What do the new swing tracking metrics from Baseball Savant tell us about the Red Sox?

ST PETERSBURG, FLORIDA - JUNE 9: Payton Tolle #70 of the Boston Red Sox pitches in the bottom of the first inning against the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field on June 9, 2026 in St Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by Parker S. Freedman/Getty Images) | Getty Images

WARNING: This is going to be nerdy.

Baseball Savant published new public bat tracking statistics this week that cover the last three seasons. I have no idea where this rabbit hole is going to lead me, but I have a notebook full of initial ideas to explore, so that’s what we’re going to do here today.

Mike Petriello put out a primer on the new metrics here. You should read it. If you don’t want to do that, the gist is that the new metrics track the bat during a swing in relation to the ball. They measure how often hitters swing early or late, above or below the ball, and inside or outside the ball. Basically, are you swinging where you’re supposed to in order to make solid contact? We have this by count, pitch type, handedness, month, season (2023-present), venue, team, astrological sign, Hogwarts house, and more. Again, I don’t know what I’m going to find, but let’s dive in.


Four-seam fastballs are designed to get hitters to swing late and swing under the ball primarily. I’ve harped on how good Payton Tolle’s fastball is time and time again. Unsurprisingly, 62% of swings against his fastball have been underneath the ball, the 10th highest mark out of 289 qualifiers. That number is up from 45% last season. Why? Probably because of the addition of his sinker. That’s important because, despite his elite velocity, hitters are geared up for fastballs. They’re on time 72% of the time, 183rd of 289 qualifiers. Last season, without a second fastball, hitters knew both where and when to swing, which is a recipe for disaster. This season, there’s more pause about where to swing, and the contact quality has weakened.

Elsewhere, Brayan Bello has had a trainwreck of a season. Last year, he was incredibly effective at using his sinker to get out of jams. Hitters were “tied up” by 36% of the sinkers he threw last year. This season, that number is only 22%. What changed? Where he was throwing them.

In 2025, 55% of the sinkers he threw to righties were on the inner third of the plate and in. This season, only 46% of them were in that area. The hard hit rate against the pitch rose from 35% to 53% over that span. That hasn’t been Bello’s only issue this season, but it’s certainly been one of them.

What about great pitches? Garrett Whitlock’s slider returns “flawed swings” on 30% of swings. That means the hitter is not on time, lined up, or centered with his bat. If you think about the swing in three dimensions, timing, height, and width, it’s a swing that was 0-for-3. On whiffs, hitters miss by an average of 7.3 inches. That’s the 13th-largest average miss in baseball. Pretty good!

Let’s talk about cutters. The Red Sox love them, and they function in different ways. You can throw them back door to an opposite-handed hitter, trying to land for a called strike. They can also be used up and in to opposite-handed hitters, trying to jam them for weak contact. The former requires hitters not to swing, so these new stats don’t give us much information there. The latter requires one of two things to happen. Either the pitch moves more towards the glove side than the hitter expects, or they swing late and can’t get the barrel to the ball.

Brayan Bello’s cutter is a weird one. Against left-handed hitters, it has a huge swinging strike rate of 22.1%. The swing tracking numbers show us that lefties are regularly early (53% of swings, the second-highest rate among RHP to LHH), and never tied up (0%). Because they’re early so often, Bello needs the ball to really be in on their hands where they’ll have a hard time keeping it fair. Most of the swings, however, have been on pitches over the plate, allowing lefties to lift and pull the ball, leading to huge damage.

Payton Tolle’s cutter has been great — 31% of right-handed swings registered as “tied up”. Righties haven’t barreled the ball up at all, and the only extra-base hit against it was this double.

Note:I’m writing this during Tolle’s start against the Rays. Another hitter just bounced a cutter off the plate for a double. Baseball is so strange.

Ranger Suarez’s cutter also has a 21% tie up rate against righties, though the whiff rate is much lower. Hitters are late on 25% of their swings, allowing the ball to get in on their hands. For Tolle, they’re early 20% of the time as they look for something harder, leading to whiffs. There are at least two ways to skin a cat.

Speaking of Suarez, his sinker has been excellent at jamming lefties, with a tied-up rate of 24%. That’s lagging behind Garrett Crochet, whose 40% mark against lefties is among the best in baseball. Connelly Early isn’t far behind him at 36%, which contributes to his sinker’s 56.5% ground ball rate versus lefties.

In the bullpen, Tayron Guerrero is throwing his sinker by everyone — 38% of swings are late. Believe it or not, that isn’t how Aroldis Chapman is getting his whiffs. Hitters are on time 84% of the time against Chapman’s sinker and 79% of the time against his four-seam. It’s the movement that’s getting them — 52% of swings are underneath his sinker, 41% are under his four-seam.

Who haven’t I talked about yet? Sonny Gray? His four-seam is hit at times, but it also does a good job tying up lefties. It’s not a traditional high-vertical four-seam; it has some cut action to it, allowing it to get in on lefties. His cutter also gets in on lefties, because it has even more cut than the four-seam. His sweeper and curveball both induce incredibly ugly swings, like this one that Salvador Perez missed by literally over two feet.

On the hitting side, Masataka Yoshida leads the team in “Perfect Contact” with a 38% rate. Caleb Durbin is second at 33%. Neither guy is striking out; they clearly each have great control of the barrel. Neither guy has high-end bat speed, though, so despite being on time and lined up, they’re not doing a ton of damage. Wilyer Abreu has been late against fastballs, and the results reflect that. He has a 25% whiff rate and .219 batting average against them.

Alright, I think that’s enough meandering from me. This stuff isn’t the end-all be-all of analysis, but it helps to be able to confirm what you think you know, or give context to why someone might be slumping. Go check out the leaderboard yourself and let me know what you find in the comments. Maybe you’ll be able to fix the offense, or salvage a pitcher. I don’t have any pull in the organization, but once I wrote that Payton Tolle should add a sinker, and he did, so maybe someone is paying attention. Or maybe they aren’t, and they came to that conclusion on their own. I also wrote that Brayan Bello would be okay as a starter, and he gave up 75 runs in the first inning the very next day, so what do I know? Okay, I’m done meandering for real now. I hope you enjoyed reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it.

Today on Pinstripe Alley – 6/13/26

TORONTO, CANADA - JUNE 12: Max Schuemann #30 of the New York Yankees reacts to striking out in the eighth inning in an MLB game at the Rogers Centre against the Toronto Blue Jays on June 12, 2026 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Tara Walton/Getty Images) | Getty Images

The Yankees’ house of horrors over the past year has been Rogers Centre — they dropped out of first place in the division last year after getting swept there and never got it back, and then got pummeled in the postseason when they advanced to the ALDS and had to face them again. Now, heading north of the border for the first time this season, they got down in a hurry as Ryan Weathers coughed up multiple homers and the offense couldn’t catch up. Putting insult to injury, Trent Grisham left the game with a hamstring strain that could sideline him for a bit and challenge the team’s suddenly-thin depth in the outfield.

We’ve got a frontloaded day with a mid-afternoon tilt on the schedule, so let’s set the stage. Matt opens and ends our day, first covering the results from our latest Reacts polling before coming back to riff on the concept of the 82-0 and 162-0 games that gained mass popularity recently. I’ll be back to go over the latest Rivalry Roundup results with the Rays threatening to retake sole possession of first with New York’s loss, Jeff recounts the tale of the phantom Yankee David Parrish on his birthday, Michael examines Camilo Doval’s perplexing results, and Andrés goes over what could and likely isn’t sustainable from Ryan McMahon’s recent stretch of play.

Today’s Matchup:

New York Yankees at Toronto Blue Jays

Time: 3:07 p.m. EST

TV: YES, Sportsnet, TVA Sports

Venue: Rogers Centre, Toronto, ON

Questions/Prompts:

1. What do the Yankees do in the outfield if Trent Grisham is sidelined for a decent length of time?

2. Is tonight the night, will the Knicks become NBA champions for the first time since 1973?

Bryce Rainer powers Whitecaps, Clark and Anderson go yard for the Hens

St. Paul Saints 10, Toledo Mud Hens 9 (box)

Dylan File was mauled in this one, and while the Hens fought back, it wasn’t quite enough on Friday.

