CLEARWATER, FL - MARCH 13: Baltimore Orioles Outfielder Heston Kjerstad (13) walks back to the dugout before the spring training game between the New York Yankees and the Philadelphia Phillies on March 13, 2026 at BayCare Ballpark in Clearwater, Florida. (Photo by Cliff Welch/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
With the Orioles idle, Norfolk represented the closest thing to a major league game last night. With that said, the outcome is about what you’ve come to expect. Jonathan Rodríguez hit a solo home run in the top of the first, but the Tides proceeded to allow seven consecutive runs. Jacksonville did the majority of the damage with a five-run fourth inning, and the Jumbo Shrimp bested Norfolk 9-2.
The Tides managed only five hits during the contest. Christian Encarnacion-Strand added the only extra-base hit with a double. Heston Kjerstad finished 0-for-3 with a walk and three strikeouts. Sam Huff finished 1-for-3 with a run scored. Huff is now fully entrenched as the team’s third catcher after the Orioles lost Maverick Handley on waivers.
Christian Herberholz allowed five runs over four innings. He surrendered a pair of homers, walked three and struck out four.
Ethan Anderson plated the first run over the game with a double in the third, and it felt like the one-run lead would hold up for a majority of the game. Unfortunately, Somerset struck for two runs in the top of the seventh. Yaqui Rivera coughed up a two-run homer to Garrett Martin, and the Patriots snuck out a 2-1 win.
Chesapeake starter Evan Yates did his part with 5.1 scoreless innings. Yates limited Somerset to only three hits. He struck out seven and walked three.
Both teams tallied five hits during the game. Chesapeake shortstop Carter Young finished 2-for-4. Anderson’s double represented the only extra-base hit for the Baysox.
High-A: Frederick Keys vs. Greenville Drive (Red Sox) PPD
The game will be made up today during a single admission doubleheader.
Low-A: Wilson Warbirds (Brewers) 13. Delmarva Shorebirds 11
Delmarva’s offense did its part again after a 12-run outburst on Wednesday, but the pitching came up short. Stiven Martinez hit a go-ahead home run in the top of the eighth, but Adrian Heredia allowed a three-run home run with two outs in the bottom half. The big fly came after a batter reached on a fielding error by second baseman DJ Layton.
Martinez finished 2-for-3 with two runs scored. RJ Austin and Raylin Ramos combined for six of Delmarva’s 15 hits. Austin scored four of the Shorebirds’ 11 runs. Ramos finished a homer shy of the cycle, while Austin only needed a double to accomplish the feat.
Mar 5, 2025; Peoria, Arizona, USA; Colorado Rockies shortstop Ezequiel Tovar (left) is tended to by a trainer after being hit by a pitch against the San Diego Padres during a spring training game at Peoria Sports Complex. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
Just a month and a half into the season, the Colorado Rockies injured list has already seen its fair share of residents.
From long-term injuries like RJ Petit and Pierson Ohl (Tommy John surgery), to 15-day IL stints like Mickey Moniak (right finger sprain), Kyle Freeland (left shoulder inflammation), Jose Quintana (right hamstring sprain), Ryan Feltner (right ulnar nerve inflammation), Jimmy Herget (right shoulder impingement) and Chase Dollander (right elbow strain) to name a few, the Rockies — and every MLB team — always have players dealing with and recovering from injuries.
This keeps the Colorado training staff busy year-round. It also means they form close relationships with the players.
“We know a lot about the guys. In fact, when I was early in my career, the saying was ‘If you want to know about the player, ask the trainer,’” said Colorado assistant athletic trainer Any Stover said a Rockies Fest at Coors Field in January. “And I think that’s the whole truth. That’s one of the things that holds true.”
And it’s not just the players, but their families as well.
“One thing that people don’t realize is that we work for their families, too,” said Keith Dugger, the Rockies head athletic trainer. “So if somebody’s sick, or for their kids, we’re getting the pediatrician or doctors or family or OBGYNs, whatever it is. We’re kind of like the referral gatekeeper for the families, too.”
The day-to-day job
An average day throughout the season is busy for all members of the training staff. They have daily meetings, including before and after batting practice. They talk with players and give the coaching staff updates on the players.
“We give our status of our players and where we think they should be,” Dugger said. “We are the go-between for our management and the administrations to tell them, ‘Hey, you might either get him out of the game if it’s a blowout game,’ or ‘This would be a good day to get a break,’ or, ‘He’s played eight days in a row here,’ or ‘Altitude’s kicking his butt and he’s not sleeping. Let’s give him a break here on this next day game.’ So that’s kind of how we map out.”
A big part of gathering information on the players goes beyond what’s happening on the field.
“Players are real people too. They have real-life problems. They might not have slept. [Maybe] they have twins at home who kept them up all night,” Dugger continued. “So there is that pressure from outside that sometimes people don’t understand why they might be slacking on the field.”
The athletic staff works closely with the physical performance team to look at on-field production, strength and conditioning, what’s happening before and after games to help assess each player’s workload management.
Thanks to advancements in technology and sports science, the training team has lots of data to work with.
“We have tools, we have cameras now, we can look at how much somebody ran, how fast they ran. There’s a lot of things out there now,” Dugger said. “We have electronic devices that help us in the weight room, where maybe we’re doing the same exercises, but you’re talking about power. Now we have little machines that are telling us how much force they’re using, or how high they’re jumping.”
Injury prevention and management
A huge struggle is trying to prevent injuries, especially for pitchers in an era when major injuries and surgeries are more and more common.
“These guys are better, faster, stronger than they’ve ever been. More guys are throwing 100 miles an hour or harder, more than ever,” said Scott Murayama, the Rockies coordinator of major league rehabilitation. “We’re seeing a huge uptick in elbow injuries. I think that’s a legitimate fear of these guys getting hurt and trying to avoid that. The industry is definitely trying to get a handle on these arm injuries, but it’s tough.”
Whatever happens, the athletic team works together to assess, diagnose and make a plan. Murayama said they consider different perspectives, approaches, surgery options, and rehab possibilities that cater to each player, all while also focusing on injury prevention.
“The game’s changed. No doubt,” Dugger said. “Guys are throwing 100-plus miles per hour, which basically I call Ferraris. You can’t take Ferraris and drive them long distances all the time. They’re gonna be overworked, and that’s what happens with our bullpen or our starters.”
Dugger believes that the emphasis on velocity when players are young and the intense club circuits that youth players compete in can make players more susceptible to more serious injuries earlier in their careers. They may pitch faster, but they don’t pitch very many innings in high school or college. Then they are expected to take on large inning loads in their pro careers in longer seasons than they’ve ever played.
“One of the best predictors of the future is the history of the length a guy has thrown, if they’ve done it before, or if they’ve gradually made increments,” Dugger said. “It is a tougher game at this level. It’s a faster, longer season.”
Sometimes, when the Colorado training staff goes out on the field, it’s precautionary to check on something like a player being hit by a pitch. They talk with the player, decide he’s OK and retreat to the dugout. Other times, it’s more serious — like when Dugger has to remove a starting pitcher like Dollander in the second inning of his start against the Pirates on May 14.
Each situation and each player has to be handled differently, and each member of the training staff has their own role. This is why knowing the players so well is a vital part of the job.
“It’s like your own kids. You could be tougher on one individual than others. There are other guys you have to put your arm around, and kind of baby it, and you do little. Everyone’s a little bit different,” Dugger said. “I’m always the bad cop. They [as he pointed to the rest of the staff] are always the good cops. So I’m the mean guy.”
As of Thursday, May 21, the Rockies had one player on the 10-day IL (Brenton Doyle), four players on the 15-day IL and five on the 60-day IL. The athletic staff is managing the grind, helping players in their rehab (like Feltner’s Minor League ease in) and continuing to try to prevent and monitor each player. With a long season ahead, there is no doubt that the trainers will remain busy.
