DETROIT, MICHIGAN - MAY 4: Roman Anthony #19 of the Boston Red Sox has his hand examined by trainer Brandon Henry (R) as interim manager Chad Tracy #17 (C) looks on during the first inning of a game against the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park on May 4, 2026 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Duane Burleson/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Late last August, Roman Anthony stormed into Yankee Stadium for the first time in his career and announced his presence in the most unmistakable manner possible:
The bomb, the bat flip, the body language; all there for the world to witness. In the moment, it felt less like a baseball game and more like a Coronation Day, with Anthony set to take his place as the latest in a long line of kings who have patrolled left field at Fenway Park over the generations. He was here, he was awesome, he was signed to an extension, and Yankee fans were going to have to spend the next decade watching highlights like this every time they faced the Red Sox.
But of course, baseball is never that simple. Since that seemingly momentous moment, the Red Sox have played the Yankees for a trio of three game series (including the playoffs), and Roman Anthony has missed eight of the nine games with three different injures, all sustained while simply swinging a bat.
The oblique injury he suffered on a swing that ended his season last September is well known and documented, so there’s really no need to dig further into that one, but given where we are with his latest injury, it’s probably a good time to review his comments after the upper back tweak that cost him the final two games of the Yankee series in April.
Here’s the problem: These weird things on a swing have now happened in three consecutive baseball months (September, April and May), and the only reason it might not happen in June is because he hasn’t been on the field yet.
So with the background covered, let’s dive deep into the astronomically frustrating timeline of Roman Anthony’s latest injury, starting on May 5th:
Roman Anthony has a wrist sprain and is day-to-day. He’ll be out the next couple days but the Red Sox aren’t putting him on the IL as of now.
Roman Anthony is going on the IL, Chad Tracy said. His wrist isn’t getting better, but the Red Sox hope he won’t miss much more than the minimum 10 days.
Also on that day, Roman Anthony clarified the injury was to a ligament below his ring finger, and not to his wrist.
Roman Anthony says he sprained a ligament below his ring finger but doesn’t believe he’ll miss much time. Hope is he can return as soon as he’s eligible.
But even at this point, they still weren’t ruling out the idea of Anthony coming off the IL in the minimum ten days. They just had to wait for his “grip strength” to get back to normal.
Roman Anthony is “improving” and the focus is improving grip strength.
Tracy wouldn’t answer if Anthony would be ready to come off IL Friday, but says wants to see grip strength get back to normal – then he would test it by hitting in the cage.
But it still took another week after that before there was any real improvement reported in his grip strength.
Per @alexspeier “Roman Anthony got re-examined today, and the team remains satisfied that he continues to improve/heal (his grip strength is back to normal), but he won’t try to swing today.” pic.twitter.com/sM6nu75jGh
And it was another four days after that when he finally was able to take dry swings (swinging without hitting the ball).
Roman Anthony took 12-15 dry swings today and felt much better so the Red Sox are encouraged that he has turned a corner. Will do the same thing tomorrow and increase volume day to day.
Now, here we are another week after that, and there’s still no real update. So my question is, what the hell happened on May 28th when Roman Anthony swung off a tee?
I see two general possibilities here — One concerning, and the other alarming. The first being he might have reinjured it while swinging and making contact with the ball, and we’re just not being told the details. That could result in a return date being pushed back weeks or even months depending on the extent of the damage.
But as bad as that sounds, it’s actually not the scenario that’s keeping me up at night and poisoning my joy. Instead, that honor goes to the possibility that a downright frightening whisper in the back of my brain could be right. Like a demon from the depths of the Earth I can’t outrun, it keeps telling me that Roman Anthony might just be a guy that breaks easily, recovers slowly, and it’s always going to be that way.
In other words, it’s asking the question: “What if Roman Anthony’s body can’t handle Roman Anthony’s elite, robust and violent swing?” That’s the scenario I fear the most, and I really, really don’t want to have to go down that road.
A bit of this fear slipped out in real time when Tim Healey first reported Anthony was going on the IL. Here’s my raw, emotional (over?)reaction.
Here we are a month later, and nothing that’s happened since makes me feel any better about this whole thing. In fact, each day the news doesn’t improve, it reminds me more and more of anther player I followed, covered, cherished, and wrote about for years here on SB Nation’s Rockies sister site, Purple Row: Troy Tulowitzki.
Because you see, in all my years of watching this glorious sport, I have never been more confident that two guys I watched from the moment they began to rise through the minors were going to be all time great players. They of course are Roman Anthony and Troy Tulowitzki, and I’m sure you already see where this is going.
Last winter, there was a part of me that wanted to write around a dozen Roman Anthony articles fawning over how good I thought he was going to become based on the underlying metrics, his rapid rise, his make up, his eye at the plate, the quotes he gave me when he was in Worcester, and the general way stars and power develop in the sport.
I mean, when you look at something like the highest hard-hit percentage in the 2025 season (min. 150 batted balls) and see a 21-year-old atop a leaderboard like this, it’s just astounding:
60.3% – Roman Anthony
59.6% – Kyle Schwarber
58.7% – Shohei Ohtani
58.2% – Aaron Judge
But I really, really didn’t want to feel the smite of the baseball gods again (they got me good when I did it with Tulowitzki all those years ago) so I refrained. Instead, I just happily perused Baseball Savant for hours and figured I’d get to write those things this summer when reality reflected it.
Alas, here we are. Roman Anthony is injured and healing slowly again, the Red Sox are having a historically horrendous season, and just like Troy Tulowitzki and the Colorado Rockies, the Red Sox absolutely need Roman Anthony to be healthy and reach his peak.
Every night, we watch this sorry excuse of a lineup get outgunned by the rest of baseball, and all of New England keeps wondering how the club is going to fix it. Well, unfortunately, it’s much, much harder to repair a bad lineup than it was 20 years ago given the way teams understand value and lock up their young stars. This coupled with performance enhancing drugs being legislated out of the game earlier this century, and we’ve (rightfully) also pretty much extinguished most of the production and availability of guys that was once commonplace for guys in their mid to late 30s.
This is all to say, if the Red Sox want to have that absolute stud in their lineup the team can build around and the region can adore, their best chance of getting it is still already in their clubhouse. I’m not just talking about getting a good hitter, I’m talking about getting an outstanding hitter. The kind that makes impacts that ripple through the lineup each trip around.
Because Roman Anthony has that ceiling and the Red Sox have built the roster as if he’s guaranteed to get there, this has to work. If it doesn’t, and the reason it doesn’t is because the injury bug drags Roman Anthony into its lair, I can’t emphasize enough how much that’s going to suck!
Not only is Roman Anthony’s ceiling rare and unique, but he also seems remarkably aware of it. Take a look at this quote from just before his latest injury saga when asked what he thought of his season so far:
“Kind of a letdown, honestly… Short sample size, but I wasn’t where I wanted to be… When I’m at my best, my swing decisions are great… When you’re swinging at good pitches, you have a better chance of hitting the ball in the air, and you have a better chance of doing what you want to do.”
These are the comments of a (at the time) 21-year-old on pace for about 4.0 WAR in 2026. He hadn’t even begun to blossom yet this season, and he was still tracking to be better than about 95 percent of the players in the league (yes, even with the low batting average and throwing yips).
