Posts

Posted on

Taking Wing: Juan Sanchez

CLEARWATER, FL - MARCH 21: Juan Sanchez #13 of the Toronto Blue Jays bats during the game between the Toronto Blue Jays and the Philadelphia Phillies at BayCare Ballpark on Saturday, March 21, 2026 in Clearwater, Florida. (Photo by Nathan Ray Seebeck/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images

The Jays’ International Free Agent pipeline has been a bit down in recent years. Vladimir Guerrero jr. and Alejandro Kirk are homegrown stars who signed at 16, but they’re it on the roster right now. There isn’t a ton of immediate promise on the farm, either. Recent top dollar signings, including like Manuel Beltre, Luis Meza, and Enmanuel Bonilla have crashed out in the low minors. On our top 40, the highest rated homegrown IFA was Fernando Perez at #8, and he’s slammed into a wall at AA this season and is now on the non-injury development list trying to rebuild his arsenal. He’s joined by Victor Arias, another prospect struggling a bit in New Hampshire, Silvano Hechavarria, who signed at 20 out of Cuba and so effectively represents a different class of prospect, and Juan Caricote, this year’s big signing who’s just getting his feet wet in the Dominican Summer League.

Juan Sanchez, our #12 pre-season prospect, represents one of the few bright spots. He was actually the third largest bonus the Jays handed out last year, behind Cristopher Polanco (not looking great) and Seojun Moon (just 5 appearances at the complex so far, but early reports are intriguing). Sanchez got off to a hot start to his pro career, posting a .341/.439/.565 line that was the 11th best in the DSL, with most of the guys ahead of him being older players repeating the level.

The Jays rewarded his precocious debut with a jump over the complex and straight to A ball to begin the 2026 season. Sanchez is one of just 11 qualified hitters 18 or younger in full season ball. The early returns weren’t promising. Through his first 20 games, Sanchez was hitting just .118, with a 30% strikeout rate and just two extra base hits. Since then, though, he’s found his footing, trimming his strikeout rate to 25% and posting 13 XBH, including a triple and three homers, for a .313/.367/.554 line.

The cornerstone of Sanchez’ game is power. He’s listed at 6’3” and 180lbs, and while he already looks substantial his shoulders are broad and he has plenty of room to pack on good weight. He’ll probably be huge as a full grown man. Baseball America notes in their scouting report that he hit a ball over 115mph last season. That would be a monster number for a 17 year old, and he hasn’t gotten close to that this season, but his hard hit rate is a respectable 37%, and 45% since things started to click for him this time last month. His swing also naturally produces his hardest contact in the 8-32 degree range of launch angles that accounts for almost all extra base hits and home runs. This is the profile of a potential 30 home run hitter if he can refine his hit tool enough to allow all that power to play in games.

Admittedly, there’s work to do on that front. Sanchez has been aggressive this year, swinging at right around 50% of the pitches he sees. He’s chased exactly a third of the time against a 66.1% in-zone swing rate. That’s not terrible plate discipline, but it’s not great either. He’s also got a fair bit of swing and miss in his game. His in-zone contact rate is 75.1%. That’s a huge drop from the 89% he posted in the DSL, but he’s trending in the right direction by raising it to 78.3% over the past month. That’ll be a key thing to watch going forward. League average zone contact is around 85%. It’s fine if Sanchez comes in a bit below that if it’s the result of a swing that allows him to use his power, but not many productive hitters land below 75%, and ideally he’d get into the 80s. Contact outside the zone is less important, but his 39% rate there is also low.

The good news is that I think experience and pitch selection are a bit part of the issue. He has great bat speed and doesn’t have trouble catching up to high heat, with a contact rate of 80% on fastballs 94 and above in the zone. The big issue seems to be on breaking balls, which he whiffs on in the zone and chases below it far too often. That’s hardly a surprise for a teenager who’s suddenly facing a steady diet of college drafted pitchers whose arsenals and approach are far beyond anything he’s seen before. Over time, he’ll hopefully learn to lay off and adjust to pro quality breakers, and indeed his improvement over the last month shows that he’s already taking steps in that direction.

Sanchez has mostly played third base so far this season, moving off shortstop in deference to Jojo Parker. That’s probably his long term home anyway, as he’s already a fringy runner who’s almost certainly going to slow down as he bulks up. His actions are just OK, but he has a strong arm that can make all the throws for the position and I think he can stick on the dirt. He projects as a 5-6 hitting slugger whose big power production more than makes up for lower averages. There’s a lot of ground to cover between here and there, but his holding his own and showing he can adjust after big jumps in competition this season cements him as a major prospect and a bright spot in the international talent pipeline.

Posted on

Rasmus Dahlin Opens Up On Playoff Heartbreak, Leadership And A New-Look Sabres

Sometimes the most important trophy a player wins never finds a spot in the display case.

Rasmus Dahlin returned to Sweden this summer without a Norris Trophy or a Masterton Trophy, but after navigating the most demanding year of his career—both as the captain of a rising Buffalo Sabres team and as someone who nearly lost the person closest to him—the 25-year-old leaves the season with something far more valuable: proof that he and the Sabres are finally headed in the right direction.

The 2025-26 campaign delivered a pair of career milestones for Dahlin, who earned his first top-three finish for both the Norris Trophy as the NHL's best defenseman and the Masterton Trophy, awarded for perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to hockey.

Just as meaningful was another first.

For the first time in his NHL career, Dahlin experienced Stanley Cup Playoff hockey, and it didn't take long for the moment to feel surprisingly familiar.

“It took me a couple of games to realize it's not that big of a deal," Dahlin stated during his end-of-season press conference. "Everybody talks about playoffs, that you need experience and this and that. But at the end of the day, it's just hockey. It's high compete hockey, and once me, and we realized that, we just went out there and played."