File gave up six runs over the first four innings of work to put the Hens behind from the start.

Max Clark absolutely hammered a solo shot to right center field in the bottom of the first, and a leadoff single from Trei Cruz in the second led to a run on a Tyler Gentry double. In the third, Gage Workman doubled, Ben Malgeri walked, and Hao-Yu Lee smoked an RBI double to plate Workman. A passed ball brought Malgeri home, and it was a 4-4 game after three.

File then allowed two more runs in the fourth, and a three-run inning against Matt Seelinger followed. It was a 9-4 game headed into the bottom of the fifth.

Malgeri and Lee led off the bottom of the fifth with walks, and Eduardo Valencia singled in one run. Gentry singled in Lee and Valencia after a wild pitch allowed them to advance 90 feet. That made it 9-7 Saints, and Max Anderson cracked his fifth home run to the opposite field in the sixth to pull the Hens within a run.

Unfortunately, Nick Sandlin leaked a run in the seventh with some help from a Valencia passed ball. That would prove the diffference in this one. Valencia singled in Malgeri in the bottom of the eighth, but with two on base, the rally died via a Jace Jung strikeout, and the Hens couldn’t mount another push in the ninth.

Clark: 2-5, R, RBI, HR, BB

Anderson: 3-6, R, RBI, 2B, HR

Lee: 2-4, R, RBI, 2B, BB, K

File: 3.2 IP, 6 ER, 7 H, 2 BB, 3 K

Coming Up Next: The Saints lead the series 3-1, with a 7:05 p.m. ET first pitch set for Saturday night.

Erie SeaWolves 13, Akron RubberDucks 8 (box)

The SeaWolves, err the Flagship City Kitties, pounded out 15 hits to survive a rough game from the bullpen and take down Akron again on Friday.

Akron jumped on Tanner Kohlhepp for two in the first, beat up on Eric Silva for four runs in the third and fourth innings, and then got to Ryan Harvey for two runs. However, the offense kept up, and Yosber Sanchez and Luke Taggart eventually locked down the RubberDucks over the final four innings as the offense poured it on.

The SeaWolves got going in the third as Izaac Pacheco reached on an error to lead off the inning, and Peyton Graham singled. Aaron Antonini stepped in and crushed a three-run shot. Seth Stephenson’s speed forced an error, and he went first to third on a Brett Callahan ground out. John Peck doubled him in to tie the game 4-4.

In the bottom of the fourth, they had to kickstart another comeback. Graham drilled a two-out double to center and scored on an Antonini single. A wild pitch moved Antonini to second, and Stephenson singled him to third. Callahan kept the line moving with a single to center off the trademark, scoring Antonini.

It was 8-6 Akron in the bottom of the sixth, when Stephenson again reached on an infield error. Callahan walked, and Peck singled in Stephenson. Thayron Liranzo ripped a double into the right field corner to plate Callahan and Peck, and finally they had the lead at 9-8. They wouldn’t look back.

After the Ducks went back to the pen, Andrew Jenkins greeted new reliever Reid Johnston with an RBI single to make it 10-8. A Stephenson leadoff double in the eighth sparked another three-run rally as the SeaWolves pulled away for good.

Stephenson: 3-5, 3 R, 2B, K

Callahan: 2-4, 2 R, RBI, BB, SB

Peck: 3-4, R, 3 RBI, 2B

Liranzo: 1-4, 2 R, 2 RBI, 2B, BB, K

Graham: 2-5, 2 R, 2B, 2 K

Coming Up Next: The SeaWolves will look for their six straight victory on Saturday at 6:05 p.m. ET.

West Michigan Whitecaps 8, Lake County Captains 6 (box)

Carlos Marcano was rocked in his start, but the bats heated up and Bryce Rainer came through with a two-run homer in the ninth to win on Friday.

Marcano gave up two-run homers in both the first and the second innings. That was the end of his night, with the Whitecaps down 4-0 early. Luke Stofel and Carlos Lequerica allowed single runs in the fourth and fifth.

At that point it was 6-2 Captains after the ‘Caps scored two in the top of the third. Samuel Gil led off the inning with a single and Junior Tilien and Juan Hernandez both reached on errors. An Andrew Sojka sacrifice fly scored Gil, and a wild pitch plated Tilien.

Into the seventh it was still 6-2, but in the top of the inning, Tilien singled, and Hernandez and Jackson Strong each walked. A Sojka ground out scored Tilien. Garrett Pennington then singled in Hernandez and Strong. That prompted a call to the bullpen for the Captains, but Bryce Rainer greeted the new reliever with a laser beam the opposite way for a double, and a pair of walks forced in the tying run.

C.J. Weins and Thomas Bruss did a nice job locking down the Captains over the final three innings, and in the top of the ninth, Pennington reached on yet another Captains’ error, and Rainer smoked a two-run shot over the wall in left center field to take an 8-6 lead. Bruss collected his first Double-A save with a quick bottom of the ninth.

Rainer: 2-5, R, 2 RBI, 2B, HR

Pennington: 1-4, 2 R, 2 RBI, BB

Marcano: 2.0 IP, 4 ER, 6 H, 2 BB, 4 K

Coming Up Next: The series is tied headed into Saturday’s 7:00 p.m. ET matchup.

Clearwater Threshers 4, Lakeland Flying Tigers 2 (box)

A three-run shot allowed by Ali Tanner was the difference in this one as neither team swung the bats too well.

The Flying Tigers struck first, as Jordan Yost walked, stole second, and scored on a two-out Carson Rucker single. A Zach MacDonald single followed, and Anibal Salas walked to load the bases. Javier Osorio was hit by a pitch, scoring Rucker, but that was all they’d get. 2-0 Flying Tigers.

Meanwhile, Alistair Tanner was cruising for three innings, allowing just a hit batsman. That crumbled in the fourth, as a pair of walks was followed by a three-run homer from Jonathan Hogart. 3-2 Threshers.

Jatnk Diaz hit a batter and then allowed a double to make it 4-2 in the bottom of the eighth. The Flying Tigers didn’t generate many scoring opportunities, and both bullpens pitched well overall to wrap this one up.

Yost: 1-3, R, 2B, BB, SB

Rucker: 2-4, R, RBI, 2 K

Tanner (L, 3-4): 4.0 IP, 3 ER, H, 2 BB, 4 K

Coming Up Next: The series is tied up heading into a 6:30 p.m. ET matchup on Saturday.

FCL Tigers 8, FCL Phillies 4 (box)

Paul Wilson made his second appearance of the season, and while he didn’t have much control, it’s just good to see him back on the mound. He walked three and allowed a pair of runs to the Phillies in a short 1.1 IP outing. RHP Cale Wetwiska, who was fairly impressive early on this season, made a scoreless, two inning rehab appearance in this one as well. RHP Alemain Cruz took over and was great, spinning four innings of one-hit ball without a walk, while punching out seven.

Cris Rodriguez had a pair of RBI knocks in this one, while Steven Madero and especially Angel de los Santos had good days at the plate.

De los Santos: 3-4, 3 R, 2B, 2 BB, 2 SB

Rodriguez: 2-5, 3 RBI, K, SB

Wilson: 1.1 IP, 2 ER, H, 3 BB, 2 K

Cruz (W, 1-1): 4.0 IP, 0 R, H, 0 BB, 7 K

Cavs final report card: Nae’Qwan Tomlin

CLEVELAND, OH - MAY 3: NaeQwan Tomlin #35 of the Cleveland Cavaliers looks on before the game against the Toronto Raptors during Round One Game Seven of the 2026 NBA Playoffs on May 3, 2026 at Rocket Arena in Cleveland, Ohio. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Lauren Leigh Bacho/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images

Nae’Qwan Tomlin’s emergence as a helpful fill-in rotation player was a pleasant surprise for the Cleveland Cavaliers. This led to his two-way deal being converted to a standard contract midway through the season.

All grades are based on our usual expectations for each player. A “B” represents that player meeting their standard.

