With a host of players currently on the injured list, Mets manager Carlos Mendoza briefed reporters on some of their recoveries.
A.J. Minter
Minter threw a bullpen session on Saturday for the first time since pausing his rehab assignment earlier in the week after feeling left hip discomfort and left it feeling fine.
“He threw a bullpen yesterday which is a good sign,” Mendoza said. “I think he’ll throw a couple of more before we put him back in game action if he continues to feel well. But it’s good that he threw a bullpen yesterday.”
Minter was on his way back from a lat strain that required surgery last year. The left-handed reliever was supposed to appear in the first game of a back-to-back the day he complained about the discomfort he felt in his hip.
Kodai Senga
Mendoza said that Senga will be throwing a bullpen session on Sunday which is also “a good sign” for the right-hander.
Senga has been on the IL with lumbar spine inflammation since late April and has struggled mightily this season.
Jorge Polanco
A day after going through baseball activity like taking batting practice from the right side, Polanco still seems a ways away from returning to the club.
“Some good days, some other days when it’s not as good,” Mendoza said.
The biggest problem with Polanco, who went on the IL with a wrist issue while also dealing with bursitis in his Achilles, is the bursitis.
“It’s more the bursitis that he’s dealing with,” Mendoza said. “The wrist is in a good place. It’s just the same thing that he was dealing with from the very beginning.”
Polanco began the season healthy but quickly developed Achilles tendonitis which was later classified as bursitis. The chronic pain forced Polanco to either sit out or strictly DH even though he was signed with the intention of playing first base.
With the pain not going away despite nearly a month off, it’s certainly a concern for New York.
Luis Robert Jr.
Although Mendoza told reporters that there’s “nothing new” to report on Robert (lumbar spine disc herniation), with the outfielder still just getting treatment back in New York, the skipper was asked if he thinks the injury can be a long-term problem.
His answer didn’t exactly inspire hope.
“We don’t know,” he said. “Wait til we get back to New York, see it in person and see what we got here.”
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - MAY 09: Gavin Sheets #30 congratulates Manny Machado #13 of the San Diego Padres reacts after his solo homerun during the eighth inning of a game against the St. Louis Cardinals at Petco Park on May 09, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images) | Getty Images
St. Louis Cardinals (23-16) at San Diego Padres (23-16), May 10, 2026, 1:10 p.m. PST
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Juan Soto – DH Bo Bichette – SS Austin Slater – LF Mark Vientos – 1B Marcus Semien – 2B Andy Ibanez – 3B Tyrone Taylor – CF Carson Benge – RF Luis Torrens – C
SP: Huascar Brazobán – RHP
Diamondbacks lineup
Ketel Marte – 2B Corbin Carroll – RF Geraldo Perdomo – SS Adrian Del Castillo – DH Ildemaro Vargas – 1B Nolan Arenado – 3B James McCann – C Jorge Barrosa – CF Ryan Waldschmidt – LF
SP: Eduardo Rodriguez – LHP
Broadcast info
First pitch: 4:10 PM EDT TV: SNY Radio: Audacy Mets Radio WHSQ 880AM, Audacy App, 92.3 HD2
PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA - MAY 3: Braxton Ashcraft #35 of the Pittsburgh Pirates pitches in the first inning during the game against the Cincinnati Reds at PNC Park on May 3, 2026 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Justin Berl/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Pittsburgh Pirates are on the road today against the San Francisco Giants looking to grab a win.
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TEMPE, ARIZONA - FEBRUARY 21: Wyatt Mills #58 of the Los Angeles Dodgers pitches during the spring training game against the Los Angeles Angels at Tempe Diablo Stadium on February 21, 2026 in Tempe, Arizona. (Photo by Ric Tapia/Getty Images) | Getty Images
LOS ANGELES — The bill for heavy bullpen usage for three straight games has come due for the Dodgers. Wyatt Mills got the call from Triple-A Oklahoma City on Sunday to provide a fresh arm, and Paul Gervase was optioned to the minors one day after his yeoman’s effort on Saturday night against the Atlanta Braves.
