PHOENIX, ARIZONA - JUNE 06: Jacob Young #30 of the Washington Nationals reacts after hitting a triple against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the seventh inning at Chase Field on June 06, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. Nationals won 6-1. (Photo by Norm Hall/Getty Images) | Getty Images
With back to back convincing wins against the Diamondbacks, the Nationals are back above .500. They have also made up all the ground they lost in the Wild Card race, sitting just one game back of a playoff spot on June 7th. The fact that the Wild Card is even worth mentioning speaks to the craziness of this turnaround.
#ICYMI: BIG BIG Series: The Washington Nationals’ May surge is real: 2nd in the NL East, 1 game back in the Wild Card, and an offense that leads MLB in runs, home runs and extra-base hits.
James Wood is leading the way, Keibert Ruiz is catching fire, and the Marlins are next.… pic.twitter.com/NUySjMGDDg
— TheNatsReport 🇺🇸 ⚾ (@TheNatsReport) June 1, 2026
Since 2021, the Nats have never truly been in the hunt this deep in the season. Now, we are just one game behind the Padres, Pirates and Cubs in a crowded National League. I wish the Nats were in the American League because the playoff race in that league truly feels like a race to the bottom. Right now, the 31-33 Rangers hold a playoff spot.
As a whole, the National League is the much stronger one this year. You can see that in the records. NL division leaders are 45-24 against the AL, while AL division leaders are only 31-29 against the NL. The Nats would only be one game back in the AL West right now, despite being 11 games out of their own division.
There are a lot of good teams in the National League, and the Nats have fared well against those opponents. The Padres and D-Backs are in the Wild Card hunt, and the Nats have now won series against both. They swept the Brewers earlier in the year and took a series off the Braves in Atlanta. This team has the firepower, but competing in this hard scrabble NL is tough.
If the Nats were in the AL, I would be more bullish on our postseason hopes. However, in this league, there are so many teams that are looking to win now. For me, a realistic goal is to stick close to .500. Staying in a playoff race is just a cherry on top.
I do think that being competitive is good for this team long term. Core players like Wood and Abrams have mostly just seen losing in DC. It is good for them to know what it is like to consistently win ballgames. There is a standard being set in DC, and the league is taking notice. Hopefully, this will make free agents want to play in DC moving forward.
A winning culture is sprouting, but the Nationals are also becoming a place where players can develop. These players are always looking to improve, and Washington, DC is full of success stories. Just look at Zack Littell, who was brutal to start the season after signing late. The Nats coaching staff and front office stuck with him, and after making adjustments, he is throwing the ball at a near elite level.
Zack Littell is 6-0 with a 2.27 ERA over his last seven appearances dating back to May 1. Quite the turnaround. Credit to Littell, the coaches, and analytics staff. 🤯 https://t.co/2oBd8uRZri
If you are a free agent hitter, you should also want to be coming to DC. Just about everyone on this team has gotten better. Curtis Mead has been a massive organizational win, finally living up to his prospect pedigree at 25 years old. Jacob Young has been turned into a power hitter, and Keibert Ruiz went from a lost cause to a solid starting catcher.
There are also young stars to build around here. James Wood has become one of the best players in the entire league this season. CJ Abrams also looks poised to become an All-Star starter. These are pillars of the franchise, and the next step will be building around those guys.
James Wood hit his 17th home run of the season. He leads National League outfielders in the next categories:
— Nationals Communications (@NationalsComms) June 6, 2026
The Nats are only one game back of a playoff spot in what was supposed to be a rebuild year. Really, I still think this is a rebuilding year. There are so many clear holes on the roster, yet this team is still succeeding. If they get into the playoffs this year, it would be a truly miraculous turnaround. However, I think this year is that season where the Nats finish around .500 and then build on it in the future.
For a long time, fans have wondered when the next version of that 2011 season would come. Despite going 80-81, that 2011 season was a very important one in Nats history. It was the year where fans felt like the rebuild was starting to push towards something. Playoff success and division titles felt like they were on the horizon.
In 2024 and 2025, Nats fans wondered if the next 2011 would come. However, both years, they fell short of that and remained deep in a rebuild. With a new regime coming in and trading MacKenzie Gore, the Nats felt further away from that than ever entering this season. However, on June 7th, the Nats appear ahead of schedule.
The new 2011 is finally here, and this offseason would be a good time for Mark Lerner and Paul Toboni to push their chips to the middle of the table. Now would be the time for that Jayson Werth signing and Gio Gonzalez trade. Let’s see how the rest of the season plays out, and just go along for the ride. The Paul Toboni/Blake Butera ride has been fun so far, and I am trusting the process.
ARLINGTON, TEXAS - JUNE 06: Jack Leiter #22 of the Texas Rangers pitches during the first inning of a game against the Cleveland Guardians at Globe Life Field on June 06, 2026 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by John E. Moore III/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Good morning, folks…
The Texas Rangers fell to the Cleveland Guardians last night by a score of 6-0.
May 30, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Mitch Keller (23) delivers a pitch against the Minnesota Twins during the first inning at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images | Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images
On a Friday night, the Pittsburgh Pirates lost 6-3 to the Atlanta Braves on the road. With that loss, a new issue is opening up for the team, and the issue is starting pitcher Mitch Keller.
Keller started the game, and he went 4.2 innings allowing seven hits, six earned runs and walking three batters. He threw 99 pitches in not even four complete innings of the game.