In a game to forget, the Isotopes were held scoreless for eight innings before Vimael Machín hit a solo homer in the ninth inning to prevent the shutout, while Las Vegas amassed 14 hits in a blowout win on Thursday. Machín and Cole Carrigg each posted two hits, combining for four of Albuquerque’s seven total. Valente Bellozo (0-3) took the loss after surrendering four runs (three earned) on six hits with one strikeout and one walk, but the game really got out of hand when the Aviators scored six runs in the eighth.
Bryant Betancourt hit a two-run homer, Andy Perez doubled and tripled while driving in three runs and Jake Brooks threw a seven-inning gem to earn his first win of the season for the Yard Goats on Thursday. Brooks held the Fisher Cats to one run on a solo homer, six hits, four strikeouts and one walk to improve to 1-1 on the season. After falling behind 1-0 in the second, Betancourt hit his homer in the third to help Hartford take a lead it never lost. GJ Hill added a hit and scored a run and Conner Capel added a double and RBI.
Jack O’Dowd hit two homers, one with two runners on and his second with one runner on base, on a 3-for-4 night when he scored three runs to lead Spokane to a high-scoring victory on Thursday night. The Indians also took advantage of three Vancouver errors that led to four unearned runs. Tommy Hopfe added a two-run homer of his own, Jacob Hinderleider drove in two runs on two hits and scored a run and Robert Calaz also posted two hits and scored a run. Everett Catlett had a short, but effective start, giving up one run on five hits and three walks with three strikeouts in 3.2 innings. Nathan Blasick followed with 2.1 scoreless, hitless innings for the win with two walks and two strikeouts.
The Quakes took advantage of three singles, two walks and a fielding error to put up a four-run second inning, earning a lead they never lost against Fresno. Roldy Brito doubled, singled, scored a run and drove in a run for the Grizzlies, while Clayton Gray added two hits and a run and Tanner Thach also recorded two hits and drove in a run. Angel Jimenez took the loss, giving up six runs (five earned) on with five hits, five walks and six strikeouts.
After hitting the ground hard on a diving catch attempt on Wednesday, Brenton Doyle moved to the 10-day IL with a left oblique contusion on Thursday. The Rockies also made other roster moves, including bringing up Chad Smith.
In case you aren’t yet familiar with the Rockies newest call-up, here’s a nice feature on the infielder who made his Rockies debut on Thursday night in Arizona. You’ll learn about his success at Triple-A Albuquerque and his super-fan grandmother, who lives in Phoenix and is his biggest fan.
Patrick Saunders talks about the benefits of having Jake McCarthy on the roster this season. In addition to his speed, he’s been hitting better lately. This article has some good quotes from Rockies manager Warren Schaeffer.
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - AUGUST 23: General view during a game between Bay FC and Washington Spirit square off before a record-setting crowd at Oracle Park on August 23, 2025 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Karen Hickey/ISI Photos/ISI Photos via Getty Images) | ISI Photos via Getty Images
Good morning, baseball fans!
The San Francisco Giants return to the bay this weekend for a three-game series against the Chicago White Sox. So let’s take a look at what Oracle Park has on deck for fans who might be thinking about attending.
Friday night will be a Special Event for Japanese Heritage Night! Fans with special event tickets will get at Japanese Heritage Night baseball t-shirt giveaway designed by Sumo Fish, and there will be festivities around the park throughout the evening.
As with all Saturday home games this season, Saturday will be a Fiesta Gigantes event with music, food and other celebrations featured throughout the park. Additionally, the first 15,000 fans in attendance will receive a Chain Hat giveaway.
Sunday will be Star Wars Day at Oracle Park. The first 15,000 fans in attendance will receive a Grogu Bobblehead giveaway. I am incredibly jealous because they are very cute. Fans are encouraged to dress up, and will have photo opportunities throughout the park.
If you’re headed to the park this weekend, have fun! And make sure to share pictures!
What time do the Giants play today?
The Giants take on game one of this three-game series against the White Sox tonight at 7:15 p.m. PT.
KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI - MAY 20: Jarren Duran #16 of the Boston Red Sox celebrates his two-run home run with Wilyer Abreu #52 of the Boston Red Sox against the Kansas City Royals in the seventh inning at Kauffman Stadium on May 20, 2026 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Ed Zurga/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Red Sox are certainly not back yet, but at least the brand of baseball is improving.
Boston swept the Kansas City Royals and finished a road trip (with multiple series) with a winning record for the first time this season. The Red Sox are 22-27 and keep creeping closer to .500, not that that should be some cause for celebration.
If nothing else, Boston looks better than the disaster that took place over the first month of the season. The Red Sox are 10-8 in May and reached that mark without Roman Anthony and Garrett Crochet. In this delusional reality, the ballclub in the midst of a frustrating start sits just two games out of a playoff game.
That’s not to say they’re good yet. That’s not to say the wild-card race matters in May. What it does mean is that it’s pretty insane that they’re not out of the realm of contention by any means.
Give credit to the quality starting pitching and improved defense that’s dragged an insufficient lineup to a solid month of May so far. But at the end of the day, this conversation goes beyond the Red Sox. The real story here is that the American League is realistically in Year 3 of legitimate mediocrity.
As of Thursday, there are FIVE TEAMS in the American League with a winning record. Five! For reference, nine teams in the National League are over .500.
This issue stretches back the last two seasons as well. No AL team won more than 94 games in that stretch and postseasons formed without a true standout team. The Yankees cakewalked through the American League Central duo of the Kansas City Royals and Cleveland Guardians to reach the 2024 World Series before a swift defeat at the hands of the Los Angeles Dodgers.
The Red Sox made the postseason with 89 wins in 2025. That’s the new reality of the American League. Gone are the juggernauts of even the end of the 2010s. Remember, the AL had three teams win 100 games or more in 2018 and the Red Sox beat the other two (Yankees, Astros) to win the World Series.
So this is not the powerhouse American League we’ve known for most of the 21st century. Instead, it’s a swirling pool of mediocrity without a king to take control. It’s unfortunate for baseball, but in this case, it’s beneficial for the Red Sox.
Despite the rough start that cost Alex Cora and several coaches their jobs, Boston can still realistically fight to play for October the rest of the way. The path to a division title is probably already gone as the team trails the Tampa Bay Rays by 11 ½ games for the top spot in the East.
The melting pot of fringe teams and six playoff spots is just the perfect storm for the Red Sox to do just enough the rest of the way under interim manager Chad Tracy.
It’s wild to think about how little it takes to be a playoff team in the American League. For the Red Sox’s sake, they should be thankful.
Apr 30, 2026; Baltimore, MD, USA; Baltimore Orioles manager Craig Albernaz (55) watches his team play against the Houston Astros in the seventh inning at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Mandatory Credit: Jamie Sabau-Imagn Images | Jamie Sabau-Imagn Images
Good morning, Camden Chatters.
Can you believe the Orioles’ 2026 season is not even two months old? It’s felt like two decades. The shoddy pitching, the atrocious defense, the unproductive offense, the overall uninspired play — we’ve seen so much bad baseball already. And we’re less than a third of the way through the season.
If you’re feeling like any hopes of a winning Orioles season are already dead and buried, I certainly don’t blame you. Even with so much of the schedule yet to be played, eight games under .500 feels like a massive hole to climb out of for an O’s team that hasn’t shown any ability to get on a hot streak. They need to dramatically improve at pretty much every aspect of baseball, and soon.
But for those who are holding out hope that the season can be salvaged, the Orioles’ best opportunity to do so begins tonight. The O’s will be playing at Camden Yards for the entire rest of May, kicking off a 10-game homestand, their longest of the season. Two of their three upcoming opponents, the Tigers and Blue Jays, are having lousy years themselves.