More than anything, Buffalo's captain believes the postseason proved something internally—that the Sabres belong.

“We definitely took a step in the right direction," Dahlin said. "We've really grown as an organization, as a team, as individuals. It's a sour taste in your mouth after that [Game 7] loss [to Montreal], but in the big picture, we've done some good things this year. I'm excited for the future.”

How One Brutal Conversation Changed The Buffalo Sabres' Entire Season

That optimism doesn't erase the disappointment.

Buffalo had every opportunity to eliminate Montreal and punch its ticket to the Eastern Conference Final against Carolina before three losses at KeyBank Center ultimately ended the season. The Game 7 overtime defeat remains fresh, but Dahlin expects that pain to become fuel rather than frustration.

“It's definitely going to be a motivator," he said. "At the end of the day, we didn't even come halfway during the playoffs, and we know how hard it is to win.

“Game 7, it's one shot that decides the whole season, and we could've scored a little earlier and the season would've been still going. So I'm sure everybody is going to go back to their places and train really hard.”

The foundation for Buffalo's turnaround, however, wasn't built during the playoffs.

It began months earlier in Calgary, when head coach Lindy Ruff met privately with his leadership group. Dahlin then gathered those same players for an honest conversation as the Sabres sat at the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings.

There were no excuses left to make.

“The meetings and team building stuff we had, and us coming together as a group and realizing, 'OK, we can bitch about so many things, but it's us players that have to do it. We have to get better.' And when we really, really realized that on a deep level, things changed, and we started being more accountable to each other,” Dahlin recalled.

That accountability wasn't about systems or strategy.

It started with the mirror.

"It's everything," he explained. "You can only imagine that when you're doing great, everything else is the problem. 'Not me. He is not doing the right thing, or this or that.' But when you look at yourself in the mirror, that's what it comes down to.”

The results followed.

Buffalo improved by 30 points over last season, with Ruff's demanding approach helping establish a culture that Dahlin believes brought out the best in the group.

“He's so good at pushing us. There's no time for f'ing around. You gotta be uncomfortable every day, and I think that's what really helped with us as a group too, and that brought a lot of success for sure,” Dahlin said.

After Heartbreak On And Off The Ice, Rasmus Dahlin Is Just Getting Started

For Dahlin, the season carried a much deeper perspective than wins and losses.

Last summer, his fiancée, Carolina Matovac, nearly died multiple times from heart failure before receiving a life-saving heart transplant. Throughout that ordeal, Dahlin says the support from Buffalo never went unnoticed.

“I can't be more thankful for everything with the stuff I went through," he said. "It seemed like the whole city had my back, and the team and the organization, I felt a lot of love, honestly. I can't be more thankful, and I do really appreciate it.”

There won't be much downtime this offseason.

Like every elite player, Dahlin is already thinking about the next step, and he knows exactly where he wants to improve.

“I'm excited to get back in the gym, get more explosive, get faster, have better condition, be able to play higher quality in higher minutes. But I think my explosiveness has to get better," Dahlin said candidly.

The hardware may have gone elsewhere—finishing behind Cale Makar and Norris Trophy winner Zach Werenski while Gabriel Landeskog claimed the Masterton—but Dahlin's breakout season felt less like the peak of his career than the beginning of something much bigger.

For the first time in years, both the Sabres and their captain have something they've been chasing just as long as a trophy: genuine belief.

Image
Posted on

Seven teams now make up Padres minor leagues

The Dominican Summer League (DSL) season got underway on June 2. The season is 72 games long and ends in August. The Padres have two DSL teams, Padres Gold and Padres Brown, with the Gold team defending its championship from last season.

With the addition of the ACL Padres and the two DSL teams, the Padres now have seven minor league teams playing games. The prospect lists have been updated for the end of May/beginning of June. Catcher Ethan Salas has improved his status as a prospect, moving up from No. 27 to No. 11 on the Baseball America prospect list. MLB.com lists Salas as the No. 49 prospect in baseball.

LHP Kruz Schoolcraft, who started the year in the MLB top 100 prospects, has slipped off the list. His slow start with Lake Elsinore has undermined his early value. His velocity was down to start the year but his last couple starts have shown improvement and his future value could be improved.

Besides those two players, no one else in the Padres system will receive any national attention until they prove they deserve consideration. San Diego president of baseball operations A.J. Preller has stated on multiple occasions that the Padres prospects are valued by other teams more than they are by national evaluators.

The coming trade deadline, on Aug. 3, is when Padres fans will find out if Preller believes his team is a playoff team by the way he handles business at the deadline. Multiple players have helped Preller out by distinguishing themselves early in the season. The real test comes when the teams begin to play each other for the second time around and if adjustments come to maintain success.

El Paso Chihuahuas (51-79 record, last in the PCL East)

With the promotion of Samad Taylor and Jase Bowen, the Chihuahuas lost two of their most productive players. They went 2-4 in their series versus the Sugar Land Space Cowboys. Outfielder Nick Solak has stepped into the leading role for El Paso. In the six-game series he had 13 hits with two doubles and two home runs. Solak, 31, has had major league experience and is hitting .344/.421/.536. Oufielder Nick Schnell leads the team with 10 home runs and Solak has 39 RBI.

RHP Germán Márquez has begun his rehab assignment and has pitched 6.1 innings over two starts with no runs allowed and only two hits. He has walked one and has five strikeouts. Evan Fitterer remains the most effective starter for El Paso with 11 games started and a 3.80 ERA in 45 innings pitched. JP Sears continues to lead the team in strikeouts despite being hit hard and often. He has a 7.62 ERA in 54.1 innings pitched.

Catcher Blake Hunt has been off the IL for a week and back with El Paso. He had five hits, including a double and a home run, in the four games he has played.

