You probably did not expect to see Hoby Milner’s photo with this weekly post, but here we are. | David Banks-Imagn Images
This weekly feature, which normally posts on Mondays, is running today because Monday was a holiday and there was a day game to keep our minds occupied, not that the result of that day game was any good.
This edition of “who’s hot, who’s not” includes the games of the recently-completed homestand and doesn’t include the numbers from Monday’s game.
Here’s who was hot and not for the Cubs during the six-game homestand, during which the Cubs went … 0-6.
Three up (and it wasn’t easy to find three!)
Ethan Roberts moves up in the Circle of Trust
At age 28, and after multiple injuries, Roberts appears to have finally figured things out. He did allow a run this past week, the first one he’d given up all year, but that was all over the 4.2 innings he threw against the Brewers and Astros.
For the season, Roberts has an ERA of 0.73 and a WHIP of 0.892. He’s allowed only five hits, four of them singles, in facing 45 hitters.
The Cubs could use some more reliable relievers, so this is a good sign.
Jacob Webb continues his scoreless streak
Webb, who had a rough start to his season, threw a scoreless inning against the Brewers and Astros, one against each, and now has not allowed a run in his last five outings and only one run in his last nine, for a 0.00 ERA and 0.727 WHIP in May, with two walks and 13 strikeouts in 11 innings.
Again, reliable relievers are what this team needs and Webb looks like he could be another one.
I mean.. how does a pitcher in 2026 get hitters out throwing like that?
And yet, Milner does. He had scoreless outings against both the Brewers and Astros, and this month he has a 1.08 ERA and 0.960 WHIP in eight appearances covering 8.1 innings.
You’ll notice that all three of the “up” players are relievers. That’s because, well, you don’t want to hear about Cubs starting pitching over the week and the offense batted .163/.269/.245 (30-for-184) in the six games with 56 strikeouts. Yikes.
I will give one positive mark to Pete Crow-Armstrong. Even though he had a rough week overall, in the series against the Astros he batted .286/.538/.714 (2-for-7) with a home run and five walks, including his first-ever three-walk game in the major leagues. If PCA can continue to coax walks, his entire offensive game is raised.
Three down
Uh-oh, Shōta Imanaga
After Imanaga had a really good start to 2026, posting a 2.32 ERA over his first nine starts with just five home runs allowed in 54.1 innings, last week made those numbers way, way worse. In two starts this past week against the Brewers and Astros, Imanaga had a 13.08 (!) ERA, 1.935 WHIP and four home runs served up in just 10.1 total innings.
Let’s hope he figures it out before his next start, which should come up Friday in St. Louis.
Alex Bregman’s offense has vanished
Bregman got off to a slow start and some attributed it to — well, maybe “new team,” “cold weather,” other possible reasons.
The weather is getting warmer and now Bregman has two months as a Cub and last week, his offense pretty much disappeared. He batted .174/.269/.174 (4-for-23) with one walk and five strikeouts. As you can see by the SLG equalling the BA, none of the hits were for extra bases. In fact, Bregman has only four XBH in May in 84 at-bats — three doubles and a home run.
Somehow, Bregman is still a 1.0 bWAR player, suggesting he could have a decent WAR season… if he starts hitting. Like, now.
Seiya Suzuki also looks lost at the plate
Suzuki went 2-for-4 in each of the first two games against the Brewers, but then went 0-for-13 in the last four games of the homestand before Craig Counsell gave him a day off on Monday (other than a PH appearance, in which he struck out).
KANSAS CITY, MO - MAY 07: Maikel Garcia #11 of the Kansas City Royals is thrown out at third base in the fifth inning of an MLB game between the Cleveland Guardians and Kansas City Royals on May 7, 2026 at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City, MO. (Photo by Scott Winters/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
In baseball, there is only one finite resource. We can argue endlessly about which is more exciting, a perfectly executed bunt single or a smash through the hole, a triple or a home run. But none of that matters for winning games as much as managing that one resource as effectively as humanly possible.
Outs.
In 2005, there were 1620 sacrifice bunts. In 2025, there were only 560. Some of that is because pitchers stopped hitting after 2021, but that just goes to emphasize the point more. If you don’t already have an automatic out at the plate, a sacrifice is a bad baseball play. An extra base is almost never worth an out.
Need more evidence? Check out these run expectancy matrices. Runner at first with no outs? That averaged 0.87 runs in 2025. But a runner at second with one out? 0.67 runs. The numbers are similar the entire way across the matrix. Giving up an out for a base always reduces the number of runs you can expect to score every time. This makes sense if you think about it logically, too. A sacrifice bunt means sacrificing an opportunity to add another runner to the bases or to even drive in the run(s) in that plate appearance. There are an infinite number of bases to be gained in a 9-inning baseball game, but only ever 27 outs.
This goes beyond sacrifice bunts, though. The biggest revelation of the Moneyball Athletics teams was that OBP is more valuable than batting average. How can that be when a hit might be more than a single, but a walk only ever gets you to first base? Because a walk still represents not giving up an out. As long as you still have outs, you’ve still got a chance to win a game. Not giving them away is, therefore, the most important thing. But the Royals, even as they seem to be more analytically inclined than in years past, still don’t seem to get this.
Let me post a quote from an answer given by manager Matt Quatraro during a recent post-game press conference (emphasis mine):
[…] Our offense has to be predicated on some of the aggressiveness on the bases and sometimes you’re going to make those outs.
The Royals have used statistical analysis to determine that bringing in the fences would likely help the team play better. They spent the off-season chasing players with good on-base percentages, which has led to a team OBP of .313 – the highest they’ve had since 2015. But their analytic abilities seem to falter when it comes to the value of an extra base compared to an out despite the fact that run expectancy matrices have existed since before the Royals were even a team.
Earlier in that quote, Quatraro pointed out that the Royals don’t hit bunches of home runs. This misses the point badly. Because every time you make an out on the bases, it represents one fewer plate appearance the team can take in that inning and the entire game. The 2015 Royals had an unofficial slogan of “keep the line moving” because they also didn’t hit home runs, but they didn’t make terrible outs on the basepaths and so were able to keep getting on base and eventually force those runners home. But, hey, fewer plate appearances also means fewer opportunities to hit those home runs. So there’s that, too.
The Royals’ front office and coaching staff are not stupid. These people know baseball well. Most of them more than any of us. But that’s just why it is so painful to see them make judgments so lacking in basic logic. You don’t have to be a baseball genius to know that if you’ve got a highly limited resource like outs, you shouldn’t give them away without a darn good reason.
The Texas Rangers will look to rebound following an ugly blowout loss to the Houston Astros in their series opener.
My Astros vs. Rangers predictions expect the home team to turn things around quickly and even things up Tuesday night.
Let's break it all down with my MLB picks for May 26.
Who will win Astros vs Rangers today: Rangers moneyline (-135)
The Houston Astros are riding a four-game winning streak while the Texas Rangers have dropped four in a row. Even so, the underlying data favors the Rangers offense of late.
