PHOENIX, ARIZONA - JUNE 03: Starting pitcher Zac Gallen #23 of the Arizona Diamondbacks reacts as he pitches against the Los Angeles Dodgers during the first inning of the MLB game at Chase Field on June 03, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) | Getty Images
At the beginning of this series, Mark Grace remarked that the Diamondbacks needed to take advantage of the starting pitching matchups in the first two games because – on paper at least – they favored the D-Backs. The first game featured a resurgent Eduardo Rodriguez against youngster Emmet Sheehan while the second one pitted the reinvented Michael Soroka against journeyman Eric Lauer. Grace’s recommendation was certainly heeded in the first game when Rodriguez went six innings and allowed just one run, but Soroka wasn’t quite able to take the baton the next night even if he ended stronger than he started. Frustratingly, the script flipped on starting pitching beginning with Shohei Ohtani and his otherworldly 0.82 ERA going tonight while Justin Wrobleski and his excellent 2.87 ERA will round out the series. As expected, the D-Backs ran headlong into the buzzsaw that Ohtani has been on the bump this season while Zac Gallen labored through just five innings and gave up five runs. There were essentially no highlights for the D-Backs tonight, just lowlights. Seriously, if you’re a Diamondbacks’ fan, go read a book or talk to a friend instead.
The vibes for the night started off poorly with Ketel Marte being scratched from the lineup late with “full body fatigue” that was later clarified to be more focused on his hamstring as Torey Lovullo explained that he would prefer to give him a day off today than push him through the pain. They did not improve through the night. After a scoreless first, Mookie Betts leadoff the second inning by reaching on a slightly off-target throw from Geraldo Perdomo that was immediately cashed in on a mammoth home run from Kyle Tucker off a flat Gallen fastball that sat middle-middle. The third also started with a pair of leadoff base runners with a walk to Ohtani, a double from Andy Pages, and a two-run single from Freddie Freeman. Max Muncy would add another run on a single that somehow eluded Gallen and Perdomo to reach the outfield and allow Freeman to motor around for a fifth LA run. Brandon Pfaadt came into the game in relief and failed to provide much confidence in his role moving forward. After collecting a couple quick outs, he loaded the bases on a Muncy double, a Will Smith walk, and an Alex Call hit by pitch that was again quickly cashed in by an Alex Freeland single up the middle that once again eluded the infield defenders.
Meanwhile, the Ohtani show was in full effect tonight. He extended his no-hit streak another 3.2 IP until Gabriel Moreno broke up his no-hitter with a two-out double in the fourth – one of just two hits and three baserunners the Japanese ace allowed over six innings of work. The D-Backs would muster just two more baserunners for the remainder of the game with a two-out walk to Jose Fernandez and a fielding error on a ball Moreno put into play on the left side of the infield. They did little to generate any baserunners and continued to struggle to find any kind of offensive rhythm after their latest sweep of the Giants. The team is now just 1-5 since leaving San Francisco and looking for answers on both sides of the ball. Thankfully, regardless of how ugly a loss might be, they count the same as a a big blowout. Hopefully the boys are able to shower and relax before going for a series split tomorrow.
In this week's Closer Report, Jhoan Duran continues to dominate as he's on track for his best season yet. No one has been better at run prevention than Louis Varland. And Trevor Megill appears to be back in the driver's seat for saves in Milwaukee. All that and more as we cover the last week in saves around baseball.
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Mason Miller - San Diego Padres Cade Smith - Cleveland Guardians Jhoan Duran - Philadelphia Phillies Aroldis Chapman - Boston Red Sox Raisel Iglesias- Atlanta Braves
Miller worked around two walks, striking out two batters while converting a four-out save against the Nationals on Friday. After giving up his only two runs of the season on April 27, he's back on a ten-game scoreless streak. His 22.5% swinging-strike rate leads the majors, well above the next best at 19.8% by Andrés Muñoz.
Smith made two appearances this week. He struck out the side against the Red Sox on Friday, then gave up one run before holding on for his 21st save against the Yankees on Wednesday. The 27-year-old right-hander holds a 2.83 ERA, 1.08 WHIP, and 43 strikeouts over 28 2/3 innings.
Duran locked down three saves with perfect outings against the Dodgers and Padres. He struck out the side against the Padres on Tuesday, then struck out two more on Wednesday for his 14th save. His current 42% strikeout rate is by far a career high, topping his 33.5% in his 2022 rookie year.
Chapman didn't see any save chances this week, but made one scoreless appearance against the Guardians on Sunday, striking out two. The 38-year-old left-hander had gone ten days without pitching, with his last save coming on May 20. He owns a 0.48 ERA, 0.86 WHIP, and 25 strikeouts over 18 2/3 innings.
Iglesias converted two saves this week, tossing scoreless innings against the Blue Jays and Reds. His only two runs of the season have come in one outing, giving him a 0.96 ERA, 0.91 WHIP, and 22 strikeouts over 18 2/3 innings while converting 11 saves.
▶ Tier 2
Bryan Baker - Tampa Bay Rays Louis Varland - Toronto Blue Jays Andrés Muñoz - Seattle Mariners Tanner Scott - Los Angeles Dodgers Daniel Palencia - Chicago Cubs Gregory Soto - Pittsburgh Pirates Paul Sewald - Arizona Diamondbacks
Two more saves for Baker this week, giving him 16 on the season with a 2.13 ERA, 1.03 WHIP, and 29 strikeouts over 25 1/3 innings. There's been no doubt for a while that Baker has earned the trust to operate as the full-time closer in Tampa Bay. It's still just surprising that we have a Rays reliever well inside the top ten.
In Toronto, Varland recorded his eighth save of the season, recording four outs against the Orioles on Thursday. He then pitched the eighth against the heart of the order on Saturday before Jeff Hoffman surrendered five runs to blow the lead in the ninth. That further cements Varland as the reliever to roster on the Blue Jays. The 28-year-old right-hander has the lowest ERA among closers at 0.29 with a 1.03 WHIP and 42 strikeouts over 31 innings.
Muñoz surrendered a run to blow a save chance against the Diamondbacks on Friday, his fourth blown save of the season. He then pitched a scoreless inning in a non-save situation against the Mets on Monday. The 27-year-old right-hander remains at nine saves with a 4.76 ERA, 1.28 WHIP, and 35 strikeouts over 22 2/3 innings. At some point, we hope the results will start to fall in line with the underlying indicators. Still, Muñoz just hasn't been able to string together enough scoreless outings, making it harder to justify a top spot in the closer rankings.
Scott tossed a clean ninth inning with one strikeout on Friday for a save against the Phillies, then was hit for three runs in the eighth to blow a lead on Saturday. The three runs matched the number of runs he had allowed all season. Scott then bounced back with a scoreless ninth inning against the Diamondbacks on Tuesday for his sixth save. Edwin Díaz has started a throwing progression, but is still expected to be sidelined until after the All-Star break as he recovers from surgery to remove loose bodies in his right elbow.
It's been a frustrating season for fantasy managers rostering Palencia. He made three scoreless appearances this week, but is still searching for his first save since May 14. He's converted just three this season despite an excellent 1.98 ERA, 1.24 WHIP, and 14 strikeouts over 13 2/3 innings.
