Category: MLB

SAN FRANCISCO — Jesus Rodriguez’s first six innings in right field as a major leaguer had gone off without a hitch. So, of course, with the score tied and two on and two out in the seventh, the ball came his way.

The multipositional 24-year-old playing his third career game gave chase to the fly ball from Ty France cutting toward the right field foul line. He dove, outstretched his glove but couldn’t make the play.

The ball glanced off his glove and rolled to the wall as France chugged into third base and the two go-ahead runs scored in the Giants 5-1 loss to the Padres on Wednesday.

Rafael Devers supplied the Giants’ only offense with a solo shot to left off Matt Waldron in the fifth. Devers’ third homer of the year tied the score at 1 after Gavin Sheets opened the scoring in the fourth with a Splash Hit — San Diego’s only damage off Giants starter Adrian Houser.

Houser turned in his best outing with the Giants but came away with nothing to show for it. He held the Padres to three hits over six-plus innings in his longest start of the season.

The seventh inning started in the same way the Giants’ fate was sealed: With a misplay in the field. The first batter of the inning, Fernando Tatis Jr., reached when Matt Chapman couldn’t handle his hard chopper to third and scored when Rodriguez wasn’t able to corral France’s fly ball.

Not for nothing: Rodriguez contributed the only two hits the Giants’ got besides Devers’ home run. They struck out 13 times as a team and failed to draw a walk for the second straight game.

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What it means

San Francisco dropped two of three to the Padres to fall to 14-23, the furthest below .500 the franchise has been since it was 39-48 on July 5, 2019. 

After winning the first game of the series and pulling ahead 4-1 early Tuesday, the Giants were outscored 14-2 over the final 15 innings of the series.

Who’s hot

Devers far from squared up an outside fastball from Waldron, but the high fly ball carried just far enough to clear the wall in left field for his first home run since April 8. He’s hit safely in his past seven games, batting .318 with an .833 OPS over one of his most productive stretches this year.

Who’s not

Luis Arraez was held out of the lineup for a second straight game with soreness in his left thumb. The Giants are hopeful he’ll be back Friday after the team’s day off.

Chapman’s hitless streak extended another three chances to his past 24 at-bats, while Jung Hoo Lee went 0-for-3 to drop his OPS below .700 for the first time since April 23.

Called on in a lower-leverage situation, onetime closer Ryan Walker served up a two-run homer to Xander Bogaerts that extended the Padres’ lead to 5-1 in the eighth, raising his ERA to 5.52.

Up next

The Giants are off Thursday before they host the Pirates for three games. They at least catch a break and won’t see Pittsburgh ace Paul Skenes or its No. 2, Mitch Keller.

The Chicago Cubs rotation just took another hit.  

Manager Craig Counsell announced Wednesday that left hander Matthew Boyd will undergo surgery for a left meniscus injury, with no timetable to return. The news is another blow to a Chicago starting staff that has been devastated by injuries since opening day.  

Boyd, 35, had already missed time this season with a left biceps strain that landed him on the 15-day injured list from April 6-22. He returned to make several starts and appeared to be rounding into form Sunday against Arizona, when he turned in his first quality start of the season. He allowed two runs over six innings to lower his ERA to 6.00.  

ESPN reported that Boyd suffered the injury while playing with his children.  

This is a blow to a staff that has been hit hard. Cade Horton, who was expected to be a key part of the rotation, is already done for the year after an MRI revealed UCL damage in his right elbow. Justin Steele, Chicago’s opening day starter in 2024, is still recovering from Tommy John surgery and isn't expected back until later this month or early June. With Boyd now headed to the operating table, the Cubs are running dangerously low on starting pitching.  

Edward Cabrera and Shota Imanaga figure to anchor the rotation with Jameson Taillon still struggling. Javier Assad and Colin Rea, both of whom filled in during Boyd’s biceps absence, figure to see increased workloads again.  

Boyd signed a two-year, $29.5 million contract with Chicago before the 2025 season. He rewarded the Cubs with a career year earning his first All-Star selection. He was 14-8 with a 3.21 ERA and a team-leading 179 2/3 innings pitched. He has a $15 million mutual option for 2017.  

Matthew Boyd injury update

Boyd has an extensive injury history.  

He has dealt with a flexor tendon strain, Tommy John surgery, a biceps issue this year and now the meniscus injury that requires surgery. Despite that, he remained one of the more reliable starters just a year ago.  

The Cubs entered play Wednesday at 20-14 and in first place in the National league Central.  

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Cubs pitcher Matthew Boyd out indefinitely after knee surgery

After getting pummeled by the Twins last night, the Nats need to get off the mat and fight back. They have a chance to even the series tonight, but they have to play better baseball to do that. If they drop this game, the Nats will fall to 10 games under .500 at home.

