AYODHYA, INDIA - 2023/12/27: A man sweeps the street on a foggy winter morning in Ayodhya. The winter season, which starts in October and lasts till March, is the best time to visit Ayodhya. Temperatures during this season range between 20°C during the day and 5°C at night. (Photo by Biplov Bhuyan/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)
We usually start this type of post by talking about the Guardians, so I’ll do that briefly. If you’ve been following this team at all closely as of late, you probably had a strong feeling about how last night’s game was going to go. “But you can’t predict ball!” the naysayers will say. You can when the Guardians offense is involved, and last night’s game was one of the most predictable sporting events I have watched in my lifetime. Right down to the Brewers reliever who keeps lucking into Pitcher Wins lucking into yet another.
And onto other stuff…
• The Tigers, White Sox and Royals also lost. The Twins picked up a full game on all 4 of their rivals.
Jun 16, 2026; West Sacramento, California, USA; Athletics third baseman Zack Gelof (20) celebrates with right fielder Lawrence Butler (4) after hitting a one run home run during the sixth inning against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Sutter Health Park. Mandatory Credit: Sergio Estrada-Imagn Images | Sergio Estrada-Imagn Images
The Athletics and Pittsburgh Pirates squared off once again in the second game of this three-game interleague series. The A’s jumped out to an early lead, only to blow multiple scoring opportunities in the later innings as the Pirates used the long ball to rally for a come-from-behind road victory.
A’s Strike Right Away
In the bottom of the first, the A’s offense drew first blood against Pirates’ starter Mitch Keller. Athletics first baseman Nick Kurtz, left fielder Tyler Soderstrom and shortstop Jacob Wilson drew walks to load the bases with one out. It looked like the A’s would waste that opportunity when Cortes struck out for the second out.
Third baseman Zack Gelof came through. He hit a grounder that Pirates’ first baseman Spencer Horwitz knocked down. Horwitz’s throw to the pitcher covering first was wild, allowing all three runners to score on the chaotic play. Wilson came all the way around from first, using a nifty slide spin to avoid the catcher’s tag. Gelof was credited with just one RBI because of the first baseman’s throwing error and a third-base obstruction call. Gelof kept his hitting streak going, which at 20 games, is now tied for the fourth-longest by an A’s player this century.
With one out, the Pirates got two straight singles to put runners on the corners. Pittsburgh’s third baseman Nick Gonzales hit an RBI groundout to bring home the Pirates’ first run of the game. Perkins limited the damage by retiring the next batter to strand a runner at second.
Base Running Mistakes on Both Sides
In the fifth inning, the A’s took advantage of bad Pittsburgh base running. Bolte made the catch in center field and fired to Kurtz to complete the double play, as the Pirates runner on first base had broken on contact. That was Bolte’s second outfield assist and the Athletics eighth of the season.
Perkins walked the next two hitters he faced before striking out Lowe to escape a two-on, two-out jam and complete five innings for the first time this season.
Pirates Inch Closer
Perkins remained in the game to start the sixth, but Pirates’ left fielder Bryan Reynolds led off the inning with his third hit of the game—a solo home run to center, his ninth of the season—that cut the A’s lead in half. Designated hitter Ryan O’Hearn followed by lining a double to right-center.
Perkins’ night was over after he allowed two straight extra base hits. Right-hander Justin Sterner entered from the A’s bullpen to replace him, inheriting a runner at second with no outs.
Catcher Endy Rodriguez’s one-out RBI single scored O’Hearn to make it a 4-3 game. That closed the book on Perkins, who allowed three runs on six hits over five-plus innings. He struck out six, while inducing five groundouts and two fly outs. The A’s got the final out of the top of sixth as Wilson’s heads-up play caught Rodríguez in a rundown between second and third base. For the second straight inning, the visitors’ bad base running reared its head.
With one out in the bottom of the sixth, Gelof collected his third hit of the game. His 10th home run of the season, a solo shot to left field, knocked Keller out of the game. The Pirates starter pitched well aside from the beginning and end of his outing. He allowed five runs (four earned) on five hits and four walks over 5 1/3 innings. Pirates’ left-hander Evan Sisk replaced Keller and got the final two outs of the inning.
Athletics left-hander Hogan Harris made his 37th appearance of the season in the seventh. He issued a one-out walk to Horwitz. With two outs, Reynolds tied the game with his second home run in as many innings, a two-run shot to right field. The Pirates’ left fielder was a one-man wrecking crew, finishing 4-for-5.
A’s Waste Multiple Scoring Chances
Alika Wiliams, pinch-hitting for McNeil, began the last of the seventh with a double to left field. Reliever Yohan Ramirez’s wild pitch advanced Williams to third base with one out.
The hosts squandered that scoring opportunity as catcher Shea Langeliers and Wilson both grounded out. In the eighth inning, both teams left runners at second base, once again wasting chances with runners in scoring position.
Pirates Surge Ahead Late
After Mark Leiter. Jr pitched a scoreless eighth, the A’s turned to right-hander Elvis Alvarado to work the top of the ninth with the game tied at 5-5. The Pirates took their first lead of the game on Lowe’s one-out solo home run to right, his 18th of the season.
