PORT ST. LUCIE, FL - MARCH 19: Mitch Voit #55 of the New York Mets smiles in the dugout prior to the game between the Tampa Bay Rays and the New York Mets at Clover Park on Thursday, March 19, 2026 in Port St. Lucie, Florida. (Photo by Scott Audette/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Syracuse went down 3-0 in the second inning, and that score held until the seventh. A rehabbing Tyrone Taylor drove in a run with a single to make it 3-1. The Mets took the lead in the eighth, on the back of a Grae Kessinger ground out and a Ronny Maruicio two run single. Yonny Hernandez made it 5-3 with a single in the ninth, which ended up being an important insurance run. Ben Simon surrendered a home run in the ninth, but held on for the two inning save.
SS Ronny Mauricio: 2-5, 2 RBI
REHAB ALERT: CF Tyrone Taylor: 1-4, RBI, K
LF Nick Morabito: 2-5, R, 2 K, 2 SB (25, 26)
1B Ryan Clifford: 0-5, 2 K
RF Cristian Pache: 1-5, R, K
3B Yonny Hernández: 3-4, R, 2B, RBI, BB
DH Ben Rortvedt: 0-3, BB, K
PR-DH Ji Hwan Bae: 0-1, R
2B Grae Kessinger: 0-3, RBI, BB, K
C Hayden Senger: 0-3, R, BB, K
RHP Jack Weisenburger: 1.2 IP, 1 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 4 BB, 1 K
LHP Felipe De La Cruz: 2.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 3 K
RHP Adbert Alzolay: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 0 K
RHP Ofreidy Gómez: 2.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 3 K, W (1-0)
RHP Ben Simon: 2.0 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 1 K, S (1)
Both teams plated a run in the first, and Binghamton took a short lived lead with a run in the third. That lead did not make it out of the inning, as Erie put three on the board to make it 4-2. Matt Rudick homered and Nick Roselli grounded out to tie it in the sixth, but two runs in both the seventh and eighth put the game away for Erie.
C Chris Suero: 0-2, 2 K
C Vincent Perozo: 0-3, K
CF Jose Ramos: 1-4, R, BB, K, SB (6)
DH Nick Lorusso: 1-3, R, 2B, BB
1B JT Schwartz: 2-4, 2 RBI, K
RF Matt Rudick: 1-4, R, HR (1), RBI
SS Wyatt Young: 1-3, R, BB, 2 SB (14, 15)
LF Jaylen Palmer: 0-3, BB
2B Nick Lucky: 0-2, 2 BB, K
3B Nick Roselli: 0-4, RBI, E (1)
LHP Jonathan Santucci: 3.1 IP, 4 H, 4 R, 3 ER, 3 BB, 5 K, 1 WP
LHP Gabriel Rodriguez: 1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 3 BB, 2 K
RHP Garrett Stratton: 2.1 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 0 K, L (0-1)
RHP Carlos Guzman: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 1 K
A blowout! Brooklyn was powered by a six run fourth, and a pair of three run innings in the sixth and seventh.
It was one of those games where the offensive contributions are too much to mention individually. The team amassed 17 hits, with every member of the lineup notching one. The first six batters all had multi-hit games, with Yonatan Henriquez pacing the team with four. They also hit three home runs (John Bay, Trace Willhoite, and JT Benson). It was an overall excellent game.
As one would expect with a 12-8 final, this game was up and down. The Mets went up 1-0 in the third, and Fort Myers took the lead with a two spot in the bottom of the frame. The Mets came back in the fourth to drop four in the fourth, two on a Simon Juan double and two on a Jeremy Rodriguez single, making it 5-2.
The Mighty Mussels tied the game in the fifth, and ran with it from there. They scored one in the sixth, one in the seventh and five in the eighth, which put it away. The Mets scored in the sixth and eighth as well, but simply could not keep up the pace.
Jun 22, 2026; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Philadelphia Phillies shortstop Trea Turner (7) and Phillies designated hitter Kyle Schwarber (12) stand in the on deck circle prior to the first inning against the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images | Geoff Burke-Imagn Images
The Athletic’s Trade Target big board 1.0 is out and it features 50 names of players who all have varying degrees of possibility to be moved this upcoming deadline. ($)
Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders:L, 6-8 at Indianapolis Indians
LF Duke Ellis 1-4, BB, K, SB 2B-SS-2B Marco Luciano 0-4, BB, K, throwing error — some weird defensive notes afoot, though not as funny as Travis d’Arnaud and Asdrubal Cabrera with the Mets a few years ago DH Yanquiel Fernández 1-4, RBI, SF CF Garrett Martin 2-5, 2B, HR, 5 RBI — the dingers and ribbies will continue until morale improves, regardless of level (his third in four games at Triple-A and 24th in 66 games combined between Double-A, 435 feet); also a great catch! SS-3B-SS Tyler Hardman 1-4, K, HBP, throwing error 1B Ernesto Martinez Jr. 1-4, BB, K C Payton Henry 2-5, K 3B-2B-2B Cole Gabrielson 0-3, 2 BB, 2 K, 2 fielding errors and a throwing error — made errors at both positions, and then a third (this was his first carer pro game in the infield); anyway, Scranton made five errors, whoops RF Kenedy Corona 2-3, BB, RBI, K
Adam Kloffenstein 4 IP, 3 H, 5 R (2 ER), 4 BB, 2 K, HR, HBP Dylan Coleman 1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 K Rafael Montero 0.1 IP, 2 H, 3 R (1 ER), 1 BB, 0 K (loss) Jake Bird 1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K Eric Reyzelman 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 K
Double-A Somerset Patriots:W, 10-2 at New Hampshire Fisher Cats
LF Jackson Castillo 2-5, 2B, 2 RBI — his and Cobb’s two-run doubles helped Patriots build 4-0 lead early DH Jace Avina 1-5, RBI, 2 K CF DJ Gladney 0-5, 4 K RF Nicholas Torres 1-4, 2 K, SB, HBP 3B Coby Morales 2-4, HR, BB, 2 RBI, 2 K, CS C Miguel Palma 1-4, BB, RBI, K 1B Josh Moylan 2-4, 2B, HR, BB, 2 RBI, K — first Double-A homer SS Owen Cobb 1-4, 2B, 2 RBI, 2 K 2B Connor McGinnis 2-4, 2B, K
Xavier Rivas 5 IP, 2 H, 1 R (1 ER), 1 BB, 6 K (win) Harrison Cohen 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 1 K Matt Keating 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K Michael Arias 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 K Hayden Merda 0.2 IP, 1 H, 1 R (1 ER), 2 BB, 0 K Chase Chaney 0.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K
High-A Hudson Valley Renegades:L, 6-7 (10) at Bowling Green Hot Rods
3B Kaeden Kent 3-5, K, CS SS Core Jackson 2-5 C Eric Genther 1-4, BB, K, catcher interference error 1B Kyle West 3-5, BB, RBI, K LF Wilson Rodriguez 2-5, HR, 3 RBI, picked off — two-run homer tied it in the second and two-run single gave HV a 6-4 lead, but it did not hold DH Roderick Arias 2-5, 2B, 3 K 2B Enmanuel Tejeda 0-5, GIDP CF Camden Troyer 0-3, BB, K RF Robbie Burnett 0-4, K
Luis Serna 6 IP, 6 H, 5 R (4 ER), 1 BB, 9 K, balk Tanner Bauman 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K Bryce Warrecker 1 IP, 1 H, 1 R (1 ER), 1 BB, 1 K, HBP, WP — uncorked wild pitch to let Hot Rods tie it in eighth Andrew Landry 1 IP, 1 H, 1 R (0 ER), 0 BB, 2 K (loss) — allowed walk-off knock to Nathan Flewelling
DH Brando Mayea 3-6, K, SB — single to begin game was the first of 15 knocks for Tampa SS Bryce Martin-Grudzielanek 0-4, BB, 2 K, HBP 3B Hans Montero 1-4, HR, BB, 2 RBI, SF — 410-foot blast in the eighth CF Willy Montero 3-5, 2B, HR, 2 RBI, 2 K, SB — two-run shot in the first went 108 mph off the bat (distance not captured, but it went deep to left-center) LF JoJo Jackson 3-5, 2B, 3B, RBI, CS — has hit .442 in his last 13 games 1B David McCann 0-4, BB, 3 K 2B Luis Escudero 3-4, 2B, HR, BB, 2 RBI, K, 2 SB — went yard in the second, along with Lara C Ediel Rivera 1-4, BB, RBI, K — RBI hit made it 7-0 in the fifth RF Gabriel Lara 1-4, HR, BB, RBI, 2 K