Again, the stratosphere is the limit here; and the good news is, that still hasn’t changed. What has changed is we’re increasingly confronted with the possibility that Roman Anthony might have the foundation of a skyscraper and the building material the first two little pigs used.
No matter how good he is, it doesn’t matter if he can’t consistently get out on the field, because much like a hurricane on your wedding day, brake failure at a stoplight, or a raccoon infestation in your attic, repetitive, nagging injuries will ruin everything great you’ve worked for. They are striaght up poison to a professional athlete, and they’re happening to the most important member of the Boston Red Sox.
So with that, I’ll leave you with one final thought: The best thing that can happen to the 2026 Red Sox for the long-term outlook of the franchise isn’t a miracle playoff run or even more people getting fired. Instead, it’s getting consistent, good news on the Roman Anthony injury front and having him close the season looking like the guy he was about to become when he annihilated that pitch in New York last year.
That certainly won’t solve all this team’s problems, but it will solve a bunch of them.
May 24, 2026; Cumberland, Georgia, USA; Umpire Scott Barry (87) walks off the field during a rain delay during the game between the Washington Nationals against the Atlanta Braves during the seventh inning at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images | Dale Zanine-Imagn Images
Jun 11, 2026; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Royals second baseman Michael Massey (19) fields a ground ball during the second inning against the Texas Rangers at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images | Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images
The Rangers series started out so promising, but the Royals dropped the final two games of the series, including a 4-2 loss on Thursday afternoon. The game started after a delay of over two hours over concerns relating to local storms, although no rain ever fell at the stadium. The Royals managed just six hits and three walks, while falling to 28-40 on the year.
Royals starter Michael Wacha had some early struggles, but was able to save the taxed bullpen by giving the team seven solid innings. Brandon Nimmo got to him in the first with an RBI double to put the Rangers on the board. The Rangers put runners at the corners in the third, and former Royals catcher Elías Díaz lay down a perfect bunt that allowed Ezequiel Durán to scamper home from third. Corey Seager made it 3-0 Rangers with a solo home run to lead off the third.
Royals hitters battled back against Rangers starter Kumar Rocker. They loaded the bases in the third inning, but Michael Massey grounded into a double play. The twin killing did bring home Kansas City’s first run of the game, and Kameron Misner picked him up with an RBI single, his first hit since being called up. But Nick Loftin grounded out to end the threat.
The Royals chased Rocker out of the game in the fifth with a Bobby Witt Jr. single, but rookie reliever Robbie Ahlstrom quickly ended the inning. In the sixth, Evan Carter singled home another run to make it 4-2, Rangers.
Beck Way provided two solid shutout innings with four strikeouts, a sorely-needed performance for this bullpen. The Royals dropped five of their six games to the Rangers this year, getting outscored 36-21.
The Royals continue the homestand by hosting the Houston Astros, starting on Friday night.
Jun 11, 2026; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Texas Rangers shortstop Corey Seager (5) collides with Kansas City Royals catcher Carter Jensen (22) as he scores a run during the first inning at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images | Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images
The Texas Rangers scored four runs while the Kansas City Royals scored two runs.
Methinks the Rangers were feeling a tad aggrieved today with the Royals making the call to delay the game for more than two hours to protect their depleted pitching staff. Despite the sun staying out the entire time, the thought of a potential shower caused KC to halt the game before it even began because they couldn’t afford to have their starter exit early after a delay.
It never rained, meaning we all sat around waiting for no reason. That’s probably especially annoying for the Rangers as they’re in the midst of a stretch where they’re playing 23 games over the next 24 days and are in the middle of a road trip with a flight to catch.
Perhaps peeved, the Rangers scored a run apiece in each of the first three innings with some aggressive sends on the bases. That aggressiveness was a mixed bag as, by the end of the game, three Rangers were thrown out trying to take an extra base at third base.
Though they couldn’t break through with a big inning to perhaps get today’s starter Michael Wacha out of the game early, they did pressure the Royals with 11 hits overall on the day and ultimately held the Royals to just two runs while never trailing.
Despite those two KC runs, the Rangers also erased a few threats from they Royals by turning three double plays. Texas got 4.1 scoreless innings from the bullpen — including two more hitless innings from Jacob Latz, who struck out three — with starter Kumar Rocker lifted after 4.2 innings despite being at just 83 pitches as they decided to avoid letting him face the Royals’ middle-of-the-order left-handed hitters a third time in a one run game at the time.
With the win, the Rangers claimed their fourth series in a row to, yes, once again reach .500. Now the new goal is getting over the hump.
Player of the Game: A day after a miserable game for Corey Seager, the team’s sputtering superstar contributed a couple of hits, including a third inning solo home run for Texas’ third run.
Seager also singled and scored on a double by Brandon Nimmo for the game’s first run in the top of the first inning. Seager isn’t very swift these days, and wasn’t even running very hard, so it was an aggressive send even as KC right fielder Lane Thomas kind of kicked the ball around in the corner.
For his trouble, Seager got smacked in the face on a collision with catcher Carter Jensen at the plate. Luckily, he stayed in the game and the Rangers finished off another series win in June.
Up Next: After a later than expected end to their getaway game, the Rangers jet off to Boston to open a series against the Red Sox on the east coast beginning tomorrow night. RHP Jack Leiter is expected to make the start for Texas opposite RHP Sonny Gray for Boston.
The Friday evening first pitch from Fenway Park is scheduled for 6:10 pm CDT and will be aired via the Rangers Sports Network or locally on CW33.
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - JUNE 10: Samad Taylor #0 of the San Diego Padres hits an RBI single during the eighth inning against the Cincinnati Reds at Petco Park on June 10, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Orlando Ramirez/Getty Images) | Getty Images
It was arguably the worst loss of the season, with the San Diego Padres losing the second game of the Cincinnati Reds series in the ugliest way possible. Squandering multiple opportunities, adding to their many baserunning gaffs, swinging through pitches in the middle of the zone, and Manny Machado continuing his league-worst hitting.
They followed that with a win in the third and final game of the series. Fernando Tatis Jr. and newcomer Samad Taylor have sparked the team in recent games and highlighted that in the eighth and ninth innings of the game. Taylor, Jase Bowen, and most recently, Will Wagner, have combined to give the offense a boost that hasn’t always translated into wins but has certainly provided some excitement.
The series against the New York Mets highlighted how bad the offense has become. And not just the offense. The pitching, baserunning and defense have all been shaky in recent weeks. With everyone placing so much attention on the inept offense, the rest of their poor play has largely gone unaddressed.
Since May 27, the starters have supplied three quality starts, with the latest in the series finale versus the Reds. Michael King went 6.2 innings with three runs allowed (all on home runs) and seven hits. He was the first starter to go six or more innings with only three or fewer runs allowed since Walker Buehler on June 2.
The bullpen has been great at times, but has been overworked with the short performances by the starters. The pressure placed on them has resulted in a 3.90 ERA, ninth best in MLB. Closer Mason Miller hasn’t been used as a closer much and has been trying to keep the deficit the same or to buy time for the offense.
Playing those two losing teams over the past six games, the Padres salvaged a home stand split and now have a 35-32 record, good for second place in the NL West and 7.5 games behind LA. They cling to the last Wild Card spot by a half game.
