Baseball News
Let’s enjoy the final game at Dodger Stadium this June.
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The Mariners will try to avoid a sweep today at the hands of the Red Sox, who have stacked three lefty starters to force the Mariners into using their weaker right-handed lineup.
It’s also Father’s Day. Pregame the Mariners were wearing these Taylor Swift Eras tour-inspired shirts. Most featured the Moose as the central image but some of the pitchers had ones with Bryce Miller (Bryce, for his part, opted for just the regular Steelheads compression shirt).
Lineups:
It’s a scheduled day off for Colt Emerson, who doesn’t have a hit in this series and looked visibly frustrated after some of his at-bats last night after going 0-for-3 with three strikeouts – uncharacteristic for the young infielder both at the plate and as a player who tries to stay even-keeled.
News:
It looks like Randy Arozarena is tracking towards an on-time return from the IL. He’s eligible to come off it on Tuesday.
Game information:
Game time: 1:10 PT
TV: Mariners TV: Goldsmith, Mentink. Rowland-Smith
Radio: 710 AM Seattle Sports: Rizzs and Hill
Happy Sunday, folks! The Red Sox are playing at a reasonable hour tonight after two straight wins that started after 10 pm EST. If they win, it will be their third series sweep of the season, and first of a non-AL Central team. Of course, they were immediately swept following each of the sweeps. At the same time, they head to Colorado to face the hapless Rockies next, before going back to Fenway to face the Yankees. If there ever were a time to build some momentum and turn this ship around, this would be the road trip to do it. Win six straight and have some energy on a Friday night against the Yankees — why not? Payton Tolle gets the ball against Logan Gilbert today — a top-tier pitching matchup.
4:10 pm EST first pitch on NESN and WEEI.
The Orioles will look to take the series today with Brandon Young on the mound at Dodger Stadium. The team let Friday’s game slip away and nearly lost control in the ninth inning last night. Can the Orioles manage to secure a drama-free victory, or are the Dodgers due for a dominant win?
Taylor Ward will bat leadoff and play left field for Baltimore. He’ll be joined in the outfield by Colton Cowser (center) and Leody Taveras (right). Coby Mayo will bat fifth and serve as the DH against right-handed starter Emmet Sheehan. Jeremiah Jackson will play second, Gunnar Henderson will take short, and Blaze Alexander will head to the hot corner.
Samuel Basallo will catch the day game despite starting behind the plate last night. The Orioles placed Adley Rutschman on the 7-day injured list, and Craig Albernaz will decline to send out backup backstop Sam Huff.
Young (5-2, 3.18 ERA) has given the Orioles a chance to win almost every time out. Dean Kremer and Cade Povich are both starting rehab appearances today, so Young would benefit from another solid outing.
Orioles lineup
The New York Rangers have agreed to terms with goaltender Dylan Garand on a two-year contract extension.
The first year of the deal is reportedly a two-way contract worth the league minimum salary of $850,000 at the NHL level, while the second year is a 1-way contract for the league minimum of $900,000.
Garand was selected by the Rangers in the fourth round of the 2020 NHL Draft, and he’s spent much of the past seasons in the American Hockey League playing for the Hartford Wolf Pack.
The Rangers finally gave the 24-year-old goalie a look toward the latter half of the 2025-26 campaign, as he started in three games, recording a 2-0-1 record, 1.62 goals against average, and a .948 save percentage.
“It was great, such a good experience,” Garand said of his time with the Rangers to close out the season. “Obviously, waited my whole life for an opportunity like this, and yeah, it was everything I dreamed of.”
Now, with Jonathan Quick officially retired, this new contract extension positions Garand well to take over the backup goaltending vacancy left by Quick.
Rangers president and general manager Chris Drury confirmed during his exit interview that Garand will be considered for the backup goaltending position.
“As far as Dylan, I couldn’t be happier for him, coming up and playing as solid as he did,” Drury said. “I was excited about what we saw, and we're certainly looking at him and among other options as to see who could be backup.”
Hello from Chase Field in Phoenix! As I take in this weekend series in the desert, let me set up the final contest with my stream-of-consciousness thoughts on this uncommon Minnesota Twins opponent (I’m sure I’ll have more informed opinions when I return!):
The Arizona Diamondbacks were an expansion club in the 1998 season. After struggling (65-97) that inaugural year like so many new clubs do, they immediately jumped to 100-62 in 1999, reaching the NLCS before losing to the Subway Series-bound New York Mets. Having four sluggers (Jay Bell, Matt Williams, Luis Gonzalez, & Steve Finley) eclipse 25 homers and seeing pitching staff ace Randy Johnson post a 9.1 WAR campaign (17-9, 2.48 ERA, 12 CG, 271.2 IP, 184 ERA+, 1.02 WHIP) were the primary drivers of such a quick turnaround.
