The Mets were routed for a second straight night by the St. Louis Cardinals, losing 9-2 on Wednesday night at Citi Field.
The Cardinals have outscored the Mets 16-2 in the two games to start this six-game homestand.
Here are the takeaways...
-The Mets’ offense continues to be woefully inconsistent. After a strong series in San Diego seemed to give them some momentum, they’ve managed only eight hits in two games against the Cardinals, including three on Wednesday night. The Mets did manage to get runners into scoring position six times tonight, but went 0-for-6 in those situations.
-The only real good news offensively for the Mets was Francisco Alvarez’s two-run home run in the third inning, cutting the Cardinals’ lead to 7-2. It was Alvarez’s second game back from the IL after his remarkably fast recovery from meniscus surgery on his right knee. After catching on Tuesday, Alvarez was in the lineup as the DH tonight, as the Mets want to both ease him back into action as well as give Luis Torrens the playing time behind the plate he has earned.
-It was also notable that A.J. Ewing walked ahead of Alvarez’s home run, making it a two-run shot. The rookie continues to show remarkable plate discipline in working counts and laying off tough pitches.
-The Mets couldn’t do much with Cardinals’ righthander Andre Pallante, who gave up only three hits over six innings, including the Alvarez home run. Pallante has been solid for the Cards, pitching to a 3.88 ERA, but he has a statistical quirk, with a 9.00 ERA in the first inning this season, tied for the highest of all qualified starters. However, the Mets couldn’t take advantage, going 1-2-3 in the first inning.
-Rookie right-hander Jonathan Pintaro had a strong outing for the Mets, pitching three innings in relief, allowing only one hit and one run, a home run by Alec Burleson.
-David Peterson’s run of dominance out of the bullpen as a bulk reliever came to an end as the lefty gave up six runs in 3.2 innings, including a three-run home run to Jordan Walker that blew the game open.
-Coming into tonight, Peterson had a 1.88 ERA in six appearances as a reliever, spanning 24 innings, compared to a 7.56 ERA in seven starts. He also had a whopping 1.950 WHIP as a starter. But this relief outing didn't follow this trend. Peterson never looked sharp, giving up seven hits and two walks, and on the home run to Walker, his 1-1 fastball was left hanging agonizingly over the plate. For the season, Peterson now has a 5.75 ERA.
-The Mets used an opener tonight, using reliever Austin Warren to start the game. Warren couldn’t command his signature slider/sweeper, which he throws on nearly 50 percent of his pitches, and gave up two walks and two hits, which led to two first-inning runs for the Cardinals.
Game MVP: Jordan Walker
Jordan Walker delivered the biggest hit for the Cardinals, a three-run home run in the fourth inning that made the score 7-0 at the time.
After failing to live up to huge expectations for a few years, Walker appears to be emerging into a star slugger.
The home run was Walker's 17th of the season. He’s also hitting .304 with a .929 OPS.
Then, they turned around and stole the whole game.
At the start of the seventh inning Wednesday night, the Dodgers had a five-run lead, Ohtani on the mound and a series-clinching win all but secured at PNC Park.
By the end of the eighth, the script had turned upside down on them, with the Pirates storming back –– then holding on –– for a 9-8 win that marked one of the most painful results of the Dodgers’ season.
“This one stung because I thought we were playing good baseball,” manager Dave Roberts said. “We have no business losing that game.”
First, the Pirates robbed Shohei Ohtani of a sure-fire home run. Archie Carpenter/UPI/ShutterstockAt the start of the seventh inning Wednesday night, the Dodgers had a five-run lead, Ohtani on the mound and a series-clinching win all but secured at PNC Park. Getty Images
The collapse began with Ohtani, who was pulled from a start mid-inning for the first time all year.
After six strong frames of one-run ball –– and a near two-run homer as a batter in the third that was brought back on a leaping effort from Pirates right fielder Bryan Reynolds –– Ohtani issued a leadoff walk to begin the seventh, then couldn’t get to a swinging bunt in front of the mound that put two runners aboard with no outs.
The two-way star nearly pulled off an escape act from there, striking out his next two batters while nursing a 6-1 lead Ryan Ward had given him with a grand slam an inning earlier.
Alas, after falling behind 3-0 to Brandon Lowe in an at-bat that featured a couple missed ABS challenge opportunities, Ohtani fired a fastball that was ambushed for a two-run double down the line.
“After the [first] two hitters, the two outs felt pretty good,” Ohtani said through an interpreter. “It was just a mis-execution on that 3-0 pitch.”
The collapse began with Ohtani, who was unable to finish a start with a completed inning of work for the first time all year. AP Photo/Gene J. PuskarBut then, in a 3-0 count to Brandon Lowe, Ohtani fired a fastball that was ambushed for a two-run double down the line. AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar
That ended Ohtani’s night, pushing his ERA over 1.00 for the first time all season (granted, his 1.06 mark is still best in the majors among pitchers with 60 innings).
Meanwhile, it would only be the beginning of the Dodgers’ meltdown, as their once-stout bullpen suffered an increasingly familiar late-game implosion.
Lowe came around to score against Alex Vesia, after a hard-hit ground ball got past Max Muncy at third base.
Then in the eighth, Kyle Hurt became the night’s biggest culprit, walking his first two batters before giving up a three-run, go-ahead blast to Pirates youngster Tyler Callihan on a hanging first-pitch changeup.
The homer marked the second big fly of the night for Callihan, who had recorded his first career big-league blast on a solo blast against Ohtani in the fourth inning that left the stadium over the right-field seats.
It would also be the first of two balls the Pirates (35-33) sent out of the yard in the eighth, with Spencer Horwitz making it a five-run rally with a two-run shot off Jack Dreyer later in the frame.
“When you give free passes, it sort of builds momentum for the other team,” Roberts said. “It takes one hit for them to score a run instead of a couple hits to build an inning. I think right now we’re doing a little self-inflicted damage.”
