May 20, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Phillies starting pitcher Aaron Nola (27) checks a runner against the Cincinnati Reds in the second inning at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Ross-Imagn Images | Kyle Ross-Imagn Images
The Phillies and Reds played the rubber game of their series on Wednesday afternoon. The offense wasn’t great, but the main problem was that Aaron Nola and the bullpen simply couldn’t keep the Reds from scoring. The result was a 9-4 loss and the team’s first series loss under manager Don Mattingly.
The Phillies scored a first inning run thanks to Trea Turner walking, stealing a base, advancing on an error, and then going home on Bryce Harper’s sacrifice fly. It was a solid start and not at all representative of how the rest of the day would go.
Nola got the start for the Phillies and did Aaron Nola things. He had a clean first inning, but allowed a series of hits in the second. A double, single, and double and the game was tied.
Thanks to an RBI groundout and another single, the Reds were off to a 3-1 lead.
After Nola pitched out of trouble in the third, a leadoff triple by Blake Dunn and single by Higgins extended the lead to 4-1.
Nola pitched a clean fifth to end his afternoon. It wasn’t a disastrous outing, but it certainly wasn’t good either, and far too similar to most of his previous starts this year.
The bullpen didn’t fare much better. Back-to-back doubles in the sixth against Tim Mayza gave the Reds their fifth run.
The Phillies bats woke up at this point, and tried to make a game of it. Andrew Abbott kept the Phillies’ offense in check most of the day, but Alec Bohm chased him with a solo home run.
Going against reliever Brock Burke, Brandon Marsh singled, and Edmundo Sosa got the Phillies within one.
Mayza started the next inning, but after a single, Don Mattingly tried a mid-inning pitching change. Orion Kerkering was notoriously bad with inheriting runners in 2025, and he wasn’t good at it again on Wedneaday.
After giving up a single, he was on the verge of escaping unscathed, but an RBI double ended that dream.
The Phillies didn’t do much offensively after that, and it didn’t even matter that Jose Alvarado gave up a two-run home run in the ninth.
After an off day on Thursday, the Phillies will welcome the Guardians to town. Cristopher Sanchez will be on the mound, so there’s hope that the Phillies will be a little better at run prevention than they were on Wednesday.
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The Yankees continue their four-game series against the Toronto Blue Jays tonight, May 20.
Tonight’s game will air exclusively on Prime Video for anyone living in the Yankees’ TV market, including New York City.
The Yankees are currently leading the series 2-0; both wins so far have been by just one run. Ben Rice scored a two-run home run that put the Yankees ahead for good in the fifth inning of yesterday’s game.
blue jays vs. yankees: what to know
When: May 20, 7:05 p.m. ET
Where: Yankee Stadium (Bronx, New York)
Channel: streaming exclusive
Streaming: Prime Video (try it free)
Here’s everything you need to know about streaming tonight’s Yankees game on Prime Video.
Blue Jays-Yankees start time
First pitch at the Blue-Jays vs. Yankees game is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. ET tonight, May 20.
What channel is tonight’s Yankees game on?
Tonight’s (May 20) Yankees vs. Blue Jays game is exclusive to Prime Video in New York State, northern and central New Jersey, Connecticut, and northeast Pennsylvania.
How to watch the Blue Jays vs. Yankees game for free:
Subscribers in New York State, northern and central New Jersey, Connecticut, and northeast Pennsylvania can watch tonight’s New York Yankees game exclusively on Prime Video. The game won’t be airing on the YES Network, as it’s exclusive to Prime Video.
If you aren’t a Prime Video subscriber already, you can get started with a 30-day Amazon Prime free trial, including Prime perks like free two-day shipping, exclusive deals, and more. After the free trial, Amazon Prime costs $14.99/month or $139/year.
TRY PRIME VIDEO FOR FREE
All 18-24-year-olds, regardless of student status, can sign up for a discounted Prime for Young Adults membership as well. After a six-month free trial, you’ll pay 50% off the standard Prime monthly price of $14.99/month — just $7.49/month — for up to six years.
Blue Jays vs. Yankees starting pitchers
Trey Yesavage (1-1, 1.40 ERA) will start for the Blue Jays. Cam Schlittler (6-1, 1.35 ERA) will be on the mound for the Yankees.
When is the next Yankees game on Prime Video?