In fact, 17 of the Orioles’ next 23 games are in Baltimore, and 11 of them come against teams that currently have losing records. The O’s are entering one of the most favorable parts of their 2026 schedule, and they need to take full advantage.
These next 10 games could define the season. Nobody’s expecting the Orioles to get back to .500 by the end of this homestand, but if they can at least win more than they lose, they’ll keep themselves afloat and could possibly build some much-needed momentum. They’d still have a long way to go to be considered contenders, but we wouldn’t have to write off the 2026 season just yet.
But if the Orioles continue to play as they have all season, and end up with a losing record on this homestand to drop 10 games or more under .500, it may well be “stick a fork in ’em” time. To me that’s when ownership would need to seriously consider making a change in the front office, even if midseason GM firings aren’t especially common. It’s not clear whether that’s something that David Rubenstein and company are even considering at this point. But another two or three weeks of O’s failure, especially during a softer portion of the schedule, could force the issue.
It feels strange to say that the fate of the Orioles’ season hangs in the balance in May. That doesn’t make it less true, though. The O’s will be under a microscope for these next 10 days. And in a couple of weeks, we’ll either be feeling better about these guys, or this team could be on the verge of a major reckoning.
It seems like Orioles management responds to every question about the team’s flaws with something like, “Yeah, weird, huh? We’re not sure why that’s happening.” That doesn’t exactly fill me with confidence that they’ve got a handle on the situation.
Joseph Dzierwa has been one of the few bright spots in the O’s organization this season, so of course I’m expecting some terrible fate to befall him soon.
So long, Maverick. Your play on the field may have been unexceptional, but your awesome name will stick with me forever.
Orioles birthdays and history
Is today your birthday? Happy birthday! Four ex-Orioles were born on this day: infielder Rio Ruiz (32), left-hander John Bale (52), and righties Rick van den Hurk (41) and José Mesa (60).
On this date in 1974, the Orioles won a 12-inning, 1-0 walkoff over Cleveland in which O’s starting pitcher Ross Grimsley threw a 12-inning shutout. He was just the third pitcher in Orioles history to throw a shutout of 12 innings or more. The lefty scattered eight hits during his gem to outduel Cleveland starter Jim Perry, who threw only 10 shutout innings like a slacker. The O’s finally broke the scoreless tie in the bottom of the 12th when Boog Powell led off with a double and scored on Paul Blair’s walkoff single.
Random Orioles game of the day
On May 22, 2015, the Orioles beat the Marlins in Miami, 8-5. Jimmy Paredes and Caleb Joseph each had three-hit games, and leadoff hitter Manny Machado drove in three runs, helping the Orioles overcome an early three-run deficit. Rookie Tyler Wilson, pitching in relief, earned his first major league win after starter Ubaldo Jimenez lasted just four innings. The outcome extended an eight-game losing streak for the Marlins, who had fired manager Mike Redmond earlier in the week.
Happy birthday to Jacob Turner*, and a mighty host of others.
Today in baseball history,1930 – In Philadelphia, the Yankees and the Athletics continue the home run barrage as the Yankees take both games of a second straight doubleheader, 10-1 and 20-13. Babe Ruth hits a pair of home runs in the opener, as does Ben Chapman and winning pitcher George Pipgras. The Yanks score nine runs in the first two innings of the second game, but the A’s come back to tie it at 12 apiece. The Yanks win the assault, 20 – 13, as Tony Lazzeri is 4 for 4, scores five runs, and knocks in four. Ruth hits another in the scond game, while Lou Gehrig powers three round trippers to drive in eight runs. On the A’s side, Jimmie Foxx has two homers to drive in six runs. For the afternoon, the teams combine to hit 14 round trippers, a then-record ten in the nitecap.
Also today in baseball history, in 1963 – At Yankee Stadium, New York blows a 7-0 lead and allows Kansas City to tie the game and send it into extra innings. Mickey Mantle, leading off the 11th, is fooled by Bill Fischer on a slow curve, then cannons a 2-2 pitch that almost clears the right field roof. “The hardest ball I ever hit,” Mantle later comments, a ball that, by some accounts, is still rising when it strikes a foot below the top. It is conservatively estimated by Dr. James McDonald, a physicist who studies long-ball trajectories, that the ball would have traveled 620 feet if it had not struck the façade. “That was the only homer I ever hit that the bat actually bent in my hands,”Mantle tells Dale Long, from whom he borrowed the bat.
Today in baseball history:
1880 – Pud Galvin makes his first appearance of the season for Buffalo, beating Cincinnati, 2-1. Galvin had difficulty leaving California, where he was forced to walk 36 miles at one point to avoid local detectives who were trying to hold him to his California League contract.
1912 – The Giants complete a western trip in first place, beating the Reds today, 6-1. Christy Mathewson is in total control, giving up three hits in the first three innings, and then retiring the next 18 batters.
1923 – Babe Ruth breaks a 1 – 1 tie between the Yanks and White Sox by clouting a two-run homer in the 15th inning. The blow breaks up a tense pitching duel between little Mike Cvengros and Herb Pennock, who goes all the way giving up just four hits.
1933 – Joe Sewell of the Yankeesfans for the first time this season, a 3-0 win behind Lefty Gomez over Cleveland. Sewell will strike out only three more times in 524 at bats this year.
1934 – The Indians stop the Yankees, 5-1, with Lou Gehrig driving in the lone run for New York. For the second time in his career, Lou has driven in at least one run a game for ten straight games.
1936 – Collecting 17 hits, including eight doubles, the Cards overwhelm the Pirates, 11-4. Dizzy Dean breezes to his sixth win and the Cards increase their lead to 1.5 games. Pepper Martin scores in his 13th consecutive game, but will go runless tomorrow.
1937 – Facing Wes Ferrell in Boston, Hank Greenberg hits a long centerfield home run out of Fenway Park. It exits to the right of the flag pole and is called the longest home run ever hit at Fenway.
1941 – A smart play by the Reds’Lonny Frey helps Cincy to a 6-4 win over the Giants. With one out and the sacks full in the 1st, Chuck Aleno hits a double play grounder to short. Frey, running from second base, allows the ball to hit him for an out, stopping play and putting Aleno on first base. Ernie Lombardi then hits a grand slam. Frank McCormick adds a two-run home run in the 3rd.
1946 – Josh Gibson‘s tape-measure home run helps the defending Negro National League Champion Homestead Grays prevail against the New York Black Yankees. Gibson hits one of the longest home runs ever poled at Forbes Field, 450 feet over the left-center wall, according to a very conservative estimate in the next day’s papers.
1946 – With the score tied 1-1 in the 10th inning at Ebbets Field, Cubs SS Lennie Merullo and Dodgers 2B Eddie Stanky start punching each other, precipitating a brawl between the two teams. Claude Passeau rips off Leo Durocher‘s jersey before calm is restored. The Dodgers win, 2-1, in 13 innings, collecting 11 hits off Johnny Schmitz, who goes the distance. Joe Hatten gives up four hits in 12 innings, with Kirby Higbe pitching the last round.
1954 – At Yankee Stadium, Allie Reynolds tosses a seven-hit shutout over the Red Sox to win, 7-0. Mickey Mantle is the offense, going 4 for 5 with four RBIs. Mick will knock in ten runs in the three-game series against the Red Sox.
1958 – Ted Williams hits his 16th career grand slam to provide the Red Sox with the margin in an 8-5 win over the A’s. Ted’s fourth-inning blast, off Jack Urban, ties him with Babe Ruth for second place on the career slam list, behind only Lou Gehrig.
1959 – Baltimore’sHoyt Wilhelmone-hits the Yankees, 5-0, with Jerry Lumpe‘s single in the eighth the spoiler. Switch-hitter Mickey Mantle hits righty against Wilhelm and does no better than he has been lefty. On May 28th, Wilhelm will beat the Yankees again, 5-0.