Down 9-6 at that point, Ohtani got the Dodgers back within one with a two-run homer in the ninth, ensuring he wouldn’t have a second long ball robbed by driving his 12th of the year deep to center.
However, it was too little, too late, with the Dodgers (43-25) losing for just the fourth time this year when leading after seven innings.
“I know there have been some others that stung a little bit,” Roberts said. “[But of] recently, this one doesn’t feel good.”
That ended Ohtani’s night, pushing his ERA over 1.00 for the first time all season (albeit, his 1.06 mark is still best in the majors among pitchers with 60 innings). AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar
What it means
While the Dodgers are still 19-7 since May 13, they are also only 6-5 in their last 11 games. And four times in that span, poor bullpen pitching has been to blame.
There were the two losses charged to Tanner Scott against the Phillies and Dbacks a couple weeks ago. There was Sunday’s all-around blunder against the Angels this past weekend. And now, with Wednesday’s defeat representing the team’s biggest collapse yet, the concern level is starting to rise with the Dodgers’ relief corps –– a unit that only last month set a franchise record with a 38-inning scoreless streak, but is now struggling to avoid walks and limit damage.
“Hitting is hard,” Roberts said. “[But] When you give away free bases, it just makes it a little easier. That’s something we’ve got to get back to attacking the strike zone.”
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It was not Ohtani’s best night, but he was still the Dodgers’ best player.
Technically, he turned in a quality start of 6 ⅔ innings and three earned runs (his fourth run was unearned, as it came on Muncy’s error).
His homer in the ninth, meanwhile, continued his recent tear at the plate, leaving him just one point back of the Washington Nationals’ James Wood for the best OPS in the National League at .940.
If only Reynolds hadn’t robbed him earlier in the evening, on an acrobatic catch that saw him lean halfway over the short wall in left field, it might have been enough to salvage the game.
“I thought it was gonna be a homer,” Ohtani said. “But the left fielder made a fantastic catch. Gotta tip my cap on that one.”
In the eighth, Kyle Hurt then became the night’s biggest culprit, walking his first two batters before giving up a three-run, go-ahead blast to Pirates youngster Tyler Callihan. Getty Images
Who’s not
Hurt had started this season promisingly, giving up just one run in his first 15 outings after returning from a 2024 Tommy John surgery and being called up from triple-A in mid-April.
The last several weeks, however, have been a nightmare for the 28-year-old and once highly-touted prospect.
In his last seven appearances, the right-hander has given up nine home runs, issued five walks, and seen his ERA balloon from 0.60 to 4.22 on the season.
On Wednesday, he bemoaned his lack of command, noting he “fell behind every single hitter” and “didn’t throw one first-pitch strike” outside of the changeup that Callihan walloped for the go-ahead homer.
“Just didn’t execute,” Hurt said. “I had some guys, 3-2, I didn’t execute there either. Just missing a little bit, let a few go, sped up a little bit. There’s always tomorrow, so just ready to get back at it.”
He isn’t alone, either. Over the last two weeks, he is one of a whopping six Dodgers relievers with an ERA over 4.90.
Up next
The Dodgers will try to take the rubber match of this three-game series on Thursday, when Justin Wrobleski (7-2, 2.62 ERA) faces Pirates right-hander Mitch Keller (5-3, 4.81 ERA).
For the second time in as many nights, the Mets found themselves in an early hole against the Cardinals and went on to lose. As had been the case in their loss in the series opener, the game never felt competitive, and it ended with St. Louis winning 9-2.
The fact that the Mets spared themselves the embarrassment of getting shut out in back-to-back games doesn’t really serve as consolation. The team is now 29-38 on the season, and the relative excitement about them taking two of three games from the Padres over the weekend has already been squashed.
The Mets chose to go with an opener-plus-David Peterson approach in this one, and it didn’t go well. Austin Warren served as the opener, and he was somewhat fortunate to give up just two runs in his one inning of work. He gave up two hits, walked two, and only struck out one. It could’ve easily been worse.
Peterson made Warren’s outing look effective, as the Cardinals tattooed him for six runs in three-and-two-thirds innings. They got him for seven hits, and he walked two, struck out just one, threw a wild pitch, and gave up a pair of home runs.
It probably didn’t matter in the end, but the Mets had their best shot at making it a ballgame shortly after Peterson gave up his first two runs of the night, both of which scored in the top of the third. Trailing 4-0, the Mets had runners on first and second with two outs and Juan Soto at the plate. A home run would’ve made things interesting, but Cardinals starter Andre Pallante—who was pitching to get Soto out—wound up walking the bases loaded instead. And Jared Young, who represented the tying run as he came to the plate, grounded out softly to end the inning.
Peterson gave up his next three runs in the top of the fourth. Trailing 7-0 in the bottom of that inning, the Mets finally got on the board when Francisco Alvarez hit a two-run home run. Peterson gave up his sixth and final run of his brief outing in the top of the fifth, and the Mets’ bats went silent from there. Cardinals pitchers retired sixteen batters in a row, nearly finishing the game without allowing a single Mets baserunner up until a hit-by-pitch with two outs in the ninth broke that streak. The fact that they retired seventeen of the final eighteen Mets hitters they faced still served as a reminder that these Mets don’t do comebacks.
If you’re looking for some relatively positive stuff to take out of the game, Cionel Perez threw one-and-one-third scoreless innings in relief of Peterson. And Jonathan Pintaro, who got called up earlier in the day, went three innings and gave up just one run in the top of the ninth. He has a 1.35 ERA in his limited major league time this year, and it’d be fun to see more of him if he weren’t seemingly destined to return to Syracuse as part of the Mets’ ongoing bullpen churn.