The Yankees will be on Prime Video again next Wednesday, May 27 at 7:40 p.m. ET when they face the Kansas City Royals.
This article was written by Angela Tricarico, Commerce Streaming Reporter for Post Wanted Shopping, Page Six, and Decider.com. Angela keeps readers up to date with cord-cutter-friendly deals, and information on how to watch your favorite sports teams, TV shows, and movies on every streaming service. Not only does Angela test and compare the streaming services she writes about to ensure readers are getting the best prices, but she’s also a superfan specializing in the intersection of shopping, tech, sports, and pop culture. When she’s not writing about (or watching) TV, movies, and sports, she’s also keeping up on the underrated perfume dupes at Bath & Body Works and testing headphones. Prior to joining Decider and The New York Post in 2023, she wrote about streaming and consumer tech at Insider Reviews.
TAMPA, FL - FEBRUARY 26: Payton Henry #79 of the New York Yankees works out before a spring training game against the Atlanta Braves at George M. Steinbrenner Field on February 26, 2026 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by New York Yankees/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders catcher Payton Henry has had this week circled on the schedule for a while.
For the first time this season, the RailRiders face the Lehigh Valley IronPigs, Triple-A affiliate of the Philadelphia Phillies. They opened a six-game series Tuesday night at Coca-Cola Park in Allentown, Pa., with a 15-4 victory. Henry played for Lehigh Valley last season. Now, he is on the other side of the intrastate rivalry.
“It’s going to be fun. I still have a lot of buddies over there,” Henry said. “Lot of the coaching staff is the same, lot of the players are the same, some guys I made some really good relationships with. It’s going to be fun. That park is a good park, they bring people there and people love showing up. I think it’s a really fun place to play whether you’re at home or visiting.
“It’s a great place, I appreciated my time with them. It’ll be fun. I know they’ve got a pretty good team and obviously we have a really good team. I think it will be a good time.”
Because of the New York Yankees’ rivalry with the Boston Red Sox and New York Mets, people try to make it a big deal when the RailRiders play the Worcester Red Sox or Syracuse Mets. However, Lehigh Valley is the RailRiders’ true rival. They are separated by just 76 miles. The winner of the season series brings home the IronRail Trophy. Plus, from 1989 to 2006, Scranton/Wilkes-Barre was home to the Phillies’ Triple-A affiliate in the form of the Red Barons.
“For this area, I know it’s a big deal when we play each other,” Henry said. “Being on the other side, this team whooped our butts last year a few times. We kind of went back and forth. Hopefully, we can take the cake (this year) and play some good ball. It’s exciting for people around here. It makes it kind of cool and gives us a little more edge to play with.”
Last season, Henry was a bit of a thorn for the RailRiders. He had 11 home runs and 47 RBI for the IronPigs, but five of those home runs and 15 RBI came against the RailRiders, including two home runs on Opening Day in a 5-4 Lehigh Valley win. He also is the last opponent to hit a grand slam against the RailRiders.
“Oh yeah, everybody’s talked to me about it,” Henry said. “I loved it last year. Now I’m the bad guy all of the sudden. Hopefully we can go over there and get some wins from them and do some good things against them, too. But I’ve been talked to about it a few times. It’s all in good fun.”
The Yankees are the fifth organization for which Henry has played. He was drafted by the Milwaukee Brewers in the sixth round in 2016 (171st overall) out of Pleasant Grove High School in Utah. He’s also played in the minors for affiliates of the Miami Marlins, Toronto Blue Jays, and Phillies. He does have 20 games of major league experience with the Marlins in 2021 and 2022. He made his MLB debut on Sept. 17, 2021, against the Pittsburgh Pirates and got his first hit in his second at-bat — a double off Wil Crowe leading off the bottom of the fifth.
Henry was signed as a free agent by the Yankees in December. In 27 games with the RailRiders this season, he is batting .265 (22-for-83) with four doubles, four home runs and 12 RBI. He and Ali Sánchez have split the catching duties, both sitting in the wings in case of a need at the big-league level should Austin Wells or J.C. Escarra miss time with an injury — especially because it sounds like the Yankees are playing it safe with Ben Rice’s sensational bat and keeping him away from catcher.
“Payton’s been doing an amazing job receiving, throwing,” RailRiders manager Shelley Duncan said. “He started off slow, but has been picking it up. He’s been a good presence at the plate.