1968 – At Wrigley Field, Pirates slugger Willie Stargell hits three home runs and just misses a fourth in a 13-6 rout over the Cubs. “Pops” also hits a single and a double which bounces off the railing in left field fence back onto the playing field.
1990 – Andre Dawson sets a major-league record when he is intentionally walked five times during a 16-inning, 2-1 Cubs win over the Reds. Cincinnati issues seven intentional passes altogether to tie a major-league record set by Houston in 1984.
1997 – San Diego pitcher Joey Hamilton homers and Tony Gwynn has three hits off Hideo Nomo as the San Diego Padres top the Dodgers, 4-1. It is the Pads’ seventh straight win over the Los Angeles Dodgers. Gwynn goes 3 for 4 to raise his average to .387.
May 7, 2026; San Diego, California, USA; St. Louis Cardinals right fielder Jordan Walker (18) hits a double during the ninth inning against the San Diego Padres at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: Denis Poroy-Imagn Images | Denis Poroy-Imagn Images
On this day, 24 years ago, Jordan Walker was born. Happy Birthday! Young by baseball standards, it feels like we’ve been waiting on him FOREVER!
Authors Note: Some of you will fret about the VEB curse, rightfully so. I did a breakdown on Riley O’Brien the day before he blew a save in West Sacramento (the A’s). I also did one on Andre Pallante at the the start of his nosedive last year. But I did one earlier on Phil Maton and that worked out OK for him. So, I’m 1 for 3. With hope, Jordan won’t turn into a pumpkin when the clock strikes midnight. If it does, blame me. The slipper will fit.
By now we have bypassed the small sample size in many offensive statistics and should now be seeing numbers that are “stable”. The key one I’ve been waiting for? 200 PAs. We crossed that threshold earlier this week.
I’ll start by showing you two StatCast player overviews. On the top (or left, depending on your screen orientation), who else but the current version of Jordan Walker. Take a look at the second one. Notice the similarities? I could show you spray charts and they would look equally and remarkably similar. VEB bucks awarded if you ascertain which player season this describes. Paul Goldschmidt, circa 2022.
The first question everyone is asking is … is it real? Is it sustainable? Each day that passes the answer seems to be leaning harder and harder to the “yes” side. Even as the season has unfolded, we have seen improvements. Defensively, baserunning, contact hitting and power. What might this look like over a full season? Last year, we were surprised when he succeeded. This year, we look forward to his ABs.
If you accept Goldy 2022 as comp, he racked up 6.8 fWAR and that is with a somewhat harsh positional adjustment, no? Walker plays RF, where the position adjustment is less and from the Statcast sheet, it appears his defense is rated better. Jordan will likely pick up a few runs in baserunning as well. Hmmm…7 WAR maybe? Somewhere, someone is thinking I’ve had a little too much hopium today.
You all can read the HRs, the OPS, wRC+ and all that and realize that this season is very different. What I want to venture into more is what does this mean for the Cardinal line-up, the future and the rebuild. I’ll harken back to the Starz model I published this past winter here. “We need more stars!” was a common refrain on the boards. The earlier article attempted to define what “more stars” meant, and I coined the term “Starz” to reflect my data-drive definition didn’t always comport with everyone’s subjective definition of a star. Remember that a Starz player is defined as one in the top 20th percentile of WAR. Here is how it looked back then:
In 2025, the 5 Starz were Winn, Donovan, Contreras, Gray and Liberatore. Not enough, as we saw on the field and also as we see in the data. When people say the Cardinals need more “star” players, they are correct. They need around 4 more (ie. 9, not 5)…Breaking it down a bit, the 2025 Cardinals had 3 hitters finish in the top 20th percentile (none in the top 10th) and 2 pitchers finished in the top 20th (one in the top 10th). Teams with 4-5-6 good players regularly just miss the playoffs. And they did.
The new management team followed this up by trading away 3 of those Starz. Going backwards at first is a common sign of a rebuild, no matter how it is branded. But, wait!! Having traded away 2 of the 3 Starz position players, the Cardinals find themselves in the unexpected situation where they still have (currently) three Starz on the field (Walker, Herrera, Wetherholt) with two more just outside that threshold (Burleson, Winn). Even better, two of them (Walker, Wetherholt) are on track to exceed the high side of the 3.8 fWAR median that a competitive team’s Starz must achieve.
Indeed, all five players are in the top 100 fWAR accumulators in 2026. Jordan Walker’s 2.1 fWAR comes in at 9, behind such luminaries as Witt Jr, Judge, Alvarez, Rice, De La Cruz, Langliers, Judge, Olsen. He is rubbing elbows with the elite of the elite. Not exactly just eking into the top 20%.
Burleson and Winn were on the edge of this in 2025, so their presence is not unexpected. It was clear Herrera would be there if health allowed. We all hoped that Wetherholt was as advertised and would learn quickly. His start-up has not been shocking (but pleasantly refreshing). At the start, it was reasonable to think the Cardinals might have 3 or 4 positional Starz on their roster, depending on how fast JJW Wetherholt adapted. Different names than 2025, but in the same range. Not enough, resulting in an offense expected to struggle at times.
The one that stands out and changes this picture is Jordan Walker. If you take 4 Starz (Wetherholt, Burleson, Winn, Herrera) and you add in a top 10 WAR provider, that really changes the complexion of the group. In the way Cal Raleigh’s season last year changed Seattle, or how Shohei Ohtani changes the Dodgers. In the way Paul Goldschmidt affected that 2022 Cardinal team. That is what we appear to be looking at here.
So, what has changed? You can read a Ben Clemons analysis here. I won’t repeat that take, but I will add a couple of things that stick out to me. There are some odd juxtapositions, but I think they make sense in concert. Start with the walk rate. He has moved from a career BB% (before this year) of around 7.5% to over 10% in 2026. That is a good (and sustainable) sign. But his chase rate has also risen (oddly?). It sits at 36%, up from a career norm of 30.1%. That doesn’t sound good, does it? Two other things sway the outlook. His waste swing% is at a career low 7.7% (those nasty sliders!!) AND his chase contact% has skyrocketed from 30 to 36%. This tells me he is getting way better contact on chase pitches and he is doing way better at spitting on the waste pitches. His overall output tells us that he is making great contact, so I take the net of this to be he is getting great plate coverage. I don’t know exactly how Statcast interprets a “chase” pitch (outside the shadow, but not a waste), but a man his size might actually have a different definition of a “chase” pitch. Plus, I think it reasonable to expect as he gains more confidence and has more success, these chases will trend down.
If you move beyond that, you can see his SquareUpSwing%, BlastSwing% and IdealAttackAngle% are all at career highs.
Add this all together, and I get a picture of 1) a player who is seeing the ball and recognizing pitches much better and 2) being much more willing to cut loose and hit the ball, instead of feeling his way through an AB.
My favorite is purely anecdotal. Look how well is he using all fields. That is a hitter.
How does this impact the line-up as a whole? Well, at the outset of the season, Masyn Winn was the clean-up hitter. With no disrespect to Masyn (one of my favorite players), if he is your clean-up hitter, your line-up has a problem. Insert a productive Jordan Walker, and it improves 2 spots in the order. Clean-up and wherever lower in the order Masyn hits. It takes pressure off the guys in front of him, lessening the outcomes of guys trying to do too much with pitcher’s pitches. And let’s face it. A 1-4 of Wetherholt, Herrera, Burleson and Jordan is a tough row to hoe for a pitcher. It’s been a while since we’ve seen that in these parts. Oli likes to muse that if you put enough pressure on the pitcher, he will break.