A’s Come Up Short
The visitors brought in hard-throwing left-hander Gregory Soto for the save opportunity. Kurtz lined a one-out single to left field for his first hit of the game. Langeliers singled up the middle, advancing Kurtz to second and bringing the tying run into scoring position with Soderstrom due up. The A’s rally fizzled out as Soto retired Soderstrom and Wilson to save the game.
The Pirates’ victory tonight entails a rubber game tomorrow between these two historic MLB franchises. Veteran right-hander Aaron Civale will make his return from the injured list to start the series finale for the Athletics. He will be opposed by right-hander Braxton Ashcraft, who is 5-3 with a 3.30 ERA through his first 14 starts of the season.
Jun 16, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Merrill Kelly (29) throws on the first inning against the Los Angeles Angels at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Kartozian-Imagn Images | Matt Kartozian-Imagn Images
The Dbacks dropped the second game of the series against the Angels Tuesday night 7-0. The offense had absolutely nothing and Merrill Kelly got lit once again. Tonight marked the team’s 7th shutout loss of the season.
Merrill Kelly did not have anything today as he gave up 6 ER in 5.1 innings. He allowed the Dbacks to get into a hole early thanks to a couple of hits in the second inning, a home run in the third inning, and a big 2 run home run in the 5th inning. After it appeared that Kelly had turned a corner after some early season struggles, it seems as though Kelly has regressed over his past couple of starts. A concerning trend for a 37-year-old pitcher the Dbacks just gave a multiyear deal too whose season ERA is now 5.81.
The Dbacks offense was able to get nothing going tonight. The unit was able to muster up only 4 hits the whole night, 3 of which came from the big 3 at the top of the lineup. The Dbacks offense has generally fared well against left-handed pitchers so far this season, but they looked uncomfortable all night against Detmers. Something that seems to correlate fairly well with offensive success for this unit has been the amount of walks and deep counts the lineup is able to work. However, tonight the offense walked only 1 time which tells you about all you need to know as the approaches were just not there. Perhaps tonight is just one of those nights you chalk it up to running into an opposing pitcher who is on his game as Reid Detmers has really been an excellent pitcher so far this season. He looked every bit tonight like the pitcher with an xERA of 2.87, almost a full run lower than his season ERA.
There was really nothing positive to report from this game, so I am not going to try and come up with anything and I am going to end this recap a little early for all of our sakes. The Dbacks will look to salvage a series win against the Angels tomorrow as they send Eduardo Rodriguez to the hill.
HOUSTON (AP) — Detroit Tigers right-hander Justin Verlander is expected to start against the Chicago White Sox on Sunday at Comerica Park, where he has not pitched for the franchise since 2017.
Tigers manager A.J. Hinch made the announcement on Tuesday.
Verlander, the oldest active player in the major leagues at 43, was put on the injured list with left hip inflammation in April.
In Verlander’s only start this season, the three-time Cy Young winner and 2011 AL MVP gave up five runs and six hits in 3 2/3 innings at Arizona and took the loss.
He began his career with the Tigers in 2005 and pitched for them until he was traded to Houston at the trade deadline in 2017. He helped the Astros win the World Series in his first season with the franchise and again in 2022.
Verlander, whose career record is 266-159, also played with the New York Mets and San Francisco Giants.
Shohei Ohtani runs the bases after hitting a home run in the sixth inning for the game's only run. (Eric Thayer / Los Angeles Times)
Whenever Shohei Ohtani is questioned, it seems, he does something spectacular.
On Tuesday, with discussion still swirling over whether his knee problem from the week before would influence his two-way availability when he took the mound Wednesday, Ohtani broke open a scoreless standoff with a sixth-inning solo home run.
“That’s just him,” Dodgers starting pitcher Justin Wrobleski said of Ohtani. “He’s obviously the best player of all time. I’m super lucky and blessed to be his teammate and watch him play. It’s been super cool.”
Up to that point, neither team’s starting pitcher had flinched.
Wrobleski had given up just three hits in six scoreless innings. And, with no walks to go with five strikeouts, he hadn’t had more than one baserunner in any inning, squashing the scrappy Rays’ ability to manufacture a run.
Though the Dodgers had more viable scoring threats against Rays starter Drew Rasmussen, they’d come up short for five innings.
They came within a couple of feet of scoring in the second inning, but the Rays pulled off a trick play to throw out Kyle Tucker at home.
Rays catcher Nick Fortes tags out Kyle Tucker trying to score in the second inning. (Eric Thayer / Los Angeles Times)
With runners on first and third, Alex Freeland laid down a bunt to Rasmussen. When he fielded it cleanly, Tucker shuffled back toward third base. But then Rasmussen turned and fired toward second base, and Tucker took off. Rays shortstop Taylor Walls cut off the throw in front of the base and cut down Tucker as he slid headfirst for the plate.
For the next three innings, the Dodgers (47-27) failed to reach base.
