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Michael Soroka continues Diamondbacks’ dominant pitching in win over Rangers by Alex Weiner [Arizona Sports]

The Diamondbacks have won three straight games having scored eight total runs. They are back to .500 at 20-20.

Arizona has allowed 10 runs over its last seven games. The last time the D-backs had a seven-game stretch with that few runs allowed was back in 2011. Before then? 2001.

Soroka’s gem, Sewald’s save give D-backs a little World Series payback by Steve Gilbert [DBacks.com]

Here’s what you need to know about the game:

Michael Soroka was really good

Soroka allowed just three hits over 6 1/3 innings in the combined shutout on Monday and over his last two starts he’s given up just one run in 12 2/3 innings.

“We want to bang the baseball around and score a lot of runs,” manager Torey Lovullo said. “But when you’re in [a close situation] and the pitchers step up the way they did, it was a fantastic effort. It started with Soroka. He did a really nice job — low pitch count, temptation to leave him in the game, and I felt like the bullpen was ready for those matchups, and it worked out really well for us.”

Diamondbacks News

“I belong at the highest level”: The elite mindset of the D-backs Ryan Waldschmidt [Arizona Sports]

Diamondbacks add another Perdomo to their minor league system by Nick Piecoro [AZ Central]

Ten years ago, Geraldo Perdomo signed with the Diamondbacks for $70,000 as a 16-year-old amateur free agent out of the Dominican Republic. He was not a big prospect, but he showed enough promise to move steadily through the system and ultimately reach the majors.

Perdomo is hoping another family member can follow a similar path.

Last week, the Diamondbacks signed 17-year-old outfielder Nicola Perdomo for a bonus of $47,500. He has a good approach, raw power and a strong arm. He is Geraldo’s younger brother, and he likely will begin his professional career this year in the Dominican Summer League.

D-backs Closer Paul Sewald Says He Didn’t Hit Corey Seager On Purpose by Alex D’Agostino [SI]

“It was a total accident,” Sewald said earnestly. “Hopefully his foot’s okay. … it’s one of those things.”

Sewald did, also acknowledge the moment, the context, and the environment of the matchup. 

“It’s fine in the regular season, postseason, not so great, obviously, especially here,” he said with a bit of a laugh. “The biggest thing was that I got the first two guys to try to make it a little bit easier.”

Around the League

1st Rookie of the Year poll shows clear favorites, but plenty of competition by Jason Foster [MLB]

Others receiving votes: Foster Griffin (one first-place vote), Nationals; Carson Benge, Mets; Owen Caissie, Marlins; Bubba Chandler, Pirates; Joe Mack, Marlins; Jose Fernandez, D-backs; Nathan Church, Cardinals; TJ Rumfield, Rockies {Ed. Note: emphasis mine}

Five way-too-early 2026-27 free agency questions by Kiley McDaniel [ESPN]

How will the potential work stoppage affect free agency?

Though we don’t know for sure, we can use the last collective bargaining agreement negotiations and subsequent lockout as a guide. Teams looking to devote big money to making upgrades generally want to do so before the current CBA expires Dec. 1, both to avoid waiting for key additions and as a pre-negotiation signal of healthy spending on players. (The Texas Rangers splurging on Corey Seager and Marcus Semien for a combined $500 million just hours before the Dec. 1, 2021, deadline was notable from that pre-lockout period.)

The assumption is that a lockout will happen again. That naturally leads to two questions: Which teams are eager enough to spend to sign big-ticket players before Dec. 1? And which players are important enough to get the offers they’d want to sign before the CBA expires? Before his injury, Skubal was the top free agent, but now his market might be muddier, which could lead to his camp opting to wait a bit. There might not be another slam dunk nine-figure player, with Freddy Peralta and Jazz Chisholm Jr. having the strongest cases at the moment among the other pending free agents.

Giants Trade Patrick Bailey to Guardians as Buster Posey Shakes Things Up Again by Jay Jaffe [FanGraphs]

This is the second season in a row that president of baseball operations Buster Posey has shaken up San Francisco’s roster with an early-season trade; last year, it was the mid-June acquisition of slugger Rafael Devers in a blockbuster with Boston. You don’t have to squint too hard to accept that both trades were aimed at upgrading moribund offenses, but when the Giants dealt for Devers, they were 11 games above .500 (41-30), one game behind the Dodgers in the NL West. They felt they’d landed the offensive cornerstone that had eluded them after unsuccessful pursuits of Aaron Judge and Shohei Ohtani, a player who could help them return to the postseason for the first time since 2021. This time around, they entered the day of the trade 15-23, last in the division, and the move appears far more tilted toward the future, as Wilkinson has just gotten his feet wet in Double-A and the draft pick won’t make an immediate impact.

If this trade had occurred just prior to the deadline (August 3 this year), it might have been characterized as a white flag, part of a larger selloff. To these eyes, it’s a shakeup that at worst smacks of panic and at best places a lot of faith that Posey — a likely Hall of Fame catcher who has yet to show similar prowess as an executive — has found a diamond or two in the rough with his two recent catching acquisitions: Jesus Rodriguez, who came from the Yankees in last year’s Camilo Doval trade, and Daniel Susac, who was flipped by the Twins in December after being plucked from the A’s as a Rule 5 pick. Both are 24 years old and have fewer than 10 games of major league experience, with Susac, who turns 25 on May 14, currently on a rehab assignment after being sidelined by neuritis in his right elbow. Eric Haase, a 33-year-old backstop who hit his way out of a starting job in Detroit in 2023, started in Saturday’s 13-3 drubbing by the Pirates — San Francisco’s ninth loss in 11 games — while Rodriguez started Sunday’s 7-6 win, which lifted the team’s record to 16-24, still third worst in the NL.