Soto picked up a win and two saves. The Pirates had entered the ninth inning with a six-run lead on Tuesday, and Dennis Santana was out to finish the game. Santana surrendered two runs and brought the tying run on deck before Santana stepped in and struck out the final two batters for his eighth save. Soto couldn't quite get it done on Wednesday. He was summoned with two outs and two runners on to protect a three-run lead and gave up three hits and a walk, bringing five runs in without recording an out. Still, there's no doubt about who's taking the ninth inning in Pittsburgh. Soto has enjoyed a resurgent season, posting a 2.86 ERA, 0.88 WHIP, and 34 strikeouts over 28 1/3 innings.
Sewald made one appearance this week, tossing a clean inning against the Dodgers on Monday for his 15th save of the season. The 36-year-old right-hander has been effective for the Diamondbacks, with a 3.63 ERA, 0.72 WHIP, and 24 strikeouts over 22 1/3 innings. Sewald has been a bit lucky, with a .122 BABIP and 61.4% strand rate. While those numbers aren't likely to hold up, we'll take the saves production for now.
▶ Tier 3
Josh Hader - Houston Astros Riley O'Brien - St. Louis Cardinals David Bednar - New York Yankees Devin Williams - New York Mets Jacob Latz - Texas Rangers Trevor Megill - Milwaukee Brewers Pete Fairbanks - Miami Marlins Seranthony Domínguez - Chicago White Sox
In Houston, the Astros get their closer back, activating Hader from the 60-day injured list on Tuesday. He got his first save opportunity on Wednesday and converted, working around one walk while striking out one batter in a scoreless inning against the Pirates. The 32-year-old left-hander was sidelined with a biceps issue all season. He hadn't pitched for the team since August 8 of last year after a shoulder injury ended his 2025 campaign early. Hader steps back in as the primary closer, but will continue to carry an elevated injury risk.
O'Brien has made 27 appearances so far this season. He didn't allow a run across his first 13 outings. Over the last 14, he's given up 12 runs. He recovered with a scoreless outing on Wednesday against the Rangers to convert his 15th save to go with a 3.95 ERA, 1.10 WHIP, and 29 strikeouts over 27 1/3 innings.
Bednar worked around two baserunners in his only outing against the Athletics on Sunday. He continues to work through a high volume of traffic on the bases, but I wouldn't expect his .368 BABIP to last all season.
Williams had a much better week despite not seeing any save chances, tossing two clean frames against the Marlins and Mariners. He had a solid stretch through May until giving up four runs on May 24. Inconsistencies have led to a 5.40 ERA, 1.55 WHIP, and 31 strikeouts over 20 innings.
The Rangers have consistently gone to Latz for most of the team's save situations since late April. He picked up two more saves this week on back-to-back days, giving him eight with a 2.00 ERA, 0.59 WHIP, and 26 strikeouts over 27 innings.
Megill has been pitching well over the last couple of weeks, with seven straight scoreless outings. He's appeared to take back the role of primary closer in Milwaukee, picking up two saves this week. Megill has converted the last three saves for the team and is up to eight on the season. Meanwhile, Abner Uribe recorded his last save on May 19. During Megill's seven-game scoreless streak, he's struck out nine batters to zero walks while allowing just two hits.
Fairbanks gave up two runs in the tenth inning to take the loss against the Mets on Friday, then tossed a scoreless inning on Monday before locking down his seventh save on Wednesday against the Nationals. The 32-year-old right-hander is a possible trade candidate at the deadline should the Marlins slide out of contention over the next two months.
Domínguez didn't see a save chance this week, but did make back-to-back scoreless outings with a pair of clean innings. He was unavailable on Sunday, as Tyler Davis stepped in for the final two outs to record the save against the Tigers. Domíguez has converted 11 saves with a 3.97 ERA, 1.15 WHIP, and 28 strikeouts over 22 2/3 innings.
▶ Tier 4
Rico Garcia - Baltimore Orioles Kirby Yates - Los Angeles Angels Kaleb Killian/Keaton Winn - San Francisco Giants Clayton Beeter - Washington Nationals Kyle Finnegan/Will Vest - Detroit Tigers Lucas Erceg - Kansas City Royals
Garcia made three scoreless appearances, including a clean frame with two strikeouts against the Red Sox on Tuesday for his fourth save. Garcia had been splitting save chances with Anthony Nunez, but Nunez has given up eight runs over his last six outings. Garcia is filling in for Ryan Helsley, who is progressing through his recovery from right elbow inflammation. Helsley is in the live bullpen session stage of his rehab, but will likely still need at least a couple more weeks before he's ready to return.
Yates gave up one run and took a loss against the Rockies on Monday, then tossed a scoreless ninth inning in a blowout win on Wednesday. The 39-year-old right-hander has given up four runs with a 12/4 K/BB ratio across 9 1/3 innings while converting one save.
Kilian blew the save and took the loss on Friday, giving up five runs against the Rockies in Colorado. He bounced back with a scoreless inning on Sunday, falling in line for a win. With Kilian coming off three appearances in five days, Winn handled the final five outs against the Brewers on Wednesday for his first save. Winn has been the most effective reliever in the Giants' bullpen, but it remains a situation that is unlikely to produce many saves from any one player, given the team's lack of success and Tony Vitello's matchup play in the late innings.
Beeter seemed to step back into the closer role, converting back-to-back saves against the Padres over the weekend. He then entered with two outs in the seventh on Wednesday against the Marlins. Beeter returned for the eighth and gave up two runs. He's probably the likeliest to get the most save chances in Washington, but inconsistency and some matchup-based usage make him incredibly volatile.
The Tigers lost closer Kenley Jansen to the 15-day injured list with pelvic inflammation. Finnegan figured to get the first chance to fill in for the ninth-inning role, but blew a save chance on Friday against the White Sox. Vest recorded the final five outs, giving up one run before holding on for his first save. Vest is probably the reliever to take the chance on, displaying the better underlying skills. Finnegan's -2.6% K-BB rate is nowhere near closer material. That K-BB ratio ranks last among qualified relievers.
The wheels have fallen off for Erceg as he blew two more saves this week. He's now blown a save in four of his last six outings, including three straight. If speculating for saves here, Alex Lange stepped in for the save chance on Wednesday, with Erceg likely unavailable. He struck out two, working around two baserunners to convert the save against the Reds.
▶ Tier 5
Antonio Senzatela - Colorado Rockies Tony Santillan/Sam Moll - Cincinnati Reds Yoendrys Gómez/Eric Orze - Minnesota Twins Mark Leiter Jr./Joel Kuhnel/Hogan Harris - Athletics
ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA - JUNE 3: Michael Lorenzen #24 and Hunter Goodman #15 of the Colorado Rockies chase a wild throw as Logan O'Hoppe #14 of the Los Angeles Angels scores during second inning of a game at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on June 3, 2026 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Scott Strazzante/Getty Images) | Getty Images
After a pair of wild games that went in their favor, the Colorado Rockies aimed to secure a series sweep against the Los Angeles Angels on Wednesday evening. Unfortunately, another lackluster outing from their starting pitcher and an offense that struggled to get going left them trailing early and failing to catch up as they lost 11-4.
Another Rough Outing for Michael Lorenzen
All hopes for a bounce-back performance for Michael Lorenzen in his hometown venue were quickly dashed as the right-hander struggled once again.