Friday night’s loss is not the first time we saw the 30-year-old pitcher struggle. The last game Keller pitched was on May 30 against the Minnesota Twins. In that game, he allowed 10 hits and seven earned runs in just four innings pitched.
The right-handed pitcher also had mediocre performances lately against the St. Louis Cardinals and the Colorado Rockies. In the game against the Cards, he allowed 4 earned runs in the 9-6 loss, and in the game against the Rockies, he allowed seven hits and six earned runs in a 10-4 loss against one of the worst teams in baseball.
The recent struggles bring up the tough question. Has Mitch Keller lost his touch ?
I think they do, which is not easy for me to say. Some of his most recent struggles are coming against non playoff teams like the Twins and the Rockies. To start the season, a lot of people believed that the Bucs had one of the strongest starting rotations in the Majors, but because of his mediocre performances of late, it looks like Keller is towards the bottom of the rotation.
Keller had two really solid seasons in 2023 and in 2024 for Pittsburgh. During his only All-Star campaign in 2023, he set a career-best in strikeouts (210) and innings pitched (194.1) while posting 13 wins and a strong 4.21 ERA. That year he cemented himself as the ace of the Pirates rotation.
Last year, Keller had a rough 6-15 record, but I thought a lot of those losses were on the struggling offense. His ERA last season was actually pretty solid at 4.19, and he had 150 strikeouts, which wasn’t bad either.
To start this season, he has a 5-3 record which is a little deceiving. Right now he has a 4.81 ERA in 13 games pitched, which is high. I don’t think Mitch Keller has been terrible, but he definitely has been disappointing of late after a decent start.
The Pirates also need to have Keller go longer into games. The former All Star hasn’t gotten past the sixth inning since May 1. With the bullpen still being shaky, it is important to have the starters go longer into their starts so the bullpen is relied on as much.
I like Keller a lot, and I don’t like that he has been terrible, but he is pitching as well as the team needs him to do right now. If the Pirates want to keep pace with the Milwaukee Brewers in the NL Central, they need the pitching to be better, and it starts with Mitch Keller.
Comment below if you think Mitch Keller has touch his touch on the mound.
Jun 6, 2026; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Seattle Mariners first baseman Josh Naylor (12) dives in safe at home ahead of the tag by Detroit Tigers catcher Dillon Dingler (13) in the third inning at Comerica Park. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images | Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images
Before Pride Night at Dodger Stadium last night, the Los Angeles Dodgers unveiled a new, permanent display honoring the lives of Glenn Burke and Billy Bean.
The trade deadline is now less than two months away, and some teams are having to come to terms that 2026 might not be their year. One such team is the Boston Red Sox, who have a surplus of catchers on their roster, as well as some effective arms in their bullpen. The Sox aren’t truly out of it (yet) but their upcoming schedule may solidify them as sellers within the next couple weeks.
I will talk from time to time about the “shape” of a win. As much fun as these come from behind, walk-off wins are, it would be okay to have some mundane wins too. It’s ironic that Bears quarterback Caleb Williams and Pete Crow-Armstrong have been publicly seen hanging out this year. The Bears set an NFL record for games in a single season in which they were losing in the fourth quarter and eventually won. The Cubs are leading major league baseball in walk-off wins. This was their eighth. Both teams have had a pretty special season in terms of come from behind.
In the long run, the problem is that these types of wins are often a little fluky. The win against the A’s happened, in part, because the A’s had used a lot of bullpen in securing a pair of one-run wins against the Cubs. I’m sure the Bears coaching and management staff would all say that if they have to rely on a lot of last-second wins in the upcoming season, they’ll probably struggle. Yes, there is something a team picks up in terms of confidence and standing up to pressure that comes from these wins. But as we saw in the couple of games where Williams and the Bears didn’t complete their comeback attempts, one bad bounce or one odd play can derail one of those games.
I’m reminded of the Cubs front office pointing out that the best teams aren’t necessarily the best in close games. The best teams win the most games comfortably and don’t have to sweat out one of those unfortunate bad plays. You want to build a model that builds a team that just straight out wins games. Unfortunately, this Cubs team and that Bears team weren’t really those teams. The margins were too close. Everything was necessarily a grind. So here we are. It’s not going to be easy or pretty. But this team is still in the hunt. In for a penny, in for a pound. Let’s take the journey.
A quick hat tip to most of the Cub pitching staff. Two runs allowed in 10 innings is an excellent performance. A homer off of Caleb Thielbar (who did strike out two of the three he faced) and Daniel Palencia’s rough ninth inning was really the only blemishes for the pitching staff. Everyone else was pretty superb. As is so often the case with games like this, there are very few contributions that you could take out of the stack and still see a Cubs win. Every little bit helps.
Three Positives:
I mean, this was Pete Crow-Armstrong’s game. Four hits, two of them homers. One tied the game in the sixth and one tied the game in the ninth. Very nice.
Ben Brown threw 5.1 innings, faced just 19 hitters and allowed a hit, a walk and hit a batter. He struck out five. I continue to think any path to staying competitive is going to look just like this 16-20 batters faced for the starter and get out of there. Don’t save bullets or worry about setting things up for facing a hitter three times.
Jacob Webb threw two scoreless innings. He did have to face eight hitters to get six outs, but he’s been a god send in the bullpen. With he and Brown both throwing, you saw the two most effective Cub pitchers so far in one game.
Game 65, June 6: Cubs 3, Giants 2 (34-31)
Reminder: Heroes and Goats are determined by WPA scores and are in no way subjective.