Rangers Notes: Eovaldi, Latz, and Smith by Anthony Franco [MLB Trade Rumors]

he Rangers are sending Nathan Eovaldi for imaging after the veteran starter reported left side tightness, manager Skip Schumaker told reporters (including Kennedi Landry of MLB.com). Texas scratched Eovaldi from his scheduled start tonight in Arizona. Jakob Junis got the first couple innings of an impromptu bullpen game.

Schumaker’s bullpen should be well rested. The Rangers are coming off consecutive shutouts of what had been a hot Cubs lineup. They used three relievers after Jack Leiter on Saturday, but only Gavin Collyer tossed more than 13 pitches. Jacob Latz was their only reliever yesterday, tossing 20 pitches over two scoreless innings behind a masterful start from Jacob deGrom (seven scoreless with 10 strikeouts).

Morning A’s fans!

The moment has finally arrived. If reporting is to be believed, the Athletics are set to promote top outfield prospect Henry Bolte to the major leagues for the very first time:

It’s a well-deserved promotion for the Athletics’ 2nd-round pick from the 2022 Draft. The 22-year-old has steadily climbed the minor league ladder after forgoing college to begin his pro career right out of high school. A toolsey outfielder with an interesting speed/power combination, Bolte (pronounced Bolt-AY) ranks as the organization’s #5 ranked prospect but took his game to another level this year. In 37 games playing for the Aviators Bolte has slashed an incredible .348/.418/.658 with 12 home runs and 17 stolen bases. He’s been especially hot at the plate recently as he’s gotten his in each of his past 12 at bats. There’s not much left for him to prove in the minors and now he’ll get his first taste of the big leagues.

How he fits into the lineup will be interesting to see. The most obvious path to playing time is in center field, where Opening Day starter Denzel Clarke is injured. Zack Gelof has been getting some playing time there in recent days and has held is own. He’s cut his strikeout rate while upping his walk percentage. It seems the club is planning on shifting him back to the infield now though with third base likely going to Gelof on a more regular basis until Max Muncy is ready to return from his hand fracture. That means there’s certainly an opportunity for Bolte in center field, where he’s played the majority of his games this year. He’ll provide a different aspect to the offense as well thanks to his great speed on the base paths. First baseman Nick Kurtz currently leads the team with five swipes so it shouldn’t be long before Bolte is leading the team in that category.

Bolte, a right-handed hitter, could also find himself in a corner outfield spot from time to time. Incumbents Tyler Soderstrom and Lawrence Butler are both left-handed hitters so Mark Kotsay could certainly platoon Bolte with one or the other on any given day. Neither player has gotten out to a great start, with Butler especially struggling in the batter’s box right now. It could be the perfect time to get those two some days off and see if that can jumpstart their seasons. Both are tied to long-term contracts too so the team is invested in seeing the long-term success for these two players the team considers building blocks.

We’ll also be waiting for word on a corresponding roster move with the fear being that shortstop Jacob Wilson may land on the IL due to his shoulder injury. That wouldn’t be the most ideal outcome as the team doesn’t have much in the way of depth behind Wilson. If the runner up in last year’s AL ROTY voting does end up missing time the most obvious guy to handle the position would be Darell Hernaiz as he’s already on the actice roster. If the team wanted to be extra bold they could get aggressive with top prospect Leo De Vries, but he’s yet to play in Triple-A so that would definitely be classified as an aggressive promotion. Fingers crossed the A’s don’t have to make that decision.

The A’s are back home tonight to start their homestand against the St. Louis Cardinals. It’ll be Jeffrey Springs on the bump for the Green & Gold while the Cards plan to send righty Andrew Pallante to the mound. First pitch is at 6:40 PDT. Should be a good one! Enjoy your week guys.

A’s Coverage:

• A’s promoting Henry Bolte
• A’s demolish Phillies behind big bats and Ginn’s arm, 12-1!
• Kurtz had pets named after Phillies stars
• May Roster Shuffle Could Help The A’s — But They’d Have To Want It
• A’s roster moves: Langeliers reinstated, Wynns DFA’d
• Cubs Acquire Tyler Ferguson
• Phillies Claim Grant Holman
• A’s Blow Late Lead, Fall To Phillies 6-3
• A’s drop one to Phillies 9-1
• A’s trade for Jonah Heim to fortify catching depth
• Langeliers HRs twice on wife’s b-day, then welcomes 1st child; taking time off
• Civale and Soderstrom lead Athletics to a Sunday Victory
• He once struck out Giancarlo Stanton. Now he engineers cars for Ford
• A Walk In The Park Is Nice…To A Point
• Three Things To Watch For The Athletics In May
• A Moment To Appreciate The Awesomeness That Is Carlos Cortes
• Kurtz ‘starting to get back to himself’ — and that’s a scary prospect
• What the Athletics’ Hot Start Means for Their 2026 Trade Deadline Strategy
• When he Reached the New World, Cortes Burned Opposing Pitchers