San Antonio Missions (25-32 record, last in Texas League South)

The Missions went 5-1 in their series with the Wichita Wind Surge and resurgent OF Braedon Karpathios was part of the reason. Karpathios, a 2022 undrafted free agent sign, had a difficult start to the season but has surged over the past week. In their six-game series he was 9-for-19 with nine walks. Since May 1, he has a .920 OPS.

Catcher Ethan Salas, who has been consistently hot since the season began, had a little cooling off stretch despite celebrating his 20th birthday on June 1. He only had three hits and no extra base hits with three walks. He stole his 12th base, a new high for him in his career.

Infielder Carson Tucker leads the team with a .299 average and Karpathios has the best OBP at .373. Salas has a slug of .462 and the most RBI with 31. First baseman Romeo Sanabria also had a good series with two doubles and two home runs to keep him close to Salas in production.

The Missions bullpen is their strength in pitching. Both Francis Peña and Andrew Moore shined for the bullpen. Peña has a 1.93 ERA in 23.1 innings and Moore has a 2.29 ERA in 19.2 innings.

LHP Jagger Haynes had his best start, pitching 5,2 innings with two runs allowed. RHP Miguel Mendez has been brought back slowly after his early season neck strain and pitched five innings in his last start with no runs allowed. He gave up two hits and struck out four. His fastball was clocked at 96-97 mph and his location is improving (report per Ben Davey of MadFriars.com).

Fort Wayne TinCaps (24-33, 5th Medwest League East)

The TinCaps faced the Lake County Captains for their six-game series and went 1-5 for the week. The starters struggled with command during the series. LHP Kash Mayfield had his worst outing of the year. His five innings were pitched under poor conditions for the pitchers. A strong wind blowing out aided the three home runs he allowed with the seven hits and two walks. Mayfield has only allowed two previous home runs in his other starts.

RHP Carson Montgomery worked five innings while struggling with his command. He allowed three runs on two hits and walked five. He was able to strike out six hitters and has a 2.40 ERA overall. Reliever Clay Edmondson had his first rough outing, allowing three hits, three runs and two walks in 0.2 innings. His ERA is now 1.59.

RHP Tucker Musgrove is building off his breakout season of last year. His fastball tops at 99 mph and his sweeper at 98 mph. In his last 10.1 innings pitched he has a 1.69 ERA and 47% strikeout rate. (report per Clark Fahrenthold of MadFriars.com).

Outfielder Jake Cunningham continues to lead the TinCaps offense. He is hitting .295/.383/.628 with 10 doubles, 14 home runs and 32 RBI. Four of those homers came in the past week but he also leads the team in strikeouts with 56 and his swing-and-miss will need to improve. Outfielder Alex McCoy is in another slump and is seeing mostly breaking balls in his at-bats. The league has adjusted to his success against the fastball and he isn’t seeing many of those. He will need to adjust back in order to maintain his early success.

Lake Elsinore Storm (33-24 record, 1st in Cal League South)

The Storm went 3-3 in their six-game series against the Fresno Grizzlies. They maintained their top spot in the Cal League and have the best record as well.

LHP Kruz Schoolcraft got his first win as a pro player, pitching five innings with one run and three hits. He got three strikeouts and allowed no walks. RHP Jesus Castro has also been pitching well and threw five innings with three hits, two walks and five strikeouts while shutting out the opponents. The 18-year-old has a 3.05 ERA and has bypassed Winyer Chourio as the most effective Storm starter. Chourio still leads with 60 strikeouts to 22 walks.

Reliever Nick Falter has a 2.25 ERA over 40 innings and has one save. He has 39 strikeouts to 13 walks.

Catcher Ty Harvey, out for the next month or so after being hit by a swing and breaking his hand, still leads the Storm with a .340 average. Infielder Luke Cantwell, back after his three-week injury stint, has a leading .477 OBP. Infielder Kerrington Cross leads in slug and OPS (.570/.1.037) with eight home runs and 30 RBI. He played first base while Cantwell was injured but is also a third baseman.

Outfielder Ryan Wideman had a great week against Fresno, with two doubles and a home run. He added another stolen base to his total of 37 but was caught three times (he has 12 caught stealing for the year). Infielder Jose Verdugo, 18, also had a good week with two doubles and a home run. Not known for his power, Verdugo hit safely in every game of the series and is hitting .287.

ACL Padres (13-13 record, 3rd in ACL West)

With just 26 games played, there have been some noticeable standouts for the rookie league already. Infielder/DH Santiago Vargas, a switch hitter, was signed in January of 2025 but didn’t play in the DSL last season. He has begun his pro career with a bang and has a .315/.367/.556 batting line with three doubles, two triples, two homers and 15 RBI in 16 games.

3B Dawson Willis, an undrafted free agent from Louisiana, is hitting .317/.404/.634 with five doubles, a triple, two homers and six RBI in 11 games. Outfielder Moises Valdez, 20, is hitting .405/.435/.524 with five doubles and five RBI in 12 games.

Lefty reliever Zack Qin is off the IL but remains in Arizona. He has a 1.15 ERA in 15.2 innings. Padres signed reliever Daison Acosta before the season and then designated him for assignment during the spring. He went on the IL almost immediately after camp started and has now begun his rehab with the ACL team. Ty Adcock finished his rehab and is with El Paso.

RHP Lang-Hong Su has three starts and 10 innings pitched with a 0.90 ERA. Reliever Bernard Jose has a 1.29 ERA in 14 innings with 25 strikeouts to two walks.

DSL Padres

The DSL Brown Padres have played six games and have a 1-5 record. RHP Yoel Duarte is a top international prospect that signed with the Padres and is playing for Brown. The 17-year-old from Venezuela has not pitched yet. With six games played, second baseman Osmy Osorio leads the team with a .304 average and 1.012 OPS.