Then Ohtani happened.
Leading off the sixth inning, Ohtani pounced on a cutter that drifted toward the heart of the plate.
He launched it to straightaway center field, where it bounced on the netting beyond the fence.
Rasmussen lasted through the seventh inning, leaving that home run as the only blemish on his outing. Then the two bullpens duked it out to a draw in the late innings.
Justin Wrobleski pitched six scoreless innings. (Eric Thayer / Los Angeles Times)
Ohtani’s home run stood alone.
It was his fifth home run in nine games, bringing his season total to 15.
After a slow start, by his standards, Ohtani lamented his lack of power. Now, with the second-highest on-base-plus-slugging percentage in the National League (.966), barely trailing the Washington Nationals’ James Wood (.967), Ohtani has that going for him too.
“He was hitting the ball hard, some doubles, singles,” manager Dave Roberts said. “And if he was just missing a little bit [before], there was going to be slug. So that’s what’s happening. Seeing the baseball well. Swinging at good pitches. And when he uses the big part of the field, there’s just no one better.”
The home run Tuesday, however, was not enough to claim a spot in the batting order Wednesday. Not in an extra-early 12:10 p.m. game. Not just days removed from a bout of inflammation in his left knee.
Before the game, Ohtani threw off a mound to test his knee before his scheduled pitching start the next day. It went well enough that he’ll be taking the mound, Roberts confirmed Tuesday night. But he will not be hitting.
Roberts will keep a close eye on Ohtani, who left the game last Thursday with a swollen knee and then sat out Friday. Ohtani theorized over the weekend that issues with his pitching mechanics may have aggravated his knee.
Said Roberts: “He wouldn’t start if we felt that we were going to put him in harm’s way.”
Glasnow hopes to begin throwing soon
In retrospect, it’s clear to right-hander Tyler Glasnow that he tried to start throwing a little too quickly after back spasms pulled him out of his start against the Houston Astros on May 6. But at the time of the injury, Glasnow, who is no stranger to back problems, was encouraged.
“It didn’t feel as bad when I first did it,” Glasnow told The Times on Tuesday.
Nearly a month and a half later, Glasnow has twice tried to restart throwing, and twice he’s had to shut it down.
“Frustrating, for sure,” Glasnow said. “Just because it happens so frequently. A lot of times I just want to find a way to address the underlying issues of why it happens.”
He has yet to find that long-term solution, but he does not expect to have surgery.
Glasnow, encouraged by his recent improvement, expects to start throwing again “soon.”
“We’re just waiting for it to be fully, fully healed,” he said.
Edman activated
As expected, the Dodgers activated Tommy Edman (right ankle surgery) off the injured list Tuesday and designated utility man Santiago Espinal for assignment.
Edman didn’t make his season debut, but Roberts said he’ll play a mixture of second base, third and left field, with his playing time dictated by factors such as pitcher matchups and the availability of left fielder Teoscar Hernández’s (strained left hamstring), who’s still on the IL.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - JUNE 16: Drew Rasmussen #57 of the Tampa Bay Rays reacts to a Kyle Tucker #23 of the Los Angeles Dodgers single during the second inning at Dodger Stadium on June 16, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Rays hoped to even the series after a tough one-run loss against the Dodgers last night. And they had their best on the mound to make it happen, as Drew Rasmussen took the ball for tonight’s game. Coming into the contest, he had pitched a combined 14 scoreless innings in his last two starts.
But it would be no easy task, for at least two reasons — a formidable Dodger lineup featuring a red hot Shohei Ohtani, as well as a counterpart in Justin Wrobleski, who’s been every bit as effective this season. Both pitchers came out as advertised, trading high-90’s fastballs for a scoreless first inning.
It would stay scoreless until the bottom of the sixth inning, when Ohtani drove a Rasmussen cutter over the centerfield wall.
It’s important to note that Rasmussen coaxed a few swings and misses from Ohtani on cutters, including a strikeout in the first. It seemed like he was ready for this one, however.
Rasmussen would finish the sixth with no further damage, and then come out to pitch another scoreless frame in the seventh. It was one of his best performances of the season, especially considering the strength of this Dodger lineup. All in, Rasmussen scattered five hits and struck out seven using a season high 102 pitches. Additionally, it was his third consecutive start with seven innings.
Drew Rasmussen against the best lineup in Major League Baseball:
7 IP I 6 H I 1 ER I 0 BB I 7 K I 17 Whiffs
His velo was slightly up and sat at 96 MPH on his two harder fastball shapes. He had over a 30% Whiff% on both his Cutter and 4-Seam, and now owns a 2.59 ERA in 2026. pic.twitter.com/pYDJIIYb4y
— Running From The OPS (@OPS_BASEBALL) June 17, 2026
On the other side, Wrobleski threw six scoreless, striking out five. Both bullpens looked strong as well, as Will Klein and Kyle Hurt held it down for the Dodgers, and Cam Booser looked strong in the bottom of the eighth for the Tampa Bay.