THREE HEROES:
Superhero: Pete Crow-Armstrong (.737). 4-5, 2 HR, 2 RBI, 2 R
Hero: Ben Brown (.310). 5.1 IP, 19 BF, H, BB, 0 ER, 5 K, HBP
Sidekick: Ryan Rolison (.308). IP, 2 K
THREE GOATS:
Billy Goat: Daniel Palencia (-.305). IP, 5 BF, 2 H, 0 ER, K
Goat: Nico Hoerner (-.175). 0-4
Kid: Alex Bregman (-.175) . 0-3, BB, K
WPA Play of the Game: Pete Crow-Armstrong’s game-tying, solo homer with two outs in the bottom of the ninth. (.489)
Giants Play of the Game: Bryce Eldrige singled with a runner on first and one out in the ninth, the game tied. (.186).
Cubs Player of the Game:
Game 64 Winner: Seiya Suzuki received 61 of 105 votes.
Rizzo Award Standings: (Top 5/Bottom 5)
The award is named for Anthony Rizzo, who finished first in this category three of the first four years it was in existence and four times overall. He also recorded the highest season total ever at +65.5. The point scale is three points for a Superhero down to negative three points for a Billy Goat.
Michael Busch +22
Ben Brown +11.5
Pete Crow-Armstrong/Michael Conforto +10
Carson Kelly +9.5
Ryan Rolison/Phil Maton/Jameson Taillon -8
Caleb Thielbar -9
Matt Shaw -10
Dansby Swanson -11
Seiya Suzuki -26.5
Win Pace: 84.7
Up Next: The third and final game of the series. Jameson Taillon (2-5, 5.13, 66.2 IP) starts for the Cubs. He’s allowed nine homers in his last four starts (21 IP). Last time, he was pretty decent over 6.1 innings, allowing two runs on six hits and a walk. Hopefully he can do that again. 25-year-old right hander Trevor McDonald (2-3, 4.50, 34 IP) starts for the Giants. Making just his seventh start of the year for the Giants, McDonald has lost his last three starts, allowing 12 earned runs in 15 innings of work.
It’s been a long time since the Cubs won a series. How about now?
San Diego Padres pitcher Jhony Brito (Photo by Michael Zagaris/Athletics/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Frustration best describes the San Diego Padres’ current stretch in the 2026 season. The team has lost 11 of its last 12 games and fallen into third place in the National League West standings.
The blame can go all around; the Padres offense has been non-existent since Opening Day. The starting rotation has created a mess by allowing games to get out of reach before the bullpen can put the fire out. The hope is that Jhony Brito can provide a much-needed spark, as he is on the verge of returning to the majors.
Canning and Giolito have been ineffective
The last two weeks have been disastrous for the Friars’ starting rotation. They have posted a 5.12 ERA over the last 12 games. The team finished May with a 13-15 record and enters June with a rousing 0-5 mark.
Both Griffin Canning (0-4 with a 7.16 ERA) and Lucas Giolito (2-1 with a 4.86 ERA) have been ineffective as replacements for Nick Pivetta and German Marquez in the rotation. Most of their outings start strong, only to unravel with a costly home run or a sudden loss of commanding the strike zone. Neither can recover to limit the damage, nor can they wiggle out of jams.
The frustration among the Friar Faithful is that both pitchers have regressed and fail to get key outs. Too often, they find themselves ambushed after challenging hitters with mistake pitches that major leaguers rarely miss.
Brito could make season debut in June
The Padres cannot squander too much more ground in the standings, as the call for Brito to come up cannot be too far away. He was activated from the 60-day injured list and optioned to El Paso. Brito completed his 30-day rehab window after missing last season for UCL brace and flexor tendon repair surgery.
The Friars split his rehab assignment between Peoria in the Arizona Complex League and the Friars’ Double-A affiliate, the San Antonio Missions. The results have been encouraging.
In six starts, Brito posted a 3.33 ERA over 24.1 innings pitched, but he threw between 50 and 60 pitches in each outing. His return to the majors is contingent on Brito restoring his arm strength during his current minor league stay.
Also, the Padres must monitor his walk-to-strike ratio, as his control has been outstanding thus far. Brito has thrown a heavy sinker, changeup, and the occasional fastball that limited hard contact in his rehab starts.
Adding stability to the starting rotation would be ideal, but not at the risk of Brito sustaining another arm injury. He may have an innings limit as part of the long-term recovery process. The front office must determine whether his value is greater in the bullpen or the starting rotation.
The clock is ticking on the 2026 season. The Friars cannot allow Canning and Giolito to string along more bad outings before making a change.
Dante Nori of the Reading Fightin Phils signs autographs during a Minor League Baseball game at TD Bank Ballpark in Bridgewater, United States, on April 19, 2026. (Photo by Dan Squicciarini/NurPhoto via Getty Images) | NurPhoto via Getty Images
It wasn’t exactly the type of night to brag about the hitting prospects that are on the farm for the Phillies, while two injuries occurred that are both something the team is going to want to be careful with in the coming days. Let’s see how the kids did.
Lehigh Valley 3, Rochester 2
Alan Rangel was the star for the IronPigs, going six innings on the mound and only allowing three hits on two runs, striking out eight. He’s seen his role changed quite a bit with the team, bouncing between starter and bulk guy depending on what the big league team wants/needs. Seeing as how he is basically their next points of depth, he’ll need to keep pitching well. For the offense, Bryan de la Cruz had two hits, including an RBI double while Christian Cairo also chipped in two hits.