RHP Yolansy Perez has a 2.25 ERA in four innings pitched with three strikeouts and no walks.

The DSL Padres Gold (3-2, 4th DSL Northwest) have several of the top rated international players signed by the Padres. Shortstop Joniel Harnandez, SS/3B Timothy Mogen, catcher Jhonneiker Leon, LHP Diego Serna, and RHP Jordan Perez all begin with the Gold.

Hernandez is hitting .350 with a .931 OPS in five games. Mogen, playing third base, is hitting .167 in five games. Leon has a .067 average in four games. Serna has not pitched yet and Perez has a 27.00 ERA in one inning pitched, allowing three runs.

Posted on

Fantasy Baseball Closer Report: Josh Hader off to strong start in return from injury

In this week's Closer Report, Josh Hader is looking excellent in his first week back from injury. Andrés Muñoz continues to struggle with run prevention despite strong underlying skills. And David Bednar appears to be coming around amid his best stretch of the season. All that and more as we break down the last week in saves around baseball.

⚾️ Baseball is back! MLB returns to NBC and Peacock in 2026! In addition to becoming the exclusive home of Sunday Night Baseball, NBC Sports will broadcast MLB Sunday Leadoff, “Opening Day” and Labor Day primetime games, the first round of the MLB Draft, the entire Wild Card round of the postseason, and much more.

Check out this week’s Stolen Base Report!

2026 Fantasy Baseball Closer Rankings

▶ Tier 1

Mason Miller - San Diego Padres
Cade Smith - Cleveland Guardians
Jhoan Duran - Philadelphia Phillies
Aroldis Chapman - Boston Red Sox
Raisel Iglesias- Atlanta Braves

Miller made four appearances this week, but only one came in a save situation. After giving up one run to the Mets on Friday, he bounced back with a scoreless inning on Saturday for his 18th save, then made two more clean outings in back-to-back games against the Reds.

It was a rare quiet week on the mound for Smith, who made one appearance against the Yankees, recording five outs in a non-save situation. Still, he continues to lead baseball with 21 saves to go with a 2.67 ERA, 1.05 WHIP, and 46 strikeouts over 30 1/3 innings.

Duran worked two saves against the White Sox and Blue Jays, then had a rare bad day on the mound, giving up two runs against Toronto on Tuesday to blow a save chance. Duran recovered on Wednesday, keeping the Blue Jays scoreless to convert his 17th save.

Chapman has apparently been dealing with a minor hamstring issue over the last week, but was able to tough it out for a save against the Yankees on Friday. The 38-year-old left-hander is up to 13 saves with a 0.46 ERA, 0.92 WHIP, and 26 strikeouts over 19 2/3 innings. The expectation is that the veteran closer will be pitching for a new team by the trade deadline.

Iglesias converted back-to-back saves against the Pirates on Friday and Saturday, bringing his total to 13. He then surrendered a run against the White Sox on Tuesday to take a loss. It was just his third run allowed all season, giving him a 1.21 ERA, 0.94 WHIP, and 26 strikeouts over 22 1/3 innings.

▶ Tier 2

Bryan Baker - Tampa Bay Rays
Louis Varland - Toronto Blue Jays
Josh Hader - Houston Astros
Andrés Muñoz - Seattle Mariners
Daniel Palencia - Chicago Cubs
Tanner Scott - Los Angeles Dodgers
Gregory Soto - Pittsburgh Pirates
Paul Sewald - Arizona Diamondbacks
David Bednar - New York Yankees

Baker started this week's series against the Red Sox with back-to-back saves on Monday and Tuesday. He continues to dominate the ninth inning for the Rays, converting 18 of 21 save chances with a 1.98 ERA, 0.99 WHIP, and 30 strikeouts over 27 1/3 innings. The same can be said for Varland, who's actually having one of the best seasons among all relievers, posting a 0.50 ERA, 0.98 WHIP, and 46 strikeouts over 35 2/3 innings. He added three saves and a win this week. Both Baker and Varland probably belong among the top tier at this point. Track record and more role security separate the relievers above.

Hader has now made four appearances since coming off the injured list. He's allowed just one baserunner on a walk while striking out seven of the 13 batters he's faced. The 32-year-old looks to be back to form. It's early for him, but if he has a few more impressive outings, he'll continue to rise up the ranks.

Muñoz is making it increasingly difficult to keep him this high in the rankings. Despite the strong underlying skills that really do align with his career norms, he just hasn't been able to prevent runs. He surrendered two runs against the Tigers on Sunday to blow a save and take a loss. Muñoz did recover on Monday with a save against the Orioles. The 27-year-old right-hander has posted a 5.18 ERA, 1.36 WHIP, and 37 strikeouts over 24 1/3 innings. Given his strikeout-to-walk ratio is among the best he's posted in his career, I'll keep holding out hope he corrects what is making him suddenly so hittable.

This is where things get tough. What does Palencia have to do to get a save chance? His last save came on May 14. He's been stuck at three saves since. He made three appearances this week and holds a 2.87 ERA, 1.40 WHIP, and 16 strikeouts over 15 2/3 innings.

Scott has been in the middle of a rough stretch, giving up five runs over his last five outings. He took a loss against the Diamondbacks last Thursday, then pitched in two non-save situations. Meanwhile, Soto gave up two runs before holding on for his ninth save on Wednesday against the Dodgers.

And in Arizona, Sewald fell in line for a win with a scoreless inning against the Dodgers last Thursday. A.J. Puk is currently on a rehab assignment with Triple-A Reno and could be back with the Diamondbacks in the next week or so. Still, I'd expect Sewald to continue working as the team's closer.

