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Another year, another tough month of May that saw the Athletics struggle and knock us down in the standings. It wasn’t as bad as last year when the team lost pretty much every game that month but it was a tough month for the Athletics regardless. Big changes are on the horizon as the team needs to wake up and slap themselves out of this slump. Will they be able to do that now that the calendar has finally flipped to June?

The upcoming changes are hoped to provide the spark that can flip things around for this team. So what do we have to look forward to this coming month of June? Some questions to ask yourself.

1. How long of a leash does Lawrence Butler have?

The right fielder signed a massive contract extension last year that guaranteed him $65 million over the next five years. At the time he was coming off an impressive second-half of the 2024 season that saw him hit .302/.346/.597 with 20 home runs over the final 73 games that year. He looked like an emerging star and the A’s locked him in before he got any more expensive. He was the second recent A to sign an extension, just a couple months after Brent Rooker got his own deal.

His first full big league season did not go smooth however. While he made it into 152 games and became the first Athletic with a 20-20 season since Coco Crisp, his rate stats fell across the board. Perhaps some of that can be attributed to injury. He dealt with what was at the time diagnosed as a patellar strain in his right knee that ended up being a partial tear, and the stats bore than out. Pre All-Star Butler was hitting .251/.326/.433 but slashed just .203/.268/.351 post-break, and general manager David Forst said he was playing through that issue over the final weeks of the season. He ended up having surgery on that knee (as well as a PRP injection in his other knee) just days after the conclusion of the season.

The hope was that him getting an early start on his rehab and recovery would give him enough time to get ramped up for this season. Instead he was held out of action for the majority of Spring Training, only making it into just four games before the start of the season. He was reportedly facing pitchers and getting at-bats behind the scenes, but that isn’t the same as game action.

The short spring may be a big reason why Butler is hitting just .164 right now. It could be he’s trying to play through an injury to one or both of his knees again, or he just didn’t have a normal offseason so things are out of whack for him right now. Either way it’s getting harder and harder to see him in the lineup on a regular basis when he looks this lost at the plate right now. At the same time it’s hard to see a guy getting paid that much money ride the bench and the staff feel the only way out of this slump is hitting his way out of it. The A’s will need to make a decision one way or another, whether that be an IL placement or asking him to spend some time in the minor leagues to get his bat right. And the A’s would be smart to get to that decision sooner rather than later.

2. What happens at third base when Max Muncy is healthy?

Since injuring his hand back on April 25th after a HBP, the former first rounder has been on the shelf recovering from a fracture. He’s slowly begun to ramp up baseball activities in recent days and has officially begun his rehab assignment. The 23-year-old went 2-for-3 with a home run and 3 RBI on Saturday as the Aviators’ DH before an 0-for-2 showing on Sunday while in the field at third base.

While he’s been out the A’s have given the bulk of the playing time at third base to Zack Gelof, who has taken advantage of his opportunity at a brand new position. The former second baseman is hitting .259/.304/.432 with six home runs and six stolen bases. Perhaps the biggest change for him is he’s not striking out nearly as much as he did the past couple years. He dropped it from 45.5% last season all the way to 24.7%, which would be a career-low for the young infielder. On top of that he’s now got some outfield experience under his belt in addition to learning third base at the big league level. It’s been a successful start to his 2026 season and the A’s would like to keep his bat in the lineup some way.

The way things stand the A’s have a few options. Since both bat right-handed they don’t form a perfect platoon at third base. They could try to continue splitting reps at the hot corner, with Gelof filling in at other positions on days he’s not at third. But that just adds another thing for these young players to deal with.

Another option would be to just give the job to one of them on a full-time basis. Small sample caveat but Gelof has been the better hitter this year between the two. Neither have provided Chapman-esque defense at third so the A’s need production with the bat out of that spot. That said, Gelof is also much more positionally versatile; Muncy has experience at second base, but Gelof has that plus outfield experience now. It wouldn’t be impossible for Mark Kotsay to find spots in the lineup for both of them on any given day, should he so choose.

And a third, perhaps more extreme option would be to make a permanent change at the keystone. Offseason addition Jeff McNeil has had his moments but is only hitting .251/.323/.335 with two home runs this year and the left-handed hitter has predictably struggled against lefties this season. And they don’t make great platoon partners either. Gelof has actually fared better against right-handed pitching in his career. In fact, Gelof is really bad against left-handed pitching, hitting just .167/.244/.257 against them in his career versus a .250/.305/.449 line against same-handed pitching. They could still try out a platoon but history doesn’t indicate that’ll work.

If the A’s are getting ready to shake things up, getting Muncy back into the fold will come at a cost to someone else on the roster. How the A’s balance and juggle playing time on the infield will be fascinating to watch.

3. Can any other young pitchers make an impact for the staff?

The A’s have already promoted one of their top pitching prospects in Gage Jump. They’re set to promote another in Kade Morris, who looks like he’ll be making his major league debut this coming week in the series finale against the Cubs. Mason Barnett has already made his big league debut and pitched for the A’s this year.

The A’s are down two of their three veterans right now, just optioned Jacob Lopez, and are more or less being pressed into giving these younger options their chances. It’s not unheard of for the A’s to get great results from their young pitching that leads them to contention, but with the big bats in the lineup slumping right now the A’s are desperate to get production out of rookies more than usual.

They’ve gotten that and then some with J.T. Ginn, who is looking like he’s breaking out in a huge way for the Athletics. But while Ginn has been a surprising arm, so has fellow righty Luis Morales but for the wrong reasons. A member of the Opening Day rotation, he is now pitching in relief in Triple-A. That’s not the outcome anyone wanted but there’s still plenty of time for him to figure things out and the A’s will almost certainly need him again before this season is through.

Behind them the depth really begins to thin. Righty Jack Perkins has starting experience but has been in a relief roll all season, and not exactly thriving in it. Barnett certainly should be an option again soon enough. We shouldn’t hold our breath for a big promotion for Jamie Arnold. After all, he only has 10 starts in Double-A and while he’s flashed his potential he’s also showing some rookie growing pains. Perhaps he could be a left-handed option out of the ‘pen if the A’s are in contention but unlikely. A more likely name is someone like Braden Nett, who is finally healthy and pitching again for the Aviators. Or perhaps a forgotten name in Luis Medina, who is looking good in the bullpen but was once considered a building block for the rotation.

If the A’s are going to turn things around they’re going to have to do it short-handed for a while while Severino and Civale are hurt. The A’s have spent years accumulating this pitching talent just for this scenario. Now it’s time to see if any of these young arms step up to the challenge in the dog days of summer.

After Babe Ruth made the No. 3 jersey famous, Bud Metheny would become the one of the last New York Yankees to wear the number before it was retired. Outside of being a fun bit of trivia, Metheny would go on to build a legacy far greater than simply being another person to wear an iconic jersey.

Arthur Beauregard “Bud” Metheny

Born: June 1, 1915 (St. Louis, MO)
Died: January 2, 2003 (Virginia Beach, VA)
Yankees Tenure: 1943-46

Metheny was born and lived in St. Louis through his childhood. His family would move to Virginia as he entered his teenage years, and it was there he would star on the baseball team at Calverton High School. Ironically enough, this move was a bit of a homecoming for Metheny as his mother’s family claimed to be descendants of Pocahontas.

After high school Metheny attended college at William & Mary. While playing for William & Mary, the Yankees signed Metheny to a contract that came with an agreement to allow him to finish his degree. Metheny earned his teaching degree in 1939 and would later earn his master’s in education in 1952. His reputation as a good person and star athlete while in college would open doors later in life as well as earn him a spot in the William & Mary Hall of Fame.