Binghamton 4, Reading 1
Quite the display of offensive struggle, the Fightin’ Phils managed only one run on five hits as they were shut down by Rumble Ponies starter Jonathan Santucci. Erick Brito had two hits on the day, while Aroon Escobar drove in the only run for Reading with an RBI single. The biggest story of the game was Dante Nori needing to come out after coming up lame on a groundout.
Dante Nori was removed from Reading’s game following this groundout in the fourth inning tonight. He appears to pull up limping a little just before getting to the bag pic.twitter.com/UOAoM9BCMO
At least Nick Biddison had two hits, both being doubles. Because boy did the pitching struggle for the BlueClaws. Ryan Drombowski got smacked around in 3 1/3 innings, surrendering eight runs on seven hits. The bullpen did manage to get a few other outs, but Giussepe Velasquez gave up four more runs to seal the loss. Tough night.
St. Lucie 5, Clearwater 1
Speaking of concerning injuries:
Clearwater catcher Alirio Ferrebus left tonight’s game after being hit by this foul ball pic.twitter.com/us1admlydP
Well, I’d probably take the rest of the night off too if I was allowed.
Three hits was all that was produced by Clearwater, a sleepy night for the Threshers. The pitching wasn’t much to write home about either, so let’s just chalk this one up to one to be forgotten.
(Original Caption) New York Yankees star catcher, Thurman Munson was killed 8/2/79 in a crash of his private plane near Canton, Ohio, where he lived. Munson, 32, who recently got his pilot's certification, was practicing landings and takeoffs when the plane crashed 1,000 feet short of the runway of Akron-Canton Regional Airport.
On April 17, 1976, the Yankees made an announcement unlike any they’d made in over 40 years. For the first time since Lou Gehrig received the honor in 1935, the Bronx Bombers had a new captain. He was a man manager Billy Martin, known more for his temperamental clashing with players than his effusive praise of them, called “a born leader” on the occasion of his anointment. A player who, despite making four All-Star teams, winning Rookie of the Year honors, and earning three Gold Gloves, had his greatest glory ahead of him. The captaincy of baseball’s premier franchise was coming out of unofficial retirement for the great Thurman Munson.
Thurman Lee Munson Born: June 7, 1947 (Akron, OH) Died: August 2, 1979 (Summit County, OH) Yankees Tenure: 1969-79
Munson grew up in Canton, Ohio. As with many star athletes of his era, young Thurman excelled at football, basketball, and baseball, but it was the latter that won his heart. In particular, the art of hitting was his passion. Munson only began catching because he was the only player on his high school team who could handle a fireballing pitcher on the squad. He spurned several football scholarship offers to take a full-ride baseball scholarship from Kent State, where he’d make the College All-American team, hitting .413 his junior year.
The Yankees jumped on that offensive talent, selecting him fourth overall in the 1968 MLB Draft. Munson appeared to arrive to pro ball fully formed, hitting .301 in 71 games at Double A the very year he was drafted. He was even more dynamic in ‘69, hitting .363 for Triple-A Syracuse. That performance was too much for the Yankees to ignore. After a brief cup of coffee in August, the 22-year-old was called up on September 5th to start both halves of a doubleheader behind the dish. He collected three hits and took hold of the Yankees’ starting gig at backstop, a role he would not relinquish.
If 1969 was Munson’s stepping stone to the big leagues, 1970 was his coming out party. He hit .302 with 35 extra-base hits, a level of production at the catcher position that brought him to within one vote of unanimous selection for AL Rookie of the Year. The man who would garner (and, to some extent, foster) an image as a taciturn veteran later in the decade played the role of brash young phenom early in his career. “He was cocky in a good sense, very confident,” his teammate Fritz Peterson said. “He was so talented he could get away with it. He also had quite a sense of humor. All of the players liked him from the beginning.”
Munson’s ascent coincided with the Yankees’ best season since they reached the World Series in ‘64, as their new catcher helped lead them to 93 wins and a second-place finish in the newly-christened AL East. Over the following five years, Munson would prove his rookie season was no fluke. Between 1971 and ‘75, he slashed .284/.345/.408 while taking home three Gold Gloves. Perhaps even more impressively, he averaged over 140 games a year while manning baseball’s most physically demanding position. Munson was not bashful in outlining the catcher’s — and, by extension, his — importance to a baseball team.
“The catcher is the most important man in the game. He does the same kind of job a quarterback does in football. He directs the pitchers and calls the game for them. He must know the capabilities and weaknesses of each batter who comes to the plate. He also acts as kind of a field general because from his position he can oversee the entire field. Even more, he has the important duty of protecting home plate as the runner comes tearing in to try to make the score.”
However, his Yankees would not surpass the 90-win threshold again in those seasons. Amidst that stretch, George Steinbrenner would buy the Yankees from CBS, giving the franchise an ostentatious figurehead and an open checkbook. The Yankees began to see the fruits of new ownership in 1975, when the Boss signed Catfish Hunter to the first big-money free agent deal in baseball history and he won 23 games en route to a Cy Young runner-up finish.
It was the following season, with Munson entrenched as team captain, that the Yankees would take the next step, winning 97 games and taking the East. In a deep and formidable lineup, the 29-year-old almost always hit third and delivered, batting .302 with 105 RBI. That offensive performance, paired with his defensive ability and handling of a surging pitching staff, netted him the 1976 AL MVP, joining Yogi Berra and Elston Howard as the third Yankees catcher to do so.