Thatcher Hurd 4.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 10 K — 15 swings and misses as well, easily his best pro start yet (out of eight this year post-Tommy John surgery) Jose M. Rodriguez 2.1 IP, 3 H, 1 R (1 ER), 0 BB, 2 K, HR (win) Pedro Rodriguez 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 1 K Josh Tiedemann 1 IP, 2 H, 2 R (2 ER), 1 BB, 1 K, WP
Dominican Summer League Bombers:L, 1-12 (7) vs. DSL Mets Orange — Bombers held to two hits, they probably wish they had just been off too
SS Mani Cedeno 0-2, BB, 2 K, SB 3B Adam Feliz 0-0 DH Alessandro Rodriguez 0-2, RBI, K, SF 2B Carlos Bello 0-3, 2 K RF David Carrera 0-2 RF Sebastian Pinto 0-0, HBP 3B Germayhoni Beltre 0-3, GIDP C Poly Ojeda 0-1, 2 BB, K, throwing error, passed ball, picked off 1B Stalen Ramirez 0-1, BB, K, CS LF Eddison Charles 0-2, K, GIDP CF Alfiery Matos 2-2, SB — hey, someone had to get the hits! (two singles)
The Detroit Tigers failed to secure a series win against the New York Yankees on Wednesday night, falling short in a 4-2 defeat that saw Tarik Skubal earn his fourth loss of the season. The offense did him no favors, going just 1-for-6 with runners in scoring position and leaving nine on base, but Skubal’s three home runs surrendered did nothing to further the cause either.
Next up for the Motor City Kitties are the Houston Astros, who arrive in town on Thursday for a four-game weekend series to wrap up the current homestand at Comerica Park. The ‘Stros have collected four straight series wins after recently beating the Toronto Blue Jays on the road — including one against Detroit at Daikin Park last week, two games to one.
Opening things up for the Tigers is right-hander Troy Melton, who has been a steady presence in the rotation but has yet to crack the zero fWAR mark in just under 32 innings of work. While statistically he is dead even with the average replacement player, he still has a perfect 4-0 record and a sub-3 ERA — much more than any of the other starters can claim.
The 25-year-old recorded his third quality start in five tries last time out against the Chicago White Sox, who he shut down with six one-run innings, allowing just a solo home run along with three walks while striking out five and hitting a batter. He earned the win in a 4-1 victory for the good guys.
Going up against him is fellow righty Tatsuya Imai, who has struggled a bit in his first season on this side of the Pacific. The 28-year-old from Japan did manage to notch a quality start in his last outing against the Cleveland Guardians, tossing six frames of three-run ball on six hits (one home run) and zero walks while striking out a season high 11 batters for his fourth victory of 2026 in a 9-3 triumph.
Both starters are facing each other for the first time this season. Here is a look at how they match up on Thursday night.
Detroit Tigers (34-46) vs. Houston Astros (39-43)
Time (ET): 6:40 p.m. Place: Comerica Park, Detroit, Michigan SB Nation Site:The Crawfish Boxes Media: Detroit SportsNet, MLB.TV, Tigers Radio Network
Game 81: RHP Troy Melton (4-0, 2.56 ERA) vs. RHP Tatsuya Imai (4-3, 6.15 ERA)
CINCINNATI, OHIO - JULY 16: Elly De La Cruz #44 of the Cincinnati Reds speaks with William Contreras #24 of the Milwaukee Brewers during a baseball game at Great American Ball Park on July 16, 2023 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Jeff Dean/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Note: All stats/records as of the morning of June 24
Though it sort of feels like their first game was not that long ago, the Milwaukee Brewers have played 78 games and are nearing the mathematical halfway point in the season. I thought it would be a good time to reassess the division, to see how things are going elsewhere, and to check on the Brewers’ outlook the rest of the way.
The National League Central got off to quite a start in 2026; as recently as June 4, all five teams were over .500. Compare that to the entire American League, which has just five teams above .500 total. But as the season has gone on, the back of the NL Central has slowed a bit, while the Brewers — who were not, I will remind you, generally regarded as preseason favorites — have opened up a cautiously comfortable lead at the top.
Let’s take a look at the other four teams to see how things are going and how we might expect the rest of the season to play out. We’ll go in reverse standings order.
Cincinnati Reds
Record: 37-41 (5th) Paul’s preseason record prediction: 85-77 (3rd) Best position player so far: Elly De La Cruz Best pitcher so far: Chase Burns
The Reds got off to a hot start. On May 1, they were 20-12 and led the division. But the next day, they started a seven-game losing streak which dropped them all the way to last place in the division, and they’ve hovered around .500 ever since. They’re just 7-13 in June, which coincided with the loss of De La Cruz, who didn’t play between May 31 and June 23 because of a hamstring strain.
De La Cruz has ascended to star status after tantalizing but inconsistent play during his first three seasons. He has career highs in all three slash-line categories, and he’s seen an uptick in power that could get him to his first 30/30 season despite missing most of June. His defense, which was excellent in 2024 but took a step back in 2025, has also seemingly rebounded.
Rookie Sal Stewart carried the offense over the first month. Through April 25, he was hitting .303/.398/.626 with nine home runs, 29 RBIs, and seven stolen bases in just 27 games. But he has cooled considerably since then: in his last 51 games, Stewart is hitting just .216/.305/.351 with five homers.
One nice surprise has been outfielder JJ Bleday. A former No. 4 overall pick, Bleday had a nice season with the A’s in 2024 but took a major step back in 2025 and was non-tendered after the season. Bleday signed with Cincinnati, and he’s put together an excellent year: in 50 games, he’s slugging .530 with 13 homers, 11 doubles, and 35 RBIs. His 138 OPS+ leads the team.
On the pitching side, the headlines belong to the 23-year-old Burns. The flamethrowing right-hander was the No. 2 overall pick in 2024 and quickly climbed prospect lists. He has some of the nastiest stuff in the league, and through 15 starts and 85 innings this season, he’s pitched to a 2.00 ERA with 102 strikeouts. If not for his fellow second-year pitcher Jacob Misiorowski, Burns would perhaps be the biggest pitching story in the league this year; with Burns, Misiorowski, and Pittsburgh’s Paul Skenes all under 25, this division boasts one of the best young pitching trios we’ve seen in the league for some time.
There are disappointments elsewhere on the roster. Closer Emilio Pagán got off to a rough start before going on the injured list with a hamstring problem, and the team has had trouble replacing him. He’s expected back soon, but his ERA (6.43) and FIP (5.82) were both unsightly before his IL stint. Eugenio Suárez was the team’s big free-agent acquisition, signed to a one-year, $15 million contract before the season after he hit 49 homers for the Diamondbacks and Mariners last year. This year has been awful: he’s hitting just .201/.260/.253 and has only seven home runs in 51 games. The rotation, considered a strength coming into the season, has just two players with an ERA below 4.80.