Upon graduating, Metheny headed to Kansas City to play in the American Association professional league that summer. A left-handed hitter and outfielder, Metheny impressed to the tune of a .315 average in 95 games. However, this success came at a cost as Metheny injured his knee sliding and missed two months of the season, later requiring surgery in the offseason. This injury would turn out to be the biggest blessing in disguise that Metheny could receive — though it would take some time for that to be realized.

Metheny added some weight during the recovery period from his surgery and used his extra force to have another solid season in 1940, this time for the Newark Bears of the International League. The Bears would win the Junior World Series that season. After the season ended, Metheny made an effort to shed those pounds from the last offseason and was able to lose around thirty pounds.

However, losing weight would have negative effects on the diamond. In 1941, back with Kansas City, Metheny struggled and saw his batting average drop over 60 points and only hit three home runs which dropped his slugging from .451 in 1940 to .307.

Following the worst season of his baseball life Metheny was able to turn things around in 1942. Now 27 years old and married to his college sweetheart, Frances Davis, Metheny slashed .296/.363/.460 which was good for a .823 OPS. The eighteen home runs that season launched him onto the Yankees’ radar, and they picked him up for the next season.

The 1943 season would prove to be the year that Metheny’s baseball dream would come true. Metheny played sparingly over the first two months of the season, but at the start of the summer he found himself right in the middle of the regulars playing a lot of right field as several of his teammates were selected for service in World War II. Metheny was rejected for military service due to the knee surgery he had a few years prior.

Making the most of his opportunity, Metheny played in 103 games, making 86 starts, while batting .261 with nine home runs. The Yankees would win the pennant and face the St. Louis Cardinals in the World Series. Metheny played in two games and got one hit as the Yankees won the series in five games.

Next year would not be as kind to Metheny or the Yankees. Metheny started 128 games between right and left field but saw his average fall to .239. Although he hit a career-high 14 home runs, he also led all American League outfielders with 11 errors.

Metheny held his role heading into the 1945 season and started 126 games, this time all in right field. In his age-30 season, Metheny hit .248 with eight home runs. The Yankees finished fourth in American League, and the writing was on the wall for Metheny heading towards the 1946 season as the Yankees were set to welcome back Joe DiMaggio and others following their service time.

When the club left spring training in 1946 Metheny was with them. However, it did not last long as after three pinch-hit appearances, Metheny was sent down to the minors. He would never play at the highest level again. His final career numbers, all with the Yankees, include 344 hits, 31 home runs, and 12 stolen bases. Two years later, Ruth’s (and Metheny’s) No. 3 was worn for the last time by outfielder Cliff Mapes before the Yankees officially retired the number on June 13, 1948, his final public appearances at Yankee Stadium. The Great Bambino died two months later.

Back in the minors Metheny would spend the rest of the 1946 season through the 1950 season as a player and then a player manager. While still playing in 1947, Metheny was recruited a second time by his old college coach to a teaching and coaching position at Old Dominion University.

It was at Old Dominion that Metheny would build his legacy. Metheny coached the baseball team to a 423-363-6 record in 32 seasons at the helm. He was named the NCAA Eastern Regional Coach of the Year in 1963 and 1964, and in 1980 led the Monarchs over the University of Virginia to win the Virginia State Championship. Additionally, Metheny coached the basketball team to 16 winning seasons and a 198-163 record and served as the athletic director for a time.

After such a long career, Metheny was honored with the baseball complex named after him. This changed in 2024, but the field is still named in his memory. Additionally, Metheny was inducted into the Old Dominion University Sports Hall of Fame in 1983. The baseball team to this day still wears pinstripes at home as a nod to Metheny and his tenure with the Yankees.

When it was all said and done, Metheny was a member of the William & Mary Hall of Fame, the Old Dominion University Hall of Fame, the Virginia Sports Hall of Fame, and the American Association of College Baseball Coaches Hall of Fame. On January 2, 2003, Matheny passed away in the afternoon just a few hours after his wife of 61 years passed in the morning.

Happy birthday Bud!

See more of the “Yankees Birthday of the Day” series here.

The Nationals went 16-12 in the month of May. It was the team’s best month since August of 2023. At 31-29, this Nats team enters June sitting over .500 and looking like a team on the rise. I wanted to dive into the biggest factors that are driving this turnaround.

In April, the Nats were a good offensive team, but terrible pitching and defense led to a 12-15 month. Fans wondered what this team would look like average pitching. Well, they have gotten their answer, as the Nats posted a 4.04 ERA in the month of May. The rotation really turned things around, especially towards the end of the month. Pitching was a big reason why the Nats finished the month with three straight series wins over teams with a record above .500.

Veterans Miles Mikolas and Zack Littell had the biggest turnarounds this month. Both looked like over the hill arms who could not stop allowing homers in April. Mikolas and Littell both had ERA’s in the 8’s for the month. However, in May, the pair both posted ERA’s below 3. Blake Butera often had them pitching after an opener, and the strategy has worked.

You also have to credit 30 year old pitching coach Simon Mathews for helping guide these veteran arms. It can be tough for a young first year coach to get through to struggling veterans. However, Mathews has done just that. It is also a testament to Mikolas and Littell that they are willing to accept new information deep in their careers from a guy who is so young.

While the pitching has improved, the offense is still the star of the show. James Wood is the engine of the operation at the top of the lineup. He leads the NL in plate appearances, walks, runs, on base percentage, OPS and OPS+. Wood hit .311 this month, showing an ability to get hits consistently, along with his light tower power. He is playing like a legitimate MVP candidate this season.

As Nats fans, we have been spoiled by all the transcendent young hitters that have come through this organization. We had Bryce Harper and Juan Soto, and now we have James Wood. At 23 years old, Wood is on that sort of trajectory right now. The last item on his checklist is to keep up these kinds of performances for a full season. With the Nats playing more competitive baseball, I imagine it is easier to stay motivated and come to the ballpark ready to roll.

A lot of the things I said about Wood also apply to CJ Abrams. While Abrams does not have the same sort of upside as Wood, the 25 year old is also coming into his own. Abrams has gotten off to fast starts before, but he has never been this good for this long. Through 2 months, Abrams has a .294 batting average with a .933 OPS. 

However, Wood and Abrams were both rolling in April. In fact, both had slightly higher OPS numbers in April compared to May. Despite the Nats two stars “only” putting up OPS numbers in the .900’s instead of over 1.000, the offense was even better.

That comes down to improvement from the supporting cast. This month Wood and Abrams finally got a right handed hitting running mate that was producing near their level. Curtis Mead became a surprise star in the middle of the Nats lineup this month. He posted an OPS over .900 for the month, and on the season, his OPS is over .850.

The former top prospect is earning himself more and more playing time. After the game yesterday, a reporter asked Blake Butera who the last players to leave the stadium are. Butera said that Wood, Abrams and Mead are usually the last three he sees around. This work ethic has helped Mead become a full time player this month. Once Brady House got sent down, he assumed the role as the everyday third baseman.

Mead has helped make this lineup a whole lot deeper. As have guys like Luis Garcia Jr. and Jacob Young who have been productive at the plate this month. Young showcased a whole new side of his game, hitting five home runs in May. Entering this season, Young only had 5 homers in his entire career.