Munson was a force in the ALCS against the rival Royals, hitting .435 in a series that came down to a decisive Game 5. In a back-and-forth affair that would end in a 7-6 Yankees victory, the Yankee captain collected two separate RBI base knocks that equated to the difference in the game. He was even better in the World Series, going 9-for-17, but the rest of his team would not follow as New York was swept by Cincinnati.
That offseason came with another encouraging announcement for Munson. Steinbrenner agreed to pay him $1.25 million over five years, making him the team’s highest-paid player. Munson disclosed at the time a verbal agreement that Steinbrenner would adjust the contract if needed to ensure he remained atop the team’s payroll no matter who they signed in the interim. It wasn’t much later that he learned of a free agent agreement that would pay veteran slugger Reggie Jackson between $3 million and $3.5 million over the same time period. This broken trust with Steinbrenner contributed not only to a rift in their relationship but the beginnings of a disdain for Jackson and a general calcification of Munson’s already ornery public persona.
The Yankees’ 1977 season would become the stuff of legend. Reggie and Billy fighting in the dugout at Fenway. Jackson’s infamous “straw that stirs the drink” interview. Billy refusing to bat Reggie cleanup. With the Bronx Zoo open for business, Munson may no longer have been the Yankees’ biggest star or most dynamic personality, but he continued to rake, hitting .308 and driving in 100 for the third straight year. It would be Jackson, who Munson had ironically nicknamed “Mr. October” early on the playoffs as he struggled, who rose to the challenge in the World Series, hitting three homers in the clincher and earning the derisive moniker in earnest. But Munson was his usual, reliable self, hitting .304 with a pair of homers to help the Yankees topple first the Royals and then the Dodgers for their 21st title.
The next year brought much of the same. Munson, now in his 30s, was slowed by a series of injuries, including sore knees, nerve damage in his thumb, and bursitis in his right arm. These issues sapped him of his power, as he hit only six homers, the fewest since his rookie season. Munson still hit .297 and appeared in 125 games behind the dish, providing a steadying force as the Yankees overcame a 14-game deficit and Martin’s mid-season departure to take the East in a thrilling, one-game playoff against Boston. In what would become known as the Bucky Dent game, Munson delivered a key RBI double in the seventh to provide some much-needed insurance.
He kept it going in the playoffs, hitting .302 as the Yankees once again defeated Kansas City and LA to repeat.
On August 2, 1979, with the Yankees in the midst of a disappointing campaign and while dealing with knee injuries that were making it difficult for him to catch every day, Munson went to the Canton-Akron airport to work on landings in his new Cessna twin engine jet. After earning his pilot’s license in the 1977 offseason, aviation had become a passion and an avenue for more easily visiting his family back in Ohio during the season. While attempting his third landing of the day, the Cessna clipped three trees before crashing and setting fire, taking the life of its pilot.
The tragedy sent the baseball world into mourning. The brash Steinbrenner, famous for his aphorism that winning was second in importance only to breathing, could not help but puncture that façade.
“There is very little I can say to adequately express my feelings at this moment. I’ve lost a dear friend, a pal and one of the greatest competitors I’ve ever known. We spent many hours together talking baseball and business. He loved his family, he was our leader. The great sport, which made him so famous, seems so very small and unimportant now. And there lies a great lesson for all of us.”
The Yankees continued to play, in part at the request of Munson’s widow, Diana. The captain’s funeral was held on August 6th in Ohio, with the full team in attendance and his close friends and teammates Bobby Murcer and Lou Piniella delivering eulogies. That evening, they returned to the Bronx to face the Orioles, with Murcer accounting for all five Yankees runs and walking off Baltimore in a cathartic victory.
After his untimely passing, Munson’s legacy has remained central for the team to which he devoted himself for 11 seasons. His number 15 was retired immediately after his death and a plaque was added in Monument Park the following year. His locker remained untouched until the Yankees moved to their new ballpark in 2009, at which point it was transferred to the stadium’s museum. A replica of the locker is also on display at the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown. Diana Munson remains a fixture of Old-Timers’ Day at Yankee Stadium, invariably receiving a strong ovation in memory of her husband. On what would have been his 79th birthday, join us in celebrating the extraordinary life of Thurman Munson.
See more of the “Yankees Birthday of the Day” series here.
Aug 2, 2025; North Augusta, South Carolina, USA; GreenJacket outfielder Eric Hartman (17) throws the ball during the Augusta GreenJackets and Carolina Mudcats game at SRP Park. The GreenJackets won the fifth game of the series 5-3. Mandatory Credit: Katie Goodale - Augusta Chronicle/USA TODAY NETWORK | Katie Goodale / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Saturday’s big story in the Atlanta Braves system seemed like it would be Tate Southisene making his High-A debut after being promoted earlier in the day – but one of his teammates stole the show, as Eric Hartman knocked two home runs and stole a base to continue his impressive run in Rome. Southisene’s High-A debut went about as good as anyone could have hoped for, while Manuel Campos and Jose Manon also had big games, and Hurston Waldrep made his second rehab start.
Austin Gomber got the start and went one out shy of a six inning start, allowing four runs on eight hits and a walk. Gomber also struck out five and picked up 10 whiffs before Anderson Pilar came in to get the final out of the sixth inning. Hayden Harris, Joel Payamps, and James Karinchak each threw a scoreless frame in relief, with Karinchak striking out each of the three hitters he faced.