The Astros own a .290 wOBA, .652 OPS, and 35.1% hard hit rate over their last six games.
Despite getting no-hit Monday, the Rangers have fared better in each category over the same period. They are sporting a .333 wOBA, .757 OPS, and 39.4% hard hit rate.
Jack Leiter has also out-performed Jason Alexander in ERA, FIP, xFIP, and K%, making the Rangers a buy up to -140.
Globe Life Field is very pitcher-friendly, and that’s evident looking at the Rangers’ home numbers. They rank 29th in wOBA vs. righties at home compared to third on the road.
The Rangers are not the kind of team that will blow up a lesser pitcher, which will allow for Jason Alexander to grind out some innings.
Conversely, the Astros are hitting .205 against righties over the past two weeks and now find themselves in a pitcher-friendly park. Leiter’s xERA is a full run lower at home, setting him up for a quality start.
Play the Under to -115.
Todd Cordell's 2026 Transparency Record
ML/RL bets: 18-16, -3.08 units
Over/Under bets: 16-17-1, -3.51 units
Astros vs Rangers odds
Moneyline: Astros +110 | Rangers -130
Run line: Astros +1.5 (-175) | Rangers -1.5 (+150)
Over/Under: Over 8 (-110) | Under 8 (-110)
Astros vs Rangers trend
The Rangers have hit the game total Under in 20 of their last 25 home games (+15.7 units, 57% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for Astros vs. Rangers.
How to watch Astros vs Rangers and game info
Location
Globe Life Field, Arlington, TX
Date
Tuesday, May 26, 2026
First pitch
8:05 p.m. ET
TV
SCHN, RSN
Astros starting pitcher
Jason Alexander (1-0, 7.30 ERA)
Rangers starting pitcher
Jack Leiter (1-4, 4.61 ERA)
Astros vs Rangers latest injuries
Astros vs Rangers weather
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
Former Tampa Bay Rays shortstop Wander Franco leaves court Monday after his retrial on charges of sexually abusing a minor in Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic. (Ricardo Hernandez / Associated Press)
Wander Franco is guilty of sexually abusing a 14-year-old girl in 2023, a judge in the Dominican Republic made clear Monday.
Yet in his next breath, the same judge ruled that the former Tampa Bay Rays star shortstop will not be sentenced to prison because he was a victim of blackmail and extortion by the girl’s mother.
Celebrity justice in the D.R. can be perplexing, and Judge José Antonio Núñez admitted as much. But he also contended that the judicial pardon he granted Franco was the result of “logical and legal reasoning.”
“It seems contradictory to declare criminal responsibility and, at the same time, exempt him from punishment,” Núñez said. “The court has granted Wander Franco a judicial pardon due to the particular circumstances that made him a material victim, but not a legal one.”
The court found that the girl’s mother extorted thousands of dollars from Franco. The woman was sentenced to 10 years in prison on charges of commercial sexual exploitation of a minor and money laundering.
The odds are long that Franco will return to Major League Baseball any time soon. The fact that the court found him guilty of repeatedly having sex with a minor puts him squarely in violation of MLB’s Joint Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault and Child Abuse Policy.
The league is in the midst of an investigation into Franco’s conduct.
“We respect the legal process and the decision issued by the court,” the Rays said in a statement. “This is a serious matter, and our thoughts remain with those affected by the case.
“The Rays will continue to cooperate fully with Major League Baseball as it completes its review under the league’s Joint Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault and Child Abuse Policy. Out of respect for the legal process and all parties involved, we will have no further comment at this time.”
Franco’s situation serves as a cautionary tale for MLB teams that hand out long-term contracts years before players become free agents. The Rays signed a 20-year-old Franco to an 11-year, $182 million deal in November 2021 after he batted .288 with 30 extra-base hits in 70 games as a rookie.
Franco appeared on his way to stardom during a stellar 2023 season, but according to court filings he carried on a relationship with the 14-year-old victim for several months.
An investigation was launched in August of 2023. Franco was arrested Jan. 1, 2024, after failing to appear before Dominican authorities who sought to interview him.
Tampa Bay placed him on the restricted list early in the 2024 season, voiding his contract.
Franco was found guilty in a June 2025 trial. Although prosecutors sought a five-year prison sentence, he was given only a two-year suspended sentence by Justice Jakayra Veras.
“Look at us, Wander,” Veras said in open court. “Do not approach minors for sexual purposes. If you don’t like people very close to your age, you have to wait your time.”
An appeals court in December ordered a new trial, which took place Monday and resulted in his pardon.
“Thank God for everything,” Franco said as he embraced his mother, Nancy Aybar, after Judge Nuñez announced the pardon.
As he departed the courthouse, Franco was asked by a reporter how he felt.
The New York Yankees will look to extend a lengthy streak tonight when they face the Kansas City Royals in the second of a three-game set.
The Bronx Bombers have simply owned the Royals. Yesterday's comeback win gave New York its 12th straight win over Kansas City, and I like them to make it 13 straight tonight in impressive fashion.
Read all about it in my Yankees vs. Royals predictions and MLB picks for Tuesday, May 26.
Who will win Yankees vs Royals today: Yankees -1.5 (-120)
As has become the case in Cam Schlittler starts, I’m not overthinking this. The New York Yankeesare my runline play, and I’d take them to -144.
Schlittler owns a 2.60 expected ERA, top 9% of MLB, and he forces hitters into mistakes with a 95th percentile chase rate.
The path against him is discipline plus loud contact, but the Kansas City Royalsdon’t profile that way. They are average in barrel rate at 8.5% and chase rate at 30.2%.
Against a starter with few obvious holes, average is not enough. The Yankees roll.
COVERS INTEL: Cam Schlittler has managed a 1.50 ERA despite having a breaking ball run value in the bottom 32 percentile of the sport which tells you just how impressive the rest of his arsenal has been.
Yankees vs Royals Over/Under pick: Over 8.5 (-115)
For the second straight game in this series, I’m nearly identical to the market with a projection of 8.8 runs, but I still lean Over 8.5 and would play it to -122.
Bailey Falter serving as an opener creates a spot where the Yankees can attack early. The only top-10 barrel rate team Falter has faced this season was the Atlanta Braves who hit him hard with two earned runs in three innings.
The Royals’ rested bullpen arms do not scare me either, with hard-hit issues across the group. Yankees do the heavy lifting, Royals find two.
Chris Hatfield's 2026 Transparency Record
ML/RL bets: 22-19, +2.56 units
Over/Under bets: 26-15, +13.34 units
Yankees vs Royals odds
Moneyline: New York -210 | Kansas City +170
Run line: New York -1.5 | Kansas City +1.5
Over/Under: Over 8.5 | Under 8.5
Yankees vs Royals trend
The New York Yankees have covered the Run Line in 28 of their last 50 away games (+10.85 Units / 20% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for Yankees vs. Royals.