However, the biggest May breakout has to be Keibert Ruiz. As Fangraphs put it, Ruiz rose from the ashes. It is an appropriate way to put it. Ruiz had been dreadful for the last two seasons on both sides of the ball. In April, he was playing better defense, but was hitting just .178 with a .480 OPS. 

The switch hitting catcher totally flipped the script in May though. He hit .379 with a wild 1.107 OPS. After meeting with the coaching staff, as chronicled in a great article by Spencer Nusbaum, Ruiz started swinging harder and hitting the ball with more impact.

Ruiz has always possessed great bat to ball skills, but it did not matter because he did not hit the ball hard. This month he is pulling the ball in the air a ton and hitting it with more impact. That is the reason why he had 12 extra base hits in May. He was just roasting balls down the line, often for doubles or homers.

This is the most fun I have had watching the Nats since 2019. There is a new energy and confidence to this team that you can see. Even when you are in the locker room, you can tell the vibe is getting stronger. The team added a table in the middle of the room, where you often see guys playing chess or cards. Players are always talking to each other about baseball related things or just life things. It is great to see a team come together.

There is a lot of season left, and this team is still a long shot for the playoffs, and unlikely to finish above .500. However, I have optimism that in a couple years, we can look back on this month and pinpoint it as the moment where everything started to come together.

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Holy cow, it’s June! After a frustrating May, I am looking to open this month with a bang.

The board tonight is loaded with mispriced prop opportunities, and I am leaning into some familiar power bats in James Wood, Rafael Devers, and Jonathan Aranda to get things rolling.

Read on for my MLB Player Props and MLB picks for Monday, June 1. 

Best MLB player props today

Player	Pick	Odds
James Wood	Over 1.5 Total Bases	+115
Rafael Devers	Over 1.5 Hits, Runs, RBI	+122
Jonathan Aranda	Over 1.5 Hits, Runs, RBI	-136

James Wood Over 1.5 Total Bases (+115)

Washington Nationals slugger James Wood finds himself in yet another smash spot following his big performance on Sunday. This evening, he draws Miami Marlins ace Sandy Alcantara, who owns a poorly rated matchup ISO and strikeout profile, according to Batters-Box.

The veteran right-hander has also struggled mightily against left-handed hitters lately. Over the last 30 lefties he's faced, opponents have produced a 50% hard-hit rate and a 15.4% barrel rate.

On top of that, Alcantara owns a 26.9% ground-ball rate and a massive 73.1% elevation rate (fly balls plus line drives). Those left-handed batters have generated a .455 xwOBA and .695 xSLG during that span.

Meanwhile, Wood has been absolutely scorching the baseball. Over his last 30 at-bats against right-handed pitching, he's posted a .509 xwOBA while recording a 31.25% barrel rate.

The Nationals' leadoff man also carries the highest arsenal coverage among today's elite-rated hitters on Batters-Box, checking in at 94.5% against Alcantara's pitch mix.

I'd play this prop down to even money, but I wouldn't pay juice for it. Also, don't be afraid to sprinkle a little on Wood to leave the yard in back-to-back games

• Time: 6:45 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: Marlins.TV, Nationals.TV

Rafael Devers Over 1.5 Hits, Runs, RBI (+122)

Some people love to argue that "Vegas knows," but when it comes to baseball, I truly don't think they care. Win or lose, San Francisco Giants slugger Rafael Devers should not be +122 to record 2+ hits, runs, and RBI tonight.

"But...but...but he hit three doubles yesterday."

Okay?

Across 228 elite ratings on Batters-Box, Devers clears this number 55.7% of the time. Win or lose, this is a clear misprice.

Devers also owns 83% arsenal coverage against Milwaukee Brewers right-hander Chad Patrick. The Brewers starter has been allowing plenty of hard contact to left-handed bats lately, surrendering a 44.2% hard-contact rate and a 9.3% barrel rate over his last 60 batters faced.

His ground-ball rate also sits below 35%, pushing his elevation rate north of 65%.

If Devers elevates one tonight, there's a good chance it's leaving the yard.

Few hitters are seeing the ball better right now. Over his last 30 at-bats against right-handed pitching, Devers owns a .449 wOBA, a 193 wRC+, and a 59% hard-contact rate.

Give me Devers to leave the yard and clear 1.5 HRR. Whatever you do, don't pay juice on this prop.

• Time: 6:40 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: FS1

Jonathan Aranda Over 1.5 Hits, Runs, RBI (-136)

I would like to start out by saying I typically would never pay this much juice on a hits, runs, RBI prop, and would usually default to the plus money on the 2+ bases prop.

However, Tampa Bay Rays first baseman Jonathan Aranda has a 61.36% hit rate on this prop across his previous 44 elite ratings on Batters-Box. I am willing to trust that over a 43.18% hit rate on 2+ bases. As always, a sprinkle on the home run is in play; he hits this 36.36% of the time at home (22 elite ratings).

Aranda draws Detroit Tigers right-hander Ty Madden, who enters with a poorly rated average-hitter matchup wOBA and hard-contact profile. Madden has also struggled against left-handed hitters this season, allowing a .324 xBA and a .443 xSLG.

Aranda carries nearly 81% arsenal coverage against Madden’s pitch mix. On top of that, he has been crushing the ball over his last 30 at-bats against right-handed pitching, posting a .875 SLG and a .559 wOBA while generating 68.4% hard contact, a 31.6% barrel rate, and a 94.8% elevation rate (fly balls plus line drives).

Aranda is also a strong walk candidate with a 14.3% walk rate this season, which adds to the appeal of the HRR prop. I would not play this any higher than -140, but beyond that range it makes more sense to take the plus money on his bases instead.

• Time: 6:40 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: Rays.TV, Tigers.TV

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The Dodgers on Monday had two Hernándezes in their starting lineup and two days later they were without both players, losing Kiké Hernández for six to eight weeks with an oblique strain and expected to miss Teoscar Hernández for about a month with a strained hamstring.

As the Dodgers turned things around in the middle of May, the one thing that took a while to return was power. But that all came back in spades this week, hitting 15 home runs in six games at Dodger Stadium, after just 11 home runs in their previous 13 home games.

Couple that with excellent pitching, the Dodgers mostly had their way with the Colorado Rockies and Philadelphia Phillies. They took a no-hitter into the eighth inning on Wednesday, and flirted with a no-no into the sixth inning on Friday. Only a two-out, two-strike, two-run home run off Tanner Scott in the eighth inning on Saturday prevented the Dodgers from a perfect week.

Five wins in six games will have to do, and a 5.5-game lead in the National League West, four games wider than the gap at the start of the week.

Batter of the week

Andy Pages was in the middle of things all week, leading the team in hits, extra-base hits, and runs scored. Plenty of others had cases, with six regulars posting a .911 OPS or higher. Honorable mention goes to catcher Will Smith, who homered twice with a 1.383 OPS, and to Kiké Hernández, who made the most of his four at-bats with two doubles, a home run, and a single, entering the John Hale Zone for the next several weeks.

Pitcher of the week

Just about the entire starting rotation were candidates this week. Eric Lauer impressed in his Dodgers debut, Shohei Ohtani didn’t even allow a hit. Yoshinobu Yamamoto struck out 10 in a scoreless outing. But we’ll go with Justin Wrobleski here, allowing only a solo home run and no other hits in seven innings, with a career high nine strikeouts, finding some extra oomph and success with his four-seam fastball.

