Francisco Alvarez was back behind the plate as he continued his minor league rehab assignment on Sunday afternoon with Triple-A Syracuse.
The 24-year-old backstop enjoyed himself a much-needed strong day with the bat after going hitless in each of his last two appearances with the team.
Alvarez was retired his first two times up, but then drew walk before being stranded in scoring position.
He then ripped a third-pitch fastball right back up the middle in the top of the eighth, and came in to score a few batters later on a Matt Rudick homer.
Before that, Syracuse regained the lead on a Ryan Clifford RBI sacrifice bunt.
Alvarez finished 1-for-3 with a walk, and caught a runner too far off first on a back-pick.
The Mets don’t have an exact day for his return, but as long as things continue progressing as planned, he could be back in the lineup at some point during the upcoming six-game homestand.
On the mound for Syracuse, prospect Zach Thornton delivered a bounceback performance, allowing just two walks and walk hits while striking out five over five scoreless innings.
Tobias Myers followed that by only giving up an unearned run while striking out one over two innings of work in his second appearance following his demotion from the Mets.
Dylan Ross was called upon to get the final out after Syracuse ran into trouble in the ninth, and he allowed an RBI double and two walks before striking out George Lombard Jr. to end the game.
Ross took home his first save, but he’s now issued 16 walks over 18 outings this season.
Carson Benge just continues to progress at the big-league level.
The youngster has settled in nicely after a bit of a slow start to his career, and Sunday was easily one of his most impressive showings to this point.
Benge led the way for the Mets’ offense, becoming the third-youngster player in franchise history to enjoy a 5-for-5 day in a series-finale win over the Padres.
He’s also the first Mets rookie to reach that mark since Pete Alonso in 2019.
“Pretty impressive, it was really cool to see,” Carlos Mendoza said. “Rockets pretty much everywhere, using the middle of the field, staying short and on top of the ball -- he set the tone for us and it was a good team win.”
The 23-year-old certainly set the tone, lining the fourth pitch of the game right back up the middle before coming in with the opening run just two batters later.
Benge also singled leading off the top of the third, then again to open the fifth, with the second sparking another rally which chased Vásquez from the ballgame.
The damage wasn’t done there, as Benge lifted a homer in a left-on-left matchup in the sixth then ripped an RBI triple down the right-field line with two outs in the top of the eighth.
Benge scored three runs, drove in two, and finished just a double shy of the cycle.
“Today was definitely nice,” the slugger said. “It’s always nice to get two hits let-alone five, so being able to do that today was definitely pretty special.”
With the Mets’ offense extremely shorthanded Benge has slid seamlessly into the leadoff spot, hitting an impressive .316 with five homers and 20 RBI since the beginning of May.
“I’m not surprised,” Mendoza said. “We’ve seen the type of player and the talent and just the things he can do on a baseball field -- he’s settling in, is comfortable, and is just going out and playing his game.
“We’re going to see a lot of games like that moving forward where he’s just totally locked in and he's doing a lot of things to help us win baseball games -- he’s just a special player.”
MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - JUNE 02: Trevor McDonald #72 of the San Francisco Giants pitches against the Milwaukee Brewers during the first inning at American Family Field on June 02, 2026 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images) | Getty Images
It’s series finale time, and it’s getaway day … in the evening? Odd. Yes, the scheduling deities have blessed the San Francisco Giants by placing their 10th of 13 straight games in the evening, ahead of a flight back to the Bay Area. So it goes.
Taking the mound for the Giants is right-hander Trevor McDonald, who makes his seventh start of the season. The 25-year old is 2-3 on the year, with a 4.50 ERA, a 3.66 FIP, and 31 strikeouts to nine walks in 34 innings. In his last start, McDonald, who is trying to hang onto a rotation spot that he’s halfway through stealing from Tyler Mahle, gave up three runs in five innings against the Milwaukee Brewers.
Pitching for the Chicago Cubs is veteran right-hander Jameson Taillon. The 34-year old, who is in his fourth season with the Cubs, has made 12 starts this year, and is 2-5 with a 5.13 ERA, a 6.33 FIP, and 57 strikeouts to 21 walks in 66.2 innings. He’s also allowed an MLB-worst 20 home runs, which opens the door for a Giants team that has been putting the ball over the fence a lot lately. In Taillon’s last start, he gave up two runs in 6.1 innings against the Athletics.
Dodgers pitcher Emmet Sheehan delivers during the first inning of a 13-5 loss to the Angels at Dodger Stadium on Sunday. (Eric Thayer / Los Angeles Times)
The Angels flipped the script on the Dodgers, preventing a Freeway Series season sweep with a 13-5 win Sunday afternoon at Dodger Stadium.
Emmet Sheehan’s start only lasted 1 ⅓ innings, as he struggled to keep his pitch count low. He threw 35 of his 49 pitches in the second inning alone. Many of those went to Nick Madrigal, who battled Sheehan in a 14-pitch at-bat in which Madrigal won two ABS challenges.
“I thought the stuff was good coming in,” said manager Dave Roberts about Sheehan. “After the first inning, I just didn’t feel comfortable getting him past the 40-pitch mark in one inning. I’m not going to put this guy in harm’s way.”
The Angels third baseman drew a walk, marking the beginning of the end for Sheehan, who already allowed a single. The 26-year-old pitcher loaded the bases with another walk. Angels catcher Sebastián Rivero drove in two runs with a center-field single.
“Frustrating,” Sheehan called his outing. “Couldn’t put guys away, not efficient.”
The game shifted into an unexpected bullpen game, and the Dodgers shuffled through seven pitchers. Edgardo Henriquez retired five consecutive batters. But the Dodgers’ spiral continued. Jo Adell reached first after a ball deflected off the glove of Miguel Rojas. Adell then moved to second on a passed ball by catcher Dalton Rushing. Reliever Blake Treinen then gave up a walk and before Rivero hit another two-run single.
Madrigal beat the Dodgers (42-24) in another double-digit pitch plate appearance in the fifth. Home plate umpire Dan Iassogna called a third strike, but Madrigal argued with the umpire, emphatically slapping his head. After an ABS review, the pitch was determined to be a ball. Rushing, seemingly not pleased with a borderline check-swing call, argued with Iassogna. In the end, a 12-pitch at-bat resulted in another walk.
Coupled with a missed call for a walk on a foul-tip earlier in the game, the check-swing call added to a frustrating afternoon for the Dodgers.
“It should be reviewable,” Roberts said of the foul tip. “That changed the game, and obviously the Madrigal check-swing. I felt that he went. That did impact the game.”
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts walks on the field during the seventh inning Sunday against the Angels. (Eric Thayer / Los Angeles Times)
Roberts replaced Alex Vesia with Jonathan Hernández, who gave up a two-run single to Jose Siri. Miguel Rojas threw out Madrigal at home on the hit to limit the damage.
In the third inning, Kyle Tucker drove in a run on a groundout that landed a foot away from home plate, but it gave Shohei Ohtani just enough time to sprint home after Rivero threw to first.
Still, the Dodgers, who had outscored the Angels 41-5 in games this season before Sunday, struggled. Twice, Rushing hit singles. Twice, Ryan Ward, the next batter, grounded into a double play, dashing any momentum. Rushing and Ward hit back-to-back home runs to right field in the sixth, but the Dodgers couldn’t capitalize on the momentum.