In all, Dodgers relievers have pitched 18 1/3 innings over the previous three games and four days. That included Gervase pitching a major-league career-high three innings to finish off Saturday night’s 7-2 loss. Gervase threw 50 pitches, two shy of his professional career high set on June 4, 2023 with the High-A Brooklyn Cyclones. Three innings was his longest outing since August 13, 2023, also with Brooklyn, in which his 3 1/3 innings tied his professional career high.
“Obviously we’ve got Wrobo [starting pitcher Justin Wrobleski] going tomorrow, and we’re going to have to lean on him. There’s a few guys I feel really good about tomorrow being available,” manager Dave Roberts said on Saturday night. “We’ll probably make another move to get another arm, for more coverage.”
The 31-year-old Mills was a non-roster invitee in camp during spring training, and in 14 appearances for Oklahoma City had a 3.26 ERA and 36.4-percent strikeout rate with 28 strikeouts and seven walks in his 19 1/3 innings.
Mills last pitched on Thursday, throwing eight pitches in his one-third of an inning, with one walk. He’s pitched more than one inning in nine of his 14 games with the Comets, including five appearances going exactly two innings.
If Mills gets into a game for the Dodgers, it would be his first major league appearance since September 3, 2022 for the Kansas City Royals. Tommy John surgery wiped out his 2023 and 2024 seasons, and Mills spent 2025 in Triple-A Worcester in the Boston Red Sox system.
The Philadelphia Flyers are going to have a boatload of cap space to play with in free agency this offseason, even after they re-sign many of their own players, such as Trevor Zegras and Jamie Drysdale.
As the club's power play continued to helplessly flounder on the big stage in the Stanley Cup playoffs, one free agent began to gain some plaudits in an otherwise barren free agent class.
That's none other than 30-year-old Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Darren Raddysh, who exploded for 22 goals, 48 assists, and 70 points in 73 games this season while taking over as the team's top point player on the first power play unit.
In the previous two seasons, Raddysh had scored no more than 37 points while playing second unit power play minutes behind Victor Hedman.
Now, on paper, the formerly undrafted defenseman would actually be a good addition to the Flyers, but it's the future risk that brings about many questions.
Age, obviously, is one of them, and with the Flyers looking to integrate Oliver Bonk and/or David Jiricek at the expense of Rasmus Ristolainen and Noah Juulsen, adding another veteran wouldn't make too much sense.
Jiricek, in particular, has the ability to emerge as a top power play quarterback.
With unrestricted free agents, like Raddysh, you're always paying them for what they were, not necessarily what they are or will be with your team. With younger unrestricted free agents, it's a cheaper bet largely hedged on potential.
Behind Rasmus Andersson, Raddysh is the clear-cut second-best defenseman out there on the free agent market this year, and he should command a significant raise on his $975k cap hit (as in, nearly 10x) while getting quite a few years of term to match.
So, by the basic math, the Flyers would be paying between $7- and $9 million a year on the cap to a 30-year-old defenseman coming off a career year with a Cup contender, featuring on a power play with the likes of Nikita Kucherov, Jake Guentzel, Brayden Point, and Brandon Hagel.
And the Flyers, of course, do not have even one player of that caliber at the moment. Matvei Michkov and Porter Martone will probably get there, but now isn't that time.
Heading into the offseason, the Flyers absolutely need to find a power play quarterback better than Ristolainen and Jamie Drysdale and fix the units altogether, but there are better ways to do it than throwing a very risky $50 million contract at a player coming off a career year.
If the Flyers want to preach youth and development, they must go that route and find their own guys, just like Tampa Bay did with Raddysh over the last few seasons.
May 7, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Cincinnati Reds pitcher Rhett Lowder (25) throws the ball against the Chicago Cubs during the first inning at Wrigley Field. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-Imagn Images | David Banks-Imagn Images
Rhett Lowder exited his start early on Thursday, escorted off the mound by a trainer after walking back to back batters to start back to back innings. Reports at the time indicated that he’d felt ‘clicking’ in his right shoulder, though the good news came on Friday when his MRI results came back clean.
Still, the Cincinnati Reds are just 41 games into their 162 game season, and Lowder is fresh off a completely lost 2025 season due to forearm and oblique issues. The Reds, obviously, are going to be incredibly cautious with their rookie, and that’s why he’s set for a stint on the 15-day injured list to give that clicky shoulder a bit of a break.
