Category: Baseball

1916
In a game in Cleveland, the White Sox became the first team to ever have names sewn on to the backs of the uniforms. Knowing who was playing didn’t help them, though; they were shut out, 2-0, on the afternoon. (The White Sox returned to the idea of names on the back of road uniforms in 1960 — and this time the practice stuck.) 

In the same game, Cleveland players wore numbers pinned to their sleeves, becoming the first players in the 20th century to do so. Each player’s number connoted their position on the diamond.

1956
Jack Harshman gave up a run by his fifth batter of a game hosting Boston — and then shut the Red Sox down scoreless on just one more hit the rest of the way, gaining his fifth win of the season and giving the White Sox their ninth straight victory. A two-run double by Luis Aparicio in the bottom of the second put the South Siders on top for good, 3-1, in a game they’d win, 4-1.

The victory pushed the White Sox to 37-22, in second place in the AL and 1 1/2 games out of first.

1960
Boston played a football game at Comiskey Park in Chicago to cap off a doubleheader — but lost to the White Sox, 21-7. The two-touchdown win completed a sweep for the White Sox, who won the opener, 4-3. The Pale Hose scored in every inning but the fifth — understandable, given that they exhausted themselves with an 11-run fourth inning. Leading the 22-hit barrage was Sherm Lollar (4-for-5, double, three RBIs, got on base a fifth time with a HBP), while Jim Landis, Gene Freese and Al Smith each chipped in two. Every White Sox starter had at least one hit, including starting pitcher Early Wynn, who went 1-for-5 and benefited from 21 runs of support in his complete game victory!

Despite the onslaught, the defending pennant-winners were still scuffling, at 36-30 and in fourth place in the AL. However, this sweep came at the start of an 18-7 run that pushed the White Sox back into first place.

1964
In a doubleheader opener, White Sox right fielder Mike Hershberger spoiled Minnesota starter Gerry Arrigo’s no-hit bit with a leadoff single in the ninth inning. The White Sox lose, 2-0, but take the nightcap, 9-4

Arrigo would finish his major league career with five games on the South Side, in 1970.

1977
Rod Carew went 4-for-5 with a double, homer and six RBIs in a 19-12 mauling of the White Sox on Jersey Day in front of 46,463 at Metropolitan Stadium in Minneapolis, raising his batting average from .396 to .403.

The future Hall-of-Famer would push his batting average to as high as .411 (on July 1) and remain better than .400 until July 10, but ultimately fell short of the .300 mark, settling at .388 on the season. It was the sixth AL batting title of seven in Carew’s career, and his best-ever batting average, helping him earn a majors-high 9.7 WAR and the 1977 AL MVP.

1983
White Sox slugger Greg “The Bull” Luzinski belted the first of his three rooftop home runs at Comiskey Park, becoming the first player to ever hit that many in a single season. Luzinski powered a pitch from Minnesota’s Brian Oelkers over the roof in left-center field, scoring Tom Paciorek. The shot came in the third inning of a game the Sox won, 9-7.

1986
It was the best trade in the short career of GM Ken Harrelson, sending catcher Scott Bradley to the Mariners for a player to be named later — and on July 1, that player was revealed as outfielder Iván Calderon. 

Calderon hit 28 home runs in 1987, and would be a key for the Sox in their spectacular 1990 campaign both at bat and in the field — leading the team that year with 74 RBIs, as the Sox stunned baseball by winning 94 games.

Calderon was traded to the Expos as part of the Tim Raines deal in December 1990, before coming back for nine games late in the 1993 season. To make room for Calderon’s second stint on the South Side, the Sox traded away reliever Donn Pall.

2010
The White Sox beat the Cubs, 3-2, to run their winning streak to 11 games in a row.

The streak started on June 15, and saw the Sox blitz National League clubs during the interleague portion of the schedule. They took three from Pittsburgh, three from Washington, three from Atlanta and two from the Cubs. During the streak they outscored opponents, 51-24, with three shutouts. The 11 straight wins remain tied for the sixth-longest streak in White Sox history, and capped off a 15-of-16 run for the clus.

It was the 15th time in franchise history the Sox had a double-digit win streak, and the first since they won 10 at the end of 1981 and into 1982.

In an odd coincidence, the only other 15-1 homestand in franchise history (1961) saw its final win one day earlier than this, on June 25.

2015
In yanking the fourth pitch of the game deep and out to right field, Adam Eaton became just the second White Sox hitter to club leadoff home runs in consecutive games. It was Eaton’s only hit in an eventual 5-4 win over the Tigers. The White Sox had won Eaton’s first leadoff homer game, 8-7 in 10 innings, also against Detroit.

Thirteen years earlier, Kenny Lofton became the first White Sox hitter to accomplish this feat, clubbing leadoff dingers on July 18-19, 2002. The homers were Lofton’s only two hits in the game, both losses for the White Sox, to Kansas City and Baltimore. Just nine days later, Lofton was dealt to San Francisco.

Greetings, Brew Crew Ball community. The Brewers dropped their first two games in Atlanta over the weekend, but they bounced back nicely to win the series finale before sweeping the Reds in Cincinnati to extend their division lead. After a well-deserved off day yesterday, they’re now set to begin an 18-game gauntlet over the next 17 days leading into the All-Star break, including series against all four of their division rivals. This could very well be the most important stretch of the season when we look back in late September.

Feel free to use this thread to chat about (almost) anything you want: video games, food, movies, non-baseball sports, the Brewers, you name it. As long as it’s appropriate and is allowed by our moderators, it’s fair game here.

You know the drill.

This is now an open thread:

The Phillies are heading to Queens for the first time this season. There, they will find a reeling Mets squad that would surely love to rattle off a few victories over their hated foe as a mood-lifter. They will also find some really, really good Chinese food. I had a plate of rice rolls there that I’m still thinking about. Anyway, onto the links.

Phillies news

The All-Star Game finalists have been announced, and there’s some familiar names present…

The Phillies’ skipper will be on the coaching staff for the National League’s All-Star team. ($)

Justin Crawford has a new approach at the plate.

Cristopher Sánchez’ peers are a historic, accomplished bunch.

MLB news

MLB has presented another proposal for the next CBA, with a 5-year cap on free agent deals (6 if the player is sticking with their current club)

Mock draft season is well underway.

The top vote-getter in each league is automatically given a spot in the All-Star starting nine. Who earned that honor for the AL? Not Judge, not Trout… think north.

Triple-A: Syracuse Mets (38-37/2-1)

LEHIGH VALLEY 7, SYRACUSE 3 (BOX)

Just nothing very interesting or exciting to talk about here. Ryan Clifford still isn’t really hitting. Ryan Lambert is still struggling. Oh well.

• RF Ji Hwan Bae: 0-4, 2 K
• SS Vidal Bruján: 0-4
• CF Nick Morabito: 2-3, 2B, BB
• 1B Ryan Clifford: 1-4, R, 2 K
• 3B Yonny Hernández: 0-4, R
• 2B Grae Kessinger: 1-4, R, 2B, RBI, SB (1)
• C Ben Rortvedt: 1-4, RBI, K
• LF Cristian Pache: 2-4, RBI, K, SB (13)
• DH Kevin Parada: 0-3, BB, 2 K
• RHP Adbert Alzolay: 1.0 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 0 K
• RHP Ryan Lambert: 1.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 2 K, L (2-1)
• RHP Dan Hammer: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 2 K
• RHP Tanner Witt: 1.2 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 3 BB, 2 K
• RHP Guillo Zuñiga: 0.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 0 K
• LHP Nate Lavender: 2.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 3 K
• RHP Dylan Ross: 1.0 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 0 K

Double-A: Binghamton Rumble Ponies (27-42/1-2)

BINGHAMTON 10, ERIE 7 (BOX)

Big offensive day for the Rumble Ponies. Homers for Jose Ramos and Nick Lorusso carried the day, and a four-hit day from the aptly named Nick Lucky at the bottom of the lineup helped out. The pitching was poor, but take the wins you can get.