Rushing received more playing time than predicted this series, but he said he embraced the opportunity. He matched his career-high with four hits on Sunday. His home run was his first since April 20.
“This year, my whole goal was make sure if there’s an opportunity that I can pick a day that Will [Smith] needs rest, make sure that I can provide just as much as he does with the bat as well as behind the plate,” Rushing said Saturday. “He knows I’ll catch every game if he can’t go back there.”
Catcher Will Smith did not play Sunday because of neck stiffness, despite Roberts predicting the catcher would return for the series finale. Imaging on Smith’s neck came back negative, though it’s unclear if he’ll play Tuesday against Pittsburgh.
“It’s not anything serious, but it’s something that is preventing him from playing,” Roberts said. “It’s kind of a day-to-day thing.”
Rushing’s and Ward’s home runs were quickly negated when Adell hit a two-run homer to left-center field. Zach Neto also hammered a seventh-inning, three-run home run. By the time the game concluded, the bottom of the Angels lineup batted 13 for 15, walking four times. The Angels (25-41) could’ve scored more if not for Neto and Mike Trout, who hit a combined one for 12.
“The bottom half of the order, they were fouling off a lot of balls, we couldn’t put those guys out,” Roberts said. “But, yeah, the Madrigal at-bat really was a difference today.”
Glasnow talks about his injury
Dodgers starting pitcher Tyler Glasnow (back spasms), who was put on the 60-day injured list Saturday, attributed his slow recovery to trying to come back too soon. He plans to rest a few days before building back up.
“It’s uncomfortable,” Glasnow said. “When I get into my load, something feels weird. The more I go, the more it starts to aggravate it. Generally, before I start to throw, as long as it’s completely gone, it gets over the hump, it’s gone, and then I can get back to full speed. I just feel like I haven’t gotten there yet.”
Knoxville Smokies infielder Jefferson Rojas (2) scores a run during a Minor League baseball game between the Knoxville Smokies and Birmingham Barons at Covenant Health Park in Knoxville, Tenn., on June 2, 2026. | Angelina Alcantar/ News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Starter Brooks Caple took home the win after he went five innings and allowed three runs on five hits. All three runs came in the third inning and two of them came on a home run. Caple struck out seven and walked no one.
Vince Reilly didn’t allow a run over the final two innings for the save. Reilly surrendered just one single in the eighth (erased in a double play) and walked one batter in the ninth. Reilly struck out one.
The Smokies took the lead for good when third baseman Jefferson Rojas connected on a two-run home run. It was Rojas’ ninth home run and third in two days. Rojas went 2 for 4 with a triple and the home run. He scored twice.
DH Owen Ayers was 2 for 4 and he singled home Rojas after he tripled in the seventh inning.
Rojas’ home run.
Jefferson Rojas gives the Smokies the lead with his third home run in the last two games 💣 pic.twitter.com/Eu4esCv87z
— Knoxville Smokies (@smokiesbaseball) June 7, 2026
— Knoxville Smokies (@smokiesbaseball) June 7, 2026
South Bend Cubs
Rained out. The game will also not be made up.
Wisconsin was also rained out, which means that the two rainouts are going to move the Cubs’ magic number for clinching the second half down. South Bend has a five-game lead on Wisconsin with nine games left in the first half.
The Pelicans wasted a dominating start by Pierce Coppola. Coppola pitched five innings and allowed no runs and just one hit and one walk. One more runner reached on an error. Coppola struck out five.
Riely Hunsaker pitched the seventh and eighth innings, gave up three runs and took the loss. The final line on Hunsaker was three runs, one earned, on five hits over two innings. He struck out one and walked no one.
First baseman Michael Carico reached base five times, going 2 for 2 with three walks. He scored once.
Catcher Jairo Diaz tied the game 4-4 with an RBI double in the top of the eighth. Diaz was 2 for 4.
Right fielder Eli Lovich hit a two-run double in the seventh. Lovich was 1 for 4 with a walk.
Jun 7, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Angels catcher Sebastián Rivero (38) hits an RBI single against the Los Angeles Dodgers during the second inning at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: William Liang-Imagn Images | William Liang-Imagn Images
Needing one win to secure the sweep, the Dodgers had to use their bullpen much earlier than expected and were outclassed offensively in a 13-5 loss to the Angels.
After a 14-pitch first inning, Emmet Sheehan started the top of the second with a strikeout of Nolan Schanuel, but the Angels strung across a one-out rally beginning with a Jo Adell single. Sheehan lost a 14-pitch battle to Nick Madrigal for a walk before walking José Siri, with Dalton Rushing pleading that Siri fouled tipped the 3-2 pitch. Sebastián Rivero, who had just two RBI on the year entering Sunday, gave the Angels a two-run lead with a single up the middle, knocking out Sheehan after tossing 49 pitches over 1 1/3 innings.
What had been a dominant stretch for Dodgers starting pitching this week came to a screeching halt, as Sheehan was the first starter to not even complete two innings all season long after each starter tossed quality starts since Wednesday’s win over Arizona.
Edgardo Henriquez came in to get out of the jam, which he did by striking out Zach Neto and getting Mike Trout to ground out with two men on base. The Dodgers responded offensively in the bottom of the second with a pair of leadoff singles against José Soriano, only for a double play and a groundout to keep them scoreless. The Dodgers once again had two men on with less than two outs in the bottom of the third, and this time Kyle Tucker brought home a run on a groundout.
With Blake Treinen on the mound, both Adell and Madrigal repeated with a single and a walk respectively, with a sacrifice bunt from Siri moving them into scoring position. Rivero reached out on a 1-2 sweeper and dunked it just over the head of Alex Freeland to give him a career-high four RBI on the game, making it a three-run Angel lead. The Dodgers responded with a one-out single from Dalton Rushing, only for Ryan Ward to hit into his second double play turned by the Angels.
The Angels were able to load the bases with two outs, including Jo Adell slapping his third hit of the game and Madrigal winning a 12-pitch battle against Alex Vesia for his third walk of the game, chasing the left-hander out of the game. Jonathan Hernández came in as the fourth reliever before the end of the fifth, but Siri capitalized for a two-run single to make it a five-run lead. Madrigal tried to help Siri clear the bases, but he was thrown out at home to end the rally.
The Dodgers once again put two men on with less than two outs, as Tucker led off the inning with a walk before Alex Call reached on a throwing error by Neto. Dalton Rushing notched his third hit of the game, this one leaving the yard to bring the deficit to two runs. It was Rushing’s first home run since April 20 against the Colorado Rockies and it was the Dodgers’ first hit with runners in scoring position against Soriano.
The Angels almost immediately got two of those runs back as Jo Adell smashed one 433 feet deep into the left field pavilion to give him a four-hit game and once again make it a three-run lead. Madrigal only needed three pitches to reach on a single up the middle as he reached base for the fourth time. Siri followed with a single to left while Rivero dunked in his fourth hit of the game, knocking in his fifth run to make it a four-run lead. Zach Neto put the game completely out of reach with a three-run shot to center, giving the Angels a commanding 12-5 lead.
Rivero would add the cherry on top of his game with his fifth hit of the afternoon in the ninth inning, driving home Siri for his sixth RBI to bring the lead to eight runs. 13 runs are the most that the Dodgers have allowed in any game this season.