Charlie Goldsmith relayed the news from manager Terry Francona, who noted that Lowder was going to ‘continue to throw’ while sidelined.
Terry Francona said Rhett Lowder (shoulder) will go on the IL.
Did we honestly think Lowder, who threw just 139.1 IP across all levels in 2024 before his lost 2025, was just magically going to jump back into 32 starts and 175 innings for the Reds this season? Of course not.
This obviously isn’t a scheduled break, but it would be foolish to believe that the Reds weren’t going to find a way to limit Lowder’s innings at some point in the season to keep him ready to complete the season down the road. This hiccup wasn’t ideal, but it’s the kind of break that they baked into how they hoped to manage his 2026 season and is precisely why the team was reluctant to deal from their starting depth this winter.
That depth, by the way, is now currently down Hunter Greene, Brandon Williamson, and Lowder.
It would have made sense to get Chase Petty back in the rotation after the way he pitched in his season debut earlier in the week in Chicago, but he’s starting for the Louisville Bats this afternoon against Nashville. My best guess is that Petty will be recalled at some point during Lowder’s absence, but that obviously won’t be for his first scheduled turn through the rotation. That may mean that Jose Franco – who hasn’t pitched at any level since May 7th – will get recalled to help start and/or participate in a bullpen game for Lowder’s first turn through the rotation this upcoming week.
Apr 12, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Roki Sasaki (11) reacts after his last pitch thrown during the second inning against the Texas Rangers at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jonathan Hui-Imagn Images | Jonathan Hui-Imagn Images
The Dodgers host the longtime rival San Francisco Giants for four games beginning Monday night at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles.
Roki Sasaki starts the series opener, this time on eight days rest after the slight rotation shuffle with Blake Snell returning from his rehab assignment to start on Saturday against the Atlanta Braves. This will be Sasaki’s first career game against the Giants.
Trevor McDonald gets the start for San Francisco, his second of the season in the majors. The right-hander struck out eight and walked none in seven strong innings, allowing only one run last Monday in a home win over the San Diego Padres.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - MAY 09: Austin Riley #27 of the Atlanta Braves celebrates his score in the fifth inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers with Sean Murphy #12 at Dodger Stadium on May 09, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Meg Oliphant/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Braves will be trying to win on Mother’s Day for the first time since 2022.
Walt Weiss has penciled in a very similar lineup to the one that drove in seven runs in last night’s equalizer. The one change is Eli White (still in right field, batting seventh) flipping spots with Sean Murphy (catching, batting eighth). Shoutout to Sean for being 5-for-5 in ABS challenges since his very memorable debut where he immediately blew both to start the game. The glasses are working, even if the bat is getting up to speed.
As mentioned in the preview, Dodgers starter Justin Wrobleski is playing with a little bit of devil magic to maintain his 1.25 ERA. We’re hoping his homer-less streak can come to an end with one (or more) Braves hitting bombs to honor their moms. Only five Braves have seen Wrobleski before in very limited capacities: leadoff man Mauricio Dubón has the most with 5 ABs, Jorge Mateo has 1, and Mike Yazstrzemski/Kyle Farmer/Dominic Smith will sit on the bench with 9 combined ABs between the three.
The Dodgers have changed things up a bit to give Will Smith a day off from catching. Dalton Rushing, who came in late in yesterday’s game at first base, will be behind the dish for Wrobleski and batting seventh. CF Andy Pages moves up to bat third and Max Muncy to fifth.
Max Muncy has seen Bryce Elder the most with a .250 AVG in 12 ABs. Muncy accounts for one of three players with a HR off Elder; the other two players are Ohtani (.286 AVG, 1.089 OPS in 7 ABs) and last night’s shutout-ender Andy Pages. Freddie Freeman is also rocking a .400 AVG with 10 ABs against Bryce.
Win the rubber game, win the series. The Braves have already secured a winning record for this road trip no matter the outcome, but it’d be an even happier flight if they could pull out another win in California.
Ducks forward Mason McTavish speaks to the media after their morning skate at Honda Center.