• DH Jose Ramos: 3-6, 2 R, 2B, HR (12), 2 RBI, 2 K
• 3B Nick Lorusso: 2-5, R, 2B, HR (13), RBI, BB, E (6)
• 1B JT Schwartz: 2-6, 2 2B, K
• C Vincent Perozo: 1-4, R, RBI, 2 K
• CF Matt Rudick: 0-3, R, 2 BB, 2 K
• LF Jaylen Palmer: 2-4, 2 R, 2B, 2 RBI, BB, K
• SS Kevin Villavicencio: 1-5, R, RBI
• RF Nick Lucky: 4-5, R, RBI, K, CS (1)
• 2B Nick Roselli: 0-4, R, BB
• RHP Brendan Girton: 3.2 IP, 5 H, 4 R, 3 ER, 3 BB, 3 K
• RHP Douglas Orellana: 1.1 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 1 K, W (6-1)
• RHP Jordan Geber: 1.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K, H (2)
• RHP Zach Peek: 1.2 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 2 K, H (2)
• RHP Saul Garcia: 0.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 0 K, S (1)

High-A: Brooklyn Cyclones (25-40/2-4)

JERSEY SHORE 7, BROOKLYN 5 (BOX)

Homers from Mitch Voit and Davierson Gutierrez weren’t enough to overcome a disastrous pitching performance from Noah Hall. Brooklyn is off to a second half start unfortunately reminiscent of the first half.

• SS Mitch Voit: 1-4, R, HR (8), RBI, BB, K, E (5)
• 3B Yonatan Henriquez: 3-5, 2 R, K, 2 SB (12)
• DH JT Benson: 0-4, BB, 2 K
• 1B Corey Collins: 1-4, K, SB (1)
• C Daiverson Gutierrez: 1-5, R, HR (4), 2 RBI, K
• LF Trace Willhoite: 0-4, K
• 2B Jamari Baylor: 2-4, R, HR (2), RBI, BB, K, SB (1)
• CF Sam Biller: 0-2, BB, K
• RF Yohairo Cuevas: 0-3, BB, K
• RHP Noah Hall: 5.1 IP, 6 H, 5 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, 7 K, L (1-6), E (1)
• RHP Bryce Jenkins: 1.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 3 K
• RHP Ryan Dollar: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 3 K
• RHP Cristofer Gomez: 0.2 IP, 1 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 2 K
• RHP Hunter Hodges: 0.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 0 K

Single-A: St. Lucie Mets (33-33/2-3)

FORT MYERS 7, ST. LUCIE 6 (BOX)

St. Lucie staged a late comeback, scoring one in the eighth and two in the ninth to tie the game at six. Branny De Oleo had the game tying hit, driving in two with a single. Unfortunately, Miguel Mejias served up a home run to Quentin Young in the bottom half, and St. Lucie lost in walkoff fashion.

• SS-3B Branny De Oleo: 3-5, R, 2 RBI, 2 SB (7), E (9)
• 2B Jeremy Rodriguez: 1-4, 3 K
• CF Trey Snyder: 0-4, RBI, 2 K
• C Julio Zayas: 1-4, R, RBI, K
• RF Simon Juan: 2-4, 2 R, RBI, K, SB (5), E (7)
• DH Chase Meggers: 2-4, R, 2B, RBI, K, SB (3)
• 3B-LF Taylor Darden: 0-4, 2 K
• LF-1B Jackson Hauge: 0-4
• 1B Jack Scanlon: 1-2, R, BB
• PH-SS Elian Peña: 0-0, BB
• REHAB ALERT: RHP Dedniel Núñez: 0.2 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K
• RHP Tyler McLoughlin: 1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 2 K
• RHP Joel Lara: 3.2 IP, 2 H, 4 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, 4 K
• RHP Christian Rodriguez: 2.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 3 K
• RHP Miguel Mejias: 0.1 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 0 K, L (3-1)

Rookie: FCL Mets (15-22)

FCL ASTROS 14, FCL METS 5 / 7 (BOX)

• CF Bohan Adderley: 1-3, R, BB, K
• SS Anthony Frobose: 0-4, 2 K
• C Yovanny Rodriguez: 0-3, R, BB, 2 K, E (5)
• DH Josmir Reyes: 1-1, R, BB
• 2B Yorber Semprun: 0-0
• 3B Roybert Herrera: 1-2, R, RBI, BB, 2 E (4)
• 2B-RF Diover De Aza: 0-3, K
• LF Vladi Gomez: 1-3, R, 2B, 2 RBI, E (6)
• 1B Yeider Mindiola: 1-3, 2B, RBI, K, 2 E (8)
• RF-P Adolfo Miranda: 1-3, 2B, K
• RHP Camden Lohman: 2.2 IP, 4 H, 6 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 4 K, L (1-2)
• RHP Yoralbert Cadiz: 0.0 IP, 2 H, 3 R, 1 ER, 3 BB, 0 K
• RHP John Valle: 1.0 IP, 2 H, 5 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 1 K
• RHP Omar Victorino: 2.0 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 1 K
• RHP Adolfo Miranda: 0.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 0 K

STAR OF THE NIGHT

Jose Ramos

GOAT OF THE NIGHT

Noah Hell

Hello, friends.

The grind resumes. The Orioles are back at it tonight. Anything could happen. That’s the frustrating thing about these guys. They are really, genuinely capable of playing some good baseball. They have won quite a few games that could be real, signature wins, if only they had won a few more non-signature wins too. Just ordinary, relatively uninteresting wins, like Wednesday’s series finale could have been, if not for, you know, everything that happened late in the game.

Instead, just past the halfway point of the season, just about a month and a week until the trade deadline, they find themselves towards the back end of the muddled pack of AL Wild Card contenders. The third wild card spot is still held by a below-.500 team this deep into the season. The Orioles are not out of it, no matter how much games like the ones they played against the Angels can make it feel that way. It’s just that changing their fortunes is going to require doing something we haven’t seen them do: Playing sustained good baseball. For a whole lot of reasons, they have proven incapable of this.

I think that for a number of those reasons, the cake was baked over the offseason with the decisions that Mike Elias made in constructing the roster. He thought this group of relievers would be good enough to get by. He thought that the defense would be good enough to get by. Each of these things is proving to not be the case and there’s not much he can do about them now. That spray can of potpourri can only affect so much square footage at a time.

Should Elias lose his job for these errors? If this thing doesn’t improve by season’s end, I think that he should. He has not been able to sustain a good baseball team. After the 2024 season ended with another postseason disappointment, there were obvious problems to address. The team didn’t address them sufficiently heading into 2025, and it hasn’t sufficiently addressed 2025’s problems heading into 2026 either.

Although the baseball way is “three strikes and you’re out,” I don’t think that applies to general managers or presidents of baseball operations. Two strikes and you’re out is good enough by my reckoning there. We are looking at Elias’s second strike. If I was the billionaire with authority to make the decisions, I wouldn’t give him another chance, if he doesn’t pull off the mid-season pivot here.

One thing I would be quite interested to know about the Orioles is how they spent their off day yesterday. There’s stuff it sure seems like they could use some work on! We’ve probably all at some point in our lives encountered something spiritually similar to a punitive “one person on the team screwed up, so the whole team runs laps.” I don’t need the Orioles to run laps or wind sprints as punishment. I just want to know if they’re doing useful drills to reinforce the correct response to situations that they have recently screwed up.

If they are doing this, we sure aren’t seeing the results yet. I don’t think that’s totally because of guys playing out of position. Some of it is. But stuff like “cover first base on a ground ball” ought to be basic for pitchers and first basemen and Keegan Akin and Pete Alonso between the two of them couldn’t manage it during one of Wednesday’s crucial plays. Alonso took more firm post-game ownership of his mistake there than Akin did. I don’t know what they should do about that. I guess they don’t know either.

The Nationals await for three games starting tonight. Hopefully the version of Trevor Rogers who most recently pitched seven shutout innings against the Dodgers is the one who takes the field tonight. It’s a 7:05 start for the Friday night game.

Orioles stuff you might have missed

Orioles players reflect on the first half and gear up for what’s next (The Baltimore Banner)
One thing that comes across is that Orioles players don’t feel beaten and lost to the degree that many fans seem to.

