May 17, 2026; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Milwaukee Brewers designated hitter Christian Yelich (22) takes an at-bat against the Minnesota Twins during the ninth inning at Target Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-Imagn Images | Matt Krohn-Imagn Images
The Brewers came back to tie today’s game twice, but couldn’t do it a third time as they dropped the series finale against the Twins.
Brewers starting pitcher Robert Gasser.started the bottom of the first inning with a four-pitch walk before quickly inducing two pop-ups, but Kody Clemens hit an RBI double to give Minnesota an early 1-0 lead.
Gasser managed to get out of the inning without allowing further damage, but it was a rough start for the Brewers’ No. 15 prospect. He issued two walks, hit a batter, and ended up throwing 40 pitches before he made it back to the dugout. The second inning went a bit smoother despite the left-hander struggling to locate his pitches — including his sweeper, which is his best pitch by a good margin.
Meanwhile, the Brewers got a run of their own in the top of the second inning off of Twins starter Bailey Ober, who wasn’t exactly dominating either. Ober walked Jake Bauers to start the inning before Sal Frelick doubled on a line drive that tied the game at 1-1.
Things unraveled further for Gasser in the third after allowing a leadoff single to Ryan Jeffers. Kody Clemens followed with a deep fly ball to left that sent Jackson Chourio sprinting back toward the wall. Chourio jumped but couldn’t make the catch, and the ball bounced off the wall, off his shoe, and into the corner.
Chourio recovered and relayed it to cutoff man Joey Ortiz, who had no real chance to get Jeffers at the plate but threw home anyway. For some reason, Gasser was crossing the third-base line in front of Ortiz instead of backing up the plate. The throw skipped wide of William Contreras and bounced into the dugout, and because the ball went out of play, Clemens — already standing on second — was awarded two bases to bring the score to Minnesota 3, Milwaukee 1. The play was ruled a double and a throwing error on Ortiz:
Robert Gasser was in a strange position as Joey Ortiz fired this throw home. Two-base error charged to Ortiz makes it a two-run play for the Twins and a 3-1 lead over the Brewers. pic.twitter.com/eEPXyY5VQS
However, the Brewers kept chipping away at Ober, as they got a run back in the fourth on a home run from Garrett Mitchell. This one left the bat at 115.5 mph, making it the hardest-hit ball by a Brewer this season.
Gasser’s day was done after a 1-2-3 fourth inning that brought him to 79 pitches. He left having allowed only three hits, but walked two batters, hit three more, and gave up three runs — two of them earned. Grant Anderson came in for the fifth and immediately gave up a home run to Jeffers to put the Twins ahead by a run once again.
Minnesota got one final run in the eighth off of Jake Woodford, whose second pitch of the night was sent deep into left-center field by Luke Keaschall. Chourio slid to try and make the catch, but the ball popped out of his glove, and Keaschall ended up on third with a triple. The next batter up was Victor Caratini, who hit a sacrifice fly to bring him home.
Despite not having scored since the Yelich home run in the fifth, the Brewers refused to go down quietly in the ninth. Brice Turang worked a one-out walk against Luis García, and William Contreras singled to put runners on first and second. García was able to strike out Yelich (on a foul tip) for the second out, but Bauers came through in the clutch with a single that scored Turang and advanced Contreras to third. With the tying run just 90 feet away, Frelick popped out behind the plate to end the game.
This was a winnable game. Milwaukee only scored four runs on 10 hits, mostly due to hitting an abysmal 1-for-14 with runners in scoring position. Still, despite the loss, the Brewers took two of three games from the Twins and have won three straight series as they head to Chicago to face the NL Central-leading Cubs. Brandon Sproat is scheduled to start opposite lefty Shota Imanaga. First pitch for tomorrow’s series opener is 6:40 p.m.
The Buffalo Sabres defeated the Montreal Canadiens by an 8-3 final score in Game 6. With this, the Sabres have kept their playoff run alive and have forced Game 7.
Former Pittsburgh Penguins forward Jason Zucker contributed to the Sabres' victory, as he had a strong game for the Atlantic Division club in Game 6.
Zucker scored a goal and recorded an assist in the Sabres' Game 6 victory over the Canadiens, and both were important moments.
With the Sabres down 3-1 in the first period, Zucker scored to cut the Canadiens' lead to 3-2. This was the first of seven unanswered goals scored by the Sabres, so Zucker's goal undoubtedly helped spark Buffalo's dominance in Game 6.
Zucker's assist in Game 6 was also important, as it was the primary one on Konsta Helenius' second-period goal that gave the Sabres a 5-3 win.
With this clutch game, Zucker now has two goals and four points in 12 playoff games so far this spring. This is after the former Penguins forward had 24 goals and 45 points in 62 games for the Sabres this regular-season.
Apr 26, 2026; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets right fielder Tyrone Taylor (28) celebrates in the dugout after hitting a solo home run in the fifth inning against the Colorado Rockies at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images | Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images
For the first eight innings, this game that felt very much like a microcosm of the Mets’ season thus far, with every potential good turn being erased by poor performance and bad luck. Then, the ninth inning happened. And then the tenth. The Mets won the game 7-6, taking the Queens half of the Subway Series and sending lots of Yankee fans home unhappy.
Oh well.
Freddy Peralta got two easy ground balls to Marcus Semien to start off the game. Walks to Aaron Judge and Cody Bellinger put two on, but Jazz Chisholm Jr. struck out to end the top of the frame. Elmer Rodríguez had a similar start to his game, with the first two batters grounding out to shortstop Anthony Volpe. Judge’s counterpoint on the Mets’ in the ‘generational player’ department, Juan Soto, singled for the first hit of the game, but Mark Vientos flew out to right to end the inning.
After Peralta retired the first two hitters, Anthony Volpe collected his first hit of the season, lining a double up the middle. However, J.C. Escarra lined out to center, stranding Volpe on second. However, in the top of the third, Ben Rice put the Yankees on the board with a one-out solo home run to center. Judge flew out for the second out, but back to back walks to Bellinger and Chisholm put two on for Ryan McMahon. McMahon grounded out to second, limiting the damage to just one run.