They got over the hump in 2001 by pairing the Big Unit (10.1 WAR) with Curt Schilling (8.8 WAR) and riding those dual horses to the World Series. My personal story about that Fall Classic is driving back from a weekend of deer hunting in Bemidji, MN the night of Game 7. Despite arriving dog-tired from days of tromping through the woods, I had to stay up to see the season’s conclusion. I’m glad I did—it was a doozy…
After another wonderful (98-64) season in ‘02 that saw them swept out of the ALDS by the WS-bound San Francisco Giants, the D-Backs wandered the proverbial (perhaps literal, in this case) desert for the next two decades. They’d pop up every once in awhile with a solid campaign but never make it deep into October.
Twins fans may recall Jason Kubel crushing 30 bombs for the Snakes in ‘12 (see header image) or Eduardo Escobar jacking 35 taters for AZ in ‘19.
But personally, despite a fantasy baseball affinity for their notable masher Paul Goldschmidt, I can’t say I followed the Diamondbacks too closely those years.
Somewhat inexplicably considering their pedestrian 84-78 record and final NL Wild Card berth in 2023, Arizona swept the Brew Crew in the WC Round, swept division-rival LA in the NLDS, and nipped Philly in a 7-game NLCS to advance to the World Series. Despite two-stepping out of Texas at 1-1, the D-Backs were then swept at Chase Field by the Rangers.
Arizona hasn’t been back to the playoffs since, though they are certainly in the mix so far in 2026.
Like I said, I’m sure I’ll have more stories/pics when I return to the Land of 10,000 Lakes. But for now, let’s hope I’m able to cheer for a visitor victory before they return home to duke it out with the Los Angeles Dodgers (yikes).
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The Arizona Diamondbacks made the following roster moves. The D-backs’ 40-man roster is at 40.
I thought the bullpen chart had misfired and not loaded any data for yesterday’s game. But it’s actually accurate. The only relievers used were Diaz and Abner, who are both no longer on the active roster, plus position player Ildemaro Vargas. The currently active bullpen all got the day off, not something you often see when your team conceded 16 runs the previous day. I do feel slightly badly for Abner, who gave the team 2.2 scoreless innings. But having thrown 44 pitches, he would have been dead space in the bullpen for several days. Hence the return of Kohl Drake instead, who like Cabrera, will be making his major-league debut.
Be fun if they both did so in the same game. From what I can see, the last time the D-backs had two debuts on the same day was on April 1, 2019, when Merrill Kelly and Jon Duplantier both made their first appearance in the majors. Meanwhile, Diaz may be toast. His ERA is 94.50, tied for third on the franchise single season list. Edgar Gonzalez had a 108.00 ERA in 2005, and Matt Koch had an undefined ERA in 2017, allowing three runs without retiring a batter. The math nerd in me is amused by the exponential progression of Diaz’s ERA. 3.81 in 2024, became 9.00 last year, and now 94.50 this year. If he pitches in 2027… I dread to think.
Cabrera is actually in his 6th professional season, though if you’ve never heard of him, that’s probably not a surprise. He is not to be found on MLB Pipeline’s top 30 Arizona prospects list, and was listed at #48 on Fangraphs pre-season rankings. He’ll likely have the advantage of surprise, since I doubt the Twins will have much in the way of advanced scouting information on him, but whether he can spin that into a decent outing, will have to be seen. He only needs an ERA of 6.00 to be better than Zac Gallen, so the bar for “success”, at least in relative terms, isn’t exactly high.
Today’s game is on Peacock. You have fun with that. I have to go get a haircut and call my Dad (it’s not Father’s Day in Scotland, but the principle stands, I guess), so we’ll see. Or maybe won’t see. Memo to guest recapper TheRealRamona: cancel that Instacart subscription on game completion. 🤔
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The Pittsburgh Pirates are in Denver for the series finale of a weekend series against the Colorado Rockies.
The Pirates want to finish their road trip on a high note and are giving the ball to Jared Jones for his fifth start of the season. In his last appearance on June 15 against the Athletics, Jones pitched just four innings, giving up five earned runs in an 11-2 loss in Sacramento. Jones is still recovering from missing all of 2025 with Tommy John surgery, and he’s slowly getting back into the groove of things. Perhaps a game against the Rockies, who boast one of the league’s worst records, is what he needs to get back on track.
The Rockies are countering with Michael Lorenzen, a 12-year veteran who is in his first year with the Rockies. Things have not gone off to the greatest of starts for Lorenzen, who is 2-8 to start the year in 15 starts with the team. His last appearance against the Chicago Cubs was one of his better outings, giving up just one earned run on five hits in five innings. The Rockies fell short in the later innings and lost 5-4 at Wrigley Field.
A win would make this a successful road trip for the Pirates going into the off day, so they need to put their best foot forward on Father’s Day.
Location: Coors Field, Denver, CO
Broadcast: KDKA AM/FM, Sportsnet Pittsburgh
Pitching Matchup: Jared Jones (1-1, 6.23 ERA) vs. Michael Lorenzen (2-8, 7.13 ERA)
BD community, chime off in the comments section below.
