagnosis, it usually isn't a fluke. Why This Matters for the Mets Carlos Mendoza has deployed him as an opener in high-leverage situations, sending him out against the top of opposing lineups before the game has a chance to develop. That makes sense: his peak value is concentrated in the first nine or twelve batters he faces, when the sinker-changeup combination is still an unknown for the other dugout. The real test comes in August and September, when teams will have more video. But a 2.2% Barrel rate and a 2.75 xERA aren't numbers that self-correct. Brazobán isn't on a run. He's in the best stretch of his career, with the data to back it up. View the full article

There’s a lot to like with Zebby Matthews as a player. For a pitcher that’s still on the younger side at just 26 years old, Matthews possesses the one fundamental trait that organizations covet the most: the ability to throw strikes consistently. Throughout his professional career, he’s shown outstanding control of the strike zone, limiting walks and forcing hitters to earn their way on base. Matthews owns a career 2.6 BB/9 rate, and his strikeout-to-walk ratio sits at an impressive 3.66-to-1. More often than not, that’s a formula for becoming a quality major league starter, and pitchers with those kinds of numbers find success. But there’s been something else that has plagued Matthews since arriving in the majors back in 2024. For the first couple years of his big league career, Matthews was allowing far too many hits. Across 117 innings between 2024 and 2025, he surrendered a staggering 145 hits. That comes out to 11.2 hits per nine innings, which is an alarming number for any starting pitcher. A lot of that damage was tied directly to the long ball. Of those 145 hits, 23 left the yard. So the hope coming into this season was that Matthews would be able to limit the total number of hits he allowed, but especially the home runs. If he could do that, the results would likely follow. Fast forward to mid-June, and to his credit, Matthews has done a better job of limiting overall contact. He’s allowing fewer than one hit per inning, his line-drive rate has dropped substantially, and he’s generating more ground balls than he did previously. The problem is that while the line drives have decreased, the fly balls have increased. And with more fly balls have come more home runs. Through just 36 innings with the Twins this season, Matthews has already allowed eight homers, including three on Thursday against the Tigers. Now, through 31 career major league starts, Matthews has allowed 31 home runs. That simply isn’t a recipe for long-term success. So what’s causing the quality-of-contact issues? I think it starts with the fact that his four-seam fastball has simply not been a very effective pitch. While Matthews' secondary offerings continue to generate swings and misses, the fastball has lagged behind. Opposing hitters haven't had much trouble handling it, and the whiff rate on the pitch sits at just 12% this season. That’s a concerning number considering how frequently he uses it. Matthews throws the four-seamer roughly 38% of the time, and when hitters put it in play, they’re doing damage. Opponents own a .500 slugging percentage on fastballs put in play against him this season. A big reason for that comes down to location. Matthews' fastball, along with his slider and curveball (his two main secondary pitches), are catching far too much of the plate. I mentioned his low walk rate earlier – Matthews has outstanding control of the strike zone. However, command of the strike zone is a different conversation entirely. Control is the ability to throw strikes. Command is the ability to throw quality strikes. And far too often, Matthews' pitches are finishing out over the heart of the plate. Thursday’s outing against Detroit served as a perfect example. The first home run he allowed came on a 2-1 curveball that was left right over the middle of the plate to Spencer Torkelson. The second was a 3-0 fastball that I’m not sure could’ve been more center-cut, and the third was a first-pitch changeup that stayed elevated in the zone and got punished. None of those pitches were located well, and all three mistakes wound up in the seats. That’s been the story for Matthews throughout much of his major league career so far. He pounds the strike zone. In fact, he may pound it a little too much. The encouraging part is that there’s still a tremendous amount of upside here. The home run problem is significant, but it also feels fixable. Matthews has a deep arsenal. He misses bats with his secondary pitches, he limits walks, and he works efficiently while consistently getting ahead in counts. Those are all traits that successful starters possess. The next step is simply improving his command within the strike zone. If Matthews can do a better job of keeping his pitches off the barrel and limiting hard contact, there’s still plenty of reason to believe in his long-term outlook. The ingredients are all there. The strike-throwing ability, the swing-and-miss stuff, and the ability to work deep into games are all things Zebby Matthews has. Now it’s just about refining his location. If he can get the home runs under control, a potential frontline starter is still very much within his range of outcomes. That’s obviously easier said than done, but we’ve also seen him dominate when teams aren’t squaring him up. The gap between where Matthews is now and where he can be might just come down to a few misplaced pitches each start. View the full article

When it comes to diving into different pitching metrics, pitch tempo is rarely mentioned or used. For those unaware of pitch tempo, it can be defined as follows, per Baseball Savant. A pitcher can use pitch tempo in many ways. Pitchers who opt for a faster tempo use this approach to catch hitters off guard, especially when hitters're having a hard time reading that pitcher's arsenal. Pitchers who opt for a slower tempo may give hitters more time, but they may also force them to overthink or get uncomfortable at the plate. Thus, there's no "ideal" pitcher tempo for a pitcher or a team. Nonetheless, it's worth paying attention to, as it could provide insight into a pitcher's efficiency and effectiveness in certain categories. With that said, where do the Royals rank in pitch tempo both as a team and individually? Additionally, what are any takeaways from this particular data set? Let's break down that pitch tempo data from 2026 and see if it can reveal anything about this pitching staff and their performance this season. Royals Rank at the Top in Team Pitch Tempo When it comes to organizing pitch tempo data in Savant, I focused on highlighting pitch tempo and the percentage of pitches categorized as "Fast Tempo." Here's a definition of the difference between "fast" and "slow" pitches tempo-wise, according to Baseball Savant. Now, the pitch tempo data I am sharing is only for pitches with the bases empty. The CVS file didn't include pitches with runners on base. However, even though the data is only for one kind of situation, it still gives