A.J. Ewing added the second Mets’ hit of the afternoon, leading off the third with a single up the middle. Hayden Senger attempted to bunt him over, but he popped it straight up for the first out. Ewing stole second, but neither Carson Benge nor Bo Bichette could knock him in.
In the fourth, Vientos and Baty both singled ahead of Semien, who drove a double down the right field line, scoring Vientos and tying the game. Ewing took a walk from Rodríguez to bring up Senger with the bases loaded. A weak dribbler to short ended the inning, and the Mets stranded three on base.
Peralta had a shut down inning in the fifth, getting the top of the Yankees’ lineup to all fly or pop out, while keeping his pitch count at 86, allowing a potential sixth inning appearance. In the bottom of the frame, Rodríguez hit Benge and got Bichette to fly out before being pulled in favor of lefty Ryan Yarbrough to face Soto. A swinging bunt on the first pitch from Yarbrough pushed Benge to second. Vientos jumped on a fastball for a single, putting men on the corners with two outs. Tyrone Taylor pinch hit for MJ Melendez for the handedness advantage. Taylor hit it on the screws, but Trent Grisham dove for the ball and caught it for the third out.
Bellinger walked to lead off the sixth, and was moved to second on a wild pitch from Peralta. Chisholm walked, and that would do it for Peralta. The six walks on the afternoon overshadowed a two hit, four strikeout performance. Sean Manaea was first out of the bullpen, and a McMahon bunt pushed the runners into scoring position. Pinch hitter Paul Goldschmidt worked a full count before getting hit on the foot to load the bases, still with just one out. Anthony Volped lined the first pitch he saw into left for a two-run single. Taylor lollipopped the throw, missing the cutoff man, and allowed the runners to advance to second and third. Old friend Amed Rosario hit a sac fly to make it 4-1. A lazy fly ball was dropped by Bichette, allowing yet another run to score and things just kept unraveling. Why Taylor didn’t call him off is beyond me.
When the dust settled on the inning, the Mets gave up four runs on one hit. Read that again. Le sigh.
Yarbrough remained in the game to start the sixth, an quickly got Baty to fly out for the first out. A Semien single and another Ewing walk put two on, and that was enough for Aaron Boone, who pulled Yarbough in favor of Jake Bird. With that, the Mets also pulled Senger in favor of Luis Torrens. The move paid off, as Torrens doubled into the right-field corner, scoring both Semien and Ewing and making it 5-3.
Benge was up next, and worked a full count in a great at-bat before striking out on the 11th pitch of the at-bat. Next up was Bichette, hoping to atone for the dropped ball in the prior inning. Two for his last 37, Bichette looked due for some redemption and an RBI. It wasn’t to be; he floated a fly ball out to right-center for the third out of the inning.
The parade of baserunners for Manaea continued, with singles to Bellinger and Chisholm and a four pitch walk to Max Schuemann. Volpe came up with the bases loaded, and Manaea ran the count full before an errant fastball walked in a run. Austin Wells tapped a ball back to Manea to end the inning, but the Mets found themselves another run in the hole.
Camilo Doval pitched the seventh for the Yankees, retiring Soto, Vientos, and Taylor without a baserunner.
Because the Mets ran through most of their bullpen yesterday, Manaea pitched the eighth and looked easily the best he had all day, striking out both Grisham and Judge. In the bottom half of the inning, Ewing walked for the third time to give the Mets their only baserunner against Fernando Cruz. Manaea got a double play to retire the Yankees in order in the ninth, and the Mets had one final shot with the top of the order to come back.
Benge led off the inning against closer David Bednar by muscling a ball up in the zone for a soft liner base hit. Bichette [checks notes] hit a single up the middle, snapping an 0-15 stretch? That can’t be right, can it?
Soto strode to the plate as the tying run. He pounded one into the ground down to first, pushing Benge to third, erasing Bichette at second, and allowing Soto to reach on a fielder’s choice. Vientos was up next, and flailed at two curve balls before striking out on a high fastball, and the Mets were down to their last out. Soto stole second on the strikeout, which was odd as his run didn’t mean anything.
Who’s run did mean something? Tyrone Taylor. He of missed defensive cues and two hard hit outs took Bednar deep to left field, turning on a ball and absolutely crushing it to tie the game. The ball hugged the line, but it no doubt had the distance. The stadium exploded, and the game was brand new again.
Baty would walk and Semien fouled out to send the game to extras, but the Mets were given a chance.
The Mets brought in Devin Williams to attempt to keep the game tied with McMahon as the Manfred Man on second base. Schuemann was first up, and after failing to bunt the ball, struck out on a fantastic Airbender. With the Mets paying him no attention, McMahon stole third without a throw to put the go-ahead run on third with less than two outs. Volpe was up next and he walked, which led to a meeting at the mound with manager Carlos Mendoza. On the first pitch, Wells grounded into a 3-6-3 double play to end the threat.
Tim Hill came up to start the bottom of the tenth. Semien was the free runner at second, and Ewing led off the 10th, laying down a perfect bunt—the first of his professional career!—and pushed the winning run 90 feet away. Torrens was next up, and the Yankees brought a fifth outfielder in, leaving left field totally vacated. Torrens got nicked by the ball on the elbow pad, moving him to first base and bringing up Benge. The five man infield continued, with right field now wide open. Benge hit a weak ball over the mound and two Yankees collided, not able to make the play and allowing Semien to score the winning run.
The Mets had not won a game they trailed after eight inning in nearly two years, going 0-91 when trailing that late. They did it this afternoont, taking the home half of the Subway Series. This team has looked like a totally different club as of late, fighting back and not giving up.
Is this…is this hope?
The Mets travel to DC to face the Nationals for a four game series. Christian Scott will face Jake Irvin tomorrow evening.
