May 3, 2026; Anaheim, California, USA; New York Mets pitcher Clay Holmes (35) delivers during the first inning against the Los Angeles Angels at Angel Stadium. Mandatory Credit: William Liang-Imagn Images | William Liang-Imagn Images
Mets lineup
Juan Soto – LF
Bo Bichette – SS
MJ Melendez – DH
Mark Vientos – 1B
Carson Benge – RF
Marcus Semien – 2B
Brett Baty – 3B
Francisco Alvarez – C
Tyrone Taylor – CF
Clay Holmes – RHP
Diamondbacks lineup
Ketel Marte – 2B
Corbin Carroll – RF
Geraldo Perdomo – SS
Adrian Del Castillo – DH
Ildemaro Vargas – 1B
Nolan Arenado – 3B
Lourdes Gurriel – LF
Gabriel Moreno – C
Ryan Waldschmidt – CF
Merrill Kelly – RHP
Broadcast info
First pitch: 7:15pm EDT TV: FOX Radio: Audacy Mets Radio WHSQ 880AM, Audacy App, 92.3 HD2
San Diego, California - May 08: Jackson Merrill #3 of the San Diego Padres runs after a single against the St. Louis Cardinals during the fourth inning at Petco Park on Friday, May 8, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Meg McLaughlin / The San Diego Union-Tribune via Getty Images)
St. Louis Cardinals (23-15) at San Diego Padres (22-16), May 9, 2026, 4:15 p.m. PST
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May 8, 2026; Arlington, Texas, USA; Chicago Cubs second baseman Nico Hoerner (2) advances to second on a two-base error during the seventh inning as Texas Rangers first baseman Justin Foscue (14) attempts to apply the tag at Globe Life Field. Mandatory Credit: Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images | Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images
Apr 26, 2026; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Milwaukee Brewers starting pitcher Kyle Harrison (52) throws a pitch in the first inning against the Pittsburgh Pirates at American Family Field. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-Imagn Images | Benny Sieu-Imagn Images
The Milwaukee Brewers are looking to parlay their win in the series opener against the New York Yankees into a series win on Saturday night. They were able to shut out the Yankees potent lineup on Friday night, the first shutout the Brewers have had against the Yankees since 1992.
On the mound trying to repeat that performance, albeit with fewer triple-digit fastballs, will be the lefty Kyle Harrison. Harrison has been off to a great start in his first season with the Brewers following the February trade with the Boston Red Sox.
Harrison has a 2.12 ERA across his six starts and his last two have been his best. He struck out 12 over 6 IP against the Pirates and then his last time out went 6 IP again, allowing just one run in a win over the Nationals.
On the mound for the Yankees will be the right-hander Cam Schlittler, who has a stellar 1.52 ERA on the season.
With a righty being on the mound for New York, Pat Murphy is loading his lineup with left-handed hitters. Jackson Chourio and William Contreras are the only right-handed hitters in the order tonight, hitting leadoff and third, respectively. Brice Turang is in between them. Then the 4-9 spots in the order are all lefties and switch-hitters; Jake Bauers, Tyler Black, Sal Frelick, Garrett Mitchell, Luis Rengifo, and David Hamilton.
The Yankees, meanwhile, are going a little atypical with 38-year-old first baseman Paul Goldschmidt batting leadoff. Goldschmidt has killed the Brewers over the course of his 16-year career with a .295 average, 30 homers, and .932 OPS. Ben Rice, Aaron Judge, and Cody Bellinger follow him. Spencer Jones, the hotshot prospect who made his debut facing Jacob Misiorowski’s 104-mph heat, is back in the lineup playing center field and batting eighth.
The Brewers made a transaction today, placing Brandon Lockridge on the IL with a right knee laceration and contusion following his scary crash into the LF wall yesterday. Blake Perkins was recalled from Triple-A to take his place.
Pat Murphy told reporters that “At the shortest, it’s a month,” that Lockridge will be out. But he’s still yet to get an MRI as they wait for the swelling to go down. The MRI is scheduled for Monday.
The Brewers offense will have a tough task again with a quality starter on the bump for New York, but their man on the mound is no slouch either. First pitch is at 6:10 p.m.