How to watch Yankees vs Royals and game info
Location
Kauffman Stadium, Kansas City, MO
Date
Tuesday, May 26, 2026
First pitch
7:40 p.m. ET
TV
YES, Royals.TV
Yankees starting pitcher
Cam Schlittler (6-2, 1.50 ERA)
Royals starting pitcher
Bailey Falter (0-1, 9.82 ERA)
Yankees vs Royals latest injuries
Yankees vs Royals weather
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
The Milwaukee Brewers have struck gold with Kyle Harrison, and he's in a prime spot against the St. Louis Cardinals tonight.
My Cardinals vs. Brewers predictions expect the southpaw to stifle St. Louis' offense to cover the spread while also hitting the Under with our MLB picks for Tuesday, May 26.
Who will win Cardinals vs Brewers today: Brewers -1.5 (+123)
The Milwaukee Brewers will win this game, but I do not like the moneyline juice at -178 or worse.
St. Louis Cardinals starting pitcher Michael McGreevy is playing with fire, and his 2.40 ERA is fool's gold. He boasts an expected ERA of 5.86 (ninth percentile) and relies on opponents hitting the ball directly at the defenders behind him.
So far, that's been successful... but it isn't sustainable. Not when he's getting barreled in the 18th percentile with a 41.1% hard-hit rate (37th percentile). Eventually, that hard contact will translate into some crooked numbers.
What the Brewers lack in power, they make up for with contact and speed.
Even if McGreevy continues to outpitch his peripherals, the St. Louis bullpen owns a 4.41 ERA (22nd in MLB) and a 20.2% strikeout rate (25th). Ideally, this line doesn't go any shorter, but I'd play it to +115.
Cardinals vs Brewers Over/Under pick: Under 7.5 (+105)
Harrison was always a pitcher with promise. The lefty raced through the San Francisco Giants system, showed flashes of success after reaching the majors in 2023, but never lived up to his potential. He was one of the key pieces sent to Boston in the Rafael Devers trade, but was unceremoniously dumped to Milwaukee for Caleb Durbin this offseason.
Well, as has become custom, the Brewers have unlocked the version of Harrison that Giants fans caught glimpses of. Unlike the aforementioned McGreevy, everything looks good under the hood, as well.
Harrison's 1.77 ERA isn't sustainable, but an xERA of 2.96 tells us that he's not suddenly going to transform into a pumpkin. The southpaw is inducing chase and whiff at strong levels, and the Cardinals' offense has been woefully wobbly of late after punching above its weight class to start the season.
Jordan Walker, Ivan Herrera, and Masyn Winn have all handled lefties well this season, but Walker also has a near-30% K-rate against southpaws. Given Harrison's leveling up and the Brewers' solid bullpen behind him, I like the Under to -105.
Jason Wilson's 2026 Transparency Record
ML/RL bets: 1-0, +0.67 units
Over/Under bets: 1-0, +1.05 units
Cardinals vs Brewers odds
Moneyline: Cardinals +170 | Brewers -178
Run line: Cardinals +1.5 (-133) | Brewers -1.5 (+127)
Over/Under: Over 7.5 (-117) | Under 7.5 (+113)
Cardinals vs Brewers trend
The Milwaukee Brewers have covered the run line in 30 of their last 50 games (+14.10 Units / 23% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for Cardinals vs. Brewers.
How to watch Cardinals vs Brewers and game info
Location
American Family Field, Milwaukee, WI
Date
Tuesday, May 26, 2026
First pitch
7:40 p.m. ET
TV
Cardinals.TV, Brewers.TV
Cardinals starting pitcher
Michael McGreevy (3-3, 2.40 ERA)
Brewers starting pitcher
Kyle Harrison (5-1, 1.77 ERA)
Cardinals vs Brewers latest injuries
Cardinals vs Brewers weather
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
BOSTON - APRIL 18: Travis Lee #38 of the New York Yankees at bat during the game against the Boston Red Sox on April 18, 2004 at Fenway Park in Boston, Massachusetts. The Yankees won 7-3. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images) | Getty Images
One of the cruelest stories sports has to offer is that of the player who seemed to have all the tools, seemed to be destined for superstardom—but their body or mind simply wouldn’t allow them. Ill-timed injuries and troubles with mental health have swallowed up the career of many a superstar over the years, and Travis Lee is a prime example. A former second-overall draft pick, Lee was a can’t-miss prospect who never rose to the superstar heights expected out of a player taken at that draft position. Injuries also overshadowed his tenure with the Yankees, which lasted just seven games at the outset of 2004.
Lee was not a bust—far from it. While he missed a lot of time throughout his career, that career still lasted over 1,000 games and nearly ten seasons between Arizona, Philadelphia, New York, and Tampa Bay. But, as he later disclosed in a 2020 interview, the battle to stay physically healthy was waged in tandem with a career-long battle with anxiety.
Travis Reynolds Lee Born: May 26, 1975 (San Diego, CA) Yankees Tenure: 2004
Travis Lee was a college superstar. At San Diego State in the mid-1990s, Lee was a two-time All-American who won the Golden Spikes Award with the Aztecs before winning an Olympic gold medal with Team USA: a 1996 season straight out of a movie. That incredible year continued when the Minnesota Twins made Lee their first-round draftee, selecting him second overall. But then, along came a plot twist.
The Olympics came at an awkward time for Lee and the Twins. They wanted to negotiate the terms of his contract, but also did not want to make the negotiations a distraction for Lee as he competed in Atlanta. While the Olympics were happening, the Twins neglected to extend a formal contract offer to Lee within 15 days of selecting him, which would make him a free agent per the collective bargaining agreement. Normally, this is the sort of rule that isn’t always followed and is almost never enforced. But when ascendant super-agent Scott Boras made Lee and his agent Jeff Moorad aware of this, the Twins had no choice but to admit they had messed up, and surrender the draft pick.
By the letter of the law, Lee was a free agent. In another bizarre twist to this saga, he would ultimately be signed by a team that didn’t even fully exist yet: the expansion Arizona Diamondbacks. They signed him to a four-year deal which would kick off when the D-backs finally had a full team to field in 1998. (This whole ordeal kicked off some heated debates about the draft’s place in baseball’s labor ecosystem, which are fascinating to revisit now.)
The Diamondbacks only had A-ball teams in 1997, so once Lee quickly surpassed the High-A level, he was loaned to the Brewers, who played him at their Triple-A team in Tucson. The next year, he made his long-awaited MLB debut, and collected the first hit—and later, the first home run—in the hist]ory of the franchise.
Lee finished third place in NL Rookie of the Year voting, behind two greats in Cubs phenom Kerry Wood and future Rockies Hall of Famer Todd Helton. Lee hit 22 home runs and finished with a .775 OPS (103 OPS+) while also proving to be an excellent defensive first baseman.