Week 10 results

5-1 record
40 runs scored (6.67 per game)
17 runs allowed (2.83 per game)
.827 pythagorean win percentage

Year to date

38-21 record
314 runs scored (5.17 per game)
185 runs allowed (3.17 per game)
.725 pythagorean win percentage (43-16)

Miscellany

New savers: Kyle Hurt earned his first major league save on Wednesday, closing out a 4-1 win over the Colorado Rockies. That was eight days after Will Klein garnered his first save, a 5-4 win over the Padres in San Diego on May 19. Both have been excellent additions to a deep Dodgers bullpen this season, with Hurt coming back from Tommy John surgery in 2024 and Klein building off his late-season success last year and unforgettable World Series outing.

During the previous homestand, I asked Klein what clicked for him late last season, when he had a 41-percent strikeout rate over his final six weeks in Oklahoma City before getting called back up.

“I just kind of said, ‘Fuck it,’ and I stopped caring if guys put it in play. I’d rather them get a single than me walk,” he said. “You’ve got to go out there thinking you’re the best player in the world. I’m going to make you prove you’re better than me and hopefully, most of the time you’re not. Other things happen, like guys make good swings, but more often than not they put it in play. It’s a better outcome than straight-up walking.”

Klein and Hurt this season have combined for a 1.50 ERA in 42 innings, with 46 strikeouts against only eight unintentional walks.

Going deep: Ryan Ward got his second call to the majors this week, and his first time playing as a big leaguer at Dodger Stadium. The 28-year-old played 696 games in the minors before making his major league debut in April, and has 156 minor league home runs under his belt, including 96 home runs in Triple-A for the 2025 Pacific Coast League MVP.

On Sunday, Ward launched a ball 400 feet into the right field bullpen on Sunday for his first major league home run.

Transactions

Monday: Kiké Hernández was activated off the 60-day injured list after missing 53 games, and Santiago Espinal was designated for assignment.

Wednesday: Kiké Hernándezlanded on the IL, and Alex Freeland was recalled. Espinal cleared waivers and was sent outright to Triple-A; he elected free agency.

Friday: Teoscar Hernández was placed on the injured list, and Ryan Ward was called up to the majors for a second time. Espinal re-signed, and Hyeseong Kim was optioned.

Sunday: Left-hander Jack Dreyerreturned from the IL after missing the minimum 15 days, and Paul Gervase was optioned.

Game results

• Monday: Dodgers 5, Rockies 3
• Tuesday: Dodgers 4, Rockies 1
• Wednesday: Dodgers 15, Rockies 6
• Friday: Dodgers 4, Phillies 2
• Saturday: Phillies 4, Dodgers 3
• Sunday: Dodgers 9, Phillies 1

Previous reviews: Week 1 | Week 2 | Week 3 | Week 4 | Week 5 | Week 6 | Week 7 | Week 8 | Week 9

Up next

May is done, and the Dodgers begin June with the Barry Enright gauntlet, playing four games against the Arizona Diamondbacks in the desert, followed by returning home for a lone weekend against the Angels. The Angels broadcasts of next weekend’s games are all available on over-the-air television, with Friday’s game on KTTV channel 11 followed by Saturday and Sunday on KCOP channel 13.

The Jays and we get a day off. As much as I enjoy baseball, I don’t mind days off. We are using the evening to see a National Geographic lecture. Yes, I’m that old.

So we have time for an OpenThread. Use it to chat about anything you like, within site rules. It doesn’t have to be Blue Jays or baseball.

I have been playing OOTP Baseball and got to the end of the 2026 season. Made it to the Wild Card playoffs, but lost to the Yankees. Starting spring training for the 2027 season, and a few games in, Ricky Tiedemann is injured; Tommy John out for a year and a half. And my closer is gone for the season.

Tiedemann was in my bullpen for the 2026 season, then made four starts at the end of the season after I lost a couple of starters. The game does give you a feel for what it is like to be a GM; you think you have enough starting pitchers, and then Kevin Gausman got injured in April, and I found myself collecting any reasonable pitcher I could. It is almost like real life.

Going into the second season, I hoped to trade off some of the bigger contracts but, just like in real baseball, no one wants players making a lot of money. Likely the worst one is Andres Gimenez, who has three years at $23.5 million and is untradable, and I have Arjun Nimmala ready to join the club at the major league minimum.

Anyway, you don’t have to talk about computer baseball. But then the only other thing I want to talk about is my premier, who wants to trade clean water for dirty coal, but that’s against site rules.

Beyond that, there was a glitch in the ABS system that cost the A’s a strike that should have been a ball. It has worked so well that, I guess, we’ll have to live with the odd problem.

And the Rays, for some reason, signed Craig Kimbrel. He pitched in one game and is injured. I don’t know why they would have picked him up.

Brewers Abner Uribe was suspended for one game for (it is hard to believe I’m typing this) doing crotch chops towards the Cardinals’ bench. And he is appealing it. I know I’m old and all, but shouldn’t there be some level of decorum on the field? I’m totally ok with players celebrating on the field. I think the old ways of never showing happiness on the field is dumb. But I’d have given Uribe a long suspension for that.

Happy Monday.

The Kansas City Royals are in a tailspin, and this episode of the Royals Rundown Podcast does not look away. Jacob Milham and Jeremy Greco take stock of a team that has two consecutive series sweeps and gone 3-10 over the last fifteen days, a stretch that has raised serious questions about accountability at every level of the organization.

The episode opens with a frank assessment of where the Royals sit in the MLB standings, including an uncomfortable comparison to the Detroit Tigers at the bottom of the AL Central. The offensive numbers are hard to look at: low OPS, poor contact angles, and a lack of consistency from players who were expected to anchor the lineup. Daniel Lynch’s struggles receive specific attention, and the hosts work through what the team’s exit-velocity and hitting-angle data suggest about whether these problems are correctable in-season or reflect something more deeply structural.

The pitching staff is in no better shape. The team ERA and bullpen performance both come under scrutiny, alongside injury updates that continue to limit the coaching staff’s options. Jacob and Jeremy address the growing calls for managerial accountability head-on, placing the current situation in historical context, examining what firing a manager mid-season has and has not accomplished for teams in similar positions, and what that conversation reveals about where real responsibility lies.

The front office does not escape examination either. Roster management, the lack of meaningful transactions, and the broader ownership and organizational decisions that have shaped this roster are all part of a candid conversation about what it will actually take to build a competitive team in Kansas City again, whether through trades, spending, or a more patient rebuild oriented toward 2027 and beyond.

A look around the rest of the league offers some relief, with notable performances from Shohei Ohtani and a resurgent Mike Trout providing context for what elite baseball looks like right now. The episode also marks a significant milestone, Michael Wacha’s 300th career start, before closing with a personal gaming recommendation and some final reflections on what, if anything, still offers reason for optimism this season.

Need your Royals fix? Head to royalsreview.com for news, analysis, and to engage with Royals fans around the world! Follow us online:

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– Jeremy Greco: @hokius.fromthehawkseye.com
– Jacob Milham: @jacobmilhkc.bsky.social

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The New York Mets (26-33) travel across North America to play the Seattle Mariners (31-29) in a three-game series at T-Mobile Park. The series sees both teams arrive with winning streaks of four and six games, respectively, and it kicks off the Mets’ final West Coast swing of the year.

The last few weeks have been very strange for the Mets, who swept the Tigers, took two of three from the Yankees, split four with the Nationals, got swept by the Marlins, lost two of three to the Reds, and then swept the same Marlins that swept them a week earlier. There isn’t a ton to read into these patterns either, aside from a very simple note that seems too simplistic to even commit to print: when the Mets score runs, they win ballgames.