Blake Butera is making a couple tweaks to his lineup. Notably, Brady House will be back in the lineup. House’s playing time has been more limited recently, but he will be out there in this one. Drew Millas will also be back at catcher. Luis Garcia Jr. is still being held out of the lineup with his wrist issue. Miles Mikolas will be the starter, but expect Brad Lord or Mitchell Parker to get some long relief work tonight.

say hello to mr. lineup

→ https://t.co/iUBDqlACVspic.twitter.com/Kqyqg4VbNP

— Washington Nationals (@Nationals) May 6, 2026

The Twins are also making a couple changes. After hitting lower in the order last night, Brooks Lee will be in the 2 spot. Victor Caratini, Matt Wallner and Tristan Gray will all be added to the lineup tonight. The struggling Royce Lewis gets the night off. Bailey Ober does not throw hard but his massive 6’9 frame and filthy changeup gives him a unique look.

How we're spending our Wednesday evening 😌

📺 https://t.co/7owDbqKlDapic.twitter.com/GHIiX49LY2

— Minnesota Twins (@Twins) May 6, 2026

Game Info:

Stadium: Nationals Park

Time: 6:45 PM EST

TV: Nationals.TV

Radio: 106.7 The Fan

This is a game the Nats need to win. It would be a tough look to drop the first two games to a Twins team that is not a whole lot better than themselves. That would just further the narrative about the team’s home struggles. Hopefully the boys can get it done tonight. Follow along in the comments below and let’s go Nats!

The Orioles found some momentum yesterday with a thrilling 9-7 victory. Baltimore bounced back from a brutal four-game sweep in New York over the weekend, and the O’s will look to take another step in the right direction with Brandon Young on the mound tonight.

Young impressed in his first two outings before hitting a wall last week against Houston. The 27-year-old will look to perform closer to the five shutout innings he delivered last month against Chicago.

Young will need his defense to deliver against a Miami team capable of taking the extra base. Gunnar Henderson will take his usual spot at shortstop with Coby Mayo playing to his right. Jeremiah Jackson (second) and Pete Alonso (first) will round out the infield. Adley Rutschman will catch Young, and Samuel Basallo will serve as the designated hitter.

Taylor Ward, Leody Taveras and Dylan Beavers will handle the outfield duties from left to right.

The Orioles will face right-handed pitcher Eury Pérez. Pérez holds a 2-3 record with a 4.46 ERA.

Orioles lineup

1. Gunnar Henderson SS
2. Taylor 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

Starter: RHP Brandon Young

Texas Rangers @ New York Yankees

Wednesday, May 6, 2026, 6:05 PM CDT (105.3 The Fan / Rangers Sports Network)

Yankee Stadium

RHP Nathan Eovaldi vs. RHP Will Warren

Go Rangers!

Considered a top prospect prior to his MLB debut in 2024, Los Angeles Dodgers' outfielder Andy Pages has certainly lived up to the hype through his first two seasons. The 25-year-old slashed .272/.313/.461 with 27 home runs in 2025, and operated center field almost every game in those playoffs to help the Dodgers win back-to-back championships.

Pages has already proven himself a valuable asset to the Dodgers' dynasty. But after today's performance against the Houston Astros, he might be considered a franchise cornerstone.

ANDY PAGES 3-HOMER GAME! pic.twitter.com/tqWl1i38z4

— MLB (@MLB) May 6, 2026

Pages just experienced the first three-homer game of his young career. In total, Pages went 3-for-5 with six RBIs. The Dodgers won 12-2.

That's right. On his own, Pages would've been able to defeat the Astros today. That's mighty impressive for a talent as young as Pages.

Pages' three home runs

Pages' first home run of the night came in the third inning off starter Lance McCullers Jr. The Dodgers were already leading 3-1, but Pages' dinger cemented a five-run inning for his team.

McCullers was pulled from the game after this home run.

Andy Pages makes it a 5-run inning for the @Dodgers! pic.twitter.com/55QChILgOl

— MLB (@MLB) May 6, 2026

Pages' second homer came just two innings later, with the Dodgers leading 7-1. This two-run home run came off reliever Jason Alexander.

Andy Pages connects for his second homer of the game! pic.twitter.com/RMbdWyHjbU

— MLB (@MLB) May 6, 2026

Pages' third and final home run came in the top of the ninth inning, with the game already well in hand. It was so well in hand, in fact, that the Astros opted to put César Salazar, normally a catcher, on the mound. Pages took the second pitch of the at-bat to deep left field.

ANDY PAGES 3-HOMER GAME! pic.twitter.com/tqWl1i38z4

— MLB (@MLB) May 6, 2026

Did Pages have any multi-homer games prior?