While Sunday was a game to certainly leave in the past, there were some key individual performances from the Dodgers lineup. Dalton Rushing added a double in the eighth to give him a four-hit game, while Freddie Freeman and Shohei Ohtani both had a pair of hits.
Last season the Angels took every game from the Dodgers in the regular season. The Dodgers nearly returned the favor this year, but will settle for a 5-1 season record having outscored the Angels 46-18 in the six games. The Dodgers division lead now sits at 7 1/2 games over the second place Arizona Diamondbacks.
Game particulars
Home runs— Dalton Rushing (8), Ryan Ward (2); Jo Adell (10), Zach Neto (12)
The Dodgers are off on Monday as they fly out to Pittsburgh for a three-game set with the Pirates beginning Tuesday (3:40 p.m. PT, SportsNet LA). Eric Lauer faces the reigning NL Cy Young award winner Paul Skenes.
CINCINNATI, OHIO - OCTOBER 07: Terry Francona ( center), the new Manager of the Cincinnati Reds talks to the media at Great American Ball Park on October 07, 2024 in Cincinnati, Ohio. Nick Krall ,President of Baseball Operations sits to his left and Brad Meador , Senior Vice President & General Manager sits to his right. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Cincinnati Reds lost to the St. Louis Cardinals again on Sunday. Much like Saturday’s loss, the team scraped and clawed their way to the game still being tight late, only for the bullpen to fork over the game in the 8th inning.
The bullpen is a problem, yes. There are simply too few arms down there that can be turned to in any situation, let alone late and close, and their inability to find the plate is a problem with no clear fix.
Not to be outdone, their starting pitching still struggles mightily on pretty much every day in which Chase Burns is not the starter, and we all know how quickly he is sprinting towards hitting his innings cap for the season. Reds starters owned a collective 5.07 FIP on the season entering Sunday’s start by Rhett Lowder, one in which he danced around 5 walks and just 4 strikeouts in his 70-pitch trio of innings. The only clubs with worse marks so far this year are the perpetually rebuilding A’s and Colorado Rockies.
Cincinnati is now riding a four-game losing streak after being swept by St. Louis, and have lost five of their last six. They’ve won just two of their last ten games, and it’s startling just how off their offense has looked in that time (which overlaps completely the days since Elly De La Cruz hit the shelf with his hamstring problem). In those last ten games, they’ve scored two, three, two, six, two, four, two, three, five, and three runs, it being simply impossible for any of their biggest bats to get hot at the same time in the absence of their star.
At 31-33 through 64 games, it also seems as if they’ve already played most of their cards. They’ve rifled through all of their AAA bullpen options in attempts to patch that battered unit, have watched it still not work, and lost a couple guys to free agency through being DFA’d in the process. They’ve called up Rece Hinds, JJ Bleday, Noelvi Marte, and Edwin Arroyo to give them their shots, and only Bleday – who’s cooled over the last week – has hit the ground running. There is no obvious bat to call up to fix those woes.
Chase Petty got a cup of coffee and showed improvement, but not nearly enough to, say, cut Brady Singer and let Petty do heavy lifting for the rest of the year. If anything, keeping Singer – one of the four worst pitchers in the sport who’ve thrown at least 50 IP this year – to mop things up and keep innings off other, more controllable arms has to be in the discussion. Even the idea of rushing Hunter Greene back to ride to the rotation’s rescue at the moment seems like Pickett’s Charge in its feasibility.
The Cincinnati Reds are in a terrible rut, and they need a spark in the worst of ways. It’s just getting increasingly hard to find where that will come from, or if it’s at all possible for it to happen in a way that can help salvage this once promising season.
The reality is that it’d be completely easy to simply write about how this team’s ownership and front office have failed to get the job done, but since there’s been so much continuity there through the mediocre, at best, last few decades, that’s the short way to cover this story. So, in the meantime, we get to be critical of the pieces put in play on the field and in the dugout since it seems foolish to believe there would ever be greater change higher up. And, once again, the product on the field simply looks lackluster when compared to most teams – in particular, this weekend, their once-heated rivals in St. Louis
The Milwaukee Brewers, fresh off a sweep of the Rockies, will wrap up their road trip in Las Vegas, as they’ll visit the Athletics in a preview of their future home. The A’s, formerly of Oakland and now playing their home games in Sacramento, will host the Brewers and Rockies for three games each at Las Vegas Ballpark, the home of the A’s Triple-A affiliate. The A’s new Vegas stadium, slated to be ready for the 2028 season, is still under construction.
Milwaukee sits at 40-23 on the season, five games ahead of the second-place Cardinals in one of the toughest divisions in baseball through two-plus months. On the other side, the A’s play in one of the weakest divisions, as the Mariners sit in first place at 34-32, the only team in the division with a winning record. The A’s are 31-34 on the year, 2.5 games behind Seattle, as they’ve lost three of their last four to the Cubs and Astros.
The Brewers’ injuries keep piling up, as lefty Brian Fitzpatrick is the latest to join the list after suffering a UCL strain on Friday night in Denver. With him shelved, alongside fellow lefties DL Hall, Rob Zastryzny, Jared Koenig, and Angel Zerpa, the once deep bullpen is suddenly facing a lefty depth issue, with Aaron Ashby and Drew Rom the only active lefties. Milwaukee is also without right-handers Brandon Woodruff, Quinn Priester, and Logan Henderson, as well as outfielder Brandon Lockridge, all of whom have listed June/July return dates.
For the A’s, third baseman Max Muncy, shortstop Jacob Wilson, and outfielder Denzel Clarke will all miss this series with injuries. On the pitching side, the A’s are without former Brewer Aaron Civale, Luis Severino, Brooks Kriske, and Gunnar Hoglund.
Milwaukee’s offense is anchored by Jake Bauers, Brice Turang, William Contreras, Jackson Chourio, and Christian Yelich, with Sal Frelick, Gary Sánchez, Garrett Mitchell, and Andrew Vaughn providing support. David Hamilton, Joey Ortiz, Blake Perkins, and Luis Rengifo round things out. As a team, Milwaukee is hitting .251/.339/.381 (.720 OPS ranks 11th), with 50 homers (29th), 329 runs (fifth), and 67 steals (second).
The A’s offense is led by Shea Langeliers, Nick Kurtz, and Brent Rooker, all of whom have double-digit homers, with Langeliers leading the way with 16 homers and Kurtz leading the team with a .927 OPS, including a .431 OBP thanks to 60 walks. Tyler Soderstrom, Zack Gelof, Jeff McNeil, Carlos Cortes, and Lawrence Butler round out the regulars, while Colby Thomas, Henry Bolte, Darell Hernaiz, Alika Williams, and Jonah Heim serve as depth. As a team, the A’s are hitting .244/.324/.392 (.716 OPS ranks 13th), with 72 homers (tied for 14th), 273 runs (20th), and 36 steals (tied for 21st).