25 Feb 2000: Manager Bobby Cox #6 of the Atlanta Braves poses for a studio portrait during Spring Training Photo Day in Kissimmee, Florida. Mandatory Credit: Andy Lyons /Allsport | Getty Images
Earlier this afternoon, the Atlanta Braves announced the passing of Hall of Fame manager Bobby Cox. He was 84.
In six decades in the organization, Cox spent two separate stints as Braves manager; served as the team’s general manager; and was a player with the organization’s minor leagues prior to the beginning of his coaching career.
Cox’s death comes the same week as the passing of former Braves owner Ted Turner, who twice hired Cox to leadership roles in the organization.
Cox was born in Oklahoma in 1941 and moved with his family to California three years later. He began his playing career in 1960 after signing with the Dodgers organization out of high school.
After making it to Double-A with the Dodgers, he spent the 1965 season in Triple-A with the Cubs organization and split 1966 between the Cubs and Braves Triple-A ranks, playing for Austin in the Braves organization. In 1967, the Braves affiliate moved to Richmond, and he had a productive season with a .849 OPS.
The New York Yankees gave Cox an opportunity at the MLB-level in 1968 and he spent that and the 1969 season in the big leagues before his playing career wrapped up with parts of two seasons in the minors in 1971. Primarily a third baseman, Cox ended his big league career with 220 games played with nine home runs.
When his playing career concluded, it was only a few years until the beginning of what would become an iconic managerial career.
After several seasons of managing and coaching in the minor leagues and in winter ball, Cox became the first base coach for the Yankees in 1977 under manager Billy Martin. When the Braves moved on from manager Dave Bristol, they tabbed Cox as the team’s manager for the 1978 season.
Cox spent four seasons at the helm of a rebuilding Braves team that had a young Dale Murphy and added third baseman Bob Horner with the first overall pick in the 1978 draft. Unfortunately for Cox and the Braves, the team finish as high as fourth in the National League West only once – a 81-80 season in 1980.
The Braves weren’t able to build on the success of the 1980 season, finishing just below .500 in the first and second half of the strike-impacted 1981 campaign. Turner opted to replace Cox as manager, but when asked about the type managerial candidate that would be ideal to lead the Braves, it was Cox who Turner named.
Joe Torre, the former Braves All-Star player, would be hired to replace Cox and the two would both go on to have Hall of Fame careers.
The Toronto Blue Jays wasted no time hiring Cox as manager in 1982. Cox lead the Jays to back-to-back 89-win seasons in 1984 and 1985 and then took the squad to the American League Championship Series after a 99-win season in 1985. It was the first American League East title in franchise history.
Despite coming off of the best season of his managerial career, when Turner and the Braves came calling with an offer to become Atlanta’s general manager, Cox opted to return to the Braves.
As general manager, Cox oversaw a rebuild of the team’s minor league system with a focus on pitching. It was a painful era of Braves baseball at the big league level with the team losing 97-or-more games in three consecutive season, including the 106-loss 1988 season. But, by shifting from aging veterans to young, developing talent, Cox was setting a coarse for what would be a historic run for Atlanta.
During the 1990 season, Cox was faced with firing manager Russ Nixon after a 25-40 start. In doing so, he took over as skipper of the team. The team’s on-field record didn’t improve, but when John Schuerholtz was brought in from the Kansas City Royals as general manager, it was Cox he wanted to continue leading the team as manager.
The 1991 worst-to-first season for the Atlanta Braves changed everything for the Braves, the city of Atlanta and all of Braves country. The excitement, electricity and magnitude of that season is difficult to encapsulate 35 years later, but that season – and the run of 14-consecutive division-winning seasons (1994 notwithstanding) – has yet to be bested in MLB.
With the fiery Cox as skipper, the Braves won more than 100 games six times, and of course won the 1995 World Series. On the field and in the clubhouse, Cox was revered by players – many of whom he called by homespun nicknames that ended with -y – and respected by opponents as he was viciously loyal to his guys, a notion that was underscored by his MLB-record 162 ejections as manager.
Off-the-field, Cox dealt with a domestic abuse issue during that 1995 campaign, although charges were dropped and Cox did not miss any time during the season.