Regular Season Stats

  • 5.8 points
  • 2.9 rebounds
  • 0.8 assists
  • 47.8% FG
  • 23.5% 3PT FG
  • 77% FT
  • 64 games

Making the jump from a two-way deal to a standard contract doesn’t happen as often as you’d think.

There are 90 NBA two-way slots available, and far more than 90 players who occupy those positions throughout the season. Since these are non-guaranteed deals, teams are pretty quick to cut and sign players to these deals.

This year, only 31 players had their two-way contracts converted to a standard deal for at least the rest of the season. Tomlin was among that group.

Tomlin’s journey to this spot was unconventional to say the least. He didn’t play organized basketball until college, and then played for four teams in five years. Three of those years were spent at smaller juco schools.

He made the Cleveland Charge’s roster heading into the 2024-25 season, but wasn’t a regular rotation at the start of the year. He eventually worked his way into the rotation, then became a starter, and ended the year on a two-way deal.

That progression continued this season. Tomlin worked his way up after the Cavs were decimated with injuries. He made the most of those opportunities as he became a fixture in the rotation throughout the season, and was even a spot starter in three games.

Tomlin’s athleticism and hustle stood out on a team that needed both of those qualities. He was an impactful offensive rebounder and an explosive finisher in the paint when given a runway to do so.

The increased playing time also exposed some of the shortcomings in Tomlin’s game.

First of all, the outside shooting is an issue. Tomlin spent many of his half-court possessions stationed in the corner, but was mostly a non-threat as a shooter. He finished last among qualified forwards in corner three-point percentage as he knocked down just 24% of his corner triples.

This was an issue because Tomlin showed that he doesn’t have the handle or playmaking capabilities to be an on-ball creator. It’s difficult to find a consistent half-court role if you can’t either pass, dribble, shoot, or be a vertical threat at an average to high level.

This left Tomlin as mostly someone who could attack in transition or finish off cuts from the corner. Both are useful, but not ideal as the basis for an offensive package.

Defensively, Tomlin fouled far too much. He had the worst foul percentage among forwards in the league, translating to 4.5 fouls per 36 minutes.

Fouls for a forward usually come from being out of position or selling out for blocks. Tomlin’s issues came from both. He struggled to keep wings in front of him defensively. And even when he was in the right position, he was too susceptible to pump fakes.

Tomlin will need to figure out how to play defense without fouling as much as he did this year if he wants to be a rotation-caliber player. It’s difficult to justify playing someone who fouls this much, who also isn’t a rim deterrent in a meaningful way.

Despite the need for improvement, it’s undeniable that this was a successful year for Tomlin. Every player on a two-way deal in the league’s entire goal for the year is to earn a standard contract. Tomlin did that.

The next step is refining his game on both ends so that he can earn a second NBA deal.

Grade: A

What did the Knicks figure out in their exhilarating second half comeback in Game 4?

NEW YORK, NY - JUNE 10: Mikal Bridges #25 and OG Anunoby #8 of the New York Knicks celebrates after scoring a game winning shot during Game Four of the 2026 NBA Finals on June 10, 2026 at Madison Square Garden in New York, New York. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE(Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images

Through four games, the 2026 NBA Finals have been even in just about every way.

The Knicks may lead the series three games to one, but as many pundits and salty NBA fans will tell you, all of these games could’ve gone the opposite way with a few different possessions or calls going differently. Unfortunately for them, you don’t get extra points for almost winning, just ask Kenny Atkinson.

Both teams have made massive runs; they’ve had massive quarters. Even in the Spurs’ case, they’ve had a dominant half of basketball. But it’s all added up to the two teams being close enough that all four games have been decided at the death.

But, while much of the discourse surrounding Game 4 has been focused on the Spurs’ unbelievable 29-point choke, not enough has been about the Knicks playing perhaps the best half of basketball, context included, in franchise history. For some reason, people believe that winning the first quarter matters more than any other. Odd.

So what had to happen for the Knicks to suddenly flip the script and outscore the Spurs 58-30 in the final 24 minutes?

The first thing we have to acknowledge is shooting luck. After the greatest shooting half in NBA Finals history by a Spurs team that has just two above-average three-point shooters in their rotation, they cooled off significantly after halftime, going just 3-for-17. A lot of these looks weren’t totally different than the ones they chucked up in the first half in a persistent heat check, but the attention to detail was also better by the Knicks.

The Spurs went 9-for-13 on wide-open threes and 5-for-12 on open threes in that first half. In the second half, it dropped off to 3-for-10 and 0-for-7. While the drop off from 14-for-25 to 3-for-17 is truly immense, it still averages out at 40.5%, which is well above the postseason average for the Spurs.

So while their shooting drop-off in the second half was a big catalyst behind the comeback, think of it as more of a regression to the mean by a team that doesn’t have the shotmaking to do it for a full 48.

And this is where youthful arrogance sinks in. The heat check bled into the third quarter, where the Spurs repeatedly chucked up shots early in the shot clock, expecting them to go in. When you lead by such a large margin in the second half, you’re fighting the clock as much as the opponent. Refusing to use it on their side enabled the Knicks to get back into it:

Despite employing a 7’5” alien, the Spurs became the first team in this postseason to go an entire quarter without scoring in the paint in that third quarter, going 0-for-5 in the restricted area. Yes, none of the teams that got wiped off the face of the earth by the Thunder or Knicks in the early rounds even reached this futility.

But that’s enough about the Spurs shooting themselves in the foot. What did the Knicks do to chip away and seize the game at the very end?

They generated better looks on offense, for one. The Knicks had just nine open/wide-open three-point attempts in the first half, making four of them.

In the second half? They went 10-for-18. They never had a problem making their open threes, they just weren’t able to get to that easy offense in the first half.

A large part of that was being able to space the floor with Karl-Anthony Towns being freed from Zach Zarba’s foul trouble prison cell. After playing just nine minutes in a first half that featured brief cameos by Ariel Hukporti and Jeremy Sochan, Towns played 17 minutes in the second half. As such, he was able to finish a game-high +17 in 26 minutes.

While he himself didn’t do too much, he continued a trend that has existed all throughout this series. When he shares the floor with Victor Wembanyama, the Knicks steadily outplay them. When he’s forced to sit while Wemby’s out there, the Spurs dominate.

Wemby + KAT on: Knicks +30 (116:27)
Wemby on, KAT off: Spurs +41 (44:19)
Wemby off: Knicks +19 (31:14)

Plus/minus per minute:
Wemby + KAT on: Knicks +0.26
Wemby on, KAT off: Spurs +0.925
Wemby off: Knicks +0.61

It also doesn’t help ol’ Vic that the Knicks were taking advantage of his wind slowly catching up to him. He’s played a staggering 203 minutes over his last five games, the most by a country mile that he ever has. He’s exceeded his career high in total minutes by over 450 minutes, with, in a total best-case scenario for him, three games to go. That’s 10 additional full games of basketball.

It’s not surprising, then, when the Knicks hunted him on the perimeter in multiple types of action in the second half.

The big worry I had watching the first half was allowing the Spurs to coast to a victory and allow their stars to rest, not accruing the extra mileage that has slowly worn them down as games progressed. Fortunately, the Knicks never fully let go of the rope in this tug-of-war battle, dragging their tired bodies over the line for a win.

There were also some bold moves made by Mike Brown with his rotations. Jordan Clarkson didn’t have it. Deuce McBride continued not to have it. Landry Shamet struggled for the second straight game. Needing someone to plug in during the fourth quarter, he elected to play Jose Alvarado with Brunson for the first time in several weeks. It worked like a charm.

The Knicks’ best offense has been when they use off-ball movement, spacing, and real ball movement to put the Spurs into the blender. This disrupts their strategy of playing Wemby as a free safety in the paint and allows them to create quality looks on possession after possession.

What you saw in the second half wasn’t just a young team fundamentally failing in terms of execution for an entire half, but it was a perfect 24 minutes for the team that had to climb out of an impossible deficit.

The inexperience showed one more time in a big way on the final possessions. The Spurs had no idea how to defend the Knicks’ final possession, and you could see it happening in real time.