After the recent pitching injuries, the Brewers’ bullpen is held down by Aaron Ashby, Grant Anderson, Trevor Megill, Abner Uribe, and Chad Patrick. The rest of the ‘pen is filled with a variety of moving pieces, including the aforementioned Rom, Craig Yoho, and potentially Coleman Crow, who started on Thursday but hasn’t been included in the upcoming probables. The team will also likely add Joel Kuhnel, who was acquired for cash considerations from these same A’s over the weekend. He hasn’t yet been activated. As a staff, the Brewers have a 3.26 team ERA (third), including a 3.22 starter ERA (third) and a 3.31 bullpen ERA (eighth). They’ve struck out 606 batters (third) over 563 1/3 innings.
The A’s bullpen is anchored by Hogan Harris, who leads the team with five saves and a 2.40 ERA over 30 innings this season. Justin Sterner (3.23 ERA over 30 2/3 IP), Scott Barlow (3.54 ERA over 28 IP), and Mark Leiter (4.94 ERA over 27 1/3 IP) have also played major roles for the bullpen, with Luis Medina (2.77 ERA over 26 IP) also showing signs of success. Elvis Alvarado (6.94 ERA over 11 2/3 IP), José Suarez (6.00 ERA over 12 IP), and Mason Barnett (no earned runs over 6 IP) round out the bullpen. As a staff, the A’s have a 4.54 team ERA (23rd), including a 4.68 starter ERA (24th) and a 4.46 bullpen ERA (21st). They’ve struck out 523 batters (21st) over 579 1/3 innings.
Probable Pitchers
Monday, June 8 @ 9:05 p.m.: LHP Kyle Harrison (7-1, 1.57 ERA, 2.46 FIP) vs. LHP Jeffrey Springs (3-6, 4.37 ERA, 4.97 FIP)
Harrison, 24, continues to star through 11 starts, as he’s lowered his season numbers to a 1.57 ERA, 2.46 FIP, and 73 strikeouts over 57 1/3 innings. He’s coming off his fourth consecutive win, as he went 5 2/3 innings of one-run ball (a solo homer) against his former team, the Giants, striking out 12 in Milwaukee’s 8-3 victory. Harrison made a three-inning relief appearance against the A’s last September while with the Red Sox, allowing no runs on three hits and a hit batter, striking out a pair.
Springs, 33, is in his ninth MLB season and second with the A’s. He’s been a reliable every-fifth-day starter with the A’s, making 45 appearances (43 starts) over the last two years. Across 13 starts this season, he has a 4.37 ERA, 4.97 FIP, and 60 strikeouts across 70 innings. After the A’s lost all five of his May starts, the team was able to provide enough run support for a win over the Cubs his last time out, as he went just 3 2/3 innings, allowing four runs on seven hits and a walk, striking out three, though the A’s would go on to win 5-4 in 10 innings. Springs has made two starts against Milwaukee, totaling 7 1/3 innings with eight runs allowed (six earned) and 11 strikeouts, including six runs (four earned) over just 2 1/3 innings in a loss last season.
Tuesday, June 9 @ 9:05 p.m.: LHP Robert Gasser (0-2, 4.73 ERA, 5.50 FIP) vs. RHP J.T. Ginn (3-3, 2.74 ERA, 4.08 FIP)
Gasser, 27, hasn’t been able to replicate the success from his first two stints in the majors quite yet, as he has a 4.73 ERA, 5.50 FIP, and 12 strikeouts over 13 1/3 innings across three starts this season. He held his own against the Giants in his last appearance, allowing one run on five hits and a walk, striking out five in a tough-luck 1-0 loss as Logan Webb dominated. This marks Gasser’s first career appearance against the A’s.
Ginn, 27, is in his third season, all with the A’s. He’s found success this year, as he sports a 2.74 ERA, 4.08 FIP, and 60 strikeouts over 65 2/3 innings. He leads the American League with just six hits allowed per nine innings, though he’s walking 3.7 batters per nine, which, combined with his FIP, indicates potential regression. He’s allowed two or fewer runs in each of his last six starts, going 3-2 with a 1.49 ERA over that stretch. Ginn has appeared in each of the last two seasons against Milwaukee, totaling 6 1/3 innings with four runs allowed (5.68 ERA) and eight strikeouts in a start and a relief appearance.
Wednesday, June 10 @ 8:05 p.m.: TBD vs. RHP Jack Perkins (2-3, 6.19 ERA, 2.88 FIP)
Based on Milwaukee’s recent use of a six-man rotation, this would be either Coleman Crow (last pitched Thursday in Milwaukee) or Brandon Sproat (last pitched Friday in Colorado). Neither of them had great outings, though, and Sproat hasn’t found any consistency this season, so it seems plausible that the Brewers go a different direction in the series finale. I’ll quickly outline Crow and Sproat’s stats here.
Crow: 0-1, 5.94 ERA, 4.54 FIP, 10 Ks over 16 2/3 IP in 2026; no career appearances against the A’s
Sproat: 1-4, 6.17 ERA, 5.64 FIP, 54 Ks over 54 IP in 2026; no career appearances against the A’s
Unlike Ginn, Perkins, 26, has struggled with a 6.19 ERA but also has a 2.88 FIP over 32 innings this season, striking out 39. His first 17 appearances came out of the bullpen, but this will mark his second consecutive start. He went four innings against the Astros in that one, allowing five runs on five hits and a pair of walks, striking out six. A former fifth-round pick now in his second MLB season, this marks Perkins’ first career appearance against Milwaukee.
How to Watch & Listen
Monday, June 8: Brewers TV; listen via radio on the Brewers Radio Network (620 WTMJ in Milwaukee)
Tuesday, June 9: Brewers TV; listen via radio on the Brewers Radio Network (620 WTMJ in Milwaukee)
Wednesday, June 10: Brewers TV; listen via radio on the Brewers Radio Network (620 WTMJ in Milwaukee)
Prediction
I’m hopeful for a fun series in Vegas, with three late starts at Las Vegas Ballpark. Give me the Brewers to win two of three.
NEW YORK (AP) — Jazz Chisholm Jr. found a way to keep Aaron Judge’s bat in the New York Yankees’ lineup.
After lumbering through the early innings, Chisholm borrowed lumber from the injured Yankees captain. His three-run homer with Judge’s model capped a five-run eighth inning in Sunday’s 6-1 win over the Boston Red Sox.
“When I pick up his bat I know I can’t swing as hard as I can or else I’ll tear an oblique like last year,” Chisholm said. “It just helps me to just go out there and just control the barrel and just try to touch the ball.”
“I probably use almost everybody’s bat in here, except probably Goldy and Stanton,” Chisholm said, referring to Paul Goldschmidt. “They’re a little bit extra big.”
While Chisholm swings a 34-ounce, 31-inch version, Judge’s timber is a 35/33, also carved by Chandler.
“It’s a heavy bat but doesn’t feel that heavy,” said Cody Bellinger, whose solo homer off Justin Slaten broke a 1-all tie in the eighth. “I didn’t even know he used Judge’s bat. It’s hilarious.”
Judge has a fractured rib and will be limited in his activity for a while. He will have additional imaging in about four-to-six weeks.
Stanton hasn’t played since April 24 because of strained right calf, and catcher Austin Wells joined them on the injured list Saturday because of cervical headaches.
New York is confident it can win without Judge, its three-time AL MVP.
“I’m already a little tired of answering the question and we’re only a couple of days into this,” manager Aaron Boone said. “We got grownups in the room, for sure.”
New York is 2-3 without Judge, batting .226 with 19 runs.