Things started ominously as Lorenzen walked Jorge Soler to start the bottom of the first inning. It was apparent from the get-go that he didn’t quite have command of his pitches and struggled to find the zone. After allowing a one-out single to Wade Meckler, Lorenzen escaped the first inning unscathed to strand the two runners on base.
Then the second inning happened.
As Lorenzen continued to search for comfort, moving around the rubber and lengthening his extension, the Angels kicked things off with back-to-back singles from Donovan Walton and Nick Madrigal before Jose Siri laced an RBI double to left field. A wild pitch then allowed Madrigal to score, followed by an RBI single from Logan O’Hoppe to give the Angels a 3-0 lead.
Lorenzen finally got the first out of the inning thanks to an ABS challenge from Hunter Goodman that secured a strikeout of Soler.
Mike Trout then drew a walk, but Lorenzen got a strikeout out of Meckler for the second out of the inning. However, Vaughn Grissom placed a ground ball into left field for a hit that resulted in a run when a throw from Sterlin Thompson wasn’t handled by Goodman, giving the Angels a 4-0 lead, and allowing both trail runners to move up to scoring position.
Another wild pitch scored the Angels’ fifth run, followed by an Oswald Peraza single to make it 6-0. The inning finally ended on a flyout to center field from Walton.
Lorezen tossed 61 pitches through the first two innings, the highest number in his career, but manager Warren Schaeffer stuck with him in the hopes he could just eat some innings. Lorenzen tried to oblige with a quick third, but his night came to an early end when Grissom hit a two-run homer in the fourth to make it an 8-1 game.
“He was obviously behind in counts, left some balls up, and didn’t put the ball where he wanted to.” Schaeffer said after the game. “His command was shaky.”
Lorenzen ended up going just 3.1 innings, allowing eight runs on 10 hits while issuing just two walks and striking out five. He threw 85 pitches, 52 of which were strikes.
“He’s in a period of searching right now,” said Schaeffer. “I have extreme confidence in him that he’s going to come out of it. He’s done it before.”
Offense musters a couple of two-out knocks
It’s been a common theme for the Rockies’ offense to start slow this season, and tonight was another instance of that stereotype.
Facing rookie right-hander Walbert Ureña, the Rockies had a tough task getting things rolling. Through the first 4.2 innings, Colorado had no hits and just one baserunner. Finally, Goodman secured the first hit with a double to center field on a chest-high sinker. Troy Johnston then followed up with an RBI double of his own to get the Rockies on the board, trailing 6-1 at the time.
The Rockies continued trying to make the game interesting in the next inning. Edouard Julien drew a one-out walk, one of three that Ureña allowed. After Jake McCarthy struck out, Tyler Freeman delivered another clutch hit with two outs, tucking a two-run home run beyond the left field wall to make it 8-3. For Freeman, it was his third home run of the season.
That was all the Rockies could muster against Ureña, however, as he ended up allowing just three runs on three hits while striking out seven batters. The Rockies made him work, throwing 99 pitches, but they weren’t able to capitalize and do more damage against him.
After a scoreless seventh inning against former Rockie Drew Pomeranz, reigning NL Rookie of the Month TJ Rumfield got something started for the Rockies with a one-out double in the eighth inning. After Goodman moved him over to third on a groundout, Johnston delivered another two-out hit to drive in Rumfield to make it 11-4.
Aside from a two-out double by Julien, the Rockies went quietly in the ninth to end the game.
The Rockies managed seven hits, including four extra-base hits, but also went 2-for-8 with runners in scoring position. They also struck out nine times and drew three walks.
Bullpen and defense clocks in
Keegan Thompson ended up replacing Lorenzen in that fourth inning as the bullpen clocked in to eat a bulk of innings.
He ended up working 2.2 innings, allowing five runs on three hits with three strikeouts, throwing 30-of-45 pitches for strikes. He left the game with the Rockeis trailing 11-3, but things could have looked much more dire had it not been for a couple of stellar defensive plays in the outfield.
The first batter he faced in the fourth inning lofted a ball deep to center field that would have been a triple at least if it had hit off the wall, but the speedy McCarthy tracked it down with a leaping grab.
The following inning, Trout sent a ball to left field that looked just high enough for a two-run home run, but Sterlin Thompson made a leaping grab to rob the hit and end the inning.
Seth Halvorsen fired a scoreless seventh inning, allowing one hit and recording a strikeout. He then gave way to rookie TJ Shook, who threw just five pitches for a 1-2-3 eighth inning.
In total, the Rockies’ pitching staff gave up 16 hits and had eight strikeouts against three walks. The bullpen alone allowed just three runs on six hits over 4.2 innings with three strikeouts and a walk.
Up Next
The Rockies head back home, where they will enjoy the day off on Thursday.
The Milwaukee Brewers come to town for a weekend series starting Friday with Ryan Feltner (2-1, 4.85 ERA) making his second start since returning from the injured list. Brandon Sproat (1-4, 6.24 ERA) takes the hill for the Brew Crew.
First pitch is scheduled for 6:40 pm MDT. See you then!
PHOENIX, ARIZONA - JUNE 03: Starting pitcher Shohei Ohtani #17 of the Los Angeles Dodgers reacts after pitching out of the sixth inning of the MLB game against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field on June 03, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Shohei Ohtani continued to dazzle on the mound, and the Dodgers gave him plenty of early run support as they shut out the Arizona Diamondbacks 7-0 on Wednesday.
The Dodgers started the scoring with a two-run home run for a second consecutive game, this time being Kyle Tucker launching his first home run since May 4 to give the Dodgers a 2-0 lead in the top of the second inning.
Freddie Freeman added another pair of RBI on an opposite-field single in the top of the third to make it a 4-0 lead. Freeman added another hit in the seventh inning and is now 5-15 (.333 average) with a home run and five RBI over the three games at Chase Field this week. Max Muncy drove home Freeman with a single up the middle to give the Dodgers their first three-run inning of the series and make it a five-run lead.
While the Dodgers didn’t score in the top of the fourth, they continued to make Zac Gallen earn every out. Gallen had tossed just six pitches in the first inning and 20 combined over his first two innings, but he combined for 70 pitches over his next three innings— 32, 24 and 14 pitches respectively. Gallen has now allowed nine runs (eight earned runs) over nine innings against the Dodgers this season.
As for Shohei Ohtani on the mound, he was perfect against the Diamondbacks lineup the first time around while racking up three strikeouts. He was one out away from 10 straight hitless innings since last week, but Gabriel Moreno spoiled the no-hit bid with a two-out, two-strike double down the right field line to give Arizona their first hit. Ohtani got out of the jam by getting Nolan Arenado to ground out.
Ohtani faced the most trouble on the mound in the bottom of the sixth inning, as he allowed a walk and a single to Tommy Troy and Geraldo Perdomo respectively to put two men on base for the first time on the night. Ohtani quickly got out of the jam, getting Corbin Carroll to ground into an inning-ending double play to give the two-way superstar another quality start.
Ohtani has now allowed just two hits and one run while striking out 13 over his last two starts, while Wednesday marked the fifth scoreless start of the year. Ohtani now lowers his ERA on the year to 0.74, the best among all starting pitchers with at least 60 innings.
While Ohtani dazzled on the mound, he reached base five times on a pair of walks and three singles. After May 11, Ohtani’s batting average stood at just .233, but since May 12, Ohtani has multiple hits in 11 of his last 19 games, raising his season average to .301.