In their last 19 games, if the Mets scored four or more runs, they are 9-2. When they score three or fewer, they are 2-6. In the series where the Marlins swept them last weekend, they scored two runs in three games; in the series where they swept the Marlins, they scored 25 runs in three games.

If I had answers about specifically why the Mets could or could not score runs, I’d be calling Citi Field on the reg trying to get hired in the Mets’ front office. But there are a few good signs that, maybe, some of the offensive fluctuations may be evening out a bit, starting with the Mets’ two young outfielders, A.J. Ewing and Carson Benge.

I know that batting average is not the best indicator of offensive success, but it gives us a good baseline of just how Benge has improved over the past month. On May 1, Benge was batting .181. Heading into play on June 1, he’s batting .253. Over that same time, his on-base percentage went from .238 to .318 and his slugging from .266 to .359. These are not All-Star numbers just yet, but they’re showing marked improvement and consistency, the two things that are most important when measuring rookie performance.

Ewing has about a third of the games under his belt that Benge does, and his offensive talents are revealing themselves in different ways than Benge’s are. Ewing is drawing walks, hitting singles up the middle, and running the bases extraordinarily well. He’s probably not going to have the power that Benge has shown, but he doesn’t need to in order to be an exciting and productive player.

Both players’ defense in the outfield has shone, and Gary Cohen said on the broadcast on Sunday how it seems like the pair are preventing extra-base hits multiple times a game by running down fly balls and playing smart when the balls do drop in. With Juan Soto in left, you’re still going to have some interesting moments in the outfield, but they’ve more or less stabilized center and right field for the foreseeable future.

Speaking of Soto, he has been on a tear as of late that is making even the Soto haters out there take notice. While he is still clearly banged up, he is compensating in other ways. He didn’t hit a single double in May (though he did hit a triple in Colorado), but he’s hit ten home runs and has collected a hit in all but six games in the month. His walk and strikeout numbers are nearly identical, and he’s begun to pick his spots to steal bases again, though another 30+ steals season seems unlikely this year.

But it goes beyond just the Mets’ outfield, in terms of offensive leveling up as of late. Bit players like Eric Wagaman and Hayden Senger have contributed in wins, Jared Young has returned with his stroke intact, and Luis Torrens keeps hitting the ball the other way with men on base.

However, the Mets’ infield is still somewhat in disarray, offensively. Of the four regular position players, only Brett Baty has a positive bWAR on the club. Mark Vientos has been better at first than many suspected, but still isn’t producing nearly enough. Marcus Semien has leveled out a little, but is still looking more like his miserable 2025 at the plate than his earlier success, confirming many fans’ fears about his acquisition.

That leaves Bo Bichette, who just cannot get his season going. In the first two games against the Nationals last week, Bichette went five-for-ten with three home runs, seven RBIs, and a walk. After those two games, it seemed like he was ready to break out a bit. Unfortunately, he’s only collected eight hits in the 11 games since, none for extra bases, and drove in just three runs. Driving in runs is what Bichette’s entire career has been based on, and so to see him not do that is very, very strange.

The good news for the club is that help is theoretically on the way. While Mike Tauchman seems to be rehabbing in the Bermuda Triangle, the rest of the Mets’ offensive injured players all seem to be on their way back. Jorge Polanco has been playing in Binghamton, hitting .400/.571/.1.000 in 7 plate appearances with one dinger. Whether or not he can play first base is still an open question, but getting another competent major league caliber bat in the lineup is huge. While he theoretically could play another dozen and a half games in the minors, it seems likely that Polanco will be back on the club sometime in the next week to ten days.

Both Franciscos, Lindor and Alvarez, have begun baseball activities and both hope to be back in June, though neither is exactly a lock to do so at this point. But just knowing that there is a limit to the amount of balls that Bichette will muff at short before Lindor returns is a blessing.

As for the pitching side of things, the bullpen has continued to be strong, even with the poor performance and demotion of Tobias Myers factored in. When David Peterson comes out of the ‘pen, as he did on Sunday, he’s looked like a totally different pitcher than the starter we’ve seen this season. Devin Williams gave up a game-losing grand slam in Miami, but otherwise, he and Luke Weaver have locked down the back-end of the bullpen nicely. The lefties have been good, Huascar Brazobán continues to be impressive, and Austin Warren is establishing himself as an important piece.

Nolan McLean has struggled for his last three starts, but made it work yesterday despite walking the farm. Christian Scott and Jonah Tong are both showing what made them so highly regarded as prospects as they get themselves into form. Freddy Peralta is exactly as advertised: a good, not great, five inning starter. We will see how Sean Manaea does when given the ball for a start sometime soon. And with Kodai Senga making rehab starts, there will be that adventure beginning again shortly.

All of this is to say that the Mets of June 1st are not markedly different than the Mets of April 30, arguably at the lowest point of the season thus far, but the roster is starting to come into shape a little better right now. With help on the horizon, young talent pulling their weight, and Soto being the superstar he is, the club still has a chance, albeit an outside one, of returning to relevancy at some point this month. With summer not officially starting for another few weeks, Spring hope still springs eternal.

On the Mariners side, the season started out fairly rough for them, as they didn’t get above .500 until this weekend against the Diamondbacks. But because the American League West is a bad division this year, the Mariners find themselves in first place, two and a half up on both the Rangers and Athletics. A big part of that early season dry spell was Cal Raleigh, after a career year last season, turning into a pumpkin in 2026 before landing on the Injured List. Josh Naylor is pulling a similar act so far, and the M’s offense misses those two big pieces.

That said, the Mariners’ offense isn’t struggling too mightily. They’re the ninth best offense in baseball as of press time, and they’ve been getting good production up and down their lineup from folks like Randy Arozarena, Julio Rodríguez, and Cole Young. Luke Raley has hit 13 home runs already, with J Rod right behind him with 12.

Seattle is also seventh in pitching, with a rotation that looks solid, if unspectacular thus far. Emerson Hancock is having he best season of the bunch, putting up a 2.78 ERA over 11 starts, but aside from Luis Castillo, the entire rotation is looking solid. Unfortunately, the Mets are missing Castillo this series.

Monday, June 1: Austin Warren (but really Sean Manaea) vs Emerson Hancock, 9:40pm EDT on SNY

Warren (2026): 19.1 IP, 22 K, 9 BB, 1 HR, 1.40 ERA, 2.87 FIP, 36 ERA-
Manaea (2026): 34.0 IP, 38 K, 15 BB, 3 HR, 5.56 ERA, 3.66 FIP, 142 ERA-

The Mets are going with an opener ahead of Sean Manaea, who has been better in May as the mop-up guy out of the bullpen. His fastball velocity has been ticking up, as have his strikeouts, while limiting big innings against him. In his last three appearances, he’s thrown a collective ten and two-thirds innings, giving up four earned runs while striking out 12 and walking four. That’s not going to blow anyone away, but if he can give the team four or five innings of competitive ball behind an opener, that’s not nothing.

Hancock (2026): 64.2 IP, 63 K, 15 BB, 8 HR, 2.78 ERA, 3.57 FIP, 72 ERA-

Aside from a rough start against the White Sox on the 8th, Hancock has had a great May. In his last start against the Athletics, he one-hit them over six innings. He had a huge game against the Royals on the 2nd where he struck out 14, walking none, and allowing just one run. But aside from that gaudy strikeout game, he’s been a steady, if not dazzling, starter for Seattle. He’s pitched at least five innings in every start, and only has one game where he’s surrendered more than three earned runs.

