JUPITER, FLORIDA - FEBRUARY 17: Luis Gastelum #95 of the St. Louis Cardinals poses for a photo during the St. Louis Cardinals Photo Day at Roger Dean Stadium on February 17, 2026 in Jupiter, Florida. (Photo by Rich Storry/Getty Images) | Getty Images
C’mon, it was Father’s Day recently, humor me! Max Rajcic has done an admirable job coming out of the Cardinals’ bullpen in the exact role I spoke about earlier this year. I think it’s time the Cardinals elevate another young arm that’s “changing” things up on AAA hitters this year. Sorry, I seem to be in a very pun-oriented mood today.
Luis Gastelum has been awesome over the last month plus! Since May 17th, Gastelum has pitched to a 0.45 ERA and a 1.41 FIP over 20 IP in that span, with a K/BB% of 34.8%. Opponents are batting .121 against, and he’s striking out batters at a 37.7% pace in that time as well. So, whats giving him all this success?
Remember that changeup I alluded to earlier? It’s a true plus-plus offering. He uses it almost 39% of the time and generates a staggering 45.2 Whiff% on the pitch. Opponents have an xBA of .129 and an xSLG of .145! But that’s not all!
Gasetlum also features a 4SFB, Slider, and Sinker that rate out as 100 or better according to stuff+ models.
I think Gastelum could have a profile similar to long-time reliever Tommy Kahnle. Remember in the playoffs when he threw like 45 straight changeups, and nobody could hit it? That’s a similar impact type reliever capable of pitching in high leverage situations, posting a 90.9 LOB% in his last 20 IP, for example.
The one unanswered question seems to be how he would find himself in the big leagues. First, they would have to clear a 40-man spot for his contract to be selected. Then you start to ask, whose spot would he take? Gordon Graceffo has done a solid job this season, and while the underlying data is scary, the surface-level performance is what matters in the here and now, so he probably wouldnt be a candidate without a few consecutive blow-ups. Matt Svanson could be another option. While he has been better as of late, he still hasn’t been the same guy he was a year ago, and that 9th inning against the Diamondbacks was yet another reminder that pitchers who regularly don’t miss bats are subject to weird, fluky snowball innings.
The other might be Max Rajcic himself. His spot in the bullpen, specifically, not his performance, dictates that a demotion is necessary. Rajcic has been solid and a certain upgrade from the Chris Roycroft experience. You can see the bulldog attitude he brings to the mound, and he shows no fear against any batter who steps in the box. His command has been a little shaky at times, but for a young guy trying to establish himself in the big leagues, that’s not all that uncommon. When he’s in sync with his mechanics, the mid-90s fastball plays, and so does the big hammer curveball. There’s certainly still a long runway left with his opportunity to show what he can do.
The most likely outcome, barring injury, would seem to be a trade of a current veteran bullpen arm, and I don’t see that taking place any time soon, for someone like Ryne Stanek, for example. It can still happen at any time, but we just spoke with Chaim Bloom a couple of days ago, and the way he described the industry and its focus is on the amateur draft side of things in the immediate future, and once that and the All-Star break conclude then we should start to hear chatter on such topics start to pick up before the inevitable deals begin to trickle in up to the August 3rd deadline.
We may have to wait a little while longer to see Gastelum, with a lack of immediate openings or opportunities, but make no mistake about it, he’s proven he’s ready for the next level, and it’s just a matter of opportunity opening up for him to seize it, and Cardinals fans will enjoy it when that time comes.
Milwaukee Brewers infield prospects Josh Adamczewski and Brady Ebel walk off the field during spring training workouts Tuesday, February 17, 2026, at American Family Fields of Phoenix in Phoenix, Arizona. | Dave Kallmann / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
The second half of the minor league season is officially underway, which means it’s time for my first-half awards for each Brewers affiliate. As a result, this week’s roundup looks a little different.
Instead of briefly touching on nearly every notable prospect, I’m taking a (slightly) deeper look at the standout performers from each Brewers affiliate. Below are my picks for MVP, Cy Young, and Most Improved, along with a couple of news items from the past week.
Triple-A Nashville Sounds
Current record: 42-34 Record this week: 3-3 This week: vs. Gwinnett Stripers Next week: vs. Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp
Standout performances:
Jeferson Quero: 8-for-19, 2 3B, 1 HR, 4 RBI, 1 BB, 3 K Luis Lara: 10-for-21, 2 2B, 6 RBI, 6 BB, 4 K Tyler Black: 5-for-19, 1 3B, 2 HR, 10 RBI, 3 BB, 7 K Reiss Knehr: 4.0 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 4 BB, 2 K Craig Yoho: 2.0 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K
News this week: RHP Logan Henderson made a rehab start in Nashville this week, throwing three scoreless innings while striking out seven. Per Curt Hogg, Brewers manager Pat Murphy said Henderson will make one more rehab start before rejoining the Brewers prior to the All-Star break.
MVP: No player has been more valuable to Nashville this season than Luis Lara. He leads the Sounds in hits, batting average, on-base percentage, and OPS. His .326 batting average as a 21-year-old in Triple-A is impressive on its own, but what’s been even more remarkable is his ability to reach base. While the home runs have slowed since his torrid start to the season, Lara’s .438 on-base percentage leads the International League. Add in his elite defense in center field, and it’s hard to argue anyone has had a bigger impact on the Sounds this season.
Luis Lara keeps finding the grass in Triple-A Nashville, lining extra-base hits in the gap and robbing them on defense ✨
— Brewers Player Development (@BrewersPD) June 4, 2026
Cy Young: After struggling to begin the year in Double-A, Tyson Hardin has posted a 3.20 ERA in eight starts since joining Nashville. He’s the latest in a long line of Brewers pitching prospects who don’t light up the radar gun but still miss bats and consistently get outs. With Milwaukee’s pitching staff finally getting healthier, Hardin probably won’t get a chance in the majors anytime soon — he’s also not on the 40-man roster — but if an opportunity does come, don’t be surprised if he looks like he belongs.
Tyson Hardin just completed his fifth start at the AAA level, and it was another impressive one.
Most Improved: It’s cheating a little bit because he’s only played thirty-two games, but Luke Adams has the highest OPS (.956) and slugging percentage (.574) of his career. He needs one more home run to reach his career high of eleven. Adams doesn’t get talked about as much because the Brewers have five other highly-regarded infield prospects, but he’s the Brewers No. 12 prospect and would be higher than that in a lot of organizations.
Current record: 41-33 Record this week: 4-2 This week: @ Montgomery Biscuits (away, Jun 23-Jun 28) Next week: vs. Chattanooga Lookouts (home, Jun 30-Jul 5)
Standout performances:
Mike Boeve: 9-for-20, 1 2B, 2 HR, 3 RBI, 3 BB, 3 K Jacob Hurtubise: 9-for-21, 1 2B, 1 3B, 5 RBI, 1 BB, 3 K Josh Adamczewski: 9-for-22, 3 2B, 4 RBI, 3 BB, 4 K Blake Burke: 7-for-21, 3 HR, 9 RBI, 0 BB, 0 K Dylan O’Rae: 5-for-19, 1 3B, 1 RBI, 4 BB, 1 K Tanner Gillis: 9.0 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 4 BB, 6 K Bishop Letson: 7.0 IP, 6 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 8 K Jaron DeBerry: 5.0 IP, 7 H, 3 ER, 3 BB, 4 K
News this week: Technically last week, but the Shuckers won the first-half title in the Southern League, guaranteeing them a playoff spot.