Kyle Tucker added a pair of singles to accompany his two-run home run, giving him his first three-hit game since May 17 against the Angels.
Alex Freeland has been hitting well since being called back up from Triple-A, as he collected three hits and added two RBI on a single in the top of the seventh to make it a 7-0 Dodger lead. Freeland is now 6-17 (.353 average) with a home run and four RBI in six games back at the big league level.
With the San Diego Padres dropping their series against the Philadelphia Phillies, the Dodgers division lead now grows to seven games. The Dodgers now join the Atlanta Braves as the only two teams in baseball with at least 40 wins on the year.
The Dodgers look to take the series as they wrap things up in Arizona on Thursday (6:40 p.m. PT, SportsNet LA) before heading back home for a three-game set against the Angels. Justin Wrobleski faces Ryne Nelson.
Newest San Diego Padres Samad Taylor (Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images) | Getty Images
After a 3-2 loss to the Philadelphia Phillies in the series opener, the San Diego Padres designated Nick Castellanos for assignment. They called up Samad Taylor from the Triple-A affiliate, the El Paso Chihuahuas.
No buzz, no headlines, but Taylor deserves the opportunity, as he is tearing up the minors. Before his call-up, he was hitting .319/.406/.500 with seven HR and 25 RBI in 51 games.
Castellanos failed to produce
The Castellanos decision brings a sigh of relief to the Friar Faithful. He was expected to hit for average and drive in runs, but neither happened as the organization hoped. Castellanos struggled, as he batted .191/.221/.339 in 39 games.
His career numbers (.270/.319/.462 with 24 HR and 88 RBI) suggested he could have a bounce-back season with the Padres. The organization should have taken a closer look at the significant production drop-off in Castellanos’ final season with the Phillies. Hitting .250/.294/.400 with 17 HR and 72 RBI in 147 games did not merit keeping his questionable outfield glove in the lineup.
Who is Samad Taylor, and what is his role with the Padres
The Cleveland Guardians drafted Taylor in the 10th round of the 2016 MLB Draft. He played in the Toronto Blue Jays organization before making his major league debut with the Kansas City Royals in 2023. Taylor also played in the majors with the Seattle Mariners in 2024-25. In January, he signed as a minor league free agent with the Friars.
The Padres consider Taylor a versatile player, as his primary position is second base, but he can play the other infield positions and all three outfield spots. Plus, the organization believes the 27-year-old Corona, Calif. native can become an important late-inning base-stealing threat off the bench. Taylor has 282 stolen bases in 883 minor league games.
The Friars’ lineup has too many holes to wait for Castellanos to get hot at the plate. The fit was never right.
Feb 21, 2026; Tuscaloosa, AL, USA; Head coach Rob Vaughn watches from the dugout during the game with Rhode Island at Sewell-Thomas Stadium in the first game of a Saturday double header. | Gary Cosby Jr.-Tuscaloosa News / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
The Alabama Crimson Tide will host the St Johns Red Storm this weekend with a trip to Omaha for the College World Series on the line. The Tide swept through the Tuscaloosa Regional to advance while the Red Storm worked their way through the Tallahassee Regional as a four seed, beating host Florida State twice. The Super’s are a best 2-3 series and the teams will play Saturday at 8 p.m. CT, Sunday at 2 p.m. CT, and at to be determined time in the if necessary game on Monday. The Tide will host a Super Regional for the first time since 2006 and will playing to reach the College World Series for the first time since 1997. The Johnnies have a long baseball history, having been to six College World Series and have 28 Regional appearances. SJU last reached Omaha in 1980. Alabama has a record of 40-19 while St Johns is 36-24 after starting the season 1-10.
St Johns is on an eight game winning streak after sweeping through the Big East Tournament and the Tallahassee Regional. The Storm carries a team batting average of .282 with a .420 slugging percentage, a .380 on base percentage with 54 home runs, 102 doubles, have stolen 92 bases in 120 attempts, 272 walks, 69 hit batters, with 414 strikeouts. Defensively SJU has committed only 49 errors for a .978 fielding percentage.
On the mound the Red Storm has an ERA of 5.36 over 527 innings pitched and have allowed 546 hits and a batting average of .268 against. The staff has 433 strikeouts against 241 walks.
St Johns is on a roll, and can’t be taken lightly. However the Tide is a favorite in the series for a reason, and should be able to take care of business and earn that long awaited return to the Mecca of college baseball in Omaha. We will look at Alabama’s leaders on tomorrow.
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - MAY 29: AJ Smith-Shawver #32 of the Atlanta Braves looks on after allowing a two run home run to Rafael Marchán #13 of the Philadelphia Phillies in the bottom of the third inning during game one of a doubleheader at Citizens Bank Park on May 29, 2025 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Braves continue to win and are now 42-20. Not only do they continue to win, but they continue to win without many of their best players available. They have the best record in baseball and should see Drake Baldwin return towards the middle of the month, who was having a down-ballot MVP-caliber season, and should be getting rotation reinforcements back from injury perhaps as soon as July. The potential insertions of Hurston Waldrep, AJ Smith-Shawver, and later Spencer Schwellenbach into the rotation could also free up Grant Holmes to add some strength to the bullpen, rather than providing serviceable rotation depth. Other injuries can always happen, of course, but this team is set up quite well for the coming months.
I feel for Tony Santillan at the moment. He’s been such a vital part of the Cincinnati Reds bullpen, when healthy, for several years now, but it’s undeniable that he’s been struggling for weeks now to no avail.
Problem is, the more he struggles, the more that’s still being asked of him. Simultaneous with his foibles have come the injuries to Emilio Pagan, Pierce Johnson, and Graham Ashcraft, as well as the latest derailment of Connor Phillips. In other words, opportunities keep falling on his lap based on his reputation at a time when he, like so many relievers before him, needed just a bit more time to work things out.
The Cincinnati Reds have been worse for it, sadly. There just aren’t enough other good options down there to whom Terry Francona can turn.
Cincinnati clawed their way back to a 2-2 tie against the Kansas City Royals thanks to a late 2-run homer by Blake Dunn, a swing that leveled the score after Chase Burns turned in yet another stellar start (6.0 IP, 2 ER, 9 K). The problem, though, is that the more that was asked of Cincinnati’s beleaguered bullpen, the worse things got.
I hate to pile on Santillan here, but the facts are what they are now. In 23.0 IP this season, he’s pitched to a 6.65 ERA while yielding an impossible nine homers in that time. Seven of those dingers have come since May 5th alone. Yet here the Reds were in the 9th inning of a game against a club that was just 23-38 on the season coming in with Santillan on the mound with the game on the line, and things once again simply collapsed in real time.
Short of swinging a major deal for an entirely new bullpen, I’m not sure exactly where the Reds go from here. We saw in April how vital a fully-functioning Cincinnati bullpen was going to be for the way this roster was built, with thin margins and wins in close games paramount given their lack of obvious ways to win games in blowouts. Now, we’re seeing just how penalized the roster building can be when banking on such thin margins, as the relievers of the Reds are seemingly just out of relief right now.
Thursday is a day off, and Sunday will see Rhett Lowder return to the starting unit. I just wonder whether or not either will be enough of a jolt to get this thing back on track with so many key arms still weeks away from rejoining the roster at any strength, let alone full.