Cox led the Braves to the playoffs in every season there was a post-season from 1991 through 2005. Atlanta missed the playoffs in 2006, finishing below .500 for the first time since 1990, but returned to the post-season in 2010 – Cox’s final season as manager – when the team finished second in the NL East but claimed the Wild Card.
Cox’s post-season success was marginal, he ended his career with a below .500 record with the Braves and Blue Jays, and his sole World Series Championship was often sighted as a blight on an otherwise historic 15 years of dominance by the Braves.
He retired with 2,504 career victories, fourth most all-time, and led his teams to the post-season 16 times – 15 of those coming with the Braves. He won 15 division titles, five pennants and managed five All-Star games, including the 2000 contest in Atlanta. His 67 career post-season wins are fourth-most all-time. He also led the Braves to the 1995 World Series Championship.
Cox was inducted into the Braves Hall of Fame in 2011.
A four-time manager of the year winner, Cox was inducted into the the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2014 – a class that included Torre and fellow manager Tony La Russa as well as two of his former starting pitchers, Tom Glavine and Greg Maddux.
Cox suffered a stroke in 2019, the day after appearing at Trust Park for Opening Day, and made limited public appearances in the years that followed. His last appearance with the Braves was in 2025, on August 22, when the 1995 team was honored.
Cox, who was teammates with Mickey Mantle in New York, led teams in Atlanta that included future Hall of Fame players Fred McGriff, Tom Glavine, Greg Maddux, Chipper Jones, Andruw Jones and John Smoltz. As general manager, he drafted Chipper Jones and traded for Smoltz. He notoriously almost pulled off a trade for Barry Bonds in 1987 – five years before the Braves attempted to do a deal for Bond with Pittsburgh for a second time.
Cox’s 2,149 regular season wins are the most in Braves franchise history – with more than an 1,100 win gap between him and fellow Hall of Fame manager Frank Selee who has the second-most wins if franchise history. Cox is also third all-time in wins in Blue Jays history.
Each of the three managers who followed Cox in the position have ties to him with Fredi Gonzalez and Brian Snitker both serving as coaches on his staff while current manager Walt Weiss played under Cox from 1998 to 2000. Snitker (3) and Gonzalez (6) are both in the top six in wins in franchise history.
After a decade of being marketing as “American’s Team” on TBS by Turner, the Cox-led Braves became one of the powerhouse teams of the 1990s, transiting Atlanta from an also-ran franchise to one of the top brands in the sport.
The outpouring of messages from his former players in the hours following the new of his passing showed the reverence they held for him. Andruw Jones called him a “second Father” and outfielder Ender Inciarte labeled him, “a wonderful person, a great human being” while numerous others called him the greatest manager for whom they played.
To honor Cox during his final season, the Braves had a game-day give away that was a poster of Cox comprised of photos of every player he had managed, a fitting honor for a manager who still wore spikes like he did when he a player.
The image of Cox hobbling out of the dugout to argue a call, kicking dirt and get ejected for defending his players and his team, is one that resonates across many Braves fans who are mourning the loss of their skipper this afternoon.
The Atlanta Braves and their fans lost the person responsible for building the foundation for the success the Braves franchise has had for the past 35 years.
SCOTTSDALE, ARIZONA - FEBRUARY 12: Logan Webb #62 and Trevor McDonald #72 of the San Francisco Giants look on at Scottsdale Stadium on February 12, 2025 in Scottsdale, Arizona. (Photo by Andy Kuno/San Francisco Giants/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The San Francisco Giants Opening Day battery for the last three seasons is as gone as gone can be. Hours after announcing the shocking trade of Patrick Bailey to the Cleveland Guardians, the Giants placed the star of their rotation, two-time All-Star Logan Webb, on the 15-Day Injured List. Webb, who has led the National League in innings pitched in each of the last three seasons, is headed to the IL for the first time since 2021. The Giants professed optimism that he’ll return as soon as the 15 days are up.
Webb’s injury, which is officially listed as right knee bursitis, is retroactive to May 6. It was that injury that led him to come out of his last game after just 61 pitches, and the Giants are hoping it’s behind his rough start to the season, as he has a 5.06 ERA and a 3.59 FIP through eight starts.