an idea of the Royals' and other teams' overall pitch tempo approach. This season, the Royals had the second-fastest pitch tempo and the highest fast-pitch percentage, per Savant. That can be seen in the table below. The data here isn't sticky in these categories either. Lugo ERA is outperforming his xERA by 1.41 points, but Mears is also outperforming his ERA by 1.15 points, and his tempo is the second-slowest of Royals pitchers this season. In terms of wOBA difference, Bubic, a slow-tempo pitcher, is outperforming his xwOBA by 40 points. Conversely, Lugo and Cameron, two fast-tempo pitchers, are also outperforming their xwOBA by 25 and 20 points, respectively. Therefore, not a ton can be concluded about whether the Royals pitchers' fast tempo benefits or hinders their pitching performance, at least this season. It does seem to help Salvador Perez and Carter Jensen limit free runners on the basepaths, though that ability to limit stolen bases seems to be more of a correlation with fast pitch tempo rather than a causation, especially when looking at those other team samples. Regardless, it's a metric where the Royals actually rank highly this season, which can't be said in many areas, unfortunately. Furthermore, Kansas City's fast-pitch tempo is at least aesthetically pleasing to fans, especially those who prefer faster-paced games. Safe to say, Royals fans won't have to worry about a lot of pitcher pitch clock violations with Kansas City pitchers this season. View the full article

The Omaha Storm Chasers blanked Las Vegas behind home runs from Abraham Toro and John Rave, with the bullpen combining for nine strikeouts. Blake Mitchell launched a homer at each end of the Quad Cities' doubleheader, and David Shields struck out 10 over 5 2/3 innings in the nightcap win. Columbia fell to Delmarva despite Ivan Sosa's three-run shot, as the Fireflies issued 12 walks. Northwest Arkansas was postponed due to weather, and they will play a doubleheader tomorrow. Royals Transactions No Roster Moves Toro And Rave Power Storm Chasers Past Aviators The Omaha Storm Chasers rode the long ball and a strong bullpen to a 3-1 win over the Las Vegas Aviators. Omaha got everything it needed in its win early on against the Aviators. In the bottom of the second, Toro homered to right field, scoring Brett Squires for a two-run shot that put the Storm Chasers ahead 2-0. In the bottom of the third, Rave homered to right field to make it 3-0, and those runs held up the rest of the way for the Storm Chasers. Toro finished 2-for-4 with two RBIs, Rave went 1-for-3 with a walk and an RBI, and Peyton Wilson added two hits. Omaha collected eight hits but left six runners on base. The pitching staff allowed just one run, which was unearned. Bailey Falter struck out four and walked one over 2 2/3 innings while allowing three hits and the lone run. Mitch Spence and Dan Altavilla each tossed a scoreless inning to open the game, Génesis Cabrera worked two scoreless frames, and Helcris Olivárez closed it out over 2 1/3 innings, striking out two and earning the save. Player AB R H RBI BB K Josh Rojas 3 0 1 0 1 0 Peyton Wilson 4 0 2 0 0 1 John Rave 3 1 1 1 1 0 Matthew Lugo 4 0 0 0 0 2 Brett Squires 3 1 0 0 1 1 Abraham Toro 4 1 2 2 0 0 Gavin Cross 3 0 2 0 0 1 Luke Maile 3 0 0 0 0 0 Kevin Newman 3 0 0 0 0 1 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Mitch Spence 1 0 0 0 0 2 0 Dan Altavilla 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 Bailey Falter 2 2/3 3 1 0 1 4 0 Génesis Cabrera 2 2 0 0 0 1 0 Helcris Olivárez 2 1/3 1 0 0 2 2 0 River Bandits Erase Early Hole But Fall To Sky Carp In Opener The Quad Cities River Bandits jumped out early but could not hold off the Beloit Sky Carp in an 8-7 loss in the doubleheader opener. Quad Cities scored twice in the first inning, when Mitchell singled home Asbel Gonzalez and Derlin Figueroa singled home Mitchell. The River Bandits then took the lead in the second, as Angel Acosta singled home Trevor Werner, Gonzalez singled home Nolan Sailors, and Figueroa drew a bases-loaded walk to score Gonzalez, building a 5-3 advantage. Beloit answered with four runs in the fourth inning to seize control, and Quad Cities could not recover even after Mitchell tied it with a solo homer in the sixth. Mitchell led the offense at 3-for-4 with a home run, two RBIs, and a walk, while Figueroa drove in two and Gonzalez reached base three times with two stolen bases. The River Bandits drew eight walks but left nine on base. Emmanuel Reyes struggled on the mound, allowing seven runs, all earned, on 11 hits with one walk and six strikeouts over four innings, surrendering three home runs. Nick Conte, L.P. Langevin, and Max Martin followed, with Martin charged with the loss after allowing the deciding run in the eighth. Player AB R H RBI BB K Nolan Sailors 4 1 1 0 0 0 Asbel Gonzalez 2 2 1 1 1 0 Luke Pelzer 2 0 0 0 0 0 Blake Mitchell 4 2 3 2 1 0 Ramon Ramirez 3 0 0 0 1 1 Derlin Figueroa 2 0 1 2 2 0 Erick Torres 4 0 0 0 0 0 Tyriq Kemp 2 1 0 0 2 1 Trevor Werner 3 1 1 0 1 2 Angel Acosta 3 0 1 1 0 1 Diego Guzman 0 0 0 0 0 0 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Emmanuel Reyes 4 11 7 7 1 6 3 Nick Conte 2 1 0 0 1 2 0 L.P. Langevin 1 0 0 0 0 2 0 Max Martin 0 2/3 0 1 0 0 0 0 Shields Fans 10 As River Bandits Take Nightcap The Quad Cities River Bandits took the second game of the doubleheader 3-2 over the Beloit Sky Carp, riding a dominant pitching performance from Shields. Quad Cities built its lead across the second and third innings. Figueroa homered to center field in the second to make it 1-0, and in the third, Mitchell singled home Sailors, and Ramirez singled home Mitchell for a 3-0 cushion. Beloit pushed back with two runs in the sixth inning, one of which scored on an error, but that was as close as the Sky Carp got to the River Bandits in the second leg of the doubleheader. Shields was overpowering, striking out 10 while allowing just three hits and two runs, one earned, with no walks over 5 2/3 innings to earn the win. The No. 2 prospect at Royals Keep, Shields carried a no-hitter into the sixth inning. It was a nice bounce-back start for the lefty pitcher after a rough performance in his previous start. Coleman Picard recorded the final four outs over 1 1/3 scoreless innings for the save. At the plate, Sailors went 2-for-4 with a double, Mitchell singled, drove in a run, and stole a base, and Ramirez and Figueroa each added an RBI. The River Bandits managed eight hits and left four runners on base. Player AB R H RBI BB K Nolan Sailors 4 1 2 0 0 0 Blake Mitchell 3 1 1 1 0 2 Ramon Ramirez 3 0 1 1 0 0 Luke Pelzer 2 0 1 0 1 0 Derlin Figueroa 3 1 1 1 0 1 Jose Cerice 3 0 0 0 0 1 Erick Torres 3 0 0 0 0 1 Tyriq Kemp 3 0 1 0 0 2 Diego Guzman 3 0 1 0 0 2 Player IP H R ER BB K HR David Shields 5 2/3 3 2 1 0 10 0 Coleman Picard 1 1/3 0 0 0 0 0 0 Walks Doom Fireflies In Loss To Shorebirds The Columbia Fireflies issued 12 walks and could not overcome a big Delmarva rally in a 9-6 loss to the Shorebirds. The game turned in the seventh inning, when Delmarva scored four runs to break a 2-2 tie and pull away to a 7-2 lead. Columbia