The Ducks look to regroup after a poor showing in Game 3, in which Vegas Golden Knights forward Mitch Marner had a natural hat trick and their goaltender Lukáš Dostál was replaced after the first period, allowing three goals on eight shots.
Perhaps the Ducks felt too comfortable, as Alex Killorn alluded to postgame, after having one of their best performances of the season in Game 2. Jeff Viel said on Saturday that the team didn't come ready to play.
"I think we might have gotten a little bit too comfortable and thought it was going to be easy," Viel said. "(Vegas is) a veteran team, so they've been there before. They were going to raise their game for sure."
May 8, 2026; Anaheim, California, USA; Anaheim Ducks center Tim Washe (42) defenseman Jackson LaCombe (2) and left wing Jeffrey Viel (28) recover the puck as goaltender Ville Husso (33) defends the goal against the Vegas Golden Knights during the third period in game three of the second round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Honda Center. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images
“I think that there's a lesson to take out of today's game,” head coach Joel Quenneville said after Game 3. “Only going to get harder every single game, not going to get any easier. So, let's get ready to go to war.”
Mason McTavish, who was a healthy scratch for Games 2 and 3, will re-enter the lineup for Game 4. Jansen Harkins will come out of the lineup to accommodate McTavish. McTavish is expected to be on a line with Ryan Poehling and Cutter Gauthier.
Defenseman Drew Helleson was not at Sunday’s morning skate and will miss Game 4 with an undisclosed injury. He is day-to-day, per Quenneville.
Ducks captain Radko Gudas is a game-time decision for Game 4, but the expectation is that he will play and slot into Helleson’s spot alongside Tyson Hinds.
Mar 12, 2026; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Anaheim Ducks defenseman Radko Gudas (7) gets set for a face off against the Toronto Maple Leafs during the first period at Scotiabank Arena. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images
“He’s our guy, he’s the best guy ever and plays so hard,” McTavish said of Gudas. “He’s never fun to play against (while) practicing. So I'm sure he’ll be throwing his body around and winning his battles. He makes a lot of sneaky, really good plays, too, so I'm excited about that.”
“He’s got a great shot, he’s got great vision,” Gudas said of McTavish. “He's going to be great on the power play. Wherever he's going to play, I think he's going to be a big factor for us. We need him to be humming for us to be successful, so I'm looking forward to seeing him back out there and playing a big role for us. He's a big part of this young core, so we're happy to see him back in lineup.”
Vegas’ Mark Stone will miss Game 4 due to an undisclosed injury that he suffered in Game 3. He played just 4:24 before departing during the first period. Brandon Saad will draw into the lineup, making his first appearance of the series.
Ducks Projected Lines
Chris Kreider - Leo Carlsson - Troy Terry Alex Killorn - Mikael Granlund - Beckett Sennecke Mason McTavish - Ryan Poehling - Cutter Gauthier Ross Johnston - Tim Washe - Jeff Viel
Jackson LaCombe - Jacob Trouba Tyson Hinds - Radko Gudas Pavel Mintyukov - John Carlson
Lukáš Dostál (confirmed)
Golden Knights Projected Lines
Ivan Barbashev - Jack Eichel - Pavel Dorofeyev Brett Howden - William Karlsson - Mitch Marner Brandon Saad - Tomáš Hertl - Keegan Kolesar Cole Smith - Nic Dowd - Colton Sissons
CLEVELAND (AP) — The pause button has been pressed on Twins right-hander Taj Bradley’s comeback season.
Bradley was placed on the 15-day injured list Saturday with right pectoral inflammation, retroactive to Wednesday. He had an MRI in Minneapolis that revealed no significant damage and is slated to consult with Dr. Keith Meister.
“Any time we get an MRI that comes back clean, that’s the best-case scenario,” Twins manager Derek Shelton said before a 2-1, 11-inning victory over the Cleveland Guardians. “Once we get through the second opinion, we can start a course of action.”
Bradley has been the anchor of the staff, posting a 4-1 record and 2.87 ERA in eight starts in his first full year with Minnesota. Once a top prospect with the Rays, the three-year veteran also leads the team with 52 strikeouts and 47 innings.