Tuesday, June 2: TBD (but probably Jonah Tong) vs Logan Gilbert, 9:40pm EDT on SNY

Tong (2026):  6.2 IP, 3 K, 5 BB, 0 HR, 0.00 ERA, 4.43 FIP, 0 ERA-

It is unclear if Tong is going behind an opener like Manaea, but Tong is also working to prove his readiness for a rotation spot. He wasn’t fantastic in Triple-A where he reportedly was working on secondary stuff, and has walked too many folks in his limited MLB time this season thus far. But in terms of stuff, he’s right up there with McLean, and the Mets are limited in their starting pitching options right now. In his second appearance, he gave up an unearned run on an error by [checks notes] himself, one of the quirks of baseball scoring, but otherwise has avoided any runs scoring on his watch thus far. That’s tough when you’re walking almost a batter an inning.

Gilbert (2026): 68.1 IP, 69 K, 16 BB, 11 HR, 3.69 ERA, 3.98 FIP, 92 ERA-

You’re going to notice a trend with M’s starters: they’re all throwing quality starts without jaw-dropping numbers. Kirby is coming off of two scoreless outings where he’s struck out six apiece. He’s been very good in nine of his 12 starts, and in two of those bad starts, it was the long ball that did him in. Of his 11 home runs given up this season, seven of them came in two games.

Tuesday, June 3: Freddy Peralta vs George Kirby, 3:40pm EDT on SNY

Peralta (2026):  66.0 IP, 68 K, 28 BB, 8 HR, 2.97 ERA, 3.08 FIP, 76 ERA-

When the Mets brought over Peralta, the knock on him was that he was usually nothing more than a five-inning pitcher. As a Met, that has more or less been true as well, though he’s made a few appearances later in games, but it rarely goes very well. But in those first five innings, he’s usually good. He’s in a little bit of a rough stretch right now, even though the team has won three of his last four starts. His strikeouts are still there, but he’s giving up runs in bunches.

Kirby (2026): 74.0 IP, 59 K, 17 BB, 7 HR, 3.77 ERA, 3.48 FIP, 98 ERA-

Of all three Mariners’ starter this series, Kirby is in the middle of the worst stretch.He’s given up 13 earned runs over his last three starts, only striking out 13 in that same stretch. Not that Kirby is a huge strikeout pitcher, but you never want your strikeouts and earned runs to match over a stretch of more than a game. He’s currently leading the league in hits, but most of those have been singles.

Another day of minor league baseball is in the books. See the results below. Check out the previous day’s recap here.

AAA: Sugar Land Space Cowboys (23-34) lost 5-1 (BOX SCORE)

McPherson got the start and went 5 innings allowing 2 runs. The offense got on the board in the 4th inning scoring a run on a Strahm RBI single. The pen allowed a few more runs and the offense was quiet the rest of the way as Sugar Land fell 5-1.

Note: Bolton has a 2.25 ERA in Triple-A.

• Joey Loperfido, LF: 2-for-4
• Shay Whitcomb, RF: 0-for-3, R, BB
• Kellen Strahm, CF: 1-for-4, RBI
• Tommy Sacco, SS: 1-for-3, SB

• Brandon McPherson, RHP: 5.0 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 3 BB, 2 K
• Tom Cosgrove, LHP: 1.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 1 K
• Cody Bolton, RHP: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K
• Brandon Bielak, RHP: 1.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 0 K
• J.P. France, RHP: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 0 K

AA: Corpus Christi Hooks (24-27) won 6-5 (BOX SCORE)

The Hooks got the scoring started in the 2nd inning scoring 2 runs on a Sullivan walk and Whitaker groundout. Dombroski started for the Hooks and allowed 4 runs over 4.2 innings. The Hooks picked up 2 more runs in the 5th on a Spence RBI triple and a run on a fielder’s choice. They scored 2 more runs in the 7th on a Spence RBI single and Sullivan sac bunt. The pen allowed a run in the 9th but they held on for the 6-5 win.

Note: Perez has a 3.93 ERA this season.

• Trevor Austin, 3B: 3-for-5, 2 R
• Jason Schiavone, 1B: 3-for-5, 3 R
• Lucas Spence, DH: 2-for-3, R, 3B, 2 RBI
• Joseph Sullivan, CF: 0-for-2, 3 RBI, BB

• Trey Dombroski, LHP: 4.2 IP, 6 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 2 BB, 5 K
• Railin Perez, RHP: 1.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 3 K (WIN)
• Hudson Leach, RHP: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K
• Ramsey David, RHP: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 0 K
• Trey McLoughlin, RHP: 0.2 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 0 K
• Michael Cuevas, RHP: 0.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 0 K (SAVE)

A+: Asheville Tourists (11-39) lost 5-3 (BOX SCORE)

Howard got the start for Asheville and was solid allowing 2 runs over 5 innings of work. After Collins allowed a run in the 6th, the Asheville offense responded with 3 runs to tie it on a Garcia RBI double, Daudet RBI groundout and Lytle solo home run. Carr allowed two runs in relief and the offense was unable to rally as Asheville fell 5-3.

Note: Powell is hitting .303 this season.

• Caden Powell, DH: 1-for-4, 2B
• Ethan Frey, CF: 0-for-1, 3 BB, SB
• Kyle Walker, 2B: 1-for-3, BB
• Alejandro Nunez, SS: 1-for-3, R
• John Garcia, 1B: 2-for-4, R, 2B, RBI, SB
• Mason Lytle, LF: 1-for-3, R, HR, RBI

• Dylan Howard, RHP: 5.0 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 2 K
• Bryce Collins, RHP: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 0 K
• Jordan Carr, LHP: 2.0 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 0 K

A: Fayetteville Woodpeckers (23-28) won 3-2 (BOX SCORE)

The Woodpeckers got on the board in the first inning scoring a run on an Alvarez RBI double. They got another run in the 2nd inning on a Ramirez solo home run. Smith started for the Woodpeckers and was solid allowing 2 runs over 7 innings. The Woodpeckers took the lead in the 9th on a Ramirez RBI groundout. Mathiesen closed it out with 2 scoreless frames as the Woodpeckers won 3-2.

Note: Alvarez has five consecutive multi-hit games.

• Xavier Neyens, DH: 0-for-2, R, 2 BB
• Kevin Alvarez, CF: 2-for-4, 2B, RBI
• Juan Sierra, LF: 1-for-4, R
• German Ramirez, SS: 1-for-4, R, HR, 2 RBI
• Camilo Diaz, 2B: 1-for-3, SB

• Aubrey Smith, RHP: 7.0 IP, 7 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 0 K
• Ryan Mathiesen, RHP: 2.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 3 BB, 2 K (WIN)

Today’s minor league starters:

SL: OFF

CC: OFF

AV: OFF

FV: OFF

It’s not entirely true that the Cubs had a 10-game winning streak during the month of May. They, in fact, had the last eight of 10 straight wins to start May. So the reality ends up being that the Cubs started the month with eight straight wins. Then they finished the month 13-16 overall. By itself, that 13-16 record isn’t devastating. Certainly, a number of playoff teams through the years have had losing months. A 5-16 stretch is spectacularly bad. Not season-ending. But, all of their early momentum appears dead in the water.