Freddy Fermin
The Padres lead catcher had the worst OPS in baseball before hitting back-t0-back-to-back home runs over three days. He added a double and a single to have seven RBI in that span and is hitting .263 over the past seven games. With backup Rodolfo Duran hitting .103 in 29 at-bats and Luis Campusano not yet on his rehab assignment, Fermin needs to be a contributor at the bottom of the lineup.
Samad Taylor, Jase Bowen, and Will Wagner
With the loss of Ramón Laureano, the release of Nick Castellanos, and paternity leave for shortstop Xander Bogaerts, the three players who were brought up to fill in are distinguishing themselves in a short sample size.
Taylor, 27, has had some brief cameos with two other teams over the past three seasons. He is fast, aggressive on the base paths, and knows how to bunt. Taylor has been referred to as the spark plug since his arrival. His enthusiasm and exuberance are noticeable. He also has a double, three walks, five RBI, and two stolent bases in the four games he has played.
Bowen, 25, is making his major league debut and is being used as a pinch hitter, a pinch runner, and an occasional defensive replacement while he gets his feet under him.
Wagner, 27, was acquired last season and had a brief cameo with the team at the end of the year. He started this year injured, with an oblique strain, and came back to rehab with El Paso. He came off the IL on May 7 and has been used as a DH in his two games played. His left-handed bat has had more major league experience than bench player Sung-Mun Song and he has a career .265 average. Wagner can play all infield positions besides shortstop and has significant DH experience.
It would not be a surprise to see Wagner staying and Bowen sent down when Bogaerts rejoins the team Friday in Baltimore.
Fernando Tatis Jr.
Tatis has been hitting and got his first home run at Petco Park in the finale of the Reds series. It was the game-winning, walk-off hit that sent the Padres on their road trip in a happier frame of mind. Over his past 15 games, Tatis has a .381/.418/.524 batting line with two home runs and five RBI. The offense is a marked improvement, but his base running is leaving a lot to be desired. He was thrown out again on Tuesday and is currently 15-for-23 on stolen base attempts. The eye test indicates that Tatis is making bad decisions and might be trying too hard to make something happen.
Manny Machado
Watching Machado swing a bat these days is painful. He is missing fast balls right down the middle of the plate, fouling off pitches in his hitting zone and just watching fat pitches go by. It is becoming concerning that he has not been able to pull out of this slump. His .172 batting average is the worst in baseball. He isn’t getting on base either with an OBP of .253 with 27 walks in 238 at-bats.
His K rate is 22.6%, up from 19.3% in 2025 but his chase rate is at an all-time high (31.2%). His batted-ball stats show that he is making more weak contact with more ground balls than previously in his career. Machado has achknowledged that he his still working to fix whatever the issue is that has caused this season-long slump but there is the inevitable conversation regarding age that has popped up around baseball.
At 33-years-old, it is to be expected that his bat speed is dropping but his home runs sit at 11 and is about average for this time in the season. He is hitting the four-seam fastball the best of all the pitches he has seeen but the sinker, slider and sweeper are all getting by him at a high rate.
Jackson Merrill
The centerfielder has had two hits in each of the past two games, including a home run, and has begun to get opposite field hits again. He has four RBI for June after having only six RBI for the whole month of May. His batting average is up to .207.
Padres sign Nick Pratto
Former No. 1 draft pick of the Kansas City Royals, first baseman Nick Pratto, signed a minor league deal with the Padres this week. He was released by the Texas Rangers on Tuesday and signed with the Padres on Wednesday. Pratto played for the Royals in 2022 and 2023 but has been in the Royals and Rangers minor leagues since then.
A player who spent the first month of the season in the Rangers development program, Pratto has power but a history of swing-and-miss in his career. He was assigned to the El Paso Chihuahuas and will provide depth at first base.
Injury updates
RHP Matt Waldron (brachialis injury) has begun working his way back and threw a live BP on Tuesday. He begins a rehab assignment this weekend.
RHP Germán Márquez has had two starts with Triple-A El Paso and has not allowed a run in 6.1 innings of work.
DH Miguel Andujar has not gone on the injured list this season but has twice dealt with a reoccurence of a hamstring issue he has had throughout his career. In both instances of aggravating his left hamstring, Andujar has been day-to-day while pinch hitting off the bench.
Jake Cronenworth has been with the team during the last week and is feeling better but has no timeline for a rehab assignment yet.
Luis Campsano reported having no lingering issues with his broken toe but has yet to begin a rehab assignment. He has been on the injured list since May 7.
CHICAGO, IL - JUNE 10: Braden Montgomery #24 of the Chicago White Sox doubles in the eighth inning during the game between the Atlanta Braves and the Chicago White Sox at Rate Field on Wednesday, June 10, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Kyle Sheridan/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Is this game going to happen? Usually I can’t wait for the game, but as I noted in the preview, this has been the least … any positive adjective I can conjure up series so far. Maybe this game gets postponed due to weather? If it doesn’t, maybe the Braves can actually beat the White Sox?
May 6, 2026; Seattle, Washington, USA; Seattle Mariners catcher Jhonny Pereda (5) and starting pitcher Bryan Woo (22) exchange words with manager Dan Wilson after the second inning at T-Mobile Park. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Ng-Imagn Images | Kevin Ng-Imagn Images
Personally, I hate the series in Baltimore every year about as much as Andrés Muñoz. The weather sucks no matter what time of year it is, the Mariners never seem to score many runs (especially when George Kirby is on the mound for some reason), the injury bug always seems to bite in Oriole Park specifically, and the constant monotone let’s-go-O’s chant gives me a headache by the third inning. And this year it’s four games? Get the entire out of here. Thankfully this is the last game of this curséd series.
Lineups:
Happy news: Colt Emerson returns to the Mariners lineup for the first time since Detroit.
Roster moves:
A new face has joined the bullpen shuffle after Domingo Gonzalez’s rough outing yesterday, with the Mariners selecting righty Michael Rucker. Read more here.
Also, in case you missed it, Miles Mastrobuoni is up with the team as Matt Brash went on the IL with Ryan Bliss returning to Tacoma. It’s a rough shake for Bliss, who was steady in his short stint with the Mariners, but with J.P. Crawford on the shelf the Mariners need Mastro’s positional flexibility.
Injury updates:
Positive news on J.P. Crawford; he wasn’t even able to hold a bat as of a couple days ago, so this is an improvement.
J.P. Crawford takes his first grounders (at 3B) since landing on IL, and Mariners suddenly have yet another hotshot SS prospect. pic.twitter.com/uMkdLynxUV
The news on Matt Brash isn’t as good. Dan Wilson wouldn’t give a timetable for his injury, saying just that he’ll likely be down “longer” than his last stay on the IL with a similar injury, when he was down for 18 days. Brash has flown back to Seattle for further evaluation.
No real update on Brendan Donovan, who remains in Arizona rehabbing at the Mariners complex.
Today’s game information:
Reminder that today’s game is on ESPN.
Game time: 4:05 PT
TV: ESPN, with Kevin Brown, David Ross, Adam Ottovino and Buster Olney
Radio: 710 AM Seattle Sports, with Gary Hill Jr. and Shannon Drayer
I told you this team could still hit. I told you this team still had good hitters.