Bednar had one of his better weeks on the mound, making three scoreless appearances that included five outs against the Guardians on Monday to fall in line for a win. That makes six straight scoreless outings for his best stretch of the season. The 31-year-old right-hander holds a 3.90 ERA, 1.41 WHIP, and 33 strikeouts over 27 2/3 innings.

▶ Tier 3

Riley O'Brien - St. Louis Cardinals
Jacob Latz - Texas Rangers
Devin Williams - New York Mets
Trevor Megill - Milwaukee Brewers
Grant Taylor/Seranthony Domínguez - Chicago White Sox
Pete Fairbanks - Miami Marlins

O'Brien got back on track this week with a pair of scoreless outings, picking up two saves against the Reds. He's up to 17 with a 3.68 ERA, 1.16 WHIP, and 31 strikeouts over 29 1/3 innings.

In Texas, Latz made two appearances this week, completing a two-inning save against the Guardians on Friday before locking down a save in extra innings against the Royals on Wednesday. The save was his tenth of the season with an excellent 1.80 ERA over 30 innings.

Williams appeared in one game, giving up one run in a non-save situation against the Padres on Sunday. So far, it's been essentially a repeat of last season's struggles, as he's recorded a 5.57 ERA, 1.57 WHIP, and 33 strikeouts over 21 innings.

After giving up two runs to blow a save chance against the Rockies on Friday, Megill was unavailable to pitch on Monday against the A's due to oblique tightness. It was encouraging then to see him make an appearance on Wednesday, striking out two in a scoreless frame in a non-save situation against the A's.

Things look to have shifted again with the White Sox. All three of Domíguez's outings this week came before the ninth inning. Meanwhile, Taylor pitched the ninth in both of his appearances, picking up a save and a win. The last time Taylor earned a save, Domíguez stepped back in for the next few save chances. Should Taylor settle into the ninth this time around, he can quickly rise up the rankings for the rest of the season.

Fairbanks gave up two runs against the Rays on Saturday, but was still credited with a hold before Tyler Zuber stepped in to record the save. He then bounced back with a scoreless outing against the Diamondbacks on Tuesday to fall in line for a win.

▶ Tier 4

Alex Lange - Kansas City Royals
Rico Garcia - Baltimore Orioles
Kaleb Killian/Keaton Winn - San Francisco Giants
Clayton Beeter/Gus Varland - Washington Nationals
Kyle Finnegan/Will Vest - Detroit Tigers

Things get incredibly messy from here on. Lange has taken over closing duties in Kansas City following Lucas Erceg's struggles. He rattled off four consecutive saves, then took the loss on Wednesday in extra innings against the Rangers. Lange's walk problems persist, making him a volatile and risky option for those looking for saves.

Garcia surrendered runs in back-to-back outings this week, taking a loss on Tuesday against the Mariners. Ryan Helsley progressed to facing live hitters this week as he works his way back from right elbow inflammation. The next step will be a rehab assignment before he's activated from the injured list.

The Giants continue to have trouble finding consistency in the late innings. Winn has given up six runs over his last five outings. Kilian picked up a save on Thursday, his fourth of the season, then made two more scoreless appearances in non-save situations. Don't expect any reliable save sources here. The same can be said about the Nationals. Varland recorded his fifth save, then surrendered three runs without recording an out against the Giants on Wednesday. Meanwhile, Beeter earned a win against the Giants on Monday.

No saves for the Tigers this week, but Vest did pick up a win with a scoreless inning against the Mariners on Sunday. Kenley Jansen is on his way back from a groin injury after starting a rehab assignment with Triple-A Toledo on Wednesday. He may just need an outing or two before he's activated and should step back into the closer role.

▶ Tier 5

Antonio Senzatela - Colorado Rockies
Tony Santillan/Brock Burke- Cincinnati Reds
Kirby Yates - Los Angeles Angels
Yoendrys Gómez/Eric Orze - Minnesota Twins
Elvis Alvarado/Hogan Harris - Athletics

Posted on

Astros Drop Series Finale to Angels 3-2 in 10

ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA - JUNE 10: Cam Smith #11 of the Houston Astros rounds the bases on a solo home run during the seventh inning against the Los Angeles Angels at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on June 10, 2026 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Melina Pizano/Getty Images) | Getty Images

For the second time in three nights, it would require extra innings.   This time however, the Astros wouldn’t be as fortunate as they were 48 hours earlier in the series opener, dropping the finale to the Angels by a score of 3-2.   Former Astro Jose Siri would deliver the final blow with an RBI single which brought home Nick Madrigal, who served as the automatic runner with the winning score.    Bryan Abreu would take the loss in relief, allowing a pair of hits on only seven pitches.    

The only good news of the night was that the Astros hit two home runs.   The bad news, those HRs represented their only two hits before Alvarez and Walker reached base in the 9th.   

With each passing inning, there was a sense that the season is slowly slipping away.    70 games now completed with a mark of 31-39.  The Astros are again 8 games under the .500 mark, and questions continue to linger.    Is this the Astros new reality?    Are they destined to hover towards the bottom of their division?     They sit in fourth place in the A.L West, having dropped three of their last four.   

Peter Lambert delivered yet another quality start, striking out 6, but would exit in the 7th with an apparent finger injury that began to swell up on a comebacker.       

Mike Trout, playing DH on this night, started the scoring with a solo shot to straight away center field in the first inning.   It was one of only two mistakes that Peter Lambert would make, also allowing Logan O’Hoppe in the 5th to go yard with a blast to left.  The Angels this season have now hit a combined 12 home runs off of Astros pitching in their 7 meetings.    With the victory, LA has now won 4 of those 7 contests.    

