PHOENIX, ARIZONA - JUNE 01: Shohei Ohtani #17 of the Los Angeles Dodgers gets ready in the batters box against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the first inning at Chase Field on June 01, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Norm Hall/Getty Images) | Getty Images
In those 18 games, Ohtani is hitting .415/.506/.723 with 11 extra-base hits. That includes a ringing double to left center field that bounced off the warning track on Monday night.
This wasn’t necessarily a near home run — Baseball Savant says the 102.8-mph drive hit 375 feet with a 22-degree launch angle would have been a home run only in Wrigley Field among the 30 MLB parks — but it was a sign that Ohtani is locked in at the plate. Orel Hershiser commented on it on the SportsNet LA broadcast, and manager Dave Roberts likes to say Ohtani is at his best when he’s using all parts of the field.
Ohtani has 10 home runs through the Dodgers’ first 60 games, which puts him on pace for 27 home runs this year. It’s hard to be disappointed in a hitter with a 153 wRC+ — even before considering that player is alsoone of the best pitchers in baseball — but Ohtani’s first two seasons with the Dodgers broke the scale for proper calibration. That’s what happens when you set a franchise home run record in each of your first two seasons, hitting 54 home runs in 2024 and 55 in 2025.
Ohtani hit six home runs in March/April, and four in May. Those are his two lowest home run months with the Dodgers, with April tied with July 2024 as his previous home run nadir in Los Angeles. In every other month with the Dodgers, Ohtani hit between seven and 15 home runs.
In his career, June is Ohtani’s best power month, with 62 home runs and a .723 slugging percentage in 163 career games during the month.
Ohtani career splits
March/April: 43 HR (one per 18.3 PA), .559 SLG
May: 53 HR (one per 16.1 PA), .546 SLG
June: 62 HR (one per 11.3 PA), .723 SLG
July: 46 HR (one per 15.6 PA), .543 SLG
August: 47 HR (one per 18.2 PA), .537 SLG
September: 39 HR (one per 17.4 PA), .582 SLG
Whether you think Ohtani has another June to remember brings us to today’s question: How many home runs with Shohei Ohtani hit this June? He hit 12 home runs in June 2024, and seven in June 2025, for reference.
Gene Michael (1938 - 2017), the New York Yankees'coach, pictured February 24th 1981. (Photo by UPI/Bettmann Archive/Getty Images) | Getty Images
One of the more challenging problems in professional sports is that of determining who will make a proper coach or manager. Some of those who are the greatest to play the game aren’t good coaches, and some who are below average just so turn out to be constructors or leaders of the best teams to ever grace a diamond, field, or other playing surfaces.
While Gene Michael didn’t finish his playing career with anything close to Hall of Fame numbers, “Stick” is known as a constructor of not just the best MLB team to play a full season (record-wise), but the creator of arguably the greatest dynasty in baseball history.
Born in Ohio just outside of Akron, Michael stayed local through his upbringing, playing baseball throughout his childhood and attending school at Akron East High School, where he also played basketball. In fact, he excelled so much in both sports that he played both when he attended Kent State University in his college days, receiving a scholarship from the same school where future teammate Thurman Munson would star in a few years. While playing for the Golden Flashes, he was selected as their outstanding sophomore basketball player in 1958 when he led the team in scoring and field goal percentage. And while he did play one season of professional basketball in 1966-67 with the Columbus Comets of North American Basketball League, baseball was the route he chose for his future.
Michael’s best season on the college hardwood coincided with an excellent season on the diamond, and because of his work on the field, the Pittsburgh Pirates took an interest in the 6-foot-3 athlete. After being invited to Forbes Field in Pittsburgh to tryout in front of Pirates general manager Joe L. Brown, manager Danny Murtaugh, and coach/Hall of Famer George Sisler, Michael showcased his defensive skills in the middle infield and enough of what he could do at the plate to warrant a contract offer that brought in a $25,000 signing bonus as well.
After signing the contract early in September of 1958, Michael began what would be an eight-year journey through the minor leagues. He played two seasons with the Grand Forks Chiefs of the Northern League, three games with the Savannah Pirates in Single-A, the Class-D Hobbs Pirates, the Class-B and Class-A Kinston Eagles, and the three seasons with the Triple-A Columbus Jets of the International League.
Following his long stint in the minors, Michael finally made his debut as a pinch-hitter in 1966 with the Pirates against the Chicago Cubs, and that trend continued through his first season. In 30 games played, Michael had 33 at-bats and had only five hits with zero walks for a batting average and on-base percentage of .152 each. He then requested a trade from the Pirates, which was granted despite concerns that Pittsburgh wouldn’t get anything worth much value in the trade, the Pirates sending him to the Dodgers in December of ‘66.
And while Michael received more playing time in Los Angeles, he was benched for a significant period of time, which made him unhappy. In 98 games, the 29-year-old batted .202 and finished with an OPS under .500 for an OPS+ of 41. Following his one season with the Dodgers, the Yankees purchased his contract, and he would call New York home for the next seven seasons.
Michael’s seven seasons with the Yankees were uneventful at the plate, with an average of a 72 OPS+ through the course of them. His best OPS+ came in 1969, when he posted a 101 OPS+, along with a slashline of .272/.341/.364 and a career-high 2.5 bWAR. His career high in RBI’s in 1973 came at 35 years old. However, considering his age (36) and his overall production at the plate (an 81 OPS as a backup first baseman and shortstop) under new owner George Steinbrenner, a person who Michael became very familiar with following his playing days, the Yankees gave him an unconditional release, granting him the opportunity to be signed as a backup for the Tigers. Michael played 56 games at age-37 there before eventually hanging up the spikes.
It wasn’t long after his retirement that the Yankees picked up Michael. Hired initially as a coach and instructor, he bounced around many different staff positions, including scout, manager, vice president, and general manager as well. Stick did it all in the Bronx.
Michael was a rising star in the organization after managing the Triple-A team to a title in 1979. Steinbrenner named him GM of the 1980 club, which saw Dick Howser lead the Yanks to 103 wins and a division title. Following an ALCS sweep at the hands of the Royals though, Howser refused to fire coaches who Steinbrenner wanted to let go, so he left his post. Rather than picking a new skipper, the Boss simply told Michael that the job was his for 1981, no small feat given the expectations and the addition of star free-agent Dave Winfield.
The 1981 campaign was full of ups and downs, as the player’s strike lasted for over a month from June 12th to July 31st, and Steinbrenner continued to interfere with the day-to-day decisions of the team. That would’ve frustrated Michael regardless, but he had also already clinched a playoff spot by virtue of the Yankees leading the AL East at the beginning of the strike. Michael stood his ground, challenging Steinbrenner in September to fire him. He did, and instead of Michael, it was Bob Lemon managing the team to an AL pennant and World Series defeat at the hands of the Dodgers.
In 1982, Steinbrenner’s managerial carousel continued, canning Lemon after a 6-8 start and re-hiring Michael. The “Bronx Burners” that the Boss promoted flopped, and though Michael still had them over .500 under his watch, he was dismissed as well near the beginning of August in favor of Clyde King. Stick had publicly criticized Steinbrenner and his interference with the team, once again showing his mettle. This was not a man who was ever going to be intimated by the owner’s tactics. Michael’s final record as manager during his separate stints in 1981 and ’82 was 92-76.