Be ready to bust out the brooms on a sunny Father’s Day afternoon. After back-to-back nights with nail-biting conclusions in the ninth inning, the Colorado Rockies are somehow on the verge of sweeping the Pittsburgh Pirates out of Denver. It’s the first day of summer, the forecast is for clear skies and high temperatures, and the ball might be flying with today’s pitching match-up.
Right-handed veteran Michael Lorenzen has struggled through the spring with the Rockies. His 12 home runs allowed are the second-most among the pitching staff and his ERA has been below 6.00 just once so far. He has especially struggled at Coors Field with an 8.44 ERA over seven starts.
However, Lorenzen might finally be turning a corner. The 34-year-old is coming off of his best two starts of the season—interestingly enough both against the Chicago Cubs. In both starts—one on the road and one at home—Lorenzen gave up just one earned run with minimal walks and at least five strikeouts while working for five innings.
Right-handed pitcher Jared Jones will be on the bump for the Bucs this afternoon. Jones is making his fifth start of the season after completing his rehab from Tommy John surgery, which robbed him of his 2025 campaign after a promising 2024.
Jones enters today’s game with a 6.23 ERA and four home runs allowed, but 18 strikeouts over 17.1 innings of work. His last outing came against the Sacramento Athletics, where he worked four innings and gave up five earned runs on eight hits—two of which were home runs.
In two career starts against the Rockies, Jones has given up six earned runs on seven hits with a home run and has struck out 16 batters in 11.2 innings. His primary pitch is a high velocity four-seam fastball that averages 98.8 MPH and he backs it up with a slider, a changeup, and a curveball.
First Pitch: 1:10 pm MDT
TV: Rockies.TV
Radio: KOA 850 AM/94.1 FM; KNRV 1150 (Spanish)
PiratesSB Nation Site:Bucs Dugout
Lineups:
For the visiting Pirates:
And the home Rockies:
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Welcome to Waiver Wire Watch, our weekly fantasy baseball waiver wire guide. We'll be doing things a little differently this season, with Eric Samulski publishing the initial waiver-wire article on Friday afternoon. Then James Schiano updates it every Sunday to make sure you get the most up-to-date information.
The premise of the article is pretty straightforward. We'll give you some recommended adds each week based on recent production or role changes. When we list a player, we'll list the category where we think he’ll be helpful or the quick reason he’s listed. We hope this helps you determine whether the player fits your team's needs. Not every "trending" player will be a good addition for your specific roster.
To qualify for this list, a player needs to be UNDER 40% rostered in Yahoo! formats. We understand you may say, “These players aren’t available in my league,” and we can’t help you there. These players are available in over 60% of leagues and some in 98% of leagues, so they’re available in many places, and that can hopefully satisfy readers who play in all league types.
⚾️ Baseball is back on NBC: MLB returns to NBC and Peacock in 2026! In addition to becoming the exclusive home of Sunday Night Baseball, NBC Sports will broadcast MLB Sunday Leadoff, “Opening Day” and Labor Day primetime games, the first round of the MLB Draft, the entire Wild Card round of the postseason, and much more.
(PLAYING TIME OPPORTUNITY, HOT STREAK)
Goldschmidt's roster rate has been soaring upwards, but it's still under 40%, so he can stay here. In 38 games since May 1st, the veteran is hitting .324/.378/.577 with 10 home runs, 32 RBI, and a 9.5% barrell rate. He is playing much every day at first base or DH and will continue to get extra playing time with Aaron Judge sidelined for the next 6-8 weeks and the Yankees having fewer outfield spots to juggle. He hits near the top of the Yankees' lineup, which is good for run production. He needs to be added most everywhere now. Josh Bell - 1B, MIN (13% rostered) is another veteran who is remaining fantasy relevant. As Bell has aged, he has become more dependent on pulled fly balls for production, which has led to a streaky season from him. We're in the middle of a hot stretch now, but expect a cold stretch to come soon as well.
(EVERYDAY PLAYER, POWER-SPEED UPSIDE)
Butler has started six of seven games entering play Sunday after Brent Rooker's injury freed up some playing time for the Athletics. He had a home run, stolen base, and scored four runs on Friday night in a chaotic game out in Sacramento and will enjoy one of the league's best hitter environments while he's in the lineup. He's a great power, speed option moving forward despite a catastrophic season thus far.
(STARTING JOB, BATTING AVERAGE UPSIDE)
Clemens' roster rate has climbed 9% this week, but he's still qualified for this list. Over his last 30 games, Clemens has been the best hitter on the Twins not named Byron Buxton. He's batting .271/.301/.551 with seven home runs, 18 runs scored, 18 RBI, and one steal. Clemens also has a career high 13.3% barrel rate and a solid 44% hard-hit rate this season. Some of that success has come from dialing back how often he was looking to pull the ball in the air. Even though his overall pull rate is similar to last year, his Pull Air% has fallen from 23.2% to 19.3%, and his opposite field rate has gone from 17% to 27.1%. Clemens has also shortened his swing from 7.3 feet to 7.1 feet. While that’s not a major difference, it may be helping him against four-seam fastballs. Last year, he had a -16 Run Value against four-seamers, hitting .158 with a .289 slugging percentage. This year, he has a Run Value of 1 and is hitting .246 on fastballs with a .475 slugging percentage. Much of this production looks real.