That rotation has also been missing one of the league’s most dynamic starters, Hunter Greene. Greene was an All-Star and finished eighth in Cy Young voting in 2024 before getting off to an even better start in 2025, but he missed the entire second half of last season with a groin injury before needing to undergo surgery to remove bone chips in his elbow during spring training this year. He may be nearing a return, which would be a major boost.
Threat level: Low. There’s some potential for this pitching staff; if Greene and Pagán look good upon their returns and Nick Lodolo (who pitched well against Milwaukee on Tuesday) improves, they could be a challenge to score on. But the problem lately has been offense, and unless Suárez goes on a major heater and Stewart finds his early season form, there’s not enough here.
Pittsburgh Pirates
Record: 39-40 (4th) Paul’s preseason record prediction: 78-84 (4th) Best position player so far: Bryan Reynolds Best pitcher so far: Paul Skenes
A trendy pick to do well in the division at the beginning of the season, I never bought in with the Pirates; I didn’t think they did enough to improve upon what was one of the worst offenses in the league last year, and while I thought the pitching staff had some potential, I thought they were still a ways away.
The offense has improved quite a bit more than I expected it to. Some of that is from external forces: their new second baseman, Brandon Lowe, has been excellent, and he’s been holding it down defensively at second base, which was a question. Their other acquisitions have had mixed results; Ryan O’Hearn has been okay, but Marcell Ozuna has been a disaster — he has a 65 OPS+ and -0.8 WAR in 54 games.
The biggest reasons the offense has improved came from within. One is Oneil Cruz, who was flaming hot for a stretch during the season’s first month. He’s cooled a bit, though, and strikeouts will always be a problem: Cruz is ninth in the majors with 98 strikeouts, but he’s played 10 fewer games than any of the eight players in front of him.
The biggest factor for the Bucs this season has been an old Brewer nemesis: Bryan Reynolds. I’ll admit that after the then-30-year-old Reynolds had a thoroughly unspectacular season in 2025 I wrote him off. I was wrong. Reynolds is having his best season since he finished 11th in MVP voting in 2021: through 79 games, he’s hitting .287/.401/.482 with 18 doubles, 11 homers, and 51 RBIs, and he’s on pace for his best season by WAR in years.
On the other side of the ball, Skenes has been really good… but he hasn’t quite been the “this is one of the two best pitchers in the league” guy he’d been in his first two seasons. Skenes already has four games in 2026 in which he’s given up four runs or more; he only had five such games in his first two seasons combined. Skenes’ peripheral numbers are mostly in line with previous years: his strikeout rate (30.6%) is slightly higher than it was in his unanimous Cy Young campaign last season, and his walk rate (5.1%) is the lowest of his career. The big difference has been the long ball; it’s not a huge jump, but Skenes is giving up home runs at a rate that’s a couple ticks higher than in either of his previous fantastic seasons.
Some concerns still remain. It is a question as to whether Reynolds and Lowe, who’ve been carrying the offense of late, can keep their pace, and similar questions apply to surprising role players like Spencer Horwitz. Konnor Griffin is off to a solid start as a pro, but Pittsburgh will need more from his bat if they want to make noise this season. The pitching staff is a mixed bag: Braxton Ashcraft has been good, and Carmen Mlodzinski has been a nice surprise, but Mitch Keller and Bubba Chandler, who were both being counted on to be major contributors, have been disappointing. Evan Sisk has been incredible in 34 innings in the bullpen, but Dennis Santana couldn’t hold the closer job at the beginning of the season and Gregory Soto, who has been plagued by inconsistency over his career, is now closing games. It’s gone well so far, but I would not want to rely too heavily on Soto.
Threat level: Low. I’ve been down on Pittsburgh as a short-term threat all year. The offense has been significantly better than I expected, but that’s with several guys outperforming their expectations, and I wouldn’t expect that to keep up. They’ve also sacrificed defense in order to improve the offense: at -14.4 fielding runs, they’ve got the fourth-worst defense in the league via FanGraphs.
Chicago Cubs
Record: 41-37 (3rd) Paul’s preseason record prediction: 91-71 (2nd) Best position player so far: Pete Crow-Armstrong Best pitcher so far: Ben Brown
The bad news, if you’re a Brewers fan: Pete Crow-Armstrong is, I think, better than we all gave him credit for. As of Wednesday, PCA is the MLB leader in bWAR among position players with 4.7. Despite the occasional boneheaded move, he is the best defensive outfielder in baseball by far. After a slow start that extended a months-long slump from the second half of last year, someone poured gasoline on PCA and flicked a match at him: in June, he is batting .432/.488/.946 in 18 games. That scorching stretch has bumped his season numbers up to .287/.366/.529 (a 152 OPS+) with 17 homers, four triples, and 18 stolen bases. He’s also improved his batting eye; PCA may never walk a lot, but with 30 free passes in 2026, he’s already surpassed last season’s total in fewer than half the games.
The good news, if you’re a Brewers fan: little else has gone right for the Cubs, particularly on the pitching staff. They have had horrible injury luck: as of this writing, Matthew Boyd, Cade Horton, Justin Steele, and Jameson Taillon — four fifths of what they hoped would be their rotation this season — are on the injured list, as are relievers Daniel Palencia, Riley Martin, Porter Hodge, and Hunter Harvey. Their remaining starters have struggled: Shota Imanaga, Colin Rea, and Edward Cabrera — who they traded their top prospect, Owen Caissie, for in the offseason — have a combined -1.3 bWAR. The bullpen has been similarly erratic; aside from one bright spot in Ryan Rolison, consistency has been difficult to come by.
One exception is Ben Brown, the 26-year-old righty. He started the season out of the bullpen, but the team needed starts, so he moved to the rotation in early May. In eight starts since then, Brown has a 1.70 ERA and 2.40 FIP in 42 1/3 innings.
Note: both Brown and Cabrera were also added to the injured list after this piece was written on Wednesday. Things just keep getting wore for the Cubs’ pitching staff.
The lineup has been okay, but the two highly paid guys on the left side of the infield are struggling. Dansby Swanson can’t get over the Mendoza line but is maintaining some amount of offensive utility only because he’s got 11 homers. Alex Bregman, in the first year of a five-year, $140 million contract, is having the worst offensive season of his 11-year career.
Threat level: Medium-low. The offense is still potent, the defense is still good, and PCA looks like an MVP candidate, but the pitching just isn’t coming together. Boyd might be back soon, but Steele may miss the whole season, and Horton won’t pitch until 2027. Taillon could be back in the second half, but he was leading the league in home runs allowed when he went out. Palencia’s status is iffy. There are just too many injuries.
St. Louis Cardinals
Record: 42-35 (2nd) Paul’s preseason record prediction: 74-88 (5th) Best position player so far: J.J. Wetherholt Best pitcher so far: Michael McGreevy
This team is the biggest surprise here, maybe in the whole league. The Cardinals were expected to be bad — they traded away Sonny Gray, Willson Contreras, Nolan Arenado, and Brendan Donovan, their most accomplished players, before the season. But in a very Brewers-y twist, they’ve improved over last season’s 78-84 team, at least thus far.