mounted a late charge in the eighth, when Sosa homered to left center field to score Roni Cabrera and Connor Rasmussen, but the deficit was too large to erase. Sosa led the way at 1-for-4 with the three-run homer, Cabrera went 3-for-4 with two RBIs, and Rasmussen tripled, drove in a run, and drew two walks. Columbia collected 10 hits but stranded 13 runners and struck out 12 times. Michael Lombardi turned in a steady start, striking out six while allowing two runs over 4 2/3 innings, though he walked five and took the loss. Hunter Alberini struggled in relief, allowing four runs in one inning, and the bullpen as a whole issued seven of the team's walks. Player AB R H RBI BB K Henry Ramos 5 0 0 0 0 1 Josh Hammond 5 0 1 0 0 3 Yandel Ricardo 5 0 1 0 0 1 Jhosmmel Zue 2 1 1 0 0 0 Gabriel Silva 3 0 0 0 0 0 JC Vanek 4 0 1 0 0 1 Angel Ramirez 4 2 1 0 0 2 Roni Cabrera 4 1 3 2 0 1 Connor Rasmussen 3 1 1 1 2 1 Ivan Sosa 4 1 1 3 0 2 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Michael Lombardi 4 2/3 3 2 2 5 6 1 Dash Albus 1 1/3 1 1 1 3 2 0 Hunter Alberini 1 5 4 4 1 3 0 Henson Leal 1 2 2 2 1 2 0 Brandon Herbold 1 0 0 0 2 0 0 Top-20 Prospect Performance Kendry Chourio: DNP David Shields: 5 2/3 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 10 K (W) Sean Gamble: DNP Blake Mitchell: Game 1 3-for-4, HR, 2 RBI, BB; Game 2 1-for-3, RBI, K, SB Josh Hammond: 1-for-5, 3 K Ramon Ramirez: Game 1 0-for-3, BB, K; Game 2 1-for-3, RBI Drew Beam: DNP Asbel Gonzalez: 1-for-2, RBI, BB, 2 SB Ben Kudrna: DNP Carson Roccaforte: DNP Yandel Ricardo: 1-for-5, K Felix Arronde: DNP Blake Wolters: DNP Michael Lombardi: 4 2/3 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 5 BB, 6 K, HR (L) Luinder Avila: DNP Steven Zobac: DNP Frank Mozzicato: DNP Daniel Vazquez: DNP Warren Colcano: 1-for-2, R, BB, K Shane Panzini: DNP View the full article

A seven-time Gold Glove winner for the California Angles and Toronto Blue Jays and a two-time World Series champion in Toronto, Devon White brought speed, stellar defense and a much-needed veteran presence to the clubhouse when he signed with the Florida Marlins prior to the 1996 season. On this day 30 years ago, White put those qualities to good use with a game-winning two-run single in the ninth as Florida rallied past the Pittsburgh Pirates, 4-3. White used the aforementioned speed to beat out a ground ball and bring home a run in the top of the eighth. But as the Marlins came to bat in the top of the ninth at Three Rivers Stadium on June 13, 1996, they were on the short end of a 3-2 score. Pittsburgh closer Francisco Córdova began the inning by getting Jesús Tavárez to pop out. After consecutive singles from Joe Orsulak and Kurt Abbott, Alex Arias drew a walk to load the bases. To the plate came White. On a 1-1 pitch, White lined it to centerfield. Both Osulak and Abbott scored standing up. White was thrown out trying to advance to second but the damage was done. In the bottom of the ninth, Florida's Robb Nen got Mark Johnson to ground back to the mound on the first pitch before striking out both Carlos García and Al Martin to end the game. After a quality start from David Weathers, Yorkis Pérez threw 1.1 innings of scoreless relief to earn the win. Starter Zane Smith allowed just a run on five hits in seven innings for Pittsburgh. Prior to the eighth, a solo home run from Gary Sheffield in the fourth had accounted for all the Marlins offense. Abbott finished 3-for-4 with two runs scored in the win. García had two of the seven hits for manager Jim Leyland and the Pirates. The following season, Leyland and White would share a dugout as the two helped Florida win the 1997 World Series. As adversaries in the mid-June contest in 1996, however, White delivered the biggest hit of the game. It came on this day three decades ago. View the full article

San Diego Padres affiliates went 3-1 Friday as the Triple-A El Paso Chihuahuas topped the Round Rock Express 3-2, the Double-A San Antonio Missions blanked Frisco 3-0, the High-A Fort Wayne TinCaps beat Dayton 10-6 and the Low-A Lake Elsinore Storm fell to Ontario 9-8. Padres Minor-League Transactions El Paso Chihuahuas transferred LHP Fernando Sanchez from the 7-day injured list to the 60-day injured list. German Marquez, Nick Schnell Spark Chihuahuas' Triumph Padres right-hander German Marquez tossed four shutout innings and Nick Schnell's eighth-inning single drove in a pair of runs as the Triple-A El Paso Chihuahuas edged the host Round Rock Express 3-2. The Chihuahuas had seven hits, all by different players. That included Carlos Rodriguez, who kept his hitting streak alive at 18 games and putting his on-base streak at 22. Rodriguez has the longest active streak in the Pacific Coast League. Marquez, on the 15-day injured list with nerve inflammation in his right forearm, gave up three hits and a walk while striking out two in his third rehab start. He hasn't allowed a run in 10⅓ on his rehab assignment, with five hits, two walks and seven strikeouts. The Chihuahuas took a 1-0 lead on recently signed Nick Pratto, who doubled home Schnell in the second inning. Schnell had reached on a throwing error by the pitcher. Once Marquez exited, the Express scored runs off the next two Chihuahuas relievers, right-handers Triston McKenzie and Justin Yeager, in the fifth and sixth innings to go up 2-1. In the eighth, Blake Hunt drew a leadoff walk, Rodriguez grounded a single to right to keep his hitting streak alive, sending Hunt to third. After Rodriguez stole second, Schnell followed a strikeout by lacing a single past the second baseman and into right-center to bring in the tying and go-ahead runs. Chihuahuas right-hander Sean Boyle pitched a perfect eighth and right-hander Ethan Routzahn a perfect ninth for his sixth save of the season and El Paso's fifth win in six games. EP_0612.mp4 Player AB R H RBI BB K Pablo Reyes 1 0 0 0 0 1 Blake Hunt 3 1 1 0 1 2 Carlos Rodriguez 3 1 1 0 1 1 Nick Solak 4 0 0 0 0 1 Nick Schnell 4 1 1 2 0 0 Clay Dungan 4 0 1 0 0 1 Nick Pratto 4 0 1 1 0 0 Marcos Castanon 4 0 1 0 0 2 Anthony Vilar 3 0 0 0 1 2 Nate Mondou 4 0 1 0 0 0 Totals 34 3 7 3 3 10 Player IP H R ER BB K HR German Marquez 4 3 0 0 1 2 0 Triston McKenzie 1 2 1 1 1 1 0 Justin Yeager 1 1 1 1 0 0 1 Misael Tamarez (W, 2-1) 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 Sean Boyle (H, 2) 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 Ethan Routzahn (S, 6) 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 Jagger Haynes Tosses 6 Shutout Innings, Missions Win Late Left-handed starter Jagger Haynes allowed just one hit over six innings, combining on a two-hit shutout, and Braedon Karpathios snapped a scoreless game with an RBI single in a three-run eighth inning that gave the host Double-A San Antonio Missions a 3-0 victory over the Frisco RoughRiders. Haynes, Padres Mission's No. 11 prospect, retired the first eight RoughRiders hitters before allowing a sharp single to center. He walked a pair and struck out five in his best start of the season. Right-hander Josh Mallitz pitched two perfect innings, striking out three, with right-hander Johan