“Everybody just, it feels like they’ve got to find a way to contribute as best they could in his absence,” Chisholm said.
Chisholm struck out leading off the third, fifth and seventh against Ranger Suarez, then hit his eighth home run this season on a first-pitch cutter from Joe La Sorsa, who had just replaced Slaten.
“I was swinging and missing when I thought I was hitting the ball,” Chisholm said. “Sometimes you need a little bit more weight and a little less on your swing.”
He started slowly this season but is hitting .306 with four homers and 11 RBIs in his last 19 games, raising his average to .234.
Judge also began poorly — for him — and is batting .248 with 17 homers and 38 RBIs.
“Just having his name in that lineup is a presence,” Bellinger said. “Aaron being out is just such a huge loss.”
Stanton could return soon. He’s been hitting on the field and running.
Wells, hitting .166 with seven RBIs in 47 games, said he feels pressure at the top of his head and headaches. He is to have scans Monday and will switch to a hockey-style catcher’s mask when he returns behind the plate.
“Hopefully rule out anything serious,” he said. “In my mind it’s just the cumulative buildup over the last couple weeks.”
New York (38-26) gained a split of the rain-shortened, two-game series and moved within percentage points of first-place Tampa Bay (37-25), which has led the AL East since May 10.
Chisholm surely will purloin more paraphernalia during the pennant race. He’s just not sure what.
Jun 7, 2026; San Diego, California, USA; New York Mets right fielder Carson Benge (3) celebrates after hitting a one run home run during the sixth inning against the San Diego Padres at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: David Frerker-Imagn Images | David Frerker-Imagn Images
The Mets beat the Padres 7-3 at Petco Park to take the series in San Diego and end this West Coast roadtrip on a high note. Carson Benge made Mets history, going 5-for-5 with a home run, a triple, two RBIs, and three runs scored in the best offensive performance by any Met so far this season.
The Mets got things started right away when Carson Benge and Bo Bichette logged back-to-back hits off Padres starter Randy Vásquez with Benge lacing a single and Bichette pulling a double to left field with authority. The Mets seemed poised for a big inning, but settled for just one run on a Juan Soto RBI groundout that scored Benge for the game’s first run. Vásquez struck out Jared Young and retired A.J. Ewing on a fly out to keep the Mets from putting up a crooked number.
The Padres threatened in the bottom of the inning against opener Huascar Brazobán when he issued back-to-back walks to lead off the inning, but he induced a double play grounder off the bat of Ty France and got Manny Machado to fly out to navigate out of trouble and keep the Padres off the board. Marcus Semien doubled the Mets’ lead in the top of the second by launching a solo homer—his fifth long ball in the past 12 games. Sean Manaea then came in the game for the Mets and was assisted through the second inning by a highlight reel worthy diving grab by MJ Melendez in left field on a sharp fly ball off the bat of Miguel Andújar.
Manaea really settled in after that, at one point retiring eight straight batters. Meanwhile, the Mets granted him some extra cushion in the form of two more runs in the fifth. Benge singled to lead things off—his third hit of the game. Bichette followed with a single of his own and then Vásquez walked Juan Soto to load the bases with nobody out. The Padres got their bullpen moving quickly, but not before Jared Young laced single to score Benge and extend the Mets’ lead to 3-0. Vásquez then made way for lefty Yuki Matsui to face A.J. Ewing, who hit a deep enough fly ball to right field to score Bo Bichette from third and make it 4-0 Mets. However, Juan Soto was thrown out trying to tag up to third, so two outs were recorded on the play. Marcus Semien then threatened for his second home run of the afternoon, but Samad Taylor, who flashed the leather multiple times in this contest, made a nice catch up against the wall to end the inning and keep the Padres within striking distance.
And strike they did. After Taylor followed his strong defensive work with a one-out single in the fifth, Freddy Fermin continued his sudden resurgence with a two-run homer to cut the Mets’ lead in half to 4-2. Fernando Tatís Jr. quickly doubled down the left field line for the third straight hit off Manaea, who had been cruising until that point. But luckily after Jackson Merrill flew out to left for the second out, Tatís foolishly tried to steal third base with two outs and was thrown out to get Manaea out of the jam and keep the Mets in front.
The Mets piled on against Matsui, who came back out to pitch the sixth. Matsui, who had only given up one earned run all season prior to this afternoon’s outing, yielded two earned runs today in the form of solo homers by MJ Melendez and Carson Benge that extended the Mets’ lead to four runs once more. That home run by Benge represented his fourth hit of the afternoon, raising his wRC+ back over 100 for the season.
Brooks Raley delivered a 1-2-3 bottom of the sixth inning, complete with two strikeouts. A.J. Minter contributed a scoreless seventh, working around a leadoff infield single by Miguel Andújar, who had to depart for a pinch runner after appearing to tweak something running to first base to beat out the throw. In Ron Marinaccio’s third inning of work, he issued a leadoff walk to Brett Baty and then with two outs, who else but Carson Benge laced a triple to right field to drive in the Mets’ seventh run—an exclamation point on a 5-for-5 afternoon for the rookie. With that triple, Benge became the first Met to log a five-hit game since 2023 when both Francisco Lindor and Brandon Nimmo did it and just the fourth Mets rookie to have a five-hit game that included a home run.
The Padres managed to get runners on first and third against Luke Weaver in the eighth in part due to a throwing error by Brett Baty that prolonged the inning. Xander Bogaerts then clobbered a ball that seemed destined for the gap in left-center, but A.J. Ewing turned on the jets and tracked it down, making an impressive running catch. The Mets loaded the bases against Wandy Peralta in the ninth, raising the possibility of getting Benge a sixth at-bat, but it was not meant to be and the Mets did not score in the inning. Devin Williams, who hadn’t pitched since Monday, came in to pitch the bottom of the ninth despite the lopsided score and gave up a run on a walk and an RBI double by Freddy Fermin (who else), but still was able to seal the victory for the Mets. This was the first road series victory for the Mets in a month and they now return home for a tough stretch of games against the Cardinals and Braves.
Big Mets winner: Carson Benge, +17% WPA Big Mets loser: A.J. Ewing, -9% WPA Mets pitchers: +20% WPA Mets hitters: +30% WPA Teh aw3s0mest play: Bo Bichette’s first inning double off Randy Vásquez, +10.6% WPA Teh sux0rest play: Freddy Fermin’s two-run homer off Sean Manaea in the fifth, -13.0% WPA
The Mets closed their road trip with a 7-3 win over the San Diego Padres on Sunday afternoon at Petco Park.
Here are some takeaways...
-- After being held to just two runs during the middle-game on Saturday night, the Mets' offense was able to breakthrough against right-hander Randy Vásquez and the high-powered Padres' bullpen in this one, striking for seven runs on four walks and 13 hits to secure the series victory.
-- New York's biggest catalysts were at the top of the order. Carson Benge put together a tremendous performance, going 5-for-5 and finishing a double shy of the cycle. The rookie homered left-on-left, then tripled in the eighth after singling in each of his first three at-bats.
-- Bo Bichette also stayed hot with another multi-hit game. Bichette immediately followed a first inning Benge single with his third extra base-hit of the road trip off the left-field fence, then ripped a base-hit and scored a run of his own as the Mets pieced together a rally in the top of the fifth.
