Category: MLB

The Alex Verdugo experiment ended for the San Diego Padres last week when the former major leaguer underwent surgery on his injured shoulder and was released by the Friars. He had been in Arizona for extended Spring Training and then began playing with the ACL Padres. The announcement this past week indicates the end of the 2026 season for Verdugo and his attempt to resurrect his career.

Right-hander Triston McKenzie was sent to the developmental list from the El Paso Chihuahuas. McKenzie signed with the Padres in an attempt to revitalize his career, but his inability to command his pitches has led to a 14.95 ERA in 13.1 innings pitched. Left-hander Fernando Sanchez was promoted to El Paso to replace McKenzie on the roster. He had three starts for Double-A San Antonio and five relief appearances in 20 innings pitched with a 4.50 ERA.

Catcher Colton Vincent was sent from the Chihuahuas to the development list, and he was replaced by Victor Duarte, who was promoted from Lake Elsinore.

Catcher Ty Harvey was activated from his rehab with the ACL Padres and rejoined Low-A Lake Elsinore.

Outfielder Justin DeCriscio was promoted from Lake Elsinore to High-A Fort Wayne after consistently hitting over .300 with a .907 OPS. He hit 3 homers and had 18 RBI. DeCriscio was drafted in the 10th round of the 2025 draft and is 23 years old.

El Paso Chihuahuas (21-24 record, 3rd in Pacific Coast League, East)

The Chihuahuas lost their series against the Salt Lake Bees but didn’t drop in the standings.

OF/IF Nick Solak has been consistently good for El Paso this year. His .339 average leads the team, and his .442 OBP is also tops for the Chihuahuas. Outfielder Jase Bowen continues to lead in slug with a .588 average, and his 10 home runs are tops as well. Outfielder Samad Taylor has a .949 OPS with the most walks at 20 to go with a .319 average.

The newly promoted righty starter Fernando Sanchez has one start with a 2.25 ERA. RHP Evan Fitterer has eight starts in 10 game appearances with 33.1 innings pitched and a 2.43 ERA. Fitterer was a minor league free agent signed during the offseason after leaving the Marlins organization. He was originally drafted in 2019 and is 25 years old.

Right-handed reliever Ethan Routzahn has five saves for El Paso in 23 innings pitched and a 3.91 ERA. JP Sears, who had a difficult start to the season, has had two starts in May and 10 innings pitched with a 1.80 ERA. He has 13 strikeouts to six walks.

San Antonio Missions (14-25 record, last in Texas League, South)

The Missions split their series versus the Wichita Wind Surge. This team features Ethan Salas’ brother Jose, as their shortstop. This is their first time playing against each other professionally.

Infielder Carson Tucker, 24, has continued his career resurgence since joining the Padres organization. He leads the team in batting average at .352 with nine doubles and a triple. He has nine steals without being caught and boasts an .885 OPS. 1B/DH Leandro Cedeno has a .421 OBP with five doubles, a triple, four homers, and 14 RBI to give him a .528 slug and .949 OPS.

Catcher Ethan Salas has been consistent with his offense, hitting .297/.373/.508 and a .882 OPS. He has seven doubles, six homers, 21 RBI, and has nine stolen bases with one caught stealing. When not catching, Salas frequently acts as the DH for the Missions. With the newly released prospect ranking updates, Salas has moved into the top 100 at No. 52 in the MLB Pipeline list.

Right-handed pitcher Jhony Brito moved from the ACL Padres to the Missions to continue his rehab from last season’s UCL repair. He has started one game with four innings pitched and didn’t allow a run. Miguel Mendez has returned from the injured list after recovering from a neck strain and started May 12. He threw two innings with a hit and two strikeouts, no runs allowed. He has a 3.24 ERA overall in 16.2 innings pitched.

Righty Francis Peña has a 1.20 ERA in 15 innings pitched while Andrew Moore has a 1.98 ERA in 13.2 innings pitched for the Missions.

Fort Wayne TinCaps (19-20 record, 3rd in Midwest League, East)

The TinCaps split their series with the Cedar Rapids Kernels.

Outfielder Jake Cunningham has the best batting average on the team at .304, and he also leads with a .933 OPS. Newly arrived Justin DeCriscio has a .417 OBP in his five games played and is followed closely by outfielder Kasen Wells at .414. Outfielder Alex McCoy continues to slug at a high rate, even after a down May. His .563 slugging percentage is only slightly better than Cunningham at .559. McCoy still leads with seven homers and 22 RBI, and his 12 doubles are also tops on the TinCaps.