Orioles shut out in first round of All-Star voting (School of Roch)
This was the obvious outcome before voting began and only became more obvious with how the team played during the voting period.

Pete Alonso discusses changes coming to Home Run Derby (Orioles.com)
The two-time Home Run Derby champion is a fan of the adjustments made to the format for this year.

Magic in the booth: Kevin Brown makes mark with Orioles (Press Box Online)
An excellent feature profile on Kevin Brown, my honorary cousin, who is genuinely one of the game’s great broadcasters. He is a delight every night he is on the call.

Birthdays and Orioles anniversaries

Today in 1970, Frank Robinson hit two grand slams during a 12-2 win over the then-Senators. He was just the seventh major league player to ever accomplish this in the same game. These turned out to be his only grand slams for the team.

There are a few former Orioles who were born on this day. They are: 2022-23 pitcher Austin Voth, 2007-08 infielder Luis Hernández, 1987 pitcher Mike Griffin, and 1960 outfielder Gene Green.

Is today your birthday? Happy birthday to you! Your birthday buddies for today include: Civil War general and probably-not-inventor of baseball Abner Doubleday (1819), WW2 Marine Corps legend Chesty Puller (1898), pro football Hall of Famer Shannon Sharpe (1968), actors Chris O’Donnell and Nick Offerman (1970), actress Aubrey Plaza (1984), and singer-songwriter Ariana Grande (1993).

On this day in history…

In 1917, the first American soldiers arrived in France to join the conflict we now know as World War I. They would see combat within two weeks.

In 1945, the 50 Allied nations signed the charter for the United Nations in San Francisco.

In 1963, President John F. Kennedy delivered the famous “Ich bin ein Berliner” speech. The remarks, made shortly after East Germany had put up the Berlin Wall, reinforced American support for the democratic West Germany.

In 1974, the first barcode was scanned at a grocery store in Ohio. This first use of a Universal Product Code sold a package of Wrigley gum.

**

And that’s the way it is in Birdland on June 26. Have a safe Friday. Go O’s!

Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders:W, 6-4 at Indianapolis Indians

2B Marco Luciano 0-5, 2 K
RF Yanquiel Fernández 1-4, 1 R, 1 K
DH Garrett Martin 1-3, 1 R, 1 BB, 1 K
3B Tyler Hardman 2-4, 2 HR, 4 RBI, 2 R — 100 career home runs, 18 this year
1B Ernesto Martinez Jr. 1-4, 1 HR, 1 RBI, 1 R
C Payton Henry 0-3, 1 K
LF Kenedy Corona 0-4, 2 K
CF Duke Ellis 2-4, 1 R, 1 SB
SS Jonathan Ornelas 1-4, 1 RBI, throwing error

Dom Hamel 5 IP, 3 R, 2 ER, 4 H, 5 BB, 4 K (win)
Danny Watson 1 IP, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 K (hold)
Angel Chivilli 1 IP, 0 R, 1 H (hold)
Will Brian 0.2 IP, 1 R, 3 BB, 2 K (hold)
Carlos Lagrange 1.1 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 2 K (save) — first career save as his transition to the bullpen continues to go well

Double-A Somerset Patriots:L, 1-2 at New Hampshire Fisher Cats

DH Jackson Castillo 1-4, 1 HR, 1 RBI, 1 R, 1 SB
CF Jace Avina 0-4, 3 K
RF DJ Gladney 0-4, 4 K
1B Nicholas Torres 1-4, 1 K
3B Coby Morales 1-4, 1 2B, 1 K
C Manuel Palencia 1-2, 1 BB
LF Josh Moylan 0-3, 2 K
SS Kevin Verde 0-3, 3 K
2B Connor McGinnis 0-2, 1 K

Jack Cebert 5.2 IP, 2 R, 4 H, 6 K (loss)
Kelly Austin 1.1 IP, 0 R, 1 K
Ben Grable 1 IP, 0 R, 1 H

High-A Hudson Valley Renegades:L, 5-6 (11) at Bowling Green Hot Rods

SS Kaeden Kent 2-6, 1 2B, 1 RBI, 1 R, 2 K
DH Core Jackson 1-6, 1 K
RF Wilson Rodriguez 2-4, 1 HR, 1 2B, 3 RBI, 1 R, 1 K — two-run homer in the 10th briefly gave the ‘Gades the lead
1B Kyle West 1-5, 1 K
3B Roderick Arias 2-5, 2 K
2B Enmanuel Tejeda 1-5, 1 HR, 1 RBI, 2 R
C Josue Gonzalez 2-5, 2 K, 1 SB, throwing error
CF Camden Troyer 1-4, 1 2B, 1 R, 1 BB
LF Luis Durango 1-3
PH Eric Genther 1-1
PR-LF Robbie Burnett 0-0, 1 BB

Allen Facundo 5.2 IP, 1 R, 5 H, 2 BB, 10 K — third double-digit strikeout outing of his season
Thomas Balboni Jr. 1.1 IP, 1 R, 1 H
Luis Velasquez 1 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 1 K
Wilmy Sanchez 1 IP, 2 R, 1 ER, 1 H, 1 K
Jack Sokol 1 IP, 2 R, 0 ER, 1 H, 1 BB, 1 K (loss, blown save)

Low-A Tampa Tarpons:L, 6-12 at Dunedin Blue Jays

SS Jackson Lovich 1-4, 1 HR, 1 RBI, 2 R, 1 BB, 1 K, throwing error
CF Brando Mayea 0-5, 1 R, 2 K
C Luis Puello 0-3, 1 R, 1 BB, 1 K
3B Hans Montero 1-4, 2 K, 1 SB
RF Willy Montero 3-3, 1 HR, 1 2B, 4 RBI, 1 R, 1 BB, 1 CS
LF JoJo Jackson 0-2
LF Gabriel Lara 0-2, 1 K
DH Engelth Urena 1-3, 1 2B, 1 BB, 2 K
2B Luis Escudero 1-4, 1 HR, 1 RBI, 1 R
1B David McMann 1-4, throwing error

Wyatt Parliament 4.1 IP, 5 R, 6 H, 3 BB, 3 K
J.T. Etheridge 2 IP, 5 R, 4 ER, 5 H, 3 BB, 4 K, interference (loss)
Parker Seay 1.1 IP, 2 R, 4 H, 2 BB, 3 K
Jordarlin Mendoza 0.1 IP, 0 R, 1 BB

Florida Complex League Yankees:L, 4-18 at FCL Phillies

3B Richard Matic 2-4, 1 3B, 2 RBI, 1 R, 1 BB, fielding error
RF Wilberson De Pena 1-4, 1 R, 1 BB, 1 SB
C Queni Pineda 1-4, 2 K, throwing error
2B Leni Done 0-3, 1 BB, 1 CS
DH Jose Castro 0-3, 1 BB
CF Francisco Vilorio 1-4, 1 2B, 1 R, 2 K
SS Dexters Peralta 0-4, 1 K, throwing and fielding error
LF Estivenzon Montero 0-3, 1 BB, 1 K
1B Christofer Reyes 0-3, 1 R, 1 BB, 2 K

Danny Flatt 2.1 IP, 3 R, 0 ER, 3 H, 1 BB, 1 K
Manuel Cruz 3.2 IP, 8 R, 7 ER, 5 H, 5 BB, 2 K, throwing error (loss)
Stanly Alcantara 0.2 IP, 7 R, 2 H, 4 BB, 1 K
Jorge Luna 1.1 IP, 0 R, 1 K

Dominican Summer League Yankees: Cancelled due to rain at DSL Marlins

Dominican Summer League Bombers:Suspended, 2-0 (T4) vs. DSL Mets Blue

SS Mani Cedeno 1-2, 1 2B, 1 R, 1 K
DH Carlos Bello 0-1, 1 RBI
C Alessandro Rodriguez 1-2
RF David Carrera 0-2
3B Germayhoni Beltre 0-1
CF Alfiery Matos 0-0, 1 R, 1 BB
1B Stalen Ramirez 1-1, 1 SB
LF Sebastian Pinto 0-1, 1 K
2B Adrian Feliz 0-0, 1 RBI

Cesar Acosta 3.2 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 3 BB, 8 K

Hodad’s is a third-generation small business, a San Diego treasure that makes a damn good burger. I dropped by one of their two restaurants last winter, but I didn’t see what I wanted on the menu.

