Category: MLB

The Baltimore Orioles went into the 2026 offseason with a purpose, making significant moves like signing slugger Pete Alonso, Ryan Helsley, and Leody Taveras and dipping into their deep farm system to trade for Taylor Ward, Andrew Kittredge and Shane Baz. Between those moves and the graduation of top prospects like Sam Basallo, many considered Baltimore to be one of the most improved teams of the offseason and ready to get right back into the thick of contention.

Unfortunately for Baltimore fans, that hasn’t happened. The Orioles sit fourth in the ALE with a 26-30 record, a game behind Toronto in the standings. Injuries, underperformance, and just plain bad luck have all contributed to an underwhelming first third of the season.

I reached out to old friend of VftOS, Tyler Young from Camden Chat to get his take on the current Orioles and what their fanbase is feeling and looking for right now.

Baltimore was widely considered to have had an excellent offseason and there was a lot of pre-season hype about them. What, in your opinion, are the key elements behind the under 500 start to the season?

Injuries are not the whole reason why the team has struggled, but it is definitely part of the story. Jordan Westburg won’t play at all this year. Jackson Holliday just got back. Zach Eflin made one start. Ryan Helsley has missed a month already. And that just scratches the surface. On top of that, the team hasn’t gotten enough out of its very best players. Gunnar Henderson, Pete Alonso, and Trevor Rogers have all underwhelmed. Tough to win with that combination.
There’s been a lot of trade speculation with Adley Rutschman in the centre, especially with the emergence of Sam Basallo. Do you think the club is most likely to move him, try to extend him, or let him hit free agency and go from there?

I don’t expect anything to happen with Rutschman this year. The organization is convinced they can win with this roster, and Rutschman is a key component. I also don’t see an extension coming his way. So my guess would that if they stink in ‘27 he is dealt at the deadline. If they compete, he will stick around until free agency.
Is this Front Office likely to make additions through trade to bolster the lineup and rotation over the next couple of months, or are they more likely to wait and see how it plays out?

There is pressure on this front office to win, but I don’t think they will force anything. The team has largely treaded water to this point, and in a flawed AL that has been enough to keep them in the playoff mix. If they can get healthier and be right around .500 come July I would expect them to be buyers.
Which prospect are Orioles fans most excited for that debuted or might debut this year?

I’ve got two: Trey Gibson and Enrique Bradfield Jr. Gibson is a fringy Top 100 type that has already made a few big league appearances this year. He’s looked good, though he profiles as just a mid-rotation arm. Bradfield is an outfielder that could debut late in the year. Super fast, great glove, and a light bat. Sounds like a perfect bench option come playoff time.
Who is your favourite member of the team to watch right now?

It’s Basallo. He’s just a pure hitter with ludicrous power. The ball explodes off his bat. He has been the team’s most productive offensive weapon, and he’s still only 21 years old. Signing him to that extension looks pretty wise right now!
And just a fun little exercise, if you could make a guaranteed trade for one player from a division rival, who would it be and what would you consider a fair return to acquire them?

Cam Schlittler is too obvious of an answer, but it’s the right one. A young, hard-throwing pitcher that’s already dominating is too good to pass up, even if he has to get Tommy John eventually. I don’t think the Yankees would value much of anything on the Orioles roster outside of Henderson, and I’m not parting with him. Maybe I could entice them with a package of Holliday, Gibson, two top prospects, and a Competitive Balance pick?

Thanks Tyler!

The Arizona Complex League was off on Wednesday, and the Dominican Summer League still hasn’t started, but the other four Minor League Baseball affiliates of the San Francisco Giants were all in action. So let’s get into it!

Link to the 2026 McCovey Chronicles Community Prospect List (CPL)

All listed positions in the roundup are the position played in that particular game.

News

A few small bits of news. AA Richmond infielder Dayson Croes was activated off of the 7-Day Injured List, while High-A Eugene outfielder Lisbel Diaz (No. 32 CPL) was reassigned to the Arizona Complex League. Unclear what that move is about, as it’s certainly not a demotion, or Diaz would have been moved to Low-A San Jose (he’s also been playing quite well lately, and is hitting right at league average).

AAA Sacramento (31-20)

Sacramento River Cats beat the Reno Aces (Diamondbacks) 12-5
Box score

In yesterday’s roundup, I wrote about how catcher Drew Cavanaugh (No. 19 CPL) could definitely factor into the organization’s plans at some point, given that Patrick Bailey has been traded, and that neither Jesús Rodríguez (No. 16 CPL) nor Daniel Susac (No. 20 CPL) was yet a proven entity. Often times when I write things (good or bad), prospects spend the following game making sure I look like I don’t know what I’m talking about (which, indeed, is the case).

But Drew is a sweet guy, so he did the opposite. The 2023 17th-round pick had one of the best games of his career on Wednesday, which is a pretty huge achievement given that his entire 2025 season (and the start of 2026) was built on good games followed by great games. But Wednesday was special: Cavanaugh came to the plate 5 times and reached base in all 5 at-bats. The total damage? 1 walk, 2 singles, 2 home runs, and 5 runs batted in.

What a day!

With that, Cavanaugh now has a 1.381 OPS and a 240 wRC+ through 11 games in AAA this year, after putting up similarly scintillating figures in AA before his early-year promotion. And for anyone wondering, the lefty has a whole lot of talent behind the dish, as well.

Since the Giants have 3 catchers in the Majors and a 4th on the 40-man roster, they can afford to let Cavanaugh take his time annihilating Pacific Coast League pitchers, and working his way through any bumps or walls that pop up in the coming days, weeks, and months. But my goodness, he sure went from organizational filler to a great story to an inevitable Major Leaguer in shockingly short time period. What a story!

One thing to note: the Giants, somewhat surprisingly in my eye, did not give Cavanaugh an invite to spring training this year, so he’s not as familiar with the pitching staff as Rodríguez, Susac, Eric Haase, and Logan Porter are. That will probably be a factor to consider if he starts knocking on the door of the Majors, though that’s putting the cart ahead of the horse.

Another recent promotee had a great game as well, as right fielder Turner Hill went 3-5 and finished a triple shy of the cycle.

The home run was certainly surprising to see, as it was not only his 1st of the year, but just his 6th career dinger in nearly 1,300 Minor League plate appearances. But then again, Reno gonna Reno…

Hill continues to make a case that he can play a Jared Oliva role at some point. The recently-turned 27-year old, who was an undrafted free agent in 2023, began the year in AA (though that was probably just a logistics thing, given his prior success at the level), and moved up to AAA when the Giants sent a wave of River Cats to the Majors, and had a hole in the outfield. It’s probably safe to say that Hill isn’t going back: in 28 games with Sacramento, he has a .848 OPS, a 131 wRC+, 7 stolen bases in 8 attempts, and excellent defense across all 3 outfield positions. He’s turned into a quality depth piece to have around.