MVP: Late last season, Blake Burke made mechanical adjustments designed to get the ball in the air more consistently. The results have more than validated the experiment. Burke leads Biloxi in OPS (.874), home runs (18), and RBIs (54), answering one of the biggest questions originally surrounding his prospect profile.
There was never much doubt that Burke could hit, but his newfound power has taken him from being a solid prospect to one worth prioritizing a spot for. With Luke Adams in Triple-A and Jake Bauers and Andrew Vaughn on the major league roster, Burke may not have a clear path to Milwaukee just yet, but he probably won’t be in Biloxi much longer.
Cy Young: The Brewers challenged Bishop Letson by assigning him to Double-A for his age-20 season, and the transition was far from seamless. Over the past month, though, he’s looked much more like the organization’s No. 10 prospect. Letson has posted a 2.35 ERA over his last four starts (23 IP) while continuing to miss bats at a solid rate, and — more importantly — he’s been limiting the big innings that plagued him earlier in the season.
Most Improved: Mike Boeve. Injuries derailed much of his 2024 season, and he entered this year with plenty to prove after posting a .630 OPS in Triple-A. Since returning to Biloxi, Boeve has looked much more like the hitter who reached Double-A in the first place, pairing his usual plate discipline with considerably more extra-base impact compared to last year.
As I mentioned with Burke, the Brewers have a ton of quality infield prospects. Boeve doesn’t have the upside of a lot of them, and a lot of those guys are also better defenders, so he might end up as an odd man out. Still, he’s quietly put together an excellent first half and showing that he belongs at the Double-A level.
Current record: 41-29 Record this week: 5-1 This week: vs. Cedar Rapids Kernels Next week: @ Peoria Chiefs
Standout performances:
Josiah Ragsdale: 10-for-24, 5 2B, 2 HR, 7 RBI, 5 BB, 4 K Eric Bitonti: 10-for-25, 1 2B, 2 HR, 8 RBI, 3 BB, 6 K Marco Dinges: 7-for-20, 2 2B, 2 HR, 6 RBI, 5 BB, 5 K Daniel Dickinson: 5-for-15, 1 2B, 3 RBI, 4 BB, 4 K Garrett Hodges: 4.0 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 5 K Ethan Dorchies: 7.0 IP, 5 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 3 K Wande Torres: 6.0 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 3 K Braylon Owens: 10.0 IP, 8 H, 2 ER, 3 BB, 11 K Josh Knoth: 5.0 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 2 K
MVP: Andrew Fischer outgrew High-A immediately, slashing .298/.443/.675 with 20 home runs before earning his promotion to Biloxi. In his first ten games in Double-A, he has a 1.150 OPS with four home runs. If he keeps hitting like this, it won’t matter much how often he strikes out. Fischer was widely viewed as one of the most pro-ready bats in the 2025 draft, and so far, he’s looked exactly like that.
Cy Young: Josh Knoth hasn’t thrown as many innings as some of the other candidates, but when he’s been healthy, he’s looked like the best pitcher on the staff. Per MLB Pipeline, the Brewers’ No. 22 prospect has a 55-grade fastball and a 60-grade curveball and slider. If he hadn’t missed all of last year after undergoing Tommy John surgery, he’d probably be ranked higher than No. 22.
So Josh Knoth threw a 3,518 RPM curveball in the Complex League today
No MLB pitcher has thrown one over 3,500 in 2026
Only 33 total pitches since 2022 (sticky stuff crackdown had begun)
Been a little more common in the minor leagues, but still only 22 such pitches this year. pic.twitter.com/jRMjF4rzrk
Few players in the Brewers’ system this year have raised their stock more than Braylon Payne. After posting a .736 OPS in his first full professional season, Payne’s hitting .288 with a .982 OPS and 15 home runs — already almost double last year’s mark (eight) The strikeout rate (29.6%) is still higher than you’d like, but the overall offensive profile looks dramatically different than it did a year ago. Payne was drafted for his speed and defense with the idea that he would hopefully grow into power. If he’s hitting like this at 19 years old, watch out.
Braylon Payne hit his 15th homer of the season, and took a sprint around the bases
Current record: 40-35 Record this week: 3-4 This week: @ Fredericksburg Nationals Next week: vs. Kannapolis Cannon Ballers
Standout performances:
Handelfry Encarnacion: 12-for-27, 4 2B, 3 RBI, 5 BB, 6 K Brady Ebel: 7-for-18, 2 2B, 1 HR, 7 RBI, 9 BB, 2 K José Anderson: 7-for-21, 2 2B, 3 RBI, 3 BB, 7 K Alexander Frias: 8-for-24, 1 HR, 6 RBI, 3 BB, 4 K Juan Ortuno: 6-for-20, 2 2B, 5 RBI, 5 BB, 2 K Hayden Robinson: 4.0 IP, 5 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 4 K Andrew Healy: 6.0 IP, 6 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 2 K
News this week: Alexander Frias was promoted from the Arizona Complex League on June 22 after dominating the ACL. The 18-year-old outfielder slashed .441/.518/.678 with 18 extra-base hits and 12 stolen bases in 32 games before earning a spot in Wilson.
MVP: Handelfry Encarnacion has put together the best all-around offensive season on the Warbirds. He leads the club in OPS while ranking second in both batting average and home runs, all while playing nearly every day. Encarnacion doesn’t get talked about as much as some of the Brewers’ higher-ranked prospects, but he’s been Wilson’s most consistent hitter and is someone to keep an eye on moving forward.
Handelfry Encarnacion threw a runner out at the plate in the top of the first, and then led off the bottom half with a homer. pic.twitter.com/wtFlcnhwrX
Cy Young: José Meneses gets the nod despite not making a single start this season. Instead, the Warbirds have deployed him as a multi-inning reliever, and they’ve been rewarded with by far the best numbers on the pitching staff. Meneses owns a 1.95 ERA with 11.92 strikeouts per nine innings over 22 appearances, covering an inning or two at a time while consistently shutting down opposing lineups. As someone who spent far too much time arguing that Josh Hader deserved serious Cy Young consideration, I have no problem giving this award to a reliever.
— Brewers Player Development (@BrewersPD) April 28, 2026
Most Improved: José Anderson’s stat line is one of the strangest in the Brewers’ farm system. He’s batting below the Mendoza Line and owns an astronomical 38.9% strikeout rate. The case for Anderson can be distilled into one sentence: he’s 19 years old and has already hit 17 home runs in just 251 at-bats.
You can’t teach power like that.
Anderson has also added 11 doubles, and while his batting average and on-base percentage leave plenty to be desired, his .442 slugging percentage pushes his OPS to a respectable .732. He’s a fascinating player because the massive raw power is tantalizing, but he’s clearly still a project. Like Encarnacion, he’s worth keeping an eye on. If he can trim the strikeouts and improve his on-base ability — easier said than done, I know — he’ll quickly become a prospect that people are talking about as a player with big-league potential.
BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - JUNE 29: Chadwick Tromp #41, Adley Rutschman #35, Pete Alonso #25 and Gunnar Henderson #2 of the Baltimore Orioles look on during the ninth inning of the game against the Chicago White Sox at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on June 29, 2026 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Greg Fiume/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Happy Tuesday, Camden Chatters! Did you watch the game last night? It was not great. There were a few good things, like Shane Baz’s seven-inning, two-run start. Colton Cowser played good defense in center field and walked twice. Birthday boy Gunnar Henderson had two hits and a walk.