The burger I get at Petco Park, I explained to the server. She knew exactly what I meant.

“The F— the Dodgers burger,” she said, with a mischievous twinkle in her eyes.

In San Diego, it had been an impish inside joke for years. If you didn’t know what FTD meant on the menu at the Hodad’s stands at Petco Park, the burger — with cheese, onion rings, pickles, mayonnaise and barbecue sauce — still was a good time.

Read more:Shohei Ohtani takes control of Dodgers' win after miscommunication with Dalton Rushing

When the Dodgers played here last month, a fan posted a picture of the menu board and explained what FTD stood for. The next day, Jomboy Media did the same, in a post with 1.6 million views.

“When I first saw that,” Hodad’s co-owner Shane Hardin told me, “I thought, ‘Oh, sweet, Jomboy, cool. We’ll get a little bump.’ ”

Then Hardin got a call from Delaware North, the company that handles the San Diego Padres’ concessions. People are talking, Hardin was told.

“And I’m like, ‘Cool, great, let ‘em talk, there’s no profanity anywhere,’ ” Hardin said.

The Padres and Delaware North did not see it that way. “FTD” was stripped from the menu boards at the four Hodad’s stands, initially replaced by the lame quartet of “Foul to Dinger,” “For the Division,” “For the Dugout” and “For the Diegans” and currently replaced by the strained quartet of “For the Dads,” “For the Dub,” “Faithful til Death” and (gulp) “Flyball to Deep.”

The Padres declined comment for this column.

Hardin is more amused than annoyed, particularly given the origin of the FTD Burger. It’s been on Hodad’s Petco Park menu since …

“Was it the 2022 playoffs that the Padres beat the Dodgers?” he asked.

This is how a San Diegan tells time, but yes.

“The Padres hit us up and said, ‘We want a special menu item for the playoffs,’” Hardin said. “We go, ‘OK, without us ever saying what it meant, can we call it the FTD Burger?’ They said, ‘Oh, yeah, ha ha, that’s funny, go for it.’ And so we did.”

The burger has been sold at Petco Park ever since, with the same recipe, despite the online conspiracy theory that its three onion rings represented the Dodgers’ three World Series championship rings this decade.

“Dude, I don’t keep track of what the Dodgers have,” Hardin said. “I really don’t care.”

It is in that spirit that I am stunned the Padres made the change.

The Padres, the team that sells “Beat L.A.” shirts in the team store. The Padres, the team that put up a meme of Clayton Kershaw crying on the video board. The Padres, the team that begged its fans not to sell their tickets to fans of “a team from a little ways up north” and also refused to sell tickets to that 2022 playoff series to anyone in Los Angeles County.

The Padres deserve a ton of credit for breathing life into what now is a feisty rivalry with the Dodgers. It is odd that, all of a sudden, they’re worried about decorum.

“I was under the impression that FTD was just kind of a fun ‘if you know, you know’ sort of thing,” Hardin said. “People will hold up signs saying ‘FTD’ and they’ll get on the JumboTron.

“At the end of the day, Hodad’s is a little rough around the edges. But we’re still a family place.”

Hardin isn’t upset with the Padres. It’s their ballpark, after all, and he enjoys being part of it.

“I love being there,” he said. “The relationship is great, honestly.”

Read more:Shaikin: How 'Beat L.A.' became entrenched in the Dodgers-Padres rivalry lexicon

And he had one other thing to say about the demise of the FTD label: “That first homestand after that news broke, we sold 50% more of that burger each game. I’ll take that.”

The Padres might want to reconsider. In baseball, curses are no joking matter, and the Curse of the FTD Burger might now have befallen the team.

When the Dodgers left Petco Park five weeks ago, the Padres were 1½ games behind them. Before the Padres’ next game, the Jomboy post went viral and the “FTD” name vanished.

As the Dodgers return here Friday, the Padres are nine games behind the Dodgers.

Sign up for more Dodgers news with Dodgers Dugout. Delivered at the start of each series.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

The Detroit Tigers officially reached the halfway mark of the 2026 regular-season schedule on Thursday night after dropping the opener of a four-game home series with the Houston Astros, 2-1. Troy Melton looked sharp, recording a career high six strikeouts, but the offense went AWOL until a solo homer in the ninth by Dillon Dingler.

AJ Hinch’s squad looks to even things up on Friday night behind right-hander Keider Montero, who continues to be a steady presence in the rotation for the Olde English D. The 25-year-old’s last outing against the Chicago White Sox was no exception, allowing three runs on six hits (one home run) while issuing zero walks for the second straight game and striking out three over seven innings in what eventually resulted in a 5-4 win in extras.

Montero saw the Astros a couple of outings ago in his only relief appearance of the season. It did not go well, though, as he surrendered a pair of runs (one earned) on two hits and no walks while striking out two over 1 1/3 innings to earn his fifth loss of the 2026 campaign.

Up against him for Houston is fellow righty Spencer Arrighetti, who has also been an important presence on the Astros’ pitching staff this year. However, the 26-year-old has struggled in June to the tune of a 6.95 ERA but a less offensive 4.42 FIP stretching across his last four games and 22 innings of work. He missed the Tigers when they were in town last week, so this will be his first appearance against them this year.

Here is how those two righties match up on Friday night at Comerica Park.

Detroit Tigers (34-47) vs. Houston Astros (40-43)

Time (ET): 6:40 p.m.
Place: Comerica Park, Detroit, Michigan
SB Nation Site:The Crawfish Boxes
Media: Detroit SportsNet, MLB.TV, Tigers Radio Network

Game 82: RHP Keider Montero (3-5, 3.68 ERA) vs. RHP Spencer Arrighetti (7-3, 3.13 ERA)

MONTERO

ARRIGHETTI

Free of charge for the discerning reader.

Happy birthday to Rodney Myers, and a mighty host of others.

Today in baseball history, in 1960 – At Forbes Field, Cubs rookie Ron Santo, making his major league debut, leads Chicago to a sweep of the first-place Pirates. Santo is 3 for 7 and drives in five runs as the Cubs win, 7-5 and 7-6, and other stories as well.

Today in baseball history:

• 1938 – Carl Hubbell wins his 200th game, as the Giants beat the visiting Cubs, 5-1, and stretch their lead over the second-place Reds to two games.
• 1961 – At Los Angeles’s Wrigley Field, Yogi Berra collects his 2,000th career hit, all as a Bronx Bomber. To celebrate the achievement a huge cake is rolled out.
• 1966 – Ron Santo singles in the first and his next time up is struck in the face by a Jack Fisher pitch that fractures his cheek. Before Santo’s at bat, the Mets’ Ron Hunt and the Cubs’ Adolfo Phillips had both been hit by pitches. Santo will be operated on the following day but will return to action in a week. The injury ends his consecutive game streak at 390, but his hitting streak continues.
• 1970 – Frank Robinson belts two successive grand slams during a 12-2 Oriole romp over the Senators, just the seventh major leaguer to ever accomplish the feat. They will be Robby’s only grand slams for the O’s.
• 1977 – On Jersey Day in Minnesota, every fan receives a jersey with #29 on it, Rod Carew‘s number. Carew responds by going 4 for 5, scoring four runs, and raising his average to .403. One of the hits is a grand slam and he will hit another slam on July 4th. 
• 1987 – You gotta give him credit for trying. Paul Noce of the Cubs ties a major-league record (tied 11 days ago) in the third inning by twice being thrown out trying to steal. A dropped ball leaves him safe at second base after he is caught, then he is thrown out trying to steal third. Pittsburgh beats Greg Maddux and the Cubs, 5-2. Maddux will finish 6-14, his last losing season until 2005.
• 1994 Kirby Puckett passes Rod Carew with his 2,088 hit as the Twins’ top hit leader.
• 2003 – Edgar Martinez, who already holds the Mariners’ all-time records for games played, at-bats, hits, doubles, total bases, extra-base hits, walks and runs scored, passes Ken Griffey Jr.‘s mark for team career RBIs. His two-run homer in the Mariners’ 10-6 victory over the Angels gives the All-Star designated hitter 1,153 RBIs – one more than Junior.