The following offseason, the Diamondbacks established themselves as a contender by signing Randy Johnson, Luis Gonzalez, and Steve Finley. They won 100 games in 1999, but Lee did not take the big step forward that the rest of the team did. He managed just a 77 OPS+ before a lingering ankle injury sidelined him for their NLDS loss to the Mets. (Lee never did play in the postseason.)
Lee spent the first half of the following season shuttling between Triple-A and the majors, but his days in the desert were numbered. The Diamondbacks were thirsty to make another big move, and were eyeing Phillies star pitcher Curt Schilling. In late July, they pulled the trigger, acquiring Schilling for a package of Lee and pitchers Vicente Padilla, Omar Daal, and Nelson Figueroa.
In Philadelphia, Lee’s role stabilized, and he appeared in over 150 games in both of his full seasons there (2001 and 2002). He was a roughly average hitter in that span, hitting 20 homers in 2001. After finishing out his time in the City of Brotherly Love, Lee signed a one-year deal with the other 1998 expansion franchise, the Rays.
Lee’s 2003 campaign was the best of his MLB career. The lefty cut back on his strikeouts, worked more walks, and boosted his slugging percentage by over 50 points, finishing with an .807 OPS (116 OPS+), earning him a raise with a contender: the New York Yankees.
As we mentioned at the top, Lee would only wind up playing seven games with the Bombers because of a shoulder injury that required surgery. It was a shame, since the Yanks got subpar production out of first basemen that season, with Jason Giambi off his game and also missing a bunch of time due to benign tumor in his pituitary gland. Replacement/future MLBPA leader Tony Clark was fine, but ran hot and cold, all but necessitating an August trade for veteran John Olerud.
Lee’s career only lasted a few more seasons. He returned to Tampa Bay in 2005 and pieced together another decent season as a strong-side platoon bat, catching fire in the second half, before taking a step back in ‘06. The following season, he retired after a brief spring training stint with the Nationals.
Lee has enjoyed a quiet life away from baseball in the intervening years. In 2020, The Athletic’s Zach Buchanan reached out to Lee to ask him about his life since the end of his career. That was when Lee revealed to Buchanan that he had struggled his entire career with anxiety. That anxiety largely revolved around his supposed inability to play catch with teammates, a rather minor issue—but to hear him tell it, this fear of having the yips consumed a lot of his mental energy. It was also difficult to convince others that he was struggling since he remained a pristine defensive infielder.
Had Lee played in the current era of professional sports, an era in which athletes’ mental health is taken as seriously as their physical health, he may have had a longer and better career. But Lee isn’t interested in dwelling on the past. He’s enjoying his retirement as a stay-at-home dad and coach to his kids.
The more I looked into the story of Travis Lee, the more engrossed I became. His career began with an incredible draft gaffe, and an unprecedented signing with a team that didn’t even fully exist. He then pieced together a solid Major League career despite dealing with all kinds of physical and mental adversity. It’s easy to play the what-if game with a guy who may have been talented enough to become a perennial All-Star, but future perennial All-Stars become average nine-year big-leaguers all the time. And ultimately, he picked the right time to call it quits and move on. Make no mistake: this is a story of success.
See more of the “Yankees Birthday of the Day” series here.
The Minnesota Twins have caught fire of late, winning six of their past eight games.
With Joe Ryan set to take the mound, my Twins vs. White Sox predictions expect the road team to pick up an important divisional win.
Let's break it all down with my MLB picks for Tuesday, May 26.
Who will win Twins vs White Sox today: Twins moneyline (-115)
Sean Burke allowed 12 earned runs over his last three starts and posted a 5.40 xFIP during that stretch.
It'll be difficult for him to get on track tonight. He's pitched much worse at home, posting a 4.15 FIP in Chicago compared to a 2.85 on the road.
He'll be tasked with slowing down a Minnesota Twins lineup that sits fifth in ISO and sixth in wOBA against right-handed pitching away from Target Field.
The Twins should do damage at the plate, and ace Joe Ryan doesn't need much run support. Back the Twins to -130.
Twins vs White Sox Over/Under pick: Over 7.5 (-115)
Isolating home games against Top-20 teams in OBP, Burke owns a 6.22 ERA, 6.41 xERA, and conceded multiple runs in four of five starts. Minnesota ranks ninth in OBP, so they fit the profile.
The Chicago White Sox don't have as strong of a matchup against Ryan, but they should still chip in their share of runs.
Ryan's indicators (FIP, xFIP, barrel rate, etc.) are worse on the road than at the pitcher-friendly Target Field, and the White Sox have scored 3+ runs against eight of the last 11 right-handed starters.
Play the Over to -125.
Todd Cordell's 2026 Transparency Record
ML/RL bets: 18-16, -3.08
Over/Under bets: 16-17-1, -3.51 units
Twins vs White Sox odds
Moneyline: Twins -115 | White Sox -105
Run line: Twins -1.5 (+150) | White Sox +1.5 (-175)
Over/Under: Over 7.5 (-115) | Under 7.5 (-105)
Twins vs White Sox trend
Minnesota has hit the game total Over in 24 of the last 40 games (+9.55 units, 22% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for Twins vs. White Sox.
How to watch Twins vs White Sox and game info
Location
Rate Field, Chicago, IL
Date
Tuesday, May 26, 2026
First pitch
7:40 p.m. ET
TV
Twins.TV, CHSN
Twins starting pitcher
Joe Ryan (3-3, 3.02 ERA)
White Sox starting pitcher
Sean Burke (2-3, 4.08 ERA)
Twins vs White Sox latest injuries
Twins vs White Sox weather
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
CLEVELAND, OHIO - MAY 25: Jacob Young #30 of the Washington Nationals celebrates with teammates after hitting a solo home run during the second inning against the Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field on May 25, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Nick Cammett/Getty Images) | Getty Images
There have been a lot of fun player development wins this season for the Nats. From Curtis Mead, to Keibert Ruiz and even stars like James Wood and CJ Abrams, plenty of Nats hitters are getting better. However, the most surprising development in my opinion is that Jacob Young has turned into a power hitter.
Over the first few seasons of Jacob Young’s career, fans thought they had a good idea of who he was. Young was a speedy center fielder, who plays amazing defense, but was not a good offensive player. While Young always had solid bat to ball skills and a decent approach, it was not enough to make up for his lack of power. He hit the ball on the ground a ton, and did not hit it very hard.
In his first three seasons, Young hit only 5 homers in over 1,000 at bats. Every home run from the center fielder felt like a shock. This season, Young already has 7 home runs, which is obviously a career high. That shock factor after Jacob Young’s homers is slowly going away. He has shown that he is more than capable of going deep.
Jacob Young had 5 HRs in 1000+ plate appearances over the last 3 years. He’s got 7 through 184 PAs this season.
His launch angle sweet spot has gone from the 3rd percentile last year to the 81st percentile this year.