Other than that, it was another bad night. The run scoring was limited to two Adley Rutschman sac flies, and the team went 0-for-5 with runners in scoring position and left six runners on base. Pete Alonso struck out three times. The bullpen fell apart, giving up six runs over the final two innings. And they got an assist from another Blaze Alexander error that allowed two runs to score when the inning should have ended. If you yearn for more details of last night’s 8-2 loss, check out Tyler Young’s game recap.
Honestly, what is there to even say about these guys anymore? They are now eight games under .500, which ties their season low. They were also eight games under back on May 20th. This is just a bad baseball team.
Now, I’m no stranger to bad baseball teams. In my 47 years on this earth, the Orioles have had winning seasons in just 21 of them. And seven of those were the first seven years I was alive, so they don’t really count from a baseball consciousness perspective. As far as my baseball fan lifespan goes, there have been three stretches of good baseball: 1995-1997 (they were a touch under .500 in ’95, but 2131 made up for it), 2012-2016, and 2022-2024. That’s it. Other than that, a whole lot of losing.
The early aughts were rough, but then it got easy to settle in as fan of a terrible baseball team that everyone knew would be terrible. We got a little bit of hope with your Miguel Tejadas and your Javy Lopezes and the like, but we never got too far into the excitement. 2005 was fun until it crashed, and I was reminded of what it’s like, for a minute, to like a good baseball team. But then the real losing started. Jay Payton. Kevin Millwood. Jeff Fiorentino. César Izturis.
There was so much bad baseball that I can’t account for it all. Those players were bad, but that’s all they were ever going to be. No one expected otherwise. So put the Orioles game on in the background, hon, while we have crabs.
Then, they got good again. And it was incredible. 2012 was amazing. 2014, even better. After 2018, we were told we had to embrace the losing for just a few years in order to build a team that would become a powerhouse. That powerhouse? It lasted two seasons. And now here we are again. And it’s so much worse than 2010. The process failed, the hyped talent isn’t performing. The Orioles are bad again, but this time it’s worse. This time, we were told it would be different. A terrible team that is forced to play Félix Pié every day? Eh, what are you gonna do? A terrible team with Gunnar Henderson looking lost? Unbearable.
We’ve been saying around these parts for a while that they just need to go on a hot streak. And we believed they could do it because these players are supposed to be good enough for that. But maybe it turns out that they’re not. And that we watched them lose on purpose five years ago for nothing. And that’s a tough pill to swallow.
Akin to Injured List – MASN Sports If you missed the news, Keegan Akin has been placed on the IL with left elbow discomfort. He was replaced the Josh Walker, who would have had a decent night last night if not for an error by Blaze Alexander. Welcome to the team, Josh! This is what they do.
Is today your birthday? Happy birthday! You have just one Orioles birthday buddy. Jesús Aguilar turns 36 years old today. Aguilar played in 16 games for the Orioles in 2022, a blip in his 10-year career.
On this day in 1997, Mike Mussina won his 100th career game. He pitched eight innings with one run and nine strikeouts. He got some run support from teammate Cal Ripken, who hit a grand slam in the 8-1 win over the Phillies. On the same day, Ripken was elected to his 15th All-Star game with the second-most votes of the year, after only Ken Griffey Jr.
In 2009, the Orioles completed the biggest comeback in team history. Down 10-1, they scored five runs in the seventh and five runs in the eighth, with Jonathan Papelbon giving up the go-ahead double by Nick Markakis. Pitcher Jeremy Guthrie, pinch running for Matt Wieters, scored the tying run. It was a fun one.
In 2012, the Phillies traded future Hall of Famer Jim Thome to the Orioles for a few minor leaguers who never panned out. I had long wanted Thome to be on the Orioles, and he was a little past his prime. But it was exciting all the same as the Orioles went to the playoffs for the first time since 1997.
And on this day last year, the Orioles defeated the Texas Rangers 10-6 on the road. The game was tied 3-3 at the end of the ninth. The Orioles scored three runs in the top of the 10th on homers from Gunnar Henderson and Colton Cowser, but Keegan Akin blew it in the bottom of the 10th. The Orioles scored four more in the top of the 11th and Andrew Kittredge pitched a 1-2-3 11th to lock it down.
Halfback Charley Trippi of the Chicago Cardinals runs upfield during a 45 to 21 loss to the Washington Redskins on November 23, 1947 at Griffith Stadium in Washington, DC. Redskins defenders Jim Youel(30) and Jim Peebles(19) attempt to tackle Trippi. (Photo by Nate Fine/Getty Images) *** Local Caption ***
Back in 1949, Violet Bidwill had remarried after her husband, Charlie Bidwill, passed away in 1947. It was just months before his Chicago Cardinals captured the 1947 NFL Championship title.
Violet wed Walter Wolfner, who was then named the franchise’s managing director, but Violet was the sole owner of the Cardinals club and made all team decisions. She did not stay home and bake pies, but was present for the owner’s meetings, and after some time, she volunteered and was placed on various league committees.
Wolfner simply wanted to make money from owning their NFL franchise. He wanted lots of fans and to finally be in the black at the end of each season. Discussions between him and Violet determined that, instead of relocating to a whole new city and state, the Cardinals could remain in the Chicagoland area, where Violet’s entire world had evolved, and Wolfner could please his wife.
By playing their home games at Dyche Stadium, located on the campus of Northwestern University, the venue was much nicer than their current stadium, Comiskey Park, home of the Chicago White Sox baseball team, and located in a much better part of Chicago. The thought process was that the Cardinals could perhaps finally build a decent fanbase and regain their financial stability.
The move was brought up and discussed at the January 1959 league meeting with the other owners. During the discussion regarding the move, Chicago Bears’ owner George Halas pulled out a contract.
Enter: The “Madison Street Agreement”
It was identified as the “Madison Street Agreement.”
This was a document dated 1931 and signed by Halas and Dr. David Jones, owner of the Chicago Cardinals. It stated the two clubs would adhere to strict boundaries regarding the City of Chicago.
The agreement was put in place so that the Bears would have control and access to the northern portions of the City of Chicago, and the Cardinals would have control and access to the southern portions of Chicago; and they wouldn’t infringe upon the other team’s ability to gather fans, attend grand openings of new businesses, sell sponsorships and ads, and basically get in each other’s way.
The dividing line was Madison Street, which runs along a long stretch that travels east and west. The Cardinals had every opportunity regarding the southside, while the Bears could go after anything in the northern portion. This prevented the other team from stealing clients who might buy program ads or offer sponsorships. The agreement also prevented the other from playing home games in each other’s protected area.
It was later renewed and signed by Charlie Bidwill after he purchased the Cardinals.
Does this sound like something mobsters would do? Of course it does. Claiming territories and setting boundaries. Chicago is famous for this type of self-regulation. According to Halas, with this signed contract, the Cardinals were prevented from moving their home games north into Evanston, Illinois, and begin play at Dyche Stadium.
The Cardinals filed a lawsuit in Superior Court in Chicago on September 26. The Wolfners also asked NFL Commissioner Bert Bell to intercede.
Why would Halas care? For one, Dyche Stadium was a lot nicer than Wrigley Field, where his Bears played their home games. For one, Wrigley Field was built as a baseball stadium. The Bears owned the majority of fans in the city as far as being the kingpin NFL team, while the Cardinals, although a lot older, were always considered the big brother who couldn’t find success in life, while their younger sibling ruled the region.