Pages had recorded two multi-homer games prior to today's performance, both coming in 2025:

• June 17 vs. San Diego Padres: Pages goes 4-for-4 with two home runs and three RBIs; Dodgers win 8-6
• August 25 vs. Cincinnati Reds: Pages goes 2-for-4 with two home runs and four RBIs; Dodgers win 7-0

So far in 2026, the Dodgers are 6-0 in games where Pages homers.

Andy Pages stats

Pages is enjoying the best season of his career thus far. Not only is he on-pace to set new career highs in batting average (.336) and OPS (.938), but he's also nearly on pace for a 30-30 season.

As it stands, Pages is on trajectory for 35 home runs and 26 stolen bases. If he can reach that 30-30 threshold, Pages would become just the fourth Dodger in franchise history to accomplish that feat — Shohei Ohtani (2024), Matt Kemp (2011), Raul Mondesi (1997, 1999).

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Andy Pages stays hot, logs first 3-home run game in win over Astros

Adam Ottavino has not worked a game in the ESPN booth yet, but the veteran of 15 years in the big leagues is not going to be nervous to call it as he sees it.  

Just a year removed from the clubhouse, Ottavino made that clear on Wednesday, a day before his analyst debut with ESPN for the St. Louis Cardinals-San Diego Padres game. He didn’t hedge when asked about the controversy of the day: Detroit Tigers pitcher Framber Valdez drilling Trevor Story up and in with a 94-mile an hour fastball on Tuesday night, one pitch after the Tigers’ lefty surrendered back-to-back home runs to the Boston Red Sox. Benches cleared. Valdez was ejected and on Wednesday afternoon MLB suspended him six games. Tigers manager A.J. Hinch, who was clearly unhappy with Valdez’s stunt, was suspended one game.  

Ottavino, who has been hosting his own podcast since leaving the game, did not hedge.  

“Did I think it was intentional? Yes. Do I think it’s a horrible look? Yes? Do I know for sure? No,” Ottavino said in an interview with USA TODAY. “Whether this is intentional or not, it certainly looks awfully nefarious. It’s no wonder the Red Sox reacted the way they did. I think they were justified.” 

OPINION: Framber Valdez meltdown is just latest act of selfish immaturity

That is the kind of candor that Ottavino said he will bring to the booth.  

“My goal is always to tell the truth,” the former Yankees and Mets reliever said. “I don’t make it personal, but I will let you know the truth of how things will be received.” 

The 40-year-old Ottavino will work alongside Todd Frazier and play-by-play man Mike Monaco on Thursday, May 7 for the second game of ESPN’s doubleheader. He said preparing for a game in the booth as an analyst isn’t all that different from preparing as a pitcher: build a plan and be ready to pivot when the game demands it.  

He also has strong opinions and insight on the automated ball-strike system and how it is reshaping how pitchers need to think. Ottavino said he sees it changing behavior on both sides of the plate.  

“Walks are up, and it’s not because of net challenges favoring the offense,” he said. “Batters have more trust that the strike zone is the strike zone. They can challenge if need be. We’ve seen guys chase less on borderline pitches knowing they have a challenge in their back pocket.” 

 The practical implication for pitchers is significant, he said. The ABS pickup point sits 8 ½ inches behind the front of the plate, which renders a whole category of previously productive pitches far less effective. Pitches that start in the zone and trend out, which hitters would chase, are far less effective. Under ABS, Ottavino sees an opportunity for pitches that start off the plate and trend back.  

He said if he were still pitching, he would be using a high curveball more.  

“A ball that appears high and drops into the zone midway over the plate, that is going to clip the ABS zone and be called a strike pretty often,” he said. "You might see more people attempt that.” 

Ottavino said he loves ABS and favors keeping the challenge system as is and not moving to the fully automated calls.  

“I love that players and umpires alike are getting humbled at times with their knowledge of the zone,” Ottavino said. “In a world where usually the more technology you add the more color you strip out of the game, I think this one actually added a little bit of that. “ 

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Adam Ottavino comments on Framber Valdez incident ahead of ESPN debut