Minnesota now has three-fifths of its rotation on the IL. Pablo López is out for the season after undergoing Tommy John surgery and rookie Mick Abel is battling right elbow inflammation.
The Twins acquired Bradley from Tampa Bay in exchange for Griffin Jax on July 31, limiting him to six starts over the final two months of the season. He stumbled to a 6-8 record and 5.05 ERA between the clubs.
Right-hander Travis Adams was recalled from Triple-A St. Paul to replace Bradley, who was scheduled to pitch the series finale Sunday in Cleveland. Instead, Minnesota will go with right-handed reliever Andrew Morris in a bullpen game.
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - MAY 10: A general view of Rate Field prior to the game between the Chicago White Sox and the Seattle Mariners at Rate Field on May 10, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Hirschuber/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Oh whoops hey there’s baseball today isn’t there.
Logan Gilbert gets the start for the Mariners. Davis Martin gets the start for the White Sox. Martin is a righty which means the Mariners will send their good lineup, with Brendan Donovan leading off in his second start back from injury.
It’s a beautiful day for holiday baseball.
Lineups:
Game Information:
Game time: 11:10 PT
TV: Mariners TV, with Aaron Goldsmith and Angie Mentink, with Brad Adam as field reporter
Radio: 710 AM Seattle Sports, with Rick Rizzs, making the Chicago trip back to his old stomping grounds, and Gary Hill Jr.
SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA- MAY 08: Carlos Santana #24 of the Reno Aces looks on from the dugout during the second inning against the Sacramento River Cats at Sutter Health Park on May 08, 2026 in Sacramento, California. (Photo by Scott Marshall/Minor League Baseball via Getty Images)
On Friday, we got a partial answer to that question. Top prospect Ryan Waldschmidt was called up while struggling CF Alek Thomas was Designated For Assignment (DFA’d). It still remains to be seen what will happen with Thomas, he most likely won’t make it through waivers as he still has defensive value and will be viewed as a ‘change of scenery’ candidate with some offensive potential still, but he could very well stay in the Dbacks Organization. As far as Waldschmidt goes, he had a pinch hit single in the Dbacks 3-1 loss to the Mets on Friday to make his MLB debut, followed by going hitless in the Dbacks 1-0 win on Saturday. It remains to be seen how quickly he’ll adjust to major league pitching, but defensively Waldschmidt looked good in his limited amount of time in the field so far. With that out of the way, I think there’s some serious questions as far how this roster is constructed for the remainder of the season.
Should Tommy Troy or LuJames Groover Be Called Up Next?
Tommy Troy, the Diamondbacks first round pick in the 2023 draft, is currently hitting .305/.407/.447 with a 114 wRC+ in his first 36 games for the Reno Aces, the Diamondbacks AAA affiliate. LuJames Groover, the Dbacks 2nd rounder in the 2023, is currently hitting .309/.421/.396 with a 108 wRC+. Troy is currently second on the Aces with 24 walks, while Groover leads with 27 walks. While Troy is striking out in 25% of his pate appearences, Groover is striking out in only 15.6%, the same amount he’s been drawing walks.
Considering the team is seeing a lot fewer pitches, could the addition of either of the two players be enough to provide an offensive boost? I personally think the roster could benefit with the addition of these two players, along with the subtraction of the players at the MLB level who are struggling. Regardless, it’s unlikely that either player gets the call, considering GM Mike Hazen has some pending roster moves to make as his players start returning from the Injury List.
Will Tim Tawa or Adrian Del Castillo be the next to go after Alek Thomas?
Despite hitting just .201/.274/.347 with a 74 wRC+ in 74 games at the MLB level in 2025, Tim Tawa somehow impressed enough to make it onto the Dbacks MLB roster in 2026. Although he’s largely been relegated to sitting on the bench, Tim Tawa has been one of the least valuable position players for Arizona in 2026. In 20 games he’s hitting a paltry .152/.245/.261 with a 43 WRC+. While that’s not a large enough sample to really judge, I think his overall MLB stats since being called up are enough to go off of, however. In his 94 games at the MLB level, Tawa is hitting .192/.268/.331 with 66 wRC+, which combined with subpar defense has made him worth -0.4 fWAR.