Cubs Birthdays:Jason Kendall, Rodney Myers*, Mike Griffin, Manny Seoane, Dave Rosello, Howie Pollet, Elmer Singleton, Babe Herman, George Milstead, Elmer Yoter, Elmer Ponder, Topsy Hartsel. Also notable: Derek Jeter HOF. Willard Brown HOF.

Today in history:

• 1894 – Karl Benz of Germany receives US patent for gasoline-driven auto.
• 1927 – The Cyclone roller coaster opens on Coney Island.
• 1959 – Ingemar Johansson of Sweden floors Floyd Patterson seven times in the third round in NYC to win the world heavyweight boxing title.
• 1963 – US President John F. Kennedy gives his famous “Ich bin ein Berliner” (intended to mean “I am a Berliner”, but may actually mean “I am a doughnut”) speech in West Berlin.
• 1974 – The Universal Product Code (UPC) is scanned for the first time to sell a package of Wrigley’s chewing gum at Marsh Supermarket in Troy, Ohio.
• 1977 – Elvis Presley appears in concert at Market Square Arena in Indianapolis, Indiana; unknowingly the last performance of his career.
• 2018 – Hello Kitty bullet train unveiled by the West Japan Railway.
• 2024 – European Space Agency creates Lego ‘space bricks’ by 3D printing Lego out of meteorite dust, part of a project to learn how to build a base on the Moon.

*pictured.

The Cardinals are in the midst of a fascinating rebuild. Unlike most rebuilds, this one does not involve tanking. Quite the opposite, the 2026 Cardinals find themselves in the #1 wild card slot at the time of writing. Some of you might rightfully argue that the rebuild really began at the trading deadline late in the 2023 season, had a brief lull when they tried to compete on the “pitching, pitching, pitching” premise of 2024 and then restarted the rebuild in 2025 when it had become painfully obvious that the now dismantled 2022 offensive juggernaut was no more.

So here we are in mid-2026 and one of the most vexing challenges in major league baseball continues to … vex. When is the right time and what is the right approach to incorporate a young prospect onto the major league roster?

First, I want to discriminate between a “prospect” and a depth (or role) player. The depth player promotion decisions, while also not easy, involves some attributes not found in the prospect player promotion decision.

• Depth/role players often don’t come with service time calculation concerns. They are often a bit on the older side (see: Velazquez, Torres) and many have a non-zero clock already. For prospects, whom teams can see the possibility of significant future value, when to start their service clock in a not uncommon consideration. I’m not suggesting the Cardinal’s practice service time manipulation (they do not appear to, ever), but they are not blind to such situations like waiting until Aug 15 to promote Baez would preserve the potential of a PPI pick in future years if he emerges as hoped for. I think of this similarly to how they handled Masyn Winn’s original promotion in late 2023.
• While all players need a 40-man spot to get promoted, teams can be more sensitive about pushing aside talent to add a depth/role player. On the flip side, when ready, prospects pretty easily push aside someone at the tail end of the 40-man.
• Depth/role players who get promoted are just that … role players. They will fit in certain role and with that will not come a team commitment to a minimum amount of playing time. Prospects, on the other hand, often don’t get promoted until the team is certain (and willing) they can allocate a significant amount of playing to said prospect. Generally, teams view it as preferable that a “prospect” play every day at AAA and not sit on the bench in MLB, unlike the role players such as Fermin, Saggese, Velazques, Torres.
• While everyone goes through an adjustment period when promoted, depth/role players don’t get a lot of luxury in this regard. There won’t be a lot of tolerance for the ups-and-downs that come with adjusting to MLB competition. If you are a RH hitter, you will be expected to hit the lefties and the opportunities may not come in bunches, so take advantage of them when you get them. If you are prospect, the team will be prepared to adopt a “develop at the MLB level” approach and will live with the ups-and-downs, ala. Walker, Gorman. To a point.
• Exposure is a key issue. Every player has strengths and flaws and how they will get exposed and leveraged at the MLB level is somewhat projectable, but this is not an exact science and sometimes teams just have to jump in the pool and hope it’s not too cold. Depth/role players have an advantage here, because their exposure will be tuned to leverage their strengths and avoid their weaknesses. Prospects are anticipated to emerge as everyday contributors, so they will not get such protection. Are they ready to handle this and the struggles that may come with it?

This is not an exhaustive list, but I felt the need to draw the distinctions. I will address Joshua Baez’s case as a prospect, and I won’t be comparing him to a Nelson Velazquez or Bryan Torres who are role players. Baez, when brought up, will not be brought up to replace their role. He may displace one of them on the 26-man roster, but he will also displace at least one other player who gets significantly more playing time now than they will when Baez arrives.

This is crucial to embrace, because it is easy for fans to look at a player like Velazquez and wonder why they don’t bring up Baez. Baez is probably already the superior player, both offensively and defensively, so why not bring him up? Why? Because of the considerations listed above. Baez vs. Velazques is a red herring, or perhaps more appropriately, an apples-to-oranges discussion that misses the key considerations management thinks about and tries to balance as they seek to introduce a prospect into the major leagues.

The Cardinals want Baez to succeed. He brings a mix of talents that begin to approach the coveted 5-tool player label. 4-tool players aint bad, either. The potential and value are obvious to all. But the success is not guaranteed and so the risk is equally obvious. For every supporter that sees a future star, there is a detracter that sees a future less than Joey Gallo. Will he hit? What about the K-rate and BB-rate? How do they translate?

A Cardinal executive recently described Baez’ promotion as inevitable and after that, time will tell on the strikeouts and the walks and the power output he will bring. I do think there are a couple of key questions to answer before the “inevitable” promotion occurs, though.

Where would he play?

Some will say let him play all 3 outfield positions rotationally, and DH some. Mathematically, it is possible to envision such a rotation providing enough PAs to allow him to adjust, grow, develop. Practically, the burdens of adjusting defensively to three positions simultaneously is not a strategy conducive to facilitating his success. Throw in the DH penalty and the adjustments of that role, and they’d be essentially putting challenges in his way on top of the one main one he will encounter – can he hit MLB pitching like his does MiLB pitching? Why put obstacles out in front of him? Won’t he have enough?

So, where? Some will say LF, displacing Nootbaar, who is nearing the end of his time in the Lou anyways, with his own service time and contract status. Fair point. Quite possible that is the decision that getsmade, either that the trade deadline or the off-season. But take a look at Baez’ story and see how many times he has played LF. Not many. While he is unlikely to struggle the way Jordan Walker struggled with the third-to-outfield position change, there would still be a new hurdle to cross for him. Are you ready to introduce that into a pennant race?

Well, then how about CF? He has played there a lot recently but does not have a long history there. Defensively, it is a position where instincts, reads, routes and jumps are crucial. Is he ready for that? His offensive profile could be fascinating in that position and tolerance for ups-and-downs would be higher, since that position hasn’t really been a fountain of offensive production since …. Bader? Offensively, the bar is lower, ostensibly facilitating an easier pathway to success. But can he it handle defensively? I have no clue. My experience is that the defensive features players bring to MLB are often significantly different than what is described in scouting reports. Bader himself was such an example – a guy with question marks about his D turned out to be Gold Glove caliber (or near it, anyway). We are also watching Blaze Jordan make plays at third base that seem to surprise everyone. So who knows until we see it? But are they willing to commit Baez to CF? This would push Church to a 4th OF role, which may be best suited for him (or may not).

How about RF? Oh, there is another guy there. Someone named Jordan Walker.

Another key question…

How will his profile influence the overall line-up construction?

To-date, the strength of the Cardinals has been their somewhat tenacious offense. It is not a juggernaut, but strong enough that they are top ten in MLB in several key categories (not power) and that is without Nootbaar for much of the season. Strong enough to overcome some poor pitching. Key attributes of that offense are low K-rate and pretty good OBP. So, they get on base, and they have more productive at bats than most other teams. They have good hitters but could use some more HR pop.