The courts threw out the petition because it wasn’t a real contract. After all, it was never a recorded instrument. Bell ruled that the contract was valid, but was between two member clubs and had nothing to do with the league. It was basically regarded as a “gentleman’s agreement.”
Instead of pressing forward, the Wolfners did not pursue the Northwestern venue. A year earlier, a young Texas oilman named Lamar Hunt approached the Wolfners about selling the Cardinals, to which they made a counteroffer of selling him 20%, but the club would remain in Chicago. Hunt intended to relocate the franchise to Dallas. He turned down their counter, then started the “American Football League.”
In 1959, the Cardinals played four home games at aging Soldier Field on the Chicago lakefront, plus two more home games in Minneapolis, MN. The Minnesota Vikings came along as an expansion team in 1961.
Five years earlier, the Cardinals began playing an annual preseason game in St. Louis called the “Cardinal Glennon Charity Game” at Sportman’s Park, a baseball field that was home to the St. Louis Browns and later the St. Louis Cardinals pro baseball clubs.
With the tie-in to the annual charity game, the fact that Wolfner had his business located in St. Louis, and the flux with the stadium situation back in Chicago, the Cardinals relocated to St. Louis beginning in 1960.
And who knows? If the Cardinals had been able to move to Dyche Stadium, they might still be there. Or at the very least, perhaps have remained in the Chicagoland area.
Barry Shuck is a pro football historian and a member of the Professional Football Researchers Association
The Detroit Tigers opened up their three-game series against the New York Yankees in the Bronx with a 7-3 win on Monday night. Casey Mize tossed an absolute gem and the offense, powered by two-hit efforts from Kevin McGonigle, Hao-Yu Lee and Zach McKinstry, had no trouble producing runs to take Game 1.
On Tuesday, the Motor City Kitties can clinch the road series behind left-hander Tarik Skubal, who will make his fourth start since returning from cutting-edge nanoscope surgery to clean up his elbow. In his three games since coming back, the 29-year-old has struggled to the tune of an uncharacteristically high 4.96 ERA and 5.85 FIP over 16 1/3 innings of work, surrendering a whopping six home runs over that stretch — four more than he allowed in the 43 1/3 frames he threw before his IL stint.
Skubal’s last start also came against the Bronx Bombers, in which he allowed four runs on four hits (three home runs) and no walks while striking out nine over six innings for his fourth loss of the season in a 4-2 final at Comerica Park. The two-time Cy Young Award winner had not allowed three dingers in a game since 2021, when it happened five times.
For the Yankees, right-handed ace Cam Schlittler will take the mound amidst a Cy Young-worthy season of his own this summer. The 25-year-old second-year hurler has posted a microscopic 0.76 ERA and a tidy 2.46 FIP over his last four games, though his most recent outing saw him surrender four unearned runs to the Boston Red Sox for his fourth loss of 2026 in a 6-3 final.
Here is a look at how the two top-tier pitchers match up on Tuesday night.
Detroit Tigers (26-49) vs. New York Yankees (48-36)
Time (ET): 7:05 p.m. Place: Yankee Stadium, Bronx, New York SB Nation Site:Pinstripe Alley Media: Detroit SportsNet, MLB.TV, Tigers Radio Network
Game 86: LHP Tarik Skubal (3-4, 3.32 ERA) vs. RHP Cam Schlittler (8-4, 1.62 ERA)
Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders: Offday (but it didn’t stop the injury bug that’s crushed the majors to hit them, too; recently-promoted and red-hot Garrett Martin hit the IL with an undisclosed injury)
Double-A Somerset Patriots: Offday
High-A Hudson Valley Renegades: Offday
Low-A Tampa Tarpons: Offday
Florida Complex League Yankees:W, 5-2 at FCL Blue Jays
3B Richard Matic 2-5, 2 K DH Wilberson De Pena 3-5, HR, 2 RBI, K — just keeps raking, 12th homer and 1.051 OPS in 39 games (.352/.407/.667) C Queni Pineda 1-3, 2B, 2 BB, RBI 2B Leni Done 0-4, 2 K CF Jose Castro 1-3, BB, K, 2 SB LF Francisco Vilorio 0-4, 2 K SS Dexters Peralta 0-4, 3 K RF Estivenzon Montero 0-4, K 1B Justin Capellan 0-3, K, HBP
Jerson Alejandro 1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 3 BB, 3 K, balk — only his third appearance of the season (first was in May) after missing 2025 with an injury Anthony Mena 2.2 IP, 3 H, 1 R (1 ER), 1 BB, 1 K Edinzo Marquez 3 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 3 K — very nice (win) Alexander Almonte 2 IP, 2 H, 1 R (1 ER), 1 BB, 3 K
Dominican Summer League Yankees:W, 12-4 vs. DSL Twins
SS Stiven Marinez 0-4, BB, K — one of just two Yanks without a ribbie yesterday CF Yostin Pena 0-1, 4 BB, RBI, SB, CS — walk-a-palooza 2B Juan Torres 2-4, 3 RBI, K, SF C Juan Martinez 2-5, 2B, RBI, throwing error — RBI knock to tie it in third after Twins’ early 4-0 lead 1B Cesar Lopez 1-3, 2 BB, RBI, SB DH Manuel Aguilar 0-4, RBI, 2 K, GIDP, HBP 3B Abrahan Pichardo 0-1, 3 BB, RBI, SF, SB — another walk-a-palooza (10 total for Yanks) RF Eliezer Adames 1-2, 2B, 2 BB, K LF Kendry Diaz 3-4, 2 2B, 2 RBI, CS — go-ahead double in the fourth
Hector Moreno 1.2 IP, 3 H, 4 R (4 ER), 4 BB, 1 K, HR, WP Fredy Penuelas 5.1 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 7 K (win) — picked up Moreno’s tough day was outstanding long relief Luis Rodriguez 2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K
Dominican Summer League Bombers:L, 4-15 at DSL Colorado
CF Alfiery Matos 2-4, HR, 2 RBI, 2 K, SB, HBP — leadoff dinger was first career pro homer 2B Carlos Bello 0-4, RBI, 2 K, SF, throwing error C Alessandro Rodriguez 1-2, 2 BB, picked off RF David Carrera 1-2, RBI, K, SF RF Sebastian Pinto 0-1 SS Germayhoni Beltre 1-3, BB DH Poly Ojeda 1-2 PH-DH John Rosillo 0-2, 2 K 1B Stalen Ramirez 1-2, 2B PH-1B Jesus Guerrero 0-1, K, HBP 3B Adrian Feliz 0-2, 2 BB, K, CS LF Eddison Charles 1-4, 2B, 2 K, SB, 2 fielding errors and a throwing error — bad day in the field
Randy Angomas 1.2 IP, 3 H, 5 R (5 ER), 3 BB, 2 K, HBP (loss) — ’twas not a day for Bombers pitching Diego Carrillo 3.2 IP, 4 H, 4 R (2 ER), 0 BB, 4 K, HBP Andre Avila 1.1 IP, 3 H, 6 R (3 ER), 2 BB, 3 K, HR Josue Silvestre 1.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K
It may well be the pitching matchup of the season tonight in Motown when Cam Schlittler and the Yankees (48-36) take the field at Comerica Park against Tarik Skubal and the Tigers (36-49).