With Young’s power surge, he is turning into an excellent player who can be more than just a 4th outfielder. His season OPS of .683 is far from elite, but it is good enough with his defense. It felt like Young started the season somewhat slowly defensively, but lately he has been making a ton of great plays, and making them look easy. Young has 8 outs above average this season, which is in the 99th percentile.
We know about JY’s defense though. Today, I want to talk about some of the changes he has made to improve his offense. The biggest one has been getting the ball off the ground. You cannot hit homers when you put the ball on the ground, and Young was doing that a lot last season. His ground ball rate in 2024 and 2025 was 56.5%, which is extremely high. This year, that number is down nearly 20 percent, to 38.8%.
Last night, Dan Kolko implied in passing that the old regime wanted Young to hit the ball on the ground to maximize his speed. As a right handed batter in the big leagues though, you are not going to get a ton of infield hits. When looking at his swing, you can see that he is hunting ground balls. Young was almost swinging directly down on the baseball last year. This season, that swing is much more level.
Who knew you could hit for more power when you aren’t swinging directly down on the baseball pic.twitter.com/YH3RoXzaCd
That plays out in the launch angle numbers as well. Young’s average launch angle has gone from 3.8 degrees to 11.1 degrees. That is a huge transformation to make in one offseason. The Nats center fielder is also swinging harder and hitting the ball harder. While some of the credit goes to the Nats new staff, Jacob Young began this process in the offseason.
He went to Driveline to try and fix his offensive game. It feels like Young has wanted to add more power for a while. Before the 2025 season, he added a bunch of muscle, but it turned out that was not the issue. His problem was his mechanics, and with the help of Driveline and the Nats hitting coaches, he has improved his mechanics a lot.
Check out Jacob Young putting in work at Driveline:
Ironically, the coach he worked with this offseason was Travis Fitta, who is now a hitting coach in the Nats organization. Fitta is the assistant hitting coach in AAA Rochester, where players like Yohandy Morales are thriving. Driveline is known more for their pitching development, but it seems like they are changing the game on the hitting side now too. Andrew Aydt, the Nats assistant hitting coach is also a Driveline product.
If these guys can turn Jacob Young into a 20 home run bat, I do not know what they can’t do. Young seemed destined to be a light hitting 4th outfielder, but the added pop has changed his outlook. It is crazy to see how much this new staff has been able to unlock in players. From Young and Curtis Mead in the majors to Seaver King and Yohandy Morales in the minors, the Nats hitting development is on point.
May 19, 2026; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Washington Nationals left fielder James Wood (29) hits the ball into play against the New York Mets during the eighth inning at Nationals Park. Mandatory Credit: Rafael Suanes-Imagn Images | Rafael Suanes-Imagn Images
On Monday night, the Washington Nationals were in Cleveland for the start of a three-game series with a Guardians who just left Philadelphia having won two out of three games while holding the Phils to just four runs.
In the first game of their series, the Nats plated 10 runs on 15 hits in their 10-2 victory. They did it against Tanner Bibee, who entered the game with an 0-7 record and a 4.57 ERA. He lasted just three innings against Washington, gave up seven earned runs on eight hits with just three strikeouts.
Washington did what you’re supposed to do with a lousy pitcher. They bullied and bloodied him.
The Phillies, meanwhile, trudged into San Diego having lost four of their last five with an unreal pitching staff but dragging an offense that has struggled mightily against, well, everyone. They entered their three game series against the Padres facing right-hander Griffin Canning, who had a 7.54 ERA in his first four starts of the season. Canning held the Phils to one run on one hit, a first inning Kyle Schwarber homer, before Brandon Marsh touched him for a two-out, two-run blast in the 7th, helping the Phillies to a 3-0 victory.
They did not bully and bloody a lousy pitcher. They made him look like a Cy Young contender. They managed just three hits off him, and have not compiled at least 10 hits in a game since Friday, May 15, in an 11-9 win against the Pirates in which they totaled 14.
That was 10 days ago.
Through the first two months of the season, Washington leads MLB in runs scored (298), while the Phillies are tied with Toronto for 22nd (216). If you look at all the numbers, you will see a Nationals team that had few expectations coming into 2026 totally outperforming the Phils’ collection of “stars.”
The Nats are outpacing the Phillies in every offensive category. It’s not even close.
But is it real?
To answer that question, ask yourself this.
Would you trade the Nationals offense/position players straight-up, right now, for the Phillies’?
It seems crazy to say out loud, but consider that the Nats appear to have young talent that the Phils could only dream of. You could argue James Wood (.939 OPS, 14 HRs) alone would be worth the swap. C.J. Abrams (.925, 12 HRs), is finally playing like an elite shortstop. Both should be starters in the NL All Star Game at the moment.
Outfielder Daylen Lile is emerging as a young star (.752) in his own right. Catcher Keibert Ruiz (.754) and Luis Garcia Jr. (.719) are starting to produce, and center fielder Jacob Young has found a power stroke he never had before, with seven bombs, 24 runs and 24 RBIs. He’s certainly been more productive than Justin Crawford thus far. And would you rather have Ruiz or J.T. Realmuto at catcher?
Washington is also getting big time production from platoon and part-time players. Curtis Mead, given up by the Phils in the Cristopher Sanchez trade to the Rays, plays first and third base for the Nats and launched two dingers on Monday night, giving him seven on the season with a very healthy .844 OPS in 136 PAs. And waiver claim Joey Wiemer is absolutely destroying left-handed pitching as a right-handed hitting outfielder, with a 1.199 OPS in 43 PAs against them. The Nats claimed him from the Giants back in January, and Wiemer made history by reaching base in each of his first eight plate appearances with the Nationals back in late March.
Wiemer is exactly the type of the player the Phils need and don’t have.
Kyle Schwarber and Bryce Harper don’t quite cancel out the production Wood and Abrams are giving the Nats, but it’s relatively close. Lile and Brandon Marsh are essentially a wash in left field, too. At some positions, the Phils have the advantage. You’ll take Bryson Stott over Nasim Nunez, whose 22 steals leads the NL but who will have a hard time staying on the field with a .188/.288/.206 slash line. And at third base, Brady House has a .681 OPS, while Alec Bohm is at .605, but rising (House was sent to AAA by Washington this week to improve his defense). By the end of the season, it’s more likely Bohm’s numbers will be better.
In my heart, I honestly do not believe Washington has a “better” offense than the Phillies. While I am a firm believer in Wood, Abrams and Lile, no one else on that roster deserves much trust yet. That’s why I would not flip the offensive rosters if I could. I truly believe, by the end of the season, the Phils’ offensive numbers will surpass the Nationals’ in most categories.
That being said, it’s hard not to be envious of what Nats fans are watching right now, at least offensively. They’re a fun, entertaining group, hitting the ball hard, playing solid fundamental baseball, and scoring a bunch of runs.
The bats are giving them a chance to win every night.
The same cannot be said of the Phillies.