And I’m telling you right now — and you can come back to this recap if I’m right, or if I’m wrong — that the 2026 Cubs are going to start winning again and still make a run at a postseason berth.
Seiya Suzuki smacked a grand slam and Alex Bregman and Carson Kelly also homered. The Cubs pounded out 10 hits and defeated the Rockies 9-3. The nine runs were as many as they’d scored in their previous four games combined, three of which were defeats.
This one started out like Wednesday evening’s game. The first nine Cubs went down in order. Meanwhile, Rockies catcher Brett Sullivan homered in the third to give the Rockies a 1-0 lead. Thoughts of “Didn’t we see this game yesterday?” filled my head.
For Suzuki, that was his third home run already this month. More from BCB’s JohnW53:
Suzuki’s grand slam, the third of his career, was the Cubs’ second this season. Moises Ballesteros did it on April 27 at San Diego. That one also put the Cubs in front, 5-3, but they lost, 9-7.
The Cubs hit five last year, the last by Suzuki on Sept. 26 at home vs. the Cardinals. They hit six in 2024 and have hit 339 in the regular season during the Modern Era (began 1901) and 363 since 1876, first year of the National League.
Suzuki’s today was the 154th of the 363 on the road. Two of the previous ones were at Coors Field, by Henry Rodriguez in 1998 and Sammy Sosa in 2002. This was the Cubs’ 71st game at Coors since Sosa did it on Aug. 11, 2002.
That seemed to awaken a Cubs dugout that had looked morose for most of this series. The Rockies scored a run in the bottom of the fourth off Edward Cabrera to cut the lead to 4-2, but the Cubs extended the lead in the fifth.
A weird play happened in the top of the sixth. Nico Hoerner led off with a single. Then Moisés Ballesteros hit a ball that clearly hit behind him in the batter’s box and then hit him in the leg. That’s a foul ball.
The Rockies threw the ball to second and first while Hoerner and Ballesteros didn’t move — because the ball was clearly foul. The umpires let the double play stand, as I do not think those plays are reviewable, even though Jim Deshaies said on the broadcast that they should have asked for a crew chief review. Craig Counsell got himself tossed on that play, his second ejection of the year. When the video is reviewed, the umpires will learn that they got it wrong. Fortunately, this had no impact on the final score.
Cabrera was removed with one out in the bottom of the sixth, having allowed five hits and two runs, with five strikeouts, a much better outing than the one last Friday against the Giants. The Cubs got two pretty good starting pitcher outings at Coors Field from Cabrera and Shōta Imanaga, and that is, I think, a good sign going forward. Hoby Milner entered and got the second out, then gave up a couple of hits and Phil Maton was summoned to get out of the jam.
The Cubs extended the lead to 8-2 in the seventh. With one out, PCA hit a ball that for most people would be a single, but he hustled it into a double. That wound up not mattering when Bregman launched one [VIDEO].
The long ball was Kelly’s first since April 18, a span of 34 games and 121 plate appearances. Overall Kelly’s still hitting pretty well, but perhaps this will turn the power switch back on for him.
Tyler Ferguson, recalled because Trent Thornton hit the paternity list this week, finished up. Sullivan homered off Ferguson, his second of the game, but Ferguson finished up with this strikeout [VIDEO].
Since a player can spend a maximum of three days on the paternity list, Thornton, who went on the list before Tuesday’s game, will likely return Friday, with Ferguson heading back to Triple-A Iowa.
One more thing of amusement in this game: Moisés Ballesteros stole a base. No, I am not making that up. He walked with two out in the fourth and then took off:
— Northside Soundtrack (@CHC_DataDrive) June 11, 2026
Ballesteros had a few steals in the minors — including five last year at Iowa — but that was his first steal attempt in the big leagues. Might be his last, who knows? Hope they got the base for him.
As I said, I believe this team still has good hitters. They showed signs of life in this game. Let’s hope that continues. There are still 93 games remaining. More on the Cubs’ big bat day from John:
Carson Kelly’s homer, the Cubs’ third of the day, ended a streak of 41 games in which the Cubs had not hit more than two home runs, since smacking three in a 12-4 loss to the Dodgers at Los Angeles on April 25.
The 41-game drought was their third longest of its kind since 2000. The longest was 54 games, in 2010, followed by 44 in 2022.
The Cubs have hit three homers this year in six games, two homers in 16, one homer in 23 and none in 19.
The Cubs will open a three-game series in San Francisco Friday. I’ll be attending these games if anyone from here is around. Friday’s starter for the Cubs is TBD — perhaps Javier Assad? — and Landen Roupp will start for the Giants. Game time Friday is 9:15 p.m. CT and TV coverage will be via Marquee Sports Network.
ATLANTA, GA - JUNE 05: Oneil Cruz #15 of the Pittsburgh Pirates pitches during the game between the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Atlanta Braves at Truist Park on Friday, June 5, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kathryn Skeean/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
The Pittsburgh Pirates’ offense took another major hit this week.
Already without shortstop Konnor Griffin due to a forearm injury, the middle of the order will lose one of baseball’s lone 30/30 candidates for the foreseeable future.
On Wednesday, the Pirates placed center fielder Oneil Cruz on the 10-day injured list.
Cruz was scratched from the lineup on Tuesday due to recurrent left-hand discomfort and was initially viewed as only day-to-day.
Additional tests revealed that Cruz is suffering from non-displaced fractures in his fourth and fifth metacarpals in his left hand.
It’s a significant loss for the Pirates and their star center fielder, who is playing the best of his career.
Cruz ranks second in the National League in steals (21), tied for fifth in runs scored (45), and seventh in RBI (44).
Kevin Gorman of the TRIB reported that Cruz is expected to be sidelined for four to six weeks.
Cruz was seen in the dugout on the TV broadcast with a cast on his hand. Cruz suffered the injury during the Pirates’ road series against the Atlanta Braves.
Through 64 games, Cruz is slashing .264/.350/.472 with 10 doubles and 14 home runs.
The Pirates recalled Billy Cook to replace Cruz on the 26-man roster, but recalled outfielder Esmerlyn Valdez on Thursday.
Valdez made his MLB debut on May 22 and has hit 13 home runs in Triple-A Indianapolis over 192 at-bats.
The 22-year-old may see significant playing time with Cruz out and profiles best defensively in right. Pittsburgh opted to recall Valdez over Jhostynxon Garcia, who can play all three outfield positions and was sent back to Triple-A earlier this week.
Esmerlyn Valdez homers in his first at-bat at PNC Park!
Valdez had two hits in 16 at-bats, both home runs, in his first stint with the Pirates in May. To make room on the roster, the Pirates transferred Davis Wendzel to Indianapolis.
Overcoming Cruz’s absence will be a challenge as the Pirates (34-32) fight for a wild card in the National League.
The Pirates are going to need Valdez, Jake Mangum, and other lesser-established players to step up and keep the Pirates in the running until Cruz comes back.
May 18, 2026; St. Petersburg, Florida, USA; Baltimore Orioles catcher Adley Rutschman (35) reacts with designated hitter Pete Alonso (25) after hitting a home run against the Tampa Bay Rays in the seventh inning at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images | Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images
Both Adley Rutschman and Samuel Basallo are back in the Orioles lineup tonight against the Mariners. Rutschman will ease back into action as the designated hitter, while Basallo will return to the starting lineup after being available off the bench.