Wednesday notes…

• STREAKING, PART 1: In each of the Cubs’ seven consecutive wins, their opponent has had a winning record going into the game. This is the Cubs’ 109th winning streak of at least seven games since 1901. It is only the fifth in any of those streaks during which they won seven in a row against teams that were above .500. Wins tonight and tomorrow would tie their all-time record of nine in a row, Sept. 16-27, 1935. Those were the final nine of 21 straight wins, still the National League record. They have won seven in a row vs. teams with winning records four previous times: May 7-16, 1920; June 28-July 3, 1967; May 2-8, 2016; and April 27-May 5, 2019. During their recent 10-game winning streak, the Cubs won only one game vs. an opponent that was above .500: the last game, at Los Angeles vs. the Dodgers. (Courtesy BCB’s JohnW53)
• STREAKING, PART 2: The Cubs have won 13 straight games at home. It is their 19th double-digit home winning streak of the Modern Era, which began in 1901, and their 15th at Wrigley Field, their home since 1916. This is their first such streak since they won 14 in a row, May 18-June 22, 2008. A 13-game streak in 2001 and a 10-game streak in 1998 are their only others of the kind since 1970. Their record is 18 straight, Sept. 4-22, 1935, during a surge that lifted them to the pennant. The 2008 streak was one of five of 14 games. The 2001 streak was the only one of 13. The 2001 streak was ended when the Brewers scored a ninth-inning run off Kerry Wood and held on to win, 2-1. The 14th win in 2008 was by 7-1, completing a three-game sweep of the White Sox at home. The Cubs’ seven runs came on eight hits and seven walks. Eric Patterson and Aramis Ramirez smacked solo homers. (Courtesy BCB’s JohnW53)
• STREAKING, PART 3: The Cubs are 17-3 in their last 20 games, their best 20-game record since they also were 17-3 from July 28-Aug. 18, 2016. They also were 17-3 from July 27-Aug. 17. They were 17-3 from May 19-June 12, 2001 and from June 16-July 3, 1967. Those are their only 17-3 spans after 1945. They had 77, many overlapping, in 1903-45. (Courtesy BCB’s JohnW53)
• CUBS vs. REDS: This is the Cubs’ 83rd series vs. the Reds at Wrigley Field since 1994, first season of the Central Division. It is only the 17th of the 83 that was scheduled to be more than three games. The Cubs’ wins Monday and yesterday made this series just the second of the 17 in which the Cubs won the first two games. They went on to sweep four games in 2018. They went 3-1 in four series, including the most recent before the current one, in 2023. (Courtesy BCB’s JohnW53)

Cubs lineup:

Game three vs. the Reds.

Watch the game live on @WatchMarquee. pic.twitter.com/e6MnXNwQ7w

— Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) May 6, 2026

Reds lineup:

Game three with the Cubs.

Powered by @PNCBankpic.twitter.com/VBzYGPz06h

— Cincinnati Reds (@Reds) May 6, 2026

Colin Rea, RHP vs. Brady Singer, RHP

Apart from one rough start vs. the Dodgers, Colin Rea has been rock-solid in the Cubs rotation after sliding in following the season-ending injury to Cade Horton.

Last year Rea had a rough time vs. the Reds: Three starts, 6.62 ERA, four home runs allowed in 17.2 innings. All of that damage came in his first two starts against them, though. The last one, Sept. 18, 2025 in Cincinnati, was excellent: seven innings, four hits, one run, 11 strikeouts.

Do that again, Colin.

Despite the Cubs playing four series and 13 games against the Reds last year, Brady Singer did not face the Cubs at all in 2025. His last start vs. the Cubs was July 26, 2024 in Kansas City, where he threw seven shutout innings.

Singer is not having a good year in 2026, though. He’s already allowed seven home runs in just 29.2 innings. Perhaps one (or more) Cubs can take him deep tonight.

Here is the weather forecast for the area around Wrigley Field.

Today’s game is on Marquee Sports Network.

Here is the complete MLB.com live streaming page for today.

MLB.com Gameday

Baseball-reference.com game preview

Please visit our SB Nation Reds site Red Reporter. If you do go there to interact with Reds fans, please be respectful, abide by their individual site rules and serve as a good representation of Cub fans in general and BCB in particular.

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.

Discuss amongst yourselves.

Ball bounces Phillies' way, snap southpaw skid against Athletics originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

For most of Wednesday night, it felt like the Phillies were slipping back into a familiar trap.

Another left-handed starter. Another slow start offensively. Another reminder of one of the clearest issues that has followed them all season.

Then the eighth inning changed it, with some good fortune coming their way.

Down a run, the Phillies put together a late rally against Oakland’s bullpen and came back for a 6-3 win over the Athletics at Citizens Bank Park, their eighth victory in their last nine games.

Kyle Schwarber walked. Athletics second baseman Jeff McNeil made a throwing error on what could have been a Bryce Harper forceout. That opened the door. The Phillies had caught a break.

Adolis García singled to load the bases. Then Edmundo Sosa came through again, punching a two-run single to give the Phillies a 4-3 lead.

Sosa battled through a long at-bat and stayed with a sweeper long enough to shoot it through.

“I just wanted to be aggressive at the plate,” Sosa said through Phillies translator Diego D’Aniello. “That was my mindset at the moment. I wanted to put the ball in play.”