On the latest Hittin’ Season podcast, powered by WHYY, we discussed this and lots more! Listen to the full podcast below!
TEMPE, ARIZONA - MARCH 19, 2026: Braylon Doughty #27 of the Cleveland Guardians throws a pitch during the ninth inning of a spring training Spring Breakout game against the Los Angeles Angels at Tempe Diablo Stadium on March 19, 2026 in Tempe, Arizona. (Photo by David Durochik/Diamond Images via Getty Images) | Diamond Images/Getty Images
Let’s Scout the Lake County Captains!
Welcome back to my annual, unrequested article for Covering the Corner. My name is Mike, and you may have heard me on the Disgusting Baseball podcast rotation with Quincy. If not, here’s who I am.
I’ve been the “datacaster” with the Lake County Captains for 5 seasons. That means I relay pitch-by-pitch data from the ballpark to the server at Major League Baseball. That job requires two things, and affords one advantage to me with respect to scouting.
I have to pay attention to every pitch for every game I work. MLB takes the live reporting very seriously, so our accuracy is important.
I have to pay attention to every player on the roster. Wherever a player appears in this recap, rest assured I have seen this player enough times to have an informed opinion on them.
In exchange, I do get access to some information that does not get publicly shared on the game file. Those include the precise pitch location and velocity. While the client does not tag and identify pitches to me automatically, it does differentiate pitch types, and I have seen enough baseball to inform you what those pitch types are.
Without further ado, let’s break it down. I am using the roster as of May 19, 2026, to define our list (sorry, Justin Campbell fans- you will be reading about him from many people more qualified than me, rest assured). This roster is mostly derived from the MLB Draft, and it contains primarily later-round 2024 selections and higher-round 2025 selections. I will include biographical information as the team provides.
Ratings are based on a 20-80 scale, with 20 being fringe-professional and 80 being elite. Future projections are hard- I will try my best to estimate these, but development is not linear, and at High-A, these players have years ahead of them to develop.
Part 1 will cover the rotation and bullpen. In a future part 2, I will take you through the infield, including catchers. Last but not least, I will scout my favorite position group on the team, the outfield. In part 3, I will also rank this version of the roster in order.
Rotation: Braylon Doughty and The Boys
Another note before we crack into this: minor league rotations yield many kinds of pitchers, from spot-starters to mainstays to single-inning relievers. High-A is not the level for that transition, however. A number of these arms will be better suited for relief roles. Additionally, I am an optimistic evaluator, and I will sell you that vision if I can see it. It’s part of the fun! Please let me know where you land.
Doughty has a starting arsenal, a good feel for the spin, and can place most of his pitches for strikes. Doughty is not given to walking guys, but he has been willing to work outside of the strike zone more than he did in his professional debut last season. Doughty can give up his fair share of hits, despite having good enough stuff to attack the zone. He has used the sinker often, but its shape and velocity currently blends with his changeup.
Verdict: Kitchen-sink Starter (think Seth Lugo), projects to the middle of a MLB rotation. FV:50.
Franklin Gómez, LHP: 6’0”, 220, DoB 7/6/2005 (20 yrs. old), Samaná, DR (Acq. in trade w/ NYM, 2026). Four-seam Fastball: 45/45 (90-92 T94), Changeup 50/55(82-85), Cutter 45/50(86-88), Slider 45/50(79-83), Sinker 45/50(88-91), Control 60/60, Command 55/60.
Gómez is a true throwback, feel-for-pitching lefty in a system that has successfully developed pitchers like him. His five pitch mix is headlined by a changeup that separates well from his fastball offerings. The rest of the arsenal is a mix of 40-45 grade offerings that all play significantly better off each other. He works quickly, recovers from mistakes, and pitches with energy. If his fastball offerings can improve, he shows flashes that remind me of Parker Messick, albeit Gómez is significantly younger for the level.
Verdict: Swingman/ Back of rotation starter with possible upside to the middle of a rotation. FV: 40+.
Schlesinger is an interesting evaluation. He is remarkably hittable for how good his stuff is, especially at this level of competition. He strikes out well over a batter an inning, benefitting from a deceptive low three-quarters delivery and a quality breaking ball. THe low arm slot also adds run to his fastball- but the fastball comes in hot and flat. He gives up loud contact when hitters are ready for the heater, and he does not locate it consistently. His new sweeper changed my evaluation somewhat – I now think he can be a swing-man with upside to the back of the rotation. If he does not end up there, he will be a very difficult at-bat for left handed hitters in a bullpen role.
Verdict: Likely a leverage arm from the bullpen, with upside to be a swing-man/back of rotation starter. FV: 35+.
Hernandez is the most interesting of the remaining rotation arms in terms of whether they can stay starters. He has four pitches that I can identify, and none of them are particularly good for the level. He often pitches himself into trouble, but he has been allowed to work out of his own messes. When he starts, he has more success than when asked to piggy-back. I am intrigued because he has shown toughness on the mound, and he does not give in to hitters.
Verdict: He will remain in pro ball for a while. If his stuff creeps up, he may be a depth starter. FV: 35.
Garcia has thrown out his (pretty bad) changeup and moved to an arsenal that capitalizes on his great feel for spin. His slurve and slider have distinct movement patterns despite carrying similar velocity. Command is not his strong suit, but he controls his breaking balls a bit better than his heat. He is using his fastball more than he should, but his current role requires that of him. Garcia is destined for the bullpen, but the longer he can maintain his role in the rotation, the more excited you should be about his potential- it will mean those two breakers can navigate hitters of either handedness, and that they can perform when they’re not at their best.
Verdict: If you liked Scott Barlow, you will love Jogly Garcia. FV: 35.
Humphries has the ingredients to be a successful pitcher. He has a steep overhand delivery, and his fastball and changeup work well together from that release point. He changed his arsenal in 2025, throwing a cutter/slider hybrid to lefties in addition to his fastball/changeup heavy approach to righties and eschewing the curveball almost completely. Humphries simply cannot consistently command the baseball, and right now his arsenal is akin to a left-handed Eli Morgan. Humphries is a prime example of a future reliever who is in the rotation to figure out the basics.
Verdict: high-risk reliever profile with back of rotation upside if it clicks. FV:30+.
Michael Kennedy is a crafty left-handed pitcher who does not have the requisite control or command to make his pitches work. Much like Josh Hartle, who was acquired in the same trade, Kennedy relies on deception and location to get his results. He struggles to put away hitters unless he is pinpoint, and he often surrenders hard contact. Unless his command and control improve significantly, it will be difficult for him to remain in pro baseball.
Verdict: Something needs to change before you can imagine a role for him. FV: 25+.
The Bullpen, ft. Kendeglys Virguez, Cam Schuelke, and Questions
Virguez is a big-bodied righty who stands out on this pitching staff. He has a relatively conventional delivery, but explosive stuff. His slider gets great depth with little lateral movement, while his fastball gets almost no depth with exceptional run to the arm side. When he throws strikes, Virguez can dominate his innings. However, he gets fewer swings and misses than you might project. I believe this is due to the shapes of his pitches, and he may benefit from trying a different breaking ball or a true sinker in the future. When his command gets away from him, the hittable nature of his fastball causes issues.