Meanwhile, Adrian Del Castillo, who’s on the roster for his bat, much more than his defensive abilities, hasn’t been all that much better in 2026. In 23 games in 2026, Del Castillo is hitting .218/.262 /.385 with a 77 wRC+, while striking out in 31% of his at bats. I’d call it small sample size flukiness, but Del Castillo wasnt exactly grrat last season either. In 44 games in 2025, he hit .242/.290/.392 with an 87 wRC+. He walked at a similar rate (6.1% vs 6% this season), though he was striking out an even higher rate of 35.9%. Del Castillo’s career offensive numbers are largely propped up by a very good debut in 2023, but he’s been a below average hitter since then. If Del Castillo was a much better defender at the catching position this wouldn’t be much of an issue, but the team has had him DHing more and more as time goes on. As a DH, those numbers are absolutely unacceptable for an MLB team expected to be competitive.
What Happens When Carlos Santana (and Pavin Smith) Return From The Injured List?
Carlos Santana started his rehab assignment in AAA Reno on May 2nd. The results haven’t been great, as he is just 3 for 23 with 3 walks and a homerun, but the team is almost certainly going to activate Santana of the injured list in the next few days, while making a corresponding move. Jose Fernandez and Ildemaro Vargas were the two players who have filled the void left at first base as a result of Santana’s and Pavin Smith’s injuries. Both have the positional flexibility to play elsewhere if needed, while also being key offensive contributors, so it’s extremely unlikely that either player are impacted by Santana being activated. In this case, I’d think Adrian Del Castillo or Tim Tawa are more likely to be sent down when Santana comes of the IL. I am actually of the opinion that the team might better off just releasing Santana with how poor the results have been in his rehab assignment, but I think that’s even less likely to happen than Vargas being DFA’d or Jose Fernandez being sent back down.
Pavin Smith is slated to begin his rehab by taking swings in the next week, but assuming he has no set backs, he too should be activated of the IL sooner, rather than later. At that point, it’s almost certain that a move will have to be made with the team’s first baseman/designated hitter position, which will absolutely affect one of the four aforementioned players.
Conclusion
The D’Backs roster as presently constructed, leaves a lot to be desired, thanks not only to the struggles of the players I’ve mentioned, but also as a result of the struggles of key offensive contributors like Ketel Marte. Long term, the Dbacks can’t expect for Ildemaro Vargas or Jose Fernandez to continue hitting like they have this season. The latter has already started to fade offensively after a hot start. Even if the offensive woes weren’t an issue, the Dbacks will face a roster crunch as Carlos Santana, Pavin Smith, and eventually Jordan Lawlar return from the Injured List. However, with those offensive woes factored in, it’s pretty clear to me that D’Backs GM Mike Hazen is going to have his hand forced and will have to make some moves soon. He might not call up Troy or Groover anytime soon, but he absolutely will have to send down/release some players to accommodate the players returning from the IL.
Who do you think will be sent down when Santana returns from the Injured list? How do you think Mike Hazen will address the offensive struggles of the MLB club? Will Tommy Troy or Lujames Groover be called up soon? Let me know what you think in the comments!
Davis Martin has another chance to burnish his All-Star resume. | Matt Marton-Imagn Images
The White Sox are finally having a shred of success after being absolutely barren for three straight years. What does that mean? It means it’s time to start complaining about the disrespect shown to the South Side by [insert national media apparatus here].
Legal sports gambling is an absolute and utter plague upon humanity and should be burnt to a crisp with fire, but I must admit extremely begrudgingly that the disgustingly ubiquitous integration of odds and gambling lines into every corner of sports are useful to the extent that they provide a solid quantitative litmus test of where public opinion lies on any given topic. If it feels like Davis Martin isn’t quite getting his due despite entering today’s start with a 1.64 ERA good for second-best in the AL, you’re not wrong. The amount of respect being afforded to him might be reflected in his absence from ESPN’s purported Top 10 Cy Young favorites, while his opponent on the hill today, Logan Gilbert, made the list despite a 4.30 ERA that would be his worst mark since his rookie season.