He did exactly that, and the Phillies kept going. With one out, Brandon Marsh lined his third hit of the night to push the lead to two. Justin Crawford then brought in another run on a groundout.

That was enough to finish off the first Phillies win in a game started by a left-hander this season. They had been 0-10 in those games, their longest losing streak against left-handed starters by a National League club since at least 2000.

It did not erase the concern. It did change the ending.

A’s southpaw Jeffrey Springs was solid, allowing two runs over 5 1/3 innings. The Phillies had to chip away. Marsh tripled the other way in a left-on-left matchup in the fifth and came around to score. García homered in the sixth. But the bigger damage came after Springs left.

That was the difference from so many of their earlier losses to left-handed starters.

The Phillies did not solve everything against Springs. They made sure the game did not end with him.

“The middle of the order tonight kept pressure on them all night,” interim manager Don Mattingly said. “And we finally broke through again late.”

Marsh has been one of the biggest reasons the offense has looked different lately. He finished with three hits for the second straight game and is now batting .336, fourth in the Majors. Over his last 15 games, he is hitting .400/.424/.600 with 22 hits.

The Phillies’ outfielder laced two hits against lefties on the night. Those matchups for Marsh have been a talking point around him for years.

“You just got to treat it just like it’s a right-hander,” Marsh said. “That’s the best advice that I was given coming up. It’s tough. It’s a tough situation, but it’s part of it. It makes it more beautiful when you succeed.”

The Phillies still have a larger issue against left-handed pitching, especially with their right-handed bats. They had six right-handed hitters in the lineup Wednesday, and that group has not done enough in those matchups this season.

Entering the night, Phillies right-handed hitters against southpaws had the lowest batting average and OPS by any team in those matchups dating back to 1920.

Sosa has become one of the exceptions. He has quietly hit .333 with an .889 OPS against right-handers, too, which has given the Phillies more confidence leaving him in spots where a pinch-hitter might otherwise seem possible. He could play his way into more at-bats with Alec Bohm continuing to struggle at third.

That preparation is not accidental.

“I’m a firm believer in my routine,” Sosa said. “My routine is a big part of it. It builds confidence for me before every single game.”

The Phillies needed that kind of at-bat because Zack Wheeler kept them close.

In his first home start since Aug. 2 of last year, Wheeler allowed three earned runs over 6 1/3 innings and 98 pitches. He left to a loud standing ovation and now has a 3.12 ERA through three starts.

His velocity continued to tick up. His four-seamer averaged 95 mph, up from 94.3 mph through his first two starts. His sinker, splitter and cutter were all up about a mile per hour, too.

Wheeler, humbly, was not fully satisfied.

“Honestly, I felt a little off,” Wheeler said. “The ball was coming out well, but just a little off, especially with the sweeper, curveball a little bit.”

Mattingly saw enough to feel encouraged.

“I felt like the ball jumped out of his hand a little better today,” Mattingly said. “He’s been good every time now, so I don’t want to make it sound like he hasn’t been good, but for me, just watching from the side, you felt like there was a little more finish to his stuff.”

Wheeler did not get the same swing-and-miss he had in his first two outings, but his four-seamer remains a weapon. Opponents are 1-for-16 against it this season with six strikeouts.

More importantly, he gave the Phillies a chance to win on a night when the offense needed time.

“All that matters is we won,” Wheeler said.

That has become the theme lately. The Phillies are not playing perfect baseball, but they are playing better baseball. They are finding different ways to win.

Marsh credited the pitching staff for keeping them in position Wednesday.

“Hats off to our pitching staff,” Marsh said. “The pitching kept us in a position to do what we did tonight.”

The lefty issue is not gone. One late rally does not wipe away the first 10 losses against opposing southpaw starters or the season-long struggles in those matchups.

But Wednesday was different. And under Mattingly, the Phillies are still riding the wave.

“You want to ride this wave as long as possible,” Mattingly said. “There are storms out there coming at some point. But when you’re catching some breaks and getting some big hits, you just want to ride this as long as you can.”

Tigers pitcher Framber Valdez was suspended six games by MLB for “intentionally throwing” at Red Sox shortstop Trevor Story on Tuesday, the league announced.

He was also fined an undisclosed amount.

Manager A.J. Hinch was also suspended for one game and fined an undisclosed amount due to Valdez’s actions, and he won’t manage the series finale against Boston on Wednesday.

After giving up back-to-back home runs, Framber Valdez hit Trevor Story, and the benches cleared

Valdez has been ejectedpic.twitter.com/HPtJbMcny5

— Just Baseball (@JustBB_Media) May 5, 2026

Valdez, 32, was ejected during the fourth inning Tuesday after plunking Story on the first pitch of an at-bat following back-to-back Boston home runs that put them up 10-2.