Moreno giving up a hit and striking out one in the ninth to earn his fourth save this year. It was the Missions' third shutout, all coming at home. That stellar pitching was needed as the Chihuahuas were kept off the board until the bottom of the eighth. Kai Murphy had a leadoff single and pinch-runner Kai Roberts went to second on Ethan Salas' single. Karpathios made it three consecutive hits by putting one just past a diving shortstop on the right-field side of the bag and into center to bring in the game's first run, with Salas advancing to third. Romeo Sanabria grounded up the middle to almost the exact same spot, but the shortstop snared this one and threw Sanabria out at first as Salas scored to make it 2-0, with Karpathios going to second. Tirso Ornelas walked, but ball four was a wild pitch, sending Karpathios to third. Ryan Jackson grounded to the hole at short and the RoughRiders were only able to get the forceout at second as Karpathios scored for a 3-0 lead. SA_0612.mp4 Player AB R H RBI BB K Ethan Salas 4 1 1 0 0 0 Braedon Karpathios 4 1 1 1 0 3 Romeo Sanabria 3 0 0 1 1 1 Tirso Ornelas 3 0 0 0 1 1 Ryan Jackson 4 0 2 1 0 0 Albert Fabian 3 0 0 0 1 1 Luis Verdugo 3 0 1 0 0 1 Francisco Acuna 3 0 0 0 0 1 Kai Murphy 2 0 1 0 0 0 Kai Roberts 0 1 0 0 0 0 Totals 29 3 6 3 3 8 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Jagger Haynes 6 1 0 0 2 5 0 Josh Mallitz (W, 2-0) 2 0 0 0 0 3 0 Johan Moreno (S, 4) 1 1 0 0 0 1 0 Justin DeCriscio's Slam Helps TinCaps End Losing Streak At 8 Justin DeCriscio hit his first career grand slam as part of a seven-run fourth inning as the High-A Fort Wayne TinCaps snapped a season-worst eight-game losing skid with a 10-6 victory over the Dayton Dragons. Rosman Verdugo had a homer among his three hits, while Alex McCoy and Zach Evans also went 3-for-5 as the TinCaps pounded out 16 hits. McCoy, in a 3-for-34 funk entering the game, had a pair of doubles and scored twice, while Verdugo and Evans also scored twice. The TinCaps had scored 32 runs during their eight-game streak while allowing 79, but broke out with seven runs in a single inning to take early control. McCoy started things off with his first double of the night and went to third on a fielding error by the right fielder. Verdugo singled McCoy home, Kavares Tears had a double, Jack Costello had a sacrifice fly to make it 2-1, Evans hit a chopper back to the pitcher that was thrown away allowing Tears to score, Kasen Wells was hit by a pitch to load the bases. DeCriscio stepped up to the plate and hit the first pitch out to left field for a grand slam, his third homer of the season. Dayton scored four in the fifth to pull within 7-5, but the TinCaps got two more in the sixth on Verdugo's two-run homer, his 10th of the season. FW_0612.mp4 Player AB R H RBI BB K Justin DeCriscio 5 1 2 4 0 1 Carlos Rodriguez 4 0 0 0 2 0 Jake Cunningham 5 0 0 0 1 4 Alex McCoy 5 2 3 0 1 1 Rosman Verdugo 5 2 3 3 1 1 Kavares Tears 5 1 2 0 0 0 Jack Costello 5 1 1 1 0 1 Zach Evans 5 2 3 1 0 1 Kasen Wells 3 1 2 0 1 0 Totals 42 10 16 9 6 9 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Abraham Parra (W, 1-5) 5 3 5 5 4 5 1 Jeferson Villabona 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 Ryan Och (H, 1) 1 2/3 1 0 0 1 4 0 Will Varmette (S, 1) 1 1/3 0 0 0 2 2 0 Truitt Madonna's 4 RBIs Not Enough As Storm Fall In Ninth Truitt Madonna had a pair of doubles and drove in four, but the host Low-A Lake Elsinore Storm gave up nine runs over the last four innings, including two in the ninth to break a tie, to fall to the Ontario Tower Buzzers 9-8. Ryan Wideman, Padres Mission's No. 5 prospect, singled and stole his minors-leading 40th base in the second inning. Storm left-handed starter Kruz Schoolcraft, Padres Mission's No. 4 prospect, struck out seven over five innings, allowing two runs on four hits and a walk. The Storm jumped out to a 5-0 lead, including Madonna's bases-loaded double in the first and a run in the fourth off Los Angeles Dodgers rehabbing reliever Brock Stewart in the fourth. The Tower Buzzers came back with four runs in the top of the sixth. Another Storm run in the bottom of the sixth made it 6-4, then the Tower Buzzers took the lead 7-6 with a three-run seventh. The Storm tied it in the eighth, but the Tower Buzzers took the lead in the ninth. In the bottom of the ninth, the Storm put together a rally. Luke Cantwell led off the inning with a walk, went to second on a wild pitch and to third on Yimi Tovar's flyout to center. Madonna grounded out to third, plating Cantwell. Jorge Quintana doubled, but George Bilecki flew out to left to end the game. LE_0612.mp4 Player AB R H RBI BB K Ryan Wideman 4 1 1 0 1 0 Kerrington Cross 5 1 2 1 0 1 Jose Verdugo 5 1 1 0 0 2 Luke Cantwell 2 2 1 0 3 0 Bradley Frye 0 1 0 0 0 0 Yimy Tovar 3 0 0 1 1 0 Truitt Madonna 4 1 2 4 1 1 Jorge Quintana 5 0 1 0 0 4 George Bilecki 5 0 1 1 0 2 Conner Westenburg 2 1 0 0 2 2 Totals 35 8 9 7 8 12 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Kruz Schoolcraft 5 4 2 2 1 7 0 Rordy Mejia 1 1 2 2 0 0 1 Joseph Herrera (H, 2) 1/3 2 2 2 0 1 0 Vicarte Domingo 2/3 0 1 0 1 1 0 Brandon Langley (L, 3-2) 2 1 2 1 1 2 0 Padres Mission Top 20 Prospect Performance Ethan Salas: 1-for-4 Kash Mayfield: DNP Miguel Mendez: DNP Kruz Schoolcraft: 5 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 7 K Ryan Wideman: 1-for-4 Jorge Quintana: 1-for-5, 2B, 4 K Ty Harvey: On injured list Kale Fountain: Injured, out for season Braedon Karpathios: 1-for-4, 3 K Lamar King Jr.: DNP Jagger Haynes: 6 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 5 K Alex McCoy: 3-for-5, 2 2B, 1 K Truitt Madonna: 2-for-4, 2 2B, 1 K Tucker Musgrove: DNP Garrett Hawkins: DNP Michael Salina: DNP Eric Yost: DNP Rosman Verdugo: 3-for-5, HR, 1 K Bryan Balzer: DNP Deivid Coronil: DNP View the full article

TRANSACTIONS A couple of priority 2025 non-drafted signings (meaning they were signed within a day of the conclusion of the draft) flip-flopped assignments on Friday. Ian Daugherty went from Cedar Rapids to St. Paul, and Luis Hernandez went from St. Paul to Cedar Rapids. Speaking of catchers, the Twins activated Carlos Silva from the Injured List and he was released. He received a seven-digit signing bonus from the Twins in 2021 but struggled in two seasons in the DSL and last year in the FCL A couple of utilitymen switched places on Friday too. Quinn McDaniel has been impressive since he was signed from the independent leagues about a month ago. After about a week in Fort Myers, he moved up to Cedar Rapids. After just a couple of weeks in Iowa, he’s heading to Kansas to join the Wind Surge. Miguel Briceno returns to the Kernels. RHP MItch Mueller was promoted from Fort Myers to Cedar Rapids. SAINTS SENTINEL St. Paul 10, Toledo 9 Box Score After the teams battled to a 1-0 final score on Thursday, they combined for 19 runs on 30 hits in this game. The Saints scored two in the first, second and fourth innings, and had scored three runs in the fifth. Toledo scored two in the third and three in the fifth, and had five, one-run innings. But the Saints managed to find a way to win. Matt Wallner went 