To be complete about what has changed, I want to lightly touch on some more subtle things. Walker’s baserunning value is quite high and that becomes more material as he gets on base more. I think of that as a force multiplier. If Walker gets on, he becomes a force with his legs that OPS doesn’t reflect. Likewise, look at his fielding run value. Smack dab in the middle. Now that really isn’t anything to shout about, except when you consider two things. One, where he was at 2 years ago (worst) and two, how dependent this team is on defense. Again, a force multiplier. He adds with his bat, but then does NOT subtract with his defensive play, like before.
Earlier, I talked about a maybe a 6-7 WAR season (he is already at 2.1). That is Wins Above Replacement (as in zero fWAR). Walker isn’t replacing zero fWAR, his improvement is from a base last year of -1.2 fWAR. The improvement the team experiences is actually a fair bit larger, where a 7 WAR season would be an 8.2 WAR improvement. If I had told you at the beginning of the year that the Cardinals were going to add an 8.2 WAR player, you’d be wondering how many millions of dollars that would take.
Also in the near-term impact: In a time that now seems so long ago (this past off-season), Cardinals fans agonized about how this line-up was deficient against left-handed pitching and how there was an obvious need for some solid right-handed hitters to mash. In ways, the angst was overblown, as the 2025 Cardinal offense operated at a near-league average of 97 wRC+, tied for 15th in the MLB. Middle-ish, not awful. The eye-test was worse, as it could be infuriating how seemingly any journey level left-hander could dominate the line-up. As we looked at 2026, having traded away two RH hitters (Arenado and Contreras) many wondered (and worried) how bad it could get. As we look today, having only subtracted, we look up and see the Cardinal line-up has improved against LH pitching, a bit, instead of backsliding. The current line-up is running a dead average 100 wRC+, good enough for 13th in MLB. Turns out, that RH hitter was there all along, right under our noses. Another would come in handy, but platoon-split guy will do now, opening the field up to more (and cheaper) options. And that guy may be in the organization already, too.
How about the future? In the short-term, I think it reasonable that if they add one more hitter to this line-up, it will become a line-up that could be called “deep”. In my hopes, that is Lars Nootbaar upon returning from injury. Six or seven guys in the top 50th percentile is a productive line-up. One that will be less prone to outages like the 6 shutouts in 2 weeks we saw in 2025. Subjectively, I think of it in terms of the line-up becomes good enough where they can put Nootbaar in the 7 hole and his baseline performance plays really well there and if he emerges like the metrics suggest, so much the better. That is what having a productive Walker in the line-up does. This is the manifestation of “makes everyone around him better”.
In the longer-term future? This one is murky. It seems like Jordan Walker’s emergence shortens the acceptable timeline for a rebuild. Unlike JJ Wetherholt, who has 5 more years of control after this year, there is a shorter “use by” date at the end, because Walker has but 3 years of control left after 2026 and it wouldn’t seem wise to spend 1 or 2 more years fooling around with recasting the pipeline. If they can’t extend him, it would seem unlikely he will be here in 2029, so maybe a 2-year window is open after 2026. In ways, his emergence will push not only the offense, but the front office. I will imagine they view this as a good problem to have. The truckload of money it might take to solve might be in the Soto/Guerrero Jr range.
Sep 10, 2024; San Francisco, California, USA; General view of the helmet used by the Milwaukee Brewers before the start of the first inning against the San Francisco Giants at Oracle Park. Mandatory Credit: Stan Szeto-Imagn Images | Stan Szeto-Imagn Images
Greetings, Brew Crew Ball community. The Brewers responded to a week filled with rivals with a 5-1 stretch, including a huge three-game sweep of the Cubs at Wrigley. They now sit in sole possession of first place for the first time since early April, and they’ve got another big week on deck with the Dodgers and Cardinals coming to town.
Feel free to use this thread to chat about (almost) anything you want: video games, food, movies, non-baseball sports, the Brewers, you name it. As long as it’s appropriate and is allowed by our moderators, it’s fair game here.
Apr 14, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Phillies catcher JT Realmuto (10) runs to first after hitting a single against the Chicago Cubs in the fourth inning at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Ross-Imagn Images | Kyle Ross-Imagn Images
Memorial Day weekend begins now. Or this evening, for most of us. Whenever it starts, have a good weekend.
Feb 12, 2025; Port St. Lucie, FL, USA; New York Mets first baseman Ryan Clifford (87) works during a Spring Training workout at Clover Park. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images | Sam Navarro-Imagn Images
Syracuse and Buffalo went back and forth in this one. They were tied after one, and Syracuse trailed 3-2 in the third, and 4-2 after five, before the Mets broke out in a big way. Singles by Jackson Cluff and Christian Arroyo tied the game after four, and a four run sixth — headlined by a Ryan Clifford bases clearing double — made it 9-4 Mets. Buffalo made it a game again with two runs in the top of the eighth, but a three run bottom of the frame for the Mets put the game away.
3B Christian Arroyo: 1-4, 2 RBI, K
1B Ryan Clifford: 1-4, 2 R, 2B, 3 RBI, BB, K
DH Eric Wagaman: 2-3, R, HR (2), RBI, 2 BB
LF Ji Hwan Bae: 2-5, R, 2 RBI
2B Yonny Hernández: 2-5, R, K
CF Cristian Pache: 1-5, R, 2B, 2 RBI, K
C Ben Rortvedt: 1-4, 2 R, 2B, BB, K
SS Jackson Cluff: 1-1, 3 R, 3 BB
RF Matt Rudick: 1-3, R, RBI, SB (1)
RHP Xzavion Curry: 5.0 IP, 6 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 3 BB, 2 K
RHP Danis Correa: 2.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K, W (1-0)
RHP Jonathan Pintaro: 0.2 IP, 0 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 0 K
LHP Anderson Severino: 0.1 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 3 BB, 0 K
RHP Dylan Ross: 0.2 IP, 1 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 1 K
LHP Nate Lavender: 0.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 0 K, S (1)
Blowout is the key word of the day in Mets minor league land, but this one was more of a blowout in theory than execution. Binghamton and Richmond held each other scoreless through the first five innings, with Binghamton finally breaking through in the sixth, plating two runs on an Eli Serrano double. Richmind would tie the game in the bottom of the eighth, sending the game into the ninth tied at two.
The top of the ninth was an outrageous inning, as Binghamton plated seven runs to turn this into a laugher. The scoring started with a misplay in center field that saw two runs come home, making it 4-2. Vincent Perozo was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to make it 5-2, and three walks with the bases loaded made it 8-2. A sac fly would put the exclamation point on a bizarre inning, and a Binghamton win.
SS Marco Vargas: 2-4, R, RBI, BB, K, SB (11)
3B Jacob Reimer: 1-4, R, 2B, RBI, BB, 2 K
RF Eli Serrano III: 1-4, 2B, 3 RBI, K
LF Jose Ramos: 0-3, R, BB, 2 K, SB (4)
CF D’Andre Smith: 0-4, R, RBI, K
DH Nick Lorusso: 0-3, R, BB, K, SB (2)
1B JT Schwartz: 0-3, R, BB
C Vincent Perozo: 0-3, R, RBI, 2 K
2B Wyatt Young: 1-3, 2 R, RBI, BB
RHP R.J. Gordon: 3.1 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 4 K
LHP Max Green: 2.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 3 K, 2 WP
LHP Felipe De La Cruz: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K, H (1)
RHP Douglas Orellana: 1.0 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 1 K, 1 HBP, BS (1), W (4-0)
RHP Brian Metoyer: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 0 K
A three run first and a four run fourth made it a 7-0 deficit for the Cyclones, which they simply did not recover from. They scored two runs in the bottom of the fourth, and one in the fifth, but the game was over virtually before it started.