The Yankees will need this year's Cy Young favorite to be at his best if they are to snap their now five-game losing streak. Last night's series opener belonged to Detroit from nearly the first pitch. The Tigers rolled to a 7-3 victory behind a dominant performance from Casey Mize, who fired seven shutout innings, allowed just one hit, and matched a career high with 10 strikeouts. Detroit jumped on Yankees starter Ryan Weathers early and often, scoring five runs in the first two innings and adding two more in the fourth to build a 7-0 lead. Kevin McGonigle drove in two runs, Hao-Yu Lee added two RBIs, and the Tigers took advantage of two New York errors. The Yankees did not score until the eighth inning, when Amed Rosario launched a three-run homer, but that was the extent of their offense. New York managed only three hits and struck out 13 times. The loss was their eighth in their last nine games.
As mentioned, tonight's pitching matchup is special. Detroit sends ace Tarik Skubal (+6000 at DraftKings to repeat as Cy Young winner) to the mound. The left-hander takes the ball for the Tigers with a 3-4 record, 3.32 ERA, 0.99 WHIP, and 66 strikeouts in 59.2 innings. There is an expectation that the defending Cy Young winner will return to form, but he has yet to be the dominant ace he was prior to his arm issues. In three starts since his return, Skubal has given up nine earned runs in 16.1 innings. The Yankees counter with the current favorite to win the Cy Young Cam Schlittler (-115 at DraftKings), who has emerged as the ace of this loaded New York staff. Schlittler is 8-4 with a sparkling 1.62 ERA, 0.92 WHIP, and 118 strikeouts across 100 innings.
The availability of Jazz Chisholm Jr. is a question mark. He exited Monday's game after a collision with Jasson Domínguez and has reportedly entered concussion protocol.
Lets dive into tonight’s matchup and find a sweat or two.
We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on the how to catch first pitch, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.
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Game Details and How to Watch: Tigers vs. Yankees
Date: Tuesday, June 30, 2026
Time: 7:05PM EST
Site: Yankees Stadium
City: New York, NY
Network/Streaming: MLB.TV, Tiger.TV, TBS, Prime Video
Never miss a second of the action and stay up-to-date with all the latest team stats and player news. Check out our day-by-day MLB schedule page, along with detailed matchup pages that update live in-game with every out.
The Latest Odds: Tigers vs. Yankees
The latest odds as of Tuesday courtesy of DraftKings:
Moneyline: Detroit Tigers (+114), New York Yankees (-137)
Spread: Tigers +1.5 (-188), Yankees -1.5 (+154)
Total: 7.0 runs
Probable Starting Pitchers and their Stats: Tigers vs. Yankees for June 30
Ben Rice has not had a hit since last Wednesday going 0-18 over his last 5 games
Rice has 2 hits (both singles) in his last 8 games (2-31)
Anthony Volpe is 1-17 over his last 6 games
Cody Bellinger is 1-18 over his last 5 games
What little history the Tigers have against Cam Schlittler is not great as they are a collective 3-15 (.200) against him
Paul Goldschmidt is 7-13 with 4 HRs against Tarik Skubal in his career
Kevin McGonigle was 2-4 last night and is 7-21 over his last 6 games
Zach McKinstry is 11-35 over his last 11 games
Spencer Torkelson is 4-10 over his last 3 games
Tarik Skubal has struck out Jasson Dominguez 4 times in 8 career ABs against him
Skubal has K’d Anthony Volpe 6 times in 12 career ABs against him
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Top Betting Trends & Insights: Tigers vs. Yankees
The Yankees are 39-45 on the Run Line this season
The Tigers are 42-43 on the Run Line this season
The OVER has cashed 37 times in Detroit’s 85 games this season (37-44-4)
The OVER has cashed 38 times in the Yankees’ 84 games this season (38-42-4)
Expert picks & predictions: Tigers vs. Yankees
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Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.
Here are the best bets our model is projecting for tonight’s game between the Tigers and the Yankees:
Moneyline: Rotoworld Bet is staying away from a play on the Moneyline.
Spread: Rotoworld Bet is staying away from a play on the Run Line.
Total: Rotoworld Bet is recommending a play on the Game Total OVER 7.0
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NEW YORK, NY - JUNE 29: Spencer Jones #78 and Cody Bellinger #35 of the New York Yankees look on during the game against the Detroit Tigers at Yankee Stadium on June 29, 2026 in New York, New York. (Photo by New York Yankees/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The worst-kept secret about the Yankees right now is that they’re hurting for some offensive fireworks. With Aaron Judge, Giancarlo Stanton, Trent Grisham, and Ryan McMahon all on the IL right now, over a third of the starting lineup is missing and the consequences can be felt in their five-game losing streak. They’ve been on no-hit alert in back-to-back nights now, and in general the lineup has failed to get much of anything going on a consistent basis. Nearly everyone in the lineup is slumping, and as a result they haven’t scored more than four runs in a game in over a week. That just won’t do.
So there’s been many culprits responsible for the offense’s cold streak, but who can pull them out of the doldrums? In an ideal world there would be several hitters getting close to finding their form again, but sometimes you just need one guy to get on a heater to take the pressure off the rest of the team. It doesn’t matter who does it, but someone’s gotta step up and be the one to put the lineup on their back for at least a little bit. Let’s go over some candidates, shall we?
Ben Rice has been the 1B to Aaron Judge’s 1A in the lineup for the majority of the year, but with Judge now out Rice unfortunately entered a pretty big slump regressing back to the mean a bit. His June’s been rough, but he still stacks up as the team’s best hitter this year and thus stands the best chance of carrying the load with some timely homers if he gets back on track. The lack of protection might be a contributing factor to Rice’s slump, but right now there’s no guarantee of any protection coming up and they simply need somebody to get the torch lit.
Aside from Rice, the next best hitter would be Cody Bellinger, and he’s in the right place to find his groove. Bellinger’s got some of the most egregious home/away splits you could ask for going on this season, hitting to a 207 wRC+ in Yankee Stadium while hitting for a 64 wRC+ anywhere else. That latter mark is quite concerning, but seeing as the Yankees are at the start of a homestand as we speak, there’s no harm in keeping the pattern going for another week.
It’s been a major surprise just how well Paul Goldschmidt’s done this year, but the long-time veteran has fit into his role exceptionally since taking on a small one-year deal to return to the Yankees. He’s gotten more playing time than originally expected with Stanton’s injury, and that has only expanded with Judge also out now, but they’ve never needed him more than now with the rest of the offense struggling. He’s been arguably the most successful of the bunch during June, encapsulated by his two-homer day against Tarik Skubal last week, but if he could fully turn on the 2022 Matt Carpenter magic for a bit his Yankees stint could quickly rise to legendary status.
Perhaps though, the answer simply doesn’t lay with the lineup as is. Perhaps the return of Grisham and/or McMahon will be the catalyst that turns things around, and they’re both nearing that point. Grisham could be back during this homestand, with a short rehab stint that could last as long as a single game being all that stands between him and his name being penciled back into the lineup. McMahon is due back shortly after him, and while he hasn’t been as impactful with the bat overall he’s had his moments and could certainly ingratiate himself by slapping a clutch home run to bail out the rest of the position players.