Taylor Ward, Colton Cowser and Leody Taveras will handle the outfield duties. Coby Mayo will get the start at third base with Gunnar Henderson playing to his left. Jackson Holliday will bat ninth and play second base after delivering a grand slam last night. Pete Alonso will bat cleanup and play first base.
The Orioles can split the four-game series with a win tonight. The game will be televised on ESPN.
SCOTTSDALE, ARIZONA - MARCH 07, 2026: Bo Davidson #91 of the San Francisco Giants bats during the eighth inning of a spring training game against the Texas Rangers at Scottsdale Stadium on March 07, 2026 in Scottsdale, Arizona. (Photo by David Durochik/Diamond Images via Getty Images) | Diamond Images/Getty Images
Apologies for the lateness of today’s Minor League Baseball roundup, but my internet was out for a few hours. Five of the San Francisco Giants affiliates were in action on Wednesday, so let’s talk about them!
All listed positions in the roundup are the position played in that particular game.
News
A few small moves to talk about. LHP Seth Lonsway, who opened the year with AAA Sacramento but was recently demoted to AA Richmond, was returned back to Sacramento. High-A Eugene RHPs Ryan Slater and Matt Dunaway were both activated off the Injured List. And Low-A San Jose RHP Cody Delvecchio was placed on the 7-Day IL.
AAA Sacramento (39-24)
Sacramento River Cats beat the Sugar Land Space Cowboys (Astros) 2-1 Box score
A fantastic pitching performance from an unlikely source: LHP John Michael Bertrand. The 28-year old, taken in the 10th round in the 2022 MLB Draft, is finally getting some uninterrupted run in AAA, after more than 300 innings in AA, and brief stints in AAA to end the last 2 seasons. The results have been middling so far, which honestly isn’t surprising for a non blue-chip pitching prospect whose fastball averages exactly 90 mph.
But Wednesday was a fabulous day for the funky southpaw, who breezed through 6 shutout innings, while allowing just 4 singles, 2 walks, and a hit batter, and striking out 6 Space Cowboys. What a fantastic game. The 6 strikeouts were slightly surprising for Bertrand, as, even after that performance, he’s at just 6.5 per 9 innings this year, which is fairly in line with his career averages. His 5.09 ERA and 5.28 FIP are a reminder that it’s very hard to find success at the highest levels without throwing gas … but games like this one are a reminder that there’s more than one way to skin a cat … or more than one way to retire a hitter, to use a more PETA-approved phrase.
RHP Spencer Bivens has returned to the bullpen, after filling in in the rotation for a while. He did quite well in that role, and perhaps it will carry over to his more standard role, as he was strong in this outing, allowing just a single in 1.2 innings, while striking out 3 (he did give up the only run Sacramento allowed, but it was unearned).
Bivens really struggled to open the year, giving up 14 earned runs in 17.1 innings over his first 11 games, with 14 strikeouts. In 6 games since, though, he’s allowed only 5 earned runs in 22.2 innings, with 18 strikeouts. There’s still work to do to get fully back on track, but I suspect he’ll be back in the San Francisco bullpen at some point this year.
A quiet day on offense. The star was once again second baseman Nate Furman (No. 39 CPL), who hit 1-3 with a double, a walk, a stolen base, and a strikeout. Furman’s AAA debut hasn’t been scintillating, but he’s been solid really the entire year, and is up to a .798 OPS and a 114 wRC+, with just a 13.0% strikeout rate, and 9 stolen bases in 13 attempts. It will be interesting to see what the Giants do with the soon-to-turn 25-year old lefty, as they probably think he’s about ready for an MLB debut … but don’t really have a way to play him. Furman only plays second base (and not particularly well at that), and even if/when the Giants trade Luis Arráez, one can assume it will be so Casey Schmitt can be the everyday player there. We’ll see, though … these things tend to work themselves out.
Here’s a question: has Drew Cavanaugh (No. 19 CPL) surpassed Jesús Rodríguez (No. 16 CPL) on the organization’s catcher depth chart? Obviously Rodríguez would be more likely to get the call if the Giants needed someone tomorrow, but that’s due to being a rostered player. It’s certainly possible that Cavanaugh is viewed more highly by the organization right now, given how brilliantly he’s taken to AAA. He was the designated hitter in this game, and hit 2-3 with a hit by pitch and a strikeout. He’s hitting for average, hitting for power, drawing walks, and limiting strikeouts, and the result is an 1.177 OPS and a 200 wRC+ through 22 AAA games … all with strong defense. My goodness, Drew! Save some hits for the rest of the guys!
Rodríguez, on the other hand, has been struggling a bit since getting optioned (though it’s worth noting that he was decent in his debut MLB stint). He played catcher in this game and went 0-4 with a strikeout … since getting sent back to AAA, the 24-year old righty is just 4-25, with 2 doubles, 1 walk, and 4 strikeouts. Still, the future is extremely bright for both of these young backstops.
Richmond’s offense has been a little quiet lately, but that certainly wasn’t the case in this game. The Squirrels had a dynamic offensive game, and just looking at the box score you would have expected them to score a bit more than 7 runs, honestly.
At the middle of it all was the hottest player in the farm, center fielder Bo Davidson (No. 4 CPL). The 24-year old left-handed UDFA was once again a force to be reckoned with, hitting 1-2 with a home run, a walk, a sacrifice fly, a strikeout, and a team-high 3 runs batted in. Davidson’s revival has been one of the best stories on the farm lately. He got off to a bit of a slow start, and while there were reasons to explain it — he missed time with an injury, he missed time due to the birth of his child, and it’s not uncommon to need an adjustment period at higher levels — it always gives you a little pause, and makes you wonder if a prospect bubble is popping.
Bo Davidson muscles his #SFGiants organization-leading 1⃣2⃣th homer of the year over the left field wall!
— Richmond Flying Squirrels (@GoSquirrels) June 10, 2026
Davidson’s power was sapped in May, as he had just 1 home run in the month, and just a .664 OPS. But June brought on the real Bo, and he has been completely unstoppable: he’s hit safely in all 8 games this month, compiling a 13-32 line along the way, and smacking a stunning 6 home runs. 6 home runs! In 8 games! In the Eastern League! And that is how, despite the power outage in May, Davidson now leads the Giants farm with 12 home runs, while bringing him up to an .835 OPS and a 114 wRC+. He’s also been swinging-and-missing a lot less lately, which is tremendous to see.
Unlike Davidson, shortstop Maui Ahuna (No. 33 CPL) has been having a miserable June. He entered Wednesday’s game hitting just 3-24 in the month, with 0 extra-base hits and 12 strikeouts. But Wednesday was a step towards correcting that, as the smooth-fielding lefty went 1-3 with a solo home run and a walk, though he also struck out twice.
Maui goes oppo taco for his fourth homer of the year and we're on the board 💪
— Richmond Flying Squirrels (@GoSquirrels) June 10, 2026
Ahuna’s AA assignment was simultaneously aggressive and necessary (both due to his age and to the shortstops occupying lower levels), and it’s been a mixed bag. He’s shown signs of offensive life, but he’s also struggled a bit, with just a .229 average, a .693 OPS, and an 85 wRC+. He’s shown some thump, but the concern with his offense has not been alleviated: of the 127 Eastern League hitters with at least 100 plate appearances this year, Ahuna is 122nd in strikeout rate (36.1%), and 120th in swinging strike rate (18.3%).