“We’re very lucky here. We’ve got two catchers that are big-league catchers and it’s a privilege to watch them.”
Sharing time with another catcher is nothing new for Henry. He said he’s done it the last four years with other organizations and is comfortable with it.
“I think that’s how minor league baseball has gone, especially Triple-A. You’re going to split time with another guy and Ali’s awesome,” Henry said. “Obviously you want to play every day and be in the lineup every day. That’s just not how it works some times. But it’s been great here, I like it. The coaching staff have been super helpful, we’ve got a good group of guys. That ultimately takes the cake on everything. When you have good teammates and the clubhouse has good energy, it makes it easy to show up every day.”
Being with the RailRiders has enabled Henry to catch the Yankees’ top pitching prospects: No. 2 Elmer Rodriguez, No. 4 Carlos Lagrange and No. 21 Brendan Beck.
“They’ve done great so far. It’s electric stuff,” Henry said. “You’ve got Brendan who can pinpoint the ball wherever he wants. Carlos throws the ball a million miles per hour it seems like. Elmer’s just dicing people left and right. So it’s been really fun. Just kind of watching them grow, kind of being an older guy in this setting, watching them have their successes and have their failures and see the way they deal with it, they’re doing a really good job with it. I’m happy for them.”
Speaking of Beck, he was named the International League Pitcher of the Week for the period of May 11th-17th.
Beck was honored for his performance May 13th against the Syracuse Mets at PNC Field. The right-hander allowed one hit in 5.2 shutout innings with one walk and matched his season high with nine strikeouts in a 7-0 win. He threw 80 pitches, 58 for strikes.
In nine starts this season, Beck is 3-2 with a 4.63 ERA. He has walked only 10 and struck out 51 in 46.2 innings. He is tied for fifth in the International League in strikeouts.
He made his MLB debut with the Yankees on May 7th against the Texas Rangers at Yankee Stadium. He came on after opener Paul Blackburn and pitched three innings, allowing two runs on two hits — one home run — with three walks and one strikeout. The Yankees won, 9-2.
“I was super happy for Brendan the way that he was able to go up and have a pretty good outing,” Henry said. “Anytime you see teammates succeed and go up and do their thing it’s really cool.”
The last RailRiders pitcher to win the IL’s weekly award was Erick Leal last season for the period of July 29-August 3rd.
Andy Pages knew he had to get his timing right. Down 0-2 in the count against San Diego Padres closer Mason Miller and his MLB-best 53.6% strikeout rate, with the go-ahead run 90 feet away in the top of the ninth inning, he knew he had no choice but to be ready for Miller's stuff.
But as he fouled off pitch after pitch, Pages felt his confidence grow.
"I just followed my plan," he told reporters in Spanish. "I fell behind early ... but fouling off those good pitches he was throwing me, I realized that I was 100% going to move the ball forward."
Then, on the ninth pitch of the at-bat, after fouling off the last three in a row from Miller, Pages did exactly that. The 25-year-old slugger connected on a 101.5 mph heater at chest level and sent it looping into right field, just deep enough for Alex Call to tag up from third and narrowly beat the throw at home from Fernando Tatis Jr. to put the Los Angeles Dodgers in position for the 5-4 win — and a half-game lead in the National League West.
"I think that was one of the greatest at-bats I've ever seen in person, and I've been playing a long time," Freddie Freeman told reporters. "That at-bat was incredible. To hit 95 is hard, to hit 100 is even harder. To hit 102, is probably the hardest thing to do."
Just putting a 101.5 mph pitch in play off of Miller — who to that point had only allowed a run scored on pitches above 101 mph 13 times in his big league career — was noteworthy. But the way it happened speaks volumes of the strides Pages has made at the plate.
He fouled off six total pitches, and the last three before his sac fly went as follows: he pulled a 101.4 mph fastball up in the zone to right. Miller then mixed up his velo with an 87 mph slider on the upper inside corner of the plate that Pages popped back into the stands behind home plate. Miller followed that up with another slider, this time at the knees. Pages fouled that one off, too, and shook his head as he stepped back into the box.
"There were pitches that you could see I was late on, but there were also ones that I could've done a lot damage on," he told reporters. "They simply ended up foul, but there were pitches that if I could've pushed them forward, I would've done a little more damage."