(HOT STRETCH, POWER UPSIDE)
We had Canzone here last week, and the roster rate has climbed from 16% to 26%, so he's still eligible. He hits the ball hard, so he's always going to find stretches where he's producing and needs to be added in a lot of places. Over his last 30 games, he's hitting .325/.404/.663 with seven home runs, 15 runs scored, and 13 RBI. He will sit against lefties, so that's something to factor into the math, but he's slated to face only one lefty next week, which is good news. We were infatuated with Garrett Mitchell - OF, MIL (6% rostered) earlier in the season, but there were some major contact concerns. While much of that is still present, he is on a hot streak, hitting .325 over 10 games in the last two weeks with two home runs, eight runs scored, and six RBI. He has the plus raw tools to take a gamble on.
(STARTING JOB, POWER UPSIDE)
Vaughn's roster rate has dropped this week, likely because he isn't playing every day. Still, he has started three of the last four games and five of the last seven. If he were a left-handed hitter, nobody would blink at him sitting against lefty starters and playing 75% of games. Over the last two weeks, he's gone 12-for-29 (.414) with one home run, five runs scored, and nine RBI. Yes, the power may take some time to come back, but a hitter swinging the bat like that is going to force his way into the lineup.
(BATTING AVERAGE UPSIDE)
Will Smith is not yet ready to come off the IL with his neck inflammation, so we may get another week of Rushing as the Dodgers' starting catcher. He may have cooled down from his torrid start to the season, but he's hitting .286/.388/.429 with one home run, six runs scored, and four RBI over his last 15 games. That, and his presence in this lineup, makes him worth rostering in one-catcher leagues while Will Smith is out. Joe Mack- C, WAS (3% rostered) has also been producing lately, hitting 9-for-27 over his last nine games with two home runs and seven runs scored. He's still more of a defensive catcher, but the bat isn't nothing, and Endy Rodriguez - C, PIT (2% rostered) is starting to grab more playing time away from Henry Davis. Rodriguez has gone 7-for-25 (.280) over his last 10 games with two home runs and three RBI. He was a former top prospect before two years of injuries and could be worth a gamble.
(STARTING JOB, STOLEN BASE UPSIDE)
Samad Taylor was called up from Triple-A when Nick Castellanos was designated for assignment and has hit the ground running (literally), going 12-for-33 (.364) with eight runs scored, eight RBI, one home run, and four steals in nine games. Those stats are great, but he also had just a 27% hard-hit rate in Triple-A and a league-average 85% zone contact rate. He’s hitting the ball on the ground 60% of the time with the Padres and has the speed to beat out infield singles, so the batting average and stolen bases could be there, but he’s a career .250/.313/.327 hitter in 118 MLB plate appearances, so don’t expect him to keep producing at this level. Tyler Callihan - 2B/OF, PIT (2% rostered) would be another option for deeper formats since he has earned regular playing time with the Pirates. He's hitting .313/.436/.625 in 14 games with two home runs and six RBI. Keep in mind, he was hitting just .223 with a 27% strikeout rate in Triple-A this year, but he has been a productive hitter in the Reds' minor league system before, so we'll add in deeper formats and see how long he can produce.
Sunday update: Taylor went 4-for-8 between Friday and Saturday with three runs scored. He hit second for Padres in each game and is slotted to hit lead-off on Sunday. Profile aside, there's plenty of value in that.
(STOLEN BASE UPSIDE, HOT STREAK)
We expected Nunez to be a burner who gave you little else, but he's now hitting .280/.325/.360 over his last 25 games. That comes with just 12 runs scored and nine RBI, but also seven steals. If he's going to hit for this kind of batting average, or really even like a .250 average, then his stolen bases are going to be really valuable in fantasy formats.
(POTENTIAL CALL-UP, POWER UPSIDE)
We like to get ahead of prospect stashes on the waiver wire, and it might be time for Baez to wind up as your stash. He had a four-home run game earlier this week and then crushed his 24th home run of the season on Thursday. The 22-year-old leads the entire International League with 24 big flys in 64 games. That also comes with 12 stolen bases to create a nice power/speed combo. There are some lingering concerns about his contact since he’s struck out nearly 31 percent of the time at the Triple-A level this season, but when you have that kind of power and speed, you can still produce fantasy goodness. You could look to stash Yohandy Morales - 1B/3B, WAS (2% rostered), who is now up to 15 home runs and 45 RBI on the season to go along with a .325 batting average and a .962 OPS in 63 Triple-A games. He’s ready for a chance at big league pitching, but with Curtis Mead playing well at third base, the Nationals will need to use Morales as a DH or a first baseman.