MLB News and Interest:

• Mets promote top outfield prospect Ewing
• Dodgers activate Mookie Betts
• 1st Rookie of the Year poll of ’26 shows clear favorites, but plenty of competition
• Rangers’ Nathan Eovaldi scratched due to left side tightness
• Blue Jays’ Addison Barger returns to IL with elbow inflammation
• Astros Notes: Imai, Pearson, Peña, Meyers
• Braves activate Ha-Seong Kim, put Eli White on concussion list
• The Giants’ Long-Term Contracts Are Becoming A Big Problem
• Today in Baseball History

Best of X:

Not great, fingers crossed it’s nothing major:

ICYMI:

He’ll be getting plenty of MVP votes after the year he’s had:

Morii moving up the minor league ladder:

Just when the Yankees looked like they were beginning to really roll with six consecutive series wins and 15 victories in a span of 17 games, they’ve hit a very annoying wall. They were swept in Milwaukee and the losing streak is now at four in a row after the bullpen blew its third consecutive game — right in tandem with the offense squandering several opportunities to add insurance runs that never crossed home plate. Joy!

It was far from a full slate on Monday, but here’s what was going on from the notable American League teams in action.

Tampa Bay Rays (27-13) 8, Toronto Blue Jays (18-23) 5

The Rays Train (steamboat?) kept on humming north of the border. Kevin Gausman reached a personal milestone as the sixth active pitcher with at least 2,000 career strikeouts, but that was cold comfort to him on Monday night. He only fanned four other Rays, and Tampa Bay knocked him around for seven runs on ten hits, as he needed 100 pitches just to get through 4.2 innings.

The Rays jumped on Gausman early and often. It was 1-0 after three batters due to two singles and a sacrifice fly. Richie Palacios made it 3-0 when he plated Junior Caminero and Jake Fraley on a two-out crack through the right side. An RBI triple by Taylor Walls (yikes) in the second added a fourth run, and though Walls was retired on a fielder’s choice at home, Chandler Simpson reached first on that play. He stole second and scored on a Jonathan Aranda single.

Toronto fought back against tough customer Drew Rasmussen, who coughed up a three-run bomb to Andrés Giménez. The light-hitting infielder came up big again in the seventh to record his first career multi-homer game and give him all five Jays RBIs on the night.

Both shots came with his team behind by five runs, however, as the Rays had kept building on their lead after the first Giménez homer. Aranda had the most impressive insurance delivery on a 415-foot clout off Gausman in the fifth. Rays relievers Hunter Bigge and Bryan Baker recorded the final five outs, nailing down another win. They’re two games up on the Yankees in the AL East.

Other Games

Seattle Mariners (20-22) 3, Houston Astros (16-26) 1: The Baseball Bar-B-Cast recently described the 2026 Mariners as “stuck in neutral,” and that seems apt for a club that should be leading this AL West with ease and is instead hovering just below .500, two games behind a merely adequate A’s team (in first place at 21-19). Cal Raleigh’s now hitless in his last 36 at-bats, but the M’s at least took the right step forward at the start of a four-game set in Houston. George Kirby grinded through five innings with just one run allowed, the bullpen was nearly pristine, and the bottom of the Seattle lineup delivered multiple RBI on knocks by Dominic Canzone and Cole Young. Julio Rodríguez hit a majestic solo shot, and Andrés Muñoz struck out Seattle nemesis Yordan Alvarez as the tying run at the plate to end it.

Cleveland Guardians (22-21) 7, Los Angeles Angels (16-26) 2: Folks, is it good when it’s the year 2026 and Alek Manoah is your best pitcher on a particular night? That’s the fate that befell the Angels in Cleveland, as the Guardians beat up on Brent Suter, José Fermín, and Kirby Yates for a combined seven runs in the second and third. With Joey Cantillo firing six shutout frames to keep the Halos at bay, it was a breezy win for the Guardos. The big hits came on two-run singles by Brayan Rocchio and Daniel Schneemann, and then a rookie Travis Bazzana plating a pair on a double against Yates.

Today we unveil our 13th installment of the Legends Series, featuring pitcher Wade Miller.  Prior to tearing his rotator cuff, Wade was one of the brightest pitchers in the major leagues.    

Q:  There was that three-year stretch with the Astros in which you won 45 games, fueled at one point by a 12-game winning streak, but the number could’ve been higher.  Were you actually hurt in 2003 and just kept playing?  

A:  I wasn’t 100% but I don’t want to make excuses or anything.  I wasn’t hurt enough to not be out there pitching.   

Q:  You look back at all of those starts and your overall durability in that span, 91 starts over three years, that durability and taking the ball every fifth day.  That has to still mean something all these years later?

A:  That was one of the most important things, was to be out there.    Honestly, that’s why I was there.  When I was hurt, it hurt me not to be out there with the guys, that was the worst thing.  When healthy to take the ball every five days, that was a privilege.  

Q:  The backend of your Astros career, Roger Clemens came to town.  I think it’s an injustice that he has to wait until 2031 to reappear on the ballot.  What are your thoughts on Roger and the career he had?

A:  I don’t think he was doing anything in the early part of his career.  He was just amazing.  I don’t think there should be an asterisk or anything.  I think one day he will get into the Hall of Fame.  He was one of the very best that I ever played with and for him not to be in there, it’s a shame, it really is.    