Through four games, the Spurs have not been the better team, because this kind of stuff is what goes into what decides which team is better or not. Just because one team has the flashier stars, the better personalities, the generational talents gifted to them by Adam Silver and the lottery gods, doesn’t mean they should be ordained without having to play the games.

With Game 5 coming later today, David will have a chance to take Goliath off life support.

Yankees news: Down goes Grisham, at worst possible time

Jun 9, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; New York Yankees left fielder Cody Bellinger (35) makes a running catch in the seventh inning against the Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-Imagn Images | David Richard-Imagn Images

MLB.com | Bryan Hoch: An already beleagured Yankee outfield suffered another blow last night, as centerfielder Trent Grisham pulled up limp between first and second base in the sixth inning of the 8-5 loss to the Blue Jays. Grisham left the game with what the Yankees called right hamstring tightness. We’ve seen how hard soft-tissue injuries in the legs can be to deal with, and we may wake up to the news that Grish is headed to the IL. He’ll join Aaron Judge and Jasson Domínguez if so, and the position group thought to be the strongest of the team looks awful depleted all of a sudden.

New York Post | Greg Joyce ($): No team can withstand the loss of a player like Aaron Judge, but the Yankees have been doing their very best, led by a different corner outfielder. Cody Bellinger has been a top 10 player in the American League this season, and been critical on both sides of the ball. His sterling 175 wRC+ in the month of May bouyed the offense as Judge played hurt, and he has been the best defensive player in baseball if you believe DRS. If you prefer Statcast, well, he’s merely a top 10 most valuable defender in the sport. With no Captain on the field, Cody Bellinger might be borrowing from hockey and wearing an A so far this year.

NJ.com | Randy Miller: Meanwhile, after a couple hot games to start his season, Anthony Volpe has begun to fall on hard times both at the plate and in the field. The shortstop was not in the starting lineup on Friday night in Toronto, and seems destined to cede more playing time in the future. Meanwhile, Yankees top prospect George Lombard Jr. seems to have found his footing with Triple-A Scranton with a 120 wRC+ since Memorial Day, and a 114 overall which is quite good given how much he struggled in his initial promotion. Lombard isn’t MLB ready just yet, but you can imagine Volpe may be hearing footsteps behind him.

MLB.com | Jesse Borek: Speaking of prospects, meet Tony Rossi. The 26-year-old reliever has had as winding a career as you possibly can in the game, bouncing between three colleges, signing for $10,000 as an undrafted free agent with the Yankees, and now he has been just about the best pitcher in the entire Yankee system so far this year. Now throwing out of the Double-A Somerset bullpen since being promoted in early June, Rossi has gone 17 straight appearances (dating back to Hudson Valley) without allowing a run, and the legacy of the Yankees churning out high-end relievers out of seemingly nowhere may be stirring.

Carolina takes 3-2 series lead into game 6 against Vegas

Carolina Hurricanes (53-22-7, in the Metropolitan Division) vs. Vegas Golden Knights (39-26-17, in the Pacific Division)

Paradise, Nevada; Sunday, 8 p.m. EDT

LINE: Hurricanes -115, Golden Knights -105; over/under is 6

STANLEY CUP FINAL: Hurricanes lead series 3-2

BOTTOM LINE: The Carolina Hurricanes visit the Vegas Golden Knights in the Stanley Cup Final with a 3-2 lead in the series. The teams meet Thursday for the eighth time this season. The Hurricanes won 4-2 in the last meeting. Andrei Svechnikov led the Hurricanes with two goals.

Vegas has gone 27-15-9 in home games and 39-26-17 overall. The Golden Knights have gone 50-8-12 in games they score at least three goals.

Carolina has gone 31-12-6 on the road and 53-22-7 overall. The Hurricanes have conceded 236 goals while scoring 291 for a +55 scoring differential.

TOP PERFORMERS: Pavel Dorofeyev has 37 goals and 27 assists for the Golden Knights. Brett Howden has seven goals and two assists over the past 10 games.

Seth Jarvis has 32 goals and 34 assists for the Hurricanes. Jordan Staal has scored seven goals and added one assist over the past 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Golden Knights: 7-2-1, averaging 3.7 goals, 6.5 assists, 3.4 penalties and seven penalty minutes while giving up 2.8 goals per game.

Hurricanes: 7-2-1, averaging 3.9 goals, 6.5 assists, 3.4 penalties and 8.4 penalty minutes while giving up 2.8 goals per game.

INJURIES: Golden Knights: William Karlsson: day to day (arm).

Hurricanes: None listed.

___

The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

Tobias Myers closing in on Mets return but role remains up in air

An image collage containing 1 images, Image 1 shows Right-hander Tobias Myers likely will be used in a utility role when he returns to the Mets

Tobias Myers is close to rejoining the Mets, but it won’t be as a fully stretched out starting pitcher.

The right-hander was optioned to Triple-A Syracuse two weeks ago, at which time team officials indicated Myers could be lengthened into a starter.

In his most recent outing on Thursday, he pitched 2 ²/₃ scoreless innings.

Right-hander Tobias Myers likely will be used in a utility role when he returns to the Mets. Robert Sabo for New York Post

“I think his role is going to be whatever we actually need at that point,” president of baseball operations David Stearns said Friday before a 7-5 win over the Braves at Citi Field, noting that Myers will likely be recalled within the next few days. “He could pitch at the front of games, it could be more in the swing capacity that we saw at points this year.

“But that is what makes him special, he has the ability to help us in a variety of different ways and we probably aren’t going to lock him into one specific role when he comes back.”

Myers was sent to Syracuse, according to Stearns, because the Mets needed a fresh arm and Myers had received much work at that point.

Myers has pitched to a 4.05 ERA in 20 appearances for the Mets this season.


Francisco Lindor began taking live batting practice, with two innings simulated on defense, but he wasn’t allowed to run the bases.

Lindor, who is returning from a left calf strain, will continue the simulated workouts over the next week, according to manager Carlos Mendoza. It’s unclear of the shortstop will receive a minor league rehab stint before rejoining the Mets.

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The Braves began the day with a MLB-leading 3.20 ERA under new pitching coach Jeremy Hefner, who was fired by the Mets last October.

Stearns was asked if the Braves’ pitching success had led him to reassess the decision to fire Hefner.

“We’re happy with our coaching staff right now,” Stearns said. “Hef is a really good person and a good coach, and it doesn’t surprise me he’s having success.”


Kodai Senga likely will start at least one additional minor league game following his strong outing Thursday for Double-A Binghamton in a rehab appearance.

The right-hander allowed one earned run on one hit over six innings with five strikeouts over 75 pitches.

“He threw strikes, competing in the strike zone it was good to see,” Mendoza said.

Five rental pitchers Phillies could target amid Andrew Painter's struggles

Five rental pitchers Phillies could target amid Andrew Painter's struggles originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

It seemed like Andrew Painter had made the pitch-mix rearrangement that could generate consistency.

That has not come.

After three starts against Boston, Cincinnati and Cleveland where he posted a 2.60 ERA and went at least five innings each time, the Phillies’ right-handed rookie has allowed 15 earned runs over his last three outings.

Thirteen innings. A 10.38 ERA.

Ouch.

Those starts came against three division leaders: the Dodgers, White Sox and Brewers. Painter allowed four earned runs in Los Angeles, six against Chicago and five Friday in Milwaukee.

Opponents have tagged him for a .339 average and a 1.070 OPS in those outings.

Philadelphia simply has not had a great chance to win when he has taken the ball lately. Don Mattingly and the organization did not flinch after Painter’s last start a week ago. He was getting the start against the Brewers.

It did not work, even with the opener strategy they tried.

The Phillies need to make a change, and consider sending Painter to Triple-A.

The organization does not have much starting pitching depth. It was an issue they acknowledged at the beginning of spring camp. With a slew of veteran pitchers still on the free-agent market, the Phillies stayed put.