A new battery is up to replace the old one. Taking Webb’s spot is right-hander Trevor McDonald, who will slide right into the rotation. While McDonald hasn’t been having a very good season in AAA, he was sensational when called upon on Monday, holding the San Diego Padres to two hits, no walks, and one run in seven innings, with eight strikeouts. McDonald has not pitched since, so the Giants can slot him into the rotation whenever and wherever they choose.
As for Bailey, his spot is being taken by catcher Logan Porter, whose contract was purchased from AAA Sacramento. The Giants are apparently intent to go with three catchers, even with their defensive ace gone, as Porter joins Eric Haase and Jesús Rodríguez. Daniel Susac is rehabbing in AAA, and should return at some point during the team’s upcoming road trip, barring a setback.
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - MAY 08: Yuki Matsui #1 of the San Diego Padres pitches against the St. Louis Cardinals during the fifth inning at Petco Park on May 08, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Orlando Ramirez/Getty Images) | Getty Images
This was a tough one for the Friar Faithful to take in.
The San Diego Padres didn’t do a whole lot to help their case as they lost their second consecutive game to the St. Louis Cardinals. It’s been a difficult stretch that has been marked by a poor Friars’ offense.
But the offense wasn’t the Padres biggest problem last night. Their defense ended up losing the game, being the main reason that six runs came across the board in the fifth inning, with right fielder Fernando Tatis Jr. making his first error since May of last year. That call was controversial, this one was not.
With the bases loaded, JJ Wetherholt hit a single into right field. It would have been only one run with the play at the plate to get the lead runner, but the ball trickled under Tatis glove as he rushed to make the play and ended up at the wall. It went from a single to a little league grand slam.
But the Cards wouldn’t even need that many, with the Padres failing to score against the St. Louis pitching staff, despite having opportunities to do so. They’ll need to put some runs together tonight in order to right the ship in what has been a difficult stretch of baseball for San Diego.
Taking the mound
Dustin May (STL) v. Randy Vásquez (SD)
May has been middling but just good enough for the Cards, pitching to a 5.15 ERA over 36 2/3 innings. But the best thing for the righty is the simple fact that he’s healthy. In the past, that’s been a major struggle.
2025 was May’s first season pitching more than 60 innings with 132 1/3 innings. It was a mediocre year with May posting a 4.96 ERA but his health earned him a modest contract in St. Louis.
The Padres faced May plenty of times while he was a Los Angeles Dodger, and they played well against him then. There’s nothing to suggest that that wouldn’t remain the case this time around. The Friars need to scratch some runs across after failing to score very much in this series.
Vásquez has looked incredible for San Diego so far this season, but the last two starts have been shaky. In 10 2/3 innings, the righty has given up eight runs. That’s raised his ERA from 1.88 (as of April 21) to a 3.20 mark heading into tonight’s matchup.
That’s not to say he’s been bad, he hasn’t. But Vásquez has struggled with command, issuing five walks in those recent starts. If he can regain his command tonight, the Friars should have no trouble.
Batter up!
Of the Padres’ lineup, Manny Machado and Tatis have the most experience against May (53 combined at-bats). They own a combined .283 batting average with three homers against the right-hander. If those two bats can come alive, that would be a major improvement for the Friars.
Jackson Merrill, CF
Fernando Tatis Jr., RF
Manny Machado, 3B
Gavin Sheets, DH
Xander Bogaerts, SS
Ramón Laureano, LF
Ty France, 1B
Sung-Mun Song, 2B
Freddy Fermin, C
After having two knocks in his debut start, Song’s bat has gone cold, it would be great for it to return against the lower-leverage starting May. Andujar has been in a similar state, cooling off after his eight-game hitting streak came to an end.
Merrill batting leadoff has been an interesting development in the lineup. It seemed to work initially, but hasn’t in the last two games. Manager Craig Stammen has seemed to let things linger before doing away with something so it seems likely that the center fielder continues to bat leadoff.
Relief corps
Yuki Matsui made his 2026 debut last night after spending the year rehabbing from a groin injury. He was mostly alright, pitching a solid 1 2/3 innings before being asked to return for the seventh inning. After striking out Wetherholt, he allowed the next three batters to reach before getting out of the jam.
With the game well out of hand, the Friars then went to Wandy Peralta and Ron Marinaccio to close out the eighth and ninth innings, respectively. That will leave the ‘pen fresh for tonight’s game.