The Astros wouldn’t register a hit until Shay Whitcomb led off the 6th inning with a solo shot.    The offense has been in hibernation in recent games, and on this night was dominated by Reid Detmers who struck out five of his first seven.   Detmers would finish the night with 9 K’s.   Whitcomb would be the lone baserunner that Detmers would allow.    

Upon exiting, Cam Smith would take Chase Silseth deep for his 7th home run of the season to tie things up at 2.   

In the 9th, Yordan Alvarez appeared to break a tie at home plate after an errant throw occurred off a Christian Walker double, but the call was quickly overturned.    

As the contest unfolded, encouraging news came from Sugar Land where ace Hunter Brown went 5 innings, tossing 78 pitches with 7 strikeouts in what is expected to be his final rehab start.   Brown’s fastball would register 98 MPH.   

All signs now point toward Brown returning next week to face the Tigers on the next Astros homestand.    Before that happens, Houston will next play three in Kansas City after an off-day Thursday.    

Posted on

LISTEN: Knicks, Spurs radio calls of OG Anunoby's tip-in game-winner in Game 4 of NBA Finals

The Knicks were dead in the water practically the entire night in Wednesday's Game 4 of the NBA Finals against the San Antonio Spurs. They went into halftime down by 27 points (and were down by as many as 29 points) and even after a solid third quarter, New York still found itself trailing by 20 points with around seven minutes to go.

But the team, aided by the MSG crowd all night, just kept chipping away and somehow made it a one-point game in the final seconds. With one more chance to take the lead, Jalen Brunson heaved a deep three over Victor Wembanyama that bounced off the rim and it looked like the Spurs would escape New York with two wins and a series tied.

However, with nobody boxing him out, OG Anunoby, who inbounded the pass to Brunson right before his shot, came crashing inside the paint, leapt up and was able to execute the perfect tip-in that gave the Knicks the lead with 1.2 seconds left and then the eventual win.

Naturally, the raucous crowd went insane after seeing the ball go through the net and the Knicks radio call was equally as exciting:

The tip-in was the perfect end to Anunoby's magical night, in which he scored 33 points on 10-of-15 shooting and 7-of-9 from three. He and Brunson combined for 69 points and were the main catalysts for the comeback. 

Anunoby contributed on defense as well, blocking a shot by De'Aaron Fox on a fast-break attempt on the possession prior that would've given San Antonio a three-point lead with around 10 seconds left. The decision by Fox to shoot the ball and not hold on to it to kill the clock will be debated heavily, but Anunoby's ability to block the shot without fouling Fox was also stellar and another clutch play by the do-it-all forward.

Spurs radio play-by-play Dan Weiss and Spurs legend Sean Elliott were on the radio for San Antonio and were stunned by the Anunoby play.

"Sean, you said he's played the game of his life here tonight. And he may have just made the play of his life on that play," Weiss said.

"I thought he was the X-Factor coming into this series and he's untouched," Elliott responded. "You got two guys on the ball up top with Jalen Brunson. So you have numbers for the Knicks on the offensive glass and Anunoby goes down the paint for the tip." 

Posted on

Spurs, Victor Wembanyama talk second-half collapse in Game 4 loss to Knicks: 'It was painful'

There are two sides to a comeback the likes of which the basketball world saw on Wednesday night.

While the Knicks chipped away at a 29-point deficit in the second half, eventually taking the lead and holding on in improbable fashion, the Spurs allowed such a comeback.

But why and how did it happen?

Well, it was two-fold. The hot shooting that the Spurs enjoyed in the first half -- making 59.6 percent of their shots and 53.8 from three through the first two quarters -- led to 76 points. That was lost in the third and fourth quarters as San Antonio made just 20.5 percent of their shots and 17.6 percent from three. They scored just 30 points. 

They also turned the ball over nine times in the second half, when they only had two in the first. 

"To put as much good work into that first half as we did and get the lead that we had and not finish the job, it's disappointing to say the least," Spurs coach Mitch Johnson said after the game. "We felt the momentum [shift]. Too much to overcome? I didn’t feel that way until the clock hit zero.... We got away from playing the brand of basketball that got us the lead. And then you saw At times, the aggressiveness and conviction taht we played with early on dissipated and they made some shots. We needed a couple of more tough-minded plays to finish the job."

"It began before that," Victor Wembanyama said of when the collapse started. "I can’t really explain it right now. Execution, greediness, of some sort. We clearly weren’t the most hungry in the second half." 

Wembanyama enjoyed 16 points on 6-for-11 shooting in the first half. In the second half, he scored just eight points on 3 of 14 shooting and missed two crucial free throws in the waning minutes. 

When the star center was asked about the feeling in the locker room, he described it as "painful."

"Feels like we worked too hard to give up our lead. It’s as simple as that. It just hurt," he said.

"It definitely hurt, angry. It’s all fuel for the fire for us," Spurs guard Dylan Harper, who finished with 21 points said. "We’re going to go out the next game with a sense of fire. And just move on to Game 5. Nothing we can do about it now."

The series shifts back to San Antonio as the Spurs face elimination. They've been in this situation before. In the Western Conference Finals against the Thunder, the Spurs won Game 6 at home and a deciding Game 7 on the road to eliminate the defending champions. 

That experience paints Wembanyama's outlook on the series despite being down 1-3 in the series. And he believes his teammates will respond.

"It’s going to go one of two ways," Wembanyama said. "One of two ways. A bad one and a good one. The bad one will be giving up. The good one will be getting stronger through this, getting more together and that’s what we’re going to do."

He added: "Holding each other accountable, communicating, not pointing fingers. After that, we either got it or we don’t. We’ver proven that we can surpass these difficulties but even though we haven’t been there it before, I’m convinced we are built this way. We’re going to get better from this and It’s going to tighten us up."

Game 5 takes place Saturday night with the Knicks looking to capture their first title in over 50 years.  