CF Yonatan Henriquez: 0-4, 3 K
RF John Bay: 1-3, R, 2B, 2 K
1B Corey Collins: 0-2, RBI, 2 K
LF JT Benson: 0-3, RBI, K
C Daiverson Gutierrez: 1-3, R, HR (2), RBI, K
SS Colin Houck: 0-3, 3 K, E (6)
DH Trace Willhoite: 1-3, R, 2B, K
3B Nick Roselli: 0-2, BB, 2 K
2B Diego Mosquera: 1-2, BB, K
RHP Noah Hall: 5.0 IP, 9 H, 7 R, 7 ER, 3 BB, 0 K. 1 HBP, L (0-4)
RHP Bryce Jenkins: 2.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K
Game two somehow went worse than game one for Brooklyn. They gave up the same seven runs, though this time it was two in the first and five in the fifth, but they mustered just two hits and one walk. It was simply a bad day at the ballpark in a bad season for the Brooklyn Cyclones, who move to an 11-31 record after the double header sweep.
2B Yonatan Henriquez: 1-3, 2 K, 2 E (1, 2)
SS Mitch Voit: 0-3
C Ronald Hernandez: 0-2, BB, K
CF John Bay: 1-3, SB (10)
DH Daiverson Gutierrez: 0-3
LF JT Benson: 0-2, K
3B Colin Houck: 0-2, K
1B Trace Willhoite: 0-2, K
RF Sam Biller: 0-2, 2 K
RHP Hoss Brewer: 2.0 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 3 K, L (1-2)
RHP Cristofer Gomez: 2.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K
RHP Dakota Hawkins: 0.2 IP, 4 H, 5 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 1 K
RHP Ryan Dollar: 0.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 4 BB, 1 K, 1 HBP
RHP Juan Arnaud: 0.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 1 K
RHP Diego Mosquera: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 0 K
St. Lucie actually led in this game, 2-0 after one, by way of a pair of doubles by Randy Guzman and Yohairo Cuevas, and 3-2 after three, on a triple by Cuevas. It would fall apart from there.
An eight run fifth followed by a five run seventh saw Palm Beach turn this into a blowout. Palm Beach also added three in the ninth on poor Kevin Villavicencio, a position player.
SS Branny De Oleo: 1-5, 2 K, E (7)
LF-P Kevin Villavicencio: 0-4, 2 R, RBI, BB, SB (2)
It is a tough time to be a Detroit Tigers fan after watching their beloved team get swept at home by the Cleveland Guardians this week in four games. The Motor City Kitties have now lost six straight, nine of the last 10, and 14 of the last 16 — that last stat is just one loss short of the worst stretch (2-15) the franchise experienced during the abysmal 2019 campaign from June 13 to July 13.
Perhaps the good news is that AJ Hinch’s squad hits the road this weekend to face a struggling Baltimore Orioles team that is coming off a series sweep at the Tampa Bay Rays and has just one victory in its last six tries. It is truly a veritable crap vs crap matchup on deck here; if the Tigers continue to flail, things are looking really rough as we approach the 1/3 season mark.
To open things up at Camden Yards, Detroit turns to right-hander Jack Flaherty, who has posted an 8.41 ERA and 5.57 FIP over his last five starts stretching across 20 1/3 innings. The bright spot is the fact that the 30-year-old gave his team six frames last time out — just the second time this season he reached that mark.
The last time Flaherty saw the O’s was in 2024 with the Dodgers in Los Angeles on Aug. 27, when he earned a quality start for his six-inning effort that saw him allow three runs on six hits (two home runs) and two walks with five strikeouts in a game that he got saddled with the loss.
Opposite him is fellow righty Chris Bassitt, who has had three strong outings so far, while the others were nothing to write home about. However, his last start was not one of those — the 37-year-old allowed four runs on six hits (one home run) and a walk with four strikeouts over five frames to earn a loss against the Washington Nationals.
Bassitt’s last appearance against Detroit came on July 19, 2024, with the Blue Jays in Toronto, in which he allowed five runs on six hits (two home runs) and a walk while striking out six over 6 2/3 innings to earn the loss.
Take a look at how the two match up on Friday night. Make note that this game will be broadcast on Apple TV.
Detroit Tigers (20-31) vs. Baltimore Orioles (21-29)
Time (ET): 7:15 p.m. Place: Camden Yards, Baltimore, Maryland SB Nation Site:Camden Chat Media: Apple TV, Tigers Radio Network
Game 52: RHP Jack Flaherty (0-5, 5.77 ERA) vs. RHP Chris Bassitt (3-3, 5.44 ERA)
WASHINGTON — This very nothing New York Mets season has reached the 50-game mark with only the faintest chance of becoming something.
For now, that something is very ugly: The third team in major league history to miss the playoffs with a payroll north of $300 million – following in the footsteps of the 2023 and 2025 Mets.
At 22-28, this squad heads to Miami this weekend in a battle for last place in the National League East, though with 12 1/2 games and three teams separating them from the Atlanta Braves, it’s best not to even peek until a significant reversal of fortune has occurred.
Looking back is already painful enough.
“It’s all you can control: Playing better now,” Bo Bichette, their prized off-season acquisition, tells USA TODAY Sports. “You can’t control what’s already happened.”
What’s happened has been jarring: Devastating injuries mixed with heartwarming debuts. Underperforming superstars and soul-crushing blown leads. A sense of disbelief as division clubs like the Marlins and Washington Nationals – ranked 29th and 27th, respectively, in payroll – have outperformed their $357 million roster.
Behind the financial might of owner Steve Cohen and smarts of club president David Stearns, this was supposed to be a machine. Yet after an uneven winter’s worth of moves from Stearns, something resembling a worst-case scenario has emerged.
The Mets rank 29th in the majors in OPS, and while their pitching staff ranks fourth in strikeouts and 11th in ERA, a bullpen that until recently blew more saves than they nailed down made consistency elusive.
Is this season already a sunk cost? Probably, though 112 games are far too many to write off. The question is whether they can materially reverse all the factors that got them into this mess.
Get better
The Mets’ many health woes seem to sting even more given the grim cosmic timing of it all.
Such as All-Star shortstop Francisco Lindor suffering a strained calf one day after $765 million slugger Juan Soto returned from a 15-game absence due to a right calf strain. Or the club seemingly righting itself by taking a series off the New York Yankees – only for Clay Holmes, arguably their best starting pitcher, suffering a fractured tibia May 15 that threatens to end his season.
And so this season has been truncated for so many: Lindor is likely out through mid-June and has played in just 24 of 50 games; Soto’s posted just 35 times in 50 games.
Yet some of the wounds are arguably self-inflicted.
Stearns signed Jorge Polanco, who turns 33 in July, to a two-year, $40 million contract to hold down part of first base; he has played in just 14 games due to left Achilles bursitis.
And Stearns traded for center fielder Luis Robert even as the former Chicago White Sox has played more than 110 games just once in his career. Robert has missed 24 games with a back injury and manager Carlos Mendoza said Thursday, May 21 that he’s not nearing baseball activities.
With all the injuries, the last thing the club needed was Bichette to struggle in his new environment.
Bo answers the bell
Bichette banged out 181 hits, posted an .840 OPS and capped his Toronto Blue Jays career by blasting a three-run homer off Shohei Ohtani in Game 7 of the World Series. The Blue Jays fell short and moved on, and Bichette accepted a $42 million annual salary – it’s his option to come back in 2027 and 2028 – with the Mets.
At 28, and the son of a big leaguer, you’d think Bichette would know enough about adjustments and new starts. Yet it’s almost impossible to feel out of sorts going through it the first time.
“It’s been a lot of things I don’t think I anticipated – getting used to a new locker room, staff, a new division,” says Bichette. “There’s a lot of things for sure you have to adjust to.”
His early production reflected that. Bichette needed 68 plate appearances to hit his first home run, and after an April in which he batted .230, added a 2-for-32 skid over nine games in May. He also moved to third base for the first time in his career and then shifted back to shortstop after Lindor got hurt.
