Baseball News
A really good road trip for the Guardians ended on a sour note with a 10-0 loss to the Rangers.
Today is a bit of a busy day for me doing hurricane relief in Jamaica, so this will be your series preview:
Game One, Monday, 6:40PM ET: Warren vs. Williams
Game Two, Tuesday, 6:40PM ET: Cole vs. Cecconi
Game Three, Wednesday, 1:10PM ET: Rodon vs. Messick
AROUND MLB:
Tigers won, White Sox lost and the Royals beat the Twins
SYRACUSE 4, SCRANTON/WILKES-BARRE 2 (BOX)
Opener Daniel Duarte allowed a first inning run, but Zach Thornton shut the RailRiders down for the next five innings, the offense scoring a run in his last inning of work to make him the winning pitcher of record. Syracuse added some insurance runs in the bottom of the eighth, scoring a run on a sac bunt and then a two-run Matt Rudick homer. Those runs came in handy in the bottom of the inning, when the RailRiders were able to plate a pair of runs. Dylan Ross ended up facing Yankees top prospect George Lombard Jr. with two outs and the bases loaded and struck him out on three splitters to end the ballgame and secure the series victory.
· LF Nick Morabito: 0-3, BB, 2 K
· RF-2B Ji Hwan Bae: 2-3, 2 R, 2B, BB
· REHAB ALERT C Francisco Alvarez: 1-3, R, BB, 2 PB (1, 2)
· 1B Ryan Clifford: 0-3, RBI, 3 K, E (7)
· 3B Christian Arroyo: 0-1, K, E (5)
· PH-RF Matt Rudick: 2-3, R, HR (1), 3 RBI
· DH Andy Ibáñez: 0-4
· 2B-3B Yonny Hernández: 0-3, K
· CF Cristian Pache: 0-2, K, HBP
· SS Jackson Cluff: 0-2, BB
· RHP Daniel Duarte: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 1 K
· LHP Zach Thornton: 5.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 5 K
· RHP Tobias Myers: 2.0 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K, W (1-0)
· LHP Matt Turner: 0.2 IP, 0 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 0 K, H (2)
· RHP Dylan Ross: 0.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 1 K, S (1)
BINGHAMTON 4, READING 2 (BOX)
The Rumble Ponies won their fifth in a row, taking the lead in the first inning and never looking back. In the inning, a fielding error by left fielder Bryson Ware allowed two runs to score on a Nick Lorusso double. Reading tied it up in the third with a two-run homer, but Vincent Perozo, suddenly red hot, broke the tie with his second homer in as many games and fourth of the season. Binghamton added an insurance run in the bottom of the eighth, loading up the bases on a pair of walks and a single and then drawing another walk to force in a run, but it ended up being unneeded as the bullpen did not allow another run to score after those third inning runs.
· C Chris Suero: 0-5, 3 K
· 3B Jacob Reimer: 2-4, 2B
· CF Eli Serrano III: 0-3, R, BB, 2 K
· RF Jose Ramos: 0-3, R, BB, 2 K
· DH Nick Lorusso: 1-3, R, 2B, RBI, BB
· 1B JT Schwartz: 1-3, 2B, BB, K
· LF Vincent Perozo: 2-4, R, HR (4), RBI, K
· 2B Wyatt Young: 1-3, RBI, BB
· SS Kevin Villavicencio: 1-4, 2B, K
· LHP Max Green: 2.2 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 4 K
· LHP Felipe De La Cruz: 0.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K
· RHP Jordan Geber: 3.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 3 BB, 0 K, W (2-6)
· LHP Gabriel Rodriguez: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K, H (3)
· LHP Jefry Yan: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 3 K, H (4)
· RHP Carlos Guzman: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K, S (2)
High-A: Brooklyn Cyclones (21-34)
Things started out poorly for the Cyclones, as starter Noah Hall allowed a run in the bottom of the first and two more in the bottom of the second, but the offense came alive a little later in the game and eventually bailed him out. Daiverson Gutierrez put Brooklyn on the board in the third with a sac fly and then tied things up in the fifth with an RBI double that evened things up at 3-3. In the sixth, Mitch Voit gave the Cyclones the lead with an RBI single and Corey Collins extended the lead by a run with an RBI single of his own. Bryce Jenkins threw a scoreless seventh, Juan Arnaud threw scoreless eighth, and Parker Carlson closed it out in the ninth to wrap things up, taking the series 5 games to 1.
· SS Mitch Voit: 2-6, 2 R, RBI, SB (18)
· RF John Bay: 2-4, R, 2 K, HBP
· 1B Corey Collins: 1-3, R, RBI, 2 BB
· C Daiverson Gutierrez: 2-3, 2B, 3 RBI, BB
· 3B Yonatan Henriquez: 0-5, K
· LF JT Benson: 1-3, 2 BB, K, 2 SB (2, 3)
· 2B Colin Houck: 2-5, 2B
· CF Sam Biller: 1-3, R, 2 BB, K, SB (4)
· DH Nick Roselli: 0-5, K
· RHP Noah Hall: 5.0 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 5 BB, 6 K, W (1-4)
· RHP Justin Armbruester: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 3 K, H (1)
· RHP Bryce Jenkins: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K, H (5)
· RHP Juan Arnaud: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 3 K, H (2)
· RHP Parker Carlson: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K, S (2)
CLEARWATER 11, ST. LUCIE 8 (BOX)
This one was a slobberknocker, with the Threshers scoring 11 runs on 10 hits and 8 walks and the Mets scoring 8 runs on 9 hits and 8 walks. Suffice to say, neither starting pitcher did particularly well. In the end, it was a war of attrition and Clearwater had the better bullpen; St. Lucie did not score past the fifth inning, whereas the Threshers scored a pair of runs in the seventh charged to Josh Blum and a pair of runs in the eighth charged to Joe Scarborough.
· SS Elian Peña: 1-5, 2B, BB, K
· 3B Antonio Jimenez: 0-3, R, BB, 2 K, HBP
· RF Yohairo Cuevas: 1-4, 2 R, 2B, BB, K
· C Julio Zayas: 2-5, 2 R, RBI, K
· 1B Chase Meggers: 2-4, R, 3 RBI, BB, K
· LF Branny De Oleo: 1-5, R, RBI, K
· CF Simon Juan: 1-5, R, K, E
· 2B Jeremy Rodriguez: 1-3, 2 BB
· DH Jackson Hauge: 0-3, RBI, 2 BB, 2 K
· RHP Jonathan Jimenez: 4.1 IP, 8 H, 7 R, 6 ER, 2 BB, 1 K, WP, HBP
· RHP Zack Mack: 1.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K
· RHP Josh Blum: 0.2 IP, 0 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 2 K, L (0-2), WP, H (1)
· RHP Miguel Mejias: 0.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 3 BB, 0 K, BS (2)
· RHP Joe Scarborough: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 3 K
· RHP Tyler McLoughlin: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 0 K
NO GAME (SCHEDULE)
Vincent Perozo
Jonathan Jimenez
Good morning, Camden Chatters.