But where does he hit? To start with, if he displaces either Church or Nootbaar he will upset the L-R-L algorithm and make this a more right leaning line-up. Seems likely he would get the 6th spot behind Nootbaar. We know from his history that he tends to K a lot as he adjusts to a new level, so expect that to continue into MLB. He isn’t terribly selective, running O-swing % in the same neighborhood as Alec Burleson but without the plate coverage Burly gets, running an O-contacts% about half of Burleson. He doesn’t walk a ton, but he doesn’t refuse the walk with a BB% of ~8%. His likely contribution to the line-up will be to increase the K-rate of the line-up, lower the OBP but raise the S part of OPS. The HR park factor for Busch III for RH hitters could bite him, as it runs a 78 (100 is average). In other words Busch suppresses RH power by 22%. That is a stiff premium. How does that affect the recipe as a whole? Will this offense remain tenacious and benefit from extra pop, or will there now be too many guys that strike out with runners in scoring position?

Introducing a new hitter to the everyday line-up changes the nature of said line-up. I am curious the impact Baez will have on the overall output of the group. If I had to guess, this is a mystery enough that they’d prefer to see the answer come later in the season when the playoff position is more clear.

Toledo Mud Hens 3, Worcester Red Sox 2 (box)

The Hens scored in the top of the tenth after a well pitched game, and reliever Jack Little slammed the door, striking out the side in the bottom half to win in Worcester on Thursday.

Sawyer Gipson-Long has pitched better of late, and he turned in a solid start on Thursday. The right-hander’s outing ended after he allowed a two-run homer to Tyler McGonough in the fifth, but he was nearly perfect otherwise, racking up seven strikeouts on the night. Ricky Vanasco and Woo-Suk Go each gave the Hens two scoreless innings of relief.

The Hens opened the scoring in the third when Andrew Navigato and Max Clark led off with singles. Trei Cruz struck out, but a fly out from Gage Workman was enough to get Navigato to third, and Clark then stole second. An infield single that pitcher Brayan Bello couldn’t handle scored Navigato for a 1-0 lead.

Brett Callahan singled with one out in the sixth and stole second and third, but Tyler Gentry and Jace Jung struck out. Finally in the eighth, Max Anderson tripled the opposite way off Kristian Campbell’s glove in the right field corner, and a blooper over the shortstop from Callahan was enough to get the run home and tie the game.

In the top of the ninth, with Cruz starting at second, Gage Workman walked, and a Max Anderson single to center scored Cruz to make it 3-2. Unfortunately, Callahan popped out and Gentry grounded into an inning ending double play.

So, Jack Little took over in the bottom of the 10th looking to hold the lead and wrap this up. He quickly punched out the first hitter on a bunt attempt, and then punched the second one out as well. A 95 mph heater above the zone blew away Micky Romero, and that was good work from Little to earn the save.

Anderson: 3-5, R, 2 RBI, 3B

Clark: 2-5, SB

Callahan: 2-5, RBI, 2 SB

Gipson-Long: 5.0 IP, 2 ER, 3 H, 2 BB, 7 K

Coming Up Next: The Hens will look to make it five straight on Friday at 6:45 p.m. ET.

Binghamton Rumble Ponies 10, Erie SeaWolves 7 (box)

It was a pretty good night for the offense, but Max Alba and the pitching staff were not good in this one.

Peyton Graham reached on a force in the first and then stole second, scoring on a Chris Meyers single for an eraly 1-0 lead. It didn’t last as the Ponies got to Alba for five runs in the second and third innings combined.

In the bottom of the third, Seth Stephenson singled and scored on a Peyton Graham triple to left that should’ve been caught, but wasn’t. Thayron Liranzo walked, and Graham scored on a wild pitch that got Liranzo to second. He scored on a Meyers single to make it a 5-4 game, but that was as close as they’d get.

Eric Silva allowed a run in the fourth, but the SeaWolves got that one back in the bottom of the fifth on an Andrwe Jenkins sacrifice fly that scored Meyers. Again it was 6-5 and a one run game, but the bullpen couldn’t shut the Ponies down. Johan Simon allowed two runs in the top of the seventh with aid from a Graham error at shortstop. Max Burt got those runs back with his first Double-A home run, a two-run shot, after taking over for Izaac Pacheco, who left with a leg injury.

Luke Taggart allowed two runs in the top of the ninth as the Ponies put this one to bed.

Graham: 3-4, 2 R, RBI, 2B, 3B, BB, SB

Meyers: 2-4, R, 2 RBI, BB

Bigbie: 2-3, R, BB

Alba (L, 1-3): 2.2 IP, 5 ER, 8 H, BB, K

Coming Up Next: It’s a 6:35 p.m. ET start on Friday with the SeaWolves up 2-1 in the series.

West Michigan Whitecaps 11, Dayton Dragons 4 (box)

Lucas Elissalt was pulled after a long first inning, allowing just one run but topping the 30 pitch mark that triggers the insta-hook. It mattered little as the offense raked and the bullpen did a solid job holding things down the rest of the game.

The Dragons led 2-0 early, but the ‘Caps seized control in the third. Singles from Caleb Shpur and Woody Hadeen were followed by walks to Andrew Sojka and Ricardo Hurtado, plating a run. A sac fly from Luke Shliger scored Hadeen, and then Clayton Campbell got a mistake pitch and pumped a three-run jack to left to make it 5-2 Whitecaps.

In the fourth, Stephen Hrustich singled and scored on a Sojka single later in the inning. In the seventh, Sojka led off with a triple and scored on a Hurtado single. Shliger singled as well, and after Campbell flew out, Samuel Gil singled to shortstop to load the bases. Juan Hernandez plated two with a single, and Shpur and Hadeen came up with RBI singles to make it 11-4.

Preston Howey tossed three innings of one-run ball to pace the bullpen, while Ryan Harvey earned the win despite allowing a pair of runs in 2.1 innings of work.

Bryce Rainer had the day off.

Hadeen: 2-4, R, RBI, BB, K

Sojka: 2-4, 2 R, RBI, 3B, BB

Campbell: 1-3, R, 3 RBI, HR, BB

Harvey (W, 2-2): 2.1 IP, 2 ER, 3 H, BB, 2 K

Coming Up Next: It’s a 7:05 p.m. ET start on Friday with the Whitecaps down 2-1 in the series.

Lakeland Flying Tigers 12, Daytona Tortugas 6 (box)

Malachi Witherspoon got wild after a good start to his outing, but it didn’t matter to this game as the Flying Tigers cranked out 14 hits and drew 7 walks to crush the Tortugas with ease.

Jordan Yost opened the game with a single but was erased on an Edian Espinal double play ball. That was too bad, as Beau Ankeney smoked his 11th home run for a 1-0 lead.

In the second, Zach MacDonald reached on a bunt single with one out and then stole second for his 20th steal on the season. Anibal Salas reached on an error and a wild pitched scored MacDonald. Hunter Robbins doubled in Salas, and Jack Goodman was hit by a pitch. An Espinal two-run single made it 5-0, and then Ankeney doubled in Espinal and scored on a Carson Rucker single to make it 7-0 through two innings.

Witherspoon gave up a solo shot in the third. In the fourth, he issued three walks and allowed three runs, with a Rucker error extending the inning and making them unearned.

An RBI double from Dobbins that initially looked like a homer scored MacDonald in the fifth. Ankeney singled in two runs later on in the inning to make it 10-4.

Xiomer Guacache got into a huge two-out, bases loaded jam in the bottom of the fifth, but MacDonald made a spectacular diving catch in center field to rob an extra base hit and probably save three runs.

Dobbins and Yost walked in the top of the seventh and advanced 90 feet on a passed ball. An Espinal two-run single made it 12-4. The bullpen leaked a run each in the seventh and eighth, but this was out of reach by then.