(REGULAR PLAYING TIME, POST HYPE UPSIDE)
It's been a slow start for Dominguez since coming off the IL, going 3-for-17, and also having to get a tooth pulled. However, we know the type of talent that he has, and all three of those hits were for extra bases, including a home run. He's going to play regularly with both Aaron Judge and Trent Grisham sidelined, so don't be scared off by the slow week.
Sunday update: Dominguez had two hits apiece on Friday and Saturday. On Friday, he jumped up to the second spot in the Yankees' lineup and Saturday stuck in there against a left-handed pitcher. This is a golden opportunity for him to prove himself as an everyday player and that volume alone makes him intriguing for us.
(STARTING JOB, STATCAST DARLING)
It seems that Blaze Alexander may have finally won himself a starting role. After putting up strong production in a part-time role, Alexander has started five straight games for the Orioles and seems to have supplanted Coby Mayo at third base. He appeared in Eric’s article last week on hitters to target based on their May resultsbecause, since May 1st, he's been the best hitter on the Orioles, slashing .384/.426/.545 with 18 RBI, 12 runs scored, two home runs, and five steals in 110 plate appearances. He's making better-than-league-average contact in the zone with a better hard-hit percentage than league average as well. There is an intriguing profile here, but it's more of a deep league add right now until playing time emerges.
Sunday update: Alexander sat on Friday, but was back in the lineup on Saturday and drove in two runs with a double. He started at shortstop while Gunnar Henderson was the DH and Mayo got the start at third. There's a lot to like here if Alexander can fully take this job.
(RECENT HOT STRETCH, POWER UPSIDE)
It took a little while for Bolte to get going at the MLB level, but over the last two weeks, he's hitting 14-for-42 (.333) with two home runs, two steals, and six runs scored. Of course, the Athletics have played in either Sacramento or Las Vegas for every game since June 7th, so that's certainly something to keep in mind. However, Bolte had improved his contact rates in the minors this season, and that seems to be carrying over. There is swing and miss in his game, so this may not be the smoothest ride, but it's fun right now. You could also add Cole Carrigg - OF, COL (16% rostered), who has produced power with three home runs in his nine MLB games, but has gone just 7-for-33 otherwise. The Rockies have three games at home this upcoming week and then all seven games at home the week after, so that could lead to decent power production.
(OFF THE IL, UPSIDE POTENTIAL)
Jordan Lawlar is back from the 60-day IL after fracturing his wrist and got right back in the starting lineup. Much like Dominguez, it's been a slow week, with Lawlar going 4-for-20 with three runs scored and two RBI. However, he has just a 3/2 K/BB ratio and has stolen three bases in five games, so there is still production coming. Expect his bat to heat up soon too.
Sunday update: Lawlar is back on the injured list with a hamstring strain. This guy just can't catch a break.
(EVERYDAY PLAYER, POWER-SPEED UPSIDE)
Shaw has started six straight games in right field since Moisés Ballesteros was sent to Triple-A and Seiya Suzuki shifted back over to designated hitter. He homered on Saturday and has hits in four of five games since taking over a starting spot. There's still plenty of potential in his bat and at worst, he should contribute stolen bases and a high contact rate as a multi-eligibility player.
(PROSPECT CALL-UP, MODEST UPSIDE)
The Brewers called up Cooper Pratt this week to turn the shortstop reins over to their young prospect. The 21-year-old was slashing .241/.349/.386 batting line in Triple-A, which is not exciting, but he had been hitting better prior to his call-up. He's also gone 3-for-9 in his first three games with two RBI and one steal. Eric recorded a video this week with more thoughts on Pratt’s fantasy upside.
Sunday update: Pratt stole two bases over the weekend and should be a solid option for anyone out there who needs stolen bases.
(OFF THE TIL, STATCAST DARLING
Nootbaar is another boring outfielder who is set to come off the injured list following offseason surgery on both of his heels. We know that you've been waiting for that Nootbaar breakout for a long time, but he remains a solid/productive player who should be in an everyday role on a solid Cardinals team. In 12 games since coming off the injured list, he's hitting .268 with two home runs, seven runs scored, and six RBI. He's a productive player and will continue to settle in. Speaking of boring outfielders, Lane Thomas - OF, KC (2% rostered) is getting more playing time thanks to Jac Caglianone moving to first base with Vinnie Pasquantino hurt. Thomas has three home runs in his last 12 games and has been a player to get hot in the second half before. He could be worth a gamble in deeper formats.
(EVERY DAY PLAYER, GOOD SCHEDULE)
Karros has been quietly productive over the last month, hitting .303 in 26 games with three home runs, 15 runs scored, and 10 RBI. As the son of an MLB player, he has a good understanding of the strike zone and a disciplined approach at the plate. The power isn't tremendous, but the batting average could be pretty good in Coors Field. However, this is also an add for schedule. The Rockies play three games at home this upcoming week, but then all seven games at home next week. It could be a good time to add Rockies players to get ahead of that.