The Orioles’ six-game road trip through two AL East cities went…fine, I guess. They broke even at 3-3 on the trip to remain four games under .500, as they were when they started. They’re 1.5 games out of the third wild card, if looking at the wild card standings this early in the season isn’t a fool’s errand.
Of course, a case can be made that the Orioles should have had a winning record on the trip and leapfrogged the Blue Jays in the AL East standings if not for the controversial way that yesterday’s loss played out. A Jays runner who clearly ran out of the baseline was ruled safe, a potential inning-ending double play was thwarted, and Toronto promptly rallied back from a four-run deficit to knock off the O’s in the rubber game, 6-4. Alex Church recapped the game and the pivotal call that went against the Orioles.
It’s a rough way to lose a game, but of course the Orioles failed to do a lot of things that would have made the blown call not matter. If Gunnar Henderson hadn’t committed an error on the previous play, or if Shane Baz hadn’t unraveled after the blown call, or if the O’s offense hadn’t squandered a promising rally in the next inning, the Birds could have pulled out a win anyway. They didn’t, and it left them with a sour taste in their mouths on the return flight to Baltimore.
No time to dwell on it, I suppose. The Orioles are going to need to be laser-focused for their next few weeks of games as they begin a particularly brutal stretch of their schedule. Their next 13 games are against teams with winning records, starting with a seven-game homestand against the Mariners and Padres followed by their first west coast trip of 2026 that will take them through Seattle and Los Angeles. Other than a series against the Angels, the rest of the Birds’ June slate will come against opponents that are currently .500 or better, which somehow includes both the White Sox and Nationals.
The Orioles have been playing good baseball lately, but they’re about to face their toughest test yet. If they’re serious about getting back into the postseason race, they’ll need to prove they can take down the best teams in the majors. Here goes nothing.
I’m not a rules expert, but the umpires’ explanation of the play doesn’t really seem to clear anything up, and in fact just makes the call more confusing.
Sunday Notes: Baltimore’s Shane Baz Has a Quality Knuckleball in His Back Pocket- FanGraphs
Maybe Baz should’ve whipped out that knuckler in the sixth inning yesterday. He certainly wasn’t fooling most hitters with the stuff he was actually throwing.
I’m a staunch anti-sac-bunt guy, and Blaze Alexander’s rally-killing botched bunt yesterday is just one example of why. But if a guy wants to try to bunt for a hit, especially someone speedy like Leody Taveras, then I’ll allow it.
Is today your birthday? Happy birthday! And a posthumous happy birthday to Orioles Hall of Famer Mark Belanger (b. 1944, d. 1998), the greatest defensive shortstop in O’s history, if not major league history. “The Blade” spent 17 years flashing his wizardry with the leather for some excellent O’s teams, winning eight Gold Glove awards and two World Series championships.
Other former Orioles born on June 8 include infielders Connor Norby (26) and Lenn Sakata (72), left-hander T.J. McFarland (37), and the late lefty George Brunet (b. 1935, d. 1991).
On this date in 1986, the Orioles and Yankees played (at the time) the longest nine-inning game in AL history, clocking in at 4 hours and 16 minutes. (That record is now held by an Aug. 18, 2006 game between the Yanks and Red Sox that lasted 4 hours, 45 minutes.) The O’s won an 18-9 donnybrook at Yankee Stadium in which the two teams combined for 36 hits and 16 walks, including three home runs by Birds right fielder Lee Lacy.
And on this day in 2013, the O’s used their 30th-round draft pick on Creighton infielder Federico Castagnini, making him the first Italy-born-and-raised player ever selected in the MLB draft. Castagnini lasted two years in the O’s organization, topping out at Low-A Delmarva with a career .192 average and .509 OPS.
On June 8, 1997, the Orioles defeated the White Sox, 2-1, at Comiskey Park. The O’s trailed 1-0 until the sixth, when Roberto Alomar tied the game with a homer and Tony Tarasco delivered an RBI single to put the Birds ahead. The Orioles’ pitching staff made the slim lead stand up, with starter Jimmy Key holding the White Sox to one run in seven strong innings, followed by 1.1 scoreless frames from Armando Benítez and Randy Myers’ 19th save. The win improved the O’s to 39-17 and put them 7.5 games ahead in the AL East. That was one heck of a team.
Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders: L, 4-3 at Syracuse Mets — entered ninth down 4-1 but rally fizzled
LF Jasson Domínguez 0-3, 2 K
1B Seth Brown 0-1, BB
SS George Lombard Jr. 2-5, 2B, 2 K, picked off — struck swinging with tying run at second to end game
DH Marco Luciano 0-3, BB, K
RF Yanquiel Fernández 0-3, BB
3B Tyler Hardman 1-3, 2B, RBI, BB, K
2B Jonathan Ornelas 0-4, K
1B-LF Ernesto Martinez Jr. 0-4, RBI, K
CF Kenedy Corona 2-3, 2 2B, RBI, BB
C Abrahan Gutierrez 0-3, BB
Don Hamel 5.1 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 4 BB, 6 K
Yerry De Los Santos 1.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K
Bradley Hanner 1 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 0 BB, 1 K, 1 HR (loss)
Double-A Somerset Patriots:W, 7-3 at Harrisburg Senators
LF Jackson Castillo 0-3, RBI, 2 K, SF
DH Garrett Martin 1-4, HR, 2 RBI — 19th homer leads Eastern League, and is actually second in all of full-season minor-league ball
1B Neil Torres 0-4, K
RF DJ Gladney 2-3, 2 HR, 2 RBI, BB — red-hot with four homers this week
3B Coby Morales 1-3, BB, CS
C Miguel Palma 1-4, HR, 2 RBI, two passed balls
2B Connor McGinnis 0-3 BB
SS Owen Cobb 0-3, K
CF Cole Gabrielson 1-3, SB
Ben Hess 1 IP, 1 H, 3 R (1 ER), 2 BB, 2 K — was victimized by passed balls, forced to throw too many pitches in the first
Chase Chaney 6 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 5 K (win) — could do worse for a piggyback outing
Kelly Austin 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 K (hold)
Hayden Merda 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K
High-A Hudson Valley Renegades: L, 16-3 at Frederick Keys
SS Kaeden Kent 1-4, 2B, RBI
LF Wilson Rodriguez 1-4, RBI
C Eric Genther 0-4
DH Kyle West 0-4, K
2B Roderick Arias 1-4, 2B, K, CS
3B Enmanuel Tejeda 1-3, HR, RBI, K
1B Josh Moylan 1-3, 2B, 2 K
CF Camden Troyer 1-3, 2B.K
RF Luis Durango 1-3, K, SB
Sean Paul Liñan 1.2 IP, 6 H, 7 R (6 ER), 1 BB, 5 K, 3 HR (loss) — yikes, right-hander struck out side in first and then imploded
Brady Kirtner 1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 K
Franyer Herrera 2.1 IP, 7 H, 8 R, 4 BB, 2 K, 3 HR
Brandon Decker 1.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K
Jack Sokol 1.1 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 0 BB, 2 K
Low-A Tampa Tarpons: W, 2-1 vs. Palm Beach Cardinals
3B Jackson Lovich 1-3, RBI, SB
SS Bryce Martin-Grudzielanek 2-3, 2B, BB, K, CS
2B Hans Montero 0-3, BB, 2 K
LF Luis Puello 1-4
CF Willy Montero 0-3, BB, K
DH Engelth Urena 0-4, K
RF JoJo Jackson 0-1, 2 BB, K
C Ediel Rivera 1-3, SB
1B Austin Green 0-2, BB, K
Brennan Stuprich 5.1 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 3 BB, 4 K
Jose Martinez 1.2 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K (win)
Joshua Tiedemann 1.2 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 0 BB, 2 K (hold)
Jose M. Rodriguez 0.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K (save)
Florida Complex League Yankees: Off-day
Dominican Summer League Yankees: Off-day
Dominican Summer League Bombers: Off-day
Free of charge for the discerning reader.