The Red Sox were furious and the benches cleared after Story was hit.

Valdez claimed after the game that he did not intentionally hit Story, but it seems even Hinch wasn’t buying his pitcher’s denial.

“I understand their frustration, I understand the optics, I understand the whole thing. We play a really good brand of baseball here, that didn’t feel like it,” Hinch said after the game. “That’s not judging intent, I have no idea, but I know when you go out on the field and you end up sort of in those confrontations you usually feel like you’re in your right. It didn’t feel good being out there, so I understand their frustrations, I understand the moment and it was a low moment of a frustrating night.”

The Tigers signed Valdez to a three-year, $115 million contract in the offseason.

A two-time All-Star, Valdez has a disappointing 4.57 ERA and 1.41 WHIP through three starts due to a pair of clunkers. His seven earned runs allowed Tuesday inflated his ERA from 3.35, and he gave up eight earned runs in five innings to the Twins on April 8.

He has five quality starts for Detroit.

Box Score

The Brewers took control early and never looked back, cruising to a 6-2 win behind a four-run first inning on Wednesday afternoon. They will get a well-earned day off tomorrow before returning home to face the 25-11 Yankees, who currently hold the second-best record in baseball.

Milwaukee did all of their damage in the first with two outs. Brice Turang ripped a two-out single into right field, and Cardinals starter Andre Pallante hit William Contreras with a sinker. Jake Bauers, who has a .983 OPS with runners in scoring position after today’s game, sliced a single of his own into left. Turang slid home well ahead of the throw to give the Brewers a 1-0 lead.

Up next was Andrew Vaughn, who went 0-for-4 in his return from injury on Monday. Apparently one game was all Vaughn needed to get acclimated, as he worked Pallante to seven pitches before sending a fastball over the wall in left-center field for a three-run homer. All of a sudden, the Brewers were up four runs before Brandon Sproat even touched the mound.

Bow down to King Vaughn https://t.co/kqLgK05B5Fpic.twitter.com/feUvsa2byl

— Milwaukee Brewers (@Brewers) May 6, 2026

Sproat gave up a first-inning double to Iván Herrera that easily could have been ruled an error on third baseman David Hamilton, but it was the only hit he allowed across four innings.

The rookie right-hander is still far from a finished product. He walked three batters and hit Cardinals outfielder Nathan Church while trying to field a bunt attempt, and he needed 76 pitches to get through four innings. Still, the flashes are obvious. At times, Sproat looks borderline untouchable before suddenly losing the handle for a couple batters, or an inning. It’s hard to complain about one hit over four shutout innings from a pitcher who is still developing.

Sproat escapes the jam with a timely double play ✌️

→ https://t.co/68EQQYUZ6Zpic.twitter.com/1LhRN0zfYX

— Brewers.TV (@BrewersdotTV) May 6, 2026

While Sproat kept the Cardinals scoreless through four, Milwaukee got an insurance run in the top of the fifth. The rally started with a one-out infield hit by Joey Ortiz, who eventually scored on a wild pitch by Pallante.

DL Hall and Aaron Ashby continued what Sproat had started by shutting the Cardinals down through the seventh inning. At this point, St. Louis still had just one hit — Herrera’s first-inning double — but Trevor Megill, who hadn’t allowed a run in his previous seven appearances, surrendered a pair of hard-hit singles and a run in the eighth.

Both teams scored a run in the ninth to bring the game to its final score of Brewers 6, Cardinals 2. The top of the ninth started with Hamilton and Ortiz both striking out looking, but the Brewers mounted another two-out rally. Frelick kept the inning alive with a single, and Jackson Chourio — who’d already singled earlier in the game — hit a 108.7-mph rocket over the head of Walker in right field and off the wall. Frelick scored without a throw to give Chourio his first RBI of the season.

Jackson Chourio has six hits and three doubles across his first nine AB 😳 pic.twitter.com/TcCmEyCUZj

— Milwaukee Brewers (@Brewers) May 6, 2026

The Cardinals got their second and final run off of Abner Uribe, who allowed a leadoff double in the ninth to Nolan Gorman. Gorman would come around to score on a pretty uncharacteristic error by Ortiz, who couldn’t come up with a soft grounder from Alec Burleson.

With Chourio and Vaughn back in the lineup, the Brewers’ offense looks different. Chourio, Vaughn, Frelick, and Bauers all recorded multi-hit games, while the pitching staff held the Cardinals to just four hits. Milwaukee is now three games over .500 as they welcome the Yankees on Friday. Jacob Misiorowski is on the hill for the Crew, with the first pitch scheduled for 6:40 p.m.