Just this year, they have released Taijuan Walker, who had a 9.13 ERA in five outings in the rotation. Aaron Nola has not bounced back, registering a 5.68 ERA. And Painter, their top pitching prospect entering the season, has a 6.21 ERA.

If the answer comes from within, Alan Rangel could be an option. He has seen some big-league innings over the last two seasons and has posted a 3.74 ERA in 65 innings for Lehigh Valley, working both as a starter and reliever. His most recent start came Friday.

Braydon Tucker, at Double-A, has made 10 starts and has the second-lowest ERA across all affiliated ball, including the majors, minimum 55 innings pitched.

The 26-year-old sinker-balling righty has found success at each level up to Reading and certainly deserves a promotion to Triple-A. His pitch-to-contact profile could even warrant a big-league start soon.

But if the Phillies want a legitimate big-league starter, there are a number of names on teams falling out of playoff contention or with enough pitching depth to move an arm.

Dave Dombrowski has already been proactive, acquiring outfield depth in Derek Hill when the club’s right-handed bats had struggled against lefties and Adolis García was later placed on the 60-day injured list.

So what hurlers are out there?

DET — RHP Casey Mize

The 29-year-old right-hander is one of the most interesting and least talked about deadline candidates.

He is a rental who has been on the IL over the last few weeks with right groin tightness, but is scheduled to return to the Tigers’ rotation Sunday.

In nine starts this year, the former first overall pick has posted a 2.27 ERA, a 0.97 WHIP and a 2.41 FIP.

His underlying metrics are very promising. He ranks in at least the top 15 percent of pitchers in expected ERA (2.64, top eight), expected batting average (.202, top 13) and average exit velocity (86.8 mph, top 14).

Mize, who was named to his first All-Star team a year ago, features a five-pitch mix. His best two pitches this year have been his four-seam fastball and slider.

The four-seamer is a pitch that Nola and Painter have been hit hard on this year. Opposing hitters are batting just .180 against Mize’s four-seamer, which he has thrown a third of the time, with just one homer.

His slider, used 25 percent of the time, has held hitters to a .114 average. That is the lowest average among starting pitchers who have thrown it at least 100 times.

Considering the Phillies have not gotten anywhere close to the production they wanted from Nola and Painter, it would make sense if they looked outside the organization for a strong rental who could reinforce the biggest strength of this team.

Starting pitching.

A postseason rotation of Cristopher Sánchez, Zack Wheeler, Jesús Luzardo and Mize, who was solid in two playoff starts a year ago, could win games on its own.

And it is possible.

Detroit has been one of baseball’s most underwhelming teams at 29-41, nine games back in the AL Central and 5 1/2 games out of the final Wild Card spot.

There is a good chance the Tigers move back-to-back Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal, another rental and one the Phillies likely could not afford in prospect capital.

If Detroit is willing to go that route, trading Mize would make sense, too.

NYY — LHP Ryan Yarbrough / RHP Paul Blackburn

The Yankees are firmly in a playoff spot, battling Tampa Bay for the top spot in the AL East.

They lead the American League in run differential by nearly 80 runs, thanks in part to some high-scoring games, but more importantly their pitching.

They have a lot of it.

Neither Yarbrough nor Blackburn, both on one-year deals, have started games this year. That is because the Yankees have not needed them to.

They have been used in shorter roles than usual, and pitched well, mostly because New York has not needed a long reliever often with its strong starting staff.

But both can be stretched out to make starts.

Yarbrough, 34, is a crafty arm who is excellent at missing barrels. He has been an advanced-metric darling, like Mize.

His expected ERA is 2.77. He is in the 96th percentile in barrel rate, 99th percentile in average exit velocity and 100th percentile in hard-hit rate at 19.1 percent. That hard-hit rate is the second best in the sport behind Padres closer Mason Miller.

This year, Yarbrough has registered a 3.47 ERA in 23 1/3 innings over 14 outings.

He would be a strong innings eater and trustworthy contributor in the back end of the Phillies’ rotation the rest of the way. He also has postseason experience, with a 3.06 ERA in 17 2/3 innings in parts of the 2019 and 2020 postseasons for the Rays, helping during Tampa Bay’s World Series run in the COVID-shortened season.

There is no guarantee New York would deal its cost-efficient lefty, especially with Max Fried on the shelf. But for the right offer, the Yankees would budge.

Blackburn, 32, throws a wide array of pitches, with seven different offerings.

His changeup, curveball and sweeper have been strong in his 10th big-league season. He has also been excellent at generating groundballs, with a 55.3 percent rate that ranks in the top 6 percent of pitchers.

He gets similar quality of contact to Mize. The former All-Star does not jump off the page, but could at the very least be a solid depth piece for the Phils.

Neither Yarbrough nor Blackburn would call for the pretty-penny package Mize would.

BOS — RHP Sonny Gray

This feels like the least likely fit, but there is some draw because of Gray’s experience.

The 36-year-old does not make the Phillies any younger, but if the front office believes its clearest path to a championship is shutting teams down, this is the kind of move it could consider.

Gray has been sharp in his first year in Boston after being traded there from St. Louis in the offseason. He has a 3.03 ERA in 12 starts.

He is a different pitcher than the three-time All-Star most are used to seeing. He long leaned on his four-seam fastball, but this year, he has used his cutter about the same amount, even a little more.

Gray is producing more groundballs than he has in years and still commands the strike zone well, even while navigating the ABS system with lower velocity.

Boston has been a paltry 28-39 club and had to send out three prospects in the winter to acquire Gray, so he would still cost a fair amount.

The longtime hurler also has a mutual option for next season at $30 million, which essentially makes him a rental. It would be hard to picture any suitor being satisfied with a 37-year-old making that kind of money, but teams would be happy if Gray became the missing piece in their rotation.

A move of this nature would speak to how aggressive the Phils want to be, not only in getting to the postseason, but in building a staff that can win there.

NYM — LHP David Peterson

How about an in-division trade for yet another rental?

Peterson’s surface-level numbers do not make him a grand finale.

A 5.75 ERA across seven starts and seven relief appearances. His 3.51 FIP, though, signals some misfortune.

The southpaw broke out for the Mets in 2024 and carried that into his first All-Star appearance in 2025. Between the two seasons, he posted a 19-9 record with a 3.67 ERA across 289 2/3 innings over 51 starts.

The Phillies have had success against Peterson in his six seasons in New York, pushing him to a 5.28 ERA. But the lefty was strong against Philadelphia in two relief appearances in the 2024 NLDS, when the Mets took the series. He allowed no runs over 5 1/3 innings.

What makes Peterson interesting, even with his struggles this year, is his groundball rate.

Over the last five seasons, he has produced a groundball rate of 49.8 percent or higher, ranking in at least the top 23 percent of pitchers in the category each year. Last season, he posted a career-high 55.4 percent rate. He is not far behind this year at 53 percent.

Despite not being overpowering, Peterson gets great extension (7.1 feet) to the plate, maximizing his 6-foot-6, 240-pound frame.

A Mets-Phillies swap would be entertaining regardless of the variety, and this would be the perfect year for it with New York sitting at the bottom of the East at 31-38.

Game Five Preview: San Antonio Spurs vs. New York Knicks

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JUNE 10: Karl-Anthony Towns #32 of the New York Knicks attempts a shot while being fouled by Victor Wembanyama #1 of the San Antonio Spurs during the first quarter in Game Four of the 2026 NBA Finals at Madison Square Garden on June 10, 2026 in New York City. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images) | Getty Images

How do you recover after one of the worst losses in NBA history? The San Antonio Spurs are going to have to figure out the answer to that question quickly in Game Five of the NBA Finals, or their season will be over.

After blowing a 29-point lead in Game Four, the Spurs are back in San Antonio down 3-1. The Spurs are 4-0 in elimination/series-clinching games this postseason, but are 0-2 on their home court in the Finals. With rumors of New York Knicks’ fans flooding the Frost Bank Center, the Spurs may not be facing such a friendly home crowd. It’s just another hurdle for this young team that has struggled to rise to the moment in this series.