DENVER, COLORADO - MAY 29: Logan Webb #62 of the San Francisco Giants pitches in the first inning against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field on May 29, 2026 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Dustin Bradford/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Since franchise legend Buster Posey took over as president of baseball operations for the San Francisco Giants, he’s preached one thing. Well, he’s preached many things, but one has stood taller than the rest: pitching and defense.
Pitching and defense, just as the ballpark was built for.
Pitching and defense, just as they leaned on during their dynastic run that Posey was at the helm of.
Pitching and defense, just as they did in The Good Ol’ Days.
Pitching and defense and pitching and defense and pitching and defense and juuuust enough hitting to prop it all up.
You can say it hasn’t worked, as evidenced by the fact that they entered Wednesday’s game against the Milwaukee Brewers with the worst record in the National League. Or you can say that it simply hasn’t actually been executed, as evidenced by the fact that the Giants, in the last year and a half, have made no efforts to add to their bullpen, have made only the most meager efforts to improve their rotation, have traded the best defensive player in the sport, and have invested nearly half a billion dollars in a trio of sluggers, only one of which has ever won a Gold Glove.
But on Wednesday, it worked. For one glorious day, the Giants won as the prophecy foretold: with pitching and defense. Pitching and defense and just enough offense to keep you from pulling your hair out and pleading with Posey to trade Logan Webb simply to free him from this cursed existence.
Webb took the mound for his second start since returning from the Injured List, and it was clear early on that this was our first 2026 glimpse of the real Webb, the one who has earned Cy Young votes in each of the last four seasons, as opposed to the one sporting a 4.82 ERA when the game began.
He opened the first inning with a four-pitch strikeout of former MVP Christian Yelich, staying in the strike zone on all four pitches. He followed it up with his signature groundout (courtesy of Andrew Vaughn), and a flyout from Brice Turang.
The second inning? Groundout, lineout, strikeout No. 2.
He opened the fourth by striking out Yelich, again, and getting Vaughn to ground out, again.
And then came the first moment that made it feel like the game could be special. A moment that felt like it could be A Moment. With two outs, Turang chopped one sharply down the third base line. Matt Chapman, shifted over against the lefty hitter, ranged back towards third, plucked the ball out of the air, and threw across his body while falling across the third base line.
A perfect strike to Rafael Devers. A third out in the inning. A 12th out for Logan Webb in as many attempts.
It wasn’t quite Gregor Blanco diving to keep Matt Cain’s perfect game afloat, or even Hunter Pence awkwardly sliding to preserve Tim Lincecum’s first no-hitter. But it was the type of play that makes you feel like something special is brewing; like the baseball deities who have firmly abandoned the Giants this year have remembered the team’s existence.
With that, the watch was on. Once you make it past the fourth inning and the first defensive gem, suddenly the (admittedly still very slim) chance of no-hitter becomes worth paying attention to.
There was just one issue. The Giants offense had proven incapable of supporting Webb. And try as you may, you couldn’t shake the image of the Giants ace carrying a perfect game into the ninth inning, knowing that the 27th out wouldn’t bring a celebration, but instead a 10th inning.
Lefty Robert Gasser, in just his third appearance of the year, had kept San Francisco’s hitters off the bases in the first and second innings. The third had provided the sort of Giants-esque rally that makes you resell those tickets you bought a few months ago. The kind of rally we’ve grown far too comfortable with over the last decade.
It began when Bryce Eldridge reached first on a swinging bunt that traveled that magical distance where both Gasser and catcher William Contreras could have gotten it, but each decided to say “no, you first” until the moment was lost (even at that, the moment was only barely lost, as Eldridge was only ruled safe after the Giants challenged the call). The fortune continued when Daniel Susac hit what felt like a double play off the bat, but was just far enough away from shortstop David Hamilton to ricochet off his glove and trickle into left field.
Just like that, the Giants had two runners on, with no outs. After Victor Bericoto struck out, Casey Schmitt ripped one up the middle. It had RBI single written all over it, but Hamilton dove behind the bag to knock the ball down, holding the Giants’ top hitter to an infield single, and loading the bases.
With less than two outs. Their kryptonite. And indeed, Devers meagerly popped out, and Luis Arráez hit an inning-ending grounder.
They tried again in the fourth, when Jung Hoo Lee lifted a one-out soft liner to the outfield (extending his hitting streak to 11 games), and Eldridge drew a two-out walk. But no dice. It would be that kind of day.
Until the fifth inning.
Just three pitches after Chapman’s defensive heroics, Gasser threw a get-it-in sinker in a 2-0 count to Bericoto. The pitch was on the outer half of the plate and the Giants’ rookie, as he does so well, used that to his advantage, inside-outing it all the way over the right field wall for the first home run of his career.
It’s always special to reflect on what it took for a player to get where they got when such a monumental moment occurs. The 24-year old Bericoto signed with the Giants on July 2, 2018, almost a full eight years ago. It was the same day that the Giants signed Marco Luciano and Luis Matos. He played 569 games in the Minor Leagues before getting his chance. He hit 78 home runs in the Minor Leagues before getting to hit one in the Majors.
And he sure made it count.
With the lead firmly in hand, and visions of the most brutal Caining in history now pushed from our imaginations, Webb got back to work in the fifth. He struck out Contreras, then got Jake Bauers to ground out (in a 3-0 count, no less), and got Garrett Mitchell to lazily fly one to left field.
The perfect game followed him to the sixth inning, where it finally met its match. Facing Sal Frelick to open the inning, Webb missed the zone on three straight pitches. Frelick, unwilling to make the mistake that Bauers had, forced Webb to throw three straight strikes, and while Webb happily obliged for the first two, the third time was not the charm. Frelick took his free jog to first base, and we switched over from perfecto watch to no-no watch.
Even with the tying run lurking, Webb was game. As Frelick took off for second, Webb worked a grounder out of Luis Rengifo for out No. 1. Hamilton grounded out for the out No. 2, as Frelick moved to third. And there at third, 90 feet away from tying the game, he would stay, as Webb worked his third ground ball of the inning, this time from Yelich.
And so the no-hitter followed Webb into the seventh inning, where Vaughn led off with a flyout.
Finally, in a 1-2 count, Turang — the hitter whom Chapman had robbed of a hit — had seen enough. Webb threw a perfect two-strike pitch, whipping a backdoor sweeper below the zone and off the plate. Turang, in Sandovalian fashion, cared not for the location, and golfed it just over the head of a leaping Willy Adames for Milwaukee’s first hit of the game.
History was off the table, but excellence was not. After a brief flirtation with disappointment, Webb tightened his belt and got back to work, getting Contreras to fly out and Bauers to ground out.
With that, his night was over. It was, after all, just his second game since his injury, and with the chance of a no-hitter no longer there, 95 pitches was enough for Tony Vitello to, rightly, decide that it was bullpen time.
But first, an interlude for the Giants to once again age you in double time. This time it was Arráez hitting a one-out single, and Lee with a two-out knock. There was no blown situational hitting attempt this time around, but with the Giants clinging to a 1-0 lead, it felt equal parts fitting and indefensible that they couldn’t give Webb a cushion before handing things over to a bullpen known for implosions.
So the hard way would have to work. And the Giants treated us all to a little dose of torture.