Happy birthday to Terrance Gore, and a mighty host of others.
Today in baseball history, in 1933 – Jimmie Foxx hits three home runs in his first three at-bats as the Philadelphia Athletics outscore the New York Yankees, 14-10. Foxx had homered his last time up the previous day to give him four consecutive home runs, and other stories as well.
Today in baseball history:
Cubs Birthdays:Terrance Gore*, Tim Donahue, Tom Lee.
Today in history:
Today in music history:
*pictured.
Several Brewer pitchers performed well this week, but in what is becoming a frequent occurrence, this “award” needs to go to the Brewer ace, Jacob Misiorowski. On Saturday night in Denver, Miz wasn’t quite as sharp as we’ve seen him at times in the last month-and-a-half, but he threw seven innings with only an unearned run allowed while striking out eight and working around three walks. His staredown of his manager, who was contemplating taking him out of the game with two on and one out in the seventh, became a signature moment of the season when Misiorowski struck out the next two batters.
In what is also becoming a weekly tradition, we need to acknowledge Kyle Harrison in this space. Against the Giants team that traded him for Rafael Devers just under one year ago, Harrison struck out 12 batters — including Devers three times — in just 5 2/3 innings while allowing one run in what was eventually an 8-3 Brewers win. Special mention also to Chad Patrick, who pitched 6 2/3 scoreless innings out of the bullpen across three games this week.
It was quite a week for the Brewer offense. Colorado helps, of course, but six different Brewers had an OPS of at least 1.075 this week. At the top of that list, and the recipient of the prestigious Brew Crew Ball Week in Review Hitter of the Week Award for the second straight week, is Jake Bauers. In six games, Bauers went 5-for-17 (.294) with two homers, two doubles, and seven RBIs… but he also walked 10 times. He had an OBP of .556 on the week and slugged .765, and he’s now up to a 149 wRC+ on the season.
A quick rundown of those other five 1.075+ OPS Brewers:
Hello and happy Monday, folks—and happy World Cup kickoff week, too.
The tournament starts on Thursday, but the Red Sox’s series in St. Pete against the Tampa Bay Rays starts tonight at 6:40 p.m. EST. Toeing the rubber for Boston will be left-hander Connelly Early, who’s been by-and-large very good in 2026 in spite of a pretty bleh outing last time out against Baltimore. The O’s hung four runs on him across 5.1 innings, and that damage was enough to secure the win for them. Still, Connelly’s got an impressive 3.26 ERA on the year.
So, simply put: do we think Early’s gonna get right back on the saddle at the Trop tonight? Personally, I do—the Rays have a team OPS that’s considerably worse against lefties compared to righties. But that’s just my take; let me know what you think below.
Be good to each other and go Sox.
There will be an infusion of new blood when Major League Baseball’s All-Star Game descends upon Philadelphia next month.
So many of the main characters and stalwarts from recent years – think Aaron Judge, Cal Raleigh, Tarik Skubal, Mookie Betts – have been slowed by injury or poor performance. Yet the show must go on and, unsurprisingly, a slew of players – some rookies, others very veteran – have stepped forward to replace them.
Ready for American League starting pitcher Cam Schlittler? How about NL starting center fielder Michael Harris II?
Sure, plenty can happen between now and early July, when the full roster will be announced. Yet with fan voting now open and early surprises starting to solidify, USA TODAY Sports examines nine players on track to earn their first invites to the Midsummer Classic:
It’s so very Dodgers that as they come under fire for All That’s Wrong With The Game – good luck finding an MLB press release about the impending lockout that doesn’t invoke their name – that their best player is making just $800,000.
OK, we’ll allow that Shohei Ohtani is their “best” player, but nobody in the big leagues has produced 3.8 WAR without both pitching and hitting. With that in mind, behold Pages, with 14 homers and an .852 OPS, five outs above average defensively and a trove of clutch at-bats that have kept the Dodgers atop the NL.
It will be a typically large Dodgers contingent on hand, with the likes of Max Muncy and Justin Wrobleski as equally deserving as Freddie Freeman and Yoshinobu Yamamoto. But Pages will be flying the charter.
Remember this guy? Stands 6-7, slated to be Pittsburgh’s answer to Elly De La Cruz as a massive and massively talented shortstop before he was relegated to the outfield?
Well, Cruz is more than justifying the great expectations heralding his arrival.
The big fella is on pace for a 30-homer, 40-steal season and, with his long levers and elite bat speed, ranks in the 100th percentile for both average exit velocity (96.4 mph) and hard-hit rate (59.2%). Sure, the big hacks and larger strike zone have resulted in a majors-leading 98 strikeouts, and he’s a below-average center fielder.
But with a .350 OBP and a did-you-see-this element to his game, this guy should get Cruzed to Philly.
Just a remarkably steady climb for a player who endured a trade from Atlanta and a move down I-80 to Yolo County in his first few seasons with the A’s. Langeliers leads AL catchers in home runs (16), OPS (.880) and average (.281), all while handling an inexperienced pitching staff that’s already deployed 10 starters this season.
Perhaps this will be the winter Martinez again receives a multiyear contract after two seasons of accepting the qualifying offer from Cincinnati and then a one-year, $13 million deal with Tampa Bay.
It was once again a shrewd pitching investment for the Rays: Martinez is second to Schlittler in the AL with a 2.29 ERA and has given up two or fewer runs in 11 of his 12 starts.
It’s tempting to call this a 12-month All-Star nod, piggybacking off Clement’s excellent 2025 followed by his record-setting 30-hit postseason. But let’s check the tape: Clement leads the AL with 77 hits, ranks fifth in the majors with a .306 average and first with 19 doubles and naturally leads all AL second basemen in almost every meaningful statistical category.
He remains an excellent defensive second baseman while filling in at shortstop against left-handers, and should piggyback his eye-opening World Baseball Classic nod by joining this AL super team.
Wait a minute: Rodriguez, a World Series champion with Cy Young Award votes on his resume, has never been an All-Star?
Perhaps that’s about to change.
It’s been an injury- and illness-laden journey for Rodriguez, 33, the past six seasons, but he’s absolutely found his groove in Arizona, where he’s fifth in an overly loaded NL ERA race and has posted three starts of seven innings and no earned runs.