The Rays sent the top of the order to face closer Tanner Scott in the top of the ninth, but he too, made quick work of the lifeless Rays offense. It was a one-hour-fifty-two-minute affair — no need for the L.A. fans to leave early and beat the traffic.
The Rays will hope to salvage the series tomorrow and leave Los Angeles with at least one win behind the arm of Shane McClanahan. It won’t be a walk in the park though, as Ohtani will be his opposite.
SEATTLE (AP) — The Big Dumper is back with the Seattle Mariners, and they’re ready for him to make a big difference.
Star catcher Cal Raleigh, runner-up in AL MVP voting last season after hitting 60 home runs, was reinstated from the 10-day injured list Tuesday. He was in the lineup and behind the plate as the Mariners returned home for their series opener against the Baltimore Orioles.
Raleigh had been out since May 14 with a right oblique strain, the first IL stint of his career. Seattle went 15-13 without him and was still leading the AL West, but the team finished 4-6 recently on a 10-game trip through Detroit, Baltimore and Washington.
“I’m just really just excited to get back,” said Raleigh who hit .412 (7 for 17) with five home runs and 12 RBIs in a five-game rehab assignment with Class A Everett and Triple-A Tacoma.
“I missed it a lot, and it was a fun week getting back out there. I’m really excited just to get back to it, be with the guys, and get back in the thick of it.”
Raleigh’s numbers prior to the injury were nowhere near what he became accustomed to during his historic 2025 campaign, when he established single-season records for homers by a catcher, a switch-hitter and a Mariners player. He entered Tuesday’s game with a .161 batting average, seven homers and 18 RBIs.
He said Tuesday he feels as though renewed health and the rehab assignment should benefit him.
“I thought I had some good practice, good timing, good game results and a good process,” Raleigh said. “So I’m taking all that as a positive and kind of rolling it into here. That’s what I wanted to do, and thought I executed it pretty well.”
Raleigh wasn’t the only reinforcement to arrive for Seattle on Tuesday. Veteran shortstop J.P. Crawford, who had been on the injured list since June 5 after being hit in the hand by a pitch at Detroit, returned to action and promptly was inserted as the team’s starting third baseman for the first time this season as the club continues to see what rookie shortstop Colt Emerson can do.
“Getting Cal back is huge,” manager Dan Wilson said. “Having him behind the plate and active and ready to go is a huge lift. And J.P. coming back as well.
“I think we’re excited to be back home and ready to play in front of the home folks.”
Seattle did have a setback, however, as outfielder Randy Arozarena was placed on the 10-day injured list with a left hamstring strain. The move was retroactive to Saturday.
Arozarena hasn’t played since last Friday, and an MRI on Tuesday showed mild inflammation.
“We had hoped to go day-to-day with the feeling that he could be back as soon as tomorrow,” Mariners general manager Justin Hollander said.
“Every opinion from our medical people on how Randy was testing out indicated that he was very likely trending in the right direction and was a real possibility to be available tomorrow. The MRI cast a little doubt on that.”
The Mariners already have Luke Raley and Josh Naylor experiencing minor day-to-day health issues, so the team was risking playing with an almost empty bench on Tuesday night if it didn’t make a move.
“We don’t anticipate a stay on the IL longer than the minimum,” Hollander said of Arozarena, “but we can’t play three people short for any length of time.”
In the corresponding move, the Mariners selected the contract of outfielder Curtis Washington Jr. from Class A Everett, because that team was playing in the area.
In other roster moves, catcher Jhonny Pereda was optioned to Tacoma, and third baseman Will Wilson (broken left thumb) was transferred to the 60-day injured list.
It was a tough night for the Mets batters in more ways than one.
Not only did the Mets bats go 2-for-11 with runners in scoring position and leave 11 men on base -- the third straight game they left at least 10 on the basepaths -- they failed on two early ABS challenges that could have benefited them later on in their eventual 5-3 loss on Tuesday night.
First, Francisco Alvarez tried to get a strike for Kodai Senga in the first inning. With Senga having walked the first batter of the game, JJ Bleday took ball three on a 2-1 cutter that he didn't bite on. Trying to save his starter, the Mets backstop asked for a challenge. While Senga's pitch missed by 0.7 inches, the reality is that Alvarez took an unnecessary risk.
"There was a runner on first there," Alvarez explained through an interpreter after the game. "I thought in challenging that one instead of having a 3-1 count, it could be a 2-2 count and I think it makes a big difference there."
Senga wound up walking Bleday, setting the Reds up for a four-run first inning, a deficit that the Mets could not overcome.
Marcus Semien was the second culprit, challenging a 1-2 pitch an inning later. There were two outs and no one on base when the veteran second baseman asked for a second look. The result was a called third strike from a Brady Singer sinker that clipped the outside corner.
“We were super aggressive today," manager Carlos Mendoza of the challenges said after the game. "Essentially, you lose that first one right there early, a little too much there. We got to do a better job. That’s something we’ll continue to talk to the guys about it.”
Mendoza was asked why players were using challenges in low-leverage situations this deep into a season, and the Mets skipper acknowledged they have to be better.