-- Marcus Semien continued swinging a good bat too, homering for the second straight day. The veteran infielder jumped all over a third-pitch hanging slider leading off the second, crushing it 360 feet to deep left to give him eight home runs on the season and a .273 average over his last seven games.
-- MJ Melendez received the start in left, and he made his presence felt on both sides of the ball. He made a tremendous diving catch to rob the Padres of extra-bases with a man in the bottom of the second, then lifted a left-on-left solo homer a few batters before Benge followed suit in the sixth.
-- Melendez's catch helped Sean Manaea piece together another strong outing. The lefty retired eight batters in order before San Diego was able to get to him with three straight hits in the eighth, with the big blow being Freddy Fermin's second two-run homer in as many days.
Fernando Tatis Jr. followed that with a double to left, but he helped Manaea off the hook, inexcusably getting gunned down trying to steal third to end the inning. Manaea allowed just the two runs on four hits and two walks while striking out three across four innings of work, giving him a 3.43 ERA over his last seven appearances.
-- Brooks Raley, A.J. Minter, and Luke Weaver worked through three scoreless innings, Devin Williams gave up a two out run-scoring knock to Fermin in the ninth.
-- Weaver was helped out by A.J. Ewing's stellar outfield defense to keep his scoreless streak alive, as the youngster raced back into deep left-center to rob the Padres of extra-bases. Ewing also pushed his hitting streak to five games with a ninth inning single.
-- New York closed the final West Coast swing of the regular season 3-3 against the Mariners and Padres, and they are now 7-3 over their last 10 games.
Game MVP: Carson Benge
The youngster continues to do a tremendous job setting the table atop the Mets' lineup.
DENVER, CO - JUNE 7: Starting pitcher Kyle Freeland #21 of the Colorado Rockies acknowledges the crowd after being recognized for pitching the most innings in Colorado Rockies history in the fifth inning against the Milwaukee Brewers at Coors Field on June 7, 2026 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Justin Edmonds/Getty Images) | Getty Images
On a hot and windy day, Sunday’s finale started off promising but ended looking incredibly lopsided. A fitting end to a series in which the Rockies made each game feel close in a way that would be difficult to understand simply by looking at the final scores.
The Rockies were ahead 3-1 heading into the sixth on the back of one of Kyle Freeland’s best starts of the season only to see it all unravel in a flash. Eventually the Brewers would come around to score eleven more times to finish off a series sweep with a final 12-4 score.
Freeland makes Rockies history
When Kyle Freeland induced an easy fly out from Luis Rengifo in the fifth inning, he officially passed Aaron Cook to become the franchise leader in innings pitched. It came on a day in which Freeland’s results on the mound were as good as they had been all season and the fans in attendance greeted the moment with an ovation that briefly stopped play.
Leading up to that moment in the fifth, the only trouble Freeland had run into was a laborious second inning that got off to a bad start when a ten-pitch battle against Andrew Vaughn ended in a single. Vaughn would eventually come around to score on a double by Rengifo before Freeland was able to get out of the inning by inducing a ground out from Blake Perkins.
Freeland followed that second inning up with three scoreless frames featuring five ground outs. These grounders stopped Jackson Chourio, who had Freeland’s number all day, from scoring after doubling in both the third and the fifth.
Coming back out for a third time through the order in the sixth turned out to be a mistake. Freeland lasted only an additional seven pitches and allowed a loud line drive single to William Contreras who would be driven in by a triple by Vaughn that Jake McCarthy just missed on a diving play.
That was enough for Jaden Hill to be called in from the bullpen. Hill would promptly allow a home run to Brewers catcher Gary Sánchez leaving Freeland’s final line as a solid but less noteworthy three runs allowed on seven hits over five innings pitched. Todays performance lowered Freeland’s ERA on the season to a still unsightly 7.81.
An uneven offensive performance
It did not take long for the Rockies to capitalize on some shaky defense from the Brewers. In the bottom of the first, Willi Castro reached base on an infield popup that was lost in the sun before Ezequiel Tovar drove him in on a double to right center that Garrett Mitchell overran.
Tovar himself eventually came around to score on a sacrifice grounder from Hunter Goodman that Vaughn bobbled at first.
The Brewers defense tightened up and starting pitcher Shane Drohan settled down for relatively uneventful next three innings. In that span, Drohan struck out four and the only Rockies to reach base were Kyle Karros on a one out walk in the fourth and Troy Johnston who led off the third with a warning track double.
Then came the fifth where Braxton Fulford just missed a homer with a double to left center. Some old school situational hitting followed with Chad Stevens grounding out to the right side of the infield allowing Fulford to get to third. Johnston followed that up with a fly ball to Brewers left fielder Chourio who attempted, and just barely failed, to throw out Fulford at home.
After the sixth came and went in the blink of an eye, the Rockies were finally able to chase Drohan out of the game in the seventh after a McCarthy single. The Brewers bullpen was able to strand McCarthy to end the seventh. A similar story played out in the eighth when Castro plopped a bloop single but was promptly out on a Tovar initiated double play directly after.
In the bottom of the ninth, before McCarthy struck out to end the game, Goodman gave the remaining fans at Coors one last parting gift in the form of his 17th home run of the season, a solo shot to dead center.
Jaden Hill continued his recent struggles with a performance that ultimately led to the Rockies loss. Hill came in for Freeland in the fifth, allowed a home run to Sánchez on his very first pitch, and was only able to get a single out with his 22 pitches.
After the home run, Hill allowed a barrage of four more runs on a double to Mitchell, walks from both Rengifo and Joey Ortiz, and singles from both Perkins and Brice Turang. When it became clear Hill was not going to be able to get out of the inning any time soon, he was replaced by Keegan Thompson.
Thompson took the ball and was tasked with finishing out the remainder of the game regardless of how ugly things got. For the first two and two thirds innings, he managed to keep the Brewers right where they were with the only blemish being a double by Mitchell in the seventh.
Then came the ninth and, not coincidentally, Thompson’s second time through the lineup. Contreras and Vaughn opened up the frame with back-to-back singles that likely would have spelled the end of Thompson’s day if the game had been close. Instead, Thompson stayed in and went on to allow a four runs via a triple from Mitchell and doubles from Sánchez and Ortiz.
By the time Thompson was able to strike Chourio out to end the inning, the Brewers had pushed their score for the day up to 12.
Some sloppy fielding
The two-run rally in the first was kicked off when Turang lost what would have usually been an easy pop up in the sun.
Later in the game both teams began challenging pitch calls left and right. Goodman was three for five in challenges behind the plate while Sánchez, his counterpart on the Brewers only managed one success on three attempts.
In the outfield, McCarthy almost made a couple of spectacular plays thanks to his range… but didn’t manage to make the grab on either and ended up allowing a pair of triples instead. The game very well could have played out very differently if McCarthy had been able to convert these into outs.
Tomorrow the Rockies will have an off day before the Chicago Cubs come to town on Tuesday.
The starters for that Tuesday game have yet to be announced, however, it would be both Tomoyuki Sugano (菅野智之) and Colin Rea’s natural turn in their respective rotations.