Ankeney: 3-6, 2 R, 4 RBI, 2B, HR, K

Espinal: 2-5, R, 4 RBI, BB, K

Dobbins: 2-3, 3 R, 2 RBI, 2 2B, 2 BB, K

Yost: 2-3, R, 3 BB

Witherspoon: 4.0 IP, 4 R, 1 ER, H, 4 BB, 4 K

Coming Up Next: It’s a 6:35 p.m. ET start on Friday with the Flying Tigers down 2-1 in the series.

FCL Blue Jays 2, FCL Tigers 0 (box)

Alemain Cruz gave the Tigers a pretty good outing and the bullpen was alright, but they couldn’t put any runs up on the board. Michael Oliveto had a double for his first extra base hit in pro ball, and shortstop Angel de los Santos continues to hit and get on base, but otherwise it was a pretty weak effort in this one from the offense.

De Los Santos: 1-2, BB, SB

Olivato: 1-3, 2B

Cruz: 3.1 IP, 0 R, 4 H, BB, 2 K

The Yankees dropped their series opener against the Red Sox in a rather sloppy effort, with several errors culminating in Cam Schlittler allowing a four-run fifth inning capitalized by a big two-run home run off the bat of former Yankee prospect Caleb Durbin. That blew what was a 2-0 New York lead up until that point, but despite clawing one of those runs back the Sox added some big insurance with two runs in the eighth and then survived an Aroldis Chapman jam in the ninth. A rough one to be sure, but there’s still three more games to be played out in Fenway before heading back to the Bronx.

We’ve got a loaded schedule on deck before the Yankees take the field again later tonight. Nick starts us off with a look at the rotation depth as June comes to a close, and then Sam has the Rivalry Roundup featuring the Rays gaining a game back in the standings after a dominating win. Josh takes the opportunity to regard Derek Jeter’s illustrious career in relation to his baseball fandom on the captain’s birthday, Peter examines Ryan Weathers’ latest start in the Sequence of the Week, Michael takes the June Swoon narrative under the microscope, and finally I’ll be back to open up the mailbag and answer more of your questions.

Today’s Matchup:

New York Yankees at Boston Red Sox

Time: 7:10 p.m. EST

TV: YES, NESN

Venue: Fenway Park, Boston, MA

Questions/Prompts:

1. Tonight will be the Yankees’ 81st game played. Will their second-half record eclipse the 48-49 wins they’ll have from the first half?

2. Did you believe that the old Aroldis Chapman was going to emerge in that ninth inning and blow it last night?

The high school baseball landscape across the country has been elite, to say the least.

In a perfect world, one might ask: in a winner-take-all state title contest, who and how would we craft a lineup featuring players from across the country?

For this list, we've crafted a roster of 20 seniors. The breakdown of the roster is as follows:

• Pitchers (6)
• Catchers (3)
• Infielders (6)
• Outfielders (5)

Here's the USA TODAY Sports Starting 9, along with a coaching staff we'd build below in a hypothetical state title game.

Eric Booth Jr., Oak Grove (Miss.) OF

Booth is the top prep outfielder available in this year's MLB Draft, and will be a contributor right away in pro ball for whichever organization he's in. With Oak Grove this season, Booth hit .481 with 20 extra-base hits, 31 RBI and 55 runs scored. He walked 45 times and swiped 23 bases, making him the ideal leadoff hitter in this hypothetical state title game.

Carson Bolemon, Southside Christian (S.C.) LHP

Bolemon was nearly unhittable this season for the Sabres, pitching to a 0.17 ERA over 41 1/3 innings pitched, allowing just one earned run. Over that span, he allowed just 11 hits and 13 walks while striking out 91 batters. Expect Bolemon to be a likely first-round pick, considering the emphasis clubs place on prep left-handed pitchers on a yearly basis.

Coleman Borthwick, South Walton (Fla.) RHP

Borthwick is a big fella at 6-foot-6, 255 pounds, but he can sling it from the right side with a fastball that has been awfully close to hitting triple digits. With South Walton this spring, Borthwick pitched to a 0.21 ERA, allowing just 18 hits and 7 walks over 65 2/3 innings, striking out 121 in that stretch. Borthwick could see himself break into the first round, but picks 31-40 seem a lot more likely should he choose to forgo his Auburn commitment.

Blake Bowen, JSerra (Calif.) OF

Bowen's a prime DH candidate in this starting lineup at 6-foot-3 and 225 pounds, with a power grade of 60 by MLB.com. Bowen also played football for JSerra and has plenty of athleticism to make things happen in the outfield in his pro career. At the MLB Combine, he registered 15 hits that had an exit velo north of 100 MPH.

Will Brick, Christian Brothers (Tenn.) C

Brick gets the start at catcher on this roster, hitting .517 with 10 extra-base hits for Christian Brothers this season. Originally part of the 2027 class, Brick decided to reclassify after a highly successful stint with Team USA's 18U team, which competed in Japan in October, where he hit .333 while playing strong defense behind the dish. While the bat is a work in progress, many believe his defensive skills will translate to the next level.

Brody Bumila, Bishop Feehan (Mass.) LHP

While Bumila wouldn't start this game, he's an elite lefty who is poised to make the big leagues at some point in his career. His fastball has reached triple digits and features a lot of inverted vertical break, making life tough for hitters. At 6-foot-9, the arm slot is especially tough.

Trevor Condon, Etowah (Ga.) OF

The younger brother of former Georgia star and Colorado Rockies outfielder Charlie Condon, Condon had a stellar senior year for Etowah, hitting .504 with nine home runs, 42 RBI and 17 doubles in 36 games. His decision-making at the plate is strong despite being a teenager, making him a long-term player in many organizations that value that in their philosophies. With elite speed as well, expect Condon to make an impact on this squad.

Sean Dunlap, Crown Point (Ind.) C

Dunlap has largely been a consistent player behind the plate for Crown Point, and is very fast despite the toll catching takes on the knees. The 6-foot-3, 205-pounder hit .473 with nine home runs, three doubles, 11 doubles, and 45 runs batted in, adding 32 runs scored and with just six strikeouts over 112 plate appearances.

Grady Emerson, Fort Worth Christian (Texas) INF

Expected to be a top-three pick in this year's draft, Emerson's set to become the next big shortstop to come out of the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex. Following the footsteps of Bobby Witt Jr., Emerson grades out near the top in hitting, power, running, arm and fielding, making him a franchise player for whoever drafts him.

Jared Grindlinger, Huntington Beach (Calif.) OF/LHP

Grindlinger's likely to go pro as a left-handed arm, but we're going to start him in left field. In a Huntington Beach uniform this year, Grindlinger hit .376 with a team-high 41 hits, adding 14 extra-base hits and 22 RBI, striking out twice in 125 plate appearances.

Jacob Lombard, Gulliver Prep (Fla.) INF

The younger brother of Yankees prospect George Lombard Jr., Jacob Lombard is primed to be even better than his big brother. With Gulliver this year, Lombard batted .477 with 10 home runs and 25 RBI, leading the way with 42 hits and 52 runs scored. His 1.471 OPS led the team, and he will be a likely top-five pick in this year's MLB Draft.

Bo Lowrance, Christ Church Episcopal (S.C.) INF

Lowrance's 6-foot-5 frame, at least on this team, makes him a likely first baseman despite primarily playing third. He has a solid left-handed bat at the plate and will be able to make an impact in pro ball. Whether or not he forgoes his Virginia commitment remains to be seen.

Taj Marchand, James Island (S.C.) INF

If you want all-around tools and defensive value, Marchand's your guy. His arm is elite, along with his bat, making him a second-round prospect with clear potential to make a splash. While he may not start on this squad with Emerson, Lombard, and others in the infield, it does not take away from the fact that he starts on virtually any other squad.

Cole Prosek, Magnolia Heights (Miss.) C/INF

Prosek simply couldn't be stopped this season for Magnolia Heights, hitting .585 (76-130) with 18 home runs, 19 doubles, a pair of triples and 79 RBI with 62 runs scored. He added 31 walks and had a 1.855 OPS against Mississippi competition. While he is currently a primary third baseman, Prosek could project as a catcher in pro ball and make this roster as one of three catchers.