He might be waking up: Bichette slammed three homers in three games against the Nationals this week and hit a go-ahead two-run single in the series finale that held up for a split-salvaging 2-1 victory.
“We know he’s one of the best hitters – he’s been that type of player. I think it’s just a matter of time,” says Mendoza. "You see a player that is confident, that is putting some A swings on pitches, that is pulling the ball and using the whole field.
“The guy we know. The type of hitter he is.”
Is he playing better because he’s more comfortable?
“I think playing better,” says Bichette, “brings more comfort.”
Fair enough. But can the Mets play better enough for it to matter?
Long past go time
It’s true: You’re never really out of it in this modern playoff format, with three wild cards and not much more than 80 wins required to earn an invitation.
Yet even by these lax standards, the Mets don’t match up to most modern success stories at the 50-game mark.
Bichette’s Blue Jays were just 25-25 in 2025, and in ninth place in the AL at that point. Seven games later, they topped .500 for good, won the AL East and were two outs from a championship.
The 2024 Tigers rode “pitching chaos” to rise up from waving a white flag at the trade deadline to the AL Division Series. Yet through 50 games they were in better shape than these Mets: 23-27, in 11th place in the AL.
After they fired Joe Girardi, the 2022 Phillies made a wild rise all the way to the World Series. They were 21-29 through 50, though they were in 10th place in the NL.
And no run was quite so improbable as the 2019 Nationals, who in a year with just two wild cards started 19-31, next-to-last in the NL, yet finished 74-38 and won the World Series.
These Mets? At 22-28, their record lines up with some of the recent great comebacks. They’ve won 12 of their last 19 games to crawl out of their darkest depths.
Yet the bigger issue is their record is 12th out of 15 NL teams. It is a good year for the senior circuit, with nine teams over .500, including the entire NL Central. Any miracle run will likely have to come from within.
A game like Thursday’s win over the Nationals will help. Closer Devin Williams survived a misplay by rookie center fielder A.J. Ewing to strand a leadoff double at second base in the ninth inning; Bichette’s two-run single held up thanks to a taut five-pitcher effort.
“We got a long road ahead of us,” says Williams, who saved his seventh game in eight opportunities. “We just gotta keep stacking good days.”
Put another way: The final two-thirds of this season has to be better than the first. Right?
“You just keep on going,” says Bichette. “Sometimes it takes longer to find your identity as a team, to find what you believe in.
Patient at-bats from the Hens along with excellent work from the bullpen carried them to victory on Thursday.
Bryan Sammons started this game, but left after slipping and hitting the dirt while pitching to the first hitter. Matt Seelinger took over and cleaned up the inning.
In the bottom half, Max Clark singled with one out, and after Max Anderson struck out, Eduardo Valencia singled and Corey Julks walked to load the bases. Jace Jung reached on an error as two runs scored, and Tyler Gentry singled in Julks for a 3-0 lead. In the second, Ben Malgeri led off with a double, and deep fly balls from Clark and Anderson moved Malgeri around to score and make it 4-0.
Seelinger did a nice job blanking Indy through the third. Beau Brieske got the first two outs on the fourth but was lifted for Tanner Rainer after only two outs. Rainey handled the rest and then tossed a scoreless fifth inning.
Drew Sommers allowed a run in the sixth to make it a 4-1 Hens lead, but they answered back when Clark doubled in Max Burt in the bottom half to make it 5-1.
Ricky Vanasco allowed a run in the seventh, but Woo-Suk Go tossed a perfect eighth, and Yoniel Curet pitched around a pair of walks in the ninth to get the save.
Clark: 2-5, R, RBI, 2B, 2 K
Malgeri: 1-4, R, 2B, BB, 2 K
Seelinger (W, 2-1): 3.0 IP, 0 R, H, 2 BB, 4 K
Coming Up Next: The Hens lead the series 2-1 heading into a 7:05 p.m. ET start on Friday.
The SeaWolves built an early lead and swung the bats well again, but they cost themselves with some sloppy defense, and then the bullpen blew this one in extra innings.
In the top of the second, Thayron Liranzo and Justice Bigbie reached on errors, as Altoona had their own defensive issues. Chris Meyers walked to load the bases, but they only scored one run on a ground out. Peyton Graham cracked a solo shot in the third inning, his third of the season, and it was 2-0.
Peyton Graham scoops a solo homer to the back of the bleachers in left to put Erie up 2-0. It’s his 3rd home run of the year. pic.twitter.com/VGxtkAnBwl
Starter Max Alba allowed a run in the bottom of the third, but Bigbie launched a two-run shot with Liranzo aboard in the fourth to make it 4-1 SeaWolves. Alba gave up a solo shot in the bottom half, but Liranzo answered back with a solo shot in the fifth, his fourth in 18 games with the SeaWolves this year. So it was 5-2 when Alba wrapped up his outing in the bottom of the fifth.
Thayron Liranzo detonates this ball for a 449-foot solo homer onto the roller coaster in right. Left his bat at 108 MPH. pic.twitter.com/azzbcAut3F
Johan Simon handled the rest of the fifth and then the sixth inning. Moises Rodriguez tossed a 1-2-3 seventh, but in the eighth he hit the leadoff hitter. A lineout followed, but a ground ball was thrown away by Graham from shortstop, and a swinging bunt single loaded the bases. The next hitter bounced one back to Rodriguez and he fired to Liranzo to get the lead runner, but Liranzo’s throw to third trying to turn a double play went a little wild and a run scored. Luke Taggart took over on the mound and quickly gave up a two-run double that tied the game.
This eventually went to extras, and with John Peck on second base, Liranzo led off the inning with an RBI single. Unfortunately, that was all they’d get, and Trevin Michael quickly allowed the game tying run on a single in the bottom half. A catcher’s interference on Liranzo allowed the runner to reach, and Michael walked back-to-back hitters to blow it.
Liranzo: 3-4, 3 R, 2 RBI, 2B, HR, BB
Bigbie: 1-4, R, 2 RBI, HR, K
Graham: 1-5, R, RBI, HR, K
Alba: 4.0 IP, 2 ER, 4 H, 2 BB, 4 K
Coming Up Next: Altoona leads the series 2-1 heading into a 6:00 p.m. ET start time on Friday.
The Tigers also signed a hard-throwing reliever, 29-year-old RHP Edwar Colina, to a minor league deal on Thursday. He seems bound for Erie or possibly Toledo.
Venezuelan RHP Edwar Colina has signed a minor league deal with the Detroit Tigers, per sources.
Colina, 29, briefly pitched for the Twins in 2020 and was recently with Guerreros de Oaxaca in the Mexican League. His fastball reaches 99-101 mph.
South Bend Cubs 7, West Michigan Whitecaps 1 (box)
Lucas Elissalt was knocked around in this one, while the offense just couldn’t get much going on Thursday.
The Whitecaps got out to a decent start when Andrew Sojka led off the bottom of the first with a single, stole second, and took third on a throwing error on the play. A Garrett Pennington swinging bunt saw Sojka beat the throw home to make it 1-0.
That was all they’d get, and from there the Cubs did a great job grinding out at-bats and putting the ball in play against Elissalt, with good results. He allowed two in the third, one in the fourth, and two more in the fifth. Carlos Lequerica took over in the fifth and allowed two runs of his own, and it was 7-1.
The Whitecaps swung the bats decently but didn’t string anything together. Note Bryce Rainer’s more upright stance and higher setup as he lined this double today. Still some work ahead but it’s a pretty marked improvement already.
Malachi Witherspoon had a rough outing, but the Flying Tigers fought back to take control only for the bullpen to blow this one in the ninth.
Witherspoon was a little wild in the first inning, and that along with several seeing eye singles cost him two runs in the first. In the second, he still was struggling to locate and issues a pair of walks that turned into a three run inning. After a pair of good outings, this one was a minor step back, and we really need to see Witherspoon string together some more consistent outings to start advancing to match his advanced stuff.