Closer Clay Edmondson has eight saves in 14 game appearances and 17 innings pitched with a 0.53 ERA. He has struck out 24 to four walks. Drafted last year in the 14th round, Edmondson made a handful of appearances after being drafted last year, but has dominated so far this season.

Righty starter Carson Montgomery has impressed in his first full season as a prospect. He was drafted in the 11th round of the 2023 draft but had Tommy John surgery and missed all of last season until a quick cameo in the Fall League. So far, he has six starts and 27 innings pitched with a 1.33 ERA and 22 strikeouts to 11 walks.

Lefty starter Kash Mayfield has a 1.52 ERA in 7 starts and 29.2 innings pitched with 35 strikeouts to 13 walks. Mayfield features a devastating changeup to complement his mid-90’s fastball. He also throws a slider but it is mostly a show pitch at this point.

Reliever Javier Chacon was promoted to Fort Wayne from Lake Elsinore and has pitched in three games and four innings with a 2.25 ERA.

Lake Elsinore Storm (23-16 record, 1st in California League, South)

The Storm went 4-2 in their series against the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes and keep a strong hold on their first place status.

Outfielder Ryan Wideman has a .322/.405/.521 stat line with a .925 OPS to start the season. He leads in slug and is second in OPS for qualifying players. His 29 stolen bases in 35 attempts are tops in all of pro ball. He is tops with three homers and 29 RBI for the Storm.

Infielder Luke Cantwell leads the team in average at .325, OBP at .481, and OPS at .931 among qualifying players. Undrafted free agents Bradley Frye and Connor Westenburg have cooled off slightly but are both still hitting over .300 and have 21 and 18 RBI, respectively.

Right-handed starter Winyer Chourio has started six games in his seven appearances with 26 innings pitched and a 2.42 ERA. He has 42 strikeouts to 12 walks. The 22-year-old features a 95-mph fastball and has a .185 average against this season.

Righty Ethan Long has three saves and a 1.35 ERA in 6.2 innings as a reliever. He has assumed closer duties from Will Koger, who has a 3.60 ERA. Righty Nick Falter has a 1.82 ERA in 24.2 innings pitched in his 13 appearances with 23 strikeouts and seven walks.

ACL Padres (5-7 record, 3rd in Arizona Complex League, West)

C/1B Jhojan Downer has played in nine games and 27 at-bats with a .389 average, .593 OBP, and .444 slug. His OPS sits at 1.037. Infielder Yimy Tovar has played in 12 games with a .325/.404/.575 line and .979 OPS. IF/DH Santiago Vargas has 8 RBI with two doubles, a triple, and a home run.

Reliever Ty Adcock and lefty reliever Adler Cecil are on rehab assignments with Arizona. Cecil, 21, was drafted in 2023 in the 19th round and had Tommy John surgery during spring training of 2025. This is the start of his rehab. Adcock injured his oblique during the start of spring training after signing as a free agent during the offseason.

Padres Taiwanese pitching prospect Lan-Hong Su had his first professional start on May 16, going two innings with four strikeouts and two walks without allowing a run. Su, 19, features a mid-90’s fastball, a plus slider, a changeup, and has a new splitter in his repertoire. He started the season with blisters on his pitching hand (per MadFriars.com)

Padres prospect Michael Salina has made two starts with Arizona for 1.1 innings. He will be brought back slowly in his return from Tommy John surgery. He had four strikeouts and two walks while allowing four earned runs in those two starts.

Good morning everyone, and happy Wednesday!

The Mariner bats couldn’t string together hits at the right time in last night’s 2-1 loss to the White Sox. People will surely be arguing about Dan Wilson’s decision to leave Luis Castillo in for the ninth for weeks to come, too.

Generally speaking, are you more worried about the team’s offense or their pitching long-term? While there are some frustrating injuries to the lineup, we have multiple key arms that are underperforming. It’s hard to know which will be a sticking point for longer.

In Mariners news…

• Max Ellingsen checked in on the state of the top prospects in the Mariners system.
• In the latest edition of the Lookout Landing reverse mailbag, Eric Sanford graded your takes on what the team should do in the absence of Cal Raleigh.
• Ryan Divish at The Seattle Times spoke to Jarred Kelenic about his feelings coming back to Seattle as a visiting player, and how he’s changed since his trade to Atlanta.
• A Mariners fan went viral when she recorded herself being hit in the head by a foul ball — which led to her being taken to the ER. Then, people started lashing out against her and her friends on social media.