After coaching on Yogi Berra, Billy Martin, and Lou Piniella’s staffs from 1984-86, another team gave Michael a shot as skipper. Hired as the Cubs’ manager, he went 114-124 from 1986-87 before being let go. The Yankees made sure he wasn’t unemployed for long, as he rejoined the organization as a scout.
When Steinbrenner was on the verge of being suspended from baseball in 1990, he picked Michael to lead the time once more as GM — and an especially powerful one since his owner would be mostly unable to overrule him from the sidelines. That’s when Stick began constructing the roster that made the late ’90s excellent for Yankees fans around the nation. And he did that not just by scouting and drafting extremely well, but he did it with his approach to building a roster, as Buster Olney says in his piece titled “Gene ‘Stick’ Michael’s stubbornness was the heart of Yankees’ Core Four”. More than a decade before “Moneyball” highlighted the Oakland A’s focus on on-base percentage, Michael rebuilt the Yankees by emphasizing OBP and acquiring left-handed power hitters to take advantage of Yankee Stadium’s dimensions.“
Michael approached his building of his Yankees teams with an analytical mind, just as he approached his coaching and scouting careers. He would take physical notes on players and games as a manager, and he used that in every aspect of his baseball life. He also found a good partner-in-crime on the field in manager Buck Showalter, who he hired at age-35 in 1992 and worked with closely to get the Yankees back on track.
While Michael found the Core Four via the draft and amateur free agency, he also made trades for capable, hard-nosed players like Paul O’Neill and David Cone, signed productive veterans like Jimmy Key and Wade Boggs, and—arguably biggest of all—he outright refused to trade Bernie Williams early in the center fielder’s career. Steinbrenner was reinstated in 1993, and he often pushed for Michael to trade Bernie due to the up-and-comer’s occasionally slow development at the plate and in the field. In fact, according to Olney and a Forbes article, Michael made calls to teams, didn’t talk about Williams at all, and then went to Steinbrenner saying no one made an offer for him.
Michael’s Yankees were the best team in the American League in 1994, when a strike again interfered with his promising team’s momentum. The World Series was cancelled, and the Yankees had to make a furious run in September the following year to at last snap their 14-year playoff drought.
Michael’s general managing career with the Yankees came to an end in the wake of the heartbreaking 1995 ALDS loss to Seattle, as he was burned out by years of butting heads with Steinbrenner. He stayed on with the organization but stuck with his roots and led big-league scouting as director and vice president. So, he was not the GM for the dynasty years, but those who followed the team knew he was largely responsible for assembling the core that would lead the Yankees back to glory. Longtime GM Brian Cashman—an assistant general manager under Michael—has always credited Michael as his mentor and someone whose philosophies he still values. As Michael reached his later years, he was named vice president and a senior advisor, a role he would fill until his death at the age of 79 in 2017. Whenever he had a tip on anything during that time, the Yankees all knew to listen. Few have ever understood the subtleties of this game as well as Stick.
Michael was known as an impressive athlete during his playing days. He had the chance to go pro in either baseball or basketball. Stick recalled later in his life that sometimes he wished he went the basketball route. But baseball was his calling, and while his playing days were not as fruitful as his days behind the scenes, he still left a lasting legacy on the game, constructing a dynasty and shaping the way the baseball teams scout and manage their rosters. If we’re being frank, that near-lifetime of service and longstanding impact on a truly outstanding era of Yankees baseball is a legacy worthy of Monument Park.
Happy birthday, Stick. You were one of a kind.
See more of the “Yankees Birthday of the Day” series here.
WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Yankees manager Aaron Boone just had finished a successful road series but still felt a bit exasperated after New York took two of three games against the Athletics in the minor league stadium that torments pitchers and fielders alike.
“I didn’t play in the PCL. But I feel like I’ve experienced it a couple times here when it gets hot like this,” Boone said following a 13-8 win against the A’s. “You’re never feeling safe. ... Just glad to escape here and get on the bird. It’s a challenging place to play. You have to figure it out.”
Less than halfway through their second season at their temporary home at Sutter Health Park in the Sacramento area, the A’s still are trying to deal with the challenges of a ballpark that inflates offensive numbers.
The heat and jet stream can turn what might seem like normal fly balls into home runs. The high sky and unpredictable winds make catching fly balls an adventure. It combines to make the ballpark one of the friendliest in the league for hitters and has appeared to have taken a toll on the A’s pitchers.
The A’s went 1-5 on their most recent homestand, allowing 47 runs against Seattle and New York — including 13 in one inning against New York — in what has become a pattern in the team’s waystation before moving to Las Vegas.
The A’s have shown promise this season and have spent plenty of time in first place in the AL West before this recent slump. They rank 10th best in the majors with a 17-14 mark on the road, while their 11-17 record at home is the second worst.
Pitching is the major reason why.
The A’s are allowing 3.01 more runs per game at home than on the road. That would be the biggest discrepancy ever for a full season in the majors, according to Sportradar, beating the previous mark of 2.82 by the Phillies in 1923 and even topping any season played in the mile-high altitude in Denver.
“You watch games here,” A’s manager Mark Kotsay said when asked about the challenge of pitching at the A’s ballpark. “You got to keep the ball down the zone and get the ball on the ground. We’ve paid for our mistakes probably more than what we’ve paid for mistakes on the road. That being said, we’ve got to play better defense at home. … That’s a combination of what it takes to pitch better. It’s also to play better.”
While the A’s try to downplay the impact knowing they can’t change it, the evidence is stark. The ease with how the ball carries takes a toll on pitchers, who can become reluctant to challenge hitters.
The A’s have walked batters at the second-highest rate in the majors at home, compared to 18th highest on the road. The A’s walked 16 batters in the three-game series against the Yankees, including four with the bases loaded.
“We’re not going to overfocus on home-road splits right now but obviously we’re well aware that we haven’t played well in this ballpark,” Kotsay said.
But the pitchers say they try to do their best to avoid letting it play with their heads.
“You can try and pitch to it, and if you do that, it might work one time, but you might also do something that you don’t want to do, or try and do something you’re not good at,” A’s starter Aaron Civale said. “Sometimes the wind’s blowing out here, sometimes the wind is blowing out in another stadium or different place. So there’s factors everywhere, rain, weather, cold, hot. It’s all conditions that we can’t control. Unless you have a roof over your head, then surely there’s nothing you can do about it.”
While the A’s pitchers have been hurt more by the environment than their counterparts, the conditions are a challenge for everyone. Yankees starter Ryan Weathers had the kind of stuff that should have produced a strong outing.
Weathers had 10 strikeouts in 6 2-3 innings and generated swings and misses on more than 40% of swings for just the third time in his career. But three home runs — including two on what he considered to be good pitches — proved costly in a 6-4 loss.
But he said he couldn’t change his approach even knowing the risks of any flyball.
“I did my time in the PCL, so I know how these parks work,” he said. “But obviously, that can’t go into your decision-making, can’t go into your pitching.”
MESA, AZ - NOVEMBER 04: Ethan Petry #28 of the Scottsdale Scorpions bats during the game between the Scottsdale Scorpions and the Mesa Solar Sox at Sloan Park on Tuesday, November 4, 2025 in Mesa, Arizona. (Photo by Norm Hall/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
With the success of the big league club, we have not talked a ton about the farm system lately. Having things to be happy about at the big league level is always a good thing, but I wanted to shine a light on three prospects who absolutely crushed the ball in May. Abimelec Ortiz, Ethan Petry and Devin Fitz-Gerald all showed their impressive combination of hitting ability and power this month.