Q:  Toughest hitter you ever faced?

A:  By far Barry Bonds, by a landslide (laughs) You couldn’t throw stuff over the plate to that guy.  I would always throw hard inside stuff to him and I did strike him out in my career, but he hit some balls off of me that are still going.

One time, I threw him a really good change up and he hit it off the end of his bat and I thought it would be a fly out to center field, but it wound up going ten rows into the seats.   

Q:  Favorite Jimi Williams story?

A:  Jimi was great!  One day, I’m in the dugout with Roy Oswalt and we’re flicking pumpkin seeds.  I couldn’t really flick seeds to save my life, but Roy is flicking these things and hitting the first base chalk over and over.    

Dave Mlicki is on the mound and is in a tough spot in the 6th inning with runners on base in a tight game.  He’s in a tough spot and he’s getting his pitch selection from the catcher and Roy flips one and it travels and lands literally right next to Dave’s foot on the mound.   

Mlicki sees it and steps up off the rubber.  Everyone in the dugout sees this, I’m like oh my god and Jimi looks over at me because Roy says, “Wade what did you do?”    (laughs)    

 I was caught in the crossfire between Roy and Jimi.  After the game, Jimi didn’t say anything to me about it but it was incredible because that seed easily traveled over 50 yards and it almost got my ass in trouble.

This Week in the Minors is our weekly look at notable performances from all over the system, from big-name prospects and less-heralded guys alike. The mission is to answer this simple question: “Who had a good week?”

Triple-A Omaha Storm Chasers (17-21, 7.5 games back)

The Storm Chasers split their series against the Indianapolis Indians, including playing two doubleheaders. Mitch Spence had a really good start in Thursday’s contest, he went 6.2 innings, allowing 1 hit, 2 runs, 2 walks and striking out 4 batters. Spence has started in all four of his appearances in Omaha.

With Cole Ragans out, and Stephen Kolek already filling in for him, Spence would probably be the answer if you wanted Noah Cameron to go down and work on some mechanical things, during his sophomore slump for a fifth starter.

Aaron Sanchez looked good in his start, throwing 6 innings of 1 hit ball, striking out 8 batters. Bailey Falter, who’s still on rehab assignment threw 3.1 more scoreless innings, striking out 7 batters as well.

At the dish, nobody had a good series for the Storm Chasers, Josh Rojas hit a pair of homers but was 3-for-15 overall at the plate. Drew Waters was 7-for-17, the only Storm Chaser with more than 5 hits during the series. Waters hit his 6th homer on the season.

The Storm Chasers are back home this week, as they take on the Toledo Mud Hens. The series runs Tuesday through Sunday.

Northwest Arkansas Naturals (18-14, 1.5 games back)

The Naturals won 3 of their 5 games against Frisco this last week. Sunday’s contest was cancelled due to inclement weather.

Felix Arronde had another good start this week, he went 6 innings, allowing 6 hits and 1 unearned run, while striking out 5. The 23-year-old right hander has had back-to-back good starts. Dennis Colleran, who had some Spring Training hype, but struggled out of the gates, posted a solid week, throwing 4 innings, allowing 1 run and striking out 5.

At the plate, Jorge Alfaro had a nice week, he went 4-for-11 at the plate, blasting 3 homers. Alfaro is a 32-year-old catcher and not a prospect, but he is important to helping mentor younger pitchers and catchers. Carson Roccaforte was just 4-for-25 at the plate this week, but he hit 3 more homers this week as well. Sam Kulasingam, a 24-year-old switch hitting third baseman was 7-for-19, with a double. Kulasingam, is a 13th round pick by the Royals in 2024 out of Air Force. He is hitting .313 this season, his first chance at being in Double-A as well.

The Naturals return home to take on the Arkansas Travelers; the series runs Tuesday through Sunday.

Quad Cities River Bandits (16-14, 2.5 games back)

The River Bandits lost 4 of 6 to Cedar Rapids this past week. David Shields had another good start, going 5.2 innings, allowing 3 hits and 1 run, while striking out 8. Shields lowered his season ERA to 2.70. 21-year-old right hander, Justin Lamkin went 5 innings, allowing 2 hits and no runs, while striking out 6. Lamkin, who was taken 71st overall last season by the Royals, out of Texas A&M, has been unreal this season. He has 6 starts, with a 1.27 ERA over 28.1 innings, while striking out 38.

At the plate, Ramon Ramirez, went 10-for-24, smacking 3 homers. The 20-year-old catcher is hitting .305 on the season, with 6 homers and 29 runs batted in. Tyriq Kemp was 4-for-20, which cools off the 23-year-old shortstop, who’s hitting .286 on the season. Kemp was a 6th round pick last summer by the Royals, taken out of Baylor.

The River Bandits hit the road to take on the Lansing Lugnuts. The series runs Tuesday through Sunday.

Columbia Fireflies (15-18, 5 games back)

The Fireflies dropped 4 of 6 to the Kannapolis Cannon Ballers. Blake Wolters went 5.2 innings, allowing 2 hits, 1 run, while striking out 9 batters. Wolters was then promoted to Quad Cities, so congratulations to Blake Wolters, who has dominated in Columbia this season!