Brewer Hicklen continued to lead the Stripers offense, as he went two for four with his 10th homer of the season and batted in four of the team’s six runs. Brett Wisely was the only other player with a multi-hit game, going two for four with a double, but Rowdy Tellez and Aaron Schunk each added doubles. Jim Jarvis was held out of the hit column in this one, but he did walk, score a run, and bat one in.
Rocket City Trash Pandas 2, Columbus Clingstones 1
Lucas Braun turned in his best start in Double-A this year, and possibly his best start overall. He went six shutout innings, allowing four hits and two walks with a season-high seven strikeouts to go with 12 whiffs. Jhancarlos Lara followed and allowed a run on a hit and two walks in the seventh, though he did strike out one batted and collected six whiffs. Tyler LaPorte picked up the loss, as he came in for the eighth and allowed an unearned run to score.
Ethan Workinger led the offense, going two for three with a walk and the lone run batted in. Logan Braunschweig added a double and scored the run, while David McCabe had a single and walk in the loss. Luke Waddell and Kevin Kilpatrick were the only other Clingstones to reach base, as each had a single.
Colin Daniel turned in a quality start, going six innings and allowing three runs on five hits and a walk. Daniel also struck out four and had nine whiffs, needing just 79 pitches to get his quality start. Things blew up from there, as Jacob Shafer came in and allowed three runs while recording just two outs. After a scoreless inning and a third from Justin Long, Drew Christo allowed an unearned run to come in during his inning of work.
Tate Southisene had a strong debut, but it was overshadowed by a monster night from Eric Hartman. All Hartman did was hit a pair of homers, walk, and steal a base in his four plate appearances. With these two solo shots, Hartman is up to 15 homers on the season, and his steal takes him to 25 bags stolen. Southisene reached base three times in five plate appearances in his debut, recording a double and a pair of walks. Colby Jones also added a homer, giving him three on the year. Both Isaiah Drake and Dixon Williams had base hits, and Williams had an RBI as well. John Gil was hitless in five at bats.
Delmarva Shorebirds 7, Augusta GreenJackets 3
Alex Lodise, SS: 1-3, BB, RBI, .247/.331/.388
Conor Essenburg, CF: 1-4, BB, .246/.380/.446
Luis Guanipa, RF: 2-4, .310/.358/.507
Zach Royse, SP: 5 IP, 7 H, 3 ER, 3 BB, 7 K, 4.56 ERA
Zach Royse turned in another solid start, allowing three runs on seven hits and three walks over five innings. He also struck out seven with 14 whiffs, bringing him to over a strikeout per inning on the season. Cristobal Abreu was next and he threw a scoreless inning, walking two and striking out one with four whiffs among his 18 pitches. Logan Forsythe also added a scoreless inning before Luis Arestigueta allowed four runs in just one third of an inning to break this game open for Delmarva. Styven Paez pitched the final inning and two thirds of scoreless baseball, and struck out four batters for the five outs he recorded.
Even without Tate Southisene the prospects at the top of the order were the catalysts for the Augusta offense in this one. Luis Guanipa had a two-hit day, while Conor Essenburg and Alex Lodise each singled and drew a walk, with Lodise picking up an RBI. Taking Southisene’s place was the recently demoted Cody Miller, who singled and batted in a run. The real star of the day was Cooper McMurray, who doubled and homered, and brought his OPS up to .703 – which is impressive as he was at just .488 after April. Michael Martinez also added a single, but did strike out in each of his other three at bats.
FCL Braves 4, FCL Rays 3
Manuel Campos, SS: 2-4, 3B, R, RBI, .264/.380/.407
Hurston Waldrep’s second rehab start also went two innings, just like his first one. Waldrep battled his command a bit, giving up two hits and three walks plus a wild pitch, but struck out hitters for four of the six outs he recorded. After Robinson Narciso allowed a run during his inning, normal starter Gensi Angeles came in and pitched five strong innings of relief, allowing a run on four hits and a walk with three strikeouts. That takes Angeles’ ERA to 1.98 through 27.1 innings – though his velocity being more upper 80’s has a bit of a limit on his ceiling despite his success. Yander Pinero pitched a scoreless ninth inning to pick up the save.
The star today on the hitting side was again Manuel Campos, who was two for four with a triple, run scored, and one batted in. Caden Merritt actually won the game when he hit a two-run homer in the bottom of the eighth to put the Braves ahead. Yamvier Carrero singled, stole a base, scored, and batted in a run, while Owen Carey walked and doubled in the win – joining Manuel Dos Passos, who singled and doubled, as players who had an extra base knock. Top prospect Diego Tornes was hitless in three at bats, but did draw a walk.
DSL Braves 12, DSL Cubs 10
Jose Manon, SS: 1-2, 2B, 3 BB, 2 R, 3 RBI, SB
Starlyn De La Cruz, CF: 0-2, 3 BB, R
Jorwin Pulido, DH: 2-3, 2B, BB, 2 R, 2 RBI
Cesar Navarro, SP: 4 IP, 4 H, 4 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 4 K
This game perfectly sums up what DSL baseball can look like. There were 22 runs scored on just 14 hits, with 10 errors and 18 walks. Started Cesar Navarro had glimpses of a solid start, but did allow four runs (two earned) over his four innings. Two scoreless innings from Ernesto Meza to finish this game off in seven innings was the biggest positive from the pitching side.