Big Mets winner: A.J. Ewing, +32.0% WPA Big Mets loser: Sean Manaea, -32.0%WPA Mets pitchers: -19.0% WPA Mets hitters: 69% WPA Teh aw3s0mest play: Tyrone Taylor’s three run dinger, +48.5% WPA Teh sux0rest play: Anthony Volpe’s two-run single, -19.9% WPA
May 17, 2026; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Twins pitcher Taylor Rogers (55) delivers a pitch against the Milwaukee Brewers during the seventh inning at Target Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-Imagn Images | Matt Krohn-Imagn Images
Two weeks ago, Minnesota Twins RP Andrew Morris gave an inspired performance out of the bullpen in relief of an injured Joe Ryan. One week ago, a bullpen game brought home a victory. For a third consecutive Sunday, the Twins ‘pen turned in an inspired performance to salvage the final game with the Milwaukee Brewers.
Despite another Buxton-less lineup that didn’t inspire a ton of confidence, the Twins got on the board right away in the bottom of the first inning when an Austin Martin leadoff BB was pushed home on a clutch Kody Clemens double into the RF corner. The rally would continue off Milwaukee opener Robert Gasser to load the bases—but a Royce Lewis K would prevent further payoff.
The early MN lead lasted all of about 15 minutes. In T2, a Jake Bauers leadoff BB off Twins SP Bailey Ober was immediately brought around by a Sal Frelick double to knot things at 1-1.
The Twins snatched the lead back in B3 with a wild sequence: after a Ryan Jeffers single, Clemens again cracked a double—this time off the LF wall—after which he was so aggressive on the base paths and the throw from MIL LF Jackson Chourio was so wild (and out of play) that Kody was awarded the final 90 feet for a Little League HR!
The Brew Crew’s Garrett Mitchell would strike back in T4 to cut the MN lead to 3-2—then Christian Yelich would similarly put one in the paying customers to again even the score at 3-3.
This time the Milwaukee momentum would only last moments, with Jeffers pounding one into the seats in B5!
Remarkably, the bullpen quartet of Anthony Banda, Morris, Taylor Rogers, & Justin Topa kept the border battle visitors off the scoreboard heading into the ninth!
An insurance run came in B8 when a Luke Keaschall leadoff triple was brought home on a Victor Caratini sac fly.
The insurance was needed. Luis Garcia entered in T9 and allowed a run after a furious Brewers rally. But just when it looked like I was going to have to burn this entire recap, Garcia induced a game-ending pop-out directly behind home plate!
Your Final: Minnesota Twins 5, Milwaukee Brewers 4
Can LaTroy Hawkins somehow convince his charges that it’s Sunday every day?!
Zach’s Zealot
Audra Martin: Today was Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles day at Target Field and Twins.TV’s intrepid field reporter showed up in a TMNT onesie! As a 90s kid, I grew up on that series—had all the turtle action figures and the sewer playset.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - MAY 17: Tyrone Taylor #28 of the New York Mets reacts after his ninth inning game-tying three-run home run against the New York Yankees at Citi Field on May 17, 2026 in New York City. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Elmer Rodríguez has faced some seriously fierce competition in his first three MLB starts, squaring off against Nathan Eovaldi, Jacob deGrom, and today Freddy Peralta. He authored the best start of his young MLB career, holding the Mets to a run while pitching into the fifth to match the way Peralta was repeatedly silencing each Yankees threat that appeared on the bases. It took until the sixth and an Anthony Volpe two-run single to spark an eventual four-run frame. However, all of that hard work was undone in an instant when David Bednar surrendered the game-tying three-run homer to Tyrone Taylor with two outs in the ninth, the Mets eventually succeeding in plating the automatic runner an inning later to walk off the Yankees, 7-6, and win the series from their crosstown rivals. The Bombers remain winless in Citi Field series since 2018, finishing up this road trip through Milwaukee, Baltimore, and Queens at an appalling 2-7.
ERC is widely regarded to possess the most advanced command of his arsenal of any of the Yankees’ pitching prospects. He might not possess the top-end stuff of some of the other members of his cohort, but he was always able to overcome that with his strike throwing abilities and command of the edges of the zone. That was why it was so alarming to see him pitch so wildly in much of his first two career big league starts against the Rangers, walking eight batters in 8.2 innings. However, he appeared to find something after a three-run first inning threatened to derail his most recent start against Texas, and went on to pitch a further 3.2 scoreless innings.
Whatever adjustment he discovered, it looks like he was able to carry that momentum into today’s start against the Mets. Most of his misses with the fastball in his first two starts were high to the glove side, which you wondered whether it was a natural side effect of his crossfire delivery, but it was clear from the jump this afternoon that he found a good line for the delivery of his four-seamer and sinker. Because he fell behind in so many counts against Texas, he was never able to take advantage of the deadly secondaries in his arsenal, but getting ahead in counts today allowed him to hunt chases on his slider, changeup, and curveball out of the zone. The Mets fired off a fair bit of hard contact, but ERC putting himself in a position to use his secondaries allowed him to largely keep the ball just above or just below the barrel of the bat.
It’s a good thing ERC brought his A-game to the park, because his offense repeatedly wasted the opportunities they created for themselves. Aaron Judge and Cody Bellinger drew a pair of two-out walks in the first but were stranded by a Jazz Chisholm Jr. strikeout. Volpe tallied his first base hit of his season with a two-out double in the second, but J.C. Escarra stranded him at second with a fly out. Ben Rice finally broke through in the third, crushing a 2-1 changeup that stayed up to right for a 409-foot solo blast, moving into a tie for the fourth-most home runs in MLB at 15.
Unfortunately, Ryan McMahon would strand Bellinger and Jazz with a groundout after they drew a pair of two-out walks following the Rice home run. That volume of missed chances was always liable to come back to haunt them, and indeed they surrendered the lead in the bottom of the fourth. Mark Vientos bounced a one-out single through the right side and Brett Baty followed with a two-out bloop single. This allowed the struggling Marcus Semien to ambush a mistake first-pitch sinker middle-middle from ERC, slicing it down the line in right for the game-tying RBI double. A.J. Ewing then worked a walk to load the bases, but ERC executed a good four-seamer down and in to Hayden Senger for the inning-ending ground out to leave all three ducks on the pond.
He was allowed to come back out for the fifth, but following a leadoff HBP of Carson Benge and with Juan Soto coming to the plate, Aaron Boone called on Ryan Yarbrough out of the bullpen. The crafty lefty allowed a two-out single to Vientos to put runners on the corners, but Trent Grisham bailed out his pitcher with a diving catch on a sinking line drive from Taylor to save two runs. That put a cap on ERC’s final line, the rookie allowing a run on five hits and a walk with one strikeout in 4.1 innings.