A lot of that has to do with rookie JJ Wetherholt, who came into the season as a consensus top-five prospect. Wetherholt has played some of the best infield defense in the National League, and he’s more than carried his weight offensively, too. Through 73 games, he was hitting .267/.366/.421 (125 OPS+) with 12 homers and eight stolen bases in eight tries; as of Wednesday, he ranked only behind Crow-Armstrong and the Dodgers’ Andy Pages in bWAR among NL position players.
The other big reason is the resurgence of Jordan Walker. His story is well-known: he, like Wetherholt, was a mega-prospect. But he was called up when he was really young — he played 117 big-league games in his age-21 season in 2023 — and while he hit pretty well, the Cardinals couldn’t find a defensive home for him. Over the next two years, his offense disappeared, and he had to go back to the minors on various occasions. But he was still only 23 years old at the start of the 2026 season, so maybe we shouldn’t have been surprised when he finally started to deliver on his prodigious offensive talent. As of Wednesday, Walker was leading the NL in RBIs, with a .290/.343/.523 (143 OPS+) batting line and 18 homers.
I still have concerns. The pitching staff has only two above-average starters, one of whom — Andre Pallante — had -1.2 bWAR in 2025. The other, McGreevy, had barely thrown 100 big leagues innings prior to this season, and he’s got a FIP that’s more than a run higher than his ERA. The bullpen isn’t good; of the seven Cardinal pitchers with double-digit relief appearances, only two have an ERA+ better than 102.
The most notable crack in the St. Louis façade is in their run differential, which sat at just plus-four coming into play Wednesday. That’s worse than the Cubs and Pirates and gives them an “expected” win-loss record of 39-38, three games worse than their actual record.
Threat level: Low. The Cardinals should be praised for what they’ve done this season, and they’ve already exceeded my expectations, but they’ve done that with basically perfect scenarios from Wetherholt and Walker. The pitching staff, an expected weakness, has been middle of the pack and I see no reason to think it will improve, if it doesn’t regress. If the Cardinals hang around .500 for the rest of the season, it’d be a positive outcome for them; to ask for more than that is probably asking too much of this young, inexperienced group.
Milwaukee’s Outlook
The Brewers have put themselves in a great position not because they’re lucky but because they are good. Even with a healthy pitching staff, I never thought the Cubs were quite on Milwaukee’s level and given how the Brewers have surprised everyone by seemingly improving again, they’ve built a cushion in this division that I don’t see any of the other teams being able to overcome.
There is still a lot of season left, but the Brewers are the class of this division, and the numbers bear it out: Milwaukee’s +122 run differential, the second-best mark in baseball behind the Dodgers, is almost 100 runs better than second place in the division (the Cubs at +31). Chicago is still the biggest threat, but I still expect Milwaukee to cruise to another division title.
The Hockey News recently inquired about the Colorado Avalanche targeting Mason Marchment in free agency this summer. General manager Joe Sakic, however, went a step further by acquiring a younger, more physical version of him.
Zachary L’Heureux was acquired from the Nashville Predators as part of the Jack Drury trade on Wednesday. Colorado also sent prospect Chase Bradley and a third-round pick in the 2029 NHL Draft to Nashville in a deal that also brought Fedor Svechkov to the Avalanche organization. On paper, it’s a multi-layered swap that addresses both immediate depth and long-term upside.
Jack Drury's all-out, team-first style will be missed. Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie - Imagn Images
Over the past two seasons, the Avalanche have been eliminated from the Stanley Cup Playoffs in part because more physical, gritty teams have been able to wear them down in key moments. It’s not just about talent matching anymore — it’s about the ability to handle contact over a long series and still execute at pace. That gap has shown up when games tighten and space disappears.
The Dallas Stars eliminated Colorado in seven games in the 2025 postseason, a series in which the Avalanche were repeatedly on the receiving end of heavy contact and retaliation sequences. Roope Hintz high-sticked Nathan MacKinnon in the face and back of the head, while Jamie Benn cross-checked Valeri Nichushkin in front of the net and along the boards. The response from Colorado’s side was inconsistent, and the power play was largely ineffective, which ultimately became a deciding factor in the series.
This season, the frustration only deepened as expectations rose even higher. The Avalanche finished with 121 points, a franchise record and one of the highest totals in NHL history, while also leading the league in both goals scored and fewest goals allowed. That combination usually translates into a deep playoff run, especially for a team that also secured the most points before the Christmas break since the stat began being tracked in 1972, opening the year 27-2-7.
After sweeping the Los Angeles Kings in the first round and defeating the Minnesota Wild in five games, it looked as though Colorado was finally set for a true Stanley Cup push. The roster was rolling, the structure was intact, and the depth scoring was showing up at the right time. Instead, the Vegas Golden Knights swept the Presidents’ Trophy winners out of the playoffs in a series that turned quickly and decisively.
And one of the reasons Vegas won that series was their clear edge in physical play from the opening puck drop. The Golden Knights didn’t just match Colorado’s pace — they forced them into a different kind of game entirely, where every entry became contested and every loose puck came with contact. Over time, that pressure built into something Colorado couldn’t solve.
The turning point came in Game 3, when Colorado built a 3-0 lead before giving up five unanswered goals in a collapse that shifted the entire series. From that point forward, Vegas leaned into a tighter, heavier structure that eliminated clean looks in the offensive zone. The Avalanche were pushed to the perimeter and forced into low-percentage chances far more often than they were used to.
The physical gap showed up every night in the numbers and in the eye test. Ivan Barbashev finished the playoffs with 110 hits, setting the tone for a Vegas group that included Colton Sissons, Keegan Kolesar, Brett Howden, and Cole Smith. Each shift carried weight, and Colorado’s puck carriers rarely had time to settle.
In fact, six of the top 10 hitters in the playoffs were Golden Knights. And if you guessed how many Avalanche players finished in the top 10 — zero, you’re right. Zero. No Avs in the top 25 either, which only reinforced how one-sided the physical category became over the course of the series.
That trend has become part of a larger conversation around Colorado’s postseason identity. It’s not that the Avalanche lack skill — they clearly don’t — but the way games are called and played in late May often strips away space, and that’s where physical teams gain control. Vegas understood that better than anyone in the series.
Now the Avalanche are finally acknowledging—perhaps reluctantly—that the years-long strategy of chasing immediate help and spending future assets under Chris MacFarland didn't fully solve the roster's underlying issue. The organization spent years prioritizing skill and short-term upgrades, but the lack of physical edge eventually caught up to Colorado when it mattered most. The roster was built to dominate the regular season, yet it lacked the pushback necessary to withstand the grind of the postseason.
The addition of L’Heureux is the latest attempt to change that equation. He brings an edge Colorado has been missing — not just in terms of physicality, but in the way he can disrupt rhythm and tilt a shift. He’s expected to slide into a flexible fourth-line role under Jared Bednar alongside Fedor Svechkov and Parker Kelly, giving the Avalanche a heavier, more disruptive look at the bottom of the lineup.
Svechkov partnered with Parker Kelly and L'Heureux sounds like a match made in heaven. Credit: David Kirouac - Imagn Images
He’s also shown he can produce when given opportunity. In 30 games with the Milwaukee Admirals, Nashville’s AHL affiliate, he posted 14 goals and 14 assists for 28 points, along with four points in limited NHL action. Svechkov brings a two-way foundation, while Kelly adds speed and a career-high 21-goal season, giving that line a more balanced identity than Colorado’s depth has had in recent years.
The Avalanche now sit with just under $5 million in cap space, which leaves room for flexibility but not major swings without corresponding moves. If they explore moving Valeri Nichushkin for draft capital and relief, it could open the door to additional changes that further reshape the bottom of the roster.
If nothing else, this feels like a shift in tone more than a finished product. Not a full identity change yet, but a clearer understanding that what works in the regular season doesn’t always survive the grind of May and June.