(PROSPECT HYPE, RECENT CALL-UP)
Christian Moore got the call on Thursday with Mike Trout landing on the injured list. He weirdly played left field, which doesn't make much sense since he was playing mostly third base in the minors. The 23-year-old had made some real adjustments at the plate in Triple-A, making more contact and better contact, and was slashing .333/.468/.585 with nine homers, 45 RBI, and 10 stolen bases in 252 plate appearances. We're not sure why the Angels would throw a new defensive position at him along with a call-up. Still, this is a highly talented young hitter who's getting another shot. We should probably give him one too.
Sunday update: Moore has struck out seven times in his first eight plate appearances and made each a base running and defensive miscue over his first two games. Then, he was out of the lineup on Saturday. The Angels do things differently than most other big league clubs, so keep a close eye on Moore's role as it evolves.
Kolek has been on a good run of late, so this is just a situation where you're going to keep riding it until the wheels fall off, which they likely will. Kolek isn't overpowering, but he wins with command and limiting hard contact with a deep pitch mix that includes six pitches he'll throw at least 10% of the time. You can feel comfortable using him when he's rolling like this, and we'd start him against the White Sox next week, but just be sure to jump off the ride if it starts to wobble.
Man, we wished he pitched in a different ballpark. Jump has pitched to a 2.37 ERA and 0.99 WHIP in 30.1 innings since being called up. His fastball, which dominated in the minors, hasn't missed the same kind of bats at the MLB level, so his strikeout rate is down a bit, but he has plus raw stuff and is pitching well, so we're happy to keep rolling him out there next week in San Francisco.
Imai is coming off his best start as a big leaguer after striking out 11 Guardians on Friday over six inning and allowing three runs. His famous backwards slider was diabolical, forcing 17 swings-and-misses while working firmly as his primary pitch. He commanded it excellently both low and below the zone as well as fading away from the Guardians’ left-handed hitters. Most impressively, Imai had let up three runs before the third inning was over and it looked like this was going to turn into yet another start that went off the rails. However, he composed himself and dominated from that point on retiring the final 11 batters he faced. So far, his two-pitch approach hasn’t fared particularly well and we must remember that this Guardians’ lineup sans José Ramírez and a handful of other starts is one of the weakest in the whole league. Still, that slider looks like it can truly carry him when it’s on like it was tonight.
We're just going to keep banging the drum for Jax. We don't love that short leash, but it had never been that short before, so maybe the Rays are just being cautious for a short stretch, like they did with Drew Rasmussen last summer, when he had like four straight starts where they pulled him at four innings. Jax has a deep pitch mix and has managed to maintain velocity even when moving out of the bullpen. This is the profile of a pitcher who should deliver for your fantasy teams, and he gets the Royals for his next start, and we're going to keep believing.
Sunday update: Jax got the win against the Nationals on Friday after allowing two runs over five innings and striking out five batters. His changeup forced seven whiffs against an almost all-left-handed lineup and looked dominant at times. He has all the tools to be a successful starting pitcher. Just keep an eye on his workload because the Rays have still been reluctant to let go around the lineup three times.
Melton has not had the strikeout numbers that we hoped to see when he came off the injured list, and he was recently scratched with lower back soreness, but it appears he'll make a start this weekend. He has a 2.81 ERA and 1.01 WHIP in his first four starts, which he has done with great control of a solid 97 mph four-seamer, plus a good slider and cutter. He also pairs that with a sinker, curveball, and splitter to give him a deep arsenal that we can dream on. If he comes out of this weekend's start healthy, you can look to add him where he's available.
Sunday update: Melton quelled his injury concerns with a strong start on Saturday going six innings and allowing one run against the White Sox with five strikeouts and three walks. His fastball, curveball, and slider each forced three whiffs and his cutter helped neutralize the lefties. He is a solid, sturdy starting pitcher.
We've had Pallante in this article a few times because his velocity is up, he has more vertical movement on his four-seamer, and he has always had a good slider. Now he gets a solid two-start week against Arizona and Miami. This is not likely to be an add for the rest of the season (unless you're in deeper formats), but he's commanding the ball well now and has a good schedule, so let's let it ride.
Gomez has been really good since joining the Twins and has emerged as their clear closer. Eric recorded a video with some detailed thoughts this week.
Sunday update: Gomez pitched a scoreless ninth inning on Saturday in a blowout win for the Twins. He remains their clear closer despite not having a save chance since Monday.
Taylor had a mediocre outing against the Dodgers this past week, which has inflated some recent stats, but he has looked really good all season. We know you only want to add him if he's the White Sox closer, but he has more value to their team as a high-leverage reliever. That still makes him a great add for ratios and the stray win or save here and there.
Assad is pitching pretty well right now and gets the Mets next week. That's about it. He threw seven pitches in his last start against the Rockies and got just two whiffs. His command has been fairly mediocre in his last few outings, and he doesn't have overpowering stuff, so we don't love this play, but if you're in a deeper formats, these are the plays you kind of need to gamble on.