Big Mets winner: none Big Mets loser: David Peterson, -19% WPA Mets pitchers: -35% WPA Mets hitters: -15% WPA Teh aw3s0mest play: Jared Young hits a double in the second inning, +6.6% WPA Teh sux0rest play: Nelson Velásquez hits a two-run home run in the top of the third, -15.2% WPA
PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA - JUNE 10: Spencer Horwitz #2 of the Pittsburgh Pirates celebrates his two-run home run with third base coach Tony Beasley #27 during the eighth inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers at PNC Park on June 10, 2026 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Joe Sargent/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Dodgers had a five-run lead in the sixth inning on Wednesday, but the Pirates rattled across eight runs against the Dodger bullpen as they stole the middle match 9-8.
The Dodgers ensured Pittsburgh’s starter Jared Jones wouldn’t face the minimum over his first three innings as Alex Freeland worked a two-out walk to bring up Shohei Ohtani in the top of the third. Ohtani sent a ball to deep left field that would’ve given him his third home run over his last four starts, but Bryan Reynolds made a leaping catch over the short wall to keep the game scoreless.
Freddie Freeman laced career hit no. 2,501 with a one-out double down the left field line to end the short no-hit bid for Jones. It was also career double no. 564, placing him one shy of 2026 Hall of Fame inductee Carlos Beltrán for 28th on the all-time list. Max Muncy had two hits with runner in scoring position on Tuesday, and he made it three hits with a double down the right field line to plate Freeman and give the Dodgers a 1-0 lead. Kyle Tucker collected his third RBI in as many games with a single up the middle to make it a two-run lead.
Ohtani was one out away from keeping the Pirates silent over four full innings, but Tyler Callihan launched his first big league home run over the right field bleachers and into the Allegheny River to trim the lead to a run. Jake Mangum doubled to put the tying run in scoring position, but Ohtani bounced back with a strikeout of Jared Triolo to end the two-out threat.
After going down in order against Carmen Mlodzinski in the top of the fifth, the Dodgers put the first two men on with a single from Andy Pages and a walk to Freeman. Muncy worked a walk to load the bases, and after Mlodzinski struck out Tucker for the second out, Ryan Ward launched his first career grand slam to break the game wide open and give the Dodgers a five-run lead.
The home run from Callihan was the only dent on Ohtani’s outing over his first six innings of work. The two-way superstar pitched into the seventh inning for the first time since May 13, but the decision proved costly as the Pirates put the first two men on with nobody out. Ohtani managed to strike out two in a row, but Brandon Lowe brought home two on a double down the right field line to cut the lead in half.
After 102 pitches over 6 2/3 innings, Ohtani was pulled after allowing a season-high three earned runs. Despite the runs given up, his ERA now sits at 1.06, still ranking best in baseball for any starting pitcher with at least 65 innings on the year.
Alex Vesia came in relief of Ohtani, and he got Bryan Reynolds to roll one to third, but the Muncy had the ball roll under his glove allowing Lowe to score to make it a two-run lead. With Ryan O’Hearn representing the tying run, Vesia got him to roll one right back to him to get out of the inning with the lead intact.
Kyle Hurt came in relief for the bottom of the eighth and immediately put the first two men on base with nobody out. Tyler Callihan, who had the home run against Ohtani in the bottom of the fourth, crushed a go-ahead three-run home run as the Pirates took their first lead of the night.
Hurt could only get one out before he was relieved by Jack Dreyer to face the left-handed hitting Horwitz. Horwitz jumped on an 0-1 fastball down the middle, sending it out to give the Pirates a five-run eighth inning and a three-run lead. Just one day after the Dodgers sent 15 men to the plate in the top of the seventh inning, the Pirates bat around against Hurt and Dreyer.
Shohei Ohtani made sure the Dodgers didn’t go down without a fight with a two-run home run against Gregory Soto in the top of the ninth, making up for the robbery from Reynolds in the third. The comeback attempt was too little and too late, as the Pirates stole the middle match from the Dodgers to snap their four-game losing streak. The Dodgers division lead now sits at 7 1/2 games after the San Diego Padres walked off the Cincinnati Reds.
Game particulars
Home runs— Tyler Callihan, 2 (2), Spencer Horwitz (9); Ryan Ward (3), Shohei Ohtani (12)
The Dodgers will look to take the series in Pittsburgh on Thursday (3:40 p.m. PT, SportsNet LA) before heading to Chicago for a three-game set with the White Sox over the weekend. Justin Wrobleski faces Mitch Keller.
Jun 10, 2026; New York City, New York, USA; St. Louis Cardinals designated hitter Jordan Walker (18) runs out an RBI single against the New York Mets during the first inning at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images | Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images
The St. Louis Cardinals are really enjoying their tour of New York. The Redbird bats were ready for action and Andre Pallante was pretty sharp as the Cardinals easily beat the Mets for their 6th straight victory.
The St. Louis Cardinals did not hesitate to let the New York Mets know they would be scoring often as JJ Wetherholt led off the game with a single to center. Ivan Herrera was not hit by a pitch, believe it or not, but did end up on base with a walk giving St. Louis runners on first and second with no outs. Alec Burleson grounded out to the right side moving Wetherholt and Herrera into scoring position. Jordan Walker then smoked a single to left-center scoring JJ from third giving St. Louis a 1-0 lead.
Herrera didn’t get a good jump off of second making sure the ball wasn’t caught and was held at third. Lars Nootbaar then drew a walk to load the bases. The Cardinals got their second run of the inning when Masyn Winn grounded into a fielder’s choice, but avoided the double play as St. Louis ended up leading 2-0 after the top half of the 1st inning.
The Cardinals would strike again in the top of the 3rd inning after Masyn Winn drew a 2-out walk which brought up Nelson Velázquez with a chance to show why we like it when he’s in the lineup as he turned a 92 mph sinker into a souvenir in the left field seats 413 feet away giving St. Louis a commanding 4-0 lead.