Whoever the answer is, the Yankees would love it if they got to work immediately as they’ve got another game in front of them. Before we get to their attempt to even up this series though, let’s run through what’s in store here first: Jeff considers what Minnesota could have to offer as our trade partner series kicks off, Peter covers the Roundup, Kento honors Jerry Kenney’s time with the Yankees on his birthday, Michael goes through the past week’s action down on the farm, and Andrés examines Henry Lalane’s resurgence and how it could position him as a trade chip this season.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JUNE 29: Jazz Chisholm Jr. #13 of the New York Yankees reacts as he is taken out of the game after colliding with a teammate during the fourth inning against the Detroit Tigers at Yankee Stadium on June 29, 2026 in New York City. (Photo by Adam Hunger/Getty Images) | Getty Images
NBC Sports: In case you missed it, Jazz Chisholm Jr. exited Monday’s game against the Tigers early. While tracking a fly ball, he collided with Jasson Domínguez, taking the outfielder’s arm straight to the head. According to Aaron Boone, he has not been diagnosed with a concussion, but he is in concussion protocol.
The Athletic | Brendan Kuty: The Yankees have not looked good of late, including getting swept in a four-game series at the hands of the rival Red Sox over the weekend. Despite the recent losing streak, the Yankees’ record is right near the top of the American League, and was the best in the AL until the recent defeats. Considering the Yankees’ roster makeup, it’s probably best for them to go all in at the Trade Deadline, with the likes of Aaron Judge and Gerrit Cole currently in their 30s.
ESPN | Jorge Castillo: Two of the players whose injury recoveries are most important to the Yankees’ chances are Max Fried and Giancarlo Stanton. In some hopeful news, the two are set to face off in a live batting practice session on Tuesday. Stanton’s timeline is still largely unclear, but if all goes well for Fried he could begin a rehab assignment shortly after this session.
CBS Sports | Matt Snyder: While the Yankees have gotten stinkers out of the rotation, bullpen, and defense of late, the major reason for the recent struggles have been due to a slumping offense. There are several reasons for that, but they’re ones the Yankees are going to have change quickly if they do want to make a run in October. Some of their stars (including their biggest one) are injured, sure, but the supporting cast just hasn’t done much supporting at all during this stretch or for the season at large and that’s a concern that won’t go away easily.
Following tonight’s game, the Yankees optioned RHP Yerry de los Santos to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.
Lastly, the Yankees will have a fresh arm in their bullpen tonight after needing to use six arms to record 22 outs in relief of an ineffective Ryan Weathers yesterday. Yerry de los Santos threw two innings after Weathers left the game, and he’ll now head back to Triple-A. The RailRiders were off yesterday, so the Yankees will have their pick of the litter.
Another slugfest is expected tonight at Sutter Health Park when the heavily favored Los Angeles Dodgers face the Athletics in Game 2 of their three-game series.
The Dodgers are overpriced tonight (-144), and my Dodgers vs. Athletics predictions and MLB picks are expecting a bounce-back victory for the highly undervalued A’s (+138) on Tuesday, June 30.
Who will win Dodgers vs A's today: Athletics moneyline (+134)
The market is flat-out wrong, pricing the Los Angeles Dodgers as road favorites tonight based on their uber-pristine surface stats.
Justin Wrobleski is the ultimate regression candidate; his 2.71 ERA is a mirage masked by a fraudulent 4.32 xERA and a bottom-tier 17.8% whiff rate.
Conversely, Jeffrey Springs is dynamically unlucky. His bloated 5.52 ERA hides a much sharper 4.41 xERA and a strong .244 xBA, while his 20.6 % strikeout rate provides a true missing-bat floor.
The elements align perfectly for a high-scoring dog fight tonight.
With 90-degree heat and the wind blowing out at Sutter Health Park, flyball tendencies will be heavily penalized.
Wrobleski lacks a solid bat-missing floor (17.8% Whiff%), while Springs possesses an extreme flyball profile (13th percentile groundball rate).
Combined with an Athletics bullpen surrendering a massive 2.55 HR/9 over the last two weeks, routine flyballs turn into cheap home runs in that bandbox.
These two clubs light up the scoreboard whenever they meet and are 9-1 to the Over in their past 10 meetings.
Hammer the Over to 11 runs and -130.
Phil Naessens' 2026 Transparency Record
ML/RL bets: 9-11, +0.01 units
Over/Under bets: 8-10, -3.35 units
Dodgers vs A's weather
Hot, humid weather and winds gusting to 10.9 mph make this an ideal night for hitting for the Dodgers and Athletics.
Dodgers vs A's odds
Moneyline: Dodgers -144 | A's +138
Run line: Dodgers -1.5 (+108) | A's +1.5 (-113)
Over/Under: Over 10.5 (-113) | Under 10.5 (+108)
Dodgers vs A's trend
The Over is 9-1 in their last 10 H2H meetings. Find more MLB betting trends for Dodgers vs. A's.
How to watch Dodgers vs A's and game info
Location
Sutter Health Park, West Sacramento, CA
Date
Tuesday, June 30, 2026
First pitch
9:40 p.m. ET
TV
SNLA, NBCSCA
Dodgers starting pitcher
Justin Wrobleski (9-2, 2.71 ERA)
A's starting pitcher
Jeffrey Springs (3-7, 5.52 ERA)
Dodgers vs A's latest injuries
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
SACRAMENTO –– Dodgers manager Dave Roberts smirked on Monday afternoon when asked for his thoughts on Sutter Health Park.
“I’m not saying it’s Denver,” he quipped, “but the ball does carry.”
Indeed, in the Dodgers’ first visit to the Sacramento Triple-A stadium masquerading as the Athletics’ temporary big-league home, the ball flew … and bounced … and ricocheted … all over the place in a 9-4 win to start a three-game series.
There were 17 hits and three lead changes through the first 3 ½ innings.
There were four home runs and 33 total baserunners by the end of the night.
Shohei Ohtani rounds the bases after hitting a home run during the Dodgers’ June 29 win. Getty Images
The Dodgers got one rally started when the ball got lost in the sun in the second inning, as a Kyle Tucker pop fly dropped between two Athletics outfielders to fuel a two-run rally.
The Athletics answered in the bottom half of the inning when Max Muncy (the Athletics’ young third baseman) hit a single past Max Muncy (the Dodgers’ veteran slugger) on a ground ball that kicked off the bag and hopped into shallow left.
On and on the night went, with weird bounces and unusual moments thrilling a crowd of 12,394 in MLB’s most unconventional setting.
Colby Thomas rounds the bases after hitting a home run as the A’s lost to the Dodgers on June 29. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Finally, however, the Dodgers (55-30) began to pull away.
Two home runs in the fourth inning negated the early 3-2 deficit, with Muncy tying the game with his 17th of the year before Andy Pages put them in front with a two-run blast for his 16th of the season.
Then, in the sixth, Shohei Ohtani provided the biggest highlight of the night, clobbering a three-run homer that would’ve been gone in any of MLB’s 30 ballparks, flying an estimated 432 feet for the second-longest of his team-leading 18 big flies this season.
“Shohei has been on a heater,” Roberts said of Ohtani, who is hitting .361 with 12 home runs since May 12. “The last six weeks, he’s been the best player in baseball.”
Andy Pages hits a home run during the Dodgers’ win June 29. Imagn Images
Along the way, Dodgers starter Eric Lauer finally brought some calm, bouncing back from the three-run second from the Athletics (40-45) by stranding the bases loaded in the third, then retiring 10 of his final 12 en route to a strong six-inning start.
And after that, the Dodgers bullpen got through the final three innings –– including Kyle Hurt striking out the heart of the A’s lineup in order in the seventh –– with any more theatrics in a ballpark built for them.
What it means
In a perfect world, Roberts would secure his 1,000th career win at Chavez Ravine in front of a home crowd.
But after Monday’s win, he is now on the verge of doing it here in Sacramento this week.