On the latest episode of Yahoo Sports’ “Baseball Bar-B-Cast,” hosts Jordan Shusterman and Jake Mintz delved into the chaos surrounding Framber Valdez’s recent actions on the mound that got him a five-game suspension, a moment that could have significant implications for a Detroit Tigers team already reeling from injuries and setbacks.

Here’s a breakdown of what happened, why it matters and what it means for the Tigers moving forward.

What happened with Framber Valdez?

During a rough Tuesday night outing against the Boston Red Sox, Valdez let his frustrations spill over. After being roughed up by the Red Sox for 10 runs (seven earned), including surrendering back-to-back home runs to Willson Contreras and Wilyer Abreu, Valdez plunked Trevor Story with a fastball. The intentional nature of the pitch was clear to most watching, and as Shusterman put it, “This is one of the more obvious intentional hit by pitches we've ever seen.”

Despite Valdez’s postgame denial, Tigers manager A.J. Hinch all but confirmed the egregiousness of the act:

“We play a really good brand of baseball here,” Hinch said, via the Detroit News. “That didn't feel like it. I'm not judging intent, but I know when you go out on the field in those confrontations, you usually feel like you are in your right. It didn't feel good being out there.”

This rare admission from Hinch, stopping just short of naming Valdez’s intent outright, underscores how out-of-line the moment was.

It should be noted that Tigers broadcaster Andy Dirks, hilariously, didn’t see what the fuss was about:

Why Valdez’s plunking decision hurts more than Trevor Story’s shoulder

The Tigers, once seen as the AL Central frontrunner, suddenly find themselves on shaky ground. Valdez’s suspension exacerbates a pitching rotation already decimated with injuries.

Tarik Skubal, Detroit’s ace, is sidelined after elbow surgery with an uncertain return. Other starters — Casey Mize, Reese Olson, Troy Melton, Justin Verlander and Jackson Jobe — are also dealing with injuries.

With so many arms down, Valdez was supposed to be the stabilizer. Now, with a five-game suspension, Detroit faces another hole.

“For a Tigers team right now that cannot afford to lose anybody ... he’s going to get suspended long enough to miss at least one start,” Shusterman said. “And that’s just the last thing the Tigers need right now.”

The pitching staff has become a liability in the AL Central race. And one of the reasons isn’t due to injury.

Mintz pulled no punches in criticizing Valdez.

“It’s embarrassing and it’s selfish and it’s stupid and it doesn’t accomplish anything … There is nothing to come of this. For Framber Valdez, there is only negatives. That is why it is such an irrational decision. If I’m on the Tigers, I’m so frickin’ steamed about it.”

Hinch, who vouched for Valdez in the offseason, will serve a one-game suspension.

In a season already teetering because of injuries, Valdez’s poor decision to throw at a batter could haunt the Tigers well beyond a single game. As the dust settles, Detroit must now manage not only a battered pitching staff but also the fallout from a moment of anger that may have lasting consequences.

As Shusterman succinctly put it:

“It’s just so disappointing … It’s a really crappy feeling for him. And really disappointing moment for the Tigers. Made an ugly week.”

It’s never good news to find out that your team’s closer is going to be sidelined with a serious hamstring injury, and it’s definitely no fun to hear that he may be out for most of two months. However, given how bad last night’s injury looked for Cincinnati Reds closer Emilio Pagan, that’s actually a lot better than I think most all of us expected to hear.

It’s better than Pagan himself expected, too, as he was convinced his season was done.

The diagnosis is a Grade 2 strain, and he’ll be out for 4-8 weeks, per The Enquirer’s Gordon Wittenmyer.

Reds closer Pagán says he’s got Grade 2 strain in the hammy. Said docs say 4-8 weeks before he returns to mound for Reds. Better than he expected after level of pain Tuesday night.

“Leaving the field yesterday I thought my season was done.”

— Gordon Wittenmyer (@GDubMLB) May 6, 2026

The Reds placed Pagan on the 15-day IL earlier on Wednesday as part of a larger roster shuffle.

If it’s the short-end of the timeline, we could see Pagan back with the Reds around the first week of June. Even if it’s on the longer side of the estimate, that would put him back with the club for the final week or two before the All Star break in July.

In other words, despite the ugly way it looked last night, we may even see him in a Reds uniform before we see the return of Hunter Greene.

That’s excellent news to a bullpen that’s already had its share of troubleswith Pagan around. In the meantime, the club recalled Tejay Antone to help backfill the bullpen, activated Pierce Johnson off the bereavement list, and is anticipating the return of lefty Caleb Ferguson in roughly a week after he’s already looked good in a pair of rehab assignments with AA Chattanooga.

Get well soon, Emilio.