Erik Miller took the mound for the eighth, and promptly gave up a leadoff single to Jackson Chourio. After the gift of all gifts — a popped-up bunt by Blake Perkins — Miller issued a four-pitch walk to Rengifo, moving the tying run into scoring position with just one out.
Vitello, who has developed a bit of a habit for leaving relievers in until all four wheels come careening off, instead of making a switch after the first one exits the vehicle, was decisive this time around, promptly removing Miller and turning to Keaton Winn. Four pitches later, Winn had induced an inning-ending double play from the bat of Gary Sánchez.
But that wasn’t quite enough drama given the circumstances. The Giants were still in prime position to lose the game, and squander not just the best Webb start of the year, but one of the best of his career. It would have been very fitting for the season, so you wouldn’t really even be able to blame them.
And so it felt as though we were headed that way when Winn gave up a leadoff double to Yelich in the ninth. The Brewers had the tying run in scoring position, and the walk-off run at the plate, and they still had all three outs to play with.
A grounder by Vaughn supplied the first out, but moved Yelich to third. It was unclear whether that was the good news or the bad news.
Winn, who appears primed to take over the closer spot that multiple relievers have abandoned this year, showed his merit for the role in striking out Turang, a left-handed hitter who has a .991 OPS against righties this year (Susac deserves an assist for the strikeout, as he sensationally plucked a would-be wild pitch out of the air after it collided with the dirt in front of the plate).
With the sacrifice no longer in play, Winn settled in to face Contreras, needing an out in any old way. Three pitches and one ground ball later, the game was over. The very cool and memorable game, I might add.
Pitching and defense. Pitching and defense and pitching and defense and pitching and defense and juuuuust enough offense to make it all work.
Logan Webb and Matt Chapman and Logan Webb and Daniel Susac and Logan Webb and Keaton Winn and Logan Webb and juuuuuust enough Victor Bericoto.
Jun 3, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Athletics right fielder Colby Thomas (32) hits a solo home run against the Chicago Cubs during the eight inning at Wrigley Field. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images | Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images
The Athletics battled the Chicago Cubs in the second game of this three-game midweek series. The road-warrior A’s took an early lead and then gave it up. Up 4-2 for most of the night, it looked like the Cubs would hold on to even up the series. Yet, the A’s came back in the eighth to tie and wound up winning 5-4 in ten innings.
A’s Score Right Away
Athletics’ right fielder Carlos Cortes led off with an infield single and first baseman Nick Kurtz walked against Cubs’ starting pitcher Collin Rea. On consecutive ground balls by catcher Shea Langeliers and left fielder Tyler Soderstrom, the Cubs attempted to turn double plays, but both runners beat the relay throws to first. Cortes scored on Soderstrom’s groundout, giving the A’s a 1–0 lead.
Jeffrey Springs kept momentum on the A’s side with a scoreless bottom of the first inning. The A’s added another run in the second. With one out, third baseman Zack Gelof doubled, extending his hitting streak to eight games. He scored on shortstop Alika Williams’ two-out RBI single.
The Cubs immediately got one back. After making a nice catch in the top of the inning, right-fielder Seiya Suzuki led off the bottom of the second with his eighth home run of the season, a solo blast to the left field bleachers. That was Springs’ 13th home run allowed this season. He wiggled out of trouble following Dansby Swanson’s one-out double, keeping his team’s lead intact.
Chicago took the lead the next inning on center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong’s two-run home run to right-center field, his eighth of the season. The blast came after Soderstrom’s defensive misread on a line drive that turned into a double for Cubs second baseman Nico Hoerner.
Through three innings, Jeffrey Springs again struggled with a familiar issue—giving up too many home runs, which has been a recurring problem during his ongoing winless streak. Meanwhile, Rea completed a second straight scoreless inning for the hosts in the top of the fourth, preserving their slim lead.
The Cubs scored their fourth run in the fourth inning. Ian Happ doubled, and Michael Busch followed with an RBI triple. Cortes misplayed both hits in right field, especially the triple.
Athletics manager Mark Kotsay pulled Springs after 3 2/3 innings. The A’s starter allowed four runs on seven hits, with those two home runs doing most of the damage, although he was not helped by the poor outfield defense behind him. A’s right-handed reliever Joel Kuhnel came in and got Nico Hoerner to end the threat, escaping a two-on, two-out jam.
Bullpen Time
Kuhnel and left-hander Jose Suarez each turned in 1 1/3 scoreless relief appearances out of the A’s bullpen, keeping the team’s deficit at two.
With one out in the sixth, the Cubs went to their bullpen, pulling Rea from the game despite the starter allowing only two runs on four hits on just 69 pitches. Left-handed reliever Hoby Milner got the final two outs of that inning. In the seventh, right-handed reliever Jacob Webb held the A’s to one hit.
A’s Tie The Game!
Cubs’ left-handed reliever Caleb Thielbar entered to pitch the eighth. Kotsay countered by bringing Colby Thomas off the bench to pinch hit for Cortes. Thomas, who crushes left-handers, delivered by hitting his second home run of the year, a solo blast crushed deep to the left field bleachers.
Langeliers lined a double to the left-center gap with one out, positioning himself as the game-tying run. Soderstrom followed with a hit down the right field line, scoring Langeliers to tie the game. The A’s left fielder tried stretching that hit into a double. Suzuki made a nice throw to nab Soderstrom at second.
The next batter, designated hitter Brent Rooker hit a long single to center. If Soderstrom had stopped at first, he would have likely made it to third with one out on that hit, putting the visitors in prime position to take the lead. Alas, A’s center fielder Lawrence Butler failed again, hitting an inning-ending line out after fouling off multiple potential ball four pitches.
Athletics hard-throwing right-hander Luis Medina pitched the bottom of the eighth, walking Alex Bregman to start the inning before inducing a double play from Seiya Suzuki. He gave up Happ’s two-out double, but then struck out Swanson to keep the game tied.
The A’s went down in order in the ninth against Cubs’ closer Daniel Palencia. Chicago did the same in the last of the ninth as A’s reliever Hogan Harris sent this game to extra innings.
Extra Innings!
Athletics pinch-hitter Jonah Heim led off the tenth with a groundout to first, advancing the ghost-runner Williams to third. Kurtz singled to left, scoring Williams to give the A’s their first lead since the third.
Right-hander Justin Sterner pitched the tenth for the A’s, seeking the save. Hoerner led off with a fly out, advancing the Cubs’ ghost runner to third. Sterner struck out Crow-Armstrong for a big second out and then retired Bregman to end the game and seal the Athletics comeback series-clinching victory.
The series ends tomorrow evening, same time, same place. The Athletics will send right-hander J.T. Ginn to the mound as they go for the series-sweep at Wrigley. The Cubs will counter with left-hander Shota Imanaga.
Jun 3, 2026; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Milwaukee Brewers catcher William Contreras (24) throws to first base during the third inning against the San Francisco Giants at American Family Field. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images | Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images
Pat Murphy said it perfectly on Tuesday night about Logan Webb, “I know the kid pitching tomorrow has shoved it up our (expletive) many times.”
And shove it, he did. Webb didn’t allow a baserunner until the 6th inning and didn’t allow his first hit until there was one out in the 7th inning. The Brewers offense was held completely in check. Webb went seven shutout innings, striking out five, and allowing just five hard-hit balls all night. Four of those five that were “hard-hit” (95+ MPH exit velocity) were groundouts.