Top international signee Jose Manon continued to impress here, going one for two with a double, taking three walks, scoring a pair of runs, batting in three, and stealing a base. Catcher Jorwin Pulido got the start at DH and went two for three with a double, walk, two runs scored, and two batted in. Even Starlyn De La Cruz reached base three times, all via walks, and scored a run. Luis Fortunato singled three times in three at bats and drew a walk, while Osmar Torrealba singled and walked in his four plate appearances plus stole a base. The other key prospect here is Edelson Cabral, who was hitless in four at bats, but drew a walk and stole a base.
Jun 6, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks second baseman Ketel Marte (4) claps for Arizona Diamondbacks first baseman LuJames Grover (16) after a collision at first base against the Washington Nationals in the seventh inning at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Anna Carrington-Imagn Images | Anna Carrington-Imagn Images
If you’re single by the time you’re 30 in Germany, you’ll have to do chores.
Once an unmarried woman reaches her 30th birthday, they must clean the doorknobs of their best friends’. On the other hand, unmarried 30-year old men will get other cleaning chores. However, there is a way out: you can forego all the cleaning if someone of the opposite sex kisses you.
A giraffe cleans its ears with its tongue.
This is one of our most surprising did you know facts about these tall creatures. A giraffe’s tongue is over a foot and a half long or 21 inches. They also use their tongues to get around thrones and acquire the leaves they want to eat.
Mr. Potato head used to be made of actual potato.
When Mr. Potato Head was first released in 1952, the toy only included eyes, noses, and mouths. For the potato body, kids were expected to provide their own. However, due to the possible safety hazards of the sharp pieces, the plastic body was provided in 1964.
Mar 4, 2026; Glendale, AZ, USA; Detailed view of the jersey of Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Josue De Paula (95) against Team Mexico during a spring training game at Camelback Ranch. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
Catching up on some minor league news on a Sunday morning, earlier this week a pair of Dodgers minor leaguers won player of the month awards for May. Josue De Paula took home Texas League honors after the best month of his career, while Class-A third baseman Chase Harlan won California League honors for Ontario.
“As one of the youngest players in the Texas League, the lefthanded hitter is showing the same outstanding hittability and plate discipline, but now he’s turning on balls with more authority and showing that his prodigious raw juice will show up in games,” Josh Norris wrote at BA on Wednesday. ”He’s about as complete a hitter as you’ll find in the minor leagues.”
The 21-year-old De Paula in May hit .340/.410/.650 with a 173wRC+, 14 doubles, six home runs, 29 runs batted in, and 27 runs scored in 25 games for Double-A Tulsa, and also stole seven bases in eight tries. Twenty extra-base hits were eight more than his previous monthly best (May 2024), and his other previous best months were 28 hits (May 2025), 12 extra-base hits (May 2024), five home runs (May 2024), 20 runs scored (April 2025), and 16 RBI (May 2024).
Harlan in May hit .388/.481/.694 with a 185 wRC+ for Ontario, leading the California League in batting average and slugging percentage, with five home runs, seven doubles, two triples, 22 RBI, 16 runs scored, and 16 walks in 22 games.
He had a four-hit game on May 16 against San Jose, and homered in four straight games from May 24-28 against Inland Empire and Visalia.
The Dodgers’ third-round pick out of high school in 2024, Harlan is hitting .335/.455/.571 with a 157 wRC+ with 21 extra-base hits in 45 games for Ontario, and nearly as many walks (35) as strikeouts (39). He turns 20 on July 9.
May 23, 2026; Miami, Florida, USA; New York Mets shortstop Bo Bichette (19) speaks to first baseman Mark Vientos (27) after this at bat against the Miami Marlins during the sixth inning at loanDepot Park. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images | Sam Navarro-Imagn Images
Meet the Mets
The Mets fell to the Padres 3-2 at Petco Park. The Mets led in a tight contest for much of the night and Nolan McLean delivered a quality start, issuing just one run over six strong innings of work. But Austin Warren gave up a go-ahead, two-run homer to Freddy Fermin in the seventh and an unfortunate Juan Soto double play line out quashed a potential eighth inning rally for the Mets.
In a big blow to the Mets, Jorge Polanco’s rehab assignment was shut down when he experienced renewed soreness in his ankle. He will receive more imaging and be further evaluated as the Mets determine the best path forward for him.
Huascar Brazobán will start for the Mets today as an opener with Sean Manaea pitching behind him in bulk relief.
Johan Santana remains the only Mets pitcher to ever throw a complete game no-hitter. Will that ever change?
Mark Vientos will have to “compete for at bats,” Carlos Mendoza said in his pregame presser yesterday, citing a “healthy competition” between him, Jared Young, and MJ Melendez. The struggling Vientos started last night against the righty Griffin Canning and went 0-for-4 with three strikeouts, including one at the hands of Padres closer Mason Miller (also right-handed) to end the game with the tying run on base.
Young has been an unexpected spark for the Mets, especially given his recent power surge, writes Mike Puma of the New York Post.
Around the National League East
Dominic Smith continued his remarkable 2026 season with a home run to help lead the Braves to a 6-3 win over the Pirates.
Andrew Painter continued to struggle, surrendering six runs in 4.2 innings to doom the Phillies to a 6-3 loss to the White Sox.
Zach Pop, who the Phillies designated for assignment on May 30, cleared waivers and elected free agency rather than accept his outright assignment to Triple-A.
The current AL playoff picture means that almost nobody is truly out of it, but the Red Sox have good enough pieces to make selling at the deadline an attractive option, writes Jen McCaffrey of The Athletic.