Unfortunately, things didn’t go so well for another recently-promoted player, as left fielder Scott Bandura struck out in all 5 of his plate appearances. A day to forget … or to learn from.

Center fielder Grant McCray had a nice day, hitting 2-4 with a triple, a walk, and a strikeout. McCray has really seen his status take a hit this year: he openly campaigned for a spot on the Opening Day roster, but lost that battle to Oliva, who wasn’t even on the 40-man roster. Since then, he’s watched as Drew Gilbert got promoted, Will Brennan got promoted twice, Victor Bericoto got rostered and promoted, and Rodríguez and Casey Schmitt got reps in the outfield in the Majors. But the 2019 3rd-round pick is fighting to get back there … while his overall numbers are modest (.752 OPS, 104 wRC+), he has a 7-game hit streak currently, during which time he’s 11-23 with 1 triple, 4 doubles, 6 walks, and just 4 strikeouts.

It was a funny pitching game, as the starting pitching was bad and the bullpen was excellent. That starter was RHP Blade Tidwell (No. 9 CPL), who had a bit of a funny game.

Tidwell showed good command, as he threw 54 of 82 pitches for strikes and didn’t walk a single batter. But living over the plate had its consequences, as he got knocked for 10 hits in just 4 innings, which resulted in 5 runs. Tidwell wasn’t entirely hittable, though, as he did strike out 6 batters … but even in Reno, giving up 10 hits while facing just 22 batters is mighty ugly, and it raised the 2022 2nd-rounder’s ERA to 6.75, while moving his FIP to 5.21. Even with the struggles, though, we’re seeing Tidwell’s electricity: his 12.2 strikeouts per 9 innings ranks 9th out of the 87 PCL pitchers with at least 20 innings thrown this year.

As for the bullpen, 4 arms combined to throw 5 shutout innings. It began with a perfect 5th inning from rehabbing RHP Jason Foley, who has yet to allow a run in 5 rehab appearances with Sacramento (he did give up some runs in his 1st rehab appearance, though, which came with Low-A San Jose). He should be in the Majors soon, and that will be exciting.

RHP Dylan Smith tossed a pair of shutout frames, while RHPs Trent Harris (No. 29 CPL) and Marques Johnson handled an inning apiece. Johnson struck out 2 batters in a perfect inning, and now has a 4.05 ERA and a 4.46 FIP. His strikeout and walk numbers have both taken a big hit this year, unfortunately. But that’s to be expected when adjusting to a new level.

AA Richmond (32-14)

Richmond Flying Squirrels beat the Akron RubberDucks (Guardians) 3-0
Box score

Revenge is a dish best served by a tugboat. Or something like that.

Wednesday was a special day for one of the newest prospects in the system, LHP Matt Wilkinson. The hefty lefty, who came over in the Patrick Bailey trade, was not only making his 3rd start with his new organization, but making his 1st start against his old team. The 23-year old was dominant in 6 starts with the RubberDucks prior to the trade … but not nearly as dominant as he was facing off against them.

Wilkinson gave up a single to the 1st batter he faced … and then faced 21 more batters, without allowing a single hit. Not a damn one! In all, Tugboat tossed 7 shutout innings while giving up just 1 hit and 1 walk, and needing just 75 pitches. A thoroughly impressive and dominant performance.

The 2023 10th-round pick wasn’t overwhelming anyone, as he only recorded 3 strikeouts on the day, but it was a game full of soft contact and easy outs, and it lowered his ERA to 1.87 on the year, with a 2.92 FIP. Right now, it seems that Wilkinson and his new teammate, LHP Joe Whitman (No. 26 CPL) are battling it out for the title of best pitcher in the Eastern League on any given day. There are 45 pitchers in the league with at least 30 innings thrown this year, and Wilkinson is 2nd in ERA, 2nd in FIP, 16th in strikeouts per 9 innings (10.2), 11th in walks per 9 (2.7), and 2nd in batting average against (.153). What an awesome dude.

The rest of the pitching was handled by RHP Will Bednar (No. 24 CPL), who tossed 2 no-hit innings with 2 walks and 1 strikeout. Bednar has had a little bit of a disappointing year — which has featured time on the Development List and a demotion from AAA to AA — but he does have a nice 3.10 ERA and 3.91 FIP across the 2 levels. His strikeouts are down a bit year-over-year despite not really addressing his walk issue.

A quiet day on offense. Shortstop Maui Ahuna (No. 33 CPL) had a great game though, hitting 2-2 with a double, a walk, and a sacrifice bunt. The 2023 4th-round pick has been slumping a bit in May, after a solid April, and has a .712 OPS and 88 wRC+ on the season. Nice to see him have a game with not just some damage, but no strikeouts.

As for the top prospects, center fielder Bo Davidson (No. 4 CPL) hit 1-4 with 2 strikeouts and a stolen base, left fielder Parks Harber (No. 17 CPL) hit 1-4 with a double and a strikeout, and right fielder Jonah Cox went 1-5 with a triple. Dayson Croes made his return after missing about 6 weeks with an injury (and a subsequent rehab assignment in the ACL), and went 1-5 while playing third base.

High-A Eugene (35-12)

Eugene Emeralds beat the Vancouver Canadians (Blue Jays) 10-7
Box score

A quiet game for Eugene’s stars, but some other intriguing prospects had standout days. The highest-ranked trio sat atop the order and didn’t do much: right fielder Trevor Cohen (No. 15 CPL) led off and went 0-5 with a strikeout, and was followed by center fielder Dakota Jordan (No. 5 CPL), who hit 1-5, and was followed by shortstop Gavin Kilen (No. 7 CPL) who had an 0-5.

But immediately after that, the fun started to happen, as the final 6 hitters combined to reach base 15 times. It started with the cleanup hitter, first baseman Zander Darby, who went 1-3, drew 2 walks, and smashed a solo home run.

Darby has positively exploded this year. The 23-year old lefty, who was taken in the 12th round of the 2024 draft, had a strong year in Low-A San Jose last season, but really struggled upon a late-season promotion to Eugene, as he posted just a .123 average, a .489 OPS, a 45 wRC+, and a 42.0% strikeout rate in 21 games with the Emeralds. He certainly made the adjustments, though, as this year he’s up to a .324 average, a .954 OPS, a 158 wRC+, and a 27.8% strikeout rate, and, through 40 games, has matched the home run total that he posted last year across the 2 levels, in 79 games. It’s always great seeing players take off like that!

But the best day belonged to left fielder Carlos Gutierrez (No. 18 CPL), who is starting to find his footing following a breakout 2025. The 21-year old lefty from Mexico, who looks much more athletic and strong this year, went 3-4 with a grand slam, a double, and a stolen base, and it’s safe to say that’s a game to remember.