It may not seem like it this year but one of baseball’s greatest rivalries is renewed tonight in Boston when the Yankees (48–31) and Red Sox (32-46) open a weekend series. New York sits atop the American League East while Boston is mired in the cellar.
You might think the Sox at Fenway helps level the playing field, but Boston has been a terrible home team this season with a record of just 12-25 while the Yankees have been dominant even on the road with 26 wins in 42 games. To date this season, it really has not mattered where they have played as these teams have played five times this season with New York winning four of the five and all three at Fenway.
Last night, the Yankees wrapped up their series in Detroit with a 4–2 win taking the final two games of the three-game series. Paul Goldschmidt homered twice to pace the Bronx Bombers against Tarik Skubal. The Sox dropped two of three to the Rockies earlier this week including 8-6 last night. Five of the eight runs that crossed the plate for Colorado were unearned. It's been that kind of season for the Red Sox. New York is a pedestrian 6–4 over their last 10 games but as mentioned do remain atop the division. The Red Sox, meanwhile, have dropped three of their last four and are 3–7 over their last ten games.
Tonight’s pitching matchup features two arms coming off strong outings in their most recent trips to the bump. The Yankees send the favorite to win the Cy Young, Cam Schlittler (8–3, 1.71 ERA, 0.89 WHIP, 109 K) to face the Sox. Schlittler struck out 13 Reds over six shutout innings of four-hit ball last Friday. Boston counters with Connelly Early (6–5, 3.64 ERA, 1.27 WHIP, 79 K). The lefty allowed one run on two hits while striking out seven over six innings Saturday in Seattle.
Ben Rice continues to pace the Yankees’ attack. He leads the team with a .286 average, 22 HR, and 53 RBI. Paul Goldschmidt has been white hot recently, going 14‑for‑41 with five home runs over his last 10 games. Boston’s most productive bat has been Willson Contreras, hitting .280 with 16 HR and 46 RBI this season. Ceddanne Rafaela is swinging a hot bat with at least one hit in seven of his last eight and 10 of his last 12 games.
Let's dive into tonight’s matchup and find a sweat or two.
We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on the how to catch first pitch, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.
Follow Rotoworld Player News for the latest fantasy and betting player news and analysis all season long.
Game Details and How to Watch: Yankees vs. Red Sox
Date: Thursday, June 25, 2026
Time: 7:10PM EST
Site: Fenway Park
City: Boston, MA
Network/Streaming: MLB.TV, YES, NESN
Never miss a second of the action and stay up-to-date with all the latest team stats and player news. Check out our day-by-day MLB schedule page, along with detailed matchup pages that update live in-game with every out.
The Latest Odds: Yankees vs. Red Sox
The latest odds as of Thursday courtesy of DraftKings:
Moneyline: New York Yankees (-176), Boston Red Sox (+145)
Spread: Yankees -1.5 (-104), Red Sox +1.5 (-115)
Total: 7.5 runs
Starting Pitchers and their Stats: Yankees vs. Red Sox for June 25
Red Sox: Connelly Early Season Totals: 81.2 IP, 6-5, 3.64 ERA, 1.27 WHIP, 79K, 31 BB
Who’s Hot? Who’s Not! Yankees vs. Red Sox
Jasson Dominguez homered yesterday and has hit safely in 5 of his last 6 games (7-23)
Jose Caballero was 1-10 in the series against Detroit
Ben Rice was 2-13 in the series against the Tigers
Ben Rice has struck out 4 times in 4 career ABs against Connelly Early
Speaking of strikeouts, Boston hitters have K’d 18 times in 63 career ABs against Cam Schlittler
Jarren Duran is hitless in his last 16 ABs and 1-26 over his last 7 games
Ceddanne Rafaela is hitting .313 in June (25-80)
Rotoworld still has you covered with all the latest MLB player news for all 30 teams. Check out the feed page right here on NBC Sports for headlines, injuries and transactions where you can filter by league, team, positions and news type!
Top Betting Trends & Insights: Yankees vs. Red Sox
The Red Sox are 31-47 on the Run Line this season
The Yankees are 39-40 on the Run Line this season
The OVER has cashed 34 times in games involving the Red Sox this season (34-41-3)
The OVER has cashed 35 times in games involving the Yankees this season (35-40-4)
Expert picks & predictions: Yankees vs. Red Sox
Rotoworld Bet Best Bet
Please bet responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700.
Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the MLB calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, ballpark information and weather forecasts.
Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.
Here are the best bets our model is projecting for tonight’s game between the Red Sox and the Yankees:
Moneyline: Rotoworld Bet is recommending a play on the Yankees on the Moneyline.
Spread: Rotoworld Bet is leaning towards a play on the Yankees on the Run Line.
Total: Rotoworld Bet is staying away from a play on the Game Total of 7.5.
Yankees Team Total: Rotoworld Bet is recommending a play on the Yankees Team Total OVER 4.5 Total Runs.
Follow our experts on socials to keep up with all the latest content from the staff:
First time heat hazard has been declared this season
Formula One’s governing body has declared a heat hazard for the Austrian Grand Prix at Spielberg’s Red Bull Ring this weekend, the first time this season that the designation has been used.
The race director, Rui Marques, said the official weather service forecasts temperatures in excess of 31C during the race. Declaring a heat hazard requires teams to fit a driver cooling system, such as a liquid-cooled vest, though drivers are not obliged to use them and can take a ballast penalty instead.
Major League Baseball has reached the halfway point of its season – actual, not symbolic, with the All-Star Game not tipping off until July 14 in Philadelphia. But come Thursday, June 24, more teams than not will have played 81 games, and it’s all downhill until this baby wraps up Sept. 27.
Weird year, right? The league is filled with lots of bad teams who really aren’t out of it, leaving observers to ponder if any team is actually any good. Perhaps the hot summer months will bring clarity.
Or perhaps we’ll wonder why MLB will insist on a lockout for competitive balance when everyone is mid.
Either way, now’s a fine time to look at the many eye-opening paces that teams and players alike have set. Perhaps some of them will even hold up.
But for now, the math’s easy, so here’s seven numbers that catch our eye should they hold up come Game 162:
10: American League teams below .500
Yeah, that’s two-thirds of the league under water. #IfTheSeasonEndedToday (and it doesn’t), the Toronto Blue Jays would claim a wild card spot with a losing record.
What gives?
Well, it’s easy enough to look at the interleague records and realize 12 of 15 teams have losing records against the National League. The Angels (9-18) and Twins (9-17) are the worst of the bunch, while only the Mariners (12-11) and Rangers (16-14) are above .500.
Bo Bichette (Blue Jays to Mets) and Alex Bregman (Red Sox to Cubs) hopped leagues, and while they haven’t lit up the scoreboard with their new clubs, their losses are palpable for the teams they left. Tarik Skubal remains in the AL, for now, and while he missed five weeks and his team has floundered, the Tigers are still alive.
Which brings us to our next point: Everyone’s in it.
25: Teams within six games of a playoff berth
Put it this way: It’s a lot easier to list the clubs who aren’t a fortuitous week away from getting into playoff position. That would be the Angels and Red Sox in the AL and Mets, Giants and Rockies in the NL.
Don’t think that automatically means those teams will be sellers, though. The Angels are just 6½ games out of a playoff spot and the Mets 8. Still, though, you wonder how many teams will truly believe, come Aug. 3, that They Are Good.
Will the floating mass of contenders break up a bit by then? That’s typically how it goes, but don’t discount anything in this season of the meager.
0: Teams on pace to lose 100 games
OK, now for some good news: Nobody’s objectively terrible.