Peralta was showing clear signs of fatigue by the sixth, his fastball losing four mph off it’s peak as he walked Bellinger and Jazz to open the frame. That was enough to draw Carlos Mendoza out of the dugout to hand the ball to Sean Manaea, who gave up a McMahon sac bunt and hit pinch-hitter Paul Goldschmidt on the front foot to load the bases with one out. Volpe was the one to finally provide the timely hit with runners on, pulling a first pitch hanging sweeper to left to plate a pair and put runners on the corners. Pinch-hitter Amed Rosario lifted a fly deep enough to left to plate pinch-runner Max Schuemann, Volpe shrewdly tagging up and taking second on the play. That proved to be an important moment, as the ghost of Luis Castillo paid a visit to Citi Field for the second time this series, Bo Bichette dropping a pop up from Grisham to allow Volpe to score the fourth run of the inning.
Despite now pitching with the lead, Yarbrough felt like a ticking time bomb, and Boone apparently agreed because he hooked the southpaw after a Semien single and Ewing walk in the sixth. The move immediately backfired as Jake Bird coughed up a two-run double to Luis Torrens on a 1-1 sweeper right down Broadway, though he did manage to record the final two outs to send this game to the seventh with the Yankees still leading, 5-3.
Patience from the bottom of the Yankees order earned them an insurance run in the seventh. Bellinger and Jazz reached on consecutive one-out singles and Schuemann drew a walk to load the bases. Up stepped the man of the hour, Volpe grinding back from 0-2 to draw the free pass that plated Bellinger as the Yankees’ sixth run. Just when it looked like the Yankees had the win in the bag, Camilo Doval pitching a scoreless seventh and Fernando Cruz a scoreless eighth, David Bednar undid all the hard work of his teammates. He allowed a pair of leadoff singles to Benge and Bichette, and though he was able to record the next two outs, he hung a first pitch curveball to Taylor, who demolished it to left to level the scores, 6-6.
The Yankees put runners on the corners with one out in the tenth, but that brought the slumbering Austin Wells to the plate and you know how that was always going to end: the inning-ending double play. Failing to score in the top of the tenth typically leads to walk-off losses. Tim Hill had the unenviable task of trying to pitch a scoreless half-inning, but a Ewing sac bunt, Torrens HBP, and Benge walk-off fielder’s choice—one in which Volpe and Schuemann ran into each other—condemned the Yankees to a 7-6 loss and their second straight series loss against a last-place team.
The Yankees will hope they can bounce back starting tomorrow against the Blue Jays. Ryan Weathers faces off against Patrick Corbin in the series-opening battle of southpaws. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05pm EDT with the broadcast remaining on YES.
Australia’s Mitchell Starc returned figures of 4-40 as Delhi Capitals kept their playoff hopes alive in the IPL with a five-wicket win over Rajasthan Royals on Sunday.
PHOENIX, ARIZONA - MARCH 20, 2026: Colt Emerson #85 of the Seattle Mariners bats during the fifth inning of a spring training Spring Breakout game against the Milwaukee Brewers at American Family Fields of Phoenix on March 20, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Chris Bernacchi/Diamond Images via Getty Images) | Diamond Images/Getty Images
The Seattle Mariners are calling up top prospect SS/3B Colt Emerson, per multiple reports led by Ryan Divish of the Seattle Times. The move came as somewhat of an unexpected move, as Emerson was initially listed in the Tacoma Rainiers lineup in Triple-A. Instead, Seattle is bringing up their 20 year old quite literally from the South Sound. The corresponding move is another stint on the injured list for Brendan Donovan, this time with a left groin muscle strain. Per Mariners GM Justin Hollander, Donovan re-aggravated his groin injury in the last game in Houston when he was on base three times with a near-cycle.
Apparently, core surgery, such as the one Donovan had this off-season, can make one more susceptible to groin strains and core muscle strains in the months following recovery. Hollander said that while the team was aware Donovan would need to have his workload managed carefully in the first half of the season, the re-aggravation is a clear sign that they need to take a step back.
“It’s inflamed, it’s irritated, and it’s back to where it was when he went on the IL for the first time, so we need to get it right,” said Hollander.
Donovan will have two separate injections: a PRP injection for the groin strain and a separate one in his adductor muscle “to try to keep both things working together and get them right.” The team will evaluate further after the inflammation calms, but Hollander anticipates Donovan to be down for at least two to three weeks.
Emerson is one of the most well-regarded prospects in all of baseball, with national outlets ranking him near the top of all major prospect lists to start the year (Baseball America – 7th, Baseball Prospectus – 15th, FanGraphs – 11th, MLB Pipeline – 9th).
“This is not a 15 at-bat or 20 at-bat tryout to see if he’s capable of taking the job and running with it for the rest of the year,” said Hollander, who said Emerson’s response to the news that he was officially going to be a big-leaguer was great I’m gonna go pack my bag and I’ll head right up, like he was picking up a friend at the airport instead of achieving a lifelong dream. “I have zero concerns that he’s emotionally ready to handle it, that he’smature enough to handle the day-to-day of the major league life. He certainly has the tools and skills to go compete at this level.”
The move makes Emerson the youngest player in the American League, and the youngest Mariners player since Félix Hernández debuted as a 19 year old in August of 2005. In fact, Emerson was born just 15 days before the King’s big league debut, h/t Connor Donovan. After scorching the minors a season ago, Emerson signed a contract extension for eight years, $95 million, with club options for 2034 this spring. It seemed like the sort of move that would come in concert with an immediate call-up, but Seattle left the youngster in Tacoma to continue working. Healing from a few minor injuries—most notably a wrist injury that sidetracked his progress towards the end of last month—Emerson has played regularly for the Rainiers while working between shortstop and third base.
The Mariners have seemed intent to work in Emerson at third base when he debuts, where he’s looked smooth as a defender, as opposed to shifting veteran SS J.P. Crawford in the de facto captain’s final year under contract. It’s a bit of rhyme with Crawford’s own debut, as the then-22-year-old took primary work at third in deference to Freddy Galvis. But Emerson came up as a shortstop, and is the heir apparent to the position in the future, and will get reps in there, as well, said Hollander, which will also serve to give J.P. Crawford some much-needed days off.