Gutierrez is one of the best contact hitters in the system, though it’s taken a while for that to play out this year. He’s kept his strikeout rate low (it’s at 16.8% for the year, and has been around that mark all season), but the average is only just starting to come up, and has climbed to .259 (still nearly .100 points below what it was a year ago). But what he’s lost in average, he’s made up for in power. He entered the year with 3 career home runs in 85 games across the DSL, ACL, and Low-A. And on Wednesday, in his 37th game in High-A? He surpassed that mark with his 4th home run of the season. It’s always exciting when a high-contact, low-power player starts to add power without it sapping his contact, though, as the average and swinging strike rate point to, there is some work to do before his contact is fully back on track. Still, it’s an .810 OPS, a 124 wRC+, strong outfield defense, and 12 stolen bases without getting caught for Gutierrez who, in my eyes, has done nothing to lose his spot in the top 20.

Rounding out the dinger party was a fellow small player who has been bulking up a little, second baseman Jean Carlos Sio (No. 44 CPL). Sio, who missed the start of the year with an injury and then had a rehab assignment, went 2-4 with a 3-run shot, and the just-turned 22-year old already has 4 homers in just 12 games with Eugene this season.

Sio, who was signed in 2023 out of Cuba, had quite a breakout year last season, which featured an .808 OPS and a 130 wRC+, with just an 18.0% strikeout rate in 28 games with the Emeralds following a late-season promotion. Given that prior success, the Giants probably don’t need to see him maintain his current performance — he has a 1.117 OPS and a 197 wRC+ — for very much longer before they see how he fares in AA.

An uninteresting pitching day. Starting RHP Yunior Marte (No. 25 CPL) went 5 innings, but wasn’t fooling anyone. He allowed 7 hits during that time (which included a home run and a double), while also walking 3 and striking out just 4, en route to 5 earned runs on his ledger.

It’s been a so-so year for the 22-year old Marte, who came to the Giants in the Mike Yastrzemski trade last season. He has a 3.74 ERA, a 4.07 FIP, 8.5 strikeouts per 9, and 4.0 walks. A very middle-of-the-pack season thus far, though there’s a lot of potential in that arm.

Following him was RHP Hunter Dryden, who ceded a home run, 2 doubles, and 4 walks in just 2.2 innings, tagging him for 2 runs. Dryden, who struck out 4, has had an odd season, and the 2024 17th-rounder is sitting on a 3.58 ERA and a 4.26 FIP. Year-over-year, his strikeouts are up a bit from his debut season in San Jose (10.0 to 11.0 per 9 innings), and his ground ball rate has spiked (39.9% to 49.4%). But he’s also seen spikes in his walks (4.0 to 5.2 per 9) and home runs (0.3 to 0.8 per 9).

But the pitching ended well, with RHP Ryan Vanderhei retiring all 4 batters he faced, with a strikeout. The 2023 10th-round pick has had an awesome season, with 30 strikeouts against 8 walks in 25 innings, to go with a 1.80 ERA and a 3.00 FIP. In his last 8 games, Vanderhei has thrown 12.1 innings and allowed just 5 hits, 2 walks, and 1 run, with 15 strikeouts.

Low-A San Jose (25-22)

San Jose Giants lost to the Fresno Grizzlies (Rockies) 3-2
Box score

Down in the California League, LHP Jordan Gottesman put forth one of the best pitching performances in the system this year. Last year’s 6th-round pick was utterly sensational against Fresno, tossing 5 shutout innings with just a single and a walk allowed, while striking out 7 batters.

That represented a nice bounce-back for the 23-year old from Northeastern, as he had allowed 4 runs in his last start … which had come after back-to-back scoreless 5-inning starts. It takes a while to erase a 4-run start from an ERA, but still … not allowing a run in 3 out of 4 starts in a month is a very impressive thing!

The only thing looming over Gottesman right now is home runs, as he’s allowed 5 of them in 39 innings. That’s given him a 5.37 FIP despite a lovely 2.77 ERA, a pretty nice strikeout to walk ratio (41 to 13), and just 29 total hits allowed in those 39 innings.

A very mild-mannered game on offense, with just 5 hits and 1 walk secured. Right fielder Broedy Poppell had the biggest hit, as he went 1-3 with a solo home run. Last year’s 13th-round pick has really been struggling in his debut season, particularly with contact, as he has just a .232 average and a 28.8% strikeout rate, leading to a .691 OPS and a 78 wRC+. But he’s been a bit better in May than he was in April, particularly on the power front (he has 5 extra-base hits in 44 at-bats this month, after just 1 in 51 last month). Hopefully those improvements continue for the switch-hitter.

Also a nice day for center fielder Andy Polanco, who hit 1-3 with a double, a stolen base, and a strikeout. The just-turned 21-year old, who was taken in the 11th-round in 2024, has struggled on offense in his 2nd ACL season, as he has a .675 OPS, a 71 wRC+, and a 31.7% strikeout rate. But his defense continues to impress, and he’s up to 18 stolen bases in 19 attempts on the year. Through his 2-year career, Polanco has swiped 40 bags in just 82 games.

Home run tracker

7 — Drew Cavanaugh x2 — [4 in AAA; 3 in AA]
6 — Zander Darby — [High-A]
5 — Jean Carlos Sio — [4 in High-A; 1 in ACL]
4 — Carlos Gutierrez — [High-A]
3 — Broedy Poppell — [Low-A]
1 — Turner Hill — [AAA]

Thursday schedule

Sacramento: 6:05 p.m. PT at Reno (SP: TBD)
Richmond: 3:35 p.m. PT at Akron (SP: Cesar Perdomo)
Eugene: 7:05 p.m. PT at Vancouver (SP: Jacob Bresnahan)
San Jose: 6:50 p.m. PT at Fresno (SP: TBD)

Thursday notes…

• WINNING FACTS: By winning last night, the Cubs avoided falling into fifth place in the division. The have been fifth after 13 days on which they played this season, but not since they were 11-9 on April 19. They have been fourth after four games, third after seven, second after 11 and first after 19. The Brewers have been first on 20 days; the Reds, on 19; the Pirates, eight; and the Cardinals, three. (Courtesy BCB’s JohnW53)
• HITTING USUALLY MEANS WINNING: The Cubs’ 14 hits last night tied for their fifth most this season. They had 18 vs. the Phillies on April 23, 16 vs. the Rays on April 7, 15 vs. the Phillies on April 14 and 15, and 14 vs. the Mets on April 17 and the White Sox on May 15. All but the 18-hit game and 14 vs. the Sox were on the road. The Cubs won all those games. They are 16-1 this season when they have produced double-digit hits. The only loss was by 13-7 at Philadelphia on April 13, the day before the Cubs began their first 10-game winning streak. (Courtesy BCB’s JohnW53)
• WEBB SPINNING: Jacob Webb, month of May: 11 games, 13 innings, 0.69 ERA, 0.769 WHIP, no home runs allowed, two walks, 18 strikeouts.
• TODAY IN CUBS HISTORY: Kyle Hendricks throws a five-hit complete game and the Cubs defeat the Phillies 5-1 at Wrigley Field. The team improves to 33-14 and leads the NL Central by 5.5 games. It happened 10 years ago today, Saturday, May 28, 2016.