Verdict: Keep your eye on this guy- he is someone with the stuff you want in the back of a bullpen. FV: 35+
I am almost certainly not doing Schuelke justice with the arsenal above- he throws a number of pitches from three arm slots. He goes from high three quarters to low three quarters to submarine within the same at-bat. Far from a party trick, he regularly deceives hitters with this approach, and with improved command and control, Schuelke could carve out a MLB role due to these unique traits.
Verdict: If his command holds and improves, this is a guy who can make a career out of his willingness to use new arm slots. FV: 35+.
Zsak was a relatively high pick in 2024, and the expectation was always that he would be a high-octane reliever with command issues. He has been exactly that as a professional. He will have an outing where he is untouchable, and he will usually follow that up with a bevy of walks. He reportedly threw harder as an amateur, but Zsak still generates good ride on his four-seamer and relies on it primarily.
Verdict: He has the stuff to be a bullpen arm, but he needs to show better control and live more consistently in the upper range of his velocity band to be an impact reliever. FV: 30+.
McGuire is the kind of reliever that can stick in an organization for years, and he could even develop into a middle reliever option as a pro due to his propensity to throw strikes and attack the zone. None of his pitches are anything special, but he has a frame that allows for some projection. If he can get a few more ticks up on his fastball, then I would feel much better about projecting him to the majors. For now, he is a useful organizational arm.
Verdict: I am happy to see him enter a game- the stuff needs to improve if he is going to be a big leaguer, but the control and feel for pitching are present. FV: 30+.
This one is for the short kings. Izaak Martinez is not blowing anybody away on the mound, but he is an athletic mover who shows decent command of all three offerings. His fastball is just deceptive enough to get swings and misses above the zone, and his changeup is certainly the star of the show. While Martinez is old for the level, he is skilled enough to make me feel confident that he will finish an inning he starts. I do not see a major leaguer here, but I am glad to see him enter a game.
Verdict: Martinez should be a bullpen arm in the organization for some time. FV: 30.
Cam Walty was a starter through mid-2025, but the arsenal is not deep enough for that to continue. Additionally, the stuff is just okay- he can get outs at this level, but he labors through innings on occasion. His fastball does not generate swing and miss, and the slider/cutter hybrid suffers the same fate in-zone.
Verdict: Walty needs something more in the arsenal to make it out of High-A. FV:30.
The other Martinez has a very similar mix to Izaak. He primarily works with his fastball and changeup, but he can get a bit too predictable. I do not foresee him being a major league arm at any point, and his control needs to improve to keep playing at the level.
Verdict: This Martinez also should acquit himself well in the bullpen for some years. FV: 30.
Luis Flores, LHP: 5’11”, 190, DoB 10/5/2003 (22 yrs. old), Samaná, DR (Int’l free agent, 2021). Four-seam fastball (91-95 T97): 40/40, Slider (83-86) 35/40, Control: 30/40, Command, 30/35.
Flores is a difficult evaluation. Year over year, his stuff has improved considerably, and he now has some similarities to Steven Perez. Unfortunately for him, the main differentiator here is fastball shape. Flores shows the ball early, and hitters are not fooled by his breaking pitch. The end result is loud contact, taken pitches in competitive areas outside the zone, and early identification of pitches that will be sprayed. And he sprays both of his offerings, displaying little feel for the zone.
Verdict: He is a tough watch- the whole is worse than the sum of the parts. He is young, but there is not a lot of upside here. FV: 25+.
Pay attention for analysis of the Rake County collection of hitters soon!
(Editor’s Note: We want to offer a big thank you to Mike for choosing to share his firsthand analysis of the Guardians’ High-A team with our site!)
SYRACUSE, NEW YORK - APRIL 18, 2026: Ryan Clifford #20 of the Syracuse Mets is congratulated as he walks through the dugout after hitting a three-run home run during the first inning of the first game of a doubleheader against the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Railriders at NBT Bank Stadium on April 18, 2026 in Syracuse, New York. (Photo by Leah King/Diamond Images via Getty Images) | Diamond Images/Getty Images
Ryan Clifford has now appeared in 350 games as a member of the Mets organization since being traded here on August 1, 2023 along with Drew Gilbert in exchange for Justin Verlander and cash considerations. Over that period of time, which has seen him play 63 games for the High-A Brooklyn Cyclones, 204 games with the Double-A Binghamton Rumble Ponies, and 83 games with the Triple-A Syracuse Mets, he has struck out 431 times. He is currently leading the minor league system in strikeouts, tallied the second-most in 2025, and had the third-most in 2024.
Since 2021, when the current iteration of minor league baseball began, Jaylen Palmer has more strikeouts than anybody else in the organization, with 609 punchouts and counting- and if you add his strikeouts from his time in the Chicago White Sox organization last season, that total increases to by 154 to a whopping 763. Scrolling down the list, Ryan Clifford’s name comes in at seventh, tied with Wyatt Young, with 431 strikeouts.
Although he may have catastrophic contact and swing & miss issues, Clifford also recoups some of that value by drawing a large number of walks and displaying in-game power, something very few of the organizational strikeout leaders since 2021 have.
Channing Austin
Week: 1 G (1 GS), 6.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 8 K (High-A)
Channing Austin is enjoying an excellent season. In eight games now, he has a 1.17 ERA in 38.1 innings, with 20 hits allowed, 22 walks, and 48 strikeouts. Quickly scanning the surface stats, I was a bit worried that the right-hander would have home/road splits; Maimonides Park (FKA Keyspan Park until 2009 and MCU Park until 2021) has a habit of making some very pedestrian pitchers look like aces.
Last season, the Cyclones had the second-best ERA in the South Atlantic League (3.30), with Noah Hall leading the way with a 2.72 ERA. In 2024, they had the sixth-best ERA (3.94), with Jonah Tong posting the best ERA on the team (3.71). In 2023, they had the second-best ERA (3.72), with Tyler Stuart leading the charge (1.55). In 2022, they had the second-best ERA, with Nick Zwack posting the best (1.84). And in 2021, as members of the “High-A East”, the Cyclones were fifth-best in the league (4.51), with Justin Lasko having the best individual season (2.81).
Sure enough, Channing Austin does have some somewhat noticeable home/road concerns. In 15.2 innings at home, thrown over 3 starts, the right-hander has a 1.15 ERA, with 5 hits allowed, 7 walks, and 18 strikeouts. On the road, he has a 1.19 ERA in 22.2 innings thrown over 5 starts, with 15 hits allowed, 15 walks, and 30 strikeouts. While the earned runs allowed and strikeout numbers are roughly the same, which is good, the amount of hits allowed and the number of walks issued balloon on the road, as opposed to at home. Opposing batters are hitting .094/.200/.170 against him with a .118 BABIP while at home and .188/.327/.250 with a .294 BABIP on the road.