The Colorado Rockies lost 119 games a year ago and they’re once again at the bottom of the league, but the new regime has them at 32-49 and on pace to go 64-98. Progress!
218: Strikeouts for Cam Schlittler
That would be the most for a Yankee not named Gerrit Cole since 2018, when Luis Severino punched out 220. In his first full season, Schlittler has pitched like an ace practically every start, more than holding it down while Cole and lefty Carlos Rodón were on the comeback trail.
While Cole has had moments of dominance in his return from Tommy John surgery, it’s hard to imagine anyone unseating Schlittler as the club’s bona fide, Game 1 playoff starter. Presuming Max Fried returns without incident from his elbow malady, the Yankees have a potentially daunting quartet of playoff starters.
9: Hits per nine innings given up by Freddy Peralta
Pardon the esoterica, but it’s hard to pinpoint one number for all that’s befallen the Mets this season. So let’s go with this one, simply because it appeared baseball ops president David Stearns stole Peralta at the end of the winter from the Milwaukee Brewers, a bona fide ace ready to lend stability to a star-studded team that needed pitching.
Yeah, about that.
Peralta has been getting thoroughly peppered, giving up 41% more hits than last season, when he won 17 games, posted a 2.70 ERA and finished fifth in Cy Young voting.
That ERA has swelled to 4.83, his K rate has shriveled from 10.4 to 8.7 per nine innings and Stearns, it seems, is experiencing the business end of Brewers devil magic he was so good at brewing up in Milwaukee.
Now, it’s doubtful Peralta can help the Mets get back into contention, unclear how much trade value he’ll have come August and curious what his market will look like when he finally hits free agency this winter.
220: Home runs for the Chicago White Sox
Yep, guess who’s second to the Bronx Bombers in home runs? These White Sox of Colson Montgomery and Munetaka Murakami, who lead the team with 20 longballs each. Those two are tied fourth in the AL, a remarkable feat for Murakami, since the Japanese rookie hasn’t played since May 29 due to a hamstring injury.
They are, somewhat stunningly, in first place in the AL Central just two seasons after losing a record 121 games. It’s a startling display of resolve for both team and individuals, most notably Miguel Vargas, who has 17 homers and has doggedly continued his rise since getting traded to the sad-sack ’24 Sox.
If they actually reach that 220-homer mark, that’ll tie the 2003 White Sox for fourth-most bombs in franchise history.
Credit where it’s due. The Nationals’ entirely new regime signed virtually no free agents, traded former All-Star MacKenzie Gore to Texas and ran it back with a group that went 71-91 in consecutive seasons.
Yet it’s all working: The 33-year-old manager, a resurgent Aussie, and All-Star talents like James Wood and CJ Abrams stepping to the fore have made what seemed like a bottom-up rebuild look less laborious and much more fun. Should they go out and get a bullpen if they hover in playoff position?
Can't hurt. Consider that they were on pace for 84 wins until lightning struck in the ninth inning on consecutive nights.
WASHINGTON – Cristopher Sánchez and Jacob Misiorowski are on a collision course that leads directly to Philadelphia on July 14.
The Phillies left-hander and the Milwaukee Brewers’ velocity-crazed right-hander are far and away the two best pitchers in the National League this season and could create a quandary for their teams and Major League Baseball, while opening up a year-old wound.
Which one starts the All-Star Game?
In any other season, Sánchez would be an easy choice. After all, the game is returning to Philly for the first time since 1996, and Sánchez posted the lion’s share of his amazing 55 2/3-inning scoreless streak – longest in major league history for a left-hander – at Citizens Bank Park.
Ah, but then there’s Misiorowski, again posing a roadblock that could affect Sánchez.
The Brewers’ 6-foot-7 24-year-old leads major league qualified starters with a 1.45 ERA, 0.78 WHIP and 138 strikeouts in 93 innings. He threw the fastest pitch ever recorded by a starting pitcher – 104.5 mph – and showed the Phillies how dominant he can be.
On June 12, Misiorowski threw a one-hit shutout with 15 strikeouts against the Phillies, just the third pitcher to punch out that many batters while allowing just one baserunner.
And while back in the day, the long ball was the in thing, nowadays it’s velocity that gets more clicks.
But can a case be made that Sánchez has both statistics and sentiment – all of Philly wrapping their arms around him – on his side?
“There’s so many deserving guys. But I think it’s cool if someone can start in their home season,” Phillies shortstop Trea Turner tells USA TODAY Sports, noting the atmosphere when Clayton Kershaw started the 2022 All-Star Game at Dodger Stadium.
“I thought that was really cool. Not that MIsiorowski isn’t more than deserving – he is, he’s had an unbelievable season. But I think the home start’s cool. The fans would love it and I think all of baseball would love it.”
Yet several factors will determine which ace gets the ball – or doesn’t pitch at all – in the Midsummer Classic.
A controversial choice, a pro response
The Phillies were aghast. They had a pair of left-handers – Sánchez and Ranger Suárez – having fantastic seasons. Yet when a rash of pitcher replacements were required to substitute pitchers who started games the Saturday or Sunday before the 2025 All-Star Game in Atlanta, neither were chosen.
Instead, MLB opted to showcase Misiorowski, then a rookie with just five starts and a mere 25 innings pitched in his career – 90 fewer than Sánchez’s first-half total, paired with a 2.50 ERA.
“What a joke,” Turner told The Athletic. “I mean, that’s terrible, dude.”
"That's just how MLB does it now," catcher J.T. Realmuto added. “Nothing against the Misiorowski kid. But (Suarez and Sanchez) are deserving of being on the team in the first place. There's no doubt.”
It was an admittedly calculated risk by the league. The Miz could have cracked under his first global pitching assignment. A poor second half or injury might have made the decision foolhardy in retrospect.
But Misiorowski aced the assignment, pitching a scoreless inning, hurling nine pitches harder than 100 mph, handling his media obligations with aplomb and, while his second-half ERA ballooned to 5.36, he helped pitch the Brewers to the National League Championship Series.
This year, both pitchers seem separated by a razor-thin margin, with bulk vs. sizzle possibly entering the picture again.
A little more work to do
Sánchez once again has an innings-pitched edge, 105-93, second in the majors only to Sandy Alcantara’s 110 innings pitched for Miami. That seems a negligible difference, though 12 innings provides nearly two starts worth of coverage to a pitching staff.
Otherwise, it’s hard to deny Misiorowski’s dominance.
What a combination: Misiorowski leads the majors in both strikeouts per nine innings (13.35) and opponents’ batting average (.146, 53 points better than No. 2 Paul Skenes).
The Phillies saw firsthand how deadly his combination of a 103-mph fastball and a 98-mph slider can be. Kyle Schwarber managed their lone hit, and he was erased on a double play, Misiorowski facing the minimum in just 95 pitches.
“I feel like he’ll give you a pitch in the middle of the zone maybe once an at-bat, but if you miss that one pitch, it’s nearly impossible,” says Turner, who struck out twice in three at-bats. “Just so much extension. A lot of guys throw hard. He’s not only throwing harder, but the extension is crazy.
“Last year, we got to him a little bit. This year, he pitched one of the best games I’ve ever seen.”
Sánchez counters with a fastball he runs up into the high 90s with the game’s greatest changeup and, increasingly, a slider that makes the whole package deadly when everything is clicking.
With a PitchCom device in his ear, Turner, at shortstop, can relish just what Sánchez is going to do next to a helpless hitter.