Hiro Wyatt went 6 innings, allowing 4 hits, no runs, while striking out 6. Wyatt’s season ERA sits at 2.16 over 25 innings. Kendry Chourio went 4 innings, allowing 3 hits, 2 runs, while striking out 3 batters. Jordan Woods was the highlight of the week however, going 6 perfect innings, striking out 14 batters! Woods has a 1.73 ERA over 26 innings. Columbia has a pitching factory.

At the plate, Josh Hammond went just 5-for-23 on the week. Yandel Ricardo was 8-for-26, the 19-year-old shortstop is hitting .243 on the season. Ricardo hails from Cuba. Sean Gamble was just 3-for-21, as he continues to struggle, he is hitting just .111 on the season.

The Fireflies return home to take on the Hickory Crawdads, the series runs Tuesday through Sunday.

Good morning! A satisfying 3-1 win last night featured the Mariners’ eighth straight victory over the Houston Astros dating back to last season. A season-high seven strikeouts for starter George Kirby was supported by a few strong bullpen outings, and a solo home run from Julio Rodriguez highlighted the Mariners’ scoring.

Bryan Woo gets the start tonight against Astros RHP Tatsuya Imai at 5:10 PM.

In Mariners news…

• The Mariners have placed Jose A. Ferrer on the paternity list and recalled RHP Domingo Gonzalez in a corresponding move.
• A six-man rotation will be tested out this week as Bryce Miller returns from injury and will be slotted in behind Luis Castillo.
• Julio Rodriguez (briefly) scored some new footwear in a challenge with a fan during batting practice yesterday.

Around the league…

• The New York Mets are planning to call up No. 2 prospect A.J. Ewing in hopes of an offensive spark amid their recent struggles.
• Texas Rangers RHP Nathan Eovaldi was scratched from his start yesterday due to left side tightness and is considered day-to-day.
• The San Francisco Giants are faced with some difficult decisions as many of their players signed to long-term contracts are struggling at the plate this season.
• Toronto Blue Jays RHP Kevin Gausman has become the sixth active pitcher to record 2,000 strikeouts.
• Atlanta Braves shortstop Ha-Seong Kim has been activated from the injured list and will make his season debut today against the Chicago Cubs.
• New York Yankees shortstop Jose Caballero will undergo an MRI for a sore finger on his right hand after injuring it while diving back in to first base.
• San Francisco Giants veteran outfielder Harrison Bader is returning to the team’s starting lineup after missing 23 games with a left hamstring injury.

We are just past one-quarter of the way through the 2026 season.

And the Cubs are off to one of the best 41-game starts in franchise history. Since 1945 — an arbitrary cut-off, granted — only two other Cubs teams have gone 27-14 to start the season. Those were the 1969 and 1977 Cubs and, well, you know how those seasons ended.

From 1945 through this year, though, 56 other teams in that span have begun with a 27-14 record, including the 2026 Cubs. Here’s the complete list.

As you can see on that list, starting the season with a .659 winning percentage is somewhat predictive of success for that year. Of the 57 previous teams to do this, 26 made the postseason, 14 won league pennants and six were World Series champions. Thirty-four of the teams won at least 90 games and 10 won 100 or more.

Let’s look at the six World Series champions who went 27-14 to start the season, in chronological order.

1951 Yankees

The Yankees dominated MLB from 1947-64, winning 15 AL pennants and 10 World Series in that 18-year span. The 1951 club’s WS title was the third of five in a row. They went 98-56 and won the AL pennant by five games over Cleveland. They were second in their league in runs and runs allowed.

1960 Pirates

The team that won the World Series on Bill Mazeroski’s famous homer was a bit lucky during that Series — they lost three blowouts and won four close games and were outscored 55-27.

After their 27-14 start they were in first place by 1.5 games and kept winning. From Aug. 1 through the end of the season they went 38-20, eventually winning the NL pennant by seven games, with 95 wins.

1989 Athletics

This was the second of three straight AL pennants and World Series titles won by the A’s, though they had to wait through a 10-day earthquake delay before sweeping the Giants in the WS.

The race for the AL West title was close until September, when they won 11 of their last 14 to win the division by seven games, with 99 overall wins. Then they won the ALCS by four games over the Blue Jays and took the WS.

2015 Royals

The defending AL champions won their second straight league title, taking over first place in the AL Central for good in early June, eventually winning the division by 12 games with a 95-67 record. They won the last six games of the regular season, won a close division series (3-2) over the Astros, beat the Blue Jays 4-2 in the ALCS and won the World Series four games to one over the Mets.

2024 Dodgers

This Dodgers team went wire-to-wire in first place. At the time they were 27-14 they led the division by 6.5 games and eventually won it by five games, finishing 98-64.

They took the Padres three games to two in a division series, beat the Mets 4-2 in the NLCS and won the World Series over the Yankees four games to one.

2025 Dodgers

The supposed juggernaut Dodgers team from last year won the fewest games — 93 — of any of these six teams, taking the NL West by three games. Thus they were forced into a wild-card series against the Reds, which they won two games to none. They lost one game in a division series win over the Phillies, swept the Brewers in the NLCS, then won an extremely close World Series over the Blue Jays four games to three.

These six teams averaged 98 wins. Of all the 58 teams that started the season 27-14 since 1945, just two finished with losing records — the 2009 Blue Jays (75-87) and 1995 Phillies (69-75 in a strike-shortened 144-game season). Two others (1966 Indians, 1977 Cubs) finished exactly at .500.