Jason Adam, Jeremiah Estrada, Mason Miller, Adrian Morejon and Bradgley Rodriguez will all be available to pitch in relief after Vásquez’s outing concludes. Those five are all high-leverage options for Stammen to go to, and will each be trusted to turn to in a close game.
DENVER, CO - MAY 3: Starting pitcher Kyle Freeland #21 of the Colorado Rockies delivers a pitch in the fifth inning against the Atlanta Braves at Coors Field on May 3, 2026 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Justin Edmonds/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Well, that was quite the way to open the series.
The Colorado Rockies survived another blown lead to manage an exciting extra-inning win against the Philadelphia Phillies last night. Colorado carries a two-game winning streak into the matchup, as the teams meet for the second time this weekend and the fifth time already in this young season.
Tonight, Kyle Freeland takes on Aaron Nola.
Freeland enters with a 1-3 record in five games started, with a 5.04 ERA, 1.360 WHIP, eight walks, and 24 strikeouts. He’s had an equal mix of very good games and pretty shaky games. In two of his earlier starts, he gave up eight hits and two earned runs in both games combined. On the other side of things, he gave up eight hits and six earned runs in his last game, the 11-6 loss to the Atlanta Braves last Sunday. He’ll aim to bounce back today.
Colorado already got a look at Nola in the 10-1 home opener loss. As the score might suggest, he dominated the Rockies in that one. While he did give up the lone run, he surrendered just five hits alongside nine strikeouts, controlling the game with a lead in his 6.1 innings pitched.
Since then, Nola’s production has fluctuated. He picked up one more win and three losses across five starts since his early season appearance at Coors. His last start (on Monday against the Miami Marlins) was his best of the season. He pitched a scoreless six innings, notching five hits and five strikeouts in a 1-0 win. In his two starts before that, Nola gave up five earned runs in a loss to the Chicago Cubs and six earned runs on two homers in a loss to the Braves. He currently sits at 2-3 across seven starts, with a 5.06 ERA, 1.446 WHIP, 13 walks, and 40 strikeouts.
The Saturday night showdown gives us two pitchers (and honestly, two offenses) that have had a bit of a Jekyll and Hyde season. The two starters boast essentially identical ERAs and a similar mix of ups and downs. If last night is any indication, we’re in for another fun one!
STREAKING: The current season is only the fourth since 1901 in which the Cubs have enjoyed multiple double-digit winning streaks — and the first in 91 years. They won 14, 12, 10 and 10 in a row in 1906. They won 11 and 10 in 1910. They won 21 and 11 in 1935. The Cubs had one streak of at least 10 wins in six seasons before 1935 and have had one in 10 seasons since then. (Courtesy BCB’s JohnW53)
STEALING: The Cubs stole three bases last night. They had swiped three in only two earlier games this season: a 10-2 win at home over Nationals on March 28, second game of season, and a 9-2 win at Tampa on April 8 — 27 games before yesterday. They have stolen two bases twice, March 30 and April 15, and one base in 13 games, for a total of 18 with a steal and 21 with none. Last season, the Cubs stole at least three bases in 19 games, stole two in 23 and stole one in 40, for a total of 82 with a steal and 78 with none. (Courtesy BCB’s JohnW53)
BEST IN THE BIZ: This season is just the fifth since 1901 in which the Cubs have had the best record in baseball after their 39th game. The last time, as you might have guessed, was in 2016,. They were 28-11 and the Orioles were second, at 24-15. The Nationals were second among National League teams, at 25-16. The three earlier times came in a span of five seasons in the first decade of the 1900s. In 1903, the Cubs were 28-11 and the Giants were 26-11. In 1904, the Cubs were 26-11, to 27-12 by the Red Sox and 26-12 by the Giants. In 1907, the Cubs were 30-9; the Giants, 28-11; and the White Sox, 27-12. A year earlier, the Cubs had been the best in the NL, at 26-13, but the Athletics of the AL, at 22-10, had a higher winning percentage, .688 to .667. (Courtesy BCB’s JohnW53)
THE SEIYA FILES: Seiya Suzuki, last 20 games since April 15: .329/.432/.658 (24-for-73) with three doubles, seven home runs, 12 walks, 15 RBI and 17 runs scored.