Posted on

7 jaw-dropping stats from the Knicks' impossible Game 4 comeback

The New York Knicksmade history in Game 4 of the NBA Finals when they overcame a 29-point deficit to beat the San Antonio Spurs 107-106 on Wednesday, June 10 at Madison Square Garden in New York.

Victor Wembanyama and the Western Conference champions put a smacking on the home team in the first half and built their 29-point lead. Then, they cooled down − starting the second half shooting 6-of-34 (17.6%) − the Defensive Player of the Year had a flagrant foul, and the Knicks kept chipping away. OG Anunoby hit the game-winning shot with 1.2 seconds left.

Anunoby finished with 33 points and Jalen Brunson added 36 points, 5 rebounds and 7 assists.

This was the largest comeback in NBA Finals history and puts the Knicks up 3-1. It was the first home win of the series for either team. In a playoff series where the first three games were won by the road teams, the winner of Game 4 is 13-3 in the series.

Here are some other Knicks stats from the epic win:

  • 29 points - largest comeback in NBA Finals history
  • NBA teams were 4-750 in the playoffs when down by 20-plus points in the fourth quarter in the playoffs in the last 30 years (per NBA stats expert Keerthika Uthayakumar)
  • The Knicks are 5-3 when down 20-plus points in the postseason the past two years. The rest of the NBA is 4-71 (per AP reporter Josh Dubow)

The Spurs had these shocking stats in the first half before giving up a 29-point lead:

  • 14 - Most 3-pointers in a half in Finals history
    • Devin Vassell - 4
    • De'Aaron Fox- 3
    • Dylan Harper - 3
    • Stephon Castle - 1
    • Julian Champagnie - 1
    • Victor Wembanyama - 1
    • Carter Bryant - 1
  • 76points - Third-highest scoring first half in Finals history (per ESPN)
  • 76 points - Most points in the first half by a road team in Finals history
  • 41-22 (19-point difference) - Largest first quarter lead by a road team in Finals history

Per the NBA, the previous record for most 3-point shots in a half was 13, which the Cleveland Cavaliers notched in 2017.

Wembanyama has had a historic playoffs, including swatting a record 12 blocks in Game 1 of the Western Conference semifinals and becoming the youngest player to notch 40-plus points and 20-plus rebounds in Game 1 of the Western Conference finals.

There is so much hype around Wemby that even Wendy's considered changing their name and menu to honor the rising star.

But maybe it's time for TGI Fridays to change its name to OG Anunoby's?

Game 5 of the NBA Finals will be at 8:30 p.m. ET on Saturday, June 13 in San Antonio.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Key stats from Knicks' comeback over Spurs in NBA Finals Game 4

Posted on

Minor League Recap: Schubart And Chourio Go Deep

Columbus Clippers 1, Indianapolis Indians 11

It was a brutal one for the Clippers in every facet of the game. They were held to just 4 hits and 3 walks, while they allowed 7 hits(including 3 HRs) and 9 walks. CJ Kayfus and Nolan Jones both had a hit and a walk. Austin Peterson limited the damage to just 3 runs but you never want to see a command pitcher walk 5 batters and only have 4 strikeouts.

Akron RubberDucks 6, Erie Seawolves 8

Luke Hill and Jaison Chourio have injected a ton of life into this offense. Ever since their promotion to AA they have both been raking. Luke Hill went 2-4 with two doubles tonight and is now hitting .370 with an OPS of 1.007 in AA. Jaison Chourio went 1-4 with a 3 run home run over the center field wall. He is now hitting .319 with an OPS of .945 since his promotion to AA. Both of these two have a good chance to jump into the top 10 Guardians prospects with their performances this season.

It was a rough game for the Akron pitching staff. Caden Favors allowed 4 runs in just 3.2 innings pitched, his ERA is up to 6.00 for the season. Jack Jasiak allowed 4 runs in his 2 innings pitched but only one of those runs was earned.

Lake County Captains 4, West Michigan Whitecaps 8

Nolan Schubart appears to be really figuring it out. He went 2-4 tonight with his 13th home run of the season and is now hitting .233 with an OPS of .866. He got off to a rough start this season and has been so much better as of late. Tommy Hawke also went 2-4 with a walk and is now hitting .315 with an OPS of .884.

It was another meh start from Michael Kennedy, who allowed 2 runs in 4 innings pitched with 5 strikeouts and 4 walks. His ERA is up to 5.35 on the season.

Hill City Howlers 7, Wilson Warbirds 8

Juneiker Caceres might be my favorite prospect in the entire system. Now that Travis Bazzana has graduated, I think he has a real argument to be a top 3 prospect in the system behind Ralphy and Genao. He went 2-4 tonight with a double and is now hitting .317 with a .921 OPS as an 18 year old in Single A. I can’t remember the last time the Guardians ever had an 18 year old in High-A but they’re going to have to promote this kid soon. He is that good. Elite contact skills, good approach, and plenty of raw power. I am beyond excited about him.

Cannon Peebles went 2-4 with two RBIs and a walk. Jose Pirela went 1-5 with an RBI single. Anthony Martinez went 3-4 with a walk, and Tyler Howard went 3-4.

After a great start to the season, Nelson Keljo has been struggling the last couple weeks. He allowed 3 more runs tonight in 4.2 innings pitched, and his ERA is now up to 4.42.

Posted on

A’s Overcome Early Deficit to Win Rubber Match Against Brewers

Jun 10, 2026; Summerlin, Nevada, USA; Athletics center fielder Lawrence Butler (4) reacts after defeating the Milwaukee Brewers at the Las Vegas Ballpark. Mandatory Credit: Lucas Peltier-Imagn Images | Lucas Peltier-Imagn Images

The Athletics and Milwaukee Brewers faced off in the rubber match of this three game interleague series. Down 3-0 after 6 1/2 innings, it looked like the A’s offense had finally cooled off in the desert heat. Yet, the team burst to life just in time and then its bullpen shut the door on the Brewers, sealing the A’s 4-3 victory in this tightly-contested series finale.