Around the league…

• Rangers left-hander MacKenzie Gore left his start on Monday with lat tightness, though he quickly downplayed the severity of the injury.
• In Houston, Lance McCullers, Jr. was placed on the injured list once again with right shoulder inflammation.
• Yankees right-hander Gerrit Cole is set to make his season debut on Friday. He hasn’t pitched in the big leagues since the end of the 2024 campaign.
• Cubs outfielder Pete Crow-Armstrong was fined after getting into a verbal altercation with a fan on Monday.
• In a surprising move, the Twins optioned former top prospect Royce Lewis to the minor leagues. In the same announcement, Minnesota also placed catcher Ryan Jeffers on the injured list with a hamate bone fracture.
• The Braves have placed stud catcher Drake Baldwin on the injured list with a strained oblique.
• Phillies ace Cristopher Sánchez has seemingly unlocked yet another gear. Ben Clemens at Fangraphs dug into the changes he’s made in 2026.
• Phillip Michaels at Awful Announcing crunched the numbers on how much you can expect to spend as a sports fan in the streaming era.

In our 17th installment of our Legends Series we sit down with Ty Gainey, whose debut with the Astros in 1985 was brief and memorable.   

Q:  What do you remember about being called up in April of 1985 ?   

A:  It was shocking because one day I’m down in the minors and then next thing I know, Yogi comes over and tells me that I better get loose around the 6th or 7th inning because I might be used as a pinch runner or possibly even pinch hit that night.  That really stuck with me because he took the time to come tell me that.     

Yogi was a funny guy.  My first day at the dome he told me that they put the grass down before they put the top on.  I just looked at him.  He was funny.

Q:  When I say Houston Astrodome, what comes to mind?    

A:  You know, I actually tripped in center field and fell.  I had toe turf or something (laughs).  The turf got me, crept up on me.     

Q:  You only appeared in 13 games.  When you look back on it, do you feel they rushed you out too quickly?   

A:  They changed course and decided to go with the older players before the younger ones, so I just had a courtesy glance.  Keep in mind, Terry Puhl, Jose Cruz, and a lot of talented guys were there, but what really happened was Kevin Bass came along, and Hal Lanier became manager and that was the end for me. 

Q:  And yet your one career home run, you hit off one of the very best in Orel Hershiser.  What do you remember about that?   

A:  I was a little nervous the first pitch he threw me but then I felt okay.  I started fouling balls off.  I had studied Orel from the bench, so I knew what his pitches were and what he liked to go with.  I knew he was going to throw me a fastball and when he did, I drove it to left field.    

Q:  What was it like playing all of those years in Asia after your stint in the majors?   

A:  It was fun.  I played with Ichiro.  He was a rookie when I got there and had a 30-game hitting streak even in spring training that year.  Believe it or not, some of the coaches didn’t think he was ready (laughs).  He stayed there longer than he should’ve and even with that, (when he joined the Mariners) he still easily got over 200 hits that rookie season with Seattle.     

Happy Wednesday Athletics fans!

After several consecutive losing seasons, the A’s entered 2026 with renewed expectations, aiming to finish above .500 and remain in playoff contention late in the season. Through nearly 50 games, the A’s have played like a .500 team, yet they still sit atop an underwhelming American League West in which no team has consistently separated itself from the pack. Even the Seattle Mariners, preseason favorites to win the division, entered play today below .500.

Mark Kotsay’s team has handled adversity better this season, avoiding extended losing streaks like the nine-game skid it suffered last May. The A’s have fluctuated between playing strong, winning baseball and enduring sloppy stretches marked by costly losses, but inconsistency is part of the grind of MLB’s 162-game season.

Currently, the A’s miss Jacob Wilson, who is on the injured list with a left shoulder subluxation and sprain. Wilson was heating up offensively before the injury, but his improved defense at shortstop may have been even more encouraging for the A’s. In the wake of Wilson joining fellow infielder Max Muncy on the injured list, Darell Hernáiz has received everyday playing time at shortstop. While Hernáiz can hold his own defensively, Wilson offers more consistency at the plate.

Like last season, the A’s offense was expected to lead the way this year. At the moment, however, the unit has struggled aside from outfielder Carlos Cortes, catcher Shea Langeliers and first baseman Nick Kurtz. Designated hitter Brent Rooker and outfielders Tyler Soderstrom and Lawrence Butler are all batting around the Mendoza Line, with the latter two left-handed hitters mired in prolonged slumps that kept them out of last night’s starting lineup against Angels left-hander Reid Detmers.

Kurtz has drawn 44 walks, the second-most in MLB, in large part due to his keen eye and strike-zone awareness, but also because opposing teams would rather avoid him and take their chances with the hitters behind him, including Rooker and Soderstrom. The A’s have also received limited offensive production from their backup catcher, a spot that was previously held by Austin Wynns and is now Jonah Heim’s.