Game Five will be a real test of who the Spurs are. Will they fold after the embarrassment of Game Four? Will Victor Wembanyama and De’Aaron Fox come out swinging, looking to make up for crucial mistakes in the game prior? So far this postseason, when San Antonio found itself with its back against the wall, the team has typically responded.

On the flip side, the Knicks are hungrier than ever. A championship is within their grasp, and they have to feel like anything is possible after their miraculous comeback at Madison Square Garden. Despite the 3-1 lead, these Finals have been extremely close. The Spurs need to bring the same level of desperation to survive as the Knicks have to crown themselves the champions. If they don’t, they’ll likely see an opposing team lift the Larry O’Brien trophy on their home court for the first time in franchise history.

San Antonio Spurs (1-3) vs. New York Knicks (3-1)

June 13th, 2026 | 7:30 PM CT

Watch: ABC / ESPN | Listen: WOAI (1200 AM)

Spurs Injuries: Luke Kornet – Questionable (illness)

Knicks Injuries: No injuries to report.

What to watch for:

Wembanyama’s response

These Finals will forever be etched into Wembanyama’s legacy. He’s had moments of brilliance followed by devastating mistakes. The pass off of Stephon Castle’s back in Game Two and the crucial missed free throws in Game Four may haunt him for a while. He will catch a lot of flak for his “arrogant” demeanor on and off the floor, especially if San Antonio loses dramatically in Game Five. Wembanyama has to lead the way for the Spurs at home. It starts by setting the tone at the basket. He’s thrived when San Antonio has gotten him the ball around the rim. He has to live in the paint against New York for the rest of the offense to shine.

These are the moments where the true greats step up. If Wembanyama wants to be considered one of them, he has to play great and lead the team to victory.

Attacking the basket

The Spurs got away from what made them great in the second half of Game Four. They started playing around the perimeter and didn’t attack the basket with the same force they did in the first half. It gave the Knicks an opening, and they seized it. San Antonio’s aggression getting downhill could very well decide this series. When they play fast and put pressure on the rim, New York has a hard time stopping them. It’s the settling on offense that has gotten them in trouble.

Backup center

Luke Kornet is questionable in Game Five due to illness. If he can’t suit up, the Spurs are in a tough position at backup center. Wembanyama has already looked exhausted playing over 40 minutes a night. Without Kornet, he will likely have to take on a similar minute load. San Antonio’s best option may be to play Carter Bryant as a small-ball center, but he has also looked outmatched in this series. Mitch Johnson may need to get creative to find a solution that gives Wembanyama a breather without leading to massive Knicks runs.

Mets’ Nolan McLean lasts just four innings as rookie’s woes continue

New York Mets pitcher Nolan McLean throwing a pitch.
Mets pitcher Nolan McLean (26) throws a pitch in the first inning against the Atlanta Braves.

After a three-up, three-down first inning, Nolan McLean’s recent control struggles continued in the Mets’ 7-5 win over the Braves on Friday night at Citi Field.

The right-handed pitcher lasted just four innings, allowing three hits, two earned runs, and four walks. He threw 93 pitches.

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The 24-year-old once again struggled “to land off-speed pitches.”

Of the 33 times McLean threw to the strike zone against Atlanta, only seven were off-speed pitches.

“I think the biggest thing is getting different pitches in the zone,” McLean said after his last outing against the Padres. “It’s much easier to hit when you know one pitch is going to be a strike and the other one isn’t. That’s been the main focus.”

The worst display of McLean’s struggles was the second inning, when three walks led to a 42-pitch inning and almost an early night for the starter.

Both the pitcher and Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said no one prepares for 40-50 pitches in an inning, and one more batter likely would have meant pulling McLean.

Nolan McLean throws a pitch in the first inning of the Mets’ 7-5 win over the Braves on June 12, 2026 at Citi Field. Corey Sipkin for the NY POST

“Talking to Nolan after the second inning, he had a break, we had a long one offensively,” Mendoza said. “If we had a quick three outs there, I don’t think Nolan goes back in.”

All things considered, McLean got out of the inning with minimal damage, allowing just two earned runs despite the bases being loaded with one out.

He said it was just a matter of competitiveness and throwing whatever was working to get past the fatigue.

Nolan McLean walks to the dugout after the end of the fourth inning in the Mets’ win over the Braves. Corey Sipkin for the NY POST

McLean is in the middle of his first big league stutter after starting the season on fire.

Entering Friday, he had 10.2 strikeouts per nine innings, a .202 batting average against, 1.11 WHIP and a 3.98 ERA.

His strikeouts and batting average against ranked first among all qualified rookies and top 10 in the National League.

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Nevertheless, the last four outings for McLean have been his highest in WHIP, ERA and batting average against since his first start of the season.

A grinding team win, thanks to a grinding inning from McLean could be a slight confidence booster he needs to get back to competing for Rookie of the Year honors.

In his final two innings he settled down a bit, allowing one hit, one walk, and one strikeout.

Giants fall to Cubs as Javier Assad beats San Francisco for second time in a week

An image collage containing 2 images, Image 1 shows Javier Assad, who improved to 4-1 on the season, held the Giants scoreless through six innings in the their 5-1 win over the Cubs on June 12, 2026 in San Francisco, Image 2 shows Javier Assad throws a pitch during the first inning of the Cubs' win over the Giants

SAN FRANCISCO — With a full week, instead of just a few minutes, to prepare this time around, the Giants didn’t find any more success against Javier Assad.

Assad, who blanked San Francisco when called into emergency duty last week at Wrigley Field, was just as effective as the Cubs’ scheduled starter in a rematch Friday night.

Well, that’s not entirely accurate.

The Giants mustered just one hit in 6 ⅓ innings against Assad last week. They got to him for three singles this time but nothing else in a 5-1 loss.

Javier Assad, who improved to 4-1 on the season, celebrates after holding the Giants scoreless through six innings in the their 5-1 win over the Giants on June 12, 2026 in San Francisco. AP

They needed more than that behind an erratic Landen Roupp, who struck out the first four batters of the game but exhausted 105 pitches and failed to complete five innings.

Roupp issued both his walks to begin the fourth and the fifth innings, and both came around to score. Seiya Suzuki’s double helped open a 2-0 lead in the fourth, and a two-bagger for Alex Bregman in the fifth gave the Cubs runners at second and third when Roupp’s day came to an end.

Manager Tony Vitello called on Erik Miller to get the platoon advantage against Michael Busch, who promptly swatted a hanging slider into McCovey Cove to make it 5-0.

The Giants’ lone run came off the bat of Bryce Eldridge, who was also responsible for two of their three hits against Assad. Moved up into the two-hole in a new-look lineup, Eldridge got the GIants on the board in the ninth with a one-out solo shot to right off Trent Thornton — his fourth of the season.

It amounted to a banner night for Eldridge but nobody else in the Giants’ lineup. The rookie finished 3-for-4 to raise his average to .316 and OPS to .959; his eight companions combined for one hit in 26 at-bats.

A walk to Matt Chapman was all else that interrupted 18 in a row retired by Assad after a leadoff single from Luis Arraez that extended his hitting streak to 12 games.

Assad had a 5.88 ERA when he was sent to Triple-A in May. In two outings against the Giants since being called back up, he has tossed 12 ⅓ scoreless innings, lowering his ERA to 4.21.

Javier Assad throws a pitch during the first inning of the Cubs’ win over the Giants. Getty Images

What it means

The Giants’ difficulties against Assad extended to Jung Hoo Lee, whose hitting streak came to an end after 18 games.

With an 0-for-3 performance, Lee will have to settle for the second-longest hitting streak in the majors so far this season and the longest by a Giant since Angel Pagan went 19 games in 2016.

Who’s hot

Daniel Susac was on fire early with three successful, high-impact ABS challenges.

The simple act of knowing when to tap his catcher’s helmet resulted in an additional three strikeouts for Roupp, including two 3-2 pitches that also erased walks.

He turned a 2-2 curveball into strike three against Michael Busch to end the first, got a full-count cutter in the same low-and-away location against Ian Happ to begin the second and stole a strikeout of Carson Kelly in the third on a sinker that clipped the upper-outside corner of the strike zone.