Ahead, the June schedule is about as light as it can be. They have 27 games scheduled, pretty evenly split, 14 at home and 13 on the road. They have 12 games, home and home, with the Giants and Rockies who sit at the bottom of the National League and among the worst teams in MLB. This is the opportunity for the Cubs to wipe away May and reassert themselves as contenders in the National League. If they don’t win something like 18 games in the month of June, it’s hard to imagine them staying in contention when things toughen up in July. 18 wins would get them to 50 wins before the start of July.

They should hopefully continue getting healthier as June progresses. It looks like Matthew Boyd should return in the week ahead to reclaim the spot Jordan Wicks is presently occupying. It’s not a moment too soon, either. I continue to advocate for trying to break young potential starters in by way of multi-inning relief outings. Accordingly, I’m not entirely against Wicks getting a shot in low leverage spots to see if throwing max effort can help at all. It is increasingly unlikely he’ll ever get any long-term shot as a starter in the Cub organization at this point.

With Wicks struggling early, Ethan Roberts was pressed into the game early on in a bit of an unusual situation. Roberts allowed an inherited runner from Wicks and then two of his own. This is the roughest outing of the year for Roberts. A messy situation like that isn’t the ideal spot for him. But you hate it for Roberts. He’s been so good this year and had earned seeing a little bit more leverage. If he locks it down there, maybe the game plays out a little differently. But it wasn’t to be.

As the game wore on, the Cubs generated a little bit of traffic, but other than an Alex Bregman homer, they couldn’t get any kind of offense going. The Cubs had seven hits and drew just one walk. It wasn’t enough and they really didn’t apply much pressure on the Cardinals. Another disappointing loss in a disappointing month. Frustrating.

Three Positives:

• Michael Conforto came off the bench in this one and had a double in two plate appearances. He was one of the few Cubs who had a really terrific May.
• Alex Bregman supplied the offense, hitting a solo homer.
• Phil Maton threw a clean inning and struck out a batter.

Game 60, May 31: Cardinals 5, Cubs 1 (32-28)

Reminder: Heroes and Goats are determined by WPA scores and are in no way subjective.

THREE HEROES:

• Superhero: Michael Conforto (.051). 1-2, 2B
• Hero: Trent Thornton (.015). 2 IP, 7 BF, BB, K
• Sidekick: Phil Maton (.009). IP, 3 BF, K

THREE GOATS:

• Billy Goat: Jordan Wicks (-.149). 2 IP, 10 BF, 4 H, 0 BB, 3 ER, K (L 0-2)
• Goat: Ethan Roberts (-.133). IP, 6 BF, 3 H, 2 ER, 0 BB, 2 K
• Kid: Seiya Suzuki (-.068). 0-4

WPA Play of the Game: Alec Burleson faced Ethan Roberts with runners on first and second and two outs in the third inning, the Cardinals up two. He singled, driving in a run charged to Wicks. (.084)

Cubs Play of the Game: Pete Crow-Armstrong singled with a runner on first and no outs for the Cubs in the first. Such a nice start to the game, a pair of first inning singles. Unfortunately, both runners were stranded. (.055) Michael Conforto’s double with a runner on first and one out in the seventh also registered the same WPA. The two high points of the day for the Cubs, but no runs came from either situation.

Cubs Player of the Game:

Game 59 Winner: Ben Brown received 183 of 233 votes.

Rizzo Award Standings: (Top 5/Bottom 5)

The award is named for Anthony Rizzo, who finished first in this category three of the first four years it was in existence and four times overall. He also recorded the highest season total ever at +65.5. The point scale is three points for a Superhero down to negative three points for a Billy Goat.

• Michael Busch +21
• Ian Happ +10.5
• Nico Hoerner/Michael Conforto +10
• Alex Bregman/Ben Brown +9.5
• Ryan Rolison/Phil Maton -8
• Jameson Taillon -9
• Matt Shaw -10
• Dansby Swanson -13
• Seiya Suzuki -28.5

Current Win Pace: 86.4 wins

Up Next: A much needed off day on Monday and then the vagabond A’s come to town Tuesday for a three-game set at Wrigley Field. The A’s are 28-31, but 17-14 on the road. Their road record suggests that the team might be a little bit better than their record suggests.

Jameson Taillon (2-4, 5.37, 60.1 IP) looks set for the opener. Taillon was 0-3 with a 6.66 ERA in May, so he needs a strong bounce back. That has to start with keeping the ball in the park. He allowed 10 homers in just 25.2 innings in May. All together, it’s 19 homers in 55.2 innings on the season. The Cubs don’t have enough healthy options, but his spot in the rotation has to be in jeopardy. I’d be inclined to replace Jordan Wicks on the roster with Javier Assad, giving the option of going to Assad early in this one if things don’t click fast for Taillon.

23-year-old Gage Jump (0-1, 7.20, 5 IP) looks to make his second career start. The 73rd pick in the 2024 draft by the A’s debuted at home against the Mariners and allowed nine hits and a walk in just five innings. Things weren’t massively better for him in the minors this year either. Jump allowed 22 runs, 19 earned in 38 innings across nine starts. The number to circle was 56 strikeouts in 38 innings. So the stuff exists. It’s a matter of him learning to harness.

The Cubs need to get back to that patient approach and apply a lot of pressure. Jump throws left-handed. Notwithstanding the rough performance Sunday night, the Cubs have been one of the better teams in MLB against lefty starters this year. By just about any metric, the A’s bullpen has been a bottom 10 one in MLB. If they can keep these games close, they should be able to pull games out late.

Time to get back locked in.

Worcester: L, 0-1 (BOX SCORE)

The second home run of the series for George Lombard Jr., a solo shot, accounted for the only run in the game in this finale against the RailRiders (Yankees AAA). Alec Gamboa went four innings giving up three hits but, in the end, took the decision loss due to the WooSox’s inability to generate an extra-base hit or any run whatsoever. All in all, Adam Kloffenstein had the WooSox’s number as he went six scoreless and the WooSox as a whole struck out 15 times. Fun fact: Kloffenstein was once the 1-for-1 return from the Blue Jays to the Cardinals for a name we all remember: Jordan Hicks.

Portland: W, 3-1 (BOX SCORE)

Gage Ziehl had a near identical line for the Sea Dogs against the Rumble Ponies (Mets AA) as Gamboa did for the WooSox, allowing a home run, two other hits, and going four innings. The bullpen had just a touch more run support at the right time than the Triple-A squad, as even though Portland managed just five hits, all singles, they benefitted from two Binghamton errors, one that scored what would become the go-ahead two runs in the seventh. Cooper Adams had a strong nine-out save with five strikeouts to finish this one out.

Greenville: W, 5-3 (BOX SCORE)

Whatever the rest of the farm’s opposition was throwing to cause so much offensive ineptitude, the Drive got to Asheville (Astros High-A) in the form of four home runs, half of those coming from Jack Winnay, as home runs accounted for all of Greenville’s runs. Kyson Witherspoon settled down in his first pro scoreless appearance and kept the three walks he issued at bay. Danny Kirwin came in to pitch in the seventh and laid down the law for long enough for Winnay and Isaiah Jackson to each drift some balls over the wall and allow the Drive to take the lead in the eighth.

Salem: W, 1-0 (BOX SCORE)

And finally, another 1-0 game. Amidst an afternoon full of struggles in advancing runners, the victory against Hickory (Rangers A) would come all the way back in the top of the first. With a double, Andruw Mussett scored Andrews Opata, the only batter in the entire game to get multiple hits. And, while Hickory’s pitching was fine enough to not allow a walk and just six scattered hits, Salem’s pitching was just a bit better, as they only allowed two hits on the day.