At 999 career victories, Roberts is not only on the doorstep of joining the 1,000-win club, but also becoming the fastest manager in MLB history to get there.
With one more win, he will become the fourth Dodgers manager to ever reach the milestone, joining Tommy Lasorda, Walter Alston and Wilbert Robinson.
Who’s hot
There were plenty of big performances Monday from the Dodgers’ lineup, which saw eight of nine starters record at least two hits.
No one’s contributions were as refreshing, however, as Teoscar Hernández, who went 2-for-5 (albeit with three strikeouts) in his return from a month-long absence with a hamstring strain.
Hernández tested out his hamstring immediately by legging out an infield single in the second. He then came back up in the third and singled again, this time on a 103 mph line drive to right.
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Before the game, Hernández joked that “I don’t think they really need me in the lineup,” given how well the club had played without him. Still, keeping Hernández healthy and productive the rest of the way will be important, especially after he struggled following a groin strain last year.
“I never really got hurt before last year, so you learn from that,” Hernández said. “Last year, I tried to come back a little quicker. I think it messed up my timing, my hitting … This time, I talked to the team. I said, ‘I want to take some extra at-bats, so I can feel better, so I can feel like my timing is in place to come back and keep helping the team.'”
Who’s not
Tyler Glasnow, at least not entirely.
The good news is that the injured Dodgers starter has resumed a throwing program, after repeated setbacks in a battle with back spasms that has sidelined him for almost two months now.
However, Roberts said the team is still “being very cautious right now” with his progression, trying to avoid any further setbacks in an injury that has already dragged on far longer than expected.
Up next
Roberts will go for career win No. 1,000 on Tuesday, when Justin Wrobleski (9-2, 2.71 ERA) will take the mound for the Dodgers against Athletics left-hander Jeffrey Springs (3-7, 5.52 ERA).
Jun 29, 2026; Seattle, Washington, USA; Seattle Mariners second baseman Cole Young (2) hits a two-run home run against the Los Angeles Angels during the sixth inning at T-Mobile Park. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images | Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images
The Mariners dominated the Angels in a bounce back 6-2 win on Monday.
That’s really it. This game was quick. It was simple. And it was necessary after Sunday’s disastrous, hard-feelings loss in Cleveland. George Kirby was great. He had a few hiccups early, mostly limited to Zach Neto, and then worked through eight innings with vintage efficiency. The Mariners offense backed him up with some timely hits and a trio of homers, including two from Cole Young. With the win, the Mariners are back to .500, beginning a crucial four-series stretch ahead of the All-Star Break.
“Quick wins are always good wins,” Dan Wilson said postgame, clearly pleased with his team’s bounce back performance.
For as great as this game ultimately turned out, it felt a bit familiar through the first two-plus innings. The Angels jumped on Kirby quickly. Neto led off the first by lacing a double into the gap, and he quickly scored on a one hopper from Denzer Guzman. The Angels got Neto back to the plate by the third, and he made it 2-0 with a solo homer. It was early, but it certainly didn’t feel after the Mariners’ lineup had gone went six up, six down against Angels’ starter Ryan Johnson, with a bunch of weak contact to boot.
Then Young stepped to the plate to lead off the third. He watched the first five pitches of the at bat to work the count full. Then Johnson returned with a middle-middle sinker, and Young took his hack, cutting the deficit in half with a laser to right.
The Mariners lineup got right back to it in the fourth. Julio led off with a single. Dominic Canzone followed with a ground into a double a double play — at 103.6 mph, it was by far the hardest batted ball of the inning. But the pressure was on, and Johnson looked vulnerable. Randy Arozarena took a hit by pitch. Josh Naylor hit a 46 mph squibber to third, that spun under Guzman’s glove and leaked into left field, moving Arozarena to third and Naylor to second.
That brought up the slumping Cal Raleigh, who was candid about his and the team’s struggles with runners in scoring position after Sunday’s loss. Johnson got a quick called strike then threw the cutter low and in. Cal took a hack of sorts, getting handcuffed but muscling a flare into no-man’s land in left field. It dropped and plated a scoring a pair of runs to give the Mariners a 3-2 lead.
“I think he hit the nail on the head yesterday,” Wilson said of Raleigh’s comments on Sunday. “Today, he didn’t want to try to do too much. He got a pitch he could handle, it got in on him a little bit, but he was able to hit it to left field and get that ball in and pick up those two runs. That’s the approach – not getting too big where you swing and miss on that pitch, or taking a swing where you’re out front, but he stayed on it, stayed through it, and was able to get it in left field and give us the lead, which I think was obviously the big turning point in the ball game.”
The Mariners broke it open in the sixth against lefty reliever Mitch Farris. Canzone quickly fell behind, but fought and fought and eventually got a middle-middle fastball. He crushed it 428 feet to right center.
Josh Naylor then drew a walk, putting a runner on for Young. He saw one pitch, and obliterated it off the facing of the Hit-It-Here Café. His second homer of the day gave the Mariners a 6-2 lead after six.
The Mariners, of course, have struggled mightily against lefties this year. They simply don’t have many quality righty batters and are now forced to take a number of left-on-left at bats. Young said the key to improving against them going forward is to keep things simple.
“The biggest thing is not thinking too much about it It’s not, ‘Oh, he’s a lefty, it’s gonna be so much different.’ It’s more, ‘All right, let’s create an approach against this guy, and let’s stick to it, not try to do too much and just stick to the approach and hit it hard somewhere.'”
Kirby cruised after his early issues with Neto. He got a double play to work around base runners in the fourth. He struck out the side in the fifth. Then he set down the side in order in each the sixth and seventh with limited labor. The defense behind him was excellent, highlighted by this slick play from J.P. Crawford at third.
A game that looked a bit iffy early saw Kirby at just 79 pitches after seven innings, with a chance to get through eight for the first time since early April. Was there any question about whether he’d go back out for the eighth?
“Yeah we were kind of on the fence about what to do there,” Wilson said with a grin.
Now, the eighth wasn’t perfect for Kirby. Josh Lowe led off with a double, and Neto remained a pest, drawing a one-out walk. But Kirby then had two of my favorite at bats of his season. He threw four straight straight sweepers to start Guzman out 2-2, then a 98-mph dot on the low-and-away corner (or at least close enough) , freezing Guzman.
That brought up Nolan Schanuel, who fouled off several pitches. Kirby then got him to chase way out of the zone on a curveball in the dirt. It was his 17th whiff and seventh strikeout of the day. Kirby stormed off the mound, fired up as the furious George of old, only to enter the dugout through a hand-tunnel from his teammates (which he kindly demonstrated for the press corps). He could be seen in the dugout not long after with a wide grin on his face. It was a good day.
“There was something in him tonight that was a little bit different – the look in his eye – and he was really able to shut them down,” Wilson said.
For Kirby, it was nice to see him not let the game get away after early struggles and an up-and-down season to this point.
“You just gotta tip your cap sometimes, and if that stuff happens early, it doesn’t mean the game’s over,” Kirby said. “I just have to keep going, and I feel like I’ve been doing a lot better job of that. Some stuff happens early on, just keep my head down, just keep going, and get the win for the team.”
Perhaps the Mariners might take something from that as well.
PHOENIX — It would be inaccurate to describe the Diamondbacks as kryptonite to these Giants, if only because that would imply they had some kind of superpowers.
More than halfway into the season, it’s clear that’s not the case.
If anything, these Giants are super bad.
One thing’s for sure: They don’t have an answer for this Arizona team, which got to Tyler Mahle in the fifth inning and never let the Giants catch up Monday to begin a three-game series.