While you can’t necessarily predict the result of a full season based on a 25 percent sample size, it would seem that the Cubs have a very good chance of at least a 90-win season, possibly a 100-win season, and that they are very likely to make the postseason. In addition to good baseball, the six teams that started 27-14 and won the World Series all had a little bit of luck involved.

Mostly, I just did this exercise for fun as we await the Cubs beginning their series in Atlanta. Where do you think the Cubs will finish 2026?

Before the season Paul Toboni was very active on the waiver wire. With the Nats having plenty of roster spots up for grabs, the front office decided to take chances on players. We wrote about the Nats heavy use of the waiver wire this winter. Now that we are about a month and a half into the season, I wanted to look at how these waiver claims have been doing.

Between January and March, there were a bunch of roster churn at the back of the 40 man roster. It seemed like the Nats were claiming a new player every day. Sometimes they would DFA guys just days after claiming them. However, I can count 8 guys on the 40-man roster who were part of this waiver/small trade frenzy. 

Andre Granillo, Richard Lovelady, Paxton Schultz, Gus Varland, Ken Waldichuk, Curtis Mead, Jorbit Vivas and Joey Wiemer have provided mixed returns, but a few of these guys have been valuable pieces for the Nats. Before the season, I actually picked out 3 players that would hit. My picks were Granillo, Schultz and Varland. I would say I am 2 for 3 on those picks.

In my opinion, the hits have been Lovelady, Schultz, Varland, Mead and Wiemer. All five of those guys have provided real value to this roster. I want to break down these five and talk about their futures on the roster. Also, I want to explore some of the guys who have not performed so far and examine why they have missed.

The first player I want to discuss is Curtis Mead because I think he could be the best long term piece. Technically Mead was not a true waiver claim, but he came to the Nats through the waiver process. Mead was DFA’d by the White Sox in late March, but the Nats decided to swing a trade to make sure they got him. They traded 2025 6th rounder Boston Smith to Chicago to cut the line and get Mead.

A big reason why they wanted Mead is because the organization was familiar with the player. While Mead was in the lower minors in the Rays organization, he was managed by Blake Butera. Whenever he has been asked about Mead, Butera always speaks about the Aussie in glowing terms.

Mead was a fun reclamation project for the Nats. At one point, he was a top 50 prospect in baseball, known for his pure hitting ability. However, he struggled to translate his ability to hit in the minors into big league production. Eventually, the Rays gave up on him and so did the White Sox.

However, Mead has been really hitting this season. In 31 games, Mead has a .780 OPS and a 121 wRC+. This is despite running into some very bad batted ball luck, as you can see with his .227 BABIP. Mead is showing a lot more power this year and almost has as many walks as strikeouts. 

Mead has not been great defensively at first base, but he is fairly new to the position. He is decent with his scoops, but there are times where he needs to sharpen up his instincts at the position. Mead can play a little bit at second and third base which adds value as well. I think the Nats found a really quality hitter in Curtis Mead, which is why he is the biggest hit so far.

There have also been a trio of waiver wire relievers who have done well for the Nats. Before his blowup against the Marlins, Gus Varland’s ERA was sitting at 3.07 and he was the Nats closer. I still like Varland’s stuff and mentality, which is why I have written a lot about him this season. In my opinion, that Marlins game was just a bad day at the office for him.

Paxton Schultz has not been in as many high leverage situations as Varland, but he has done well in the innings he has pitched. He has a 2.63 ERA in 13.2 innings this season. Schultz does a great job pounding the zone, walking just 3.4% of hitters this season. For the season, Schultz only has 2 walks. 

He also does a good job putting hitters away when he gets to two strikes. While Schultz does not have elite velocity, his fastball has been a great put away pitch. Of Schultz’s 13 strikeouts, 11 have come on the heater despite the fact he only throws his fastball 30.4% of the time. He lulls batters to sleep with his cutter and changeup, then he can blow his 93-95 MPH heater by hitters.

Richard Lovelady is the other reliever who has been a big hit for the Nats. They have actually claimed him twice. The first time was in the winter, but at the end of Spring Training, he was DFA’d again and picked up by his old club the Mets. After pitching in 6 games with the Mets, Lovelady was DFA’d again. The Nats came calling again, and acquired him for cash.

Since November of 2024, Lovelady has been DFA’d 8 times. However, it seems like he has found a home in DC. In his 9 outings with the Nats, Lovelady has a 0.93 ERA. He has issued a lot of walks, but some of those have been intentional. However, when he is in the zone, Lovelady is tough to hit due to his funky mechanics and nasty sweeper. He is also an electric mound presence, who gets fired up after getting big outs.

He has been a really fun find for the Nats and has been a big part of stabilizing the bullpen. There will be nights where the walks will come back to bite him, but Lovelady looks like a quality reliever. He also seems like a fun guy to have around in the clubhouse.

The last claim I would call a win is Joey Wiemer. His insane March where he went 8/13 is doing a lot of heavy lifting here, but he did single-handedly win the Nats a couple games. Predictably, Wiemer has cooled off. However, if he can even be a .685 OPS bat like he was in April, that is a nice fourth outfielder.

Wiemer is a tremendous athlete, but he does not make a ton of contact. I am not sure how long he will be around with all the outfielders in AAA. However, that insane stretch where he quite literally could not get out makes him a win in my books.