"They’re competing there. They’re competing and there’s going to be times where they don’t agree with a call," Mendoza said. "I thought Marcus was one that was super close there. But again, it’s something that we have to be mindful, especially early on, when you lose the first one like that.”
That lack of situational awareness cost the Mets a challenge for a more important moment in the game. And that moment came in the sixth inning. Mark Vientos had just cut the Reds' lead to 5-3 with his two-run shot. Alvarez walked, allowing Carson Benge to come up as the potential tying run. The young outfielder struck out looking on four pitches, but many of the strikes called -- especially the third strike -- were noticeably low. Without a challenge, an opportunity was gone to extend the at-bat.
That moment would lead to Mendoza being ejected in the bottom of the seventh. After Bleday worked a one-out walk, home plate umpire Carlos Torres heard someone from the Mets dugout and ejected them. Mendoza came out to argue to find out what was going on, and was promptly ejected.
"It was a quick one there. Somebody said something from the dugout and Carlos just threw someone out. No one knew who it was and that’s when I jumped out of the dugout," Mendoza explained. " I wasn't pleased with the strike zone, especially with the Benge at-bat there. Went back and looked at some of the pitches. I wasn’t happy about it. Again, I know it’s a tough job there, but that’s all to it.”
The Mets hope they can put that lack of situational awareness behind them as they look to salvage a win in the series on Wednesday afternoon.
Someone from the Mets dugout was ejected for arguing balls & strikes, and then Carlos Mendoza was soon ejected afterward after defending him pic.twitter.com/pZ5cU7QYMk
A return to the lineup by Yankees designated hitter Giancarlo Stanton isn’t happening anytime soon after he reinjured his calf while running the bases.
Stanton, who wanted to be back with New York on Wednesday after missing the last two months with a right calf strain, will be reevaluated next week following this setback and will have a “light week” this week.
When asked if he thinks he’s now back at square one, Stanton said “I don’t know” but admitted that the feeling in his calf is similar to what he felt when he first injured it against the Houston Astros on April 24.
With Aaron Judge out for the foreseeable future, the Yankees would love to have Stanton’s bat back in the lineup, but it’s hard to say when that might happen now.
Meanwhile, in the last eight years, Stanton has had just one season where he’s played 139 games or more. When he’s in the lineup, though, Stanton remains one of the most prolific power hitters in the game as he's 44 home runs away from 500.
Jun 16, 2026; Seattle, Washington, USA; Seattle Mariners shortstop Colt Emerson scores a run ahead of a tag by Baltimore Orioles catcher Keegan Akin (45) during the seventh inning at T-Mobile Park. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Brashear-Imagn Images | Stephen Brashear-Imagn Images
If tonight was any indication of what this Orioles’ West Coast road trip has in store, then don’t bother staying up late for these games, O’s fans. You’d be better off getting to bed at a reasonable hour and saving yourself the torture.
The Orioles offense failed to show up for their opener in Seattle, going silent for the final eight innings of the game after tallying their lone run in the first, and the bullpen spoiled another strong Brandon Young effort in a 3-1 loss to the Mariners. It was once again a winnable game that the O’s simply failed to take. New coast, same old story.
When the Orioles last faced Mariners starter Logan Gilbert precisely one week earlier, they made him labor through a long first inning, took a 1-0 lead, and proceeded to get shut down for the rest of his outing. Would you believe that exactly the same scenario played out again tonight? … Oh, you would? Because the Orioles always make the same mistakes over and over again without ever correcting them? Yeah. Well, good call.
Indeed, once again the O’s started off hot against Gilbert and then completely disappeared. Taylor Ward led off the game with a shot to deep left that he thought was a homer, breaking late out of the batter’s box, and instead settled for a double when the ball stayed in play. He nearly was left stranded on the bases when Gilbert retired Gunnar Henderson and Adley Rutschman, but Pete Alonso kept the inning alive with a walk and Samuel Basallo smoked an RBI single to right to give the Orioles a quick lead.
Gilbert stranded the remaining two runners by striking out Leody Taveras, and from then on, he was brilliant. Or the Orioles’ offense was atrocious. Probably a little of both. Starting with Taveras, Gilbert mowed down 16 consecutive Orioles batters. SIXTEEN! I know this guy is a good pitcher and all, but good lord, Orioles. These weren’t even competitive at-bats.
Each inning was more embarrassing than the last. In the second, Colton Cowser and Jackson Holliday received six fastballs basically down the middle and failed to make contact with any of them, both striking out. The next inning, Gilbert retired three batters on just eight pitches, and the inning after that, he struck out the side. The fifth and sixth frames were similarly spotless.
Considering the Orioles’ pathetic offensive effort, you’d figure they were losing big by the late innings. But fortunately they were kept afloat by their secret weapon: Brandon Young. The Orioles entered the game with a 9-1 record in Young’s starts this year, and tonight the second-year sensation nearly matched Gilbert’s excellence. Through six innings he held the Mariners lineup — boosted by the pre-game activations of Cal Raleigh and J.P. Crawford from the IL — to just one run.