ATLANTA, GA - JUNE 06: Raisel Iglesias #26 of the Atlanta Braves reacts after getting the save during the MLB game between the Pittsburg Pirates and the Atlanta Braves on June 6, 2026 at TRUIST Park in Atlanta, GA. (Photo by Jeff Robinson/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
I mentioned in the series recap for the Toronto Blue Jays series that the relative lack of sweeps for the Atlanta Braves in the midst of this excellent season so far was the definition of complaining about first-world problems as far as baseball was concerned. It’s difficult to complain about anything when Atlanta has both the best record in baseball and the largest divisional lead as well and pointing out a lack of sweeps felt like the textbook definition of making a nitpick.
Well, the Braves decided to shush that particular nitpick with the performance that they delivered over the course of this weekend series. While it certainly helped matters that the Braves lucked out by avoiding Paul Skenes during this series, the pitching matchup still figured to be a tough one for Atlanta since Pittsburgh’s pitching staff has been effective for them all season. As such, the Braves were going to have to lock in at the plate in order to get the job done across all three games. As it turned out (and as you’d expect with the way this team has performed so far), Atlanta was up for the challenge and now it’s time to take a closer look at how it all went down.
This has been a pretty big week for Mauricio Dubón — you know that’s the case when you’re in the podium twice during a homestand. That was the case for Dubón, who earned some more praise from the media with his performance in the series-opening win for the Braves over the Pirates. Dubón went 2-for-4 with three RBI and as you can imagine, all of those hits and RBI came in very big moments for the Braves. When the Braves were down 3-1 in the third, Dubón came through with a homer on a two-strike count against Mitch Keller to tie the game up. He then delivered another two-strike hit on Keller with an RBI double in the fifth that put the Braves ahead.
As it turned out, the Braves went ahead for good after Dubón’s big hit. Dominic Smith hit a deep sacrifice fly to give the Braves some breathing room and then Austin Riley hit a double off the bricks in right field for another RBI that pushed the lead to 6-3. Following another solid outing from Martín Pérez, the back-end of Atlanta’s bullpen delivered another strong performance and while Raisel Iglesias did have to deal with two baserunners in the ninth, he held them where they stood on the base paths and the game ended 6-3 for Atlanta.
The Braves paid tribute to the French Open by throwing a couple of 6-3’s on the scoreboard this weekend. Of course I’m kidding but it was still lovely to see the Braves take the series in “straight sets” of sorts with another big win. Braxton Ashcraft got the nod for this one, which meant that there was an expectation for there to be tough sledding for Atlanta’s lineup in this one. As it turned out, Atlanta ended up giving Ashcraft his worst lashing since back in April, which is when he gave up six runs in 4.1 innings against the Cardinals.
This time, Atlanta got him for six runs in five innings as the Braves hit him early and often. Ozzie Albies got Atlanta on the board with a sacrifice fly and then Austin Riley continued his productive weekend with an RBI double that gave Atlanta a quick two-run lead in the first inning. Mauricio Dubón actually got credit for stealing home in the third inning, though it was less of him being like Jackie Robinson and more of Pirates catcher Endy Rodríguez essentially giving the Braves a run on a terrible throw attempt to second while trying to catch Ozzie Albies stealing. Atlanta was up 3-0 and life was good.
Life got less good once Spencer Strider eventually gave up the only three runs that both he and the pitching staff would give up on this day. Strider gave up three doubles in the fourth inning that turned into two runs for the Pirates — though Ronald Acuña Jr. and Matt Olson combined for one fantastic relay play to get Oneil Cruz out at home in order to make sure that Tyler Callihan’s RBI double was worth just one run instead of two. Pittsburgh then tied the game in the fifth inning with a sacrifice fly from Brandon Lowe (who exited this game in scary fashion in the ninth inning after he fouled a ball off of his knee. Thankfully, he ended up being okay and played on Sunday) and just like that, the Braves were in need of some timeline hitting to get the game back under control.
Fortunately, it is extremely difficult to keep this Braves lineup quiet for long stretches and Braxton Ashcraft was unable to do so. A Ronald Acuña Jr. leadoff single followed by a one-out Matt Olson single and a double steal for the two of them eventually turned into Ozzie Albies putting Atlanta back in front with a sacrifice fly. That type of good ol’ fashioned baseball must have pleased the baseball gods because we got another Big Dominic Smith Moment right after Ozzie’s sacrifice fly. Smith hit a bullet out to left field that looked like it was hooking foul right up until it didn’t, as it stayed far and cleared the short fence in left for a two-run dinger that made it 6-3. The bullpen once again kept Pittsburgh’s offense quiet from that point forward and the Braves were able to celebrate their 18th series win in 21 attempts!
We’ve been here before. The Braves have had their chances to pull off a sweep only to trip up at the last hurdle. Shoot, we saw it earlier this week when the Blue Jays essentially received all the good fortune that had eluded them in the first two games doled out upon them in the final game. At first glance, this appeared to be more of the same for the Braves in sweep attempts as the Pirates led this one 2-0 after six innings. Bryce Elder did a bang-up job of throwing yet another six solid innings but Pittsburgh’s combination of Mason Montgomery as an opener and Bubba Chandler as the bulk guy seemed to be too much for the Braves on this day.
Alas, a hero ended up emerging from the dugout once the Braves had a golden chance to turn things around in the seventh inning. Michael Harris II had left Friday’s game in the ninth inning due to back tightness and sat out Saturday’s game as a result. We’ve been through this before with Money Mike as well, where he’s been banged up but was able to avoid an IL stint while also contributing off the bench despite his ailments. As such, he got called upon to pinch hit for Sandy León with the bases loaded and one out in this frame.
With all due respect to Sandy (who actually got a hit during this game!), the Braves needed some real firepower in this situation and Money Mike delivered. The second pitch Harris saw from reliever Evan Sisk got shot out to the wall in right field for a bases-clearing, three-RBI double that sent the fans in Cobb County on a wet and dreary day into delirium at the fact that Money Mike had cashed in another pinch-hit opportunity.
With Atlanta’s bullpen having been pushed to its limits in the first two games, we got an unusual-but-still-effective trio of relievers who came in to finish things off. Reynaldo López made sure that the Braves stayed within striking distance of the Pirates and then Tyler Kinley got out of a mini-jam in the eighth inning in order to ensure that the Braves went into the ninth with the lead. Didier Fuentes was tasked with protecting that lead and he ended up pulling it off with two strikeouts and a pop out. Fuentes picked up his first career save, the Braves picked up their first sweep since early-May (their third overall and their first home sweep as well) and made it 45 wins on the season so far. Not too shabby, eh?
There you have it! The Braves have finally swept someone at home and now that the Phillies have kept their resurgence going (and this following stat only brings me small solace that that particular development), two of Atlanta’s three sweeps this season have come against teams who are over .500. At this particular point in time, it doesn’t matter if a team is flying high or scraping the bottom of the barrel; the Braves are are going to give their opponents a bad time for at least two of those games.
12 runs in the first two games against the Pirates is pretty impressive, especially considering that Pittsburgh had Braxton Ashcraft going in the second game. In terms of fWAR, Ashcraft had been essentially running even with Paul Skenes and had been looking primed for a breakout season. That might still happen but at least the Braves were able to make sure that they served as a very nasty speed bump for Ashcraft to navigate over the course of his potential breakout season. Atlanta’s pitching staff also came up pretty big and a special shoutout goes to the bullpen for making sure that Pittsburgh had a tough time in the latter stages of these games. The Braves’ bullpen has been very effective over the course of this season and this may have been one of their finest hours, yet.