Edward Cabrera has been remarkably consistent this year. After starting with two scoreless outings, he has allowed exactly three earned runs in each of his last five starts. So you pretty much know what you’re getting with a Cabrera start.
This will be Cabrera’s first-ever start against the Rangers. So, most of the Rangers have not faced him. One who has, from their common time in the NL East, is Brandon Nimmo (6-for-16, a double, seven walks).
Jack Leiter is the son of former MLB pitcher Al Leiter, and so the first cousin of former Cub Mark Leiter Jr.
Highly touted, he was picked in the first round in 2021 (second overall) by the Rangers.
He had a pretty good year in 2025 (29 starts, 3.86 ERA) but this year has been a bit rough, with a 5.45 ERA and seven home runs allowed in 38 innings.
This will be Leiter’s first-ever start against the Cubs. Only three Cubs (Alex Bregman, Carson Kelly and Nicky Lopez) have ever faced him, and have gone a small sample size 0-for-9.
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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.
You will also be able to find the preview, Live! thread, recap and Heroes and Goats in this section link. The StoryStream for each game can also be found in that section.
May 8, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Guardians second baseman Travis Bazzana (37) celebrates after hitting a home run during the first inning against the Minnesota Twins at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images | Ken Blaze-Imagn Images
First Pitch: 1:10 pm CDT TV: Twins.TV Radio: TIBN / WCCO 830 / The Wolf 102.9 FM / Audacy
Forty games of baseball is probably “enough” games of baseball to feel like you have a sense of the team you’re watching. After 40 games, my sense is roughly the same as it was after 34 games, when I remarked that the team was, in no uncertain terms, “ass.”
Since we last left off, the Twins had salvaged a split against the Blue Jays, then handed the Washington Nationals their first home series win (a la last season’s Colorado Rockies), and got jumped by the Cleveland Guardians on Apple TV. For all the chatter about the relative weakness of the division, Minnesota remains dead last in the American League Central with a 16-23 record, and are dangerously close to being the worst outright team in the league.
That one Detroit/Boston week notwithstanding, the Twins are starting to look like the bits-and-pieces roster that preseason assessments identified.
FUN STUFF, GANG!
Today, Joe Ryan makes one of his last starts on the team. Maybe, at the very least, we can be excited for his future and what it holds. He’s got forty strikeouts so far — one for every game the Twins have played! He didn’t get one per game, though. He doesn’t pitch that often, you silly billy.
Meanwhile, Tanner Bibee is looking to get his first win of the year after an 0-5 record in eight starts to begin 2026. It’s as good an opportunity as any!
After getting promoted from Double-A to Triple-A earlier in the week, Mets pitching prospect left-hander Zach Thornton made his Syracuse debut on Saturday afternoon.
In his first start for Triple-A, Thornton pitched six innings and allowed three earned runs on five hits, including a home run, and two walks while striking out four. The lefty threw 84 pitches (60 strikes) and was pulled with his team down 3-2.
Rochester, the Triple-A affiliate of the Washington Nationals, got to Thornton in the first inning after two doubles sandwiching a walk scored a run. After a strikeout, Thornton made a nice play on a ball hit to him, throwing home to nab the runner trying to score.
The left-hander allowed two more runs in the third on a two-run shot by Yohandy Morales on a 1-2 sinker to put Syracuse down 3-0. From there, though, Thornton locked in and retired 11 of the final 12 batters he faced.
Thornton took the loss as the Mets’ offense was mostly quiet, although No. 9 hitter Jackson Cluff homered to lead off the bottom of the sixth to get Syracuse closer, 3-2. The Mets went on to lose, 7-4, but it was a solid start for Thornton who now has a 3.77 ERA in six starts between Double-A and Triple-A.
SAN FRANCISCO, CA - MAY 06: Patrick Bailey #14 of the San Francisco Giants leaves the field prior to the game between the San Diego Padres and the San Francisco Giants at Oracle Park on Wednesday, May 6, 2026 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Emma Bronsteader/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
It’s not every day that you see the Guardians making a notable trade before the calendar flips to July. (In fact, I can’t remember the last time the Guardians made a move like this this far in advance of the deadline).