2-for-4. He was hit by a pitch and added his seventh Saints home run. Henry Kusiak went 2-for-3 with his first Triple-A hit and his first Triple=A double. He also had a sacrifice fly.. Kaelen Culpepper went 3-for-4 with a walk, his 11th double, and his first triple. He stole his 15th base. Ben Ross hit his 11th double and had a walk. Aaron Sabato singled and walked. Tanner Schobel hit his 10th double while Gabriel Gonzalez hit his ninth double. Noah Cardenas walked twice. Ty Langenberg started. He gave up four runs (3 earned) on seven hits and two walks in three innings. Grant Hartwig gave up two hits but struck out two batters in a scoreless inning. John Klein gave up three runs on two hits and two walks in 2/3 of an inning. Jake Higginbotham gave up one run on two hits (1 homer) in 1 1/3 innings. Alejandro Hidalgo gave up a hit and issued a walk in a scoreless inning. Kody Funderburk gave up a run on three hits in his inning. He struck out two batters. Trent Baker got the save. He gave up two hits in a scoreless ninth inning. WIND SURGE WISDOM Wichita 14, Tulsa 0 Box Score This game was over pretty quickly. The Surge scored three runs in the first inning and four more in the second. After a mini-break, they scored five fifth inning runs and two more in the sixth inning. They were also helped by four Drillers errors. And frankly, it could have been much more lopsided. The Surge went 8-for-28 with runners in scoring position and left 15 runners on base. However, five pitchers combined on a five-hit, three-walk shutout, so let’s start there. Cory Lewis started and struck out seven batters in four innings. He gave up two hits and a walk. Nick Mikolajchak pitched a scoreless fifth inning. Jaylen Nowlin struck out two batters in the sixth. Darren Bowen had four strikeouts over two relief innings. Sam Ryan got the final three outs, two of them on strikeouts. It’s been a slow start for Kala’i Rosario this year. He’s spent time on the Injured List, but he appears to be heating up here in mid-June. On Friday night, he went 5-for-6 with his fourth double, ninth home run, three runs scored and four RBI. He also stole his eighth base. Caleb Roberts went 3-for-5 with two stolen bases and four runs scored. Cody Morissette went 2-for-5 with two walks and four runs scored. He hit his first double. Billy Amick went 2-for-5 with his seventh doubles, his 15th home run, and four RBI. Poncho Ruiz and Maddux Houghton each had a single and walked twice. KERNELS CHRONICLE Cedar Rapids 4, Lansing 8 Box Score The Kernels fell behind early, and the Lugnuts just kept adding on. They scored in the first three innings, four of the first five innings, and five of the first seven innings. The Kernels scored three of their runs in the final two innings, but it wasn’t nearly enough. Cesar Lares was back on the mound on Friday night. The things that he did so well in his first Kernels start last weekend, he was unable to do in this game. After no walks in his first start, the lefty walked five batters in this one. Combined with just two hits, he gave up four runs over the first three innings. He had three strikeouts. Illustrating that key point, just 31 of Lares’s 67 pitches were strikes (46.3%). The Kernels had just six hits and three walks in the game. Marek Houston went 2-for-4 with a walk. He is now hitting .311. Brandon Winkour had the lone extra base hit, a fourth-inning solo home run that put the team on the scoreboard. Cole Peschl came to the mound for the next three innings. He gave up two unearned runs on two hits and a walk. Nolan Santos was charged with two runs on two hits and a walk in the seventh inning. Nick Trabacchi gave up two hits and walked a batter, but no runs crossed the plate in his inning. Jacob McCombs had a single and a walk. Harry Genth went 0-for-2 but walked and, of course, he was hit by a pitch. MIGHTY MATTERS Game 1: Ft. Myers 5, Dunedin 10 Box Score The Mussels opponent this week is the Dunedin Blue Jays, Low-A affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays. Check out Jays Centre for much more on the Blue Jays organization. Four players who were key in this game are among the Jays Centre Top 20 Prospects. If you’re interested in checking out our other DiamondCentric team sites, click here. And if you’re interested in writing at one or more of them, let us know. This game resumed in the fifth inning on Thursday because of weather. As a reminder, Justin Mitrovich has been fantastic and was again on Thursday night. In 4 1/3 scoreless innings, he gave up four hits, walked one and had four strikeouts. He also hit a batter. His ERA has dropped to 0.72. When the game was delayed, he left a runner on first base. The run scored on Friday, so Mitrovich was charged with one run. The Mussels lone run on Thursday came on a sacrifice fly by Graham Brown. When the game resumed, Jonathan Stevens came in. He gave up two hits over 2 1/3 scoreless innings. He had two strikeouts. Michael McKenna came on and got the final out of the seventh inning. Extra innings began in the eighth inning with a 1-1 game. McKenna allowed the Manfred Man to score in the top of the innings. In the bottom of the eighth Irvin Nunez began the eighth as the Mussels’ Manfred Man. Dameury Pena moved him to third base with a ground out to second base. Enrique Jimenez walked. Byron Chourio pinch-ran for him and stole second base. Ramiro Dominguez followed with a long home run to give his team the 4-2 walk off win. Dominguez went 2-for-4 with his first double and sixth home run. He had two of the team’s three hits, and three of their four RBI. Jimenez was 1-for-2 with two walks. Game 2: Ft. Myers 4, Dunedin 3 Box Score The regularly scheduled game became a seven-inning game as well. Luis Fragoza got the offense started in the second innings with his fifth home run. Kolten Smith started and gave up three runs in the top of the third. He gave up three runs on three hits and three walks in 3 2/3 innings overall. He managed five strikeouts as well. Jake Murray got the final out of the fourth inning and pitched a scoreless fifth. Dylan Questad struck out two batters in a scoreless inning. Michael Hiliker gave up two hits and a walk in the bottom of the seventh but kept the Blue Jays off the board to earn the save. With Ryan Sprock on first base in the bottom of the third, Alan Roden hit his first home run with the Mussels to tie the game at 3-3. In the bottom of the fifth innings, Murphy Hernandez led off with a single. With one out, Roden walked. Hernandez stole third base and scored on an Enrique Jimenez sacrifice fly. The Mussels had just six hits and two walks. Roden had a walk to go with his home run. Jimenez walked to go with his sacrifice fly. COMPLEX CHRONICLES FCL Twins 7, FCL Red Sox 6 Box Score Down 6-0 after four innings, the Twins scored one in the sixth and then six in the seventh inning to take the surprising win. They had just three hits in the game. They were helped by 12 walks. Danny Almanzar had the lone extra base hit, his fourth double. He walked twice. Yilber Herrera had a single and two walks. Victor Leal was 0-for-1 with three