It was a notable showing from the Giants, who have been among the majors’ least effective team in deploying their ABS challenges with the sixth-lowest success rate (49%).

Susac’s hot streak behind the dish only lasted so long, however. He overturned a fourth call into a strike against Seiya Suzuki in the fourth, only to be unable to corral a relay throw that beat the runner to the plate when Suzuki lined an RBI double later in the at-bat.

Who’s not

Willy Adames was back in the lineup after missing only his second game of the season with what manager Tony Vitello termed “hip-to-knee” discomfort.

The rare day off, however, wasn’t the solution to his woes at the plate.

Willy Adames catches a fly ball during the Giants’ loss tot he Cubs. The veteran shortstop, who went 0-for-3, is now in an 0-for-20 slump. John Hefti-Imagn Images

Adames popped out to short, swung and missed at a slider low and outside the zone for strike three and grounded out to third to extend his hitless streak to 20 at-bats.

Up next

Another rematch — this time against Ben Brown (2-2, 1.74), the right-hander who limited them to one hit over 5 ⅓ shutout frames last week in Chicago before the Giants lost in extra innings.

San Francisco will counter with Trevor McDonald (2-3, 4.15), who threw five strong innings in the Giants’ 2-1 extra-inning win to close their series in Chicago.

Bad and bigoted

Landen Roupp wearing a Pride Night hat with “Gen 9:11-16” on it.
Jun 12, 2026; San Francisco, California, USA; San Francisco Giants starting pitcher Landen Roupp (65) throws against the Chicago Cubs during the first inning at Oracle Park. Mandatory Credit: John Hefti-Imagn Images | John Hefti-Imagn Images

It took less than one pitch for the San Francisco Giants to ruin their Friday night game. The stands had yet to fill in. The clock had yet to strike 7:10. The umpire had yet to say “play ball.”

And yet the Giants, in a season full of embarrassment, had already delivered their most disgraceful moment of the season.

Landen Roupp took the mound for the team’s annual Pride Night, and scribbled across the rainbow SF insignia on his hat were the words “Gen 9:11-16.”

The bible verses Roupp wrote referenced God’s creation of the rainbow. It’s become a common verse for homophobes to quote, in their never ending quest to reclaim that colorful arc in the sky from the Big Gay Agenda.

And it gets worse! After Roupp got rocked by the Chicago Cubs — and I refused to be upset by it — J.T. Brubaker entered the game (after a brief interlude from the ever-lovable Erik Miller). As though upset that Roupp had been so subtle with his writing, Brubaker one-upped his teammate, scrawling “Genesis 9:13-15” in lettering so large one would assume a toddler wrote it, except toddlers are more mature and understanding than that.

When Brubaker’s night ended, the Giants took a break from the biblical proclamations, as Sam Hentges filed his protest against The Gays by refusing to wear the Pride Night hat at all, opting instead for the basic orange and black Giants hat.

Finishing off the night was the recently-returned Ryan Walker, who opted for a less in-your-face version of Roupp and Brubaker’s message, putting his Genesis reference on the side of his Pride Night cap, rather than on the front of it (he also had easily the best penmanship of the group, which of course is a skill dripping in masculinity).

In all, the Giants sent five pitchers to the mound, and four of them turned to the crowd in attendance and proverbially tossed up a pair of middle fingers. Screw who you are, they said. We’ve got a colorful semicircle to protect.

It was equal parts bigoted and embarrassing, and blame deserves to shine throughout the organization. I don’t recall this ever happening with the Giants at prior Pride Nights, so it’s a reasonable assumption to make that Tony Vitello was okay with this “expression” where other managers have shut it down. It speaks poorly to the leaders in the organization, like Logan Webb, Willy Adames, and Matt Chapman, who prioritized the desires of a few players over the comfort of their fans (and, you know … humanity).

On a night meant to celebrate the LGBTQ+ community — which, it goes without saying, is a fairly significant demographic anywhere, but especially San Francisco — the Giants instead sent a message loudly and clearly: not all are welcome (though they’re still more than welcome to spend a few hundred bucks on tickets and overpriced beer, of course).

Their “explanations,” predictably, were lacking.

Sure, no hate at all, Landen. Just so much insecurity that he couldn’t wear a hat with a few colors on it without having to deface it. Big strong man scared of a little rainbow. The mind can hardly fathom such profound masculinity.

Anyway, the Giants lost and I don’t care. Tonight I’m thinking about Kyle Harrison, who was plastered across every Pride Night ad a year ago, grinning like a kid in a candy store while showing off his Pride Night bucket hat. Tonight I’m thinking about Matt Cain, good ol’ country boy that he was, popping up on a Giants PSA to tell fans that baseball is for everyone. Tonight I’m thinking about Solomon Bates, the Giants pitching prospect who came out as gay shortly after his Minor League career came to an end. I’m thinking of the closeted professional baseball players across the Majors and Minors, each of whom has surely spent countless hours wondering if their teammates would accept them.

I hope they’re all having good nights.

More importantly, I’m thinking of the thousands of queer Giants fans in attendance on Friday, and the tens or hundreds of thousands more watching at home, who not only had to watch their favorite team prove for the umpteenth time that they’re bad at baseball, but also had had to be reminded that even their favorite athletes don’t accept them. That the organization, from top to bottom, would rather drown with freedom of bigoted speech than commit itself to genuine acceptance.

The Giants just keep finding ways to embarrass themselves and let us down. Hopefully next time they keep it confined to baseball.

Sullivan impresses and Carrigg homers, but Rockies fall 6-4 to Athletics

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - JUNE 12: Cole Carrigg #16 of the Colorado Rockies celebrates after hitting a three run home run against the Athletics during the sixth inning of a game at Las Vegas Ballpark on June 12, 2026 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Ian Maule/Getty Images) | Getty Images

There was no late-night luck in Vegas for the Rockies.

Sean Sullivan gave Colorado an encouraging first look in his major league debut, and Cole Carrigg delivered the swing that briefly looked like it might define the night. But the lead did not hold. The Athletics answered Carrigg’s three-run homer with four unanswered runs, including the go-ahead run on a preventable throwing error, and beat the Rockies 6-4 on Friday at Las Vegas Ballpark.

The loss dropped the Rockies to 26-44, while the Athletics improved to 34-35.

Sullivan shows enough in debut

Sean Sullivan (No. 8 PuRP) became the sixth Rockies player to make his major league debut this season, and his outing ended after three scoreless innings due to illness. He allowed two hits, walked no one, and struck out two while throwing 33 of his 49 pitches for strikes. He generated 29 swings and five whiffs, topped out at 90.7 mph, and allowed just one hard-hit ball.

Sullivan built the outing around his four-seam fastball, throwing it 29 times for 59% of his pitch mix. He also used eight cutters, seven changeups, and five sweepers. The fastball averaged 87.6 mph, with the cutter at 83.2 mph, the changeup at 77.9 mph, and the sweeper at 75.6 mph. Against right-handed hitters, Sullivan used the fastball 61% of the time. Against left-handed hitters, he used it 56% of the time, with the sweeper becoming a bigger part of the plan at 22%.

The fastball was not overpowering, but Sullivan pounded the zone with it and forced Oakland to keep fighting it off. The clearest example came in the first inning against Colby Thomas. Sullivan fell behind 3-1, then threw eight straight four-seamers. Thomas swung through one to run the count full, fouled off six more, and then missed the 12th pitch of the at-bat, an 86.1 mph fastball, for Sullivan’s first major league strikeout.

That was the first real moment of the debut. Sullivan did not win it with velocity. He won it by staying in the zone, trusting the fastball, and making Thomas prove he could finish the at-bat. Thomas never did.

The other defining sequence came in the second. Jonah Heim doubled off the base of the wall in left, driving an 85.7 mph four-seamer at 102.1 mph with a 20-degree launch angle and a projected distance of 355 feet. It was the first hit Sullivan allowed in the majors and the only hard-hit ball against him.

Sullivan came right back against Zack Gelof and ended the inning in three pitches. He started with an 84.2 mph cutter for a called strike, came back with an 82.3 mph cutter that Gelof tipped for strike two, then finished him with a 74.6 mph sweeper for a swinging strike.