Gio Rojas, Stoneman Douglas (Fla.) LHP

Rojas gets the nod as the starting pitcher in this theoretical state title game, and is the top left-handed arm on many draft boards. The Stoneman Douglas product transferred from the Denver area after his freshman year, helping the Eagles win three straight state titles. In a Stoneman uniform, Rojas was 28-1 with a 0.65 ERA with 285 strikeouts over 162 innings, allowing 73 hits and 36 walks against elite competition in South Florida.

Aiden Ruiz, The Stony Brook (N.Y.) INF

Ruiz is a fascinating prospect because he's a switch-hitter and an ambidextrous thrower, making him exclusive on this roster in that regard. His defense is the best on this team, grading out with a 70 in the field and a 60 arm. With Team USA's 18U team, his defense forced Grady Emerson over to third base, something we're replicating here. His speed and fielding are too good to keep on the bench.

Logan Schmidt, Ganesha (Calif.) LHP

Schmidt's young for his age here at 17 years old by the time the Draft rolls around, but that doesn't mean he isn't up there with Rojas and Bolemon in terms of quality. The California product can attack the zone but still has some room to grow, making him a secondary option out of the bullpen if need be.

Landon Thome, Nazereth Academy (Ill.) INF

The son of Hall of Famer Jim Thome, Landon Thome has an impressive bat from the left-hand side with exit velos in the high 90s and low 100s. With his power, much like his dad had with the Indians, Phillies, and White Sox, among others, Landon could see that it would come with maturity and a bigger build beyond the 6-foot, 177-pound frame he's currently in.

Kaden Waechter, Jesuit (Fla.) RHP

Kaden Waechter, another son of a former big leaguer (Doug Waechter), has starred for Jesuit since his sophomore year, making him a well-known product in the high school space. Waechter has delivered and then some for Jesuit over the years, pitching to a 13-5 record with a 1.01 ERA, striking out 135 over 104 1/3 innings. Over that stretch, his WHIP sits below 1.00, as he also generates ground ball and fly ball outs.

Noah Wilson, McCallie (Tenn.) OF

With McCallie, Wilson hit .385 as a senior with 45 hits, 17 extra-base hits, and 41 runs scored to go along with 23 stolen bases. Not many teams wanted to pitch to the prospect, as he walked 33 times as well. While he may not start on this team, he very well could come off the bench in a pinch-hit or pinch-running role, depending on the situation.

COACHES

Manager: Todd Fitz-Gerald, Stoneman Douglas (Fla.)

Fitz-Gerald's been around some elite prospects over the years, and joins this staff alongside his palyer Gio Rojas. The Stoneman Douglas coach has built a national dynasty in South Florida, winning six consecutive state titles in Florida's toughest classification. The Eagles defeated then-national No. 1 Venice 2-1 in the Class 7A title game behind a masterful effort from Rojas.

Assistant Coach: Rick Arnold, Trinity (Ky.)

Arnold's Trinity Shamrocks were deemed the MaxPreps and Perfect Game National Champions after a 41-3 season that concluded with a KHSAA Championship. Trinity scored 411 runs in 44 games and conceded just 85 runs.

Assistant Coach: Jared Halpert, Harvard-Westlake (Calif.)

One of two coaches from the Golden State on this staff, Halpert has been at the school for over a decade, churning out consistent results in the nation's largest state. The Wolverines went 26-6 this year and were the second best squad in California behind St. John Bosco.

Assistant Coach: Andy Rojo, St. John Bosco (Calif.)

Speaking of the Braves, Rojo's Bosco team was the best in California this year, going 27-6 with a CIF Southern Section Division I title over Norco. The Braves have eclipsed 20 wins in each of Rojo's first three seasons with the program.

Assistant Coach: Doug Rush, Tomball (Texas)

Rush and Tomball were virtually unstoppable all season long, going 44-1 with a UIL 6A DII State Championship, beating Houston Memorial 9-1. The Cougars conceded just 79 runs over 45 games, and scored 328 during that span.

Follow Sports Reporter Alex Martin on X at @NP_AlexMartin or via email: amartin@usatodayco.com. For additional high school sports coverage, be sure to follow @usatodayhss on Instagram and X.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: USA TODAY Sports unveils 2026 'Starting 9' high school baseball lineup

CBS Sports | Dayn Perry: I’m sure you’ve heard by now MLB’s latest offer in ongoing CBA talks. The league proposes caps on free agent contracts, “hometown” or a Bird Rule-esque advantage for teams to retain their own players by adding an additional year to those capped contracts, and setting a slightly higher MLB minimum salary for players with two years of service. In short, well…

Interim head of the MLBPA Bruce Meyer went on to say that he’s never seen the membership or their agents quite so united before. This is going to drag out a while.

New York Daily News | Mike Lupica: Yesterday was Cam Bump Day, and while as of writing I do not yet know how it turned out, if I were to bet I’d bet on it going well. (Editor’s note: mixed bag.) Cam Schlittler seemingly stands alone atop the AL Cy Young race at the halfway mark of the season, and perhaps the best part of it all is how good he has been against the Yankees’ storied rivals in Boston. In his two previous starts against the Red Sox this year he’s spun a 1.32 ERA and that’s not even counting his near-legendary Wild Card performance last October. That’s how you build yourself into a cornerstone of a franchise, which Cam seemingly is on his way to doing.

New York Post | Greg Joyce: Poor Ryan McMahon. For about two weeks the Yankee third baseman felt sicker and sicker, to the point where he had difficulty eating much of anything. He was finally able to see an ears, nose and throat specialist during the Yankees’ time in Detroit, finally diagnosed with a peritonsillar abscess that required immediate lancing and draining and boy pictures online of this thing look gross! I’m sure Mac’s feeling better already.

New York Daily News | Gary Phillips: We return to the Daily News to examine the case for trading for Tigers lefty Tarik Skubal. You all know the resume, and you all know he’s a free agent at the end of the year. With Detroit struggling to assert itself in a bad division, there’s been more and more smoke that the club may trade their ace in July. I’m not necessarily on board with the idea, but that’s a phone call you take if nothing else.

And in the last news of the morning, the Yankees sent catcher J.C. Escarra back down to Triple-A following the loss to Boston. This would seem to indicate that Ali Sánchez will return from the paternity list in advance of tonight’s game.

Opportunity knocks again for one Mets infielder.

When Marcus Semien hit the 10-day IL with a left hip flexor strain Thursday, Ronny Mauricio was recalled from Triple-A Syracuse.

Mauricio, who went 1-for-5 in the Mets’ 4-3 loss to the Cubs in 10 innings at Citi Field, has been up and down with the big league club for his entire career.

He missed all of 2024 with a knee injury that required multiple surgeries to fix.

He fractured his thumb in May and is just now back with the Mets. In the times between those injuries, he’s struggled to remain consistent at the plate, posting a .662 OPS in 61 games since 2025.

Mauricio is hitting .216 for the Mets this season.

Mauricio’s thumb fracture prevented him from seizing an opportunity when Francisco Lindor was sidelined with a calf strain in late April.

Now, he’s got another chance, as the revolving door of healthy infielders continues. Semien’s trip to the IL comes just one day after Lindor returned. The team is still without Jorge Polanco for the foreseeable future due to Achilles bursitis.

“Overall, I thought the at-bats were OK, especially from the right side,” manager Carlos Mendoza said of Mauricio’s return. “First game back, after being out for quite a bit … as far as that, I thought it was OK.”

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Mauricio recorded a double and a strikeout in the loss. He also committed an error on a throw to first in the sixth inning.

There was one big shot to leave a mark Thursday for Mauricio. He came up in the bottom of the ninth with two on and two outs. A walk-off could’ve given him a moment to remember.

But he grounded out, and the game went to extra innings. In the 10th, Pete Crow-Armstrong’s double sent automatic runner Matt Shaw home and gave the Cubs the lead.

The Mets couldn’t score in the bottom of the 10th and were swept away, dropping their sixth straight.

It’s likely not Mauricio’s only shot in the coming days, considering Mendoza called Semien “week to week” before Thursday’s loss.

Mauricio hopes this stint can be a turnaround to a big league career that has thus far been disappointing, despite some glimpses of promise.