As you would expect with waiver claims, it has not been all good. The biggest loss has been the Andre Granillo pickup, a move I actually liked at the time. Like the Mead deal, it was technically not a waiver claim, but it is connected. The Nats acquired Granillo from the Cardinals in a move that sent George Soriano to St. Louis.

Soriano was a waiver claim by the Nats, but they DFA’d him again. However, the Cardinals wanted to cut the line and gave the Nats Granillo, who was coming off a nice 2025 season. On paper, it looked like a win. Granillo was dominant in the minors last year and held his own in the MLB. Meanwhile, Soriano posted an ERA over 8 in 2025.

However, Soriano had the better stuff and the deeper arsenal. The early returns on this move have been bad. Granillo has posted an ERA over 9 in both the big leagues and the minors. His slider, which he relies on heavily, just has not been fooling anyone this season. On the other hand, Soriano has a 3.18 ERA in 18 outings with the Cardinals. Sometimes, you need to just bet on the stuff. Soriano averages 97 MPH and has five pitches, while Granillo is a two pitch guy with an average fastball and a slower slider.

Another move that was not really a part of the waiver process but I will include is the Jorbit Vivas deal. While Vivas was not on the wire, the out of options infielder was likely to be DFA’d by the Yankees. The Nats liked Vivas’ approach and decided to trade prospect Sean Paul Linan for him. That move seemed weird at the time, and has not really worked out.

Vivas was red hot to start the season, but his bat has gone cold. His wRC+ is down to 81 right now. He does have 0.2 fWAR due to his solid glove, but his lack of athletic tools really limits him. Meanwhile, Linan has a 3.47 ERA and over 12 strikeouts per 9 in High-A. This always felt like an unnecessary move by the Nats, but if Vivas’ bat can heat up again, he can be a solid utility infielder. 

As we have discussed, the waiver wire has provided mixed results for the Nats. That should not come as any surprise. After all, there is a reason that these guys are on waivers. Sometimes you can find gems, but you are not going to bat 1.000.

Between some of the relievers and Mead, I think there has been more good than bad on the wire. I am interested to see how active Paul Toboni is throughout the season when it comes to waiver claims. He picked up Zak Kent the other day, and I wonder if more claims are coming. This will be something for fans to follow as we continue through this 2026 season.

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The injury-plagued Houston Astros have dropped three consecutive games by multiple runs, and five of the last seven overall.

My Mariners vs. Astros predictions expect their struggles to continue in the second game of this AL West matchup.

Let's break down my MLB picks for Tuesday, May 12.

Who will win Mariners vs Astros today: Seattle Mariners (-150)

The Houston Astros have hit righties well this season... but they have not hit them well of late. They're dealing with injuries to key bats like Jeremy Pena, Carlos Correa, and Yainer Diaz — and they're really showing up.

Houston sits 19th in weighted on-base average (wOBA) against right-handed pitching in May, miles below their seasonal rank of third. They've struck out at a league-high 28.6% clip and have also hit grounders at the 11th-highest rate.

That doesn't set them up for success against Bryan Woo, who owns a strong 16% K-BB rate and has not allowed a homer in six of eight starts.

COVERS INTEL: Woo's soft contact rate of 21.6% is the best of his career.

Mariners vs Astros Over/Under pick: Under 8.5 (+100)

The Astros are struggling to score runs. They have plated just two in their last three games and have scored three or fewer in seven of their last eight. Manufacturing offense is extremely challenging with so much firepower missing from the lineup.

Although the Seattle Mariners should have an easier time against Tatsuya Imai and a subpar bullpen, they rank 25th in runs, 26th in average, and All-Star catcher Cal Raleigh doesn't have a hit this month. They're not exactly a dynamic offense likely to put forth a ceiling game.

Mariners vs Astros odds

• Moneyline: Mariners -150 | Astros +130
• Run line: Mariners -1.5 (+110) | Astros +1.5 (-130)
• Over/Under: Over 8.5 (-115) | Under 8.5 (-105)

Mariners vs Astros trend

The Seattle Mariners have hit the moneyline in seven of their past 10 away games (+3.05 units, 22% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for Mariners vs. Astros.

How to watch Mariners vs Astros and game info

Mariners vs Astros latest injuries

Mariners vs Astros weather

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We're fading pitchers with our MLB picks for today, finding value in betting against a handful of struggling starters to continue being stuck in their rough patches.

Read on to see why our baseball experts are picking on Brayan Bello, Grant Holmes, Zac Gallen... and both pitchers in Miami/Minnesota.

MLB expert picks for today

Pick	Odds
Josh Inglis: MIA/MIN o9.5	+122
Jon Metler: PHI ML	-138
Neil Parker: CHC ML	+117
Joe Osborne: TEX ML	-122

Prices courtesy of Polymarket.

Josh Inglis' expert pick: Marlins/Twins Over 9.5

Price: 46¢ (+122) at Polymarket

Mother Nature should help generate some runs in Minnesota today with 19-mph winds screaming out to center field. Eury Pérez has been giving up home runs on fly balls, while Bailey Ober owns a groundball rate that ranks in the bottom half of MLB starters (in fact, both pitchers carry groundball rates below 37%). Add in a Minnesota Twins bullpen sporting a 6.93 ERA over the last two weeks, and the runs could keep coming all game long. THE BAT is projecting 10.32 total runs.