On Friday the Dodgers unveiled a permanent display honoring LGBTQ+ trailblazers and former players Glenn Burke and Billy Bean in a pregame ceremony as part of the team’s Pride Night.
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - JUNE 06: Freddy Fermin #54 of the San Diego Padres rounds the bases after hitting a two-run home run against the New York Mets during the seventh inning at Petco Park on June 06, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Orlando Ramirez/Getty Images) | Getty Images
San Diego Padres rookie reliever Bradgley Rodriguez came into the game against the New York Mets in the top of the seventh inning with the game tied, 1-1. He faced Marcus Semien to start his relief outing and was ambushed on the first pitch of the at-bat. Semien hit a first-pitch solo home run to left-center field that just made it over the wall to put the Mets ahead of the Padres, 2-1. Rodriguez bounced back, getting outs from the next three New York batters, but with San Diego on a six-game winless streak, it appeared to be another minor mistake that would lead to another loss.
Freddy Fermin, who has been struggling on offense and defense in recent weeks, changed the outcome of the game with one swing of the bat in the bottom of the seventh inning. Fermin was 0-for-30 heading into what proved to be his game-winning plate appearance. With two outs and Sung-Mun Song on first base, Fermin hit the first pitch of the at-bat over the head of Mets left fielder Juan Soto and into the left field bleachers to put the Padres ahead, 3-2 on his first home run of the season.
Song, who was thrown out between third and home plate to end the bottom of the fifth inning, made an inning-ending play in the top of the eighth to keep San Diego in the lead. Jason Adam was on the mound to start the frame and recorded an out against the first batter he faced. With a one-run lead, he allowed back-to-back singles and New York had Soto coming to the plate with a chance to tie the game with a hit or give his team the lead with a home run. Adam got Soto to lineout to Song at second base. Song was running to his right when he caught the ball and was able to get enough on a throw to Xander Bogaerts who was at the base to double off the runner at second to end the inning.
Mason Miller came on for the bottom of the ninth inning and got the first two outs fairly quickly. He then walked A.J. Ewing but secured the win with a strikeout of Mark Vientos to give the Padres a 3-2 win and snap their six-game losing streak. San Diego will try to make it two in a row and win the series today at 1:10 p.m.
Padres News:
The Dominican Summer League is about to begin, and the Padres will be represented by multiple players. Cheri Bell of Gaslamp Ball tells you who and what to watch for this season.
Things were bad when the Padres could not find consistent offense with a healthy lineup. Things got worse when it was announced that Ramon Laureano would likely miss the rest of the season after hip surgery. That injury, combined with multiple pitching injuries, has Tom Krasovic of the San Diego Union-Tribune wondering if the Padres have enough to reach the postseason.
The Friar Faithful have continued to sellout Petco Park, which is a testament to how much they believe in the Padres, but they are tired of seeing their home team on the wrong end of the scoreboard. Kirk Kenney of the San Diego Union-Tribune says the fans have some ideas on how to end San Diego’s hitting woes.
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CLEVELAND, OH - MAY 30: Connor Wong #12 of the Boston Red Sox runs to first base after hitting an RBI double in the sixth inning during the game between the Boston Red Sox and the Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field on Saturday, May 30, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Sean Finucane/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Let’s hope that Garrett Whitlock is able to return to action when he’s eligible on June 9, because the Red Sox bullpen is dealing with a few injury issues. Jovani Moran has been placed on the IL with “a little inflammation on the elbow.” He’s been replaced on the roster by Alec Gamboa, who has a 3.66 ERA with Worcester so far this year. In more concerning news, Aroldis Chapman is dealing with a sore hamstring. “We think he should be good right now,” said Chad Tracy. “Obviously, you saw he was (moving gingerly Friday). We know that. If it got to a point where we feel like we can’t do it, we won’t do it. We’re always talking with Aroldis on that, too.” (Sean McAdam, MassLive)
Moran was recently seen as Brayan Bello’s opener, but that’s not a role the Sox need right now, with Bello having been demoted to AAA. And it’s not just flawed mechanics or pitch shapes that the Sox want Bello working on down there. “When I first got here, he was a guy that had this big personality, and always had a smile on his face, interacting with teammates,” said Red Sox chief baseball officer Craig Breslow. “You could tell just how he loved to compete and loved to pitch, and I think we lost that a little bit where he was putting a ton of pressure on himself to go out and perform.” (Ian Browne, MLB.com)
Let’s be thankful that Willson Contreras hasn’t had any big injury issues, or else this team would really be in rough shape. Contreras isn’t just someone who’s been performing on the field, either, but leading through the example of his fiery attitude. “He wants the game played the right way.” said Wilyer Abreu. “He brings that kind of energy to the field every day.” (Peter Abraham, Boston Globe)
It’s no secret that, should the Red Sox decide to sell at the trade deadline this year, both Contreras and Chapman will be likely candidates to head out the door. But they aren’t the only names being discussed right now. “With three catchers on the big-league roster — Carlos Narváez, Connor Wong and Mickey Gasper — Boston’s surplus is drawing interest. The Red Sox are shopping Wong in particular, according to a league source, and have also fielded calls on relievers Aroldis Chapman, Justin Slaten and Garrett Whitlock.” Now, I’m no big city CBO, but it’s hard for me to see a 30-year-old backup catcher with 4.4 career bWAR bringing much back, but sure, why not, go for it, Craig. (Jen McCaffrey, The Athletic)