Also clearing the fence was right fielder Jean Carlos Sio (No. 44 CPL), who had an identical day to Ahuna, going 1-3 with a solo home run, a walk, and 2 strikeouts. Sio, a lefty who only turned 22 in April, is still adjusting to his new level, where he has just a .227 average, a .655 OPS, a 77 wRC+, and a 29.2% strikeout rate. But it’s only been 7 games, and it came after a delayed start to the season due to injury, and just 44 games in High-A across last year and this year. Now he has his 1st AA home run, and maybe that will get him going!
— Richmond Flying Squirrels (@GoSquirrels) June 11, 2026
Very nice games for left fielder Parks Harber (No. 17 CPL) and designated hitter Jack Payton. Harber went 2-3 with a double, 2 walks, and a strikeout, while Payton hit 2-4 with a triple and a strikeout. Harber has quieted down following his electric start to the season, but is still having a great year, with a .923 OPS and a 143 wRC+ (he’s also playing almost exclusively in the outfield right now). Payton, an 11th-round pick in 2023, is struggling to adapt to the level, and has just a .573 OPS and a 54 wRC+ in 30 games, following an early-season promotion.
A fairly uninteresting game on the mound. LHP Greg Farone was so-so, giving up 4 hits (including a home run) in 5 innings, with 3 walks, 2 earned runs, and 4 strikeouts. The 2024 7th-round pick has some really intriguing stuff, but just hasn’t been able to put it together this year, as he has a 6.23 ERA, a 6.42 FIP, with 8.9 strikeouts and 5.3 walks per 9 innings. There’s something there, but it hasn’t really come together at any point this year.
RHP Will Bednar (No. 24 CPL) is kind of plodding along back in AA, and he pitched 2 no-hit innings in this one, but walked 2 while striking out just 1. Bednar has improved his AA ERA dramatically year-over-year, from 4.97 to 3.86, but that certainly doesn’t tell the story. His biggest issue has been walks, and those have jumped from 6.8 per 9 innings to 7.3 … meanwhile his calling card, the strikeouts, have tumbled, from 14.9 per 9 to just 10.8. Weird season.
A great game for RHP Shane Rademacher, who struck out 3 batters in 2 scoreless innings, with the only baserunner he allowed coming on an error by his catcher, Ty Hanchey. A 25-year old UDFA, Rademacher has struggled quite a bit this year, with a 6.00 ERA and a 6.96 FIP, but, despite a lack of velocity, he’s pumped up his strikeouts this year, from a lowly 5.9 last season (including just 3.6 during his time in AA), to 9.0 this year.
High-A Eugene (40-19)
Eugene Emeralds lost to Spokane (Rockies) 10-9 Box score
Some fun offensive performances in this one, most notably from a trio of players: right fielder Lisbel Diaz (No. 32 CPL), catcher Jancel Villarroel (No. 42 CPL), and first baseman Jakob Christian.
Diaz continues to show off some impressive power, as he hit 2-4 with a 2-run home run. The total offensive package still hasn’t quite come together for the right-handed Cuban, who turns 21 next month. He has just a .762 OPS and a 97 wRC+ on the year, but, despite that, he’s showing off some good things, with a lovely strikeout rate (17.0%) and isolated slugging mark (.211). Those are certainly signs that things could click here at some point.
As for Villarroel, all he’s done is get on base once he got healthy (he missed the start of the season). He went 1-3 in this game, smacked a double, and was hit by 2 pitches, though he also struck out twice. Villarroel, a 21-year old acquired in the Kai-Wei Teng trade, hit just 3-22 with 0 extra-base hits, 1 walk, and 5 strikeouts in his 1st 6 games of the year (4 with Eugene, and 2 rehabbing in the Complex League). Since then? 31-88 with 11 extra-base hits!
He’s also been adding value in a painful way, as he’s been hit by 8 pitches already this year … doesn’t the poor guy take enough damage being a catcher? The result is an .892 OPS and a 142 wRC+, and I recommend focusing on those numbers anytime you find yourself thinking about how good Teng has been for the Astros this season.
As for Christian, the 2024 5th-round pick had the best day of all, hitting 2-4 with a double, a walk, and a grand slam. My goodness what a day!!!
Jakob Christian more been watching the Big League game…
Just as he’s done his entire career, the 23-year old right-handed hitter from the University of San Diego has been mashing, but also striking out. He has an .817 OPS and a 121 wRC+ on the year, but a slightly terrifying 34.2% strikeout rate. Things to love, and things to improve on.
As for Eugene’s top prospects, center fielder Dakota Jordan (No. 5 CPL) hit 1-5 with a double; shortstop Gavin Kilen (No. 7 CPL) went 2-4 with a walk and a strikeout; designated hitter Trevor Cohen (No. 15 CPL) hit 1-5 with a double; and left fielder Carlos Gutierrez (No. 18 CPL) went 1-4 with a walk, a stolen base, and a strikeout. Shortstop Jhonny Level (No. 3 CPL), who has hit safely in every game since getting promoted, got a day off.
It was a pretty decent pitching day, save for the performance from RHP Austin Strickland, which cost Eugene the game. Strickland, the pitcher who came over in the Joey Bart trade, allowed 7 hits and a hit batter in just 2 innings, which torched him for 6 earned runs.
The start went to RHP Niko Mazza, who had a funny game. On the surface, Mazza’s performance looked very nice: the 2024 8th-round pick allowed just 5 hits and 0 walks in 5.1 innings, with 6 strikeouts, and 2 of his 3 runs were unearned due to a Villarroel passed ball.
The cold water is that 4 of the 5 hits that Mazza allowed went for extra bases, including a home run, which was his 4th allowed in 45 innings … surpassing his total of 3 allowed during his debut season last year, in 93.1 Low-A innings. It’s been an odd season for Mazza, who has a 3.00 ERA but a 4.45 FIP. He has been one of the organization’s top strikeout starters, as he has a blissful 11.2 per 9 innings, which represents a huge boost over last year’s mark of 8.7 at a lower level. But on the flip side, despite his walkless outing on Wednesday, he’s issued 6.2 free passes per 9 innings, which is a concerning figure. But if he can bring that number down, he’ll be cooking, as he’s only allowed 30 hits in 45 innings, which is elite. Here’s to more performances like Wednesday’s; not only was it his 1st time all year without allowing a walk, it was his 1st time all year without allowing multiple walks.
One other Mazza note: in his 1st 2 starts of the year, he gave up 7 earned runs in 5.1 innings. Since then, he’s allowed just 8 earned runs in 39.2 innings.
A very encouraging appearance from the bullpen for RHP Gerelmi Maldonado (No. 21 CPL). Maldonado pitched the 9th inning and retired all 3 batters he faced on just 12 pitches, with 2 strikeouts. The 22-year old Venezuelan touches triple digits with ease, which has led to a staggering 23 strikeouts in 14.1 innings. But he needs more control outings like this one, as he has a terrifying 21 walks on the year. Always great to see him show good command in an outing.