Mick Abel struck out five while allowing one earned run over five innings on Tuesday in his final rehab start for Triple-A St. Paul. He threw 44 of 61 pitches for strikes and seems set to come off the injured list this weekend. We still have some concerns about his health, but he was so good before getting hurt that we'd rather have those concerns with him on our bench.
Sunday update: Abel suffered a setback in his recovery from elbow inflammation and is no longer expected to return this week. He is expected to get an MRI this week, so keep an eye on his status.
It's your yearly stretch of Manaea being fantasy-relevant. He's throwing around 92 mph with his four-seamer again, which is usually when his results click in. If he has that velocity and keeps the fastball up with the sweeper low in the zone, he's going to be effective. It's not a great start against the Cubs, but they've been scuffling a bit, and Manaea has had long stretches of production before, so we might be in one.
Alvarado has two of the last three saves for the Athletics and seems to have emerged as the right-handed closer to be paired with Hogan Harris. Alvarado has a fastball that can touch 103 mph and looks the part of a dominant closer when he's on. There have been some command issues in the past, but he took steps forward last year as well, so we don't mind this as a spec save gamble.
Sunday update: Alvarado helped calm down a wild game on Friday night where the Athletics outlasted the Angels 12-11 in 10 innings. It took him just 21 pitches to throw two scoreless innings — including in the 10th with the ghost runner on second base — and wound up with the win. He remains a quality closer spec.
We know the recent stretch hasn't been kind to Anthony Kay, but he just faced the Phillies, Dodgers, and Yankees in consecutive starts, which is pretty brutal. Over that stretch, his ERA jumped from 3.77 on June 1st to 4.61 now. We're choosing to blame the schedule more than anything. He gets a two-start week this week against the Guardians and Royals, which are two offenses we don't really fear. We'd prefer this in deeper formats, but we could see it working out in 12-team leagues as well.
This remains a bet for the future. This offseason, Eric wrote about Seymour as one of his favorite late-round starting pitcher targets,which you can read here for full thoughts on his arsenal, and then he went ahead and lost a rotation spot to both Steven Matz and Nick Martinez. After getting blitzed out of the bullpen in the first game of the season, Seymour has been good for the Rays, and is now getting a chance to start again. The stuff hasn't looked as crisp, as Eric wrote about in his streaming starting pitcher article, but there is upside here.
Sunday update: Seymour had a so-so start against the Nationals on Saturday allowing three runs and seven hits over five innings with four strikeouts and zero walks. His fastball changeup are a solid duo, but he didn't command his sweeper as his third weapon and it was hit hard as a result. We still like him as a deep league option with long-term upside.
The Dodgers have no more home games remaining in June after Sunday, as they start a nine-game road trip on Monday against the Minnesota Twins at Target Field in Minneapolis. This is the fourth consecutive series for Los Angeles against American League teams.
Left-hander Eric Lauer gets the ball in the series opener, making his fifth start since joining the Dodgers. Lauer has a 3.22 ERA and 4.24 xERA with Los Angeles, with 14 strikeouts and five walks in his 22 1/3 innings. He’s lasted at least 5 2/3 innings in three of the four starts, and the Dodgers have won all four of his starts to date.
Minnesota scored seven runs in 5 1/3 innings off Lauer on April 11 when he was pitching for the Blue Jays. That game was at Rogers Center in Toronto.
The Twins are under .500 this season, but through Saturday have won five of their last six games, and are 20-19 at home. Zebby Matthews starts for the home team in the series opener.
TODAY’S GAME: The Houston Astros (36-42), who have won three of their last four series, will play the rubber game of their three-game set with the Cleveland Guardians (41-36) today in a Father’s Day matinee at Daikin Park.
RHP Kai-Wei Teng (3-6, 4.31 ERA), who tossed 2.2 scoreless innings against the Guardians back in April, will get the start for the Astros today opposite RHP Slade Cecconi (3-5, 4.60 ERA) and the Guardians.
MY WAY OR THE KAI-WEI: RHP Kai-Wei Teng has split his season between the bullpen (13g) and rotation (8 starts), posting a 4.31 ERA (26ER/54.1IP) and a .232 opponent average with 58 strikeouts in 54.1 innings pitched.
Teng is new to the Astros, as he was acquired from the Giants this offseason in exchange for minor leaguer C Jancel Villarroel.
A native of Taiwan, Teng is the second Taiwanese-born player to appear with the Astros in their history, joining RHP Chia Jen-Lo, who made 19 relief appearances with the Astros in 2013.
A MONTH OF WINNING: Over the last month, dating back to May 21, the Astros have gone 16-11 (.593), which ties as the fifth-best record in the Majors and is the second-best record in the AL.
Top Records since May 21 (AL)
1. Yankees 16-9 (.640)
2. Astros 16-11 (.593)
3. Blue Jays 16-12 (.571)
VS. THE GUARDIANS: The Astros and Guardians have played each other in the regular season 102 times in their franchise histories, with the two teams splitting those matchups with 51 wins apiece.
Those games have also been evenly split in Houston (26-26) and Cleveland (25-25), which includes a 23-23 record at Daikin Park.