The first player I want to discuss is Ethan Petry. In previous years, I feel like we would be talking way more about Petry. The slugger has put up massive numbers in Wilmington, which is a tough place to hit. However, he has been overshadowed by some other prospects with more well rounded skillsets.
Despite being a bat first prospect, Petry is still someone we need to pay attention to. He is hitting .310 with a .962 OPS and 9 home runs in 38 games this season. Interestingly, Petry posted nearly identical OPS numbers in April and May, with a .960 OPS in April and a .961 mark in May. However, he went about it in very different ways. In April, he relied on getting on base, while this month, he has been a true slugger. I prefer the slugger version of Petry.
In April, he only hit 3 homers, but that number doubled to 6 in May. Power will be the carrying tool for Petry, so I prefer him getting to his numbers with home runs and impact, rather than BABIP luck and walks. He has shown power to all fields, and has also been more than a power hitter, as you can see with his batting average.
Ethan Petry was a dawg this week vs Winston-Salem.
Today’s homerun he worked a 5-pitch at-bat and then crushed it to left-center field.
Overall, he’s hitting to a .310 AVG with 9 homeruns, collecting 32 RBI’s and has a .983 OPS.
— Nationals Advisory (@nats_advisory) May 18, 2026
The second round pick from South Carolina has split time between the outfield and first base. Most project him to be a first baseman long term, but Keith Law has mentioned that Petry has been better than expected as a defensive outfielder. Law had Petry as one of his honorable mentions for his top 50 prospect list, which shows how much his stock has risen. We knew Petry had power, but I am most impressed with how the rest of his game is rounding out.
Petry’s teammate Devin Fitz-Gerald is not known as a power hitter, but has been hitting a ton of home runs this year. Fitz-Gerald is one of those bats who is a contact hitter, who also happens to have power. His exit velocities don’t pop off the page like Petry’s, but he has a knack for pulling the ball in the air.
At 5’10 185 pounds, Fitz-Gerald does not look like a power hitter, but already has 12 homers on the season, including 9 in May. There was a stretch in the middle of the month where it felt like DFG was hitting a homer every game. From May 5th to May 16th, Fitz-Gerald hit 8 homers.
Devin Fitz-Gerald with his 11th bomb of the year and his 5th of the week. Let’s get nuts; this is a top 20 prospect in the sport pic.twitter.com/RD94I1s3eA
That crazy run helped him become a consensus top 100 prospect across the industry. I think Fitz-Gerald’s stock will get even higher as he gets closer to the majors. The bat is special, and it will carry him to the big leagues. He projects as a second baseman with the ability to hit for average and power.
Fitz-Gerald has been compared to Kevin McGonigle on multiple occasions, and it is hard to not see the similarities. Both are smaller guys with a natural ability to hit. McGonigle is slightly more contact oriented, while Fitz-Gerald may have more power. However, they have similar body types and approaches at the plate.
The last player to discuss here has been doing his damage recently. Abimelec Ortiz’s insane finish to the month has been a joy to watch. In May, Ortiz hit .313 with a 1.132 OPS and 9 homers. This past week, he hit 3 homers and almost hit .500 to earn himself International League player of the week honors.
Congratulations to Abimelec Ortiz on being named International League Player of the Week! 🏆🔥
In April, Ortiz showed a strong approach, and took plenty of walks. However, the big slugger only hit 1 homer. This month he has been more aggressive, and it has led to a power frenzy. From May 20th to May 27th, Ortiz hit 7 homers in 6 games. Like Petry and Fitz-Gerald, Ortiz is not just a home run or strike out player.
This season, Ortiz’s strikeout rate is below 20%. He also does a nice job pulling the ball in the air as well. That is why I think Ortiz will need less of an adaptation period to the MLB compared to his teammate Yohandy Morales, whose raw numbers are slightly better.
The Nats farm is in such a great spot, especially offensively. They have added so much offensive talent in the past 12 months. None of the guys I wrote about today were in the organization a year ago. Petry was selected in the draft, while Ortiz and Fitz-Gerald came over in the MacKenzie Gore trade.
Now, they are part of a loaded position player group. Between those three, Eli Willits, Ronny Cruz, Seaver King, Coy James and more, the Nats farm has incredible hitting depth. The Nats lineup is already elite, but they have more talent coming through the system. This Nationals offense should be electric for years to come.
NEWTON, Mass. — Hall of Famer David Ortiz said Boston Red Sox owner John Henry is concerned about the direction of his last-place team.
Speaking at his celebrity golf tournament — the “David Ortiz Soiree of Hearts” — the former Red Sox great said he’s talked to Henry recently about the club’s struggles.
“He’s worried. We had a conversation. I can see. I’ve known John a long time, him and the whole team — him and (chairman) Tom Werner, the whole group, they’re working on figuring things out to get this ride better,” Ortiz said in an interview with The Associated Press.
Boston is 25-33, trailing the AL East-leading Tampa Bay Rays by 12 games.
“He knows the direction of this team and he’s worried about the team’s situation more than what people think he is,” he said.
The 76-year-old Henry, along with his partners, bought the club in 2002. He’s had limited interviews the past few years and hasn’t been part of a team news conference since the club traded star Mookie Betts to the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2020.
Ortiz said it’s hard for fans to understand that Henry still cares about the team’s direction because of his public demeanor.
“The thing is, that you see John, and John is someone that he manages his emotions really well,” he said. “He’s very professional at everything he does. Sometimes, for people, it’s hard for them to understand that part of (him), but he’s worried.”
The 50-year-old Ortiz, who retired following the 2016 season and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2022, said Henry wants the club to return to its success from 2004 to 2018 when it captured four World Series titles.
“I sat down to talk to John, and he wants to figure it out. He wants to have the formula to go back to the old days,” he said. “It’s not like he just gives up. Sometimes people don’t understand that the way that this game goes, that it’s hard to stay up there.”
Henry also owns English soccer team Liverpool, which fired its manager, Arne Slot.
The Red Sox fired manager Alex Cora and five coaches in April.
Recently, a small plane flew over Fenway Park towing a banner imploring ownership to sell the team.
Asked if Henry was worried about the fans, too, Ortiz said the owner thinks about everything.
“When you worry, you worry about everything in general. You worry about the team, you worry about the fans and you worry about how everything is moving around,” he said. “I tell you, the boss is, he’s working, he’s working. He’s working on putting the pieces that moving forward things get better around here.”
Ortiz’s golf tourney supports the David Ortiz Children’s Fund, which has provided lifesaving heart surgeries for more than 1,900 children in New England and his native country, the Dominican Republic, and nearly helped 19,000 with cardiac care.
Hall of Famer and former Yankees reliever Mariano Rivera was among the celebrities on hand.
The excitement of the day was seeing Cooper Ingle playing left field for the first time in a professional game. Ingle homered, going 1 for 5 and not embarrassing himself in the field. CJ Kayfus went 2 for 3 with a double and a walk. Bo Naylor went 2 for 4 with a double. Logan Allen pitched poorly again, and Andrew Walters gave up a hit and a walk but struck out two in a scoreless inning. Ralphy Velazquez struck out three times, darn.
Jaison Chourio and Zack Cozart both went 2 for 4, Chourio hitting a double and Cozart a homer. Justin Campbell had the worst start of his young career giving up five walks and four runs… but still struck out five.
That wraps up a productive May for Ryan Clifford. In 23 games, the slugger hit .233/.308/.534, adding 5 more doubles, 1 triple, and 8 homers to his ledger for the year. In total, he is now hitting .229/.307/.483 with 10 doubles, 1 triple, 13 homers, 4 stolen bases in 6 attempts, and 24 walks to 78 strikeouts.