“Watching from this side’s a little more fun,” he says. “As a hitter, you know (the changeup) is coming. It’s just, is it a strike? Can you lay off it if it’s a ball? It tells you how good it is when you know that’s the pitch, you’re going to face him three or four times and he still gets awkward swings.
“I think that just speaks so highly of him when you know it’s coming and you can’t do much with it.”
While both pitchers’ 2026 bodies of work are accumulating, there’s still plenty of work to do before one of them is warming up in the Citizens Bank Park bullpen come July 14.
Both have four starts left, Sanchez June 25 at Washington, home to Pittsburgh and then road assignments at Kansas City and Detroit. Misiorowski faces the Cubs June 26 and will take on Cincinnati, St. Louis and Pittsburgh.
And there’s a chance the calendar won’t align for one or both of them.
Hands up for Hollywood
On paper, Sánchez is in good shape. If the Phillies skip the unsettled fifth spot in their rotation thanks to an off day July 3, Sánchez would start Sunday, July 5 at Kansas City and Friday, July 10 at Detroit.
That’s an ideal three days of rest before a likely one-inning All-Star assignment.
Misiorowski, though, is on turn to make his final first-half start Saturday, July 11 at Pittsburgh. In 2025, six pitchers were scratched from the roster because they started the Saturday before the All-Star Game – including the Cubs’ Matthew Boyd, whose absence opened up Misiorowski’s spot.
The Brewers can certainly fiddle with the rotation before then, and might welcome extra days of rest for Misiorowski, pushing him back a day or two and eliminating that last late-week start. And weather, of course, is a factor when the Brewers are on the road.
Yet logistics are only half the equation, now. Increasingly, narrative plays a role.
When Kershaw made that start in 2022, he was not the best pitcher in the NL’s first half. That distinction belonged to Alcantara, who posted a 1.76 ERA, threw three first-half complete games and six starts with zero earned runs given up.
It’s not like Kershaw was chopped liver: He had a 2.13 ERA and, in his last start before the break, nearly tossed a perfect game at Anaheim.
Yet this was L.A., home of the Dodgers and also Fox Sports. Kershaw was named the starter and the network spun up a goofy pregame bit where Kershaw and Shohei Ohtani, then an Angel, were mic’d up and talked trash to each other moments before the first pitch.
Ohtani complied by hitting a first-pitch single, and then Kershaw picked him off first base. Almost like it was scripted.
Not sure if they can contrive any such theatrics with The Miz or Sánchie. Yet if all things are equal, velocity just might be the tiebreaker.
That may leave the Phillies with a mild beef for a second year in a row. That’s OK – they still get to watch Sánchez pitch every five days.
“It’s pretty amazing to watch him on a start-in, start-out basis,” says manager Don Mattingly. “Ninety-seven, 98 is pretty good, with movement. He’s a guy whose mix all tunnels. He’s tough to pick up.
BRONX, NY - JUNE 17: Aaron Boone #17 of the New York Yankees chats with fans before a game between the Chicago White Sox and New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium on June 17, 2026 in the Bronx, New York. (Photo by Andrew Mordzynski/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Good morning, all. The Yankees finished off what turned out to be a nice three-game set in Detroit last night, as Paul Goldschmidt turned back the clock with a multi-homer game off no less a foe than defending two-time Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal. Jasson Domínguez had his own key bomb off Skubal as well, just the second time the switch-hitter has gone deep in the bigs against a southpaw.
That’s not too shabby for a series that began with the Yanks’ third loss in a row. They’re back on the ol’ winning series path as they head up to Beantown to see if they can avoid playing down to the mostly-hapless Red Sox. It’s hard to win three of four at Fenway in any circumstance because that ballpark can just make weird games, but that should still, of course, be the goal.
For today’s question, we’re checking out the SB Nation Reacts survey results from the poll that ran earlier in the week. We asked how you would grade Yankees manager Aaron Boone’s 2026 season to date. They have the best record in the American League, but the plurality gave him a C:
Now as they say, C’s get degrees, but this is still a little surprising, even with Boone’s shaky reputation among Yankees fans. (And that’s to say nothing of the 12 percent who failed him.)
I don’t see Boone as any great skipper or anything like that, but they do seem to have played well under him despite some tough circumstances, namely lengthy injuries to the likes of Aaron Judge and Max Fried, their two best players on opposite sides of the ball in 2025. Although no manager is immune to the odd bullpen decision here and there — and boy, Boone does have his moments — the odd calls have been kept to a relative minimum in my opinion. I do also think that we’ve still seen too much of Anthony Volpe at shortstop, so it’s fair to ding for that, even with José Caballero cooling down a bit since coming back off the IL.
Maybe I’m a tough grader, but to me, you have to really stand out as a manager to get an A grade. Still, I’d be happy to give Boone a B for how he’s fared early on. I’m with the 24 percent. If this poll has enough options to allow it, I’d probably grant closer to B+ or A- if we’re being honest.
So if you were a little more cautious about giving Boone a better grade, what would be your rationale? My best guess is that the C is a stand-in for “Fine, but the first half has rarely been an issue under Boone, so it’s hard to get too jazzed just yet.”
Today on the site, Matt will preview this upcoming four-game set at Fenway and he’ll return for the Rivalry Roundup. Nick will then celebrate the 63rd (!) birthday of a hard-hitting catcher who played on both sides of the rivalry, Mike Stanley. Jonathan will take the opportunity of Cam Schlittler vs. Connelly Early to remember some of the more notable and consstent pitching matchups in the rivalry’s history, and Kento will delve into why the Yankees’ bullpen has been fine on the whole, if not a bit underwhelming.
Today’s Matchup
New York Yankees at Boston Red Sox
Time: 7:10 p.m. EST
TV: YES, NESN, MLB Network
Venue: Fenway Park, Boston, MA
The Reacts survey results are sponsored by FanDuel.
A big game from John Peck and a strong effort from the bullpen carried the Mud Hens over Worcester on Wednesday.
Dylan File got the start for Toledo and he didn’t last long. The Red Sox got to him for three runs in the first and knocked him out of the game. Scott Effross did a nice job on short notice taking over and getting them through the third with only an unearned run allowed. From there, Tyler Mattison fired a pair of scoreless innings, and Cole Waites returned from the IL for a scoreless sixth, while Beau Brieske blanked them in the seventh.
In his second Triple-A game, John Peck got his first homer with a 104 mph solo shot to right center field in the top of the second.
In the fourth, Eduardo Valencia and Gage Workman walked with one out. Peck smoked an RBI double to center, and then a grounder from Brett Callahan was thrown away, scoring both Workman and Peck to tie the game 4-4.
Congrats to John Peck on his first Triple-A home run, 104mph opposite field shot. pic.twitter.com/LinjLRxjYT
In the fifth, Corey Julks cracked a solo shot for the go-ahead run, and the bullpen kept locking it down, with Nick Sandlin handling the final two innings for a six-out save. Unfortunately, Peck tweaked something trying to beat out a hit in the sixth, and had to leave the game with what I will guess is a right hamstring strain. He did walk off under his own power so hopefully it’s fairly minor.
Peck: 2-3, 2 R, 2 RBI, 2B, HR
Julks: 1-4, R, RBI, HR, 2 K
Mattison (W, 4-0): 2.0 IP, 0 R, 0 H, BB, 3 K
Coming Up Next: The Hens will look to make it four in a row at 6:45 p.m. ET.
LHP Konnor Pilkington has been released.
RHP Cole Waites has been reinstated from the Toledo 7-Day injured list and OF Cal Stevenson has been placed on the Toledo development list.
Hayden Minton’s first Double-A start didn’t go great as he struggled with his control, but the offense flashed some power and drew nine walks in this one, easily outpacing the Rumble Ponies in this one.