Low-A San Jose (34-25)
San Jose Giants beat the Stockton Ports (A’s) 15-5 Box score
A dominant offensive performance by the Baby Giants, who put together 15 hits … 10 of which went for extra bases.
Almost everybody had a strong day on the offensive side, but nobody could compete with center fielder Damian Bravo, who is really coming into his own. Last year’s 15th-round pick was a force on Wednesday, hitting 4-5 with 2 home runs and a double. My goodness!
Bravo, a 22-year old right-hander from Texas Tech, started the season fairly slow, but then caught fire. He still only has a 107 wRC+ due to a fairly low walk rate (6.8%), but he’s hitting for average (.283) and power (his 9 home runs are 3rd in the system), and he has an .854 OPS with 6 stolen bases in as many attempts, and solid outfield defense across all 3 positions. Just a fantastic day for a player who is coming into his own.
Speaking of players coming into their own, shortstop Lorenzo Meola (No. 23 CPL) had one of his best days as a pro, hitting 2-5 with both a home run and a double, though he did strike out twice. It’s been a disappointing season for last year’s 4th-round pick, who hasn’t had quite shown the contact ability that many projected, as he has just a .240 averaged and a 28.2% strikeout rate. But all you can ask for is improvement, and Meola has been showing that in a big way. Just look at how he turned his season around in early May:
First 24 games: 18-98, 0 home runs, 6 doubles, 9 walks, 34 strikeouts Next 28 games: 30-102, 5 home runs, 8 doubles, 15 walks, 32 strikeouts
Talk about improvement!
Also clearing the fence was designated hitter Jose Astudillo, who went 3-5 and finished a triple shy of the cycle, while knocking in 3 runs. Astudillo, a 22-year old from Venezuela, has always been a contact hitter, and this year has a .286 average and a microscopic 5.1% strikeout rate. He’s never hit for power though, so this was a notable game: it was his 1st home run of the year, and just his 2nd career home run in 132 Minor League games. That will probably have to change if he wants to have success at higher levels, but it’s always fun seeing elite contact hitters.
Other nice days: second baseman Isaiah Barkett hit 3-6 with 2 doubles and a strikeout, and now has an .859 OPS and a 120 wRC+; right fielder Cam Maldonado (No. 34 CPL) hit 3-6 with a double and 2 strikeouts, bumping his OPS to .847 and his wRC+ to 104; and third baseman Dario Reynoso went 3-5 with a stolen base and a strikeout, giving him a 1.008 OPS, a 150 wRC+, and 10 stolen bases.
On the pitching front, it was all about the bullpen. Starting LHP Jordan Gottesman had a day to forget, giving up 6 hits, 2 home runs, 2 walks, 5 runs, and 4 earned runs in 4 innings, though he struck out 5. The 2025 6th-round pick has had an odd year, with a 3.00 ERA but a 5.62 FIP. The strikeouts have been the big issue for him, as he’s ceded 7 of them in just 48 innings.
The nice bullpen outings came from a pair of arms who have been struggling, RHPs Fernando Vasquez and Cooper McGrath. Vasquez tossed 3 shutout innings with 1 hit, 2 walks, and 2 strikeouts, while McGrath gave up 2 hits and 0 walks in 2 shutout innings, with 3 strikeouts. Vasquez, a 24-year old from the DR, has a 6.97 ERA and a 6.33 FIP, with more walks than strikeouts; McGrath, a 25-year old taken in the 18th round last year, has an 8.74 ERA and a 7.40 FIP. Here’s to more days like this for each pitcher.
Dominican Summer League Black (5-3)
DSL Giants Black beat the DSL Cardinals 8-3 Box score
For the 2nd game in a row, left fielder Franco Willias went deep. The 21-year old, who is in his 3rd DSL season, hit 2-5 on the day with a strikeout, and lifted his OPS all the way to 1.088, with a 128 wRC+ (those figures paired together tell you how the DSL is playing this year!). Willias hit comfortably above average the last 2 years, but clearly the Giants are looking for a little something extra before trying him out in the states.
Also leaving the yard was catcher Alessandro Duran, who went 2-3 with a 2-run shot, a walk, and a strikeout. Duran, who is about to turn 21, has had an odd career. He was awful in his DSL debut (23 wRC+), fantastic in his follow-up (135 wRC+), and fell back to earth in his 3rd season (82 wRC+). He’s been good this year, but it’s only been 3 games.
And shortstop Keiberg Camacaro, whose brother Alexander is also on the team, had another great day, hitting 2-3 with a double, a walk, and a stolen base. The 19-year old right-hander from Venezuela is off to a great season, with a .989 OPS, a 145 wRC+, and 7 stolen bases already (he only had 7 all last year). Perhaps most notably, he’s striking out just 8.3% of the time, after running sky-high rates in his 1st 3 years.
A standout performance on the mound from RHP Simon Colmenares, who turns 20 in a few weeks. This is Colmenares’ 2nd season, but he only pitched 3 innings last year. After a rough season debut last week, Colmenares bounced back with a brilliant start on Wednesday, throwing 4 shutout innings with just 1 hit and 2 walks allowed, while striking out 6. A great game, in a league where great pitching performances can be hard to find.
Home run tracker
12 — Bo Davidson — [AA] 9 — Damian Bravo x2 — [Low-A] 8 — Lisbel Diaz — [High-A] 6 — Jean Carlos Sio — [1 in AA; 4 in High-A; 1 in ACL] 5 — Jakob Christian — [High-A] 5 — Lorenzo Meola — [Low-A] 4 — Maui Ahuna — [AA] 2 — Franco Willias — [DSL] 1 — Jose Astudillo — [Low-A] 1 — Alessandro Duran — [DSL]
Thursday schedule
Sacramento: 5:05 p.m. PT at Sugar Land (SP: Joe Whitman) Richmond: 4:05 p.m. PT vs. Harrisburg (SP: Charlie McDaniel) Eugene: 6:35 p.m. PT vs. Spokane (SP: Tyler Switalski) San Jose: 7:05 p.m. PT at Stockton (SP: TBD)
Reminder that almost all MiLB games can be watched on MLB TV.
PITTSBURGH, PA - JUNE 09: Andy Pages #44 of the Los Angeles Dodgers hits a two-run home run in the seventh inning against the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park on June 9, 2026 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Justin K. Aller/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Justin Wrobleski and the Dodgers face the Pirates before heading off to Chicago for a three-game set with the White Sox.
DENVER, CO - JUNE 11: Brett Sullivan #26 of the Colorado Rockies jogs around the bases after hitting a solo home run in the third inning against the Chicago Cubs at Coors Field on June 11, 2026 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Justin Edmonds/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Riding the thrill of a walk-off victory, a series win, and a hot pitcher on the mound, the Colorado Rockies were primed to sweep the Chicago Cubs to close out the homestand. Unfortunately, the Cubs came out swinging to secure a 9-3 victory. Meanwhile, the Rockies’ offense was propelled by a pair of home runs from their left-handed backup catcher.
However, the Rockies have won three of their last four series, which is helping build momentum.
Feltner falters
Much like Michael Lorenzen’s start on Wednesday, Ryan Feltner was excellent to start his day on the mound. Through the first three innings, Feltner returned nine straight batters aided by a pair of strikeouts. At that point, he had retired 22 consecutive batters, the most since Jorge De La Rosa retired 23 in a row back in 2009.