Clifford has a solidly above-average 10.5% BB% at present, somewhat balancing his Brobdingnagian 34.2 K% rate, but even that is not enough to make him an above offensive contributor in the International League; believe it or not, Clifford has a 96 wRC+ with two months in the book. In 34 games last season, he was able to maintain a 15.5% BB% and 24.6% K%, which helped him produce a 102 wRC+ in Syracuse last season; Clifford is going to need to bump his walk rate up a bit while optimally shaving that strikeout rate a bit.
One way to do that would be swinging at fewer pitches out of the zone (revolutionary, I know!) Last season, Clifford had a 22.9% O-Swing rate and 43.3% O-Contact rate; this season, he has a 29.3% O-Swing rate and 53.3% O-Contact rate.
In a lot of cases, chasing pitches out of the zone is not necessarily a bad thing; if a pitch is drivable, it’s drivable, whether or not it’s in the strike zone or not. In Clifford’s case, it hasn’t been. Excluding clear waste pitches and mistakes that are nowhere close to the zone, nearly 64% of the pitches that he has seen during official plate appearances have been outside the zone, either in the shadow of the zone or in the chase zone. In total, he is hitting .178/.301/.381 against pitches outside of the zone with a 37.9% whiff rate, .194/.271/.441 against pitches in the shadow of the zone with a 33.3% whiff rate, and .120/.389/.160 in the chase zone with a 54.5% whiff rate.
He has done some damage against pitches in the shadow of the zone, hammering 3 doubles, 1 triple, and 6 home runs, but in the chase zone, all he has to show for his troubles is a measly double. Clifford needs to tighten up his internal visualization of the zone and just ignore pitches with trajectories past a certain point, whether or not they look like they are within his plate coverage ability (easy for me to say, of course!). Taking more pitches out of the zone will not only increase his walk rate over time, but will also force pitches to throw more pitches in the zone, giving him a better opportunity to put them in play with authority.
Also, a weird tidbit I noticed: Clifford is hitting .280/.354/.600 in 113 plate appearances at home, but .178/.261/.366 in 110 plate appearances on the road. Nobody else among the everyday Syracuse starting lineup had home/road splits as pronounced as that; Jackson Cluff came the closest with a .250-point OPS differential in favor of playing at home, but that still pales in comparison to Clifford’ .375-point differential.
I don’t like leaving my house either, I completely get it, but that said, I don’t know what up with that.
Jose Chirinos
Week: 1 G (1 GS), 6.0 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 9 K (Single-A)
Of Chirinos’ nine strikeouts, two-thirds were swinging; In the bottom of the first, he struck out Sammy Stafura swinging on a curveball middle-away and then got Edgleen Perez looking on a sinker down-and-away. In the third, he struck out Josh Tate swinging with a slider almost middle-middle that he got away with. In the fourth, he struck out Eddie King Jr. with a cutter down-and-away and then struck out Luke Scherrer swinging with a sinker middle-and-low. In the fifth, Chirino struck out the side, first getting Richard Ramirez swinging on a curveball middle-and-low, then getting Dylan Palmer looking on a sinker up-and-away, and then Eddie Rynders on a sinker down-and-in. Finally, his last strikeout of the evening came in the sixth, when he got Jaden Kim to strike out on a foul tip on a changeup down-and-away.
Last season, the right-hander threw 56.1 innings with St. Lucie over 15 games, starting 10 of them, and posted a 3.20 ERA with 40 hits allowed, 30 walks, and 51 strikeouts. We are getting close to Chirinos matching the amount of innings he has pitched, with 42.0 innings this season over the course of 9 games, 7 of which have been starts. The right-hander is showing some real improvements in virtually every facet of his game as compared to last season’s innings in St. Lucie. His ERA is nearly a full run lower, his xERA is roughly 0.50 points lower, and his FIP and xFIP are both a full run lower. His strikeout rate, 28.4%, is up from 20.6%. His walk rate, 5.9%, is down from 12.1%.
The only point of trouble currently would be the fact that his flyball rate is up slightly, 39.2% from 34.4%, and he is giving up more home runs as a result- Chirinos currently has allowed 3 longballs, up from 1 not just with St. Lucie but in his 71.2 innings total with St. Lucie and the FCL Mets. Those three homers- a Jacob Friend homer to right center on a pitch down-and-away, a Johnathan Mejia homer to left on a change-up right down Broadway, and an Abranham Ramirez homer to right-center on a cutter down and in- don’t show any specific trends, like all being from breaking balls down-and-in that were pulled or fastballs up-and-away that were poked away, and as such, I don’t think the spike is of any real concern; allowing a single home run in 71.2 innings is more of an outlier, if you ask me.
By far, his slider has been his best pitch so far this season; throwing it 18.7% of the time so far this season, batters are hitting .174 /.208 /.217 against it with a 46.3% whiff rate. By comparison, they are hitting .233/.303/.267 against his sinker with a 26.2% whiff rate, .243 /.268 /.351 against his cutter with a 20% whiff rate, .280 /.357/.480 against his changeup with a 23.9% whiff rate, and .000/.000/.000 against his curveball in extremely limited usage with a 55.6% whiff rate. Over the last month, the pitch has averaged roughly 80 MPH, with above-average vertical drop and very little horizontal movement thanks to its lower velocity band and a spin rate hovering around 2000 RPM.
The last tall, lanky pitcher the Mets developed who had a head full of hair, wore 48, and threw a slider that struck a lot of batters out worked out pretty well. Jose Chirinos is almost half as old as that guy, but if Jose Chirinos developed half as good as that guy, I’d say that would be a pretty remarkable outcome.
CLEVELAND, OHIO - MAY 30: Jarren Duran #16 of the Boston Red Sox runs out a single during the third inning against the Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field on May 30, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Nick Cammett/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Is the Red Sox (relatively) improved play of late late all down to Jarren Duran? Duran hit nine homers in the month of May — the most home runs he’s ever hit in one month in his career — and the Red Sox went 7-2 in those games. He also moved into second-place on the all-time Red Sox leadoff home run list with 11 career leadoff dongs, second to (who else) Mookie Betts’ 20. (Tim Healey, Boston Globe)
But not everyone digs the long ball. There are those among us who prefer the subtle art of bunting, and those people have found their champion in Nick Sogard, who had a key sacrifice bunt in last week’s win against the Braves. For Sogard, the bunting runs in the family. “It goes back to being taught how to bunt by his father, former Tufts baseball and football player Steve Sogard. ‘He was a similar player to me, not a ton of home runs, and he relied on his speed,” Nick said. ‘One of the first things I learned in baseball was bunting.” (Peter Abraham, Boston Globe)
The Sox might need to bunt even more, unfortunately. FanGraphs ZiPS model infamously didn’t project a single Red Sox hitter to hit 20 home runs at the start of the season. While both Duran and Willson Contreras are now more than halfway to that mark, the model has been updated and now has no Red Sox hitters reaching 25 homers, which, 2020 excluded, would be the first time the team failed to hit that mark since 2017. (Andrew Gould, NESN)
Thank god the pitching is holding up, even when Sonny Gray is getting chirped by opposing managers. (Henry Palattella, MLB.com)
There is some surprising power potential in the minors, though. Infielder Henry Godbout, who was heralded as an elite contact hitter when he was drafted last year, already has seven homers on the year down in Greenville. He has a pretty big fan in the Red Sox dugout: Connelly Early, who was teammates with Godbout at UVA. “Pretty cool to watch him succeed,” Early said. “I feel like last year, in his little short stint that he had, it was pretty amazing to watch as well. So obviously got off to the right foot, made a really good first impression.” (Christopher Smith, MassLive)
Godbout was not the Red Sox’ first pick in last year’s draft. That would be Kyson Witherspoon, who, at the time, was viewed as someone who could potentially climb up to the big leagues very quickly. Instead, Witherspoon has struggled as the Sox tinker with his mechanics. “One evaluator who saw him last month saw a pitcher whose execution looked like that of a middle reliever, rather than the projected mid-rotation starter viewed as the best college righthander in last year’s draft.” (Alex Speier, Boston Globe)
The Milwaukee Brewers blew the San Francisco Giants out of the water in their series opener on Monday.