Brewers Assert Early Dominance

The Brewers struck first for a third straight game. Facing A’s starting pitcher Jack Perkins, Christian Yelich drew a leadoff walk and later scored on Andrew Vaughn’s two-out RBI single to right field. Perkins responded by striking out the next batter to strand Vaughn at second base.

The Brewers added another run in the second inning. Catcher Gary Sanchez got the inning started with his seventh home run of the season, a solo shot to left field. Perkins limited further damage, leaving David Hamilton at third after his one-out double.

Meanwhile, Brewers starting pitcher Brandon Sproat was sharp early, holding the A’s scoreless through the first two innings.

The visitors made it three in the third as center fielder Jackson Chourio crushed the first pitch of the inning 440 feet to dead center for his sixth home run of the season and second in as many games. Both home runs came on mistake pitches from Perkins, who has yet to find his rhythm as a starter. Perkins allowed two walks but no further runs, though he needed over 30 pitches to complete the inning.

A’s Threaten but Don’t Score

A’s center fielder Henry Bolte led off the A’s half of the third with an infield single, speeding down the line to beat the throw to first. He then stole second, putting himself in scoring position with no outs.

Sproat walked second baseman Jeff McNeil before the Brewers middle infield turned a slick double play on a ball off the bat of A’s shortstop Alika Williams. The right-hander promptly struck out Kurtz to end the inning. Through three innings, the A’s hit into two rally-killing double plays. Maybe the inning would have gone differently if Williams had bunted to advance the runners rather than swing away.

Game Rolls Along

Perkins tossed his first scoreless inning of the night in the fourth, which also marked the end of his laborious outing. The A’s starter allowed three runs on five hits and three walks. Offensively, the A’s could not take advantage, continuing to struggle against Sproat, who needed just 58 pitches to complete five scoreless innings.

Athletics right-handed reliever Luis Medina replaced Perkins in the fifth and needed just seven pitches to complete a scoreless inning. He remained in the game the next inning; however, the Brewers opened the sixth with back-to-back singles. Medina escaped the jam unscathed, getting Milwaukee’s shortstop Joey Ortiz to ground into an inning-ending double play.

A’s Score At Last

The A’s finally scored off Sproat in the bottom of the sixth inning. With one out, Williams hit his first MLB home run, a solo shot to left field, cutting the hosts’ deficit to two.

A’s relievers Jose Suarez and Scott Barlow combined for a scoreless top of the seventh. The Brewers stranded two runners on base in their latest attempt to extend the lead.

A’s Complete the Comeback

In the last of the seventh, the visitors turned to reliever Chad Patrick after Sproat allowed one run over six innings on just 68 pitches.

A’s right fielder Carlos Cortes welcomed Patrick to the game by hitting his sixth home run of the year, a 461 feet solo shot to right to cut his team’s deficit to one.

A’s third baseman Zack Gelof followed by lining a double to right, extending his hitting streak to 15 games. Then, right fielder Lawrence Butler came through with his biggest hit in a while. His fourth home run of the season, a 463 feet two-run rocket to center field, put the hosts up 4-3. The A’s hit 15 home runs this series, tying a franchise record for most home runs in a three-game series.

The Brewers turned to left-hander Aaron Ashby after Patrick failed to record an out. With two outs, Williams singled and then Kurtz walked. The runners advanced 90 feet on a passed ball before Soderstrom grounded out to end the inning.

Chaotic Eighth

In the eighth, Milwaukee collected two straight singles with one out. A’s left-hander Hogan Harris escaped trouble by getting pinch-hitter William Contreras to ground into an inning-ending double play, preserving the hosts’ one-run lead.

Facing new Brewers reliever Trevor Megill, A’s catcher Shea Langeliers led off the bottom of the eighth with a double to the left-center field gap. Megill retired the next three batters as the A’s failed to capitalize on a prime chance to add an insurance run.

Elvis is Back

Athletics reliever Elvis Alvarado entered to pitch the ninth. Alvarado was dominant for a second straight night as the Brewers top three hitters were no match for his 100 mph fastball and nasty slider. The hard-throwing reliever struck out two of the three batters he faced, recording his first career save and more importantly securing the series victory for the Athletics against a very good Brewers squad.

The Athletics will have a day off in Las Vegas tomorrow. On Friday, the Colorado Rockies open a three-game series against the A’s at Las Vegas Ballpark. Left-hander Gage Jump will start for the A’s at a ballpark he knows well, having made several starts there during his time in Triple-A. The Rockies have not yet announced their starter for Friday night’s matchup.

Posted on

Knicks' impossible NBA Finals comeback sends internet into meltdown

The New York Knicks gave their fan base something to celebrate after producing the largest comeback in NBA Finals history at Madison Square Garden.

The Knicks trailed most of the game and by as many as 29 points before turning things around in the second half.

Rapper Fat Joe, actor Timothee Chalamet and former New York Yankees pitcher CC Sabathia were among those hanging around on the court after the game.

Actor Mariska Hargitay and singer Taylor Swift were also seen dancing and celebrating courtside in the closing moments of the game.

A majority of the crowd hung around at the Garden in the minutes that followed the game to celebrate the Knicks’ victory.

The Knicks have a 3-1 lead in the series with Game 5 in San Antonio on Saturday, June 13.

Here’s how New York, and the internet, celebrated the Game 4 victory.

Reactions as Knicks win Game 4 at Madison Square Garden

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Knicks' astonishing comeback leaves NBA world in complete shock