Cubs lineup:

The Pirates lineup was not available at posting time. Please check BCB social media for the Pirates lineup.

Colin Rea, RHP vs. Paul Skenes, RHP

After a pretty good start to his 2026, Colin Rea has been hit pretty hard in his last two starts, though the most recent one (last Saturday vs. the Astros) was decent — seven innings, four hits, three runs.

Rea has not faced the Pirates this year. Last year in three starts against them he had a 2.65 ERA and 0.941 WHIP and only one home run allowed in 17 innings.

Two current Pirates who hit him well are Nick Gonzales (5-for-12, a home run) and Bryan Reynolds (8-for-19, two doubles, two home runs).

It’s weird to see “3.00” as Paul Skenes’ ERA as he’s been below 2.00 most of his MLB career. He got pounded for five runs in less than an inning in his first 2026 start, largely due to a misplay by Oneil Cruz, then over the next eight: 1.09 ERA, 0.527 WHIP, 55 strikeouts and only five walks in 49.1 innings.

But then he got hit hard his last two times out: 15 hits and nine earned runs in 10 total innings, and his K rate dropped.

So maybe the Cubs are facing him at a good time for them.

Cubs teams have hit Skenes reasonably well. Their .737 OPS in seven games they’ve faced him is the best for any team that’s faced him more than three times. Same for the 2.94 ERA he has against the Cubs — worst for any team that’s faced him more than three times.

Thus… don’t assume this is a loss. The Cubs have done okay against Skenes in the past, and he’s coming off two (for him) bad starts. Fingers crossed.

Here is the weather forecast for the area around PNC Park.

Today’s game is on Marquee Sports Network. It’s also streaming on Peacock (outside the Pirates and Cubs market territories, Pirates broadcast).

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

MLB.com Gameday

Baseball-reference.com game preview

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

The 2026 game discussion procedure has been changed, so please take note.

You’ll find the game preview, like this one, posted separately on the front page two hours before game time (90 minutes for some early day games following night games).

At the same time, a StoryStream containing the preview will also post on the front page, titled “Cubs vs. (Team) (Day of week/date) game threads.” It will contain every post related to that particular game.

The Live! (formerly “First Pitch”) thread will still post at five minutes to game time. It will also post to the front page. That will be the only live game discussion thread. After the game, the recap and Heroes and Goats will also live on the front page as separate posts.

You will also be able to find the preview, Live! thread, recap and Heroes and Goats in this section link. The StoryStream for each game can also be found in that section.

Discuss amongst yourselves.

Major League Baseball proposed a hard salary cap Thursday for the first time since 1994, which resulted in a players’ strike that cancelled the World Series, in their first proposal to the MLB Players' Association in New York.

MLB proposed a $245.3 million salary cap, including benefits, which is lower than eight current MLB clubs’ payroll, requiring a total reduction in payroll of $578 million.

In return, MLB proposed a $171.2 million salary floor, which would require 12 teams to increase their payroll by a combined $617 million.

In the last collective bargaining talks in 2021, MLB offered a four-tier luxury tax system beginning at $180 million, with also a salary floor at $100 million. It was flatly rejected by the union, and MLB implemented a lockout that lasted 99 days.

In this proposal, MLB said that players would immediately receive 50% of baseball revenue and in future years. MLB revenue has increased by 247% since 2003, according to MLB calculations, while player payroll has increased by 149%.

The salary cap, MLB insists, would increase competitive balance in the sport.

“Ultimately the game is about hope and competition and too many fans in too many markets have too little hope their team has a fair chance to win," MLB spokesman Glen Caplin said in a statement. “Fans overwhelmingly support a salary cap and floor like in the other leagues because they don't believe a $446 million spending gap from top to bottom is a fair fight.

"Our salary cap and floor proposal levels the playing field while sharing baseball revenue with the players 50/50 as we grow the game together. Further, by sharing media revenue equally as part of our proposal, we can address another top fan concern of local TV blackouts. We look forward to working with the MLBPA during the bargaining process to continue improving the game for the fans.”

The Tigers headed into their afternoon game with the opportunity to actually win a series for the first time in a long time. They had Jack Flaherty on the mound to pitch, up against Grayson Rodriguez for the Angels. It could be anyone’s game.

In the top of the first, Mike Trout got a one-out double, but two outs followed to leave him stranded. Colt Keith got a leadoff walk for the Tigers in the first. Then, with two outs, Riley Greene singled to put two men on, but the Tigers weren’t able to bring either runner home.

Flaherty got into a zone (specifically finding the zone pretty nicely), and got the Angels out in order. In the home half, with two outs, Wenceel Perez homered, putting the Tigers on the board first. It was the only run they’d get for the inning, but first run is always nice.

The Angels managed only a single baserunner in the third with a one-out single by Donovan Walton, but otherwise Flaherty kept the side in check. The Tigers went 1-2-3 in the home half.

The fourth inning was likewise uneventful as both teams were three-up, three-down.

By the fifth, Flaherty’s command was starting to look a little less precise, giving up a leadoff double to Jo Adell. A wild pitch by Flaherty advanced Adell to third, then Sebastian Rivero singled into left, scoring the first Angels run. Walton then singled. Zach Neto then doubled, bringing in another run, and I choose to believe this is all Tom Selleck’s fault for eating a plain hot dog during the broadcast. Mike Trout was intentionally walked to load the bases and the wheels were pretty much off of Flaherty at this point. Vaughn Grissom hit a sac fly, bringing in another run. At the halfway mark of the inning the Angels were up 3-1. The Tigers did little to claw their way back in the home half, getting only a two-out walk from Jake Rogers and no runs.

For some reason, Flaherty was still in the game in the sixth. He made it through the first two outs before being pulled. His final line for the game was 5.2 IP, 6 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 9 K on 91 pitches. He started strong and had some really good innings, but I think this game makes a perfect example of why Flaherty would be better suited to a 2-3 innings bullpen role instead of a traditional starter. We’ve seen similar performances from him this season. Drew Sommers came out of the pen to get the final out of the inning. In the bottom of the inning the Angels made a pitching change as well, bringing in Drew Pomeranz. He got the Tigers out in order.