The biggest jolt of the night would follow one inning later in the Cardinals 4th as JJ Wetherholt reached on an infield single that ricocheted off of the pitcher. Ivan Herrera then walked again giving St. Louis two men on base for Jordan Walker who helped the Mets understand that you don’t groove a 92 mph four-seam fastball down the middle to the 2026 version of Jordan Walker. 401 feet later, the Cardinals had a 7-0 lead. BOOM!
It wasn’t all sunshine and roses for Andre Pallante. He pitched out of a bases-loaded jam in the bottom of the 3rd inning without allowing the Mets to score, but wasn’t as fortunate in the bottom of the 4th as AJ Ewing walked and then Francisco Alvarez put a charge into an 85 mph Pallante slider that didn’t slide enough as it traveled 368 feet to right hitting just above the home run line in left cutting the Cardinals lead down to 7-2. When all was said and done by Andre, he gave the Cardinals a solid full 6 innings allowing just 3 hits and 2 earned runs while striking out 5 and walking 2. Not bad at all.
The St. Louis Cardinals continued to live up to their relentless offensive reputation as they immediately grabbed another run back in the top of the 5th inning as Masyn Winn singled followed by a flyout from Velasquez and a fielder’s choice groundout by Nathan Church. With Winn on second, Jose Fermin singled him in upping the St. Louis lead to 8-2.
Matt Svanson was the Cardinals relief arm for the 7th inning. He did what you want to see happen when you have a big lead. He came in throwing strikes and had all three outs after throwing only 6 pitches. Efficient! Matt also took care of the 8th inning for St. Louis while only throwing 7 more! JoJo Romero was giving bottom of the 9th duties Wednesday night and the Mets did nothing to foil him. I could have just said the Mets did nothing which would also have been accurate. (unless you consider Magaman getting hit on the toe as doing something)
How did the Cardinals end up with 9 runs instead of just 8? That was Alec Burleson extending his hitting streak to 10 games with an 89 mph cutter that he turned into a 408 foot home run into the right field stands. BOOM (again)!
The St. Louis Cardinals will continue their joyride in New York Wednesday afternoon as Hunter Dobbins will get the start for the Redbirds. The New York Mets will hope Christian Scott can pull off a miracle as he will take the mound for the metros. First pitch is scheduled for 12:10pm central time and the broadcast will be available on Cardinals.tv.
BALTIMORE, MD - JUNE 10: Jackson Holliday #7 of the Baltimore Orioles hits a grand slam in the seventh inning during a baseball game against the Seattle Mariners at Orioles Park at Camden Yards on June 10, 2026 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images) | Getty Images
After losing four games in a row, the Orioles needed someone to step up and be a stopper. Tonight, that man was Brandon Young. Young cruised through seven shutout innings. The offense took a while to wake up, but when it did, things got really fun with a two-inning rally capped by a grand slam. The O’s took game three of the series, 7-2, and have a chance to grab a split tomorrow.
Branden Young, folks. He’s been good this year, but tonight he took it to a new level. In each of his last three games, he started the seventh inning but could not finish. Tonight, he finished with ease. It’s his second-longest performance of his young career; we all remember his eight-inning one-hitter against the Astros last August.
Young kicked things off with five straight groundouts before Dominic Canzone singled with two outs in the second. He followed with a walk to Mitch Garver but ended the inning with a strikeout. And that was the most trouble he got into the entire game.
Through the next five innings, the Mariners had just two more baserunners, a single in the third and a walk in the seventh. That’s it. They didn’t look like they had a chance. The Orioles gave Young three runs of support before he left the game, then added on four more after his exit to help ensure he’d get the win. Young’s final pitching line: 7 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 5 K. He threw 88 pitches. He got 12 groundouts to just one flyout.
For most of this game, it looked like the offense was not going to take care of Young. I admit, the longer he went without giving up a run, the more I imagined him ending up as a hard-luck loser. I was wrong, but I think I had a good reason to think they’d choke.
In the early innings, they blew two scoring opportunities. In the second, Leody Taveras led off with a bunt single, only to get thrown out as part of a strike ‘em out, throw ‘em out double play with Jackson Holliday at the plate. With the bases empty, Tyler O’Neill hit his first of two doubles on the night. He was stranded, and it was a real shame to waste a rare hit of his.
The third inning was much worse. Sam Huff singled, Taylor Ward walked, and Gunnar Henderson singled back up the middle to load the bases. Bases loaded with no outs! Surely they’d get at least one run. They did not. Pete Alonso struck out for the second time in the game, Colton Cowser flew out but not deep enough for a sac fly, and Taveras struck out. Argh!
It felt like the Orioles would regret that, and that feeling only grew after 1-2-3 fourth and fifth innings. But they didn’t roll over. As is so often the case with these guys, the late innings were when they began to shine.
Alonso, whom I have been pretty down on lately, started the inning. After three straight foul balls, Alonso swung at a pitch above the strike zone and hammered it to center field. Julio Rodríguez chased after it but couldn’t catch up. It landed on the other side of the fence for Alonso’s 14th home run and a 1-0 lead.
But they weren’t finished! Cowser walked, stole second, and scored on a double from Taveras. Taveras stole third, then scored on a two-out double by Blaze Alexander.
A 3-0 lead after six innings with Young dealing felt good, but not great. In the bottom of the seventh, Holliday made the lead feel great. With the bases loaded on an Alonso single and walks from Ward and Taveras, Holliday stepped in with two outs. Three pitches later, he deposited a pitch into the section next to the out-of-town scoreboard. It’s a grand slam and a 7-0 score! Now that’s a comfortable lead.
Tonight was Bark at the Park night at Camden Yards, a night when Holliday tends to play well. He does it for the pups! In fact, his last grand slam came last year, also at Bark at the Park. Sadly, after the game Holliday told Kevin Brown and Jim Palmer that his dog, Coconut, had not made the trip to the game tonight. Holliday was sure to say that she was probably watching on TV.