That left the Brewers basically no margin for error for their pitching staff. Robert Gasser, freshly called up from Triple-A Nashville, took a big step forward from his previous outings. Gasser dealt with traffic on the bases in the 3rd and 4th innings, but was able to get out of those jams with nothing across.
However, in the 5th inning, Gasser allowed a leadoff home run to 9-hole hitter Victor Bericoto that just made it to the Giants bullpen. That was all the Giants got and it was all they needed on Wednesday night.
“He didn’t miss very many spots, at least I know during my at bats. I got like one pitch over the heart of the plate, that was about it. When you got command and movement like he does, it’s tough” Brice Turang said.
The Brewers were able to get into the Giants bullpen in the 8th and 9th innings and they had opportunities to scratch a run across. Pinch-hitter Jackson Chourio led off the 8th with a single. Then Blake Perkins pinch-hit for Sal Frelick and popped up a sacrifice bunt attempt.
“Perk didn’t get the bunt down, that’s inexcusable.” Pat Murphy said.
Luis Rengifo followed with a walk to put two runners on base. Murphy brought in Gary Sanchez to pinch-hit for David Hamilton. The Giants countered with right hander Keaton Winn. Winn got Sanchez to ground into a double play to end the inning.
Perkins is now 0-for-his-last-17 and his last hit came on May 10th. Sanchez is 4-for-his-last-36 dating back to April 29th.
Then in the 9th inning, facing Winn again with the top of the order due up, the Brewers had another great chance. Christian Yelich led off the inning with a double. Andrew Vaughn hit a ground ball to the right side to get Yelich to third base with less than two outs. Brice Turang couldn’t put the ball in the air and struck out. Then William Contreras grounded out to end the game.
It was a tough night for the Brewers offense, getting no-hit through six innings and having numerous opportunities late that they couldn’t cash in on.
Credit must also be given to Chad Patrick, who came on in relief of Gasser and threw four shutout innings to finish the game. He kept the Brewers in it and didn’t let that Giants lead grow.
Still, the Brewers fell short and need to bounce back in Thursday’s finale to secure the series win. They’ll have to do so against an old friend in Adrian Houser. Coleman Crow will start for the Crew.
The Columbus Clipper blasted off for nine runs on 11 hits and 10 walks Tuesday.Leading the charge offensively was Juan Brito, who went 3-for-4 with a walk and three runs scored.Bo Naylor also had a huge game, going 1-for-2 with a three-run home run, three walks and a stolen base. Angel Genao went 2-for-5 and slugged his fourth home run as well.
Cooper Ingle doubled and walked while Nolan Jones went 2-for-5 with a double, George Valera went 1-for-4 with a walk and a stolen base and C.J. Kayfus walked three times.Daniel Espino served as the opener in this game and he was tagged for two runs on one hit and one walk with two strikeouts in 1.0 innings. Unfortunately, that one hit was a two-run home run. Rorik Maltrud followed with four runs allowed on eight hits in 4.0 innings while striking out seven and walking two.
Tommy Mace and Jack Leftwich both finished off the game with 2.0 innings apiece while both allowing one run.
Akron RubberDucks 12, Bowie Baysox 15
RubberDucks fall to 28-24
Akron’s offense did its damndest, scoring 12 runs on 14 hits, but poor pitching and defense betrayed it. Jaison Chourio had one of the best games of his career, going 3-for-5 with two home runs and five runs batted in.
And that's a multi-homer game for Jaison Chourio!
Moments after slugging his first Double-A homer, he goes yard again for the @AkronRubberDuck 🦆
Nick Mitchell reached base safely three times, going 2-for-4 with a walk while Jacob Cozart went 2-for-4 with a home run and Wuilfredo Antunez also homered. In his Double-A debut, Luke Hill went 2-for-5 with a run scored, although he committed two errors at second base. Alex Mooney also went 2-for-5. Starting pitcher Khal Stephen had a rough day, allowing eight runs (five earned) on 10 hits in 4.2 innings pitched. He struck out just one batter and didn’t walk any. Carter Rustad followed by allowing six more runs, although none of them were earned in 2.0 innings.
Lake County Captains 5, Fort Wayne TinCaps 6
Captains fall to 5-6
Nolan Schubart had a strong performance, going 2-for-4 with his 10th home run of the season.Tommy Hawke had the other multi-hit game, going 2-for-4 with a stolen base.
Bennet Thompson homered as well, while Dean Curley went 1-for-3 with a walk. No one else reached base safely twice or had an extra base hit.Starting pitcher Franklin Gomez allowed four runs (three earned) on six hits with six strikeouts and two walks in 5.0 innings. Logan McGuire allowed another run in 1.1 innings while Cam Schuelke allowed one run with the game tied in the bottom of the ninth inning to take the loss, although he had pitched 2.1 innings before that.
Hill City Howlers 2, Fredericksburg Nationals 3
Howlers fall to 25-27
Juneiker Caceres and Ty Howard both went 2-for-4 with a double while Johan Rodriguez went 1-for-3 with a home run and a walk. This team needs to get some of its young injured talent back in action. Gabriel Rodriguez should hopefully be back soon.
Starting pitcher Ryan DeSanto, a 12th round pick out of Penn State, had a strong performance. He allowed one run on one hit with seven strikeouts in 4.0 innings, although he did walk five.Miguel Flores added 3.2 scoreless frames with four strikeouts and Luke Fernandez unfortunately couldn’t hold the lead, allowing two runs in the bottom of the ninth inning to let the Nationals walk off.
ACL Guardians 13, ACL Cubs 6
Guardians improve to 15-9
Alejandro Blasco is making one heck of a first impression. In his 2026 debut, the 19-year-old Venezuelan prospect went 2-for-2 with two doubles and a walk on May 30. On Tuesday, he went 2-for-2 with a home run, a double and a walk. His OPS through two games is a ridiculous 3.500. Not bad for someone who spent two season in the DSL already.A rehabbing Gabriel Rodriguez went 1-for-3 with two walks. A rehabbing Welbyn Francisca went 1-for-4 with two walks and a stolen base.
Gustavo Baptista went 2-for-4 with a double and two stolen bases, Angel Abreu went 3-for-5 with a double, Randy Martinez went 1-for-2 with two walks and a stolen base and Estivel Morillo went 2-for-5 with a double. A rehabbing Yorman Gomez tossed 2.0 shutout innings. He struck out four, walked one and allowed two hits. Evan Chrest added a perfect inning with two strikeouts.
Jun 3, 2026; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; Texas Rangers left fielder Alejandro Osuna (19) slides but is unable to catch a double hit by St. Louis Cardinals designated hitter Nelson Velazquez (not pictured) during the third inning at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images | Jeff Curry-Imagn Images
The Texas Rangers scored three runs but the St. Louis Cardinals scored five runs.
The bad omens just kept piling up for the Rangers tonight and it ended with them losing for the first time in nearly a week as they saw their season-best five-game winning streak snapped in the finale from St. Louis.
Bad omen No. 1: The Rangers had scored in the first inning to take a lead in three of their five wins during the winning streak. Tonight, however, they trailed after one inning as the Cardinals got a two-out RBI single that followed a glacial attempt at a potential inning-ending double play.