Wow, what a disappointing season for the Giants. Yet Schmitt has been a consistent power source through it all, with 15 homers, 28 extra-base hits and an .868 OPS.
It’s been a most pleasant surprise for a guy who has never been able to solidify a position nor play 100 games in a season. Now, he’s forced the issue even as top prospect Bryce Eldridge has arrived and Rafael Devers has started producing. An everyday player, and the Giants’ best representative in Philly.
Speaking of Philly...
It will be interesting to see how engaged the hometown fan base is at the virtual ballot box, with longtime faves Bryce Harper and Kyle Schwarber both worthy of selection, and though Schwarber has a more viable case, he’s blocked in fan balloting at DH by Ohtani.
Amid all that, let’s not forget about Marsh, whose damp mane and thick beard are familiar to fans after four straight playoff appearances.
The dude leads the majors in batting (.338), is OPS-ing .889 and for a while was the only guy keeping the Phillies afloat as manager Rob Thomson got fired and others struggled.
Sure, our preliminary plan is for the NL to carry a dozen or so outfielders, but alas: If ever there’s a time Marsh gets a nod, this would be it.
Yet another “Wait, he hasn’t been an All-Star yet?” Nope, that was the World Baseball Classic we saw Turang taking a star turn and emerging as one of the most respected ballplayers on that vaunted Team USA squad.
Now he and the Brewers are at it again.
The eternal “surprises” in the NL Central are 39-23 and Turang leads them with 3.0 WAR. With nine homers and 11 steals, he’s creeping toward a 30-30 season and his .881 OPS leads all major league second basemen.
With the Brewers’ fan base activated and the generally wiser habits of voters in the dot-com era, this should be an easy, righteous outcome in the voting booth.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: MLB All-Star Game voting: 9 standouts who could be first-timers
When the Yankees announced Aaron Judge would miss significant time with a right rib fracture, the most immediate concerns centered on the team’s offense. They’ve often struggled to score on the occasions when Judge has missed time, and with a number of bats playing below their standards to start the year, there was an understandable worry that the lineup would struggle without their captain.
But the impacts of Judge’s absence are far-reaching, and his injury also has forced the Yankees to answer interesting questions about their defensive alignment. How exactly should the Yankees align their outfield with Judge down?
There are seemingly endless permutations the Yankees can evaluate. The foundation of their outfield without Judge will consist of Cody Bellinger and Trent Grisham, with both players having the ability to play across the outfield, though Bellinger is the only one who has consistently played at multiple positions in recent years. Beyond those two, the Yankees have a number of players across the roster and returning from injury to consider, including Spencer Jones, Max Schuemann, infielders who can also play corner outfield like Jose Caballero and Amed Rosario, and the recovering Jasson Domínguez and Giancarlo Stanton (even if the latter is very unlikely to actually play the field coming off a calf injury).
So far, the Yankees have stayed committed to two-thirds of their Opening Day construction with Bellinger in left and Grisham in center. They’ve rotated options in right, with Caballero, Jones, and Schuemann all getting some time there in the last week. Domínguez’s impending return complicates things further; the Martian has struggled in the cavernous left field in Yankee Stadium, yet also has limited experience in the other corner.
What should the Yankees prioritize among all these variables? Bellinger’s excellence in left? Should they give Jones a run in center, the mammoth prospect having come through the minors with decent grades on his glove? And how should they handle Domínguez? His bat could prove useful with Judge out, but his defensive home is not easy to find.
The good news is the Yankees have options to weather the storm. The bad news (other than the fact that Judge will be out for several weeks) is that there’s no obvious way to align their outfielder without their captain. What would you do in Aaron Boone’s shoes?
It’ll be a fairly light day on the site today, with Sam previewing the series with the Guardians this morning, and Andrew recapping Sunday’s American League action. Later, the latest entry in our Yankee Birthday series will feature Tacks Neuer, and Madison will put out the call for the mailbag ahead of the 6:40 pm EST start for tonight’s game.
New York Yankees vs. Cleveland Guardians
Time: 6:40 p.m. EST
Video: YES Network, Guardians.tv, FS1
Venue: Progressive Field, Cleveland, OH
Editor’s note: welcome to the official Twinkie Town top prospects list. This is a living document we’ll update throughout the season as your one-stop shop for all things Minnesota Twins prospects.
Now over two months into the 2026 season, we are starting to get a good idea of where the Minnesota Twins organization is at. While the pitching side of the system is loaded with risky arms, the hitting side holds a wide variety of profiles, with a lot of the top talent being concentrated in Triple-A. This sets us up to see a handful of long-awaited debuts this summer.
To be eligible, a player must have less than 40 innings pitched or 150 plate appearances at the major league level. Connor Prielipp and Travis Adams are the two most recent Twins to graduate, while Andrew Morris and Kendry Rojas are likely to do the same within the next month or two. Without further ado, we begin.
The injuries have been incredibly frustrating for the 2023 5th overall pick as Jenkins has played just 82 and 84 games in his first two full seasons as a pro and is back on the shelf with a shoulder injury this season after crashing into the outfield wall in early May.
Still, the five tool potential that Jenkins possesses cannot be matched by any other prospect in the Twins’ system. His raw power is borderline plus, but his lower fly ball rates may limit his power output. Even if Jenkins is only hitting 10-15 homers a year, he has the talent to spray doubles all over the field while batting near .300 with a high walk rate. While he has a chance to stick in centerfield, he would fit seamlessly into a corner spot with his plus arm and above-average athleticism.
In his last 6 games before hitting the injured list on May 5th, Jenkins slashed .429/.556/.762 with 6 walks and 4 strikeouts for a 235 wRC+. Jenkins is a complete prospect and an incredibly mature hitter at just 21 years old. With Emmanuel Rodriguez likely out of the picture for the foreseeable future, Walker Jenkins could debut soon after returning from injury.
Emmanuel Rodriguez is averaging just 65 games played per season since reaching full-season ball in 2022 and could now be out for the rest of the summer due to torn ligaments in his thumb, but the upside on both sides of the ball is too high to let injuries get me down on him as a prospect.
His max EV of 118.3 MPH is the 3rd-highest in all of baseball this season. Rodriguez has become well-known for his patient approach at the plate, but he has become more aggressive in the zone this season while maintaining a low chase rate. The contact skills are the only question with his offensive profile, but with great swing decisions and some of the most impressive power this organization has ever seen, he should thrive if he can keep the strikeout rate in the 30% range. Like Jenkins, Emmanuel Rodriguez is on the fence between centerfield and corner outfield, but an impressive arm and good legs give him a strong basis for success either way.
As the Twins’ 2024 1st round pick, Kaelen Culpepper has developed nicely over the past 2 years and is now on the brink of a major league debut. Culpepper is a talented hitter with good contact skills and average power, but has a tendency to chase. The bat projects to be an asset towards the bottom of the order, while a refined approach could truly make him an impactful hitter.