Pages' clutch swing ended up being the difference as the Dodgers went on to avenge their 1-0 loss in San Diego the night prior and even up the series. They'll have a chance to create some breathing room in the standings on Wednesday with Shohei Ohtani on the mound and in the lineup for the rubber match.
May 20, 2026; St. Petersburg, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Rays right fielder Jonny DeLuca (21) makes a diving catch against the Baltimore Orioles in the third inning at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images | Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images
On Wednesday afternoon, their last game at home before heading out on the road, the Rays were hoping to continue to widen their lead in the AL East by sweeping the Orioles in their three-game series. To get there, they had Steven Matz on the mound, up against Shane Baz for the Orioles, and if you had to do a double-take on that name, same, because I sometimes forget players aren’t still with us, no matter how long it has been.
Gunnar Henderson got things going for the O’s in the top of the first with a one-out single, followed by a walk to Adley Rutschman. With two on, Matz worked out of the jam and got the final two outs. In the home half, Jonathan Aranda walked, and then, thanks to an ABS challege in the Rays’ favor, Ryan Vilade walked as well. They were both left stranded, though.
The Orioles went 1-2-3 in the top of the second. And just when it looked like the Rays might do the same, Hunter Feduccia got a two-out home run, his first homer in the majors. Taylor Walls walked, but the Rays would need to settle for just the one run.
With one out in the third, Taylor Ward walked thanks to an ABS challenge. Henderson then singled. With two outs, Pete Alonso singled, bringing Ward home and tying up the game. The Rays got the final out of the inning on a night Jonny DeLuca catch that might have just been an excuse to show off his incredible hair.
Junior Caminero started the home half of the third with a single, but Aranda grounded into a double play. They weren’t able to make anything else happen for the inning.
The Orioles went 1-2-3 again in the top of the fourth, and the Rays returned the favor in the bottom of the inning.
Matz was done after four with a final line of 4.0 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 5 K on 67 pitches. With Matz just returning from the IL it makes sense that they don’t want to overwork him. He was replaced by Jesse Scholtens. The O’s managed a two-out single by Henderson, but it was all they managed to get. The Rays went 1-2-3 in the home half.
Pete Alonso broke the tie game in the top of the sixth with a solo home run. Then, with one out and to almost the exact same place in the park, Samuel Basallo hit a solo homer of his own. Jeremiah Jackson singled, but the Rays got out of the danger zone, keeping the lead from getting any bigger. Still, they were going to need to dig themselves out of a hole if they wanted to come away with the win. They didn’t do themselves any favors in the home half, going three-up, three-down.
Ward got a leadoff walk in the seventh, then with one out he advanced to second on a balk, but despite the runner in scoring position, the Orioles weren’t able to make anything happen. Baz was done, being replaced by Tyler Wells, so if you’re keeping track with have a Taylor Walls, a Taylor Ward, and now a Tyler Wells in this game. He got the Rays out in order.
In the top of the eighth, Basallo and Colton Cowser got back-to-back singles with one out in the inning. The Rays did get themselves out of another jam, though, but they were running out of chances to stage a comeback. Anthony Nunez was the new Orioles pitcher in the eighth. Feduccia got a leadoff… bunt? Yup, a little soft bunt down the third base line got him safely to first, so who am I to question it? Highlight of the inning was the O’s challenging a ball call and hearing the home plate umpire with a hot mic go “Oh geez” when he realized it was actually a strike. With one out, Chandler Simpson grounded into a force out to eliminate Feduccia. Caminero fought out a good at-bat and finally got a well-placed single into right to advance Simpson to third and putting the go-ahead run at the plate. Aranda went right into hero mode, hitting a line drive to center that was deep enough to allow both baserunners to score and tying the game up again 3-3.
Vilade walked, and that was it for the pitcher. Rico Garcia was next out of the pen. Richie Palacios then came in, singled to right, and Aranda ran so hard his helmet could not contain his hair. The Rays had the lead. Then the vibes kept things rolling as Palacios stole second and Vilade stole home. A lineout ended the inning but the Rays were now up 5-3.
Ian Seymour came in for the ninth, now just needing to keep the score in check, and he did just that. The Rays made it tense for fun, but they got the sweep when all was said and done.