Nonetheless, statistical indicators are a much bigger fan of Martin’s work so far. Tom Tango’s Cy Young prediction algorithm, which tries to reflect voting behavior in terms of which stats are weighted the most heavily, has him in third place based on ERA, and second place based on FIP. The same projection systems also cast a lot of doubt on Martin’s ability to hold anything close to this pace — Tango’s formula has him finishing in 14th and 16th place, respectively. It’ll be on Martin to prove them wrong, and he’ll have another opportunity to do so today. He’s worked into the seventh inning in four of his last five starts, and another such effort today will start to put this run near historic territory for the long-gestating 29-year-old righty.
After cycling through a few different options early in the season, it might just be possible that Will Venable has found his leadoff hitter of the future in Sam Antonacci, who is 5-for-17 (.294) hitting first, with two walks, two of his trademark hit batsmen, and five runs scored. That bottom half of the lineup still leaves much to be desired, and I might wager that Drew Romo is the only one who will still be on the roster two months from now.
But if Munetaka Murakami, Miguel Vargas and Colson Montgomery do anything like they did in last night’s 5-1 win, that might not even matter today. Despite all his ups and downs, Vargas has quietly become an extra-base hit machine since the start of last season, racking up 64 of them in 177 games, which works out to 59 per 162. Here are the two most recent of them, ICYMI:
The lackluster bottom of the lineup also might not matter if Martin continues to do what he’s been doing, which is demonstrate outstanding command of a genuine six-pitch arsenal. It is really hard to throw that many different pitches and still manage the sub-5% walk rate that Martin has to this point. He gets ahead in the count and forces hitters to swing at pitches they probably wouldn’t swing at, if they had a choice.
All that being the case, the key indicator for how this game might go will be Martin’s ability to consistently throw first-pitch strikes, which allows him to aggressively go after hitters in the zone who have no idea which of his six pitches might be coming.
This is a free-swinging Mariners team that’s tied with the Sox for fifth in MLB in strikeout rate. They’re a bottom-10 teams in terms of runs scored, but a Top 10 team in rate stats like OPS and wRC+. It’s a lineup that’s probably due to turn around sooner rather than later, so let’s hope they can put that off for one more game before both teams move on to the next series.
First pitch is scheduled for at 1:10 p.m. CT, live from Rate Field in Armour Square. If you want to join us, broadcasts are available on CHSN (TV) and WMVP AM 1000 (radio) like always!
Oct 7, 2025; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Yankees starting pitcher Carlos Rodon (55) pitches against the Toronto Blue Jays in the first inning during game three of the ALDS round for the 2025 MLB playoffs at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images | Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images
It’s been a tough weekend for the Yankees. We were firsthand witnesses to just how overpowering Jacob Misiorowski can be on Friday, and yesterday was one of those annoying extra innings games on the road that the club just hasn’t been able to handle since the Manfred Man rule change. They’ve got one chance to salvage a game in this series before heading to Baltimore, and they’ll turn to Carlos Rodón to help make it happen.
The lefthander has completed his rehab assignment, and will make his season debut on the road in Wisconsin. Rodón made more starts than anyone in baseball last year, not exactly something he had a reputation for doing, but a month into the year is now expected to deliver high-impact results more than pure workhorse behavior. In his final rehab start with Triple-A Scranton on Tuesday, he delivered 83 pitches and 6.1 innings, and the Yankees would likely be thrilled with a repeat performance. Don’t expect him to get above 90 tosses, but if he can balance that with some length, that would go a long way to the club’s confidence in him going forward.
The Brewers counter with Logan Henderson, who may end up a tough nut to crack despite a 4.50 ERA. The righty has yet to allow a home run, and a wicked 33.3 percent K-BB rate indicates the Yankees can’t expect an easier opposing starter than anything they’ve seen all weekend. If Carlos looks like his 2026 self, we very well may see a dynamite pitcher’s duel to close this series.
As expected, J.C. Escarra gets the start behind the plate spelling Austin Wells. Facing the righthanded Henderson, Ryan McMahon also takes over for Amed Rosario at the hot corner. The top four in the lineup remain unchanged from yesterday’s loss.