Defensively, it seems that the Twins are preparing to make Culpepper their next starting shortstop. While he doesn’t have the range of a truly elite shortstop, he has developed into a reliable fielder and has enough arm and athleticism to play a rock solid shortstop at the major league level. Culpepper also provides a speed element on the bases. He stole 25 bags last year and is well on his way to beating that this season. Culpepper has caught fire throughout May and into early June as his major league debut awaits.
It has been an underwhelming season for the power-hitting catcher thus far, as the swing decisions continue to be extremely concerning and the contact rates have taken a step back. Still, Eduardo Tait is putting up respectable offensive production as one of just seven qualified teenage hitters at the High-A level, thanks to his immense raw power. Tait has special power potential and is still in position to have a good offensive season if he can get his contact rates back to their career norms.
Tait also has a rocket arm at catcher and projects as at least a passable defender behind the dish. It has been a frustrating start to the season, but he is still well ahead of the development curve at 19 years old and has the potential to be one of MLB’s premier power-hitting catchers.
It’s easy to forget about a low minors prospect after missing so much time due to injury, but Charlee Soto is finally working his way back after missing 13+ months. Soto didn’t start focusing on pitching until just before being drafted out of high school, but is already showing eye-popping velocity and a natural changeup feel.
The upper 80s changeup looks like a plus pitch while the mid 80s slider is well on its way to being above average as well. Early in 2025 before the injury, Soto was touching 100 mph, missing bats at the top of the zone and generating ground balls with his sinker.
It’s an impressive pitch mix on a big, young, and athletic pitcher who has a ton of room to grow. This summer should give us a good idea of where he is headed as a prospect, and it has a chance to be a really exciting few months.
Kendry Rojas struggled in his first stint in the Twins’ org last fall, finishing with a 6.59 ERA in 27.1 innings in Triple-A St. Paul. This year, Rojas came back as a completely different player. He added two ticks to his fastball and is now sitting 96. He’s throwing his slider harder and getting more spin while his changeup has found more depth.
Some inconsistent command has limited the success of his slider and changeup. Both can be excellent putaway pitches if he can hone in the location a bit better. Rojas is 23 and already making positive contributions at the major league level. He has mid-rotation potential if he can find more consistent command, otherwise he projects to be a really fun bullpen arm.
The Twins’ 2025 first round pick has played pretty much as expected so far this season and looks primed for a call-up to Double-A Wichita soon. At 22 years old, Marek Houston possesses elite defensive traits and has a chance to develop into an impactful shortstop.
Offensively, Houston has posted good contact rates with a batting average over .300 this season. The hit tool will have to carry the load, because he lacks power. He has shown off a patient approach at the plate, but pitchers won’t be afraid to throw him strikes if he can’t consistently drive the ball into the gaps. While there are questions about whether he has a major league caliber bat, Houston’s defense will make him a valuable player if he can just be passable at the plate.
Riley Quick’s first season as a pro has gotten off to a bit of a slow start due to some minor finger issues, but he seems to be fully healthy now and is displaying the electric stuff that made him such a highly touted draft prospect. Only Paulshawn Pasqualotto has a higher K-BB% in the Twins’ organization right now.
Riley Quick’s mid-90s sinker does a lot of the dirty work, generating high ground ball rates as his primary pitch. He complements it with a trio of offspeed pitches, his best pitch being the mid 80s slider that sits around 2,800 RPM and gets sharp two-plane movement. His low 90s cutter complements the sinker extremely well, and his changeup in the upper 80s has been almost untouchable as a weapon against lefties.
Quick has struck out 43 batters in 28.1 innings of work between Single-A and High-A. He’s throwing a ton of strikes, and at 22 years old, Riley Quick is dominating the lower levels as expected. A move to Double-A should be coming this summer and will give us a much better litmus test.
After being drafted in the 2nd round of the 2024 draft straight out of high school, the lanky lefty was really impressive in his first year of pro ball, posting a 2.77 ERA and 3.51 FIP in 16 starts at Single-A Fort Myers last year. While the eye-popping strikeout numbers have carried into High-A this year, so have the major command concerns.
Hill’s fastball is sitting in the 95-97 range and occasionally flirting with triple digits, but lacks carry and he has struggled to command the pitch. While the fastball will play at that velo and there is potential for it to become a plus offering with improved shape, the low 80s slider is the highlight of the arsenal. He also features a mid 80s changeup with great arm action and mixes in a loopy curveball.
While Dasan Hill has struck out 47 batters in 30 innings, he has also walked 27. His stuff is playing extremely well at the lower levels, showing flashes of complete dominance in High-A at just 20-years-old, and while the command issues are likely going to push him to the bullpen, the sky is the limit for Hill as a back-end reliever who can run it up to 100 from the left side with some tantalizing secondaries.
Rounding out the top 10 is breakout outfielder Hendry Mendez, acquired from the Phillies in the Harrison Bader trade last July, which already appears to be paying off for the Twins.
The 22-year-old is showing off a plus hit tool, batting north of .300 with elite contact rates this season. He pairs it with a patient approach but also finds his spots to attack. Mendez has a violent swing on a flat bat path that produces great bat speed while maximizing contact. While it creates extreme ground ball rates and will limit his power output at the major league level, there are no signs of it stopping Hendry from being a good big league hitter.
Mendez has the tools to be a .300 AVG/.400 OBP hitter who can still produce some thump. Defensively, there was talk about moving him to first base last fall and throughout the offseason, but the Twins have seemed comfortable enough throwing him out in left field. He is a solid athlete that can develop into a passable corner outfield defender. Either way, the bat has a chance to make a big impact and a MLB debut could be coming very soon.
Acquired in the Willi Castro trade at last year’s deadline, Ryan Gallagher resembles Simeon Woods Richardson a little bit with the low 90s fastball from a high release point, but I think Gallagher has better secondaries and potential for some added velocity. The fastball is below average but playable at the moment, sitting 91-94 with a little bit of loft. His best secondary is his changeup, which doesn’t get particularly sharp movement, but has great arm action and gets nearly 15 MPH of velo separation from his fastball. Also has a trio of breaking balls, none of which are particularly sharp, but he locates them well and they provide different shapes and velocities for hitters to think about. Gallagher is already having some success at Triple-A just two months into his second pro season. He is a starter-type arm in a system full of risky profiles, and I think he has a good chance to provide value at the back end of a big league rotation.
If this is his last month as a qualified prospect, it was a great run for the 24-year-old right-hander. However, it is time for Andrew Morris to move on, because he is looking like an anchor in this Twins’ bullpen for years to come. Morris was widely viewed as a back-end starter type over the last couple years, but has been pushed into the Twins’ bullpen this year with strong results. His fastball has played well, sitting 95-97 and running up to 100 with some ride at the top of the zone. He complements it with a couple of good secondaries, most notably the low 80s sweeper that generates nearly 16 inches of horizontal break. With good command and good stuff that is only getting better, Andrew Morris looks like a mainstay in this bullpen for years to come.