SAN FRANCISCO, CA - MAY 10: Tyler Mahle #54 of the San Francisco Giants pitches during the game between the Pittsburgh Pirates and the San Francisco Giants at Oracle Park on Sunday, May 10, 2026 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Kavin Mistry/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
The San Francisco Giants wrap up this three-game road series against the Arizona Diamondbacks this afternoon.
Taking the mound for the Giants will be right-hander Tyler Mahle, who enters today’s game with a 5.59 ERA, 4.91 FIP, with 48 strikeouts to 21 walks in 46.2 innings pitched. His last start was in the Giants’ 5-2 loss to the Athletics on Friday, in which he allowed five runs on 10 hits with six strikeouts and a walk in five innings.
He’ll be facing off against Diamondbacks right-hander Merrill Kelly, who enters today’s game with a 5.91 ERA, 5.94 FIP, with 23 strikeouts to 18 walks in 35 innings pitched. His last start was in the Diamondbacks’ 9-1 win over the Colorado Rockies on Friday, in which he allowed one run on four hits with three strikeouts in nine innings. That’s practically a perfect game at Coors Field.
Andrew Benintendi was one of last night’s heros, but he’s still not good. A -0.6 bWAR tells that story, but we’ll take what we can get out of the $75 million man. | (Joe Nicholson/Imagn Images)
The White Sox go for the series win this afternoon against the Mariners at T-Mobile Park. A victory would give the South Siders their sixth series win of the season and move them to three games over .500 for the first time in 2026.
Sean Burke draws the start, hoping to erase the memory of his last mess — four runs, eight hits, and an early shower after 4 1/3. Still, he’s 2-3 with a 4.10 ERA in nine games, 48 1/3 innings of mostly serviceable work.
Seattle throws Emerson Hancock at the Sox, and he’s been sneaky good: 3-2 with a 3.02 ERA over nine starts. Last time out, he took the loss despite giving up just one run in six. He did tag the Sox for a win back on May 9, even though he coughed up five runs in six innings. Go figure.
Will Venable stacks them up like this on the getaway day.
It’s a familiar formula on both sides: Chicago trying to piece together enough offense to back a starter and Seattle leaning on steady pitching. With the series on the line, small margins will matter early.
The Sox have shown they can scrap out wins. So, now it’s about closing the deal and heading to San Francisco with another burst of momentum.
First pitch is set for 3:10 p.m. CT on CHSN, with radio coverage on ESPN 1000.
MIAMI, FL - MAY 19: Atlanta Braves center fielder Michael Harris II (23) looks on during a game between the Miami Marlins and the Atlanta Braves on May 19, 2026 at LoanDepot Park in Miami, Florida.(Photo by Chris Arjoon/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The Atlanta Braves have released their lineup for tonight’s contest against the Miami Marlins and the lineup is one that looks like another reminder of just how deep this lineup can be on any given day when injuries aren’t completely ravaging the squad.
Michael Harris II has moved up to second in the lineup, which is the highest he’s hit in the lineup so far this season by two full spots. His previous highest spot in the order was fourth, so clearly Walt Weiss is thinking that it would be better for Harris to get some more ABs at the moment — especially against right-handed pitching. Harris is entering this game batting .318/.339/.523 against right-handers with a wRC+ of 139 and six homers so far.
Also, Ronald Acuña Jr. is back in the field while Dominic Smith will be taking on the role for DH in this one. Again, this is a very solid-looking lineup against righties — as evidence by the fact that the Braves as a team currently lead all of baseball in hitting against right-handers with a team wRC+ of 119 against righties.
Xavier Edwards and Otto Lopez stay at the top of the lineup and as long as Chris Sale can find a way to make sure they’re not involved in any given rallies, he and the rest of this pitching staff should hopefully be in good shape. Anything can happen as we’ve seen from this series so far but hopefully the Braves will be able to take firm control of this series with their performance this evening.
Let’s hear what you think of the lineup for Atlanta. . Are you like me and you like what you see? Let us know!