Brenan Hanifee was the new Tigers pitcher for the seventh. There was an on-field pause as Rivero appeared to call for an ABS challenge, reconsidered in the middle of tapping his head, and tried to play it off like he didn’t tap his helmet, which resulted in a big discussion amongst the umpiring crew. The decision seemed to be that he didn’t challenge, which is silly, because he clearly did challenge (and would have won the challenge, too). Anyway, silliness. He struck out. With two outs, Neto singled. Neto then stole second and was called safe, but the Tigers challenged and the call was overturned to end the inning. José Fermin came in for the bottom of the inning. Zach McKinstry got a one-out walk, but a double play then ended the inning.

Ricky Vanasco came in for the eighth and gave up a leadoff walk to Trout. Grissom then doubled, bringing Trout home. Jorge Soler singled, scoring Grissom. Wade Meckler grounded into a force out, and was then swapped for a pinch-runner in Jose Siri. Siri got tagged out trying to steal second, and the Tigers were able to get the final out after that to keep the inning from getting too far out of hand. Sam Bachman was the newest Angels pitcher out of the pen and he gave up a leadoff double to Perez. With one out, Keith walked. A Kevin McGonigle groundout advanced the baserunners, then Dingler walked to load the bases. Greene struck out though, and the Tigers’ best opportunity for a comeback turned into a pot of LOBsters.

With two outs in the ninth, Walton singled. Neto walked. Trout doubled, scoring two more runs. The Tigers were down to their last chance in the bottom of the ninth and they’d do it against Ryan Zeferjahn. McKinstry got a one-out walk. One more out later, Perez walked (have a day, Wenceel). It didn’t matter, though, the Tigers weren’t able to right the ship, and they dropped the series. At least they got a win out of it yesterday to avoid the sweep.

Final: Angels, 7, Tigers 1

A Tigers fan was in desperate need of a towel following Wenceel Perez’s home run on Thursday morning.

As the Detroit outfielder planted a Grayson Rodriguez fastball over the right field wall during the second inning of the Tigers’ tilt with the Angels at Comerica Park, a fan spectacularly spilled his drink all over himself as he made an attempt to snag the souvenir.

Broadcast footage from the matchup in Michigan showed the guy reached up for the ball with both of his hands, this despite one being completely occupied by a full beverage.

But as the ball came crashing down, it bounced off the guy’s cup and created a mess.

Liquid spilled everywhere — including all down the man’s Tigers shirt. And, to add insult to injury, the ball ended up in another fan’s hands.

The man didn’t seem totally broken up about it, perhaps because the play did result in the Tigers getting a 1-0 lead.

It’s the second time this series that there’s been a viral moment at the Detroit ballpark. During Wednesday’s game, the internet couldn’t stop talking about how Los Angeles designated hitter Jorge Soler was caught giving little-to-no-effort on a routine ground ball play.

The series will conclude following Thursday’ action, but with a few outs still left in the game, there somehow might be even more fodder for X users on the way.

So, we have now been able to see an opening proposal from the MLBPA and from the MLB owners. Let us know your thoughts on these proposals below.

Jeff Passan on Twitter summarized MLBPA’s first proposal yesterday as such:

“An increase in base CBT threshold from $244M to $300M, A “competitive-integrity tax” for any team that does not spend $150M, Increasing minimum salary from $780,000 to $1.5M, Changes to the revenue-sharing system that would distribute more money from local television revenue but decrease the amount distributed from in-stadium revenue — to incentivize teams that win and draw larger crowds, Free agency for players who are 30 at 5+ years of service, Teams that receive revenue sharing forfeit portions of their checks depending on payroll levels. Recipients that win receive more money, Pre-arb bonus pool increases from $50M to $180M – $3M minimum tender in arbitration, Arbitration super 2s jump from 22% of players to 44%”

Jesse Rogers broke down the proposal for ESPN here.

Jorge Castillo broke down the league’s proposal from today for ESPN here. Jesse Rogers of ESPN summarized the highlights below on Twitter:

MLB proposed a hard salary cap to union officials today as part of the next CBA, sources tell ESPN. The salary floor for teams beginning in 2027 would be set at $171.2 million which includes player benefits with the ceiling at $245.3 million. The league’s proposal includes a 50/50 split of revenues with players as well as all revenue from local media centralized and then shared equally. As revenues go up, so too does the cap. Side note: If the union agrees to the concept of a cap, the league would be open to negotiating a host of things incuding phasing it in, a Larry Bird-esque rule and changes to free agency/arbitration etc, etc. Early stages here.

Let us know your thoughts on these proposals as baseball begins negotiations to see if a lengthy lockout/missed games in the 2027 season can be avoided.

The labor negotiations between MLB and the MLBPA began on May 12, with each side making opening presentations. On May 27, the MLBPA released the first substantive policy proposals for the upcoming Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA).

As expected, the MLBPA seeks to modify the current CBA system rather than pursue a dramatic overhaul. The major policy proposals include, per Jeff Passan:

• A “competitive-integrity tax” for any team that does not spend $150M
• An increase in the minimum salary from $780,000 to $1.5M
• An increase in the base Competitive Balance Tax threshold from $244M to $300M
• Changes to the revenue-sharing system that would distribute more money from local television revenue, but decrease the amount distributed from in-stadium revenue, to incentivize teams that win and draw larger crowds
• Free agency for players who are 30 at 5+ years of service
• Teams that receive revenue sharing forfeit portions of their checks depending on payroll levels. Recipients who win receive more money
• Pre-arbibration bonus pool increases from $50M to $180M
• $3M minimum tender in arbitration
• Arbitration super 2s jump from 22% of players to 44%

Evan Drellich of The Athleticalso listed some additional union proposals that Jeff Passan did not mention on Twitter:

• The minimum salary would later climb to $1.65 million in 2028, $1.825 million in 2029, $2 million in 2030, and $2.2 million in 2031.
• The first tier of the luxury tax would be set at $315 million in 2028, $330 million in 2029, $345 million in 2030, and $360 million in 2031.
• The pre-arbitration bonus pool was a flat $50 million throughout the 2022-26 collective bargaining agreement. In addition to the initial $130 million increase, the union wants it to rise by $15 million each season.
• There was no proposal to create an international draft, though players and owners made some conceptual progress in the last round of talks.

Under the MLBPA’s proposal, based on current payrolls, only the Yankees, Mets, and Dodgers would be above the CBT threshold, compared to the six teams currently over the $244 million threshold. Moreover, 13 teams would be subject to the Competitive Integrity Tax for having payrolls under $150 million.

Bob Nightengale reported on the league’s response to the union’s opening gambit on Twitter:

“We appreciate the union making a set of proposals and we look forward to continuing the bargaining process and working towards solving the competitive balance problem our fans are telling us needs to be addressed. We understand their proposals are designed to benefit players. Unfortunately, they do not address and in fact exacerbate the competitive balance problem our fans are telling us we must address. The MLBPA’s proposal would reduce the amount transferred to lower-revenue Clubs, weaken the Competitive Balance Tax, and lead to even more payroll disparity than exists today. For example, under the Union’s proposal, the Dodgers would pay less in luxury tax payments, giving them an additional $70 million to spend on payroll.”