“I think he sees the ball really well,” said Hollander. “In our view, he’s always handled that transition [between third and short] seamlessly. Bouncing back and forth has never really bothered him. I think he naturally has sort of arm angle adaptability, so he can throw from a bunch of different stops. He’s always made it look very easy at third base, too. So I wouldn’t anticipate any growing pains.”
Emerson’s defensive capabilities should be a boon for Seattle in either location, so it’s most pertinent to see how the 2023 first round pick handles himself at the plate. He’d run a respectable .255/.347/.469 line in the hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League, but striking out at an elevated 27.2% clip had suggested he might receive a bit more seasoning before the call.
Instead, he is here. The club announced the move just after 2 PM on Sunday.
“You never really know with a young player until they get out there and show us what they can do, but we do have all the confidence in the world that he can go take the job and run with it,” said Hollander. “And it that’s how it works, that’ll be great. We’d be thrilled for him and thrilled for us.”
KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI - JUNE 30: Salvador Perez #13 of the Kansas City Royals celebrates after hitting a two-run home run in the seventh inning against the Cleveland Guardians at Kauffman Stadium on June 30, 2024 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Ed Zurga/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Sunday’s game started out with an encouraging first inning. Maikel Garcia singled up the middle and then two batters later Vinnie Pasquantino also singled to center where Victor Scott II fumbled the ball and allowed Garcia to advance to third. Salvador Perez then picked up his first RBI of the night by hitting a sac fly to left. Stephen Kolek took the mound for the bottom half of the inning and induced three groundball outs, which would be foreshadowing for how his day was going to go. One inning down and Kansas City had a 1-0 lead.
Most of the rest of the afternoon turned into a pitchers’ duel. Andre Pallante needed 21 pitches in that first frame, but then went two outs into the 7th and only needed 99 total to get there. He did have one more little hiccup along the way when Salvy deposited his first pitch of the 4th into the seats to double the Royal lead and put The Captain just 7 HR behind George Brett for the Royals career home run mark.
The Royals did scatter some hits throughout, but Perez was the main offensive force for the team, which could mean he is starting to heat up finally. In fact, the Cardinals never got him out after the sac fly. He hit the homer, then singled in the 6th, and had a nine pitch walk in the 8th. If Salvy can be patient like he was in the 8th, it would greatly benefit this offense.
Stephen Kolek was more dominant than Pallante. His final line was a solid 6.1IP, 4H, BB, 3K, but it felt even better than that somehow. He is typically a groundball pitcher, over 50% of balls put in play by him are on the ground so far in his career, which would have put him in the top 10 for qualified starters last year in groundball rate. Today almost everything was on the ground. He had 13 of those ground balls turn into 14 outs thanks to one of them being this pretty double play.
That was a very nice outing that was turned over to Daniel Lynch IV in the 7th. Lynch quickly took care of the last 2 outs in the seventh and then went ahead and took care of the 8th as well. It looked like this would be a save situation for Lucas Erceg, thought the offense tried to create some insurance in the top of the 9th.
Justin Bruihl had come on to finish the Royals off in the 8th and continued on into the 9th. Isaac Collins lead off the inning with a single and was followed by a Lane Thomas walk. Bruihl was pulled for Matt Pushard who then beaned Nick Loftin in the hand while he was trying to bunt. Loaded bases with no outs is generally a pretty good situation for an offense to be in. Unfortunately, Kyle Isbel struck out and then Garcia grounded to third for a double play, so it was time for the save attempt.
Erceg, sans lights out due to the road day game, got the job done. He did allow a walk to Nolan Gorman and a loud line drive out to Cesar Prieto, but no runners got past first base. Four batters, three outs, one save. That puts an end to the Royal’s six game losing streak and sends them back to KC after a disappointing 1-5 road trip.
At home, the Royals will have 9 games against the Red Sox, Mariners, and Yankees. With Boston and Seattle off to slow starts on the season, like almost the entire AL, that is not as daunting as it might have looked going into the year. So far, the home cooking has been good, the Royals need to right the ship by taking care of business in Kauffman.
The Mets defeated the Yankees in dramatic fashion, coming back from four runs down to walk off with a 7-6 win in extra innings.
Here are the takeaways...
--In the ninth inning, with the Mets trailing 6-3,Carson Benge fought off a single to center, and Bo Bichette ripped a grounder up the middle, bringing Juan Soto to the plate as the tying run against David Bednar.
But Soto grounded into a fielder’s choice, and Mark Vientos went down swinging, leaving it up to Tyrone Taylor.
Taylor, who had a couple of defensive misplays earlier, went from goat to GOAT as he demolished a three-run homer just fair inside the left field foul pole. With the Mets down to their last out, Taylor knotted things up, sending it to extras.
-- In the top of the 10th, with runners on the corners and one out, Vientos started a 3-6-3 double play that fired up the team and fans alike. In the bottom half, A.J. Ewing bunted the free runner Marcus Semien to third. With the Yankees playing a five-man infield, Benge hit a chopper up the middle, and the Yankees' defenders bumped into each other while trying to make a play, allowing the game-winning run to score.
-- On the pitching side, it was a strange outing from Freddy Peralta. On one hand, he allowed just two hits and struck out four in 5.0+ innings. But he also walked six Yankees, including the final two he faced as he exited the game with two runners on and no outs in the top of the sixth. Of his 96 pitches thrown, 52 were out of the zone (54 percent).
Sean Manaea came in to try to clean things up, but after hitting Paul Goldschmidt with a pitch, he allowed a two-run single to Anthony Volpe, his second hit of the game after being hitless since his call-up. Former Met Amed Rosario added to the lead with a sac fly and then disaster struck. Trent Grisham lofted a lazy pop-up to shallow left, butTaylor didn't call Bichette off, and the backpedaling Bichette dropped the ball, giving the Yankees a 5-1 lead. The Yankees scored four runs in the inning on just one hit.