While a 14-run victory is unlikely to be replicated, my Giants vs. Brewers predictions are backing the home team to pick up another convincing win Tuesday night.
The splits work in Milwaukee's favor, and they're one of the most prolific home offenses in baseball.
The Giants might only need a couple of runs to push this game Over the total, and they have been much more productive on the road this season (4.03 runs per game vs. 3.75 at home). Playable to -130.
Todd Cordell's 2026 Transparency Record
ML/RL bets: 21-16, -0.08 units
Over/Under bets: 17-18-2, -3.61 units
Giants vs Brewers odds
Moneyline: Giants +170 | Brewers -210
Run line: Giants +1.5 (-130) | Brewers -1.5 (+110)
Over/Under: Over 7.0 (-120) | Under 7.0 (+100)
Giants vs Brewers trend
Milwaukee has covered the run line in 28 of their last 45 home games (+16.0 units, 30% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for Giants vs. Brewers.
How to watch Giants vs Brewers and game info
Location
American Family Field, Milwaukee, WI
Date
Tuesday, June 2, 2026
First pitch
7:40 p.m. ET
TV
NBCSBA, Brewers.TV
Giants starting pitcher
Trevor McDonald (2-2, 4.34 ERA)
Brewers starting pitcher
Kyle Harrison (6-1, 1.57 ERA)
Giants vs Brewers latest injuries
Giants vs Brewers weather
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA - MAY 25: Shea Langeliers #23 of the Athletics at bat against the Seattle Mariners at Sutter Health Park on May 25, 2026 in Sacramento, California. (Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Welcome to Tuesday everyone! Happy Lou Gehrig Day!
The A’s are set to begin their next new series, hitting the road to take on the Chicago Cubs in the first of three mid-week contests. The Athletics are coming off a terrible 1-5 homestand that saw them drop from first place in the AL West to third behind the Seattle Mariners and the Texas Rangers. The A’s are desperate for a win to start this road trip on a high note and they’re running into a Cubs squad that, like the A’s, began the year hot and in first place before going through a recent rough patch and falling in the standings. After the Cubs the A’s will head south to Texas for three games this weekend against the Houston Astros, the second time the two clubs will meet this season.
Tonight’s series begins with the Athletics’ young starter Gage Jump, who is set to get the ball for his second career start. The young lefty showed a lot of promise in his first big league outing but also had some expected struggles in a loss to the Mariners. He pitched five full frames, collecting five punchouts while only issuing one free pass. He did allow four runs on nine hits so he’ll be hoping to keep the contact down this evening against a Cubs offense that has never seen him before. How does Jump perform in his second start now that he’s got his debut nerves out of the way?
Jump will be opposed by a veteran of the game tonight in right-hander Jameson Taillon. The 34-year-old is now in his 10th big league season with his third team, and his fourth year in a Cubbies uniform. Coming off two strong seasons for Chicago Taillon has seen some regression this season as he’ll enter tonight’s game with a 5.37 ERA in his 11 starts. He’s especially gotten hit hard in recent outings as he’s allowed 16 runs across his past 14 2/3 innings of work spanning three starts. For his career Taillon has a 4.62 ERA in five career starts against the A’s, including a start last year where he pitched six innings of two-run ball in April.
Wednesday’s contest sees another left-hander on the mound for the road team as Jeffrey Springs gets the ball for the 13th time this year. After a hot start to his season Springs hit a rough patch and since then has been more hot and cold on the mound. He’s coming off a so-so start last time out after he allowed five runs but only two of those were earned. The defense has been an issue in recent weeks and it’s been hurting Springs especially hard. The 33-year-old will be hoping to get things back on track this evening against a Chicago club he has minimal experience against (4 games, 1 start, 5.68 ERA).
Springs will be opposed by righty Colin Rea. The 35-year-old has been around since 2015 but has had an up-and-down career overall but has found an extra gear as he enters the twilight of his career. He enters tonight with a 4.70 ERA as an innings eater at the back of the Chicago rotation. He’s put together back-to-back quality starts entering Wednesday’s contest and the A’s will be hoping to knock him back off his game early on. He’s pitched twice against the A’s, one start and one relief appearance spanning nine innings and allowing four runs.
The series wraps up on Thursday and while the A’s don’t have a named starter for the finale all signs point to rookie Kade Morris getting the ball for his major league debut. The right-hander is one of the Athletics’ top pitching prospects and has been pitching well at Triple-A this year. Obviously the Cubs wont have any experience facing him but it’ll also be his debut so it wouldn’t be a shock to see some rookie yips. The A’s need their young pitchers to step up though and it’s a great opportunity for both team and player to see what they have in Morris.
Whoever the Thursday pitcher is, they’ll be going up against Chicago right-hander Shota Imanaga. The Japanese product is in his third year atop the Chicago rotation but has taken a step back in each year in MLB. This season he’s posted a 4.37 ERA in 12 starts, though that doesn’t do his season justice. After getting tagged for four runs in his season debut, Imanaga posted a dominant month of April as he allowed only seven runs in five starts. May began in the same way but in his most recent three starts he’s gotten absolutely torched, allowing eight, seven, and five runs in his past three outings, respectively. The A’s may be running into Imanaga at the perfect time.
That’s the likely pitching matchup for this upcoming Cubs series, but we should all be on the lookout for some big roster changes this afternoon. Manager Mark Kotsay said a major shakeup was on the way after the most recent lackluster homestand. How far those changes go will be an interesting storyline this afternoon.
First pitch is at 5:05 everyone. Have a great day A’s fans.
BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - APRIL 11: Baltimore Orioles mascot the Oriole Bird performs in the seventh inning during a game against the San Francisco Giants at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on April 11, 2026 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Brandon Sloter/IOS/Getty Images) | Getty Images
This time a year ago, there was essentially no joy to be found in following the Orioles unless you were looking down to the farm. The 2026 Orioles have avoided reaching that point before the calendar turned to June and hopefully they will continue to do so. One reason I hope this is because I want them to win. The other is that there’s not a ton of joy going on in this farm system performance right now.
These weekly updates focus on the team’s top prospects, particularly those on Camden Chat’s composite top 20 Orioles prospect list from before the season. They also include other guys who interest me who might develop into prospects over time. I do not tend to spend much time on non-prospect journeymen.
Here’s how things went this week:
Triple-A Norfolk Tides
Last week’s record: 2-3 vs. Durham (Rays)
This week’s opponent: at Gwinnett (Braves)
Season record: 22-35, last place (13 GB) in International League East
Depending on who is playing and who is resting on a given night, the Norfolk lineup can look awfully barren. Tommy Pham is on this team now, for crying out loud. He went 5-24 this week. I hope there’s no need to see him with the Orioles.