(Emphasis added.)

As expected, the league will continue to use the Dodgers as a shiny object to push for a hard salary cap.

Never mind that four of the six current division leaders (Milwaukee Brewers, Tampa Bay Rays, Cleveland Guardians, and Seattle Mariners) are revenue-sharing recipients. Never mind that, per Fangraphs, the teams with the second- (New York Mets), fourth- (Toronto Blue Jays), seventh- (Houston Astros), tenth- (Detroit Tigers), eleventh- (San Francisco Giants), twelfth-(Boston Red Sox), and fifteenth-highest (Anaheim Angels) payrolls are either below .500 and/or essentially running out the clock until it’s time to go to Cancun.

Why acknowledge both the record sale of the San Diego Padres and the ongoing clown show in Queens instantly counter the league’s arguments for a hard cap?

Echoes of 1994

Regardless, the league was expected to announce its opening gambit in negotiations the following day, much faster than in the last CBA negotiations, when the league waited until August to make its initial proposal. On May 28, the league obliged, proposing a hard salary cap for the first time since the infamous 1994-95 strike, leading to the first canceled World Series in 90 years.

Per Ronald Blum of The Associated Press:

[MLB’s] proposal would cap spending in 2027 at $245.3 million, with a salary floor of $171.2 million.

“Our salary cap and floor proposal levels the playing field while sharing baseball revenue with the players 50/50 as we grow the game together,” MLB spokesman Glen Caplin said in a statement. “Further, by sharing media revenue equally as part of our proposal, we can address another top fan concern of local TV blackouts.”

Management gave the union its latest plan during a bargaining session at the commissioner’s office, one day after the union made its economic proposal. Owners say a cap is needed to improve competitive balance and restrain the Los Angeles Dodgers, New York Mets and other wealthy teams from assembling starrier rosters than their smaller-market brethren.

(Emphasis added.)

Under MLB’s proposal, using current payrolls, only nine teams would be in compliance using the proposed hard cap and floor: Houston Astros ($237 million), Chicago Cubs ($232 million), San Diego Padres ($209 million), Detroit Tigers ($207 million), San Francisco Giants ($201 million), Boston Red Sox ($196 million), Arizona Diamondbacks ($195 million), Texas Rangers ($187 million), and Anaheim Angels ($184 million).

Six teams would be above the hard cap, and 13 teams would be below the floor.

Update: Bill Shaikin of the Los Angeles Timesreported that the player benefits are included in MLB’s calculation, making the proposed hard cap $222 million.

In case you were wondering whether it was a coincidence that MLB singled out the Dodgers on May 27, one need only refer to the graphics included in their counter the following day, per ESPN’s Alden Gonzalez.

Lastly, MLBPA interim Executive Director Bruce Meyer responded to MLB’s opening gambit, displayed in part below:

Caps don’t lower ticket prices for fans, eliminate tanking or ensure teams are run with equal competence. They suffocate competition by offering owners an all-purpose excuse for inaction and mediocrity.

Baseball is experiencing unprecedented momentum and owners are enjoying record viewership, revenues and franchise values.  Billionaire owners are not seeking to cap their profits or asset values, only player salaries. This isn’t out of generosity or a desire to protect the game’s well-being. It’s a play to control costs, increase profits and maximize franchise values – all at the expense of players past, present and future.

Also, per the AP, MLB’s last salary cap proposal in 1994 offered players a 50-50 split of revenue in a system that would have forced teams to maintain payrolls of 84-110% of the average. Salary arbitration would have been eliminated, and the threshold for free agency would have been lowered from six years’ major league service to four, with the provision that a player’s former club could match any offer until he had six years.

MLB’s offer came on June 14, 1994; players struck on August 12, 1994, and on September 14, 1994, the ‘94 World Series was canceled. Ultimately, MLB withdrew the cap proposal on February 6, 1995, after pressure from the National Labor Relations Board.

The strike ended on March 31, 1995, after then-U.S. District Judge Sonia Sotomayor (yes, that Associate Justice Sonia Sotomayor) issued an injunction restoring the work rules of the expired labor contract.

Two days later, the owners accepted the union’s offer to return to work without an agreement, and a deal wasn’t reached until 1997, causing reputational damage to the sport that arguably lasted until the steroid boom, punctuated by Mark McGuire and Sammy Sosa’s 1998 duel to break Roger Maris’ then-record of 61 home runs in a single season.

“Welcome to the party, pal!”

Mr. Drellich also posted an article in The Athletic on May 27 that made many of the same surface-level observations about private equity in baseball that our own “The Vulture of Private Equity” made and more, six weeks earlier. Ken Rosenthal made similar points, referencing Mr. Drellich’s work on Foul Territory.

Rather than repeat previously published work, which can speak for itself, for the convenience of either reporter or reader, all five revival “It’s Not My Money(ball)” articles are collated below. This collective body of work, all 13,764 words of it, covers an assortment of relevant topics likely to arise during the new CBA negotiations, in one form or another.

This process will undoubtedly be a slow one over the next six months, largely occurring in the background. In conclusion to this brief update, it is worth repeating that there is no reason for a lockout to occur. But as with most things, some lessons need to be relearned, even when there is no value to the lesson.

As shown during the aftermath of the 1994-95 strike, the parties could choose to keep the current system in place while a new CBA is negotiated and ratified — if the goal was stability. If the goal was disruption and chaos disguised to grow balance sheets that the public will never see, then locking out the players at the earliest opportunity would seem to be the only move in the league’s pocket, apart from turning the public against the players.

The quickest way to do that gargantuan task is to keep using the Dodgers as a foil to why your team is doomed to be bad; never mind the moronic decisions arising from front offices ranging from San Francisco to Queens and points in between.

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The Houston Astros and the Texas Rangers wrap up an eventful four-game series tonight with an intriguing pitching matchup, as Spencer Arrighetti takes on Nathan Eovaldi.

The Rangers are -122 moneyline favorites, and my Astros vs. Rangers predictions and MLB picks for Thursday, May 28 see value in that line.

Who will win Astros vs Rangers today: Rangers moneyline (-133)

Spencer Arrighetti's sensational start to 2026 is mostly smoke-and-mirrors, creating value in the Texas Rangers moneyline. I'd play it to -145.

The Houston Astros hurler's 1.32 ERA is belied by his 4.78 xERA,which ranks in the 26th percentile. He's not inducing enough batters to chase (29th percentile), leading to his eighth percentile walk rate.

Once Arrighetti exits, an Astros bullpen ranked 29th in xFIP over the last two weeks (4.99) will take over.