With a seven-run lead and two innings to go, things felt pretty stable. Grant Wolfram tried to ruin it by allowing three baserunners and two runs in the eighth, but Craig Albernaz called on Yennier Cano to shut the door. He did just that with a strikeout of Randy Arozarena to end the inning. Cano returned for the ninth and had an easy 1-2-3 to seal the win.
Orioles win! The four-game losing streak is over, and maybe they can use this game to start a new streak. Brandon Young was incredible. Pete Alonso and Jackson Holliday homered. Even Tyler O’Neill got to have some fun. I think we needed this.
Jun 10, 2026; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Baltimore Orioles right fielder Leody Taveras (30) lays down a bunt for a single during the second inning against the Seattle Mariners at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Kucin Jr.-Imagn Images | Daniel Kucin Jr.-Imagn Images
Orioles 7, Mariners 2
Hey, he drew a walk: Luke Raley, -0.01 WPA
Certainly a team loss: Randy Arozarena, Julio Rodríguez, -0.08 WPA
Seth Lugo was removed from the Kansas City Royals' game against the Texas Rangers after taking a line drive to the head in the fourth inning.
Lugo was delivering a 3-2 pitch to Brandon Nimmo when the veteran outfielder laced a high, center-cut change-up straight back up the middle.
Lugo could not get out of the way of the ball – which left the bat with a 106.6 mph exit velocity, according to the Rangers' broadcast – and it struck him on the left side of the head.
Lugo immediately went down in a heap as the ball caromed into right field. Nimmo was immediately concerned, throwing his helmet to the ground and motioning for a time-out as he reached the first base bag.
Scary moment...Nimmo's 106.6 MPH line drive hits Lugo in the forehead. Lugo appears to be okay but will exit.
Nimmo was visibly shaken up/concerned. He and Lugo are good friends from Mets days. After reaching first, Nimmo ran over to the mound right immediately. pic.twitter.com/mYQ5sK7KXz
The Royals' training staff quickly came out to tend to Lugo. Nimmo also checked on the veteran pitcher, who appeared to tell his former New York Mets teammate that he was OK.
Lugo had a contusion on his forehead where he had been struck but was able to stand under his own power. Nonetheless, the Royals removed him from the game for further evaluation.
Lugo walked into the dugout without assistance and was replaced on the mound by Mason Black.
The Royals did not immediately provide an update about Lugo's condition.
This story will be updated as more information becomes available.
HOUSTON, TX - APRIL 18: Shay Whitcomb #14 of the Houston Astros rounds the bases after hitting a home run in the ninth inning during the game between the St. Louis Cardinals and the Houston Astros at Daikin Park on Saturday, April 18, 2026 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Kairi Mano/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
TONIGHT’S GAME: The Houston Astros (31-38) continue a six-game road trip with the final game of a three-game series against the Los Angeles Angels (26-42) tonight at Angel Stadium.
RHP Peter Lambert (5-4, 3.55ERA) will be on the mound for the Astros, opposite LHP Reid Detmers (2-5, 4.26ERA) and the Halos. The Astros have won 11 of their last 18 games.
DRIVING THE LAMBO: Tonight’s Astros starter RHP Peter Lambert has been solid in his nine starts for the Astros, going 5-4 with a 3.55 ERA (19ER/45.1IP) with 47 strikeouts and a .212 opponent average.
Lambert pitched last year for the Tokyo Yakult Swallows in the NPB, posting a 3.98 ERA (55ER/124.1IP) with 111 strikeouts in 23 appearances in Japan.
He began this season at Triple A Sugar Land (1.84 ERA in three appearances) before being called up to join the rotation on April 17.
ROAD TRIP: Tonight is the third game of six game road trip for the Astros. The Astros are facing the Angels for a three-game series before traveling to Kansas City to face the Royals for another three-game series. The Astros are 15-19 on the road this season and went 7-3 on their last road trip.
PEN PALS: Since May 15, the Astros bullpen has recorded a 2.61 ERA (24ER/82.2IP) with 81 strikeouts, a 0.98 WHIP and a .167 opponent batting average. Among AL teams since May 15, the Astros bullpen ranks first in opponent batting average, first in WHIP and first in ERA. The Astros are also 14-10 during since May 15.
MAKING THE PLAYS: The Astros are tied for the fewest errors in the AL (28) with the Athletics. Houston has posted the best fielding percentage (.988) in the AL, topping the Athletics (.988) by a few percentage points.
VS. THE HALOS: The Astros and Angels are facing each other for the second time this season. The last time was on Opening Weekend at Daikin Park, where the two teams split the four-game series.
The Astros went 8-5 against the Angels last season, including a 4-2 record at Angel Stadium. The Astros own a 141-91 all-time record against the Angels, including a 67-47 record at Angel Stadium.
TRADE WINDS: Earlier today, the Astros acquired minor league IF Raynel Delgado from Tampa Bay in exchange for cash considerations. Delgado batted .250 (56×224) with three home runs, 33 RBI and a .682 OPS in 61 games at Triple A Durham this season. He will report to Triple A Sugar Land.
ON THE LEADERBOARD: DH Yordan Alvarez leads the Majors in OPS (1.074), SLG (.642) and total bases (156) and leads the AL in home runs (22). Also in the AL, he ranks tied for first in extra-base hits (25), second in RBI (48), second in OBP (.432), second in hits (77), second in batting average (.317), fourth in walks (46) and fifth in runs (46).
ON THE MEND: C Yainer Diaz and RHP Cristian Javier each made a rehab appearance with Triple-A Sugar Land last night.
Diaz went 1×3 with a run scored and caught six innings. Javier struck out three in three scoreless innings (44 total pitches, 29 strikes).
RHP Hunter Brown will also continue his rehab assignment with Triple A Sugar Land tonight.
ON BASE MACHINE: OF Yordan Alvarez is on a 17-game on-base streak. During the streak, he’s batting .362 (21×58) with 16 runs, two doubles, seven home runs, 17 RBI, 15 walks and a 1.252 OPS. It is his second-longest on-base streak this season, behind a 22-game on-base streak from April 4-28.