Here are the lineups for game 2 of the series. Let’s discuss.

For the Phillies:

Let's keep it rolling#RingTheBellpic.twitter.com/xpM5tWHqE6

— Philadelphia Phillies (@Phillies) May 6, 2026

For the Athletics:

Game ✌️ pic.twitter.com/gLDvcsPtw4

— Athletics (@Athletics) May 6, 2026

Tyler Glasnow left his start after only one inning, but the Dodgers’ struggling offense picked up the slack in a cathartic 12-2 bludgeoning of the Houston Astros on Wednesday afternoon getaway day at Daikin Park in Houston.

Held to only one run in Tuesday night’s loss, the Dodgers were just 2-3 on the road trip, scoring two or fewer runs in five of their previous seven games. Dating back to April 21, the start of a series in San Francisco, the Dodgers averaged just 3.64 runs in their previous 14 games, with an 86 wRC+ that ranked 27th in the majors that fueled a 6-8 record.

When Glasnow walked off the mound with lower back pain while warming up for the second inning, the game was tied at one apiece. The Dodgers scored each of their first three runs on Wednesday on wild pitches, which was very funny for an offense having so much trouble scoring of late, including going six games without a home run last week, their longest power drought in a dozen years.

But the setup for those first three runs — one in the second inning, two in the third — was promising, with a double and single in the second, followed by a walk and a double in the third. The Dodgers did not stop reaching base, then began to plate runs in a more traditional manner.

After the third wild pitch by Lance McCullers Jr., Freddie Freeman and Kyle Tucker walked, then with two outs Andy Pages gave the Dodgers some rare breathing room of late by unloading for a three-run home run to left field.

Andy with a Houston Rocket. pic.twitter.com/2L2avpE1b1

— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) May 6, 2026

That snapped a homerless drought of 83 plate appearances for Pages, dating back to April 13. He did not have a lapse until his next home run, lining a ball into the Crawford Boxes for a two-run shot in the fifth inning, turning this one into a rout.

Pages even added a third home run in the ninth inning, off position player César Salazar. He joins Max Muncy as the two Dodgers with three home runs in a game this season. Six runs batted in Thursday are a career high for Pages, whose hit streak reached eight games.

The first two home runs for Pages were on two-seam fastballs, something manager Dave Roberts before the game identified as a weakness in the scuffling offense of late.

“We don’t hit the fastball. It’s just fact that teams in baseball that are offensive hit the fastball. When you’re passive, you’re late on the fastball,” Roberts told reporters in Houston, as shown on SportsNet LA. “You’re not scaring pitchers out of the hitting zone, as opposed to being aggressive and scaring them out of the hitting zone. That starts by getting on the fastball.

Shohei Ohtani’s double in the third inning snapped an 0-for-18 skid at the plate, part of a two-hit day that also included a walk. Freeman doubled for the second game in a row while using a new batting stance with his front foot facing inward to help keep him from flying open on his swing, and also walked twice.

Hyeseong Kim tripled and singled. Tucker had two hits and reached base twice in all three games of the series in one of his former home ballparks. Alex Freeland singled and walked, reaching base eight times during the series.

All that offense provided the perfect backdrop for a bullpen that had to get the final 24 outs on Wednesday, their toughest test of the season. But with Dodgers starting pitchers going deep into games with regularity this season, including at least six innings from the rotation in each of the previous four games, Los Angeles relievers were well rested for the task.

Jack Dreyer and Edgardo Henriquez did the heavy lifting, each completing two scoreless innings. Kyle Hurt struck out two in his scoreless inning, followed by Blake Treinen allowing a run on two hits in his one inning.

Tanner Scott pitched a perfect eighth, then Brock Stewart struck out two in a perfect ninth just hours after he was activated off the injured list. It was Stewart’s first game for the Dodgers since last August 9, with September shoulder surgery in between.

“It’s a good feeling, and whatever I can do to help, I’m going to do it,” Stewart told Kirsten Watson on SportsNet LA before the game. “I like where my stuff’s at right now, so I think I can help the team, and I’m really looking forward to it. … It feels fun to throw the ball again, let’s go.”

Wednesday particulars

Home runs: Andy Pages 3 (8); Brice Matthews (4)

WP — Jack Dreyer (2-1): 2 IP, 1 hit, 1 strikeout

LP — Lance McCullers Jr. (2-3): 2 2/3 IP, 4 hits, 6 runs, 3 walks, 4 strikeouts

Up next

The Dodgers are off on Thursday before starting a homestand against the Atlanta Braves, owners of the best record in baseball beginning Friday night at Dodger Stadium (7:10 p.m., SportsNet LA). Emmet Sheehan starts the series opener, with Chris Sale on the mound for Atlanta.