Taylor also missed the cutoff man earlier in the inning, which allowed the Yankees to take an extra base during the rally. Peralta was charged with three earned runs over his 5.0+ innings.
-- The Mets got two runs back in the bottom half of the inning, as Luis Torrens laced a two-run double to the right field corner, making it a 5-3 game. Bichette came up later in the inning as the potential tying run, but flew out to right-center to end the inning.
-- Manaea got into more trouble in the seventh, and walked Volpe with the bases loaded to force in the Yankees' sixth run of the afternoon. Manaea gave the Mets some needed length, going four innings while allowing two earned runs. He threw 57 pitches, which could help him get stretched out as a starter or a bulk reliever when Clay Holmes' turn comes up in the rotation.
-- Aaron Boone recently said that he believed Ben Rice was evolving into one of the best hitters in baseball. Rice proved his manager right by crushing a solo home run to right center in the third inning. Rice's 15th homer of the season put the Yankees up 1-0.
-- There was some two-out magic from the Mets in the fourth. With two down and a man on first, Brett Baty singled, and Semien doubled, tying the game at 1-1. They ended up loading the bases later in the inning, but Hayden Senger grounded out to short, keeping the game tied.
-- Yankees starter Elmer Rodriguez wasn't exactly efficient, but he was effective. While just 38 of his 64 pitches were strikes, he held the Mets to one earned run on five hits in 4.1 innings.
-- Ewingcontinues to look perfectly at home in the majors, reaching base four times with a hit and three walks, while perfectly executing a sac bunt in the 10th.
Game MVP
Taylor, who launched a three-run shot to save the series for the Mets.
Highlights
Freddy Peralta fans Jazz Chisholm Jr. to get out of trouble in the first
Opponents are now hitting 3-for-41 (.073) against Peralta with runners in scoring position this season pic.twitter.com/FHYztyfdyN
ST LOUIS, MISSOURI - MAY 17: Michael Massey #19 of the Kansas City Royals attempts to turn a double lay over JJ Wetherholt #26 of the St. Louis Cardinals in the third inning at Busch Stadium on May 17, 2026 in St Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Dilip Vishwanat/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Quiet Sundays can be a good thing, but not when it describes what happened to the St. Louis Cardinals bats as the Royals avoided a sweep winning 2-0.
Andre Pallante was not the Cardinals problem Sunday as he gave them 6 2/3 innings allowing 8 hits, 1 earned run striking out 7 with no walks. Unfortunately, Salvador Perez was his nemesis knocking in the first run on a sacrifice fly in the 1st inning scoring Garcia who singled then advanced on an error by Victor Scott II making it 1-0 Royals after 1. All was relatively quiet until the 4th inning when it was Salvador Perez who hit a towering 393 foot solo shot off off Pallante pitch upping the Royals lead to 2-0.
It could have been much worse as Nathan Church made a diving catch on a shot from Bobby Witt Jr. to wrap up the top of the 3rd inning with a runner aboard. Feel free to insert your favorite “Church on Sunday” phrase here.
Stephen Kolek pitched a gem for the Kansas City Royals. He tossed an extremely solid 6 1/3 innings. He last batter was Masyn Winn who grounded into a fielder’s choice after he hustled to avoid a double play. Unfortunately, Masyn was also taken out of the game because of a yet unnamed injury/discomfort. Cesar Prieto was the pinch-runner who was brought in for Masyn and also replaced him at shortstop. CBS Sports reporting that Masyn is dealing with knee discomfort and is listed as day-to-day, but further tests will be done on Monday.
Happy to report that both Matt Svanson was solid in relief of Andre Pallante Sunday. He did not allow any additional damage to keep the Cardinals within striking distance in the late innings. Justin Bruihl did get into a bit of a mess allowing the first two on-base in the top of the 9th inning. Matt Pushard added to the misery by nailing pinch-hitter Loftin in the hand to load the bases, but he was able to strikeout Isbel for the first out and then get a groundball double play from Garcia to send the game into the bottom of the 9th with St. Louis at least having a chance.
The Kansas City Royals brought in their closer Lucas Erceg to try and shut the Cardinals down. All Jordan Walker could manage was a groundout to third base. Nolan Gorman managed to draw a walk bringing up Cesar Prieto as the potential tying run. He barreled a ball that unfortunately was directed straight at right fielder Lane Thomas for the second out. Nathan Church was the Cardinals final hope. He battled for 10 pitches, but grounded out for the final out of the game.
The Cardinals have Monday off and will be back at Busch Stadium Tuesday night as they’ll begin a series against NL Central foe the Pittsburgh Pirates. Matthew Liberatore is scheduled to pitch for the Cardinals while the Pirates will send Mitch Keller to the mound. First pitch is scheduled for 6:45pm central time.
May 17, 2026; Cumberland, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Braves left fielder Mike Yastrzemski (18) high fives Atlanta Braves right fielder José Azócar (38) at home base after hitting a home run against the Boston Red Sox during the fourth inning at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Jordan Godfree-Imagn Images | Jordan Godfree-Imagn Images
The Red Sox’s performance today was similar to my dog’s now that the weather is in the 80s. They were around, but they mostly did nothing, and the stuff that they did was a complete mess (My dog drips water all over the place when she drinks.)
Is Brayan Bello’s story over? He had two solid performances working after an opener, but started Sunday’s game from the dugout. It went poorly — seven runs over five innings — and I can’t shake the flaws that I see in his game. His sinker is good. It’s got good velocity and a sound movement profile. After that, there’s nothing else. That showed up in a big way on Sunday.
Bello was wild from the jump. He left a cutter over the plate with two strikes to Austin Riley that went for a three-run home run, and the Braves were off and running. In the second inning, the bases were loaded before Bello recorded an out, and Drake Baldwin came to the plate. The first pitch was a curveball that was called a ball. The second was a changeup that Baldwin jumped out of his shoes to swing at. With the bases loaded and nobody out, hitters look for fastballs to drive. Baldwin showed his hand by swinging at the changeup, and Bello wisely stayed away from his fastball. The issue, however, is that he can’t throw anything else for strikes, and the stuff isn’t good enough to get hitters to expand. The count went to 3-1, and Bello had no choice but to nibble with his fastball. He missed, Baldwin walked, and the Braves grabbed two more runs in the inning. I will say, the first pitch curveball was executed for a strike, but the ump missed the call, and Narvaez didn’t challenge. Ahead 0-1 changes the at-bat, but he still needs to find a way to escape at-bats, and he doesn’t have that.