Unfortunately, things unraveled in the fourth inning.
Pete Crow-Armstrong led off the inning with a single and subsequently stole second base. Michael Busch then delivered a one-out single to put runners on the corners, and Ian Happ drew a walk to load the bases. As Feltner’s command began to diminish, he hung an elevated 1-0 slider to Seiya Suzuki, who promptly blasted the ball to left field for a grand slam to put the Cubs up 4-1 at the time.
After escaping the inning, Feltner didn’t last much longer in the fifth. Dansby Swanson led off with a walk and stole second base. After getting PCA to ground out to shortstop, Feltner issued a walk to Alex Bregman, which ended his day. Blas Castaño came in relief and ended up allowing both runs to score to give the Cubs a 6-2 victory after five innings.
Feltner’s final line was 4.1 innings, having allowed six runs on four hits with three strikeouts. The three walks ended up being his downfall as he seemed to struggle finding the zone. He threw 75 pitches with 40 going for strikes. The Cubs also swiped three bases against Feltner, which has been a common thread in his career handling the running game.
Early home runs for the Rox
Facing Edward Cabrera, the Rockies kept up pressure but struggled to get much going against the right-hander. They managed to get two runners aboard in the bottom of the first with one out, but Cabrera got out of the inning unscathed.
Brett Sullivan kicked off the scoring to give the Rockies a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the third when he sent an elevated fastball 434 feet into the second deck in right field for his second home run of the season. Sullivan collected another hit in the fifth inning but was stranded at first base
After falling behind in the fourth inning, the Rockies got one back on a solo shot for the rookie Cole Carrigg. Cabrera left a 3-2 slider of the heart of the plate that Carrigg sent high and deep into the Rockies bullpen to make it 4-2. After flirting with some deep balls in the series, Carrigg finally connected and sent it 418 feet with a 102.2 mph exit velocity and a steep 36-degree launch angle. The only downside to the home run was that Troy Johnston had been picked off right before it happened.
The sixth inning brought a little bit of drama for both teams. In the top half of the inning, with Castaño pitching and a runner on first, Moisés Ballesteros seemingly fouled a ball off his foot. However, the umpires made no signal, and so Castaño threw the ball out to second, which was then relayed to first for a 1-6-3 double play. Cubs manager Craig Counsell came out to ask the umpires to get together to discuss the play, but they stood by their call, leading Counsell to say some choice words and get tossed. Castaño then retired the next hitter to end the inning.
Cabrera’s day then ended in the sixth inning after allowing a lead-off walk to TJ Rumfield and getting Hunter Goodman to line out. He allowed two runs on five hits over 5.1 innings with five strikeouts and two walks on 83 pitches. With Johnston stepping up to the plate, the Cubs turned to Hoby Milner out of the play and he quickly surrendered a double to Johnston. With two in scoring position, Carrigg secured an infield hit to load the bases after it barely touched the chalk beyond third base, with Bregman’s only option of a play to attempt to tag Rumfield at third base.
Kyle Karros was then called upon to pinch-hit, but didn’t send a ball far enough to allow Rumfield to score on a sacrifice fly. After another pitching change, Ezequiel Tovar struck out on three straight pitches to end the inning without a run.
The ball continued to fly for the Cubs as they tacked on to their lead against the Rockies’ bullpen.
In the seventh inning, Bregman snapped a 0-for-27 streak with runners in scoring position by blasting a two-run home run to left field to make it an 8-2 Cubs lead. In the eighth inning, Carson Kelly hit a solo home run off Sammy Peralta to make it 9-2 Cubs.
In total, the Rockies gave up nine runs on 10 hits with eight strikeouts against three walks. The damage came on the three home runs as the Cubs went 4-for-7 with runners in scoring position.
A little late magic, but not enough
Much like Wednesday’s game, the Rockies were able to make a little bit of noise in the final innings. Johnston had a single in the eighth, but there was more excitement in the ninth. With one out, Sullivan launched his second home run of the game to make it 9-3.
Willi Castro then singled, followed by a Rumfield double to put two runners in scoring position for Goodman. Unfortunately, the magic would end there as he struck out on a slider to end the game.
The Rockies had 12 hits with Sullivan and Johnston both going 3-for-4, while Castro and Carrigg both had two hits. However, the team struck out 11 times, led by Tovar’s three, and drew just two walks. Colorado went 1-for-6 with runners in scoring position and left 10 on base.
Up next
The Rockies will head to Las Vegas, where the Athletics are currently playing in the stadium of their Triple-A affiliate. No starting pitcher has been announced for the Rockies. Meanwhile, rookie hurler Gage Jump (2-1, 2.45 ERA) will make the start for the A’s.
Weather permitting, tonight’s game offers the Chicago White Sox a chance to complete a sweep of the mighty Atlanta Braves and further cement their place atop the AL Central. Typing or saying that won’t get old, not after the years of misery leading up to it.
But first, some news and notes. Everson Pereira has been reinstated from the 10-day injured list after his rehab assignment in Charlotte. Pereira suffered a right pectoral strain on April 28th. The big news, however, is that Derek Hill has been traded in a deal with the Phillies. The White Sox acquired minor-league outfielder Dylan Campbell and minor-league infielder José Colmenares in exchange for Hill and $250,000 in international bonus pool money.
Looking to bounce back after a rough time in Philly, Anthony Kay will be on the mound tonight. Colson Montgomery is back in the lineup after dealing with a sore back, so we will have Montgomery squared facing off against Atlanta. As mentioned above, Pereira is back with the Sox and will be playing center field tonight.
Our old friend Martín Pérez (4-3) will be on the mound. Not many changes in the lineup for Atlanta.
First pitch is currently scheduled for 6:40 p.m. CT. You can catch the game on CHSN or ESPN Chicago 1000.
SCOTTSDALE, ARIZONA - MARCH 19, 2026: Alfredo Duno #6 of the Cincinnati Reds runs to second base on a single hit by Leo Balcazar during the fourth inning of a spring training Spring Breakout game against the San Francisco Giants at Scottsdale Stadium on March 19, 2026 in Scottsdale, Arizona. (Photo by Chris Bernacchi/Diamond Images via Getty Images) | Diamond Images/Getty Images
Top Cincinnati Reds catching prospect Alfredo Duno is still just 20 years of age, but that’s not stopping him for a second from dominating High-A Midwest League pitching. To date, he’s hitting .266/.388/.526 (.914 OPS), and has chipped in with 11 doubles and 13 homers so far on the year.
Only three hitters in the league have hit more than his 13 dingers so far this year, and this is a catcher we’re talking about, to boot.
I’d wager that none of the three guys ahead of him on the homer list (or, frankly, any of the 95 or so guys behind him) has hit a homer as far as the one Duno launched yesterday, though. That one went as far as I’ve seen at this level, so far that the camera man had a hard time finding exactly how high up the scoreboard beyond the left field wall in Dayton it hit.
That homer came as part of an overall 4-hit night for the youngster, who’s making an incredibly good case that he deserves a shot at AA pitching before season’s end. And as we all know, once you’re at AA, you’re effectively on the cusp of a shot at the big leagues, something that Cincinnati’s catcher of the future certainly is about to become.