After struggling in his first full season at Single-A in 2025 but still showing off the exciting tools that made him a highly-rated international prospect, Yasser Mercedes has taken off this year. He possesses easy plus power with a strong feel for pulling fly balls. Patient approach generating above average walk rates, and has carried solid contact rates into High-A at 21 years of age. Big speed as well, as Mercedes stole 36 bags in 39 attempts last year and is off to an even better start in that category this season. Plus arm and athleticism that could keep him in center, but would play very well in a corner. He’s cooled down a bit with the move to High-A, but is too talented to not find it again soon. Walker Jenkins is the only player in the system who is closer to being a five tool prospect.
An excellent athlete with plus power who was drafted out of high school in 2023, Brandon Winokur has hit tool concerns, but exhibits some of the best raw talent in the system. Got off to a slow start this year despite repeating High-A, but caught fire in May, posting an OPS north of .900 with some of the best strikeout and walk numbers of his career thus far. He has looked much improved at third base this season and fits well there with his rocket arm. Also playing significant time in center. Should see Double-A soon if the bat stays hot.
Bohorquez missed all of May with a forearm strain, but he is ripely 21 and has already started to find success in High-A. His fastball sits mid 90s and runs up to 99 with some life. He has a slider in the upper 80s and a curveball around 80, both of which are plus offerings with great spin and sharp break, running whiff rates around 40% in the low minors. He has a developing low 90s changeup/splitter that has had success against lefties. A control over command arm at the moment with a bit of an injury history. Significant reliever risk, but the stuff is absolutely legit.
Selected in the 3rd round of the 2025 draft, James Ellwanger hit the shelf early in the season with a significant elbow injury, but showed plenty of promise already, throwing 11.2 scoreless innings with 15 strikeouts at Single-A. His fastball sits mid 90s and tops at 98 with poor shape but room for growth. His low 80s curveball gets big two-plane movement and has the potential to be a big whiff pitch. Power changeup in the low 90s with great dive, maybe his best pitch. Mixes in a hard cutter as well. Big velo and stuff, but command and injuries give him high reliever risk, where he could be an electric high-leverage arm.
Raya had a rough month of April, but luck has not been on his side and he has found much more success in May, attacking the strike zone with some of the best stuff in the org. His mid 90s fastball has poor shape, but should be playable around the edges of the zone. The mid 80s sweeper is not only his best pitch, but is one of the best pitches in the entire org. He mixes in a curveball, changeup, and cutter that can all be weapons if he can command them. Still just 23 years old, Raya has the potential to be an electric reliever if he can find some consistency.
John Klein’s fastball spiked up last year as he broke out in Double-A Wichita. His fastball has been fringy, sitting mid 90s with deadzone tendencies, but we’re yet to see him in a true one-inning relief role, where I think we could see him run it up to 100 and have some real success. His changeup has been his best putaway pitch and should be successful in the majors, sitting mid 80s with great depth. His curveball sits around 80 and gets solid two-plane movement. Cutterish slider grades out fairly well but has been crushed this year. At 24 years old, Klein is a strike-thrower with average stuff. Fastball development will determine how good he can be as he eventually settles into more of a traditional relief role.
At just 19 years old, Quentin Young is putting up some of the most impressive raw power that we have ever seen at Single-A Fort Myers, and he’s making encouraging swing decisions in his first year as a pro. His hit tool is in critical condition, but the potential is immense if he can just make enough contact. He’s playing mostly short right now, but his rocket arm and good-not-great range and athleticism will likely push him to third base or right field. Extreme volatility, but the power potential is enough to put him inside the top 20.
After an incredible 2025 season, Gabriel Gonzalez cooled off this spring and is showing shades of Brooks Lee as a hitter. The hit tool that is supposed to be the highlight of his skillset is looking average. Swing decisions are improving, but I still don’t see him doing much in the walk department. While he has average raw power, high ground ball rates are going to limit his true power output. Defensively, he is a fringy outfielder who is now spending most of his time at first base with the Saints. Still just 22 years old with plenty of time to grow, but his profile is one that tends to fail at the major league level.
Kala’i Rosario mashed all summer in 2025, but is back in Double-A this year with the logjam of outfielders in the upper minors. He has hit tool concerns, but is a patient hitter with plus power and showed off improved speed in 2025, stealing 32 bags. Rosario has a solid arm and is playable in right field. Projects as a solid platoon outfielder with some real offensive upside.
Acquired in the Chris Paddack trade last July, 20-year-old Enrique Jimenez has done nothing but hit so far in the Twins’ system. He has some natural whiff given how much elevation he has in his swing, but he’s a pulled fly ball machine and has posted a massive power output because of it. He’s also a very patient hitter who has posted a walk rate over 22% with the Mighty Mussels. Jimenez is a bit short for first base at 5’9” but has a solid arm and there is hope that he can develop into a solid major league catcher.
Kyle DeBarge hasn’t had a good start to the season in Double-A and has seen spikes in strikeout and whiff rates, but he has a mature approach and continues to tap into more power. He’s been heating up throughout May, and assuming he will run into more contact, it could turn out to be a good summer for DeBarge. He’s a reliable middle infielder who can move around the field and provide value both defensively and on the bases. Being an average big league hitter would make DeBarge a lot of money.
It is a lost season for Eduardo Beltre, who suffered a season-ending knee injury after just 16 games at Single-A. Still, there is a lot to be excited about as the 19-year-old has posted a max EV just shy of 110 while contact and swing decisions have been good enough to let the power play. Beltre is a solid athlete with a good arm and projects well as a corner outfielder.
It was a tough spring for 23-year-old Jose Olivares, who began the season on the injured list and then was immediately pushed to Double-A for the first time after a quick rehab assignment in Single-A. Still, Olivares has an excellent mid 90s fastball with elite carry. He complements it with a solid cutter and changeup, both in the upper 80s. Mixes in an occasional curveball. He’s worked in a hybrid role this year, pitching roughly 3 innings every 4-5 days. Command has been the main issue for him this year, and while major league starter is pretty much out of the question at this point, he has big upside out of the bullpen, especially if we can see his fastball push into the upper 90s in one inning stints.
Alejandro Hidalgo’s stuff is looking better than ever in 2026 as he has struck out over a third of the batters he has faced between Double-A and Triple-A. His fastball has been barrelled this year, but it has strong characteristics in the mid 90s with carry. His changeup and cutter are both strong pitches that have generated elite whiff rates. While the results haven’t been there for Hidalgo, he is ripely 23 years old and has the potential to be a high-leverage bullpen arm.
C.J. Culpepper has settled into a bullpen role in Triple-A and been one of the more reliable relievers for the Saints lately. He has a lower release point that gives his mid 90s fastball extreme sinking action, generating high ground ball rates while his sweeper and slider have big whiff potential if he can locate them. While command is sporadic, Culpepper keeps the ball around the zone and has enough movement to consistently miss barrels. His movement profile and command tendencies remind me of Kody Funderburk, who has shown flashes of dominance, but hasn’t been consistent enough to maintain a big league role. We’ll see if Culpepper is any different.
After a couple of injuries shortened Billy Amick’s 2025 season, he has transitioned really well into Double-A this year. Lots of strikeouts and whiff this year for Amick, but it comes naturally with the extreme loft in his swing. He’s getting the ball in the air more than ever this year, maximizing his raw power, which is flirting with plus territory. He’s also making excellent swing decisions and drawing walks at a good clip. 23 years old and could be headed to Triple-A this summer if he keeps hitting well. Corner infield defense continues to develop. Fringy third baseman who is more likely to settle in at first.