The Rangers are not an offensive dynamo (.687 OPS), but they're at least on the improve over the last two weeks with a .702 OPS.

COVERS INTEL: Eovalidi is in the 84th percentile in ground-ball rate, and the Astros hit them at an above-average clip (43.2% vs. 42.8%).

Astros vs Rangers Over/Under pick: Under 7.5 (-115)

There's a low total on the board here, and it's easy to see why.

Countering Arrighetti is Nathan Eovaldi, who has been elite in several metrics this year, including whiff rate (90th percentile) and walk rate (91st percentile). Backing him is a Texas bullpen ranked 10th in xFIP over the last two weeks (3.90).

The Astros' offense is in a funk right now, ranking 28th in batting average since May 14 (.208). 

The Rangers, who were no-hit just two days ago, do not have the firepower to carry the Over by themselves.

I'm comfortable with Under 7.5 at -125, as well as Under 7 at +100.

Astros vs Rangers odds

• Moneyline: Astros +117 | Rangers -122
• Run line: Astros +1.5 | Rangers -1.5
• Over/Under: Over 7.5 | Under 7.5

Astros vs Rangers trend

The Rangers have hit the Under in 28 of their last 50 games (+8.50 Units / 16% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for Astros vs. Rangers.

How to watch Astros vs Rangers and game info

Astros vs Rangers latest injuries

Astros vs Rangers weather

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Cincinnati awaits, but first let’s win a series!

ICYMI

Pitching preview

Lineups

Let’s not be overdramatic since it’s only the end of May, but I believe this weekend’s St. Louis Cardinals versus Chicago Cubs clash at Busch Stadium is more important than we probably think all because of one word – trajectory.

As a lifelong St. Louis Cardinals fan I have somehow obtained an alarming number of Chicago Cubs fans in my friend group. Please don’t hold that against me or them. From an intel standpoint, it’s enabled me to find out what our arch enemy fanbase is thinking and right now there’s big concern which translates into a great opportunity for the St. Louis Cardinals.

The Chicago Cubs began the 2026 season on a tear with one of the best offenses in baseball

If you look at just the first 30 games of the 2026 campaign, the Chicago Cubs were raking. They were top 5 in nearly all of the offensive categories with a .354 OBP during the first month averaging around 5.5 runs per game. Everyone in the NL Central were looking up at them with a 20-13 record at one point, but then May arrived and the Cubs…flatlined. The torrid bats went silent with Chicago ranking 14th in MLB with a .242 average in May and an on-base percentage of only .333, but on-base plus slugging wasn’t awful at .720. Overall, the Chicago Cubs have a win-loss record of 10-16 in May losing 10 of the last 11 games. My Cubs friends see this as troubling. I see this as a Cardinals opportunity.

The St. Louis Cardinals have their own concerns since May 1

In Cardinals nation, we know that our young St. Louis team has overachieved what most thought possible in 2026. May has not been kind to St. Louis, though. As of today, the Cardinals have a win-loss record of 11-12 since May 1. If I had to pinpoint one game that was a turning point (in the wrong direction), it was the May 10 game when the Cardinals were one strike away from beating the San Diego Padres then Riley O’Brien proved himself vulnerable. The other heartbreaker was the second game of the doubleheader on May 23 when Cincinnati beat St. Louis 7-6 in extras. After this week’s sweep at the hands of the Milwaukee Brewers, the Cardinals have lost 4 games in a row heading into the weekend series versus Chicago.

If you look at the month of May so far, the St. Louis Cardinals offense has become the very definition of “meh”. Team batting average for May is a meager .238 which ranks 16th in MLB. The bottom of the St. Louis Cardinals batting order has become an even bigger liability this month and the team barely mustered any RISP opportunities versus Milwaukee at all.

My point is that both the St. Louis Cardinals and Chicago Cubs have an opportunity to change their trajectory this weekend at Busch Stadium. A dominant weekend by either team could make all the difference as we get into the summer months. What’s the St. Louis Cardinals pitching plans for the Cubs series? As of today, it looks like St. Louis will start Kyle Leahy Friday night, Andre Pallante Saturday night and Matthew Liberatore Sunday night. I haven’t seen any official Chicago Cubs lineups yet, but I think Friday night’s pitcher is Shota Imanaga while Ben Brown will start for the tiny bears Saturday night and Jordan Wicks Sunday night.

This might defy my goal of not being overdramatic, but this weekend’s St. Louis Cardinals vs Chicago Cubs series reminds me of the end of Rocky II where both Rocky Balboa and Apollo Creed have fallen to the canvas and the winner is the one who gets up first. No, the Cardinals and Cubs are not playing for a world championship this weekend, but symbolically the team that gets up off of the mat first this weekend might just be the one who remains competitive into the summer. Will the St. Louis Cardinals be Balboa or Creed? Let’s hope our “tarps off” crowd gets that Rocky chant (and our bats) going this weekend.

The Cubs finally snapped their 10-game losing streak Wednesday night in Pittsburgh and you could almost feel the sigh of relief on the North Side of Chicago. They posted 10 runs against the Pirates while holding the Buccos to just four. Under ordinary circumstances I’d just want to savor this win and not worry about problems that can be dealt with some other day. However, these aren’t ordinary times. The losing skid has the Cubs in third place in the NL Central, 4.5 games behind the Brewers. The Cubs need to make up ground and the Jameson Taillon home run issue is a bit too big to push to his next start.

All of the runs the Cubs gave up yesterday came on the 18th and 19th home runs Taillon has given up in 2026. Taillon has given up 20 or more home runs in each of the last six seasons. That’s a bit on the high side for season long home runs, but not terribly so. Basically a manageable issue, prior to 2026. You can see some of Taillon’s stats since 2021 below:

The next home run Jameson Taillon gives up in 2026 will be his 20th home run of the season. You read that right. To put this in perspective, in approximately half to a third of the innings he’s pitched this season, Taillon has already given up 19 home runs. He gave up 24 in 129.2 innings last season and just 21 in 165.1 innings the season before.

Given the Cubs current pitching injury situation, this isn’t merely a problem, it’s a potentially unavoidable crisis. The next man up should Taillon be unable to start for any amount of time is probably Javier Assad. The Cubs already tried an alternative starter with Jordan Wicks making his 2026 season debut earlier this week. For reference, here’s the line Wicks put up in that start: 4.1 IP, 9 H, 8 R, 8 ER, 1 BB 5 K (plus a home run of his own).

To his credit, Taillon has acknowledged the problem. After a rough outing against the White Sox he stated that “at the end of the day homers are thrown, not hit.” His fly-ball heavy, working in the zone profile makes him naturally susceptible to this kind of damage.