Past summaries:

• So far, so good through mid-April
• Even better in late April
• May-be they’re just really good

How did the Braves do recently?

The Braves went 9-6 in the second half of May. They went 9-4 in the first half of May, so it was kind of a dropoff. Really, it was a dropoff from what they did in April too… but given that this team probably wasn’t going to win 110-plus games, I’m not sure it was a reasonable expectation for them to keep running some kind of absurd winning percentage in every two-week stretch for the entire season. They may even have (gasp!) a losing week, or a month close to .500 or whatever. It happens. (Though maybe not to this team? We’ll see.)

9-6 is still good, mind. It was a top-ten record over that stretch, it’s equivalent to a 97-win season. It feels weird to be talking up that sort of performance, but that’s the bar the Braves set earlier.

The Braves continue to maintain a nine-game lead in the NL East. The Brewers and Dodgers had a good run in late May, so the nine-game lead is no longer something absurd like “bigger than the sum of all other division leads combined.” But, the Braves still have a 1.5-game lead on the Dodgers for best record in baseball, their playoff odds are approaching unity, and they actually gained half a game on the Phillies despite “only” playing at a 97-win pace for two weeks.

Let’s quickly talk stats. For this two-month period, the Braves were:

• 13th in position player fWAR, because…
• …despite being fourth in xwOBA, they were only 14th in wOBA (the fourth-biggest underperformance in this period). It’s a testament to how this team’s fortunes just feel different that this unpleasant input-output mis-sync didn’t lead to a bad two weeks.
• 11th in pitching fWAR, with ranks of 13th, 11th, and sixth in ERA-, FIP-, and xFIP-, respectively. Yes, after avoiding those issues for a while, HR/FB came back and punished the Braves a bit. Again, amazing that they didn’t get derailed as a result, just… won slightly less.
• 16th in rotation fWAR, sixth in bullpen fWAR.

For May as a whole:

• Seventh in position player fWAR (seventh in defense, ninth in wRC+, sixth in xwOBA)
• 13th in pitching fWAR (sixth, 14th, sixth in ERA-/FIP-/xFIP-, respectively)
• 17th in rotation fWAR, 10th in bullpen fWAR

Using game-by-game odds, the Braves should’ve gone something like 8-7 in these 15 games. They did a little better. This wasn’t a particularly tough stretch; the game in which they had the lowest pre-game odds was a Martin Perez-Braxton Garrett matchup in Miami, and they won that handily, 8-4. On the flip side, they somehow lost the game against Jake Irvin and the Nats, 2-0, which was their second-biggest upset allowed this season. Their projected win total barely budged, from 94.5 to 94.8.

How are the Braves doing for the season?

For the season as a whole, through May:

• Fourth in position player fWAR (fifth in defense, third in hitting inputs and outputs)
• 12th in pitching fWAR (17th rotation, seventh bullpen | second, 13th, and 10th in ERA-/FIP-/xFIP-, respectively).

Basically, as the story has been for pretty much the whole year, this is a team with great hitting and defense and a strong bullpen, all of which prop up some pretty meh starting pitching.

The team’s Pythagorean and BaseRuns records are within two wins of their actual record (-1 Pythagorean, +2 BaseRuns). Both are top three in baseball. As a rejoinder from the last time I did this, it’s hard to find new, high-level stuff to say in these because the Braves are chugging a long. They’re good, yay. Rejoice.

How are the hitters doing?

Well, we’re at least at the point where the grayshaded fWAR/600 column in the “through May” isn’t ridiculous… for some players… the one on the left side is still not something to take seriously.

The main message here, I guess, is that the Braves persevered and succeeded with a performing-like-stars (Michael Harris II, Ronald Acuña Jr., Mike Yastrzemski, Jorge Mateo), performing-like-scrubs (Ha-Seong Kim and the fill-in catchers) approach. On top of that, Matt Olson, Austin Riley, and Dominic Smith really didn’t do anything these last two weeks, though at least Olson managed a pretty good xwOBA. The next-man-up-ness of “who’s gonna come through today” has been a big part of the season, and Acuña and Yastrzemski stepped up right as a bunch of other guys stepped down (or were pressed into duty and were horrible).

Due to needing to include the catchers and Kim on these charts, they kind of lose granularity — but really, the story here is that the hitters have started to clump, whether talking about the last few weeks or the season as a whole.

The left-hand chart basically shows you how the “hit really well” quartet carried the last two weeks amid meh-to-bad performance from everyone else. The right-hand chart, which is the season to date, shows that there are really two different clumps: successful bats, and meh bats. There’s a little bit of variation in who is/isn’t getting unlucky on balls in play, but no one is off in a corner somewhere… except the catchers and Kim, which, woof. Chadwick Tromp had some moments, but get some hits, guys. If I told you before the season that, through May, Austin Riley and Mauricio Dubon would have too-close-to-distinguish bubbles on these charts, you’d either be really excited or really bummed. It turns out that the latter is the correct feeling in this regard — Riley had a nice run in early May, but went back to more-meh-than-we’d-like over the last two weeks.

On the season as a whole, Acuña continues to massively underperform his-now-.400 xwOBA, and is counterbalanced by both Ozzie Albies and Yastrzemski getting very fortunate for their worse-than-mediocre batting inputs. Yastrzemski continued to not only defy his inputs, but make sure that happened at key moments — he finished the month as the team leader in WPA, something also true over this two-week stretch. Also, Kim was last in WPA, which makes sense because it’s hard to get any positive WPA when nothing good happens when you’re at the dish.

How are the pitchers doing?

At this point, the rotation has shaken out to Chris Sale being dominant (duh), Bryce Elder being really good (whuh?), Spencer Strider and Martin Perez hanging in there (also whuh), and Grant Holmes bringing up the rear, in a way. For the handful of starts over the last two weeks, Sale kept doing his thing, Elder and Perez were mediocre, while Strider and Holmes actually pitched pretty well but got eaten alive by homers (in a way that wasn’t really happening to the team earlier).

The Braves can probably keep this going for a while, but it does lead you to wonder whether they will try to play for a big-time rental starter at the Trade Deadline. Theoretically, they should get Hurston Waldrep and Spencer Schwellenbach back eventually, but it’s unclear whether that will turn out as fantastically as it could. If Elder actually keeps doing his new-and-improved thing then I guess the Braves would have few qualms about letting him start a playoff game, though he’s been interspersing more problematic starts into the game log lately, and the Braves could probably fake a really effective frontline starter outing by mixing and matching Holmes, Perez, and Didier Fuentes or something. Strider remains a wild card (by peripherals, he’s had three great starts, two poor ones, and a meh one — though he also got blasted homer-wise in one of his great ones). So, a lot of eyes on how Elder and Strider navigate the next two months, I guess.

Bullpen-wise, it was a nice bounceback for Tyler Kinley, who struggled in early May — he was really the standout over these last two weeks, leading the team’s pitchers (including starters) in WPA and putting together a beautiful 32/13/57 line in seven outings. Robert Suarez had a weird month: 0/55/80 in his first six outings, which included five shutdowns and a low-leverage outing, and then 37/119/110 in his next six outings, with just one shutdown and one meltdown.

For the season as a whole, Dylan Lee is now up to 1.0 fWAR; he and Raisel Iglesias have video game-y numbers (32/35/61 for Lee, 25/30/65 for Iglesias). Lee, Iglesias, Suarez, and Fuentes (who I guess started one game) have more fWAR than any non-Sale, non-Elder starter.

See you in mid-June.