Phoenix, Arizona, USA. (Photo by: Marli Miller/UCG/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)
Today’s Lineups
GIANTS
DIAMONDBACKS
Will Brennan – RF
Ketel Marte – 2B
Luis Arraez – 2B
Ildemaro Vargas – 1B
Casey Schmitt – LF
Geraldo Perdomo – SS
Rafael Devers – 1B
Adrian Del Castillo – C
Willy Adames – SS
Lourdes Gurriel – DH
Matt Chapman – 3B
Jose Fernandez – 3B
Bryce Eldridge – DH
Jorge Barrosa – RF
Daniel Susac – C
Tim Tawa – LF
Drew Gilbert – CF
Ryan Waldschmidt – CF
Tyler Mahle – RHP
Merrill Kelly – RHP
The D-backs currently have the longest winning streak in the National League. That sounds a bit better than “have won three games in a row”. Though Arizona are still one off matching their longest winning streak of the season: April 14-18, they won two games in Baltimore, then came back to Arizona and took the first two against Toronto. It has been almost a year since the D-backs have won more than four in a row: in mid-June 2025, they won five against the Mariners and the Padres. Since then, they have won four on five different occasions, only to go 0-5 the next time. As Jack noted yesterday, long winning streaks have been rare in the Hazen era generally.
It’ll be interesting to see what happens after last night’s glorious walk-off win. Will the impetus from that carry forward, or will there be an adrenaline crash as a result? To find out if there’s a trend, I looked at how the team performed in the next game after their last ten walk-off victories, which takes us back to September 2024. Here are the result in those contests:
Apr 7: L(w) 3-4
Sep 24: L 4-5
Sep 17: L 1-5
Aug 23: W 10-1
Aug 22: W(w) 6-5
Aug 10: W 13-6
Jun 15: L 2-8
Jun 10: W 10-3
Apr 13: W 5-2
Sep 16: L(w) 2-3
Well, there we go. The Diamondbacks have lost their last three contests following walk-off wins, but overall, the D-backs have gone 5-5, including a pair of walk-off losses and one occasion where there were back-to-back walk-off wins. Those came in August 2025, when the D-backs beat the Guardians 3-2 in ten innings, and followed that up by beating the Reds 6-5 in eleven innings. But overall, while this is a small sample size, it doesn’t appear that there has been much of an impact, in either direction, resulting from a D-backs walk-off win. We’ll see what results this afternoon, as Arizona goes for the sweep.
SCOTTSDALE, ARIZONA - FEBRUARY 23: Keegan Thompson #34 of the Colorado Rockies pitches during the spring training game against the Chicago White Sox at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick on February 23, 2026 in Scottsdale, Arizona. (Photo by Ric Tapia/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Colorado Rockies announced a few roster moves this morning:
Selected the contract of RHP Keegan Thompson from Triple-A Albuquerque
Placed RHP Victor Vodnik on the 15-day injured list with right ulnar nerve inflammation
Designated IF Blaine Crim for assignment
Thompson will make his first appearances on the Rockies’ active roster after being claimed off waivers from the Cincinnati Reds in the offseason. He was DFA’d at the end of spring training and outrighted to the minors. Thompson made 11 total appearances (5 starts) for the Isotopes this season and has gone 1-3 with a 3.34 ERA, 10 walks and 19 strikeouts. In his last appearance on May 14, he pitched four innings and allowed two runs (one earned) on five hits with two walks and two strikeouts. Thompson will wear #34.
In a corresponding move, Vodnik was placed on the 15-day IL with right ulnar nerve inflammation. Vodnik has struggled so far this season, including a rough outing on Monday against the Texas Rangers where he allowed three runs on just one hit with two walks and zero strikeouts. Vodnik owns an 8.00 ERA on the season, including an 8.44 ERA in May.
Blaine Crim was also designated for assignment. He came on strong in the waning months of 2025, but was sidelined by an oblique injury in spring training that ultimately cost him his spot on the MLB roster. Crim has performed well in Albuquerque so far — slashing .265/.339/.449 with seven home runs in 36 games — but it appears his time with the organization has run out.
PORT ST. LUCIE, FL - MARCH 09: Zach Thornton (21) of the New York Mets delivers a pitch during a spring training game against the Miami Marlins on March 09, 2026 at Clover Park in Port St. Lucie, Florida. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The Mets have officially called up Zach Thornton, who will make his major league debut tonight for the Mets against the Nationals. The left-hander will wear number 49, most recently worn by Chris Devenski but most notably worn by another left-hander, Jonathon Niese. In a corresponding move, the team has optioned Daniel Duarte to Triple-A.