Not everything is sad. Catcher-ish prospect Creed Willems played in four of the five Tides games, homering twice and driving in nine runs across the rain-interrupted series. He’s got 47 games for Norfolk and is batting .272/.358/.488. I don’t know what would have to happen for him to end up on the major league roster this season, but that’s mighty interesting hitting. Willems has 11 homers. Only two MLB Orioles are in double digits, and the team leader, Gunnar Henderson, isn’t even hitting well in spite of the homers.
Heston Kjerstad is no longer a rehabbing big leaguer but instead something of an erstwhile one. Maybe more of a Once and Future Oriole, one of the lesser known T.H. White works. He went 6-17 across four games played, with three doubles. Let’s see some more and go from there.
The season began with a trio of pitching prospects worth following here. Trey Gibson spent time in Baltimore this week and didn’t pitch for Norfolk. Levi Wells is now on the injured list after needing core muscle surgery. That leaves Nestor German. He blanked the Bulls across six innings, allowing just a hit and two walks. As I just wrote for Kjerstad, let’s see some more and go from there.
Others of interest
IF Payton Eeles – The 5’5” king had two hits in 9 AB, he’s still OPSing .883 in 28 games with the Tides
LHP Andrew Magno – Two shutout innings this week, 0.81 ERA in 22.1 IP. I look at the sad parts of the Orioles bullpen and I wonder…
RHP Yaqui Rivera – Kind of an overlooked guy because he’s only a reliever, but this 22-year-old tossed 3 scoreless innings for Norfolk this week and has done well between Chesapeake and Norfolk this year. Trading Tanner Scott and Cole Sulser to the Marlins may yet pay off for the Orioles.
Season record: 20-30, last place (14 GB) in Eastern League Southwest
All my returning readers, who are we looking at first here? That’s right, it’s my guy Aron Estrada! In this week’s instance, Estrada is a fun first guy to look at, because he smashed two dingers and hit three doubles as part of an 8-26 week at the plate. That’s a good series. It’s got his season OPS up to .751. I’d like to see a good June from him to get actually excited instead of just “for the bit” excited.
The Chesapeake lineup is now the home of two-thirds of the cursed top of the 2024 draft class. Ethan Anderson did not do very well this week, batting just 4-21. His OPS remains over .800, so hopefully it’s just one tough week. No-power prospect Griff O’Ferrall went 5-20, but he also drew four walks for a nice OBP for the week. O’Ferrall’s batting line of .179/.317/.305 is not good. If he found a way to bat like .250… but he probably won’t.
As you may recall, Chesapeake is now the home of early-season exciting pitching prospect Joseph Dzierwa. Now one level higher, Dzierwa is still racking up the strikeouts, grabbing nine in a 4.2 inning outing. I’d like to see these guys at least finishing five, but man, there’s something interesting going on there. He gave up two runs while allowing four hits and a walk.
Others of interest
RHP Juaron Watts-Brown – My honorary hyphenated cousin was socked for nine runs in 7.1 innings across two starts this week. Between being injured and how he’s pitched since returning (8.41 ERA and 6.6 BB/9), 2026 could be going better.
LHP Luis De León – He’s had some rough outings this year so while two runs (one earned) in 4.1 innings isn’t great, I’ll take it. Six strikeouts, four hits, two walks. He’s got to cut the 5.6 BB/9 over time.
LHP Sebastian Gongora – I always have a soft spot for grinder non-prospects to maybe turn into something, and the 24-year-old Gongora (2 ER in 6.2 IP, 3.56 ERA in 10 starts) is moving in that direction.
Last week’s record: 3-3 at Jersey Shore (Phillies)
This week’s opponent: vs. Hudson Valley (Yankees)
Season record: 31-17, second place (0.5 GB) in South Atlantic League North
Let’s go down the checklist. Can I say something about Vance Honeycutt other than that he struck out a bunch of times? No, he struck out seven times in 14 AB. Can I say something fun about Wehiwa Aloy? No, he went 2-19. Okay, then what about Ike Irish? 3-17 with no extra-base hits. Yeah, but what about Nate George? No, remember, he’s on the injured list with an undisclosed illness. (sweating) Early-season sensation Victor Figueroa? 2-17 with nine strikeouts. Fine, then Braylin Tavera? 4-18. Hey, at least he stole three bases, giving him 16 on the season.
That was a depressing paragraph. On the plus side, I can say some nicer things about pitchers here, starting with the big man, Boston Bateman, from last July’s Padres trade. He’s been on a solid run since battling some command problems in early outings, and this past week notched a five inning start with two runs (one earned), striking out seven while walking two and giving up two hits. Just in his age 20 season, this lefty with an 11.1 K/9 through nine games is worth remembering.
Others of interest
LHP Caden Hunter – Sixth round pick in last year’s draft started at Delmarva and just got promoted here. 4.1 scoreless innings with nine strikeouts in his first start at the level.
RHP Kiefer Lord – Continuing to have a rough go of it now that he’s finally healthy and pitching, three runs allowed on six hits and three walks in three innings here.
Last week’s record: 1-5 vs. Fredericksburg (Nationals)
This week’s opponent: at Augusta (Braves)
Season record: 17-34, last place (20 GB) in Carolina League North
The records of the minor league affiliates don’t really matter, but I don’t enjoy how many times I type “last place” each time I do one of these weekly recaps. 75% of the full-season farm teams are in the cellar of their leagues.
Norfolk’s Enrique Bradfield Jr. was rehabbing with the Shorebirds this week. He would have fit right in with that bit about Frederick’s hitters: He went 1-13, though he did manage to walk six times and steal three bases.
The one player who is both of an age where it’s interesting if he performs well at this level and actually performing well is shortstop DJ Layton, whose five games saw him go 5-16 with a homer, triple, double, five walks, and three stolen bases. It’s an .826 OPS so far this season, which is excellent for an age 19 player at this level.
There was some preseason hype about Esteban Mejia, a hard-throwing 19-year-old. Mejia is, currently, the #6 prospect on MLB Pipeline’s rankings. I’m going to guess he will dive in midseason updates; this past week saw him walk five guys in less than an inning of work and he’s somehow managed to walk more guys than he’s struck out (39-37) over ten starts.
Your choice last week in the minor league player of the week poll was Eeles, who narrowly edged out Dzierwa. The week before that, we had a tie. Margins are slim. Make your vote count! Our winners so far this season are Eeles, Tavera, Hunter, Irish, and Aloy. There has yet to be a repeat winner. This week will not change that, because none of the previous winners are on the poll.
We head down to Minute Maid Ballpark, where we only plan to stay for a few, as we're looking to get in and get out of this one.
The Houston Astros send out right-hander Mike Burrows, who has been one of the worst first-inning pitchers in baseball this season. Through 11 starts, he owns a 7.36 first-inning ERA, allowing 9 runs on 14 hits and 3 walks.
Opposing hitters are slashing .304/.373/.522 with an .894 OPS in the opening frame against the righty.
On the other side is Pittsburgh Pirates right-hander Bubba Chandler, who has struggled with walks all season, sporting a 16% walk rate on the road. He also hasn't been the most reliable first-inning arm, posting a 5.73 ERA while allowing 7 runs on 8 hits and 7 walks through 11 starts.
Opposing hitters have managed a .333 OBP against him during that stretch.
Luckily for us, both offenses rank inside the top 10 in first-inning scoring, with each averaging more than 0.66 runs per game in the opening frame.