Bad omen No. 2: Tonight’s starter MacKenzie Gore walked two in the first inning and needed 30+ pitches to make it out of the first frame. In fact, Gore collected his fourth out overall tonight in the bottom of the second inning on pitch No. 41. Ten pitches per out is not what we’d call economical.
The left-hander had a string of solid outings to close out May but was first inefficient tonight and then, ultimately, pretty subpar as overall. Gore allowed four runs on nine hits with three walks over 4.2 innings which took him exactly 100 pitches to wade through.
Bad omen No. 3: The Cardinals kept scoring a run here and a run there throughout the night and it kept pushing Texas’ comeback chances further out of reach but the most frustrating thing was three of St. Louis’ five runs came with two outs. An extra out to squash even one of those rallies could have potentially changed Texas’ fate.
Bad omen No. 4: Despite being mired in a massive slump, former Rangers prospect Thomas Saggese collected two hits, including a triple that scored one of those two-out runs that eventually proved the difference.
All those bad markers layered throughout the game and, despite the winning streak, the Rangers still have a pretty thin margin for error on any given night. Texas got to within a couple of runs late but in the end they finally succumbed to a team from Missouri and now they’ll have to wait for another shot at returning to .500 ball.
Player of the Game: In lieu of a batter, of which no Rangers hitter had more than one hit tonight, how about 26-year old Robby Ahlstrom making his MLB debut tonight and tossing 1.1 innings of scoreless relief? The lefty struck out two Cardinals and didn’t allow a baserunner as he kept the game close after entering in the seventh.
Ahlstrom, who was drafted by the New York Yankees in 2021 but never actually suited up for any of their affiliates, was the second guy in the 2022 trade that sent Jose Trevino to New York. The Rangers have been all that Ahlstrom has known as a professional and after toiling in the Texas system for the last four seasons, he finally got the call earlier this week.
Congratulations, Robby!
Up Next: The Rangers return home to enjoy their first day off in two weeks before opening up a series at The Shed against the Cleveland Guardians beginning on Friday night.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JUNE 03: Kyle Manzardo #9 of the Cleveland Guardians celebrates in the dugout after hitting a solo home run during the second inning against the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium on June 03, 2026 in the Bronx borough of New York City. (Photo by Ishika Samant/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Another fun one tonight. Guardians really got to Cole (for what felt like the first time ever) and tagged him for 4 runs in 5.1 innings. Manzardo continued his hot streak with a homer in his first AB today.
— Cleveland Guardians (@CleGuardians) June 4, 2026
Caballero homered in the bottom of this inning to bring the Yankees back within a run (a homer that had questionable fan interference, although a crew chief review deemed the interference insufficient to overturn the homer).
Jose, too, stayed hot with a homer in the 6th (his 2nd of 3 hits tonight).
— Cleveland Guardians (@CleGuardians) June 4, 2026
A Bellinger sacrifice fly brought the Yankees back within a run, but Hoskins tacked on (another) insurance run in the top of the 8th with an RBI single. This followed after Jose singled (to the wall in right) and Manzardo doubled (a 409’ flyball to the deep part of Yankee Stadium).
— Cleveland Guardians (@CleGuardians) June 4, 2026
Cade Smith was a little shaky in the 9th, but managed to close out the game. He gave up a leadoff double to Goldschmidt, who advanced to third on a wild pitch and scored on a Bellinger sacrifice fly.
Some fun tidbits:
Jose last 10: .307/.368/.547, 8BB:8K, 3 HR, 5 SB.
Manzardo last 20: .306/.403/.629, 5 HR, 8 RBI.
Hoskins last 20: .229/.375/.500, 13BB:17K, 3 HR, 11 RBI.
The Guardians look to secure the sweep tomorrow. It’ll be Cecconi vs. Rodon.
Jun 3, 2026; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; St. Louis Cardinals first baseman Alec Burleson (41) hits a two run double against the Texas Rangers during the third inning at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images | Jeff Curry-Imagn Images
The St. Louis Cardinals needed a game like they had Wednesday night at Busch Stadium to turn around their recent downturn. Andre Pallante gave the Cardinals a great start and many bats in the lineup were productive including Alec Burleson, Jordan Walker and Nelson Velázquez as St. Louis beat Texas.
The Cardinals did not waste any time getting the offense going as Masyn Winn walked to open up the Cardinals bottom of the 1st. After Ivan Herrera popped out, Jordan Walker hit into a fielder’s choice, but St. Louis managed to put together a 2-out rally anyway. Nelson Velázquez walked and then Alec Burleson turned on a 97 mph four-seam fastball and drove it into right field giving the Cardinals an early 1-0 lead.
The Texas Rangers would pull even (temporarily) in the top of the 3rd inning as Kyle Higashioka singled to center and then advanced to second on a wild pitch by Pallante. Two batters later, Josh Jung singled him in tying the game 1-1.
The Cardinals would retake the lead in the bottom of the 3rd inning after Jordan Walker singled and then Nelson Velázquez crushed a double giving St. Louis runners at second and third with no one out. Alec Burleson added his own double giving the Cardinals their lead back at 3-1. It could have been more, though, as Alec Burleson was stranded at third base after a fielder’s choice from Jose Fermin and strikeouts by Nolan Gorman and Thomas Saggese. Saggese would redeem himself just two innings later.
The Cardinals offense would put more runs on the board in both the bottom of the 5th and 6th innings. After Jose Fermin doubled in the Cardinals 5th, Thomas Saggese did him one better by cracking a triple to right giving St. Louis a 4-1 lead. In the bottom of the 6th, the Cardinals would start another two-out rally when Jordan Walker singled and then stole second. Nelson Velázquez would strike again singling to right and scoring Walker giving the Cardinals a somewhat secure 5-1 lead. Or, so they thought.
Andre Pallante had his best stuff working Wednesday night as he tossed 5 2/3 allowing only 1 earned run while striking out 5 and walking 2. He would be relieved by JoJo Romero who got the final out of the 6th inning getting out of a jam created by Andre, but would run into trouble himself in the top of the 7th inning. Pinch-hitter Justin Foscue doubled and then JoJo walked Higashioka. Joc Pederson made him regret it by driving a triple into the right-center field gap scoring both runners making it just 5-3 Cardinals. Fortunately, Ryne Stanek would come into the game and strikeout Josh Jung and get Brandon Nimmo to pop out stranding Pederson at third base. Stanek would stay in the game and pitch a solid top of the 8th inning that was refreshingly almost drama-free with just one single allowed.
Riley O’Brien came in to close out the top of the 9th inning in an effort to post a positive bounce-back from the disastrous Tuesday night effort. He unfortunately struggled with his control again walking the first batter he faced, Kyle Higashioka. The Rangers made the interesting choice to have Michael Helman lay down a sacrifice bunt to move Higashioka to second base. That brought up Joc Pedersen as the potential tying run. He made all of us hold our breath as he flew out to very deep left-center for the second out. Whew. The final Rangers hope, Josh Jung, popped out on the first pitch he saw to lock up a Cardinals victory at 5-3.
The Cardinals have a much-needed day off Thursday to rest up before starting a weekend homestand against the Cincinnati Reds at Busch Stadium. Kyle Leahy is the scheduled starter Friday night with Brady Singer the expected starter for the Reds. First pitch scheduled for 7:15pm central time with the TV broadcast available on Cardinals.tv.