It was revealed last week that Thornton would get the call in place of the injured Clay Holmes, who is expected to miss significant time while he recovers from a fractured fibula. Thornton entered the year as the No. 14 ranked prospect in the Mets’ farm system by Amazin’ Avenue and becomes the fourth member of the team’s 2023 draft class to make his way to the majors for the club this year. Thornton posted a 3.60 ERA with 27 strikeouts in 24 innings for the Binghamton Rumble Ponies this year before his promotion to Triple-A. In Syracuse, he made just two starts and posted a 2.25 ERA, with 13 strikeouts in 12 innings.
Duarte pitched in last night’s 9-6 loss to the Nationals but served an important role for the Mets, eating up 2 1/3 innings to save the rest of the bullpen, which will presumably be needed tonight with Thornton making his debut, as well as tomorrow with a yet-to-be-announced starter taking the mound. The right-hander allowed just one hit, struck out one, and did not walk a batter, while throwing 21 of his 28 pitches for strikes. It was his first major league appearance since 2024 as a member of the Twins.
DENVER, CO - MAY 03: Kyle Freeland #21 of the Colorado Rockies pitches during the game between the Atlanta Braves and the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field on Sunday, May 3, 2026 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Ray Bahner/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
After last night’s damp, cold, and miserable blowout loss, the Colorado Rockies find themselves tied at a game each in their series with the Texas Rangers. Today, with the weather slightly warmer and slightly sunnier—though there is a chance for rain—the Rockies will aim for the series win. However, no dogs will be in attendance.
Making the start for the Rockies is Kyle Freeland. The local left-handed veteran has struggled immensely since his return from the injured list. After starting the season with a 2.30 ERA until left shoulder soreness sidelined him, Freeland’s ERA has ballooned to 7.22 over his last four starts. His last three outings have been particularly difficult, with him allowing at least eight hits and six earned runs in each game.
Freeland’s last time out against the Arizona Diamondbacks saw him last just 3.2 innings while giving up seven earned runs on eight hits. He issued four walks for the first time since 2023 and there was a noticeable decrease in his fastball velocity from 92-93 MPH all the way down to 87 MPH.
On the mound for the Rangers is the right-handed Jack Leiter, who enters today’s game with a 4.35 ERA in nine starts with 55 strikeouts. Leiter’s strikeout stuff has been fairly effective this season with 10 SO/9, but walks have also been an issue. He has issued eight free passes over his last two starts. His last time out was his best start of the season, allowing just one earned run on three hits in seven innings against the Houston Astros. However, he did walk three and give up a home run.
Leiter has faced the Rockies just once before, where he gave up one earned run on two hits and three walks over six innings and struck out five batters. His arsenal this season consists of a four-seam fastball averaging around 96 MPH, as well as a changeup, a slider, a curveball, and a cutter that all have whiff rates above 30%.
DENVER, CO - MAY 19: Brandon Nimmo #24 of the Texas Rangers (C) celebrates toward his dugout after hitting an RBI single as TJ Rumfield #7 of the Colorado Rockies (L) and first base coach Travis Jankowski #96 of the Rangers look on in the second inning at Coors Field on May 19, 2026 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Justin Edmonds/Getty Images) | Getty Images
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - MAY 19: Andy Pages #44 of the Los Angeles Dodgers reacts after hitting a sacrifice fly during the ninth inning against the San Diego Padres at Petco Park on May 19, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Orlando Ramirez/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Maybe it’s the anticipation of having waited until nearly June to face them for the first time, but this series against the San Diego Padres has more than lived up to incredibly high expectations. A couple of days after seeing the Friars’ ace completely shut the high-powered Dodgers down, now it’s time to face probably one of the key figures in making this San Diego team one capable of competing for the NL West crown—well, at least so far. Randy Vásquez’s breakout is partially holding this rotation together in the absence of the currently sidelined Nick Pivetta, and his 2.68 ERA speaks for itself.
Vásquez isn’t exactly a new kid on the block, and he put up pretty respectable numbers last year, but it’ll be the first taste of his new version for the Dodgers. Vásquez has benefited from increased velocity to take a fastball that was surrendering a .253 batting average last year to a .182 mark in 2026. His 22.4% strikeout rate isn’t anything to write home about in a vacuum, but considering where he was just the season prior (13.77%), it’s a massive improvement.