Both strikeouts ended innings. That is the useful takeaway from Sullivan’s debut. He threw strikes, avoided walks, limited hard contact, and had a response when the A’s finally put pressure on him. It would have been good to see him go deeper, but three scoreless innings was a solid first look.

Rockies finally get to Jump

For five innings, Gage Jump looked like he was going to make the Rockies pay for their missed early chances.

Colorado had a chance to get to him right away. Kyle Karros singled through the left side in the first, and TJ Rumfield followed with a ground-ball single to right that moved Karros to third. But with runners on the corners and one out, Jump escaped. He struck out Hunter Goodman, then got Troy Johnston to line out to Henry Bolte in center field for the final out.

The Rockies put another runner on in the second when Braxton Fulford lined a 97.5 mph fastball to right field for a two-out single, then stole second on the next pitch. Jump again avoided damage, and from there he settled in. He retired 10 straight Rockies hitters and carried a 2-0 lead into the sixth after Shea Langeliers and Nick Kurtz went back-to-back in the fifth.

Then the Rockies jumped him.

Willi Castro opened the sixth by poking a single past Max Muncy at third base. Karros followed with louder contact, shooting a 95.2 mph fastball through the left side for a 104.3 mph single. Rumfield then worked a walk, loading the bases with nobody out and forcing Mark Kotsay to go to the bullpen.

That was the inning’s first turn. Jump had been cruising, but the Rockies finally got him out of the game and created the kind of pressure they had missed with their early traffic.

Justin Sterner entered to face Goodman and won the first matchup, striking out Goodman for his third strikeout of the night. That made the inning feel like it might become another missed opportunity. Johnston kept that from happening. After falling behind 0-2, Johnston lifted a deep fly ball to center field, plenty deep to score Castro from third. Karros also tagged and advanced to third, a smart read as the ball carried Bolte deeper into the outfield.

Then Cole Carrigg made sure the Rockies did not settle for just one run.

Carrigg attacked a first-pitch cutter from Sterner and drove it out to right-center for a three-run home run. Carrigg’s second career round-tripper turned a 2-1 deficit into a 4-2 Rockies lead. The swing came off a 90.2 mph cutter and left the bat at 102.5 mph with a 34-degree launch angle.

That closed the book on Jump, who was charged with three runs over five innings. He allowed five hits, walked one, struck out six, and threw 52 of his 75 pitches for strikes. His fastball carried the outing, accounting for 38 of his 75 pitches, and it averaged 97.2 mph while topping out at 99.2. He also mixed in 21 sliders, eight curveballs, seven changeups, and one sweeper.

Jump was excellent for long stretches. He generated 14 whiffs on 40 swings and controlled the middle innings after Colorado failed to convert its first two chances. But the sixth changed the line. Two singles and a walk created the jam, Johnston got the first run home, and Carrigg delivered the swing that finally broke through.

Bullpen gives the lead back

The Rockies had to piece the game together after Sullivan exited, and the first handoff worked. Jeff Criswell handled the fourth with a scoreless inning. He allowed one walk, struck out one, and topped out at 97.1 mph while mixing sliders, four-seamers, and changeups.

The fifth is where the game changed. Seth Halvorsen opened the inning by getting Muncy to line out and Bolte to strike out, but Langeliers broke the scoreless tie with two outs. Langeliers got a 98.8 mph fastball and drove it to center field, sending it 450 feet at 104.2 mph for his 18th home run of the season.

Kurtz followed with the bigger swing. After falling behind 2-0, Halvorsen got a swinging strike on a 98.3 mph fastball, then tried to finish the at-bat with a 90 mph splitter. Kurtz drove it 471 feet to right-center at 108.9 mph, giving Oakland back-to-back home runs and a 2-0 lead.

Halvorsen walked Lawrence Butler before Zach Agnos entered and got Tyler Soderstrom to pop out in foul territory, keeping the inning at two runs. Halvorsen’s line closed at 0.2 IP, 2 H, 2 ER, 1 BB, 1 K, 2 HR.

The Rockies answered with four runs in the top of the sixth, but the lead did not last. Agnos walked Jacob Wilson to open the bottom half, then gave up a one-out single to Gelof. Muncy tied the game with a double to center, driving a 94.9 mph four-seamer 398 feet at 103.5 mph to score both runners.

Agnos still had to get through Kurtz with runners on the corners and two outs. Kurtz had already hit the longest ball of the game, and he nearly did more damage. He drove a ball deep to center, but Carrigg tracked it down near the warning track to end the inning and keep the game tied, 4-4.

The seventh turned on a preventable mistake. Butler opened with a double to right off a 93 mph sinker, and Soderstrom followed with a walk. Agnos got Wilson on an infield fly and Carlos Cortes on a forceout, putting runners on the corners with two outs.

Cortes took off for second, and Goodman popped up from behind the plate, bluffing a throw to second. Butler broke down the line from third and got caught between bases. Goodman started him back toward third, but then spiked the throw to Karros. The ball skipped into the outfield, and Butler scored easily to give Oakland a 5-4 lead.

It was the kind of self-inflicted play that changes a game. Goodman had Butler hung up and a chance to get the Rockies out of the inning tied. Instead, the throw got away, and the A’s took the lead without putting another ball in play.

Agnos came back out for the eighth and gave up back-to-back singles to Muncy and Bolte before getting Langeliers to line out to Johnston in right. That ended Agnos’ outing at 2.2 IP, 5 H, 4 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, 2 K.

Brennan Bernardino replaced Agnos and got the first out he needed, striking out Kurtz on a called third strike after an ABS challenge confirmed the pitch. Butler followed with a ground-ball single to center, scoring Muncy from second and pushing Oakland’s lead to 6-4. Bernardino then struck out Soderstrom to end the inning. His line closed at 0.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K.

The Rockies got a clean inning from Criswell, but the rest of the bullpen stretch was costly. Halvorsen gave up the back-to-back homers in the fifth, Agnos was charged with four runs across the sixth, seventh, and eighth, and Goodman’s throwing error turned a tied game into a deficit before Butler added another run in the eighth.

Rockies go quietly in the ninth

The Rockies had one final chance in the ninth, but Hogan Harris closed it quickly. Carrigg struck out swinging, Sterlin Thompson followed with another strikeout, and Brett Sullivan lined out to Butler in right field to end a 6-4 loss.

Mason Barnett earned the win for Oakland, while Agnos took the loss for Colorado. Harris picked up the save after retiring all four batters he faced.

The Rockies finished with seven hits and went 1-for-7 with runners in scoring position, leaving four runners on base. The Athletics went 2-for-12 with runners in scoring position and left 10 on base, but they cashed in enough late. Oakland scored two in the fifth, two in the sixth, one in the seventh, and one in the eighth after being held scoreless through the first four innings.

Colorado got impressive moments from the call-ups. Sean Sullivan threw three scoreless innings in his major league debut, and Carrigg delivered the biggest swing of the night with a three-run homer in the sixth. Kyle Karros also had two hits and made several defensive plays at third.

But the Rockies did not finish the game cleanly. The bullpen allowed six runs after Sullivan and Jeff Criswell covered the first four innings, and the defense gave Oakland extra help. Hunter Goodman had a rough night, going 0-for-4 with three strikeouts and committing two errors, including the throw that gave the A’s the lead in the seventh.

The young pieces gave Colorado real moments. Sullivan’s debut was encouraging. Carrigg’s homer changed the game. But missed chances, a leaky bullpen, and one preventable defensive mistake were enough to turn those moments into another loss.


Up Next

The series continues tomorrow night in Las Vegas, where the Rockies will send Kyle Freeland to the mound for an 8:05 p.m. MDT first pitch at Las Vegas Ballpark.

Freeland is still trying to right the ship after a disastrous run of starts since returning from injury. The left-hander enters at 1-6 with a 7.87 ERA and 45 strikeouts, and Colorado badly needs him to find something closer to his usual form.

The Athletics, meanwhile, have not yet named a starter for the game.


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