Entering last night’s game, the Athletics ranked near the middle of the pack in runs scored and home runs, despite playing home games at hitter-friendly Sutter Health Park. They proceeded to tag the woeful Los Angeles Angels’ pitching staff for a season-high 14 runs. That will surely boost the team’s offensive confidence. Time will tell whether last night’s offensive explosion was a breakthrough or an anomaly.

The A’s need daily contributions from their offense to offset any pitching concerns if the team wants to remain competitive this season. Wilson and Muncy will return at some point and Soderstrom and Butler have too much talent to keep playing this poorly offensively. Down on the farm, shortstop Leo De Vries remains an intriguing late-season call-up possibility, while left-handers Jamie Arnold and Gage Jump could provide reinforcements for an Athletics’ pitching staff that has been respectable this year.

A’s Coverage:

• A’s clobber Angels 14-6 in Anaheim
• A’s Suffer Heartbreaker to Open Road Trip
• ’Gut-wrenching’: Ginn takes no-no into ninth only to give up walk-off home run
• Michael Stefanic Elects Free Agency
• A’s Bullpen, Defense Collapse in Series-Deciding Loss to Giants
• How John Fisher betrayed Oakland (again) by finally spending on the Athletics
• Kurtz in rarefied air through 162 career games
• The Giants-A’s rivalry is officially dead
• A’s get lefty reliever Suarez in trade with Mariners
• Bolte Flashes In Athletics’ Win Over Cardinals
• A’s roster moves: Bolte, Stefanic recalled; Wilson to IL; Harris optioned, Nuñez DFA’d
• There’s Forcing Your Way Up And There’s Bolte — Is There A Spot For Him?
• May Roster Shuffle Could Help The A’s — But They’d Have To Want It
• Athletics’ Wei-En Lin Continues Rising The Ranks
• Now that we’ve seen a two-way player, what about a three-way player?
• A Walk In The Park Is Nice…To A Point
• Three Things To Watch For The Athletics In May

MLB News and Interest:

• Where all 30 MLB teams stand and their trade deadline outlook at the quarter mark
• Dodgers’ Glasnow has setback; Snell set for NanoScope procedure
• Cole to make season debut for Yankees Friday vs. MLB-best Rays
• Seager placed on injured list with lower back inflammation
• Shirtless LA Angels fans’ ‘sell the team’ chant rocks stadium as team slides with worst record in baseball
• Twins option former top pick Lewis; Jeffers out with hamate fracture
• Braves catcher Drake Baldwin to IL with oblique injury
• Houston Astros Activate Star Shortstop Jeremy Peña
• Jake Fraley To Undergo Sports Hernia Procedure
• Rangers’ MacKenzie Gore leaves with muscle tightness in back
• Kyle Teel Shut Down With LCL Sprain
• Nationals To Recall Dylan Crews
• 2026 MLB draft rankings: Updated top 150 prospects
• Mets achieve rare extra-inning feat not seen in 43 years
• Today in Baseball History

Best of X:

Here is the Athletics‘ updated minor league transaction log. Should outfielder Denzel Clarke remain at Triple-A after his rehab assignment or return to the big-league club?

OF D.Clarke to LV on rehab
IF M.Stefanic elects free agency
IF-OF M.Durrington off STK IL
C T.Takayoshi to STK develop list
RHP Chen Zhuang to LV IL
IF Alika Williams to A’s from PIT for LAN RHP Kyle Robinson
OF J.Perez to CWS for LHP Jackson Nove (to STK)https://t.co/joKXkyUAPy

— Bill Moriarity – A's Farm (@AthleticsFarm) May 19, 2026

Which player do you think has the best nickname in Minor League Baseball?

The Iowa Meat Truck 🥩
Tugboat ⛴️
Big Sugar 🍬

Who's got the best nickname in Minor League Baseball? Vote for your favorite in the MiLB Nickname Knockout: https://t.co/J7LiyCOQXQpic.twitter.com/0VSOaB9YjA

— Minor League Baseball (@MiLB) May 19, 2026

The American League West has arguably been the weakest division in MLB this season, which makes it even more disappointing that the A’s have been unable to separate themselves from their division rivals.

the entire American League West is under .500 pic.twitter.com/cPaIgxqxU8

— Codify (@CodifyBaseball) May 19, 2026

The A’s offense was at its best with two-outs last night.

A’s win 14-6. The 14 runs are a season-high, and their 12 two-out runs were the most by any team in MLB this season.

— Martín Gallegos (@MartinJGallegos) May 20, 2026

Morning, all!