walks. Yovanny Duran walked twice. Santiago Castellanos started but recorded just two outs. He gave up a run, no hits, but he walked four batters. Santiago Rojas worked the next three innings and gave up five runs on four hits and six walks. He struck out four. Carter Holjes worked the final 3 1/3 innings. He gave up no runs, one hit and one walk. He struck out two batters. PLAYERS OF THE DAY Hitter(s) of the Day Kala’i Rosario (Wichita): 5-for-6, 2B(4), HR(9), 3 R, 4 RBI Pitcher(s) of the Day Cory Lewis (Wichita): 4 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 7 K, 60 pitches, 38 strikes (63.3%) PROSPECT SUMMARY Check out the Prospect Tracker for much more on our Twins Top 20 prospects after seeing how they did today. #2 - IF Kaelen Culpepper (St. Paul) - 3-for-4, BB, 2B(11), 3B(1), 2 R, 3 RBI, K, SB(15) (batted first, played SS) #5 - C Eduardo Tait (Cedar Rapids) - 0-for-5 (batted second, played catcher). #7 - SS Marek Houston (Cedar Rapids) - 2-for-4, BB, RBI, 2 K (batted first, played SS) #10 - OF Gabriel Gonzalez (St. Paul) - 1-for-5, 2B(9) (batted fourth, played DH) #12 - RHP Andrew Morris (Minnesota) - 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K, 9 pitches, 6 strikes (66.7%) #14 - 3B/SS Quentin Young (Ft. Myers) - Game 1: 0-for-3, 3 K (batted sixth, played SS), Game 2: 0-for-3, 2 K (batted sixth, played SS) #15 - 3B/CF Brandon Winokur (Cedar Rapids) - 1-for-4, HR(8), R, RBI, 2 K (batted third, played CF #20 - 2B/SS/CF Kyle DeBarge (Wichita) - 0-for-4, BB, HBP, 2 K, 2 SB(19), batted sixth, played SS) UPCOMING PROBABLES Saturday, June 13 St. Paul @ Toledo (6:05 pm CT) - LHP Aaron Rozek (0-0, 2.77 ERA) Wichita @ Tulsa (7:00 pm CT) - RHP Preston Johnson (0-1, 5.59 ERA), Cedar Rapids @ Lansing (6:05 pm CT) - LHP Garrett Horn (0-0, 1.50 ERA) Dunedin @ Ft. Myers (5:05 pm CT) - RHP Ramiro Villanueva (0-1, 3.09 ERA) FCL Red Sox @ FCL Twins (9:00 am CT) - RHP Adrian Bohorquez (Rehab) DSL Twins @ DSL Tigers (8:00 am CT) - RHP Adrian Martinez CURRENT W-L Records Minnesota Twins: 31-39 (3rd place (of 5) in AL Central, 6.5 GB)) St. Paul Saints: 37-29 (3rd place (of 10) in IL West Division, 4.5 GB)) Wichita Wind Surge: 23-36 (5th place (of 5) in TL North Division, 16.0 GB)) Cedar Rapids Kernels: 28-32 (4th place (of 6) in MWL West Division, 9.5 GB)) Fort Myers Mighty Mussels: 35-26 (2nd place (of 6) in FSL West Division, 3.0 GB)) FCL Twins: 16-13 (2nd place (of 6) in FCL South Division, 3.0 GB)) DSL Twins: 3-5 (4th place (of 7) in DSL East Division, 3.0 GB)) Please feel free to ask questions about the teams, the rosters, and discuss today’s games, or anything else Twins minor-league related! View the full article

Box Score Joe Ryan: 6 IP, 6 H, 3 ER, 0 BB, 8 K Home Runs: Byron Buxton (21), Kody Clemens (10), Royce Lewis (5), Brooks Lee (11) Top 3 WPA: Kody Clemens (.410), Royce Lewis (.320), Byron Buxton (.200) Win Probability Chart (via FanGraphs) 1987. Michael Jackson returned from the biggest album ever with Bad. Guns N’ Roses debuted with Appetite for Destruction. The highest grossing film was… Three Men and a Baby? Ok. The music zeitgeist was clearly more stimulated than the film one. And in the midst—amongst the dramatic, modernic turns subtle in a decade often revered for its eccentricities—the Minnesota Twins defeated the St. Louis Cardinals to claim their first World Series victory since moving to the state in 1961. Oh, and Prince released Sign O’ The Times. Man, were the movie-makers even trying this year? Back to the present. Though the men on the field laboring, working, fighting for their respective organizations were not alive during that critical World Series, they survive as living monuments to the legacy of that sequence of games. Joe Ryan took the mound. The ace of the Twins. Anointed and donning the lake-blue attire too reminiscent of a soccer kit for its own good. The maestro with fastball adroit and dangerous staggered out of the gate, perhaps in pre-anticipation of the rain delay soon to befall the game: he surrendered a truly gargantuan home run to Alec Burleson before returning to labor through a single-centric second inning. Two runs scored. The newly-minted 30-year-old appeared perplexed. Fortunately, he was not alone in his fight. Byron Buxton remained in a flow state. He found a first-pitch outside slider to his liking and blasted the offering deep to center, depositing the ball amongst where there once was shrubbery, but now only rests a tame and ordinary grass, and a green batters-eye wall. The run, while mighty, was merely a lone scratch for the Twins. A single etch. Their only blood drawn against starter Kyle Leahy as the innings blurred into each other, and as the rain—later to be an intermittent nuisance—delayed the game for some time. Rather than muddy the quagmire at hand, the weather evidently cleansed the Twins of whatever nagging ailment rendered them mediocre. Royce Lewis singled to start the fifth, and Victor Caratini slugged a double into right-center to send his teammate to third. A Brooks Lee flyball was a tad too short in Lewis’ estimation, but a Tristan Gray infield single one batter later did the deed instead. Though only one run, the effort pushed Minnesota’s offense even further in the sixth, as a Buxton double begat a Josh Bell double thudded off the jutted wall in right field, tying the game until Lewis broke his team into the lead with a sacrifice fly. Given the lead for the first time, the Twins found themselves unsure what to do with themselves, and so given the choice, they reverted back to their standard operating procedure: they squandered it. Taylor Rogers and Eric Orze danced around the conclusion, seeming for a moment to only allow the game to be tied again, before finalizing the sudden direness of matters when Jordan Walker cleared the bases with a solidly-stroked double down the left-field line. A fraught day for pitchers indeed. Sullen-eyed and lethargic, any hurler who trudged to the mound looked; knowing their fate and the swollen ERAs that will soon follow with their entrance into the game. A rank curse. To see so clearly what awaits one yet to be helpless to stop the terribleness. At least they have a pile of money to cry into. Gordon Graceffo and Ryne Stanek were the next two pitchers to find this out; the prior for walking two batters; the latter for hanging a splitter that Kody Clemens swatted into the right-field seats for a game-tying three-run homer. The Cardinals scored again in the eighth but did you think that would mean anything? What with how this game has gone? Have you paid any attention? Were you actually watching? The tenor of the moment and the shifts of the night spoke to a predictable outcome: a mammoth Lewis homer to tie the game. Though perhaps surprising was Brooks Lee’s go-ahead blast just two batters later. Somehow, that proved enough: Andrew Morris entered to lock down the game in the ninth and did exactly that, exterminating the St. Louis threat with shocking efficiency to quietly end what had been a chaotic and unruly game. All hail the over-the-top hurling righty from Texas Tech for taming this crazed beast, Notes: Post-Game Interview: What’s Next? The Twins and Cardinals match up once for what may be a normal game of baseball on Saturday with first pitch coming at 1:10 PM. Connor Prielipp will start opposite Matthew Liberatore. Bullpen Usage Spreadsheet MON TUE WED THU FRI TOT Paredes 0 0 58 0 0 58 Rogers 0 17 14 0 22 53 Morris 0 0 39 0 9 48 Laweryson 0 12 0 32 0 44 Gómez 0 0 27 0 15 42 Orze 0 23 0 0 16 39 Banda 0 0 30 0 9 39 Adams 0 0 31 0 0 31 Lawrence 0 26 0 0 0 26 View the full article