If you missed it (somehow), the Guardians traded for 2-time Gold Glover Patrick Bailey from the Giants. They sent LHP Matt Wilkinson and their 2026 CB-A pick (#29) in return. In a corresponding move, the Guardians optioned Bo Naylor to AAA.
BREAKING: The Cleveland Guardians are acquiring two-time Gold Glove-winning catcher Patrick Bailey in a trade with the San Francisco Giants for the No. 29 pick in this year's draft and left-handed pitching prospect Matt "Tugboat" Wilkinson, sources tell ESPN.
Patrick Bailey is a very interesting player. He is, arguably, the best defender in baseball (among all players, not just catchers). He is, by far, the best defensive catcher (although, on a rate basis, Hedges is close). His bat is underwhelming, but then again so are most of our catchers’. Before we get to the defense, let’s talk about his offense. This trade has been relatively polarizing because of his offensive numbers, and because people are (in my opinion) perhaps overrating what we gave up to get Bailey.
Bailey is a switch-hitter, and has been around a 70 wRC+ over his career. However, despite that, he’s put up over 10 fWAR in his first 3 seasons. He has three more years of control (FA in 2030). His chase and whiff rates are around league-average, but his strikeout and walk rates are far below league average. He showed flashes in 2024 of perhaps being a league-average bat, but hasn’t gotten back to that since. In 2024 he sported the highest pull air rate of his career. We all know that’s something the Guardians specialize in with their hitting development, so perhaps there is some more offense to unlock with Bailey. Even if there isn’t, he’s a 3 WAR player on his defense alone. For reference, he’d be 3rd among all Guardians since 2023 in fWAR. That is an incredibly valuable player.
I do wonder if the Guardians think there’s an approach adjustment to be made with Bailey, especially one that prioritizes him pulling the ball in the air. Oracle Park is, pretty much across the board, disadvantageous for hitters, so hopefully the transition to Progressive Field will help. His bat speed has slowly crept up since 2023 (70.1 -> 72.8 this year).
To his defense! Bailey is the best defensive catcher of the 2020s and, with time, could very well become the best defensive catcher of the pitch-tracking era. He ranks first in framing runs, defensive runs saved, and fielding run value among catchers. He’s so good at framing that that becomes almost the entire conversation around him. You can read more in-depth about his framing here. He also excels at something that Guardians catchers have been, well, not great at: throwing out runners.
Apart from the fact that he is elite at framing, throwing out runners and, frankly, all aspects of catcher defense, pitchers rave about his game-calling and leadership, citing him as a big part of the reason they’ve succeeded in MLB. Bo Naylor has really struggled in that aspect. From what I’ve gathered, there are more than just a few Guardians pitchers who do not trust Naylor behind the plate. His ability to manage a game from start to finish has been a problem throughout his career, something that Hedges, for one, is among the best at. Bailey has frequently been able to get the best out of his pitchers. For example, he’s caught Logan Webb 78 times throughout his major league career. Three other catchers have caught Webb >10 times: Joey Bart (30), Curt Casali (26), Buster Posey (19). Webb has performed better with Bailey than with any of the other catchers, including with a future HOFer in Posey. Webb sports a 3.10 ERA across nearly 500 innings with Bailey, over a tenth of a run lower than with any of those catchers. (Vogt caught him 5 times, and Webb had an ERA well north of 7 with him behind the plate).
The Guardians, essentially, traded for a younger, cheaper version of Hedges. This move clearly signals that they are comfortable with where the lineup is right now, and that they are fine with a black hole at catcher with the rest of the lineup producing. I know a lot of people are clamoring about Ingle, but I just don’t think the Guardians are 100% believers in his defense. Catcher defense is, obviously, incredibly important to the Guardians. It’s what they prioritize above all else in catchers. Ingle, they think, clearly isn’t ready to handle calling a game start to finish.
Regardless, Bailey should be extremely fun to watch behind the plate, and the Guardians didn’t have to give up anything that overwhelming for a 3 WAR player.