Since being drafted out of high school in the 6th round last year, Bruin Agbayani has only played 15 games in the Twins’ system due to a couple of injuries, but he has already shown off intriguing tools at 19 years old. His contact skills are looking impressive, posting zone contact rates over 90%. He has an extremely patient approach and has an incredible 16 walks to 6 strikeouts so far in Single-A. He has shown very little pop, but at 6’2”, there is reason to believe he could grow into some playable power. He’s an above-average runner and has solid actions defensively, but likely ends up at second base or left field due to his below average arm.
Khadim Diaw is repeating High-A after an injury-riddled 2025 season, and is a good athlete who looks like he could play a solid backstop while spending time in a corner outfield spot. He is a patient and contact-oriented hitter with limited power. His development as a utility catcher with some speed and a high-OBP skillset could make Diaw a fun and valuable player at the major league level.
Matt Barr’s professional career started with a broken arm, but the 20-year-old righty possesses exciting stuff and will be a big name to watch the rest of the season. After dominating JuCo for two years, Barr committed to Tennessee but chose to sign with the Twins, who drafted him in the 5th round last year. He is a tailor-made high-leverage bullpen arm, having some command concerns but running his fastball into the upper 90s with a slider and curveball in the 3,000 RPM range.
While Santiago Castellanos has seen very limited action this year, he carved up the DSL at just 16 years old last year, posting a 2.79 ERA and 29.8% strikeout rate in 29.0 innings. He leads with a low 90s fastball with good carry and some armside run. He has the makings of some good breaking balls, featuring a sweeper in the upper 70s and a harder slider in the mid 80s. Also already has a good feel for his mid 80s changeup. Albeit undersized at 5’10”, a good feel for command and a strong four-pitch mix are making 17-year-old Castellanos an intriguing starting pitching prospect.
Ben Ross has found something offensively this season, dominating Double-A’s Texas League in April and carrying his success up to Triple-A with the Saints. While he’s making very strong swing decisions and posting career-high walk rates, Ross has fringy power and questionable contact skills. Much of his offensive success this year has come from consistently finding the barrel against inferior pitching, and I don’t see much offensive upside in the majors. The value here is coming defensively, where Ross has good speed and actions, playing all over the field at a high level. Ross is freshly 25 and if the Twins can find some utility in his bat, there is serious value here.
It’s an aggressive ranking for the 18-year-old lefty outfielder, but Jhomnardo Reyes has been one of the best hitters in complex ball, showing off his impressive raw power along with much improved swing decisions and encouraging contact skills. He’s 6’3” with some speed and a good arm, suited well for corner outfield. The power potential is immense and may be enough to carry his profile, even if the hit tool doesn’t get there.
Kyler Fedko broke out in Double-A last year and has carried it to St. Paul this season. At 26 years old, he’s mashing in Triple-A thanks to an aggressive AirPull approach. He has average raw power with a fringy hit tool and an aggressive, chase-heavy approach. I question if his bat will translate to the major league level. Meanwhile, Fedko is an average runner who is a fine corner outfielder. Not much upside to dream on, and at 26 years old, there likely isn’t much room left for development.
Luis Fragoza is a guy that I need to keep a closer eye on throughout the summer. Signed in 2024 with really steady production in rookie ball. He got the call to Single-A towards the end of May and has absolutely crushed it. Steady and simple swing with some big loft and impressive power to all fields. He’s sitting on a 104 90th and 110 max EV in his first taste of Single-A at just 19 years old. He is running average contact rates and has been on the more aggressive side. He’s a solid athlete who has split time between all three outfield spots and will likely end up in a corner. Development of the hit tool will be key for Fragoza as a prospect, but the power is already very exciting.
Of all the 2025 draftees pitching in Fort Myers right now, Reed Moring is the one that intrigues me the most. Moring never really pitched in length at UC-Santa Barbara, but is working 3-5 inning stints at Single-A now and is showing off a deep arsenal of quality pitches. He leads with a low 90s fastball with good carry. His mid 80s slider is sharp and has posted solid whiff rates despite being thrown in the zone a lot. Mid 80s changeup gets excellent depth and plays off the fastball very well. Mixes in a curveball and a cutter. Moring is struggling to find the balance between too many strikes and not enough strikes right now, but he’s 21 with promising stuff. If the fastball can sneak up into the mid 90s, then we’re really looking at a mid-rotation arsenal.
Ricardo Olivar finished May with a significant knee injury and will be out for the foreseeable future, but was off to a strong start in his first taste of Triple-A at age 24. He’s a fringy catcher who has also spent a lot of time in left field. Offensively, he is an aggressive hitter with extreme chase tendencies. He has an impressive bat with above average contact skills and some solid pull-side power, but likely needs an altered approach if he wants to have success at the major league level. Olivar is a talented hitter, but with the knee injury, chase-heavy approach, and lack of a true position, all while creeping up on 25, there are a lot of factors working against him.
Much like Santiago Castellanos, Geremy Villoria is a 17-year-old right-hander who has looked the part so far in rookie ball, although Villoria is a bit more of a projection. He’s 6’2” and has shown a good feel for command. Fastball is sitting around 90 with good carry and can morph it into a sinker with big armside run. He throws a slower slider around 80 with some sharp late break and strong spin rates. Solid feel for a mid 80s changeup with good depth. Villoria already has some strong traits, and if he can get the fastball closer to the mid 90s, there is mid-rotation potential.
Standing at 6’11”, Jason Reitz is such an absurd profile that it almost feels like it has to work. The fastball sits in the 92-95 range with deadzone tendencies. He has a handful of secondaries, including a pair of breaking balls in the mid 80s with average shape and spin. He also has tested a curveball in the low 80s, but the key to success may be his upper 80s changeup that strong movement on both planes and will be incredibly difficult to barrel at that attack angle. There are questions about his command and the stuff looks average right now, but Jason Reitz has a level of funk that can only be matched by a few pitcher in MLB. He creates tough angles that hitters aren’t comfortable with, and if the stuff can improve, that’s only going to help.
There was a collective gasp from Pirates’ fans on Saturday evening when second baseman Brandon Lowe was unable to exit the field under his own power after a deflected foul ball met his kneecap in Atlanta. Luckily for Pittsburgh and for Lowe the temporary scare is as bad as it’s going to get as no major injury was sustained.
General Manager Ben Cherington revealed on Sunday ahead of the team’s contest against the Braves that Lowe had not suffered any kind of significant injury.
“Tests last night were negative for any sort of fracture,” Cherington said. “He got hit pretty good, he’s pretty sore and right now, we’re looking at this as a day-to-day thing and hopeful that we’ll see him back in there against the Dodgers at some point.”