Over on Batters-Box, this matchup features six bats carrying at least a Strong rating in the default ratings. In the Current Season Ratings, there are six Elite-rated bats combined. Hopefully, one of those sticks can get things rolling early.
For only a little bit of juice, we're getting two offenses capable of exploding at any moment against a pair of inconsistent arms. I think that's well worth a dabble.
The Dodgers will send left-hander Eric Lauer to the mound. Through seven starts, Lauer owns a 6.43 first-inning ERA, allowing five runs, eight hits, and two walks. Opposing hitters have posted a .621 SLG and .943 OPS against the southpaw in the opening frame.
Overall, this season, he's allowed a 13.2% barrel rate, 40.4% hard-hit rate, and a 73.6% elevation rate (fly balls plus line drives).
On the other side, Michael Soroka gets the ball for the Snakes. Soroka carries a 6.55 first-inning ERA, surrendering eight runs, 11 hits, and seven walks across 11 starts. Opposing hitters own a .353 OBP, .455 SLG, and .887 OPS against him in the first inning.
Both offenses have been productive early this season. Arizona is averaging 0.63 first-inning runs at home, while Los Angeles is averaging just over half a run per game in the first inning on the road.
With six hitters carrying at least a Strong rating in the default Batters-Box ratings and eight earning a Strong rating in the current-season model, I think the YRFI is the play in this spot.
Time: 9:40 p.m. ET
Where to watch: DBACKS.TV, Sportsnet Los Angeles
White Sox vs. Twins: NRFI (-108)
I had to find at least one game I liked to go scoreless in the first inning, and I think this matchup between the Chicago White Sox and Minnesota Twins is the perfect 1-2-3, 1-2-3 spot to back the NRFI. Especially with Davis Martin taking the mound for the White Sox this evening.
The No. 1-rated pitcher in the current Batters-Box season ratings draws an elite matchup in terms of wOBA, ISO, and strikeout rate against a swing-happy Twins lineup. Martin owns a 1.64 ERA in the first inning, allowing just two runs through 11 starts.
Opposing hitters have posted a .195 batting average, .214 OBP, and .483 OPS against him in the opening frame.
On the other side, the Twins send left-hander Connor Prielipp to the hill. Some of his underlying numbers are what initially drew me to the NRFI. At home this season, opposing hitters own just a .167 xBA and a .287 xwOBA against him.
He does carry a 7.71 first-inning ERA, but his 36.7% strikeout rate over his last 30 hitters faced at home grabs my attention far more. The White Sox have the fourth-highest strikeout rate across their last 12 road games, and against left-handed pitching, they still own a 24.3% strikeout rate.
The top half of the first will be the bigger sweat given Prielipp's first-inning struggles, but with how dominant Martin has been this season, I think this is well worth getting a little sweaty over.
Time: 7:40 p.m. ET
Where to watch: Chicago Sports Network, Twins.TV
Colby Marchio's 2026 Transparency Record
NRFI/YRFI picks: 177-313-29, -0.10 units
What is a NRFI prediction?
NRFI (No Run First Inning) and YRFI (Yes Run First Inning) picks add a thrilling twist to the start of an MLB game. A NRFI pick is a prediction that no runs will be scored in the first inning. You're predicting that the starting pitchers for both teams will get through the first inning without allowing any runs, whether by striking out batters, inducing ground balls, or through solid defensive play.
A YRFI pick is the exact opposite. You're predicting that at least one run will be scored in the first inning. In this case, you’re hoping for an early offensive burst such as a leadoff walk, a timely hit, or even a home run.
NRFI and YRFI picks add excitement to the early part of a game and offer immediate gratification for those looking for a quick resolution.
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
ATLANTA, GEORGIA - MAY 24: Richard Lovelady #55 of the Washington Nationals pitches against the Atlanta Braves in the ninth inning at Truist Park on May 24, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Brett Davis/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Nationals bullpen did a commendable job in the month of May. They do not have any big names in the ‘pen, but between guys like Richard Lovelady, Orlando Ribalta, Brad Lord and Gus Varland, they got the job done. However, over the past week or so, I have seen some cracks appear in the bullpen’s armor.
On paper, this should not be a good bullpen, and in April that was certainly the case. However, after a strong May, the unit has a not terrible 4.61 ERA as a unit. There have been a couple times this week where the bullpen has folded though, and I am getting a little worried.
One pitcher I am getting worried about is Richard Lovelady. In late April and most of May, Lovelady was nails for the Nats. He turned himself into a fan favorite with his high energy pitching style and emotion. However, he was always playing a dangerous game with all the base runners he allowed. The traffic Lovelady is allowing on the bases is starting to bite him. Last night, he gave away the lead, and has been shaky since pitching three straight days in Atlanta.
I do not think Lovelady pitching three straight days is the reason for his downturn though. His WHIP on the season is 1.75, with his lowest mark of the season being 1.54. That is not good, and you cannot consistently maintain a low ERA while allowing that many baserunners. Lovelady loves the big moment, and has a flair for the dramatic, but he was not going to be able to get out of every jam forever.
Getting Lovelady back on track would be big for this team, and he is a guy I have a soft spot for. However, there is a reason he has bounced around as much as he has. Lovelady has unique release traits and the intangibles of a high leverage reliever. On the other hand, his stuff is not anything special and the command is not great.
There are a few other relievers that are also turning into weak links here as well. Gus Varland was the Nats best reliever at the start of the season, but he has not been throwing many strikes lately. He has also been allowing a lot of base runners with a 1.55 WHIP.
Cole Henry was supposed to be a big part of this Nats bullpen entering the season after a solid 2025. However, he has not looked like a big league caliber arm this season. Henry faded in the second half of last season, but most fans just blamed that on fatigue. That has carried over into this season though. He got absolutely lit up last night, giving up a pair of homers.
Cole Henry… yeesh. Has really struggled since the second half of last year
With the way Henry is pitching, he may not be long for the MLB level. His stuff is good, but not great. He has to be locating his pitches to have success, but he has had too many uncompetitive misses and pitches thrown right down the heart of the plate. I would not be surprised to see Henry in Rochester soon.
Mitchell Parker is another guy who has struggled after a solid start. Parker is still doing some things well, but he is allowing way too many home runs. He leans a lot on his slider, which is a great pitch when it is located well. However, when it is up in the zone, it just floats right into hitters barrels.
Despite the doom and gloom of this piece, the Nats bullpen is not all bad. Brad Lord, Orlando Ribalta and Clayton Beeter are all guys I trust right now. I think Lord needs to be used in more high leverage spots though. He is such a solid long man, and has been borderline All-Star caliber in that role. Lord posted a 1.17 ERA in May, and his WHIP for the season is just 1.00, which is elite.
I’ll say it again – Brad Lord is incredibly valuable to what’s happening this year and deserves All Star consideration
Another great win. Chance to win a beautiful home series tomorrow #Natitude
— Capitol Baseball (@CapitolBaseball) May 30, 2026
I love the way Lord is always on the attack mode. Not every pitcher can get away with pounding the zone as much as Lord does, but the Nats righty has a good combination of stuff and funk. He is usually not over the heart of the plate as well.
Orlando Ribalta is the one inning reliever I trust the most right now. The big Cuban has a history of control issues, but has been throwing way more strikes this year. Ribalta has always had very good stuff, so as long as he is throwing quality strikes, his stuff will play. While Ribalta is not striking out a ton of hitters, the average exit velocity against him is just over 80 MPH. That is why his .214 BABIP is not just good luck.