Jacob Misiorowski delivered one of the most dominant pitching performances in Brewers history on Friday night at American Family Field, throwing a complete game shutout against the Philadelphia Phillies in a 6-0 Milwaukee victory. Misiorowski retired all 27 batters on 95 pitches, allowing just one hit, a single, while striking out 15 and walking nobody. Offensively, Jake Bauers drove in three runs with his 13th home run of the season, a line drive to left-center field 391 feet, and Joey Ortiz went 2-for-4 with a double. William Contreras' RBI double in the first inning opened the scoring, and the Brewers tacked on five more over the next five innings to back Misiorowski with all the support he needed. Here are the five biggest strikeouts of the game for Miz: 5. Misiorowski Strikes Out Marsh on a Fastball (+2.40 Win Expectancy) Brandon Marsh led off the top of the second inning with Milwaukee ahead 1-0, bases empty, and nobody out. Misiorowski opened the at-bat with a 102 mph four-seam fastball for a swinging strike, then threw an 89 mph curveball that Marsh fouled off to fall to 0-2. The third pitch — another four-seam fastball at 103.1 mph — produced a swinging third strike. 4. Misiorowski Strikes Out Rincones Jr. on a Fastball (+2.40 Win Expectancy) Gabriel Rincones Jr. led off the third inning with Milwaukee leading 2-0, nobody on, and nobody out. Misiorowski got ahead with a 101.9 mph four-seam fastball that Rincones fouled off, then threw a 97.6 mph cutter for another foul to go to 0-2. The strikeout pitch was a 103.0 mph four-seam fastball that Rincones swung through. The at-bat moved Milwaukee's win probability from 71.2% to 73.6%, keeping the Phillies scoreless to open the third. 3. Misiorowski Strikes Out Marsh for His 10th Strikeout (+2.90 Win Expectancy) Brandon Marsh led off the top of the fifth with Milwaukee holding a 2-0 lead. It was Marsh's second plate appearance against Misiorowski, who had struck him out on three pitches in the second. This time Marsh extended the at-bat to four pitches: a 99.9 mph fastball swung through for strike one, a 91.2 mph changeup fouled off for strike two, a 100.5 mph fastball missed for ball one, then a 101.0 mph fastball for the strikeout. 2. Misiorowski Strikes Out Turner with a Runner On (+4.20 Win Expectancy) With Kyle Schwarber having singled to lead off the fourth inning, Misiorowski faced Trea Turner with nobody out and the runner at first. A hit here could have brought the Phillies within a run and changed the trajectory of the game. Misiorowski attacked immediately: a 97.3 mph cutter that was fouled off, then a 101.8 four-seamer to go 0-2, then a 100.4 mph fastball that Turner swung through for strike three. 1. Harper Grounds into Double Play on a Cutter (+6.00 Win Expectancy) With Schwarber still at first and one out, Misiorowski faced Bryce Harper in the only inning of the night that produced a scoring threat. Misiorowski opened with a 100.4 mph fastball called for a strike, then missed with a 95.6 mph cutter and a 100.3 mph fastball to run the count to 2-1. The fourth pitch was a 95.9 mph cutter that Harper hit at 103.0 mph off the bat back toward second base. Brice Turang fielded it, flipped to Joey Ortiz at second, and the throw to first completed the inning-ending double play. The Brewers and Phillies continue their three-game series at American Family Field on Saturday, June 13, with first pitch scheduled for 6:10 p.m. CT. Shane Drohan (3-1, 3.11 ERA) is expected to start for Milwaukee against Philadelphia's Aaron Nola (3-4, 5.86 ERA). View the full article

When asked what the New York Mets needed to improve upon this past offseason, president of baseball operations David Stearns said the same two words over and over again: run prevention. Little did he know that the moves he made prevented runs scored for his own team. Stearns' first move of the offseason came out of left field. as franchise favorite Brandon Nimmo was traded to the Texas Rangers for veteran Marcus Semien. The Mets saw second base as more of a need than the outfield and with hindsight, Carson Benge is proving them right. However, that does not mean Semien has been good. The veteran infielder was brought over for his Gold Glove defense, but Semien is currently the second worst defensive second basemen per outs above average. Combined with a measly 13th percentile defensive run value, he is certainly not what the Mets envisioned him to be. And, really, that move was a precursor to the entire offseason. You say that Stearns uses the Mets payroll in a rather unorthodox way; certain signings have made even the most diehard fans very spectacle to say the least. The Mets first major signing after losing franchise legends Brandon Nimmo, Edwin Diaz and Pete Alonso in consecutive days was the signing of Jorge Polanco. Polanco, who turns 33 this year, is a career second basemen and with mostly every other first base option available to the Mets -- including Munetaka Murakami, Cody Bellinger, Josh Naylor, Luis Arraez, Ryan O’Hearn and Willson Contreras -- the signing was a head-scratcher. The Mets also had prospect Ryan Clifford available for a potential call up. Nonetheless, the Mets committed 40 million dollars to Polanco over two years, and so far it has not panned out the way Stearns hoped. The 13-year veteran has had troubles staying on the field in the past and this season is no different. Polanco has only appeared in 14 games so far due to left Achilles bursitis and a right wrist contusion. In those games, he slashed .179/.246/.286. The best ability is availability, and Polanco has not shown that yet this season, especially since his long awaited rehab assignment was shut down due to ankle soreness. So far in his tenure with the Mets, Stearns has not been deterred by injury history and most of the time it does not go his way. That has been the story of Luis Robert Jr.'s season as well. Like Polanco, Robert has struggled staying on the field in his career with lower body injuries, only managing one fully healthy season. With Carson Benge making the roster on opening day and A.J. Ewing called up shortly after, it can be asked why the trade for Robert needed to happen in the first place. If Robert returns from his lumbar spine disc herniation injury in July, its hard to nail down who he would replace. The Mets are not sitting Juan Soto or Benge, while Ewing has proven to be a quality major leaguer (MJ Melendez has been good as well this season). The real move that deserves our consternation, though, was the big splash: A three-year, $126 million deal with Bo Bichette. Bichette was moved to third base