Elsewhere, the offense was lethargic once again. The only run came in the ninth inning against the mop-up man. There were some hard-hit balls directly to outfielders, but when Grant Holmes throws six shutout innings, something is wrong. On to Kansas City for a series against the ice-cold Royals.
Three Studs
Ceddanne Rafaela
Rafaela was 1-3 with a walk at the plate, but it’s his glove that puts him in the studs today. Every time a ball is hit to center field, he catches it. He made a highlight reel catch in the eighth and had a few others that he made look easy. He’s fun to watch.
Ryan Watson
Saved the pen. From what? Who knows. But he saved them.
Newcastle United
With their 3-1 victory over West Ham, my beloved Tottenham Hotspur Football Club needs just one point from their next two matches to avoid relegation. COYS.
Three Duds
Brayan Bello
See above.
Mother Nature
It randomly started pouring rain to the point where the tarp was on the field for about half an hour. I’m not mad that it rained. I’m mad that it didn’t rain long enough to call the game after six innings. Do better, Mother Nature.
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - AUGUST 24: Yoshinobu Yamamoto #18 of the Los Angeles Dodgers pitches during the first inning of a game against the San Diego Padres at Petco Park on August 24, 2025 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images) | Getty Images
It took more than a quarter into the season, but the Dodgers on Monday finally will play the San Diego Padres for the first of four series this season, this one a three-game affair between the top two teams in the National League West at Petco Park in San Diego.
Yoshinobu Yamamoto starts the series opener on Monday night, coming off his first MLB game allowing three home runs. Right-hander Michael King starts for San Diego.
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - MAY 16: Rodolfo Duran #48 of the San Diego Padres rounds the bases after hitting a two-run home run during the seventh inning against the Seattle Mariners at T-Mobile Park on May 16, 2026 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Jack Compton/Getty Images) | Getty Images
This felt like a game the San Diego Padres would lose. With the Seattle Mariners’ ace on the mound in Logan Gilbert, it felt like the moping San Diego offense would struggle to score enough to back starter Walker Buehler.
That was not the case. Buehler pitched a gem and the Friars rode three homers against Gilbert to a 7-4 victory. Rookie catcher Rodolfo Durán finally got his first hit in the big leagues, and he made it count. The backstop slugged a two-run homer in the seventh inning, and would have had another in the ninth inning if not for the acrobatics of Julio Rodríguez in center field.
The win gave the Friars a needed series victory. They’ll go for the sweep today against Seattle, with Lucas Giolito set to make his Padres’ debut.
Taking the mound
George Kirby (SEA) v. Lucas Giolito (SD)
The young right-hander has tested his mettle at the major-league level multiple times. He’s pitched with an ERA under 4.00 for four of his five years of service. Kirby owns a 2.84 ERA this season, impressing almost every time he takes the mound.
Kirby has been on a particular hot streak lately, not allowing more than two runs in a start since April 7. The Friars will need to figure out Kirby in order to back up their starting pitcher.
Speaking of, Lucas Giolito will make his 2026 debut with the Padres after signing him to a one-year deal late into the season. He’s pitched well while on assignment in the San Diego minor league system. If he can pitch a dominant outing against the Mariners, it would be a major relief for any rotation worries.
Batter up!
The offense-centric lineup that manager Craig Stammen has continued to go with in this series finally clicked, with all seven of the Friars’ runs coming from the long ball.
Despite that, the star trio of Manny Machado, Jackson Merrill and Fernando Tatis Jr. went a combined 0-for-10 at the plate with two walks. They need more from that group to keep pace in the division. Still, those three will probably remain atop the lineup in today’s finale.
Jackson Merrill, CF
Fernando Tatis Jr., 2B
Manny Machado, 3B
Gavin Sheets, 1B
Xander Bogaerts, SS
Miguel Andujar, DH
Ramón Laureano, LF
Nick Castellanos, RF
Freddy Fermin, C
The Padres own a combined .318 batting average against Kirby. Machado and Tatis both have OPS marks above 1.000. They could be poised to break out in the series finale against Seattle.
Relief corps
In spite of Buehler’s solid start against the Mariners, the Friars needed five pitchers to get through the game. Wandy Peralta and Jason Adam pitched scoreless frames before Alek Jacob came in to pitch the eighth. He struggled, failing to record a single out. Adrian Morejon was called on and finished the inning before Jeremiah Estrada slammed the door.
For today’s game, that means Ron Marinnacio, Yuki Matsui, Mason Miller and Bradgley Rodriguez are available. The latter two have been incredibly good for the Friars whereas the former two have a less consistent record.
That will leave the ‘pen somewhat depleted. The Padres will need a quality outing from Giolito or else their bullpen may be on thin ice heading into this week’s series against the rival Los Angeles Dodgers.
The Buffalo Sabres didn’t just survive Saturday night in Montreal — they clawed their way back from the brink behind a handful of unlikely difference-makers who refused to let the season die quietly.
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen Slammed the Door Shut
When Lindy Ruff pulled Alex Lyon after three goals on four shots, the atmosphere inside the Bell Centre felt almost fatal for Buffalo. The Sabres looked rattled, the Canadiens smelled blood, and the season appeared to be slipping away in real time.
Then Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen stepped into the chaos and completely flipped the emotional gravity of the game.
Instead of unraveling under the pressure of an elimination game on the road, Luukkonen delivered the kind of composed, season-saving performance that changes playoff series. He turned aside all 18 shots he faced after entering the game, erasing dangerous chances and stabilizing a team that desperately needed someone to calm the storm.
Every save seemed to strengthen Buffalo’s belief. Every stop drained life from a Canadiens crowd expecting a knockout blow.
What made the performance even more remarkable was the circumstance surrounding it. Luukkonen entered after a disastrous Game 5 outing and likely wasn’t even expected to see the ice Saturday night. Yet when the Sabres needed someone to rescue the season, he answered with the biggest relief appearance of his career.