Mackenzie Gore left Monday’s game against the Rockies with Kat tightness but isn’t expected to miss another start, and Wyatt Langford may start back on a hitting progression by Friday.

Chris Martin has been activated from the IL.

Kumar Rocker has over an 11.00 ERA in the first inning of games this year and the Rangers have decided to do something about it.

The decision to go with an opener Tuesday night against the Rockies paid off, with Kumar Rocker pitching 7.2 innings of shutout out ball on the way to a 10-0 win.

Nobody knows why Rocker has been having so many problems in the first inning, and maybe the opener didn’t change anything about the outcome of the game.

Skip Schumaker also went with a new lineup and saw it put up a season high 10 runs, so maybe the Rangers should try new things more often.

Rangers prospect Malcolm Moore has been lighting the South Atlantic League on fire.

The Tampa Bay Rays have made a flurry of roster moves ahead of Wednesday’s series finale against the Baltimore Orioles.

Prior to Tuesday’s game, Kevin Cash advised reporters that infielder Ben Williamson was dealing with a stiff back. Then following the Rays 4-1 victory over Baltimore, the team acquired infielder Oliver Dunn from the Chicago White Sox for minor league pitcher Joe Rock.

This morning, the Rays officially activated Dunn and placed Williamson on the Injured List with a back strain. The Rays also activated starting pitcher Steven Matz and optioned Chase Solesky to Triple-A Durham.

Dunn is a 28-year old versatile defender that is capable of playing in both the infield and outfield. This season, he has primarily been a third baseman but has spent time at shortstop, left field, and second base. Over 183 plate appearances in Triple-A for the White Sox this season, Dunn was hitting .295/.393/.545 with 9 HR and 9 SB, registerin ga 132 wRC+.

Originally drafted by the New York Yankees in the 11th round of the 2019 draft, Dunn has bounced around the league having already played within the systems of the Yankees, Phillies, Brewers, and White Sox. In 2024 he made his big league debut while with Milwaukee and over parts of two seasons he hit .206/.261/.290 with 1 HR over 145 plate appearances.

Joe Rock’s tenure with the Rays comes to an end during his third season with the team. The Rays originally acquired Rock at the end of spring training in 2024 for former first round draft pick Greg Jones. Rock was primarily a starting pitcher but made his big league debut in 2025 with three relief appearances. Thus far in 2026, Rock has been a full-time reliever, and has seen a vast increase in his strikeout numbers but also a significant spike in walks.

Meanwhile, there has not been update for Yandy Diaz, who was removed from last night’s game after being hit on the fingers by a 93mph splitter.

The good people of New York like to consider themselves tough. If you can make it there, as Frank Sinatra crooned, you’ll make it anywhere.

Do not confuse hot takes with sounding tough. Two New York sports talk hosts this week took daft shots at Joe Davis and came off — in the last adjective with which any true New Yorker would want to be described — as soft.

Let’s rewind: Davis is the lead voice of the Dodgers on SportsNet LA. He is also the lead voice of the national baseball broadcasts on Fox. In the latter role, he called last Saturday’s game between the New York Yankees and the New York Mets.

At one point, Mets outfielder Carson Benge dropped an easy fly ball. Without missing a beat, Davis said: “Oh, no! Oh, no, the Mets!”

It was the perfect call. The foibles of the Mets are so many and so weird that Mets fans themselves have embraced a term for them: LOLMets. You can learn all about it in a 23-minute YouTube video narrated by a former Mets pitcher.

Firing one manager (Willie Randolph) at midnight in Anaheim? Dumping another manager (Carlos Beltran) before he could manage a game because he was the only player cited in the commissioner’s report on the Houston Astros’ cheating scandal? Opening this season with baseball’s highest payroll and spending some time with baseball’s worst record?

“This year, and in recent years, there have been so many moments where it looks like the Mets are right there, ready to make a run or win the division or win a championship, and then something just tends to go wrong,” Davis said in San Diego Tuesday.

“They were in a stretch right there where every single day, they were getting a stud hurt. They put together a winning streak against the Tigers, then Clay Holmes has the comebacker break his ankle.”

The next day, Benge totally clanked it, and Davis totally nailed it — in the moment, not with some scripted phrase waiting in his pocket.

“You hope that your reactions in those moments — in any moment in this job — are authentic,” Davis said. “You don’t have much time for it to be anything else.”

On Monday, Evan Roberts — a host on WFAN, New York’s top-rated sports station — unloaded on Davis for “mocking” the Mets.

Read more:Shaikin: Pitching injuries are piling up again for Dodgers. Can the starting rotation hold up?