Clayton Beeter outings are always a bit stressful because you never quite know when he will totally lose the strike zone. However, Beeter has premium stuff and is incredibly hard to square up. He is getting a ton of ground balls this year, and is another guy who’s low BABIP has a lot to do with the kind of contact he is generating.
The Nats bullpen is not the dumpster fire it was at the beginning of the year, or during last season. However, they are beginning to show more weak spots. There was a time in mid to late May where you were starting to feel comfortable with a lead. However, that comfort is going away for me. This bullpen is starting to show the lack of star power again. They have three reliable options, but outside of that, you really have to hold your breath.
SPRINGFIELD, MO - APRIL 09: Josue De Paula #55 of the Tulsa Drillers prepares to bat during the game between the Tulsa Drillers and the Springfield Cardinals at Hammons Field on Thursday, April 9, 2026 in Springfield, Missouri. (Photo by Shanna Stafford/Minor League Baseball via Getty Images)
Last week was the busiest week of the season for Dodgers minor league players getting honored, with four different players on Monday named either player of the week or pitcher of the week for their leagues, one at all four affiliate levels.
James Tibbs III was named Pacific Coast League player of the week in Triple-A, Josue De Paula did the same in Double-A in the Texas League, and Ontario outfielder Jaron Elkins won California League player of the week in Class-A. Joining them is pitcher Alex Makarewich, taking home Midwest League pitcher of the week for High-A Great Lakes.
Tibbs put on a power show last week in Sugar Land, Texas, with six home runs and 16 RBI in six games. The Oklahoma City designated hitter had nine hits in 26 at-bats plus two walks, hitting .346/.414/1.038, highlighted by two home runs and six RBI on Thursday night.
TWO-HOMER GAME FOR JAMES TIBBS III☄️
He goes deep against Josh Hader and has driven in a career-high six runs tonight! pic.twitter.com/jem0TvTTcK
Tibbs on the season is hitting .322/.426/.659, and leads the PCL in home runs (17), RBI (51), runs scored (55), slugging percentage, OPS (1.085), extra-base hits (35), and total bases (139).
De Paula had the best power-hitting month of his career and will likely win Texas League player of the month later this week. But for now the Tulsa right fielder can celebrate his weekly honors, after going 12 for 24 in six games against Northwest Arkansas, hitting .500/.538/1.000 with six doubles, two home runs, 11 runs scored, and six RBI.
It’s rare for a reliever to win pitcher of the week, but Makarewich stood out in his two relief appearances for Great Lakes last week. He totaled three scoreless, hitless innings, allowing only a walk, and struck out eight of his 10 batters faced.
Elkins only played in four games last week for Ontario after missing two weeks on the injured list, but made them count, including a home run in each of his last three games. The outfielder had eight hits in 19 at-bats last week, hitting .421/.476/1.105 with eight RBI, seven runs scored, and two total bases.
— Ontario Tower Buzzers (@towerbuzzers) May 30, 2026
Elkins’ best game of the week was the game in which he didn’t homer. On Wednesday he had four hits, including two doubles and a triple, with three runs batted in.
ST PETERSBURG, FLORIDA - JUNE 01: Dillon Dingler #13 of the Detroit Tigers celebrates with teammates in the dugout after scoring in the eighth inning against the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field on June 01, 2026 in St Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Yankees were on the couch on Monday, alongside most of the league, but there were still a couple of notable teams on the docket for them to scoreboard watch. Their biggest challenger for the AL East in the Rays were one of those two, and boy did they get into a barn burner of a game.
Detroit Tigers (23-38) 10, Tampa Bay Rays (36-21) 9
The Tigers have been unequivocably the biggest disappointment of the league in 2026, falling off of a cliff the moment that Tarik Skubal went down with an injury, but they played up to their competition against Tampa. They started out with a bang in the first inning, getting two singles ahead of Riley Greene’s double to bring them both home for a 2-0 lead, and they tripled that advantage in the third when Dillon Dingler, Kerry Carpenter, and Greene went back-to-back-to-back off of Griffin Jax. Jax lasted until the fourth, and his ERA spiked by over a run after getting hammered in this one.
The Rays had plenty of fight in them still though, and they started clawing back in the fourth inning when Junior Caminero launched a two-run shot to get them on the board. The Tigers tacked on two additional runs in the fifth and sixth via solo homers from Dingler and Hao-Yu Lee, but Tampa answered back with three more in the bottom of the sixth. Brenan Hanifee was brought in to start the frame, but issued back-to-back walks to lead off and then coughed up a slider over the middle to Ryan Vilade who crushed a three-run blast.
Two more pitchers would enter before Detroit got out of that inning, but they came away without any more damage to hold onto an 8-5 lead. After the seventh saw minimal action from both sides for once, Detroit was back at it in the eighth with RBI doubles from Dingler and Carpenter to push the lead back to five. Even here the Rays had an answer, working the bases loaded on three walks in the bottom of the eighth before Nick Fortes doubled home two and Ben Williamson drove home another two on a single — all with just one out. They were then gifted another baserunner with an error on a fielder’s choice, but Jonathan Aranda and Richie Palacios couldn’t come up with the game tying hit.
After rallying this far to pull within a single run, the Rays ran out of gas right near the finish line. Caminero grounded out to start the ninth, and then two straight strikeouts closed the game out. The Tigers walked away with a wild win, and the Yankees moved to within a game of Tampa in the process.
Other Games
Seattle Mariners (32-29) 3, New York Mets (26-34) 2 (10 innings)
Due to the light schedule, the Mariners are our only other team that we care about with a game on Monday, so why not give them the full-game treatment? The Mariners and Mets treated us to the polar opposite of the Tigers-Rays game, featuring low scoring and some quality pitching performances.
The Mets rolled out an opener in Austin Warren to start the game and he got through his first inning swimmingly, but after hitting the first batter of the second passed the baton over to bulk pitcher Sean Manaea. Manaea needed a double play to get out of the second, and Colt Emerson smashed a solo shot in the third inning to put Seattle ahead early, but Manaea settled down from there to give New York five innings of work with just the one long ball blemishing his line.
On the other end, Emerson Hancock got the start for Seattle and was cutting right through the Mets for the first four innings. Not a single Met managed to get on base, but his perfect game bid came to a close in the fifth as Jared Young launched a home run to lead off. Hancock rebounded to strike out the next two batters and get a flyout to end the inning, but he must’ve felt déjà vu in the sixth as Marcus Semien greeted him with another leadoff blast. That made it 2-1 New York, and despite rounding out his night well with three straight outs those two mistake pitches had Hancock on the line for a loss all of a sudden.
The Mariners went to work bailing out their starter though, with Josh Naylor adding to the leadoff damage with a solo shot in the seventh inning. Neither side could get any momentum for a rally in the eighth or ninth, leading us to extra innings. Gabe Speier took the ball with the Manfred runner on board and proceeded to strike out Juan Soto and Mark Vientos to put the pressure on A.J. Ewing to do something. Ewing couldn’t get the job done, popping up to short and giving Seattle the chance to walk this thing off with ease. Patrick Wisdom struck out to make it a little more difficult, but Cole Young lined a single out to left to bring the runner in and start the celebration in T-Mobile Park.
COVERS INTEL:
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- Pirates vs. Astros YRFI
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- Dodgers vs. Diamondbacks YRFI
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- White Sox vs. Twins NRFI