RACKING UP K’S: The Astros have struck out 62 batters through 45.0 innings in five games this homestand, which are their most strikeouts in any five-game span this season.
In 2026, Astros pitchers rank fifth in the AL in strikeouts (671), while their opponent today, the Guardians, rank first with 707.
PEN PALS: Since May 15, the Astros bullpen has a 2.78 ERA (36ER/116.2IP) with 112 strikeouts, a 1.02 WHIP and a .190 opponent average.
Among AL teams since May 15, the Astros bullpen ranks first in ERA, first in WHIP, and first in opponent batting average.
The Astros are also 19-14 since May 15.
LAST NIGHT’S TRADE: Announced last night, the Astros acquired minor leaguer 1B Cameron Sisneros from the Cubs in exchange for RHP Jayden Murray.
Sisneros, 25, has split the 2026 season with Double A Knoxville and High A South Bend in the Cubs organization, batting a combined .265 (44×166) with eight doubles, six home runs, 37 RBI and an .840 OPS (.419 OBP/.422 SLG).
STREAK SNAPPED:DH Yordan Alvarez had his 25-game on-base streak snapped last night by going 0x3. In the streak, which ran from May 22 – June 19, Alvarez hit .366 (34×93) with nine homers, 24 RBI, 16 walks, a .459 OBP and a 1.158 OPS. This ranks as the fifth-longest streak of his career and his longest since the 2024 season.
BACK WITH A VENGEANCE: Since SS Jeremy Peña returned to the lineup on May 18, the Astros have gone 17-13, while Peña has hit .295 (33×112) with four doubles, six homers, 18 RBI and an .851 OPS in 30 games. Prior to that date, Peña played in only 10 of the Astros first 48 games of the season, with the Astros going 19-29 in those contests.
MY BOY BLU: RHP AJ Blubaugh struck out the side in a perfect 1.0 inning of relief last night, giving him five consecutive scoreless appearances (9IP), in which he’s struck out 11 batters with a .103 (3×29) opponent batting average. Blubaugh has been on a strong run since April 11, going 2-0 with a 2.29 ERA (10ER/39.1IP) in his last 25 appearances.
TODAY IN ASTROS HISTORY: 1973 – In a 12-2 win over the Padres, 1B Lee May becomes the second player in club history to hit three HR in a game. 2B Tommy Helms adds a grand slam. RHP Ken Forsch goes the distance for the win. A young LF Dave Winfield hits his first Major League homer for the Padres.
Game Info
Game Date/Time: Sunday, June 21, 1:10 p.m. CT
Location: Daikin Park, Houston, TX
TV: SCHN
Radio: KBME 790 AM & 94.5 FM HD2; TUDN 102.9 FM HD2 (Spanish)
The St. Louis Cardinals will return to Kauffman Stadium Sunday after a day off thanks to World Cup activities in Kansas City. The Cardinals will ask Dustin May to be the best version of Dustin May as he gets the start Sunday afternoon. He’ll be up against RHP Stephen Kolek who’s 4-1 on the season for the Royals. First pitch scheduled for 1:10pm central time and the game broadcast will be available on Cardinals.tv.
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After an extremely rare Saturday off day, (thanks World Cup), the Royals, winners of three straight contests will try and sweep their in state rival, the St. Louis Cardinals. After the Cardinals won the first two matchups, the Royals have won the last three, already clinching a season series tie.
Stephen Kolek will get the start today for the Royals. Last Sunday, Kolek threw 7.1 scoreless innings against the Astros in a 4-0 victory. Over 8 starts with the Royals this season, Kolek has thrown 50.1 innings, with a 2.68 ERA and a 4-1 record. Kolek started the only game the Royals won in St Louis, going 6.1 innings, allowing 4 hits, no runs, 1 walk and striking out 3.
Bobby Witt Jr. is still out of the lineup, but Matt Quatraro said he is feeling and moving around better, he will be reevaluated before tomorrow’s game in Tampa Bay. Maikel Garcia is back in the lineup; he is batting second and playing shortstop.
Here is the rest of the Royals starters in today’s contest.
The Cardinals have lost three in a row, and 6 of their last 10 games. Dustin May will start for them today. May just threw a complete game shutout against the Padres, allowing just one hit. May did start against the Royals in St Louis, in that start he went 6 innings, allowing 4 hits, 3 runs, walking 4 and striking out 3.
Here is the Cardinals lineup behind May.
Both teams will be saluting to the Negro Leagues, wearing special hats, honoring their city’s negro league teams. The Royals are 32-45 on the season, they are 9 games back in the division, and 6 games back of the final wild card spot.
First pitch for today is set for 1:10 p.m. CT, the game can be watched on Royals.TV.
San Diego Padres @ Texas Rangers
Sunday, June 21, 2026, 1:35 PM CDT (105.3 The Fan / Rangers Sports Network)
The Shed
RHP Lucas Giolito vs. RHP Nathan Eovaldi
Go Rangers!