“Joe Davis has become a clown for the Los Angeles Dodgers and we all hear it,” Roberts said, in remarks posted by the Awful Announcing website.

Got anything else?

“I think he’s a Dodger fanboy,” Roberts said. “I think he wants to just make love to Shohei Ohtani every time he talks about him … He’s a great broadcaster, and I’ll admit it. But, for now, I think Joe Davis is a Dodgers shill and it’s obnoxious.

“And I’d give him this advice, not that he cares, he doesn’t care: Don’t go to the Dodger parade and be the emcee. It’s a bad look. It just is. You’re sitting there as the national voice and now you’re pom-pom waving at the Dodger parade. Come on, man.”

Davis works for the Dodgers. When the boss wants you to emcee the World Series championship rally, you do. Would the Mets’ broadcasters do the same? When the Mets win their first World Series championship since 1986, we’ll find out.

Let’s hear from Sal Licata, formerly at WFAN and now working independently: “What’s up with Joe Davis, by the way? You Dodger homer. ‘Oh no, the Mets,’ that’s a national unbiased broadcast? You biased Dodger blue fool.”

Read more:Shaikin: Justin Turner is playing for the Tijuana Toros. Why he 'wouldn't trade it for anything'

There always will be people who claim Davis is biased toward the Dodgers, just as people claimed his predecessor, Joe Buck, was biased toward the St. Louis Cardinals. Buck worked for Fox on weekends and called Cardinals games during the week.

And, for the people who see only what they want to see, Davis is the voice of baseball’s evil empire. Maybe that aggravates New Yorkers, but consider how aggravated we are that we have to fight through hellish traffic to get to Dodger Stadium or a television set by 5 p.m. so we can see our team play in the World Series because the East Coast needs to see the game in prime time.

Or how annoyed we are that we get televised Yankees-Red Sox games shoved down our throats when Red Sox management has opted for irrelevance and the best rivalry in baseball is here, between the Dodgers and Padres.

Better yet, how about we all chill? It’s just a game. We could break bread with New York’s famous bagels, except the New York Times told us we have the better bagels.

Sign up for more Dodgers news with Dodgers Dugout. Delivered at the start of each series.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

Alex Freeland and Cole Irvin headlined a win for the Comets, as only the Loons ended up on the losing side of a full slate of games in the Dodgers minor league system on Tuesday.

Player of the day

For only the second time this season and the first one in front of his home crowd in Oklahoma City, left-handed starter Cole Irvin had a scoreless start. The veteran starter was able to hold the Aces silent through six innings, allowing but just one extra-base hit and no free passes.

After starting the year with a 1-3 record, Irvin has managed to secure the W in three of his last four starts, with the six strikeouts he secured against the Aces representing a season high.

Triple-A Oklahoma City

One rally that started with the bottom of the order had the Comets scoring half a dozen runs on their way to beating the Aces 6-3 at home, also in large part thanks to a standout performance from Cole Irvin. The veteran left-hander was rewarded for delivering six innings by seeing his offense break through in time to earn him the victory.

Ever since he was sent down to make room for Mookie Betts’ return to the big league club, Alex Freeland has played with a point to prove in Triple-A. In this home win, the Comets’ leadoff bat recorded his fifth straight multi-hit performance in the minors, reaching base safely in three of his four plate appearances.

Reigning PCL Player of the Week Alex Freeland already throwing his hat in the ring for this week's honor 🔥 pic.twitter.com/nMT644HY70

— Oklahoma City Comets (@OKC_comets) May 20, 2026

Continuing to work his way back, Kiké Hernández had one hit in four at-bats, responsible for two of the five strikeouts from Comets hitters.

Double-A Tulsa

Despite trailing big early on, as starter Patrick Copen couldn’t find his footing, the Drillers overcame a 3-0 deficit thanks to an outstanding effort from Josue De Paula. At just twenty years of age, De Paula is delivering quite a campaign in the minors’ second-highest level—a key piece of this Drillers team that’s now 23-17 after a 7-5 victory.

For the sixth time in his last seven games, De Paula netted at least one RBI, this time tallying four thanks to a double and a home run, his sixth of the year.

Josue De Paula hits a 2-run home run and we have a tie ballgame‼️ pic.twitter.com/iMHK9yrCMj

— Tulsa Drillers (@TulsaDrillers) May 20, 2026

That top of the order with De Paula and Kendall George continues to be a problem for Double-A pitchers, both hitting and on the base paths—each of them stole a bag and combined have now 31 stolen bases in 2026, 20 for George and 11 for De Paula.

High-A Great Lakes

When you get out-homered by your opponent four to zero, a loss is virtually guaranteed. All things considered, the Loons did a decent enough job of making this a competitive game late with a four-run rally in the eighth, as they ultimately fell by a score of 6-4.