ST PETERSBURG, FLORIDA - MAY 01: Yandy Díaz #2 of the Tampa Bay Rays celebrates with teammates in the dugout after hitting a home run in the second inning against the San Francisco Giants at Tropicana Field on May 01, 2026 in St Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images) | Getty Images
MIAMI, FLORIDA - MAY 8: James Wood #29 of the Washington Nationals celebrates with teammates after winning the game against the Miami Marlins at loanDepot park on May 8, 2026 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Leonardo Fernandez/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Nats did not score after the first inning last night, but the three runs they put up were enough to win the game. Foster Griffin was fabulous and the bullpen secured the win. They are now only one game under .500, with a chance to be 20-20 if they win today.
With a righty on the mound, there will be a few changes. Luis Garcia Jr. will be making his first start in almost a week. The Nats first baseman was dealing with a minor injury, and Curtis Mead was hitting well in his absence. Jose Tena and Drew Millas will also be back in the lineup. Blake Butera will be deploying Richard Lovelady as an opener and using Zack Littell in a bulk relief role.
The Marlins are also making some changes to their lineup with Littell being the bulk man. Liam Hicks has been one of the Marlins most productive hitters, and he will be in the lineup today. We will also see Jakob Marsee and Owen Caissie in the outfield today. Both are young talents who have gotten off to slower starts. Janson Junk is far from the biggest name in the Marlins rotation, but he has arguably been their best pitcher this year.
Getting to .500 would be a huge boost for the players and the fans. Zack Littell has struggled this year, but looked better in that bulk role he is pitching in today. Hopefully he can step up and help this team get a win today. I am fired up to watch the boys play ball! Follow along in the comments down below and let’s go Nats.
SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA - MAY 3: Aaron Civale #45 of the Athletics pitches the ball against the Cleveland Guardians during the second inning at Sutter Health Park on May 3, 2026 in Sacramento, California. (Photo by Kelley L Cox/Getty Images) | Getty Images
OK, so that was lackluster. The Orioles did it again on Friday night, taking a pedestrian starter in Jacob Lopez (err, that’s generous, even for someone with a 6.60 ERA entering last night) and making him look like an ace. They managed just two runs off of Lopez, both on solo home runs.
So does that mean that today, by the transitive property, facing a competent right-handed starter in Aaron Civale (3-1, 2.95 ERA) they’ll him look like a bum? I have my doubts.
Now in his eighth season, the 30-year-old has bounced around between six teams since 2023, including Tampa Bay, where some of this team remembers facing him. As John Beers’ series preview noted, Civale been one of the luckiest pitchers in baseball this season, with a 2.95 ERA comparing quite favorably to an xERA of 4.19. His hard-hit rate is flirting with 50% and his strikeout rate, 6.60 per game. Neither number is good. Maybe the O’s can take advantage.
Gunnar Henderson likes hitting off the righty, with a .427 BA and one HR in 7 AB’s. But the rest of the team hasn’t done much against him: Adley Rutschman is 1-for-9, Pete Alonso 1-for-5 and Taylor Ward 0-for-10 facing Civale.
As for the Orioles’ champion, Shane Baz (1-3, 4.99 ERA, 33 K) is showing flashes of his potential interspersed with stretches of murkiness. On April 28 against Houston, Baz was excellent, going 5 2/3 innings with just one run and strikeouts. But his last time out in the Bronx, the reception was much more unfriendly, as the righty allowed five runs in 5 2/3 while also walking five.
The Athletics, first place though they are, are not the Yankees at the dish. Baz has faced a few of these hitters before: Shane Langeliers has the best track record, at 4-for-10 with a one home run. Lawrence Butler is 2-for-10. And Nick Kurtz is 0-for-7.
Conceivably, this could be a good matchup for the O’s. Will they cash in?
Orioles lineup
1. Gunnar Henderson SS 2. Tyler Ward LF 3. Adley Rutschman C 4. Pete Alonso 1B 5. Samuel Basallo DH 6. Leody Taveras CF 7. Dylan Beavers RF 8. Coby Mayo 3B 9. Jeremiah Jackson 2B
Athletics lineup
1. Nick Kurtz 1B 2. Shane Langeliers C 3. Tyler Soderstrom LF 4. Brent Rooker DH 5. Carlos Cortes RF 6. Jacob Wilson SS 7. Lawrence Butler CF 8. Zack Gelof 3B 9. Jeff McNeil 2B