Young delivered his latest quality start despite some uncharacteristic wildness. He issued a career-high four walks in the game, and one of them came back to haunt him in the third, when Miles Mastrobuoni reached on a free pass and later scored on a two-out RBI single by Julio Rodríguez. Aside from that, though, Young made some big pitches to strand a lot of Mariners traffic on the bases.
Before you knew it, we were in the seventh inning in a 1-1 game, but that’s where Gilbert and Young took divergent paths. Gilbert snapped his 16-consecutive-outs streak by drilling Alonso’s leg on a 1-2 splitter, but he had no problem stranding the runner, retiring Basallo on a first-pitch foulout and fanning Taveras and Cowser. Young, on the other hand, allowed the first two Mariners to reach in the bottom of the seventh on a pair of singles, and he could go no further. Craig Albernaz went to the bullpen for lefty Grant Wolfram, ending Young’s night after 92 pitches.
In a surprise to nobody, Wolfram failed to get out of the jam. A one-out walk loaded the bases for the returning Raleigh, who laced a two-run single to center. With that, the Mariners had a 3-1 lead, and Young’s otherwise strong night had been sullied by Wolfram’s inability to strand his inherited runners. Andrew Kittredge replaced Wolfram and induced an inning-ending double play, but the damage had been done.
Is there any chance the Orioles’ offense suddenly showed signs of life and rallied for a late comeback? No, my friends, they did not. Even when Gilbert left the game after seven innings, the Birds’ bats were no less pitiful. Eduard Bazardo, a blink-and-you-missed-him former Oriole, mowed down all three batters he faced in the eighth, and Andrés Muñoz — who’s been one of the majors’ worst closers this season — nevertheless had no problem blanking the O’s in an easy ninth. And a lackluster Orioles loss was in the books.
We’re one game into a road trip that has the chance to make or break the Orioles’ season. Based on early returns, I’m leaning towards the latter.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - JUNE 16: Justin Wrobleski #70 of the Los Angeles Dodgers celebrates a double play with Chuckie Robinson #52, to end the second inning against the Tampa Bay Rays at Dodger Stadium on June 16, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) | Getty Images
LOS ANGELES — Justin Wrobleski piled up more zeroes and kept Dodgers infielders busy, out-dueling Drew Rasmussen on Tuesday night at Dodger Stadium. Shohei Ohtani provided the game’s only run in a 1-0 win over the Tampa Bay Rays.
Wrobleski had one of his most efficient outings of the season, needing only 67 pitches to complete his six innings. That it wasn’t obviously the most economical is a testament to how effective the left-hander has been this year.
He allowed only three singles and walked none, with five strikeouts in those six frames. The biggest threat came in the fourth, when Alex Slater led off with a hit then stole second base. But Wrobleski got the next three batters in a row to strand Slater, the only three at-bats Tampa Bay had with a runner in scoring position against him.
Wrobleski also induced a whopping 10 groundouts, out of character with his 41-percent career groundball rate in the majors, including 38.3 percent entering Tuesday, when 12 of 16 batted balls against him were on the ground.
Despite the efficiency, Wrobleski still got the hook after six frames, the ninth time in a dozen starts he’s lasted at least that long this year, a move more understandable considering Wrobleski was pitching on four days rest for the first time this season, just the second such start by a Dodgers starter this season.
Five of Wrobleski’s 12 starts have been scoreless outings.
Though Wrobleski walked off the mound in a 0-0 tie, Wednesday’s starting pitcher — Shohei Ohtani — gave the Tuesday starter a lead by taking Drew Rasmussen over the center field wall for the first run of the game.
Ohtani’s blast spoiled a gem of a game by Rasmussen, who struck out seven in his seven innings and, like Wrobleski, didn’t walk a batter. The home run was the only run surrendered by the Rays right-hander.
Will Klein walked his first batter in the seventh, but got out of the inning unscathed. Kyle Hurt and Tanner Scott were perfect in the eighth and ninth, respectively, as the Dodgers wrapped up their win in a tidy one hour, 52 minutes, their fastest nine-inning game since October 4, 1992.
This series concludes with the final weekday Dodger Stadium day game of the regular season on Wednesday (12:10 p.m.; SportsNet LA, MLB Network), with Ohtani on the mound against left-hander Shane McClanahan. Expect the newly-activated Tommy Edman to make his first start of the season.
Jun 16, 2026; Seattle, Washington, USA; Seattle Mariners centerfielder Julio Rodriguez (44) celebrates at first base after hitting a RBI-single during the third inning against the Baltimore Orioles at T-Mobile Park. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Brashear-Imagn Images | Stephen Brashear-Imagn Images
Mariners 3, Orioles 1
A pleasant PNW summer day: Logan Gilber, +.29 WPA; Cal Raleigh, +.13 WPA
A muggy, swampy East Coast summer day: Rob Refsnyder, -.06 WPA
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - JUNE 16: Andrés Giménez #0 of the Toronto Blue Jays slides safely into second base with a double against Isiah Kiner-Falefa #2 of the Boston Red Sox on an overturned call in the third inning at Fenway Park on June 16, 2026 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Jaiden Tripi/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Red Sox had more hits than the Blue Jays, more walks than the Blue Jays, more than double the opportunities with runners in scoring position than the Blue Jays, and yet lost an uncompetitive 6-1 snoozefest to the Blue Jays.