Reaching base three times with a double and a pair of walks, also stealing two bases successfully, Eduardo Quintero was the Loons’ standout performer offensively. Quintero was one of the few hitters shining for a team that suffered early on against opposing starter Wande Torres, responsible for six shutout innings.

Single-A Ontario

The Tower Buzzers put on a very peculiar display, blowing out the 66ers 12-4 and doing so with an absurd 17 strikeouts from its lineup—that included a golden sombrero for third baseman and cleanup hitter Chase Harlan, who certainly represented his first name well in this performance.

It should be noted that two-thirds of those 12 runs came in the ninth inning, with the Tower Buzzers padding a lead. Easton Shelton, who had already homered in the sixth, finished his game with four RBI, the most he has had this season.

Interestingly, with starter Cam Leiter completing just 2.1 innings, each of the six Tower Buzzers pitchers who took the mound for this one struck out exactly two hitters.

Transactions

The biggest moves were Mike Sirota’s call-up to Double-A and right-handed pitcher Wyatt Mills getting sent down to Triple-A, with plenty of shuffling between all minor league affiliates for the Dodgers this Tuesday.

Tuesday’s scores

• Oklahoma City 6, Reno 3
• Wichita 5, Tulsa 7
• Great Lakes 4, Wisconsin 6
• Inland Empire 4, Ontario 12

Wednesday’s schedule

• 3:05 p.m. PT: Great Lakes (Zach Root) vs. Wisconsin (Braylon Owens)
• 4:35 p.m. PT: Oklahoma City (Christian Romero) vs. Reno (Tommy Henry)
• 4:35 p.m. PT: Tulsa (Wyatt Crowell) at Wichita (Ty Langenberg)
• 5:00 p.m. PT: Ontario (TBD) at Inland Empire (Aiden Butler)
• game 2: Ontario (TBD) at Inland Empire (Scott House)

Mason Miller walked Max Muncy on a borderline pitch that was initially called a strike, but was challenged by Muncy and overturned, resulting in ball four. Muncy was replaced by pinch runner Alex Call and that proved to be a game-winning decision by Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts. Miller faced Andy Pages with one out and Call at first base. The pinch runner left the base early attempting to steal second and should have been thrown out. Instead, Miller threw the ball to first base, and it tipped off the glove of San Diego Padres first baseman Ty France and rolled into foul territory up the right field line. By the time the ball got back to the infield Call was standing on third base. Pages won a nine-pitch at-bat against Miller and hit a fly ball into right field which allowed Call to tag up and score on the play to give the Dodgers a 5-4 lead. Miller was replaced by Ron Marinaccio and he struck out the following batter to end the inning.

San Diego needed a base runner and some of their late-inning magic if the Padres were going to avoid the loss. It was not to be as France struck out on a check swing and Freddy Fermin grounded out to shortstop for the first two outs of the ninth. Fernando Tatis Jr. stepped in looking to extend the game and the Friar Faithful were hoping he would launch his first home run of the season and tie the game, but Tatis grounded out to third base to end the game and the Padres suffered a 5-4 loss at Petco Park.

Griffin Canning started on the mound for San Diego and allowed a two-run home run in the top of the first inning to Freddy Freeman. The Padres were in a hole when they came to the plate in the bottom half of the inning and Manny Machado tied the game with his own two-run home run. The game remained tied until the bottom of the third inning when Miguel Andujar hit a two-run home run to make the score 4-2. The Dodgers were able to get a run in the fifth and tied the game in the sixth inning when Freeman hit his second home run of the game to make the score, 4-4. That set the stage for the top of the ninth.

San Diego will try to win the series against Los Angeles today at 5:40 p.m.

Padres News:

• Tom Krasovic of the San Diego Union-Tribune says Fernando Tatis Jr. is not the first Padres slugger to struggle. He added that fans should not expect it to continue.

• Rodolfo Duran waited a long time to get his shot at the MLB level and he does not appear to be willing to give it up any time soon.

• The big three of Tatis Jr., Machado and Jackson Merrill are still looking for offensive consistency, but the rest of the lineup is picking them up and that has resulted in a winning record.

Baseball News:

• The New York Yankees were on the losing end of two challenges – at least that is how the umpires ruled it – and that was enough to send Yankees manager Aaron Boone over the top in their 5-4 win over the Toronto Blue Jays.

• Ivan Herrera hit a 10th inning home run to lead the St. Louis Cardinals to a walk-off win.

• Washington Nationals slugger James Wood hit his first career grand slam, and it never cleared the wall.