Now, heading into Game 7, the crease unquestionably belongs to him.
Jack Quinn Finally Delivered the Breakthrough Buffalo Needed
The Sabres have spent much of this series searching for consistency from their power play, and for stretches, it looked like special teams might ultimately bury them.
Instead, Jack Quinn turned it into Buffalo’s greatest weapon in Game 6.
The winger entered the night still searching for his first playoff goal, making him an unlikely candidate to become one of the offensive catalysts in the most important game of the season. But Quinn erupted with two power-play goals, both arriving at critical moments as Buffalo seized momentum and refused to let Montreal recover.
More importantly, Quinn looked dangerous every time the puck found his stick. There was confidence in his release, urgency in his movement, and a level of assertiveness that had been missing earlier in the postseason.
Buffalo’s stars carried much of the offensive burden, but Quinn’s emergence gave the Sabres something they had lacked for large stretches of the series — secondary scoring capable of punishing Montreal’s mistakes.
If that version of Quinn shows up again Monday night, the complexion of Game 7 changes dramatically.
Konsta Helenius Is No Longer Just a Feel-Good Story
When the Sabres inserted Konsta Helenius into the lineup earlier in the series, it initially felt like an injection of youthful energy more than anything else — a talented prospect getting a taste of playoff hockey.
That storyline has officially expired.
Helenius is impacting games in meaningful moments now, and his second-period goal in Game 6 may have been one of the defining swings of the night.
At the time, Buffalo had battled back to reclaim momentum, but the game still felt fragile. One Canadiens push could have erased everything the Sabres had worked to rebuild after the ugly opening minutes.
Then Helenius struck.
His goal pushed the lead to 5-3 and completely changed the pressure dynamic inside the building. Suddenly, Montreal looked tense. Buffalo looked freer. The rookie didn’t just add insurance — he gave the Sabres breathing room in a game that had been emotionally volatile from puck drop.
Beyond the goal itself, Helenius continues to look remarkably composed for a player thrown into playoff hockey under immense pressure. The pace hasn’t overwhelmed him. The stage hasn’t intimidated him.
WASHINGTON, DC - MAY 17: Gunnar Henderson #2 celebrates with Tyler O'Neill #9 of the Baltimore Orioles at home plate after hitting a home run during the first inning against the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park on May 17, 2026 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Jess Rapfogel/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Orioles have played from behind far too often this season. Today they decided to try something different. Baltimore scored in each of the first four innings, and the bullpen stepped up after a short outing from Brandon Young. Gunnar Henderson, Coby Mayo and Colton Cowser all went yard, and the Orioles avoided a sweep with a 7-3 win in the nation’s capital.
Gunnar Henderson kicked off the early production with a solo shot in the first. Henderson squared up a sweeper and snuck it inside the right-field foul pole to provide Baltimore an early advantage. The ball left the bat at 107 MPH and traveled all the way to the third deck in right field.
Young delivered a shutdown bottom of the first, and the Orioles built on their early lead in the second. Samuel Basallo led off with a hard hit single to right field. With one on and one out, Coby Mayo battled until Miles Mikolas left the ninth pitch up in the zone. Mayo launched the sinker 407 feet to left field, and the Orioles led 3-0 after two.
Young gave one back in the bottom of the second when Jacob Young launched a solo shot to left, but the O’s starter minimized the damage after the solo shot and a two-out double.
The Birds picked up where they left off when Taylor Ward took a walk to start the third. Henderson followed with a hard hit single, and Ward took the extra-base to put runners on the corners for Pete Alonso. The first baseman made contact and muscled a fly ball deep enough to score Baltimore’s fourth run of the day on a sacrifice fly.
Young kept the Nats off the board in the bottom of the third, and the Orioles kept their foot on the gas in the next half inning. Leody Taveras got things going with a hustle double before Mayo lined out sharply to third. Mayo has trended upward over the last week with several solid at bats, but Baltimore’s number eight hitter needed a big hit more than anyone.
Colton Cowser entered the game without a hit off of a breaking ball this season. Mikolas gave Cowser a belt-high slider, and Cowser delivered a swing that instantly lifted a weight from his shoulder. The Milk Man hooked the ball 394 feet to right field for his first home run of the season. The blast gave Baltimore a 6-1 advantage, and Cowser’s teammates rewarded him with the silent treatment after his first dinger in 2026.
The early offense was exactly what the doctor ordered. Unfortunately, Young stopped short of pairing a strong offensive performance with a quality start on the mound. Despite pitching with a five-run lead, Young allowed a leadoff single and then walked the bases loaded in the fourth.
Young got the first out of the inning on a sacrifice fly by Keibert Ruiz. The 6-foot-6 Texan followed that with a strikeout of Nasim Nuñez, but James Wood reloaded the bases with an infield single. Luis García Jr. stepped to the plate represent the tying run, and Craig Albernaz made a move. The Orioles couldn’t afford to let Washington back into the game, so Albernaz summoned Anthony Nunez. Nunez met the moment and sent García down swinging to end the threat.
Baltimore’s bats went silent for a bit, but the bullpen did its part. Nunez returned for a clean fifth, and Tyler Wells retired the side in order during the sixth. Wells allowed a run on three singles in the seventh, but he struck out Daylen Lile to keep the lead at three.
Yennier Cano tossed a scoreless eighth, and the Orioles added an insurance run in the top of the ninth. Jeremiah Jackson got into scoring position with a double to right-center, and Henderson brought him home with his fourth hit of the day. Henderson finished 4-for-5 with a pair of RBIs and finished a triple shy of the cycle.
The extra run eliminated a save opportunity for Rico Garcia, but Baltimore still turned to its best reliever in the bottom of the ninth. Garcia allowed a rare extra-base hit on a one-out double, but he still posted a scoreless frame to secure the 7-3 victory.
The early offense was the story today. Gunnar Henderson did his part with a four-hit day. Coby Mayo and Colton Cowser both delivered big blasts, and Anthony Nunez prevented Washington from creeping back into the game. Who is your pick for Most Birdland Player of the Day? Let us know in the comments below!