Those comments are all well and good, but summer is coming. As the weather heats up Cubs pitchers, including Taillon, should be expected to give up more home runs, not fewer. It’s not exactly a comfortable thought to project out what Taillon’s home run totals could look like if he were to give up home runs at the same rate he’s given them up through March, April and May. It’s a potential catastrophe to imagine what they could look like if that rate gets even worse as the weather improves. Especially given the innings the Cubs need Taillon to cover over the rest of this season.

With Gerrit Cole and Carlos Rodón back in the Yankees’ rotation, a staff that began the year in flux (and excelled despite it) is beginning to settle in. Still, with Max Fried a ways off from returning, the odds that the team will need to dip into its depth at Triple-A, either for a spot start or to replace an injured starter, remain high. Let’s take a look at who’s available down at Triple-A should additional reinforcements be needed. Note that Luis Gil has been on the minor-league IL with shoulder inflammation since May 8th, so he’s not in the discussion.

Elmer Rodríguez

In three starts with the Yankees this season, Rodríguez has clearly not been at his best. Baseball America’s 59th-ranked prospect entering the year has struck out six against nine walks; at Triple-A, his K:BB ratio is a much more tenable 34:15. Still, despite this underwhelming demonstration of his stuff and the fact that he didn’t make it through five innings in any of the outings, Rodríguez kept the Yankees in all three games, showing a tenacity and focus that belie his years and raise his floor.

Given his prospect pedigree and promising showing in limited MLB action, the 22-year-old remains the Yankees’ best option, whether for a single start or for a few turns through the rotation. One cause for alarm in the event Rodríguez gets another shot soon is his 6.03 expected ERA, a number which dwarfs his actual 4.15 mark.

Brendan Beck

When Ryan Weathers was ill on May 7th, Brendan Beck’s life was forever changed. He got the call to fill in, pitching behind opener Paul Blackburn and allowing two runs in three innings of work. It was a fine-if-unremarkable debut, the largest takeaway from which may have been that it forced the Yankees to add him to their 40-man roster.

Beck’s 4.42 ERA in 10 starts with Scranton doesn’t jump out and, at 27 with an injury history, the Stanford product has never been a top prospect (MLB Pipeline has 12 Yankees pitchers ahead of him in their rankings). Still, if another spot start is in order, the fact that the 2021 second-round pick can easily be called up without having to make room on the 40-man is appealing, particularly if the timing doesn’t line up with Rodríguez’s turn in the rotation. The right-hander has thrown at least 80 pitches each of his last three starts and should be able to give length if called upon.

Carlos Lagrange

Lagrange, he of the 103-mph fastball, may be the most tantalizing hurler in wait at Triple-A. There’s little question he has the raw stuff to pitch in the bigs. But, in 10 starts, he’s gone 0-2 with a 4.78 ERA and a 4.98 BB/9. That’s hardly enough to jump Rodríguez and Beck, both of whom are on the 40-man. There’s been talk that his repertoire could make him a more viable weapon out of the bullpen, and that could eventually come to pass in the second half of 2026. For now, the Yankees have insisted on keeping him stretched out. The coming months will be an important opportunity for the 23-year-old to show he can stick in a rotation, but he’ll need to show more before he’s in serious play for a start in the Show.

Ryan Yarbrough & Paul Blackburn

As always, in the event a spot start is called for, a bullpen game will be in play. Both Yarbrough and Blackburn have performed reasonably well in long relief roles and have extensive starting experience, making them options to pitch multiple innings either as openers or bulk arms.

After making three solid fill-in starts, Elmer Rodríguez remains the clear next man up, effectively serving as the Yankees’ shadow sixth starter. Brendan Beck is a useful depth option should Rodríguez be unavailable, with a bullpen game another avenue the team could take in a pinch.

Copy to a new draft

It is hard to imagine, but the 2026 MLB season is heading into June. Clubs will begin evaluating their rosters and identifying their weaknesses. Then, decide which players from other teams to target at the trade deadline.

Of course, the media has the Padres linked to several players in trade rumors. Let’s break down why each player is the perfect addition to the roster.

Padres linked to Red Sox closer Aroldis Chapman 

The Friars’ offense has struggled to produce all season. If you cannot put runs on the scoreboard, you need to keep the score close on most nights. It is wise to build the best bullpen in baseball by adding another quality arm.

Dennis Lin of The Athletic (paid subscription required) was the first to report that the Padres have identified Boston Red Sox closer Aroldis Chapman as a possible trade deadline acquisition. 

He has been a bright spot in an otherwise disappointing season in Boston. Chapman has posted a 0.51 ERA with 12 saves in 18 appearances. His addition to the ‘pen gives the Friars a lefty-righty combo that has the experience to close out games.

The “Cuban Missile” has a mutual option for the 2027 season; it is unlikely to be exercised by both sides. The asking price from Boston will not come cheap, as their front office will need to scout the Friars minor league system. 

If your team has trouble scoring runs, acquiring Chapman lowers the odds of opponents mounting a comeback late in games.

Could the Padres participate in Skubal sweepstakes?

To the surprise of no one, Detroit Tigers Tarik Skubal has been the subject of trade rumors. The two-time Cy Young Award winner will become a free agent at the conclusion of this season. The Tigers are languishing at the bottom of the American League Central. They trail the Cleveland Guardians by 10 ½ games in the standings. 

The Friars could join the chase for his services, but Skubal must officially hit the trade block first. That final decision by the Tigers could come closer to the deadline. First, their front office must determine the state of the roster before engaging in trade talks.

The Tigers have battled through numerous injuries to their starting rotation, but the organization is hoping the team will get on a roll and move up in the standings. If there are any signs of life, Skubal is staying in Detroit for the remainder of the season.

The left-hander has been out of the rotation since May 4, as he underwent surgery to remove a loose body from his throwing elbow. Skubal has begun rehabbing and could rejoin the Tigers’ starting rotation next month.

The Padres will need to see him pitch in actual games before any trade discussions take place.

Are the Rockies a perfect trade partner

If the Friars fail to acquire Chapman, they will turn their attention to Colorado Rockies reliever Antonio Senzatela. Another trade option that upgrades an already elite bullpen. 

The right-hander converted to the ‘pen out of necessity because his arm could not handle the workload as a starting pitcher. Senzatela cemented his role as a dominant setup reliever, posting a 1.13 ERA over 32 innings this season. It is the perfect opportunity for the Rockies to move him and replenish their minor league system.

Mason Miller is clearly the best closer in baseball, and the addition of Senzatela to the mix makes the bullpen more balanced from the sixth inning on. Also, the Friars increase their chances of clinching a postseason berth. 

Padres president of baseball operations and general manager A.J. Preller is constantly on the phone looking for a potential trade partner. He is always open to making a move if it helps the team win. So, no one should be surprised that the Friars are linked to several players as the trade market heats up.

Adding any of these pitching options would be a step in the right direction.