Pulling back the microscope from home/away splits and looking at his overall body of work, again, there are a lot of red flags of concern. A .221 BABIP is not realistically sustainable. An 89.2% LOB%, also not realistically sustainable. A 2.9% HR/FB%? Same thing. With a 39.3% groundball rate and 40.5% flyball rate, hits will start landing.
Brooklyn has habit of making players without premium stuff look like studs. The 2019 NY-Penn champions were led by Garrison Bryant, who posted a 2.39 ERA in 75.1 innings, allowing 49 hits, walking 14, and striking out 75. The year before, Jaison Vilera posted a 1.82 ERA in 73.2 innings with 50 hits allowed, 22 walks, and 78 strikeouts. Harol Gonzalez nearly won the New York-Penn League Triple Crown in 2016 with a 7-3 record, 2.01 ERA and 88 strikeouts. Shifting focus to a player who eventually made the majors, Corey Oswalt posted a 2.26 ERA in 67.2 innings with 55 hits allowed, 15 walks, and 59 strikeouts. Seeing a pattern here? That’s not to say that good pitchers haven’t passed through Coney Island and dominated, but the stadium (and at times, the league) has had a habit of hiding the flaws of players who otherwise weren’t equipped to progress to the top of the mountain of professional baseball.
The 24-year-old Channing does not have premium stuff. His fastball is a solidly average-to-above-average pitch in a vacuum, possessing above-average velocity and flashing above-average induced vertical break readings in the past; the pitch plays down however because of his poor command of the pitch. The same can be said of his slider and curveball, both of which are fringe-average-to-average pitches, also play down because of the poor command. His changeup, which is a decidedly below-average pitch? You guessed it.
You can’t take away what the Brooklyn native has done so far: two months in, roughly one-third of the 2026 season, he’s posted incredible surface numbers. It would be great if that train keeps on rolling, but the totality of the evidence suggests that it probably won’t.
Fort Myers, FL - February 15: Boston Red Sox Chief Baseball Officer Craig Breslow. The Red Sox held Day 6 of Spring Training at JetBlue Park on February 15, 2026. (Photo by Barry Chin/The Boston Globe via Getty Images) | Boston Globe via Getty Images
Marcelo Mayer is now officially the Red Sox shortstop (for now, anyway) but there are a lot fewer questions about his glove than there are his bat. And when it comes to his bat, it isn’t hard to pinpoint where the issues lie: “He’s 1 for 35 since his call-up on changeups, a .029 average that is the worst in the big leagues. He’s 2 for 34 on “shadow zone” pitches near or just below the bottom of the strike zone, including 1 for 19 this season.“ (Alex Speier, Boston Globe)
There have been fewer questions about Masataka Yoshida’s bat this season, but still plenty of questions about how he fits into the lineup. As a result, he has a predictably sanguine attitude about the possibility of getting traded. “It’s part of the game, right? If it happens, it happens,” he said. (Christopher Smith, MassLive)
Considering the fact that the Red Sox are dead-last in the league in runs scored, we shouldn’t be focused on trading away hitters, anyway. And indeed, we are starting to hear whispers that the Red Sox are “looking for a right-handed bat” on the trade market. (Lauren Campbell, MassLive)
Any deal for big league talent would likely mean sending prospects out of the system, so it’s a good time to read up on Keith Law’s latest scouting report on a few notable Sox names. Here’s what he has to say about much-hyped 2025 draftee Kyson Witherspoon, who has struggled thus far in single-A: “If I had zero history on the guy at all, I’d say he’s a very likely reliever — he doesn’t repeat his delivery, his command is a 45 at best (on the 20-80 scouting scale) and neither the slider nor cutter is an out pitch yet. Given how much the Red Sox have changed him, however, I’m inclined to give him a lot of slack. Changing an arm action like this is a big deal and it might take him most of the year to get comfortable with it.” (Keith Law, The Athletic)
So it sounds like Witherspoon is not going to repeat Payton Tolle’s feat of breaking into the big leagues in his very first season of pro ball. That’s not at all a knock on Witherspoon, as (a) almost no one does that, and (b) Tolle just seems to be an amazing person all around, as evidenced by the fact that he seeks out autographs from just about everyone he meets. “The biggest thing right now is just appreciating where I’m at. Being a part of this organization — it sounds cliché, but it’s an honor.” (Tim Healey, Boston Globe)
Six hundred and fifty-plus episodes in, and the Royals Rundown Podcast is still finding new angles on Kansas City Royals baseball. Jacob Milham and Jeremy Greco mark the milestone with one of the more wide-ranging conversations, from a series victory over the Seattle Mariners to a daunting date with the New York Yankees on the horizon.
The episode opens on a high note, recapping the Royals’ series win and the momentum it has generated heading into a critical stretch. Stephen Kolek is the pitching story of the week, delivering a complete game that doubles as one of the more unusual performances of the MLB season. Finishing with two or fewer strikeouts in a complete game is a feat rare enough that the hosts put it in full historical context. The bullpen’s contributions during the stretch also get their due, with the quality start metrics painting an encouraging picture of where the pitching staff stands right now.
The Yankees series preview is where the conversation takes on a sharper edge. Kansas City’s historical struggles against New York, including a 20-1 series record and a current ten-game losing streak against the club, frame a preview that is equal parts analytical and frank. With playoff positioning on the line, Jacob and Jeremy assess what winning this series would mean for the Royals’ postseason outlook and whether this roster is equipped to finally flip the script.
Pitching depth and roster construction also factor in, with a look at Noah Cameron, Seth Lugo, and Michael Wacha, who is approaching his 300th MLB start, alongside injury updates on Cole Ragans, Kris Bubic, and James McArthur. On the transaction wire, the DFA of Elias Diaz, the signing of Luke Jackson, and Tyler Tolbert’s evolving role are all addressed.
More so than any other American sport, Major League Baseball stadiums have their own characteristics.
One of the biggest variations in ballparks is capacity, with the league's 2026 stadiums ranging from 56,000 (Dodger Stadium) all the way down to 13,416 (A's). While the Athletics' temporary home in Sacramento is in fact a minor league stadium, the team's new stadium in Las Vegas is expected to have a capacity of about 33,000 – which would be the second-smallest in the game.
More than two-thirds of MLB stadiums have a capacity of more than 40,000, while the league's three newest stadiums — Globe Life Field (Rangers), Truist Park (Braves) and loanDepot Park (Marlins) all rank in the lower half for capacity.
In addition to the Athletics' new home in Las Vegas, the Tampa Bay Rays are expected to have a new stadium built perhaps by Opening Day in 2029, which will likely have the lowest capacity of any stadium in the game.
Here's a look at 2026 MLB stadiums ranked by capacity:
COVERS INTEL: In this game, 