The hero of last night’s dramatic win that saw the Dodgers score a run against Mason Miller without recording a hit versus the fireballer, Andy Pages, had fond memories of facing previous versions of Vázquez. Pages needed just six career at-bats against him to go deep twice, more than any other Dodger has. Still focused on Vásquez, not only does he lead San Diego with five wins, but the Friars have come out on the right side of the scoreboard in all but one of his nine starts.
It figures that the Dodgers won’t need a whole lot offensively to take care of this one, not if Shohei Ohtani carries on pitching the way he has. And they’ll certainly need him to, having pushed the bullpen quite a bit in that 5-4 win last night with Emmet Sheehan completing just four innings.
KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI - MAY 19: Maikel Garcia #11 of the Kansas City Royals is tagged out by Isiah Kiner-Falefa #2 of the Boston Red Sox as he tries to stretch a single in the fifth inning at Kauffman Stadium on May 19, 2026 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Ed Zurga/Getty Images) | Getty Images
On May 5, the Kansas City Royals were flying high. Winners of five straight games and nine of their last 11, the Royals had clawed their way out of a 7-16 start of the season all the way to a 17-19 record.
The Hawaiian Bros promotion went like this: if the Royals scored six or more runs at home, rewards members could claim a free classic plate lunch the next day. Straightforward and valuable, it was a good promotion. During their aforementioned hot streak, the Royals triggered the promo five times, including four games in a row. Of course, Kansas Citians jumped on the deal, as a May 4 article from the Kansas City Star illuminated:
A Hawaiian Bros representative says it has served over 42,000 meals and added over 24,000 rewards members since the beginning of the promotion. The restaurant said that employees inside its Kansas City-area locations have done a good job handling the increased traffic. They will continue to make adjustments to support them as needed to ensure the customers are getting what they came for.
“Royals fans are incredibly enthusiastic which gave us confidence that this could be a meaningful way to celebrate together and be a part of something bigger,” Hawaiian Bros said.
But a mere one day after that quote from the Star, Hawaiian Bros changed their tune. While a promo remained, Hawaiian Bros moved to make it less valuable, changing the terms of the deal. This particular nerf made, essentially, one free meal into two half-priced meals. Hawaiian Bros made the following announcement:
Well… this got a little out of hand.
When we launched Plates for Plates with the Kansas City Royals, we hoped for some fun, a little buzz, and a few free plates along the way.
Safe to say… you guys took it from there.
You packed our restaurants, lit up social media, and turned this into something way bigger than a promotion. And honestly, we’ve loved every second of it.
But man… it’s been WILD. Our restaurant teams have been absolutely crushed in the best possible way, working around the clock to keep up with the response, the lines, and the wave after wave of Royals fans showing up hungry.
So to keep Plates for Plates sustainable, exciting, and alive for the long haul, we’re making an adjustment.
Beginning immediately:
When the Royals plate six or more runs at home, HB Rewards members will unlock a FREE Classic Plate Lunch with the purchase of a Plate Lunch the next day.
The celebration continues. The tradition continues. And the spirit of Plates for Plates absolutely continues.“
Now, when the Star posted their article about the promotion on May 4, the Royals had scored six or more runs 41% of the time. They noted that “a representative with the restaurant said it should only happen about 20% of the time.”
Well, guess what? Since Hawaiian Bros announced they’d be taking back their original promotion, the Royals have scored six runs precisely zero (0) times in 13 games. They’ve now scored six or more runs in eight of 25 home games, dipping total “six run ratio” to 32%.
Hawaiian Bros makes good food and a BOGO deal for a classic plate is a solid deal by itself. However, it is clearly a lesser deal than the original, as the BOGO deal basically pushes out single H-Bros rewards members who don’t have anybody to eat the other plate. And while I know this article is a little tongue in cheek, this whole event shows that Hawaiian Bros should never have entered into the promotion game in the first place. Sometimes, you go through stretches where you’re giving out more free food than other times. It all evens out in the end, as we’re seeing here.
The only way back to glory is for Hawaiian Bros to restore the original promotion. They won’t, of course, because they lack gumption and inspiration. In any case, it’s The Curse of the Bros right now. I’ll think twice about going there this summer—unless the Royals score 6 or more runs at home, that is.