Despite Cherington describing Lowes’ situation as day-to-day, it took less than 24 hours for “Bam Bam” to be right back in the mix. In a tight contest against the Braves, Lowe told Pirates’ manager Don Kelly that he was “good to go whenever” in the event that the team needed a pinch hitter. Kelly took Lowe up on his offer in the top of the ninth, as the injured second baseman pinch hit to lead off the Pirates in the last frame. Despite not being able to walk off the field less than a day before, Lowe came up big in his relief appearance, as he crushed a double into deep right field. Cruz was the pinch runner for Lowe, and despite the Pirates’ loss, the team wouldn’t have likely been in such a good position were it not for Lowe stepping up.
Kelly was complimentary of Lowe postgame.
“Huge after last night,” Kelly said. “He came up with a big hit.”
The team is hopeful that Lowe will be able to contribute in the team’s upcoming series against the Los Angeles Dodgers, as he’s been one of the team’s top contributors on offense. This season the 31-year-old is slashing .252/.336/.522 and has 15 home runs. Without Lowe in the lineup, the Pirates would be missing their best power hitter of the season, and after being swept by the Braves, they need all the help they can get in the runs department.
Lowe avoiding a major injury is huge for his season and the success of the Pirates moving forward, especially considering the history he has with being sidelined. In 2023, Lowe had a very similar injury to his right knee when a deflected foul ball resulted in a fractured right-patella that ultimately ended his season prematurely. For the past four seasons in a row, Lowe has experienced some kind of injury that has kept him off the field for significant amounts of time. 2022 saw Lowe miss 97 games because of lower back tightness and a right tricep contusion.
The Pirates have a day off before their home series against Los Angeles gets underway, and Lowe is hopeful that the time off will have him feeling prepared to play against the Dodgers.
“This off-day lining up the way that it is is probably the best timing I could have ever hoped for, following something like this,” Lowe said. “Hopefully, my kids take it easy on me tomorrow and we show up on Tuesday ready to rock.”
Aaron Judge is such an impactful player, the New York Yankees must figure out how to recreate themselves without him.
And will they face an identity shift, or an identity crisis?
The Yankees lost three of their first five games without Judge after the 6-foot-7 slugger and three-time MVP was lost for several weeks with a stress fracture of the first rib on his right side. Now, they face a key six-game road swing to Cleveland and Toronto that may answer the question everyone's wondering: How good are they without him?
The Yankees slid one spot to No. 5 in USA TODAY Sports' power rankings, as an already muddled AL field gets even further complicated. That's not to say the Yankees will get pulled back to the pack. They'll simply have to lean a little more on a starting rotation that ranks fourth in the AL with a 3.12 ERA. And continue getting contributions from players like Jazz Chisholm, on a 19-game heater (four homers, .919 OPS).
And hope for positive updates on Judge.
A look at our updated rankings:
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: MLB power rankings: Aaron Judge injury has Yankees in identity crisis
Cardinals quarterback Jacoby Brissett wants a new contract and has skipped the team's voluntary offseason work, but he plans to show this week for mandatory minicamp.
Brissett will be in attendance, but it's unclear how much on-field work he will do, according to ESPN. If he were to skip mandatory minicamp, the Cardinals could fine Brissett $107,911.
Last offseason, Brissett signed a two-year, $12.5 million contract with the Cardinals. Heading into the second year of the deal, Brissett is due a salary of $4.9 million, of which $1.5 million is guaranteed.
This year, quarterback Gardner Minshew signed a one-year, $5.8 million contract with the Cardinals, and almost all of that is guaranteed. The Cardinals reportedly view Brissett as the starter and Minshew as the backup, at least until rookie third-round draft pick Carson Beck is ready to start, and Brissett may be questioning why his backup has a bigger guarantee.
Whether the Cardinals are willing to give Brissett the contract he wants remains to be seen, but now that the work is mandatory, Brissett is ready to get to work.
New York Post | Joel Sherman: Speaking of the Yankees playing without Judge, even despite his absence and the Yankees being a bit subpar of late, they still moved into a tie back atop the AL East with the Rays. The reason that they were able to do that and why they might be able to withstand Judge’s injury to some degree is this: the American League as a whole is not particularly strong.
MLB.com | Bryan Hoch: Aaron Judge may be out for the next little while, but he was still present in the game on Sunday…in a way. Jazz Chisholm Jr. borrowed one of Judge’s bats and used it to hit a three-run home run that turned a close game into a comfortable win over the Red Sox. It wasn’t just for fun either, as Chisholm said that he believed using one of Judge’s heavier bats would help him in that particular spot.
MLB.com | Aiden Stepansky: Last year’s Yankee third-round draft pick Kaeden Kent has a degree of notoriety for more than just being good enough to be a high draft pick: he is the son of Hall of Famer Jeff Kent. However, if he keeps up what he’s done so far in June, he’ll make a name of his own. Kent has been hot of late while playing for High-A Hudson Valley.
Reuters: Having struggled mightily this season, Yankees’ catcher Austin Wells was placed on the IL as he deals with “cervical headaches.” Wells talked with the media on Sunday explaining that these headaches have been building up for a while, and the IL stint was need to let his brain “catch up.”
A bizarre sequence had the Orioles fuming during their 6-4 loss to the Blue Jays on Sunday after what looked like an inning-ending double play turned into a catalyst for a Toronto rally.
The Orioles had a 4-1 lead in the sixth inning at Rogers Centre when Ernie Clement reached base on a fielding error by Gunnar Henderson that placed runners on the corners with one out.
That’s when Brandon Valenzuela came up to the plate and hit a ball up the middle to Henderson, who looked as though he reached out to tag the baserunner and then made the throw to first.
Baltimore thought that Clement had run out of the basepath and would be called out for doing so, but instead, second-base ump Nic Lentz called Clement safe, believing that the runner had altered his path in order to allow Henderson to make the play.
The Orioles were livid with the call and more so when it allowed Kazuma Okamoto, Andrés Giménez and Nathan Lukes to drive in runs.
Righty Shane Baz came out of the game after Okamoto and Giménez got hits, and as he did, the pitcher shouted toward the umpire, “You f–ked up,” according to Jomboy Media.
“The only reason I’m not going to talk about that play is because I will get fined,” Baz told reporters following the game, according to the Associated Press. “That’s the only reason.”
Henderson told reporters that he “felt like, not a great call.”
Speaking with a pool reporter after the game, the umpires expanded on the rationale for the call.
“The runner has the right to establish his basepath, and so Clement had established his basepath to avoid the fielder from potential interference,” Lentz said, according to the Baltimore Banner. “Even though Henderson reached out for a tag, Clement’s basepath was already established out there, going to the second base, so therefore it was not out of the baseline.”
Crew chief Hunter Wendelstedt went as far as to describe the decision to alter the basepath a “very gentlemanly thing to do.”
“He was getting out of the way to allow the fielder to make the play toward first base,” he continued. “It just so happened that, you know, then they tried to spin it to get two, but his [Clement’s] basepath was already established, and it was not trying to get out of that.”
Orioles manager Craig Albernaz said the umpires had told him it was because there wasn’t enough of a tag attempt by Henderson.
“I think when you stick your glove out to tag somebody, that’s an attempted tag,” Albernaz said following the game. “There’s no rule about how far you have to extend your arm to tag somebody.”