AL PLAYER OF THE WEEK: On Monday, OF Yordan Alvarez was named the AL Player of the Week for the week of June 1-7. For the week, he batted .476 (10×21) with six runs, one double, two HR, nine RBI, five walks and a 1.386 OPS. It marked his second AL Player of the Week award this season, also won for the week March 30-April 5.
WALKER, TEXAS HAMMER: 1B Christian Walker ranks tied for second in the AL in RBI with teammate DH Yordan Alvarez (48). Walker also ranks tied for sixth in the AL in total bases (125), tied for sixth in extra-base hits (29), tied for sixth in total bases (125), tied for seventh in home runs (16) and 13th in SLG (.494).
In the field, Walker has not committed an error in 67 games.
MOVIN’ ON UP: RHP Bryan Abreu (342 G) is one appearance shy of surpassing RHP Ryan Pressly (342 G) for the sixth-most relief appearances in Astros history. Abreu is also six appearances shy of tying LHP Joe Sambito (348) for the fifth-most relief appearances in franchise history.
HIT PAREDES: IF Isaac Paredes is one double away from recording his 100th career double. He is looking to become just the 4th Mexican-born player in MLB history with 500 career hits, 100 doubles and 100 home runs, joining IF Vinny Castilla, IF Jorge Orta and IF Aurelio Rodríguez.
TODAY IN ASTROS HISTORY: 1962 – SS Dan Buddin hits the first grand slam in Astros franchise history in a 9-7 Colts loss to the Dodgers in Game 2 of a doubleheader at Colt Stadium. Buddin hit only two homers in his Astros tenure, which lasted just the 1962 season.
Game Info
Game Date/Time: Wednesday, June 10, 8:38 p.m. CT
Location: Angel Stadium, Anaheim, CA
TV: Space City Home Network
Radio: KTRH 740 AM, KBME 790 AM & 94.5 FM HD2; TUDN 102.9 FM HD2 (Spanish)
The cloud over the Boston Red Sox's 2026 season keeps getting darker.
Left-handed starting pitcher Garrett Crochet said the lat injury that put him on the injured list in late April is "a lot worse than we thought," according to Pete Abraham of the Boston Globe. Crochet added he has "no idea" when he'll be cleared to throw again.
Crochet, who finished second in American League Cy Young voting last year, slumped out to a 3-3 record with a 6.30 ERA after six starts in 2026. He went on the IL on April 29 with what was described as left shoulder inflammation.
Crochet began a gradual throwing program in early May, but interim manager Chad Tracy said on May 31 that his ace was experiencing shoulder tightness and would be shut down from throwing.
An MRI showed a low-grade lat strain and Crochet was moved to the 60-day IL on June 2.
The Red Sox, meanwhile, have struggled out to a 27-39 start, which has them in last place in the AL East and 13½ games out of first.
Ronald Acuna Jr. #13 of the Atlanta Braves reacts after a successful ABS Challenge during the eighth inning against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Truist Park on June 5, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia.
Ronald Acuña Jr. is heading to the injured list once again.
The Braves star strained his left hamstring trying to run out a ground ball and left the game during the fourth inning of Tuesday’s game against the White Sox.
Ronald Acuna Jr. of the Atlanta Braves reacts after a successful ABS Challenge during the eighth inning against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Truist Park on June 5, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. Getty Images
The latest issue adds to a long list of lower-body problems the 2023 National League MVP has dealt with in recent years.
He tore his ACL in May 2024, ending that campaign after just 49 games, and returned last year to play in 95 games.
In 2021, Acuna tore his right ACL, which took him out for about a year.
When healthy this season, Acuña hasn’t quite looked like his MVP-like self.
In 52 games, the five-time All-Star is hitting .251/.373/.421 with seven home runs and 15 stolen bases.
Ronald Acuna Jr. #13 of the Atlanta Braves during the game against the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park on May 31, 2026 in Cincinnati, Ohio. Getty Images
Acuña’s hamstring issue adds to what has been an injury-marred season in Atlanta.
Pitchers Spencer Strider, AJ Smith-Shawver and Spencer Schwellenbach, among others, have all spent varying amounts of time on the IL.
Catchers Sean Murphy and Drake Baldwin both hit the IL days apart last month, forcing the Braves to shake up their backstop rotation.
Despite seemingly endless injuries, the Braves haven’t missed a beat this season.
Heading into Wednesday’s play, Atlanta sits at 45-22, which is the best record in baseball and nine games clear of the rest of the National League East.
The Padres trailed 4-2 going into the bottom eighth inning where Jackson Merrill got things going with a double to left field. Merrill scored after Gavin Sheets hit a double at right field, giving him an RBI. Jase Bowen went in as pinch runner for Sheets. Bowen scored after a single from Samad Taylor allowed him to cross home.
The score was 4-4 going into the ninth inning. And with two outs on the board, Tatis took a swing of his bat, ate the pitch and left no crumbs in a walk-off fashion as his teammates embraced him and the victory at home plate.
Take a glance at his batting stats alone, Tatis has looked a bit unfamiliar early in the season, but he's finding his way back. The 27-year-old has a .281 batting average and .695 OPS in 2026. He's hit two homers and is responsible for 21 RBIs.
His two homers have come in the last week, and compared to how he started the season, that's a massive improvement and a sign that good things are to come for Tatis and the Padres.
Fernando Tatis Jr. career stats
Tatis Jr. hasn't looked like the guy we remember from his breakout 2021 season. It's been that way for a couple of seasons.
It's no knock on his play. It's been solid. Consistently average, or just above. He finished 2025 with 594 plate appearances through 155 games, registering 159 hits, 25 home runs, 71 RBIs and 129 strikeouts with an .814 OPS.