Final score: 5-4.
Tyler Mahle gets pulled from the game during the Giants’ June 29 loss. Getty Images
It was the seventh time the teams have played this season with the same result. They hadn’t lost seven in a row against one foe to start a season since going 0-7 against the Padres in 2010.
Besides the leadoff homer Mahle surrendered to Ketel Marte that put Arizona up 1-0, things started off positively enough for the Giants. Mahle kept the Diamondbacks quiet, and they tied things up by giving them some of their own small-ball medicine on a squeeze bunt that scored Victor Bericoto.
For a cherry on top, Jonah Cox even beat out the bunt and swiped second.
But Cox didn’t make it past third base, and Mahle didn’t make it out of the next inning.
He walked the leadoff man, allowed the No. 9 hitter to poke a single and loaded the bases with another free pass. That brought up Geraldo Perdomo, who subsequently unloaded them with a bases-clearing double into the left-field corner that Bericoto allowed to bounce around.
Manager Tony Vitello didn’t leave Mahle in to face the damage: He opted for left-hander Sam Hentges to force the switch-hitting Perdomo to bat right-handed with the bases loaded.
The decision was sound, with Perdomo performing substantially worse from the right side this season despite even career splits, but it backfired anyway.
Turns out, the mistake came before the game, when nobody told Mahle he was operating on a pitch count. He said he would have pitched differently to his last hitter, Ketel Marte, the recipient of his second walk, had he been aware it was his final batter.
“I didn’t realize I was on a pitch limit of like 85, so Ketel was up there and he’s done well against me, so I was like, OK, I’m not gonna give him anything to hit,” Mahle said. “Then I got taken out. … I didn’t know I was on a pitch count, or else I would’ve gone about that at-bat differently.”
That’s just how this season has gone for the Giants, who fell back to 14 games below .500. The Diamondbacks are single-handedly responsible for half that margin.
Geraldo Perdomo celebrates after hitting a three-run double during the Diamondbacks’ June 29 game. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Speaking of ownage, there’s Nolan Arenado, who’s in an entirely different orbit.
Arenado’s 36th career home run against the Giants, a no-doubter to left off JT Brubaker, added to Arizona’s lead in the sixth and proved to be the difference. He also drew the walk that started the rally in the fifth.
Heliot Ramos, in his second game back from a month-and-a-half absence, golfed a slider from closer Paul Sewald over the center field fence to lead off the ninth, and pinch-hitter Drew Cavanaugh singled home Bryce Eldridge to cut the margin to one run.
Victor Bericoto scores for the Giants during their June 29 loss to the Diamondbacks. Getty Images
But Drew Gilbert and Matt Chapman popped out to end the loss.
What it means
Whatever positive inertia was built over the Giants’ 4-2 homestand and a series win over the MLB-best Braves was apparently lost when they ran into the buzzsaw that is the third-place Diamondbacks, who had lost seven of 10 and just been swept by the Rays.
The loss also wrapped up the season series in favor of Arizona for the fifth year in a row, ever since the Giants’ 17-2 campaign during their 107-win 2021 season.
If the results so far were flipped, well, the Giants would be a .500 ball club. They would also be tied with Arizona for third place in the NL West, instead of 14 below .500 and in a seven-game hole.
Who’s hot
The pair of homers from Marte and Arenado represented the first time since June 13 that Giants pitchers have allowed opponents to take them deep more than once in a game.
Marte’s leadoff shot was the first home run any Giants pitcher had allowed in five games, dating back to Max Muncy’s solo shot off Dylan Smith in the eighth inning of Wednesday’s 2-1 win over the A’s, ending a run of 37 straight innings without a home run.
Giants starters had kept opposing batters in the park for even longer, going eight straight games without surrendering a home run since Kyle Stowers hit one against Logan Webb last Sunday.
Perhaps it’s no coincidence that the fastball Marte punished was the third-slowest of the 37 four-seamers thrown by Mahle. He averaged 93.5 mph, topping out at 95.5 mph.
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That’s a 1.5-mph increase from Mahle’s average fastball velocity in 11 starts before spending a month on the injured list with a hamstring strain — and would represent his hardest velocity since he averaged 94 mph in 2021.
Who’s not
Giants baserunners have, on multiple occasions already, been doubled off after forgetting the number of outs. Before scoring their first run on a good read from third base, Bericoto managed to make an out in a new fashion even for one of the majors’ worst base running teams.
He confirmed after the game that he didn’t know what the count was when he got caught meandering between first and second after Eric Haase swung through strike two in the second inning.
Catcher Gabriel Moreno fired to first and made Bericoto the third out of the inning after a brief run down, snuffing out a minor rally with two runners on and two outs.
“I don’t want to use the excuse of everything that’s happening back home, but you know, the situation in Venezuela has me rattled up,” said Bericoto, whose brother lost his girlfriend in the powerful earthquakes that struck his home country last week. “It’s not an excuse. I have to do better at my job. But I shouldn’t have made that mistake.”
The young outfielder said he was greeted by “words of encouragement” from his teammates in the dugout, and he made up for the error after doubling in his next at-bat and scoring on Cox’s bunt.
“The conversations were overdone, if anything, in the dugout,” Vitello said. “So it was time to move on, and it was a much better trip around the bases for him. Overall, he played great.”
Up next
Landen Roupp will try to get the Giants in the win column against the Diamondbacks for the first time this season Tuesday in the second game of the series. Arizona plans to call up Brandon Pfaadt from Triple-A.
The Post’s Jon Heyman reported Monday that the veteran second baseman, who was placed on the injured list in recent days with a left hip flexor strain, will miss four to six weeks, minimum.
Semien’s injury was a Grade 3 strain; he tried to play through it before it severely limited his movement.
“He’s got a little bit of time before he’s back on the field with us,” interim manager Andy Green said before the Mets fell 2-1 to the Blue Jays.
Ronny Mauricio and Brett Baty are the second base options in Semien’s absence.
Marcus Semien reacts after striking out during the Mets’ June 12 game. Corey Sipkin for the NY Post
Luis Robert Jr. is scheduled to begin a minor league rehab assignment Tuesday with Triple-A Syracuse.
The veteran outfielder has been on the injured list since April 27 with a lumbar disc spine herniation.
Tobias Myers was optioned to Syracuse and Joey Gerber recalled to give the Mets a fresh arm in the bullpen. Myers, who owns a 14.54 ERA this month, allowed three earned runs over three innings against the Phillies on Sunday — a fourth straight shaky appearance.
Green said rather than stretch out Myers as a starter in the minors, the goal is to “stack innings” before he returns.
“He has the ability to win south of the strike zone and he struggled to get pitches down there [Sunday],” Green said. “If he does that, he will pitch meaningful innings for us, and whether that’s in starting capacity or relief is not determined yet.”
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Gerber pitched a scoreless eighth Monday night with a pair of strikeouts.
The Mets have Nolan McLean and Freddy Peralta lined up to start the final two games of this series before Thursday’s off day.
The rookie McLean was tagged for six earned runs over six innings last week against the Cubs, but Green said he is not concerned about the right-hander, who has pitched to a 4.03 ERA this season.
“He did a lot of good things and he paid the price for long balls,” Green said. “He was one pitch away of being through six innings of three-run baseball with nine punch-outs; he left a pitch up and it got hit. That’s the nature of the game and I think he takes that personally.”
COVERS INTEL: The Athletics are batting .261 with a .789 OPS with 