Jon Metler's expert pick: Phillies moneyline

Price: 58¢ (-138) at Polymarket

When you can get value on a team with a true ace on the mound, it’s hard not to back the Philadelphia Phillies in this spot. Zack Wheeler gives Philadelphia a major advantage because he can work deep into games — and help them avoid the weaker middle relief portion of their bullpen. The Phillies are currently trading around 58 cents, but I make them closer to a 63-cent (-170) favorite, which leaves a solid edge on the number. The matchup also sets up well offensively for Philadelphia: Brayan Bello has struggled badly against left-handed hitters this season, allowing a .366 batting average and a 1.143 OPS. Even if Jovani Moran opens the game from the left side, Bello will still eventually have to face dangerous left-handed bats like Kyle Schwarber and Bryce Harper.

Neil Parker's expert pick: Cubs moneyline

Price: 46¢ (+117) at Polymarket

Atlanta righty Grant Holmes had his most recent turn in the rotation skipped after an ineffective four-start stretch that went to the tune of a 5.95 ERA while allowing a healthy 53.8% hard-hit rate, so I'm expecting the Chicago bats to pick up the tempo after being blanked in consecutive games against Texas this weekend. The Chicago Cubs also have a splash of statistical correction coming at the dish with their third-ranked .346 xwOBA well above their actual .325 wOBA over the past 12 games, and also considering Chicago has the second-highest walk rate and third-lowest strikeout percentage during that stretch.

Joe Osborne's expert pick: Rangers moneyline

Price: 55¢ (-122) at Polymarket

The Texas Rangers look like the right side tonight with both starting pitchers showing extreme home/road splits and Arizona being ice-cold at the plate. Zac Gallen has been strong in Arizona but owns a 7.13 ERA on the road, while Texas starter MacKenzie Gore has been far more effective at home. Add that the D-backs have scored two runs or fewer in five of their last six games, and it’s hard to trust them tonight — especially since the Rangers' bullpen has also arguably been the best in baseball over the last month.

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The Mets open a three-game series against the Tigers at Citi Field on Tuesday at 7:10 p.m. on SNY.

Mets Notes

• A.J. Ewing will make his big league debut. Ewing slashed .339/.447/.514 in 30 games across Double-A Binghamton and Triple-A Syracuse before being promoted
• Carson Benge is hitting .300/.352/.500 with two homers and four doubles in 54 plate appearances over his last 16 games
• Freddy Peralta tossed five scoreless innings on May 6 against the Rockies in Colorado. In 43.1 innings over eight starts this season, Peralta has a 3.12 ERA and 1.20 WHIP

Today's Lineups

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How can I watch the game on my computer via MLB?

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How can I watch the game on the MLB App?

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• To access live or on-demand content, tap on the "Watch" tab from the bottom navigation bar. Select the "Games" sub-tab to see a listing of available games. You can scroll to previous dates using the left and right arrows. Tap on a game to select from the game feeds available. 

For more information on how to stream Mets games on SNY, please click here.

The San Diego Padres took a happy flight from San Diego to Milwaukee after splitting a four-game series at Petco Park with the St. Louis Cardinals. The Padres would have liked to win the series, but after a poor offensive showing over the four games at home, they will take winning two of the four games. San Diego scored a total of eight runs in four games, but on a positive note the pitching only allowed 12 runs. The current lack of offensive production cannot continue for much longer. If it does, the Padres’ luck may soon run out and the come-from-behind wins may become less likely due to player fatigue from constantly being held to one hit until the seventh inning when the San Diego offense wakes up and does just enough to get by – often in the final two or three innings of the game. The Brewers are coming off a sweep of the New York Yankees and are once again fighting for the National League Central Division crown. San Diego and Milwaukee faceoff today at 4:40 p.m. for the first of three games.

Padres News:

• Everyone wants to diagnose and “fix” Fernando Tatis Jr. He does not have a home run this season but he has been able to contribute to Padres wins. The lack of power is newsworthy, but it is not like Tatis Jr. is just sitting on the bench collecting a paycheck.

• Padres players explain why playing first base is more difficult than people realize and what they do to make the transition and preparation a little easier.

• Tom Krasovic of the San Diego Union-Tribunebelieves the bullpen has been the reason the Padres have been able to stockpile wins as the stars of team work through their early season struggles.

• Walker Buehler and the other starting pitchers for the Padres, not named Michael King or Randy Vasquez, have been a surprise to this point in the season, but their tightrope walk could become strained and will not be enough going forward if the offense cannot score.

Baseball News:

• The Baltimore Orioles were no-hit by the Yankees for much of their game, but a three-run home run by Coby Mayo was all they would need to get a 3-2 win.

• The Tampa Bay Rays are off to one of their best starts in team history and are leading the American League East with a record of 27-13.

• The New York Mets are looking for a spark, and they are hoping to get one from their No. 2 prospect A.J. Ewing who is being called up to make his MLB debut.

• Big nights from Willy Adames and Rafael Devers led the San Francisco Giants over the Los Angeles Dodgers, 9-3. On a positive note for the Dodgers, Mookie Betts returned from the IL.

• The Arizona Diamondbacks scored one run in the top of the first inning and Michael Soroka dominated on the mound to lead the Diamondbacks past the Texas Rangers, 1-0.

• Kevin Gausman became the sixth active player to reach 2,000 strikeouts, but it came in an 8-5 loss to the Rays.