to form a star duo with Francisco Lindor on the left side of the infield, and the deal was Stearns’ dream scenario with the short-term. high-AAV setup that he loves. There’s no way it would not work out right? Wrong. Through 65 games, the Mets have yet to see the Bo Bichette who hits around .300. He's hitting just .227 with a 72 wRC+ so far this season. Although the underlying stats show that Bichette might be getting unlucky, a player can only use that excuse for so long. Juan Soto started off last season getting very unlucky and had a scorching hot June to end the discussions. Bichette has yet to show Mets fans there is light on the end of the tunnel and if there isn’t, we could be seeing one of the worst contracts in Mets history being played out in front of our eyes. There is no question that if David Stearns wants to remain with the Mets, he needs to be better at evaluating players at the major-league level. If the Mets want to be second in payroll to the Dodgers year after year, fans expect a team that looks like the Dodgers, not a team that is firmly in last place in the NL East. View the full article

The month of June continues to bring incredible joy to Miami Marlins fans. With a 8-3 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Friday, the Marlins are winners of nine out of their last 10 games since the calendar flipped. This latest victory also featured a major milestone for Sandy Alcantara, who surpassed 1,000 strikeouts in his MLB career. Entering his start, Alcantara was five strikeouts away from 1,000. In the bottom of the fourth inning, he struck out Pirates rookie Tyler Callihan looking with his sweeper. The right-hander finished his night going eight innings, allowing three runs on five hits (two home runs) with one walk and seven strikeouts. Alcantara was one of four players acquired by the Marlins in the 2017 trade that sent Marcell Ozuna to the St. Louis Cardinals. He won the NL Cy Young Award in unanimous fashion in 2022 and has made it to two All-Star games. There has been some adversity, including Tommy John surgery in October 2023 and an extended slump to begin the 2025 season, but Alcantara has since gotten back to be an extremely valuable workhorse for the Fish. Alcantara's first 10 strikeouts were recorded as a member of the Cardinals. His Marlins total of 991 trails only Ricky Nolasco (1,001). Expect Alcantara to take over that franchise record by the end of this month. Against a Pittsburgh team missing starting shortstop Konnor Griffin and center fielder Oneil Cruz due to injuries, Alcantara generated 11 total whiffs, with four of those coming on his sinker. Of his seven strikeouts, three of them came on his nasty changeup. He was his usual efficient self, averaging 12.8 pitches per inning. Alcantara has now tossed at least eight innings in 33 starts with Miami, tied with Dontrelle Willis for the most such outings by a starter in franchise history. "We've seen three in a row where he's put together some high-end performances, but really, all year long, the innings he's been able to accumulate and what that does every fifth/sixth day," McCullough said. "Going into tomorrow which is a bullpen game, for him to give us eight innings and to get another win behind him, is great. He is in a good groove right now." Alcantara has completed seven innings of more in three straight starts, surrendering three or less runs in all of them. His ERA in June is 2.86. Through 15 starts this season, he has a 4.25 ERA, 4.14 FIP, 6.57 K/9 and 2.13 BB/9 while leading Major League Baseball with 97 ⅓ innings pitched. In the bottom of the third inning, Alcantara surrendered an RBI single to Jared Triolo, giving the Pirates a 1-0 lead. The Marlins tied and took the lead in the top of the fifth inning, as Otto Lopez had an RBI groundout and Kyle Stowers drove in Liam Hicks on an RBI single. The only downside to Alcantara's night were the two home runs he allowed—one in the top of the fifth inning to Endy Rodríguez, tying the game at two, and another in the eighth inning to Brandon Lowe, making it an 8-3 game. Miami's offense exploded in the top of the seventh inning, rallying for four runs. It all started with a sacrifice fly from Xavier Edwards, bringing Liam Hicks home. Heriberto Hernández added an RBI single and Owen Caissie capped off the inning with a two-run RBI double. Hicks sealed the deal in the top of the eighth inning, hitting his team-leading 13th home run of the season off the right field foul pole. Now at 50 RBI this season, Hicks has become one of six players in baseball with 50 or more RBI this season. "Feel like the lineup has lengthened out now and we are able to mount innings from different parts of the lineup and that's a good sign," McCullough said. The Marlins' winning percentage is now back at .500 for the first time since April 24, when they had a 13-13 record. They also have baseball's longest winning streak and are just one game out of the third National League Wild Card spot. Lake Bachar will open what will be a bullpen game on Saturday at 4:05 pm. Fish On First's Nate Karzmer will have boots on ground in Pittsburgh as the Marlins aim for their fourth straight series win. View the full article

New papa Trent Thornton is back in the Chicago Cubs' bullpen. Thornton on Friday was activated from the paternity list by the Cubs, who sent down fellow right-handed reliever Tyler Ferguson to Triple-A Iowa. Thornton went on the paternity list Tuesday. Ferguson appeared in one game after being called up to replace Ferguson, going 1⅓ innings and giving up one run on three hits with no walks and three punchouts. It was his second MLB appearance this year after the May 5 game against the Philadelphia Phillies while he was a member of the A's. In that game, he gave up four runs on four hits, including two homers, with a strikeout in 1⅓ innings. He was designated for assignment by the A's the next day and traded to the Cubs the day after. View the full article

Following a scary incident the night before, Seth Lugo will be out for the next week. The Kansas City Royals on Friday placed the right-handed starter on the seven-day concussion list and promoted right-handed reliever Eli Morgan from Triple-A Omaha. Lugo took a 106.6 line drive off his forehead Thursday off the bat of good friend Brandon Nimmo of the Texas Rangers in the fourth inning of a 4-2 loss. Lugo was able to walk off the field under his own power and even joked with Nimmo about hitting the ball somewhere else next time. Lugo was left with a pretty good welt on his forehead with an indent from the seams of the baseball visible. He said he felt fine after the game, but concussions don't always present immediately. Lugo has a 3.57 FIP (3.86 ERA) in 14 starts, with a 7.5% walk rate and 19.8% strikeout rate. This is the fourth time Morgan has been recalled from Omaha. In his 13 games this season with the Royals, Morgan has a 6.29 FIP (5.51 ERA) in 16⅓ innings, posting a 9.9% walk rate and 18.5% strikeout rate. At Triple-A, he has a 1.38 ERA in 13 innings over 11 appearances, walking six and striking out 21. View the full article