Minton allowed a run in the first and another in the third. A couple of walks in the fourth ended his night, with Yosber Sanchez coming on to immediately induce an inning ending double play.
Meanwhile, the offense kept pace in the first when Seth Stephenson led off by reaching on an error. Thayron Liranzo walked with one out, and Chris Meyers singled in Stephenson.
So it was 1-1, and then Minton gave up a run in the third. The SeaWolves answered right back and took control with a three-run bottom of the third.
Stephenson led off with a walk and Peyton Graham doubled him to third. A Liranzo sac fly scored Stephenson, and Meyers drew a walk to put runners at the corners. Garrett Pennington singled in Graham, and an Izaac Pacheco sacrifice fly scored Meyers for a 4-2 lead.
Carlos Peña allowed the Ponies to tie it up in the sixth, but in the bottom of the seventh the SeaWolves took over for good. Graham led off with a solo shot, and Pacheco later doubled off the wall in left center field to drive in Meyers for a 6-4 lead.
Izaac Pacheco with an RBI double off the wall in left center to give the SeaWolves a 6-4 lead. pic.twitter.com/YdazhJ64Kc
In the bottom of the eighth, a leadoff single from Andrew Jenkins was followed by three straight walks, leading to two more runs.
Graham: 2-3, 2 R, 2 RBI, 2B, HR, 2 BB
Meyers: 2-4, 2 R, 2 RBI, BB, K
Pacheco: 1-2, 2 RBI, 2B, BB, K
Minton: 3.1 IP, 2 ER, 4 H, 3 BB, 2 K
Coming Up Next: The SeaWolves will try to run their winning streak to six on Thursday at 6:05 p.m. ET.
Dayton Dragons 12, West Michigan Whitecaps 6 (box)
Ben Jacobs was really wild for the first time in this one, and he got absolutely mauled for nine runs by the Dragons on Wednesday.
Jacobs just couldn’t find the handle on anything. He walked five and surrendered a pair of home runs, exiting with two outs in the third with nine runs total allowed. Woof.
It was even worse as he was gifted a three run lead in the top of the first when Ricardo Hurtado and Jackson Strong each homered. Hurtado’s came with Bryce Rainer aboard after one of three walks drawn by him on the night.
Back to back home runs for West Michigan from Ricardo Hurtado and Jackson Strong. pic.twitter.com/uj84ZvlY9w
Strong led off the sixth with his second homer on the day, and the center fielder now has eight on the year and six in the month of June. Juan Hernandez followed later in the inning with a two-run shot of his own.
Jackson Strong with another solo homer. It’s his 2nd home run of the night, his 8th of the season, and his 6th in June. pic.twitter.com/84iIgDyaVq
Despite 11 hits and three walks, the Flying Tigers managed to score just three runs, while starter Cash Kuiper took a beating at the Tortugas hands.
Kuiper gave up six runs in 4.1 innings of work. He gave up a home run, but it was really a clinic in stringing hits together in start contrast to his teammates in this one.
It was already 3-0 Tortugas when the Flying Tigers got on board in the top of the fifth. Nick Dumesnil led off the fifth with a double. Jack Goodman later singled him in. Javier Osorio singled Goodman to third, but was thrown out trying to steal second. Jordan Yost followed with a walk, but Beau Ankeney struck out.
In the sixth, Edian Espinal led off with a double and Carson Rucker singled him to third and then stole second base with one out. Espinal scored on a Dumesnil ground out, and Jesus Pinto doubled in Rucker to make it a 6-3 game.
Bad news for New Zealand: Matt Henry has a calf injury, so will be out for two to four weeks, while Glenn Phillips has a side strain, the length of his absence to be determined following a scan.
The pitch is flat, but it’s dry so might crumble later in the game. I can’t see any way you win the toss and don’t bat.
Ahead of Saturday’s title unification fight in Brooklyn, the unbeaten American talks about family legacy, putting on for North Philly and life as one of boxing’s most feared fighters
For years, boxing’s chattering class has treated Jaron “Boots” Ennis less like a champion than a prophecy. The next great one. The future pound-for-pound king. The fighter who one day would justify the steady hype that has followed him since he emerged as a teenager from Bozy’s Dungeon in North Philadelphia as one of the country’s top amateurs.
Even now, undefeated in 36 professional fights with 31 knockouts and world championships at two different weights, Ennis approaches Saturday night’s title unification bout with Xander Zayas at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center in an unusual position: celebrated as one of the world’s most gifted fighters while still being discussed as though his breakthrough lies ahead.
NEW YORK, NY - JUNE 18: Ryan McMahon #19 of the New York Yankees looks on from the dugout after hitting a solo home run in the third inning during the game between the Chicago White Sox and the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium on Thursday, June 18, 2026 in New York, New York. (Photo by Michael Mooney/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
MLB.com | Thomas Harrigan: Yesterday afternoon, the Yankees announced that they had placed third baseman Ryan McMahon on the 10-day IL with a throat infection. According to Greg Joyce on Twitter, he was diagnosed with peritonsillar abscess, a rather unpleasant-sounding tonsil infection that has prompted doctors to recommend him not to engage in any physical activity for at least 72 hours. To take his place, the team has recalled fan favorite utilityman Oswaldo Cabrera from Triple-A Scranton, who makes his return to the Majors after fracturing his ankle last May.
The Athletic | Dennis Lin: (subscription required) Ever year, The Athletic polls the players of Major League Baseball in order to get a sense as to what the league thinks about, well, everything that the fans want to know. Rather encouragingly for readers of this blog, the Yankees were the second most common response to the question, “Which organizations have good reputations among players?” (behind only the Los Angeles Dodgers). More specifically, players praised the front office and ownership, saying that they are “willing to do what they need to do to keep their players happy;” they were also praised for their medical staff.
ESPN | Buster Olney: Over the last few years, left-handed hitters have been at an advantage throughout baseball, with yet another jump in relative wRC+ occuring this year. After speaking to some catchers, Buster Olney speculates that the new ABS system may be responsible, as it has eliminated (or at least minimized) lefties’ biggest advantage: the ability of catchers to frame glove-side pitches more easily. While not everyone agrees with the hypothesis, the data clearly shows that left-handed bats are having an easier time at the plate this year than their righty-swinging counterparts.
The Athletic | Tim Britton, Johnny Flores Jr., Chad Jennings and Eno Sarris: (subscription required) With July rapidly approaching, the trade deadline will soon be in our sights. To help prepare fans, The Athletic published their list of 50 players that may be available this deadline. While Tarik Skubal, who started last night for the Tigers, is the biggest name on the list, several players — such as Houston shortstop Jeremy Peña, Giants second baseman Luis Arraez, and Twins catcher Ryan Jeffers — who may be of interest to Yankees fans.
The Athletic | Ken Rosenthal: (subscription required) Generally, I try to avoid putting two paywalled articles here, let alone three, but if you have access to The Athletic, this is definitely worth a read. Ken Rosenthal dives into Major League Baseball’s first CBA proposal, focusing on the league’s plan to shrink the draft — a proposal that Rosenthal describes as “counter to that message,” that message being the league’s alleged commitment to growing the game of baseball. We’ve said similar things here at Pinstripe Alley, but don’t take our word for it; Rosenthal is one of the most connected journalists in the sport.
Lastly, we want to send out our best happy retirement wishes to an old friend. The Trenton Thunder may no longer be the Yankees’ Double-A affiliate, but we will have always love their batdog program and Rookie officially retired last night. He followed the footsteps (paw prints?) of Chase and Derby, and Dash will keep the program alive. Rookie rules and we love him.