• Jacob Misiorowski dominated the Chicago Cubs and helped the Milwaukee Brewers take over as the leader in the NL Central.

• Yandy Diaz helped the Tampa Bay Rays get their 20th win in their last 24 games.

• Jackson Holliday returned to the Baltimore Orioles roster on Tuesday and may be making a position change.

• Martin Perez recorded 10 strikeouts and helped the Padres eat the Dodgers.

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It's another busy day across the majors, which means lots of value in my MLB player props.

I'm keying in on big days from Corbin Carroll, Chris Sale, and Cam Schlittler. 

Read more for my MLB picks for Wednesday, May 20. 

Best MLB player props today

Corbin Carroll Over 1.5 total bases (+124)

Corbin Carroll is having another impressive season for the Arizona Diamondbacks. While the power numbers aren't huge, the outfielder is still batting .285, and he's raking lately. Carroll is hitting .429 over the last week with two doubles, two triples, and two home runs. Six of his nine hits during that span have been for extra bases. 

Carroll has cashed the Over in total bases in six straight contests heading into the finale against the San Francisco Giants this afternoon. Although he's never faced Tyler Mahle, the righty has an ERA north of eight on the road, and owns chase and whiff rates in the 26th percentile or worse. 

• Time: 3:40 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: DBACKS.TV, NBCS Bay Area

Chris Sale Under 1.5 earned runs (+100)

Chris Sale looks primed to be in the NL Cy Young conversation again. The Atlanta Braves ace is dominating, compiling a 6-3 record and 1.96 ERA through nine starts.

Opponents are hitting only .183 against the left-hander. Sale has allowed Under 1.5 earned runs in five of his last six appearances, and he tossed six scoreless frames last time out against a solid Cubs team. 

Sale will face the Miami Marlins tonight, who are around the middle of the pack offensively. He's truly looked unhittable this season, and all signs point to Sale tossing another gem as he continues to strengthen his Cy Young odds case.

• Time: 5:40 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: Braves.Vision, Marlins.TV

Cam Schlittler Over 5.5 strikeouts (-147)

Shifting over to another Cy Young candidate in the American League, as Cam Schlittler takes the mound tonight against the Toronto Blue Jays. The New York Yankees righty is one of the breakout stars of the 2026 season, leading the Majors with a mind-boggling 1.35 ERA. He's also sixth in strikeouts with 68 in just 60 innings of work. 

Schlittler has hit the Over in Ks in three of his last four, and he just registered nine punchouts in his most recent appearance against the struggling Mets.

Toronto doesn't typically strike out a lot, but they've been worse lately, averaging 8.33 Ks across their last three games. Schlittler also has all the confidence in the world right now, and ranks among baseball's elite in chase, whiff, and strikeout rates. 

• Time: 7:40 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: Sportsnet, YES

This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here and view our best betting sites or check out our top sportsbook promos.

It has been a long time coming, but it finally feels like the Washington Nationals have an identity as a team. They are a young and hungry group that can mash and play the game hard. This is also one of those teams that is never out of a game, no matter the deficit.

In the past week, the Nats have erased two 5-0 deficits and have come back to win both games. That never say die attitude has become a staple for this team. Sure, the pitching can be rough at times and they can make some frustrating mistakes in the field, but they can always make up for it with the bat. They are also a hard charging and aggressive team on the bases.

If an opponent is not on their A game, the Nats can make team’s lives miserable. We saw that last night against the Mets. The Nats aggression and tenacity caused the Mets to make multiple mistakes in the field. Nats base runners and hitters were putting pressure on the Mets defense, and eventually they cracked. On another night, the Nats aggression could have bit them and been seen as reckless, but that is just who they are as a team.

A rough 4th inning in the field for the Mets pic.twitter.com/4gU57UkceD

— SNY (@SNYtv) May 20, 2026

After the stench of last season, it is fun to have an identity again. There were times in 2023 and 2024 where it felt like the Nats were beginning to build an identity, but it never stuck. I have faith that this identity can stick. The Nats have a whole new staff and braintrust now. Also, those other teams were never leading baseball in runs scored.

It is wild that we are sitting here on May 20th and the Washington Nationals are leading baseball in runs, and it is not even close. The Nats have scored 271 runs, and the next closest team only has 258. These Nats are scoring over 5.5 runs per game, which is absolutely bonkers.

I remember worrying about the Nats offense when they hit .194 in Spring Training. Little did I know that there was absolutely nothing to worry about with this offense. The duo of James Wood and CJ Abrams has been one of the best in the league and the two youngsters have been the engines of this elite offense.

Speaking of Wood, he had