Despite numerous chances to take an early lead against Dylan Cease, who was struggling to find the strike zone throughout his unimpressive 108 pitch outing that lasted just five innings, Boston managed to score zero runs before he left the mound. That’s of course because the 2026 Red Sox are running an absolute masterclass on how to lose baseball games. In fact, losing might be the only thing they’re truly great at.
Tonight’s special twist was a 1-12 effort with runners in scoring position (and the one didn’t even leave the infield) that came attached with 13 men left on base. Their only run came on a Jarren Duran solo homer, which is worth mentioning because it also came on the only one of Duran’s five plate appearance where there wasn’t anybody on base. Great timing as always from this offense!
It’s not just that this team stinks, it’s that they’re consistently less then the sum of their parts. They don’t know how to pick each other up, string competitive at bats together, get clutch hits when trailing late in games, or do anything remotely competent for more than one or two days in row. Most every halfway decent stat line is emptier than it looks, and the team is on pace to lose more games at Fenway Park than any Red Sox team in history!
Before the game tonight, Craig Breslow said they’re not giving up on the season and that their focus is still more on trying to win games each night. Well, teams that are trying to urgently win games to save their season generally aren’t allowing a washed up Masataka Yoshida to remain on their roster, much less bat leadoff. They’re also not using Mickey Gasper — a career sub .200 hitter with just two home runs in 227 plate appearances — to pinch hit as the tying run in the eighth inning.
The product is just so embarrassing and underwhelming, and it’s almost impossible to believe it’s gotten this bad before we’ve even hit the summer solstice.
Three Studs
Jarren Duran: Went 2-5, scored and produced the only Red Sox run with his eighth inning solo blast, and he also had the only Red Sox hit with a runner in scoring position, even if it was a lucky infield knock.
Connor Wong: Was on base all three times going 2-2 with a walk before getting pinch hit for in favor of Mickey Gasper in the eighth inning. If I’m Wong, I’m not at all pleased about getting called back there.
Greg Weissert:Score one for Over The Monster’s own Jacob Roy, who wrote about Weissert starting to show signs of life earlier today. Tonight he was the only Red Sox pitcher to not allow a run.
Five Duds
Willson Contreras: Horrible game for the usually productive Contreras. 0-4 with four strikeouts. Probably not a mystery the team felt extra dead tonight with his bat going silent.
Masataka Yoshida: Went 1-5 at DH from the leadoff spot and continues to hit weak ground balls almost exclusively. Provides zero spark at the top of the lineup.
Caleb Durbin: It was an unlucky 0-4 at he didn’t strike out and got bit by two strong catches in centerfield, but an 0-4 night is an 0-4 night, especially when you’re batting .190 on the season.
Chad Tracy: In general, I’m willing to give Chad Tracy a pretty long rope with the mess he’s inherited, but he can’t be pinch hitting Mickey Gasper there in the eighth inning. He needs to be batting less often in high leverage situations late in games, not more.
Payton Tolle: Unfortunately that’s two clunkers in a row for him. It probably wouldn’t have mattered anyway tonight with this sorry excuse for an offense, but the Red Sox are now 3-10 in his 13 career starts.
Play of the game:
Every single Red Sox at bat with runners in scoring position, but I’ll spare you the long conveyor belt of gory videos.
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - JUNE 5: Kevin Alcántara #13 of the Chicago Cubs bats in a game against the San Francisco Giants at Wrigley Field on June 5, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Matt Dirksen/Chicago Cubs/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Catcher Owen Ayers was named Southern League Player of the Week.
Outfielder Josiah Hartshorn was named Midwest League Player of the Week.
The Cubs acquired right-hander Yosver Zulueta from the Mariners for cash. Zulueta joined Triple-A Iowa.
Right-handers Ryan Jensen and Zac Leigh were demoted from Triple-A Iowa to rookie ball ACL Cubs. That’s (I assume) a technical move that allows them to work in the Cubs pitch lab in Mesa.
Right-hander Vince Reilly joins Iowa from Double-A Knoxville.
Iowa shortstop Scott Kingery went on the temporarily inactive list.
Right-hander Emilio Ramos went from the ACL Cubs to Low-A Myrtle Beach.
I don’t normally mention Monday’s ACL Cubs game, but right-hander Jaxon Wiggins threw the first two innings in that game in a rehab assignment.
Everyone won except Knoxville, who was the one team that needed to win.
Another rough start for Jordan Wicks, who got tagged for six runs on nine hits over three innings. He struck out four and walked no one.
Tyler Beede pitched the next two innings, didn’t allow a run, and got the win. He didn’t allow a hit, but he did walk one while striking out three.