He appeared in fewer games in 2024, suiting up for 102 games where Tatis Jr. saw the plate 398 times. He suffered a right quad injury that limited his games. He still batted .276 with an .833 OPS while launching 21 home runs.
A long way from 2021
However, Tatis Jr. hasn't put together a season like the 2021 season, where he was the NL home run leader with 42. His offensive numbers included a .282 batting average, .364 on-base percentage, and .611 slugging percentage with 97 RBIs and 25 stolen bases. He was third in NL MVP behind Bryce Harper and Juan Soto.
He missed the 2022 season with a broken wrist and an 80-game league suspension for testing positive for Clostebol, a performance-enhancing substance Tatis said he used to treat ringworm. It caused questions about his career in 2021.
In his MLB debut in 2019, Tatis finished the season hitting .317/.379/.590 with 22 home runs, 61 runs, and 106 hits, appearing in 84 games. He finished third in NL Rookie of the Year behind Pete Alonso and Mike Soroka. Following his rookie season, he batted .277/.366/.571 with 17 home runs and 45 RBIs in 2020.
When he returned in 2023, following the suspension and return from injury, Tatis won a Gold Glove Award after moving to right field. As for his batting stats, they weren't the astonishing numbers from 2021, but they still weren't shabby. Tatis batted .257/.322/.449 with 25 home runs and 78 runs batted in in 141 major league games.
One thing's for sure, two for certain.
Does one breakout year still cause for questioning years later? Maybe. However, based on other years that Tatis Jr. has put together, he's more than capable of turning around his 2026 season.
His walk-off home run happening a little over a week after his first homer of the season is the indicator.
Jasson Domínguez #24 of the New York Yankees warms up prior to the game between the Texas Rangers and the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium on Thursday, May 7, 2026 in New York, New York.
The Martian is learning to inhabit a new planet.
Jasson Domínguez played right field Tuesday at Triple-A and was scheduled to do so again Wednesday, according to Yankees manager Aaron Boone.
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Dominguez has never played right field in the majors — and only done so once in his minor-league career — but could be preparing to take the injured Aaron Judge’s vacated spot.
“The good thing is reports [are] that he was very comfortable doing it,” Boone said before the series-sweeping 8-4 victory against the Guardians. “Seems like it went off without a hitch. His pregame [drill work] was apparently good, too. I think he was happy to do it to add to different ways he can help us.”
The Yankees could move versatile left fielder Cody Bellinger to right field to accommodate Domínguez, though Bellinger’s defense has been elite. And left field at Yankee Stadium is the more spacious ground.
Jasson Domínguez warms up before the Yankees’ win over the Rangers at the Stadium on May 7, 2026. MLB Photos via Getty Images
Of course, that thinking assumes Dominguez (shoulder) will be promoted to the majors once his rehab is complete, which is no guarantee as Boone lives in the “day-to-day” world and prospect Spencer Jones continues to hit well in his second promotion.
“We invested so much because we switched Jasson to left field before last year to help with the transition so we wanted him to really focus on that,” Boone said. “But to be able to have the versatility, I think, is important. Spencer has done a good job of getting some real reps in both corner spots as well as continuing to have center field in play. I think it just adds to their overall value a little bit.”
Jasson Domínguez looks on from the dugout during the Yankees’ loss to the Blue Jays on May 20, 2026 at the Stadium. Getty Images
Ryan Weathers, who will start Friday’s game on six days’ rest, was warming up in the fifth inning in case Carlos Rodón’s start was cut short.
He would’ve pitched an inning on regular rest to help a bullpen that threw 10 ²/₃ innings the previous two games.
“He was very much in play today — not just in an emergency situation, either — which is awesome in and of itself,” Boone said. “He was ready for whatever we needed. He could’ve factored in in a winning way.”
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If used, Weathers would’ve slotted back into the rotation on his next turn after off days.
“I think I’m glad we didn’t use him,” Boone quipped. “I was going to go to him in the sixth, but Carlos having a really efficient fifth and feeling like he was good to go back out for the sixth took [Weathers] out of it for at least the time being.”
The humidity that admittedly fatigued Gerrit Cole during Tuesday’s four-inning start, including a 29-pitch inning, was back (and worse) Wednesday afternoon.
Cole and Rodón both are working their way back after starting the season on the injured list.
“It’s definitely summer now,” Rodón said. “It was warm. It’s part of the gig. It’s what we do. There is a job to be done. Go out there and compete.”
Angel Chivilli (shoulder) began a rehab assignment at Triple-A. He pitched in two games for the Yankees earlier this season.
HOUSTON, TX - JUNE 05: Athletics starting pitcher Jack Perkins (50) throws a pitch in the bottom of the second inning during the MLB game between the Athletics and Houston Astros on June 5, 2026 at Daikin Park in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Leslie Plaza Johnson/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Tonight, the Athletics will take on the Brewers in the series finale of the first of two series at Las Vegas Ballpark this week. After dropping the opener 15-14 in the highest scoring game of the season so far, the A’s rebounded last night with a 7-5 victory, hitting five more home runs and getting strong relief outings from Elvis Alvarado and Mason Barnett.
Having launched 12 home runs through their first two games in Las Vegas, the A’s powerful offense looks well-positioned to keep the long-ball barrage going in another matchup that figures to produce plenty of runs.
Making his second start and 19th appearance of the season, A’s right-hander Jack Perkins brings a 2-3 record, 6.19 ERA, 1.28 WHIP, and 39 strikeouts in 32 innings into today’s matchup. The 26-year-old struggled in his first start against the Houston Astros, allowing five runs on five hits over four innings while taking the loss.
Like Ginn, Perkins is very familiar with this hitter-friendly ballpark. He made nine starts for Triple-A Las Vegas last season and three more appearances with the affiliate this year before earning his promotion to the majors. Perkins’ high-velocity arsenal gives him the ability to miss bats and limit damage, even in a venue that tends to favor hitters.