Javier Osorio got the Flying Tigers on the board with a solo shot in the bottom of the second inning. In the fourth, Bradenton walked three hitters and the Flying Tigers stole three bases and still came up empty. Finally in the bottom of the fifth, Jude Warwick and Trei Cruz walked to start the inning, and Nick Dumesnil returned to the lineup with an RBI double to make it 5-2 Bradenton.
Javier Osorio hits an absolutely monstrous home run to left. It left his bat at 107 MPH and went 430 feet. @AaronArnstein on the call. pic.twitter.com/tm1oZ0gtmd
Again in the sixth the first two Flygers hitters reached and Carson Rucker singled in Anibal Salas to make it 5-3. Edian Espinal singled to load the bases, and Zach MacDonald walked to force in a run. A wild pitch tied the game, but the effectively wild Gavin Adams escaped any further damage with the game tied up.
Donye Evans allowed a run in the top of the seventh, but in the bottom half, Salas walked and stole second, and Hunter Dobbins mashed a two-run shot to take a 7-6 lead.
That’s where things stood when Jan Carabello took over for Lakeland in the top of the ninth hunting the save. Instead, he allowed a one-out walk, and Josh Tate blasted a two-run shot to take the lead. The Flying Tigers couldn’t answer back in the bottom half.
Warwick: 1-4, R, 2 BB, CS
MacDonald: 1-3, RBI, 2 BB, K, 2 SB
Dobbins: 2-5, 2 R, 2 RBI, HR, K
Osorio: 1-4, R, RBI, HR, BB
Witherspoon: 3.0 IP, 5 ER, 5 H, 2 BB, 4 K
Coming Up Next: The Flying Tigers have a 2-1 lead in the series heading into a 6:30 p.m. ET start on Friday.
NEW YORK, NY - MAY 21: Spencer Jones #78 of the New York Yankees looks on during the game against the Toronto Blue Jays at Yankee Stadium on May 21, 2026 in New York, New York. (Photo by New York Yankees/Getty Images) | Getty Images
New York Post | Greg Joyce: After last night’s loss to the Blue Jays, the Yankees sent Yovanny Cruz and Spencer Jones down to Triple-A. The moves clear two spots on the active roster, which will be taken presumably by Gerrit Cole and José Caballero today. This would all but confirm that the Yankees will go ahead with Anthony Volpe and Caballero both on the roster, so it’ll be interesting to see how they decide to give them both regular reps since Aaron Boone has spoken so highly of Caballero’s ability at the six.
MLB | Bryan Hoch: The 2026 Yankees sure have endured their fair share of injuries, but here’s some positive news on that front for a change: tests showed that Trent Grisham’s left knee hasn’t sustained any structural damage. The center fielder appeared to be experiencing discomfort in his knee after sliding into second base on a second inning bloop double during Wednesday’s contest, exiting the game in the top of the fifth. An IL stint would have been a real test for the Yankees’ outfield depth – already stretched thin with Jasson Domínguez’s injury – but it looks like they have avoided the worst case scenario. Exhale.
ESPN | Kiley McDaniel: Noted prospect guru Kiley McDaniel has released an update to his Top 50 MLB prospect rankings. Yankee fans rejoice; the crown jewel of their system, George Lombard Jr., ranks 10th, ahead of such notables as the Guardians’ Travis Bazzana and the Blue Jays’ Trey Yesavage. According to McDaniel, Lombard Jr.‘s improved contact rate this year has considerably brightened his outlook. Although the shortstop has cooled off in Triple-A after a blistering start in Double-A, his contact rate gains have held so far despite the promotion. Here’s hoping his bat passes the test; the defense was never the question.
The Wall Street Journal | Jared Diamond: ($) In the fall of 2020, Ivy League baseball had yet to resume, leaving then-Dartmouth player Ben Rice with nowhere to play. His solution? Make his own damn league. Well, maybe “league” is a bit strong, but he, along with some Harvard players, organized scrimmages for local college players at a facility in Worcester, Massachusetts. In this piece, Diamond sheds light on the various hurdles that Rice had to clear in his path to the major leagues as a player with limited exposure. Thank heavens the Yankees noticed the slugger; I shudder to think where they would be now without him.
The Athletic | Chris Kirshner: ($) The emergence of both Cam Schlittler and Ben Rice as elite players comes at a crucial time, argues Kirshner. With core players Aaron Judge, Gerrit Cole, and Giancarlo Stanton all well into their thirties, and a front office that spends less time at the top end of the free agent market, the Yankees desperately needed a homegrown talent that could sustain their window of contention – now they might have two. I implore the Yankees to protect them at all costs; please encase them in bubble wrap at all times when they’re not on the field. Just don’t forget to add holes for breathing.
DENVER, CO - May 16: Arizona Diamondbacks third baseman Nolan Arenado (28) plays defense in the seventh inning during a game between the Arizona Diamondbacks and the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field on May 16, 2026 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Dustin Bradford/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Introduction
As Spring Training was getting underway this year, I wrote up an article on how the Diamondbacks might be able to improve themselves defensively as they attempted to navigate their way back into the playoffs. That argument centered on two changes: roster changes/upgrades and individual improvement from several younger players becoming increasingly comfortable and confident in their respective positions. It’s something of a bugaboo that I’ve been harping on for over a year now. In my opinion, excellent fielding not only protects pitchers but is also some of the most entertaining and rewarding parts of the game as it allows the players to demonstrate their otherworldly athleticism. Now that we’ve gotten past the quarter pole of the 2026 season, we have enough data to start teasing out some trends and conclusions on how those changed dynamics have played out to this point in the season. Overall, depending on your preferred metric, the D-Backs have definitely been better defensively so far with Baseball Reference putting them at third in the league by defensive runs saved (DRS), fifth by outs above average (OAA), and Fangraphs measuring them out at seventh – all of which represent significant improvements year–over–year.
This dynamic was probably the one I felt most confident about as it felt like a no-brainer to improve two lackluster defenders in Josh Naylor and Eugenio Suarez with excellent ones in Carlos Santana and Nolan Arenado respectively. Well, you can take this as exhibit #983 of why I’m not a baseball general manager. Santana has been functionally a non-factor this season after straining an adductor all the way back in the beginning of April while Arenado has been anywhere from excellent to mediocre depending on the outlet. Instead, the team has leaned on rookie Jose Fernandez and Ildemaro Vargas to fill in at first base with surprisingly positive results – especially considering it’s neither of their natural positions. Fernandez came up in the minors mostly as a shortstop and third baseman with just 17 appearances at first in the minor leagues, but he’s been able to utilize the excellent range that made him such an exciting shortstop prospect to hold his own at first base. Meanwhile, Vargas is having a career year by nearly every measure and his glovework has been no exception with excellent DRS ratings. It should be noted that both Vargas and Fernandez are not well rated by Fangraph’s version, but we’ll have to save those differences for another time.
Individual Improvements
Once again, both Geraldo Perdomo and Gabriel Moreno have been defensive standouts for the team as they continue to cement themselves as stars in their own right. But in my article from February, I highlighted that Moreno’s bigger issue has been staying healthy and on the field rather than any type of skill gap. Sadly, he has once again struggled with that aspect of his game by missing nearly three weeks of action already – this time for an oblique strain to go along with his long list of maladies. Meanwhile, even as Perdomo has struggled to regain the MVP-caliber offensive contribution he displayed last year, he’s managed to (mostly) maintain his defensive prowess. This is another situation in which different ratings land in very different places. According to Baseball Savant, Perdomo has stepped back slightly by OAA and arm strength while Fangraphs has seen him accumulate nearly half of his rating from last year. Regardless of the specific nuances though, it seems like both of them have mostly maintained their defensive skills to buoy slow starts offensively – here’s to hoping they can keep it up for the rest of the season.