Left fielder Kevin Alcántara hit a solo home run off of José Urquidy in the third inning. It was The Jaguar’s 16th home run this season. Alcántara was a perfect 3 for 3 with a double, the home run and two walks. He also stole a base. Alcántara scored three times and had two runs batted in.
DH Christian Bethancourt hit his sixth home run of the year with a man on in the fourth inning. Bethancourt was 3 for 4 with a two-run double and the home run. He had the four RBI.
Center fielder Brett Bateman was 2 for 5 with a steal. He scored twice.
Second baseman James Triantos went 2 for 5 with a stolen base and one run scored.
First baseman Jonathon Long was 2 for 5 wth an RBI double in the fifth. He scored twice.
DH Chas McCormick was 2 for 4 with a walk. McCormick scored twice and drove in one run.
Connor Schultz started and took the loss after allowing three runs on six hits over 4.2 innings. Two of the three runs were unearned. Schultz struck out six and walked just one.
Right fielder Alex Ramírez connected for a solo home run in the sixth inning. It was his eighth on the year. Ramírez was 1 for 3 with two walks.
Third baseman Jefferson Rojas was 2 for 4 with a double and he scored one run.
Catcher Ariel Armas had a two-run single in the sixth. He went 1 for 4.
DH Owen Ayers was 0 for 3 with a walk and one run scored. This snapped his streak of ten-straight games with at least two hits.
Starter Kevin Valdez gave up three runs, all in the bottom of the second, over four innings. Valdez surrendered four hits and walked two. He struck out five.
Ft. Wayne did not have a hit after the second inning. Ben Johnson pitched the fifth, sixth and seventh innings and only allowed one baserunner, a hit batter in the seventh. That runner was promptly thrown out trying to steal. Johnson struck out one and got the win.
Grayson Moore entered the game with a man on third and two outs in the eighth. He got a strikeout to end that threat and retired all four batters he faced for the save. He struck out three of them.
Third baseman Matt Halbach went 3 for 4 with two doubles and a solo home run in the sixth inning. It was Halbach’s fifth home run of the season. Halbach scored three times.
DH Miguel Useche was 2 for 4 with an RBI groundout and an RBI single in the top of the eighth that put South Bend up 4-3.
Left fielder Jose Escobar was 2 for 4 with a double.
Second baseman Alex Madera went 2 for 4 with a double and an RBI single in the second inning.
Braylon Myers pitched the first four innings without allowing a run. He surrendered three hits. He walked one and struck out two.
Daniel Avitia pitched the next three innings, gave up four runs and got the win because Myers didn’t pitch five innings. Avitia allowed the four runs on three hits and three walks. That includes a three-run home run. Avitia struck out two.
Center fielder Alexey Lumpuy was 2 for 5 with an RBI double.
Catcher Logan Poteet went 2 for 4 with a double and a walk. He scored three times.
First baseman Michael Carico was also 2 for 4 with a double and a walk. Carico also scored three times.
Right fielder Eli Lovich was 2 for 5 with two runs scored.
Third baseman Yahil Melendez went 1 for 2 with a double and three walks. Melendez scored two runs and had two RBI.
Kodai Senga’s return to the mound for the Mets on Tuesday night was less than stellar after he allowed four earned runs in the first inning, but the right-hander did enough in the final three innings of his outing to earn himself another start.
“Pretty sure he will,” manager Carlos Mendoza said about Senga making his next scheduled start.
Still, neither the skipper nor the right-hander was thrilled with how Senga threw the ball against the Cincinnati Reds in a 5-3 loss and he’ll need to be much better in the future than he was in his first start in nearly two months following a lengthy IL stint.
“First time back out there on a big league mound in a little while, just wasn’t able to gather it all together in the beginning,” Senga said through an interpreter.
The biggest problem in Senga’s start was his command as he walked four while trying to establish his forkball which wasn’t great on Tuesday.
And while he admits his forkball wasn’t as sharp as he wanted it to be, he also thinks the Reds were making a conscious effort to not swing at anything down in the zone, even when he threw some good forkballs.
“Some of those forkballs weren’t in the zone to start off with, they were ball to ball so that’s not gonna work very well. But even with the good ones too, I could tell that they weren’t swinging at anything down below the zone, they’re not chasing,” he said.
After that, Senga switched over to his slider, sinker and sweeper which played better against the Reds hitters.
The results proved that the change in approach worked as he didn’t allow a hit in the final three innings, although he did walk two more, while striking out five on the night. Nevertheless, the damage was already done after the four-run first inning.
“Obviously the first three batters of the game, not ideal,” Mendoza said. “Not what you want to see right away… I thought he found that sweeper, the slider, but they got him there early on.”
“Because those last three innings were effective, the first inning is frustrating,” Senga added.
In all, Senga went four innings and allowed four earned runs on two hits and four walks while striking out five on 82 pitches (46 strikes). His ERA stayed put at 9.00, and even though it wasn’t his best performance, it’s one he will work upon as he looks to get his season and career back on track.
“As long as I’m able to prepare the way I should prepare between outings I should be able to go out there and be effective and that’s the goal,” Senga said.