While I think we were all hoping to see Ronald Acuña Jr. keep up his performance after he went off in Boston and Cleveland, I’m sure that we’re all pleased with seeing guys like Mauricio Dubón and Dominic Smith continue to come up big when they’re asked to do so. Money Mike also proved that he’s got an incredible knack for coming up big in pinch-hitting situations (and it was huge that he’s avoided another IL stint, to boot). It’s those type of performances that have allowed the Braves to not just succeed this season but to thrive. YOu never know who’s going to be the hero on most nights, which is a great place to be since that means that this team is getting positive production from everybody on the roster. Even Sandy León is contributing to the cause with his reliable defense behind the plate and his own knack for nailing ABS challenges.
In summation, the Braves continue to make sure that they’re in a lovely place at the moment. The White Sox will surely provide a serious challenge in Atlanta’s next series and while the Mets may be in last place, New York always tends to make things tough for the Braves so this next week will provide its own set of unique challenges. With that being said, this is some type of run that the Braves are on and it’s tough to envision it ending any time soon.
PHOENIX, ARIZONA - JUNE 07: José Tena #6 of the Washington Nationals turns a double play on a ground ball hit by LuJames Groover #16 of the Arizona Diamondbacks as Geraldo Perdomo #2 is forced out at second base during the fourth inning at Chase Field on June 07, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Norm Hall/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Nationals dominated the first two games in Arizona, but they were not able to truly chop the head off of the snakes. This lack of killer instinct has become a pattern for the Nats this season. In the last month, the Nats have had four chances to sweep a team, and have been unable to each time.
In the past month the Nationals have had 2-0 series lead vs the:
Reds Orioles Guardians Diamondbacks
They have failed to get the sweep every time…#Natitude
For the Nats to truly separate themselves from the .500 mark, they are going to have to sweep some series. Given the talent on the roster, I just don’t think that is very likely. When opposing teams desperately need a win and throw everything they have, it is usually enough to overcome the Nats. As more talent is added to the roster, hopefully that will change.
This phenomenon is mostly a talent issue in my opinion, but you also have to look at the mentality. It did not feel like the Nats were playing with the same sort of urgency in this one. They were giving away at bats more often than they usually do, and just looked lethargic in the field. That play where Jose Tena took too much time to turn a double play summed up the Nats afternoon. They were one step behind the Snakes all game.
The Nats were behind the 8 ball right from the jump. In the first two games, the Nats were the ones hitting homers in the first inning. However, it was Corbin Carroll doing the slugging today. Cavalli threw an 0-2 pitch that caught way too much of the plate, and the D-Backs star made him pay.
However, the Nats responded quickly via a CJ Abrams homer. He pounced on a pitch from former teammate Michael Soroka and sent it into the right field bullpen. Abrams has mastered the art of pulling the ball in the air. It is a big reason why he is hitting so many homers despite average raw power.
That would be all the offense on the day for the Nats though. They made a few good cuts, but it always seemed like a D-Backs defender was in the perfect spot. On the other side, it felt like every Diamondbacks bloop was falling. For the most part though, the Nats offense was being shut down by Soroka.
You have to give Soroka a lot of credit. This is not an easy lineup to tame, and that is exactly what he did. Soroka’s command was super sharp today, and that breaking ball had plenty of bite. Unlike last year, Soroka’s stuff stayed strong deep into his outing. If you know Soroka’s story, he is an easy guy to root for, so it is nice to see him having success.
— Goldschmidt Happened (@GoldyHappens) June 7, 2026
For Cade Cavalli, I did not think he looked awful, but was not at his best. He was so close to getting out of his start with 2 runs through five innings, but threw a terrible pitch to Gabriel Moreno. That two run homer was the back breaker in this game.
After Cavalli exited, Riley Cornelio came in the game. Similar to his first big league outing, Cornelio did not look comfortable out there. He got out of a second and third nobody out jam in his first inning, but surrendered a run in his second frame. Cornelio’s command was all over the place and the confidence still did not look there.
This was a pretty lifeless game for the Nats, who only had three hits on the day. Next up is a trip to San Francisco where they matchup with an underperforming Giants team. Another series win would be a big step in the right direction.
CUBS vs. GIANTS AT WRIGLEY: The Cubs lost the rubber game of last year’s series at home against the Giants, after winning the first and losing the second. Two years ago, they won the third game after losing the first and winning the second, as they did this year. (Courtesy BCB’s JohnW53)
RUN SCORING NOTES: When the Cubs have scored at least three runs, as they did yesterday, their record is an impressive 30-15. They are 2-5 in games with exactly three and 4-16 with two or fewer. They are 18-4 when they have allowed no more than two and 20-6 with no more than three. With at least four, they are 14-25. (Courtesy BCB’s JohnW53)
ONE OF THESE THINGS IS NOT LIKE THE OTHER: The Cubs’ last five games have been decided by one, one, one, 15 and one run. (Courtesy BCB’s JohnW53)
WINNING WHEN COMING FROM BEHIND: The Cubs erased two deficits yesterday, 1-0 and 2-1. It was the third game this season in which they have come from behind twice and they have won them all. The previous two both were walk-offs against the Reds, on May 4 (behind 3-0 and 4-3 before winning in the ninth, 5-4) and May 6 (behind 1-0 and 6-4 before winning in the 10th, 7-6). The Cubs have erased 27 total deficits in 24 different games. They are 15-9 in those games, having won three of four following five straight losses. (Courtesy BCB’s JohnW53)
Jameson Taillon has had a rough year, but also has made some very good starts, including last time out, last Tuesday against the A’s. Hope that continues.
Current Giants are batting .169 (11-for-65) against Taillon, though with four home runs (two by Rafael Devers, one each by Matt Chapman and Willy Adames). That should not surprise you.
Keep the ball in the yard tonight, Jamo.
Trevor McDonald is making his ninth MLB start. Of the previous eight, six have come this year, so he comes in with just 52 innings of MLB experience. He was the Giants’ 11th round pick out of George County High School in Lucedale, Mississippi in 2019, and I mention the specific school because that’s the same school that produced Justin Steele.
Of his six starts this year, five were decent to good, he got pounded in the other one May 22 by the White Sox (seven runs in 3.2 innings).
McDonald has never faced the Cubs. The only Cub who’s seen him is Michael Conforto (1-for-3).
Today’s game is on NBC (full national broadcast, no blackouts). It’s also streaming on Peacock. Announcers: Jason Benetti, Jim Deshaies and Hunter Pence. Anthony Rizzo is the dugout reporter.
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The 2026 game discussion procedure has been changed, so please take note.
You’ll find the game preview, like this one, posted separately on the front page two hours before game time (90 minutes for some early day games following night games).
At the same time, a StoryStream containing the preview will also post on the front page, titled “Cubs vs. (Team) (Day of week/date) game threads.” It will contain every post related to that particular game.
The Live! (formerly “First Pitch”) thread will still post at five minutes to game time. It will also post to the front page. That will be the only live game discussion thread. After the game, the recap and Heroes and Goats will also live on the front page as separate posts.
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