However, inconsistency and occasional command issues have plagued him during his brief MLB career, which is not uncommon for a young pitcher. If Perkins can trust his stuff, pound the strike zone, and keep the ball on the ground, he should have success this evening. Otherwise, the Brewers’ lineup could capitalize on his mistakes the way the Astros did in his previous outing.
Here’s the Athletics’ lineup for this series-deciding contest:
This is an interesting lineup that A’s manager Mark Kotsay has put together for tonight’s game. Nick Kurtz and Tyler Soderstrom, the team’s two hottest hitters in this series, occupy the first two spots in the order. Meanwhile, Carlos Cortes is making his first start of the series as the designated hitter and is surprisingly slotted into the cleanup spot rather than leading off.
Given how well Kurtz has been swinging the bat, it would seem to make more sense to flip him and Cortes in the lineup to maximize Kurtz’s RBI opportunities with runners on base. Another notable development is Brent Rooker’s absence from the starting lineup for a second consecutive game. The A’s have not indicated any issues, but they can ill afford to lose one of their most dangerous hitters to another stint on the injured list.
Cortes is not the only A’s player making his first start in Vegas. He is joined by outfielder Lawrence Butler and second baseman Jeff McNeil, two players who have had their playing time drastically reduced lately due to major offensive slumps. Zack Gelof moves back to third base with Max Muncy getting the night off, while Alika Williams earns his third straight start at shortstop.
That starting nine will be facing Brewers right-hander Brandon Sproat, who was involved in one of the biggest trades of the offseason. The New York Mets sent Sproat and a minor league infield prospect to Milwaukee in exchange for Freddy Peralta.
The 25-year-old has gone 1-4 with a 6.17 ERA through his first 12 appearances with the Brewers, including ten starts. In his most recent outing against the Colorado Rockies, Sproat received a no-decision after allowing three runs on seven hits over five innings.
Only A’s backup catcher Jonah Heim, who is not in tonight’s lineup, has previously faced Sproat. While the element of unfamiliarity could work in the young right-hander’s favor against A’s hitters, the A’s may benefit from the fact that Sproat has likely never pitched in this ballpark before. If the hosts can repeat the approach and offensive execution they displayed over the first two games, they should have opportunities to score against this talented but inexperienced pitcher.
The Brewers’ lineup features most of their regulars, with the lone exception coming behind the plate, where Gary Sànchez gets the start in place of William Contreras. The top of Milwaukee’s order is especially dangerous now that Andrew Vaughn is back in the lineup after appearing as a pinch-hitter last night.
As a result, Perkins will need to be careful when attacking the strike zone and do his best to keep the ball in the ballpark, something his teammate J.T. Ginn handled well in yesterday’s outing.
Time to win the series and head into tomorrow’s off day with good vibes. Let’s go A’s!
WASHINGTON, DC - MAY 18: Mitchell Parker #70 of the Washington Nationals watches a hit ball during a baseball game against the New York Mets at Nationals Park on May 18, 2026 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Well that sucked. Just when it looked like the Nationals had a sweep in the bag, the bullpen completely melted down. The Giants rallied from 9-1 down to stun the Nats. DMV product Bryce Eldridge hit a walkoff grand slam to finish off a humiliating defeat for Blake Butera and the Nats.
What happens after this game will be telling. For a more traditional front office and coaching staff, heads would absolutely roll after this kind of loss. However, I am not sure whether this analytically minded front office will deviate from their plan. As we have seen this season, there is a long term vision in place and we are seeing that translate on the field.
After this one though, I think it is time for some old school behavior. Blake Butera and Paul Toboni need to send a message to the players and the fans that what happened this afternoon was not acceptable. The two primary culprits of this bullpen meltdown were Mitchell Parker and Paxton Schultz, and their places on the team need to be examined.
For Parker, I honestly have no idea what this braintrust sees in him. The results have not been there, his stuff is below average and he does not seem to have the mentality to be a high leverage arm. Despite all of this, Parker constantly gets thrown into big spots, rarely succeeding. In the past month, Parker has an ERA over 8, and has allowed 7 homers in 16 innings.
This is not a team that is in the gutter, and the front office needs to act that way. When guys aren’t producing, they should be let go. Parker has been consistently terrible for over a year now. Since May 1st of 2025, he has a 6.44 ERA in 159.1 innings. What more do you need to see from this guy? As the saying goes, insanity is trying the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.
I mean that has to be the last pitch Mitchell Parker throws in a Nationals uniform
Mitchell Parker pitching on this upcoming home stand would give fans a pretty good indication that this front office and coaching staff has no interest in winning this season. Going all in on 2026 is not logical either. This team is still in year one of a new era. However, we know what we have in Mitchell Parker. It is unfair to the fans and the pitchers in Rochester to keep trotting this guy out there.
The other culprit of this meltdown requires a more nuanced conversation. Paxton Schultz has had a very strange season. He has been solid in 18 of his 20 outings. However, in the other two appearances, he has had some of the worst meltdowns you will ever see. He has shown the ability to be a quality arm, he has just been completely unable to stop the bleeding.
On the one hand, if you can’t be trusted to protect a 9-1 lead, you should not be on the roster. However, I think Schultz has some traits to be a fine reliever. In the heat of the moment, you would like to see a change, but I would understand if they stuck with Schultz. Today was absolutely dreadful, and he is arguably the biggest reason for the collapse, but you cannot be overly reactionary.
Paxton Schultz is so interesting because he has the best FIP and K-BB% on the team (not anymore undoubtedly), and yet I feel like I don’t trust him at all when he pitches https://t.co/N2UoF09sQP
What happens next will tell us a lot about this new regime. They have some very important decisions to make heading into this home stand. This team has a playoff caliber offense, but the bullpen can explode at any time. Will this front office send a message or will they continue to only look at whatever numbers are telling them Mitchell Parker is a major league caliber pitcher? The roster moves or lack thereof will tell Nationals a lot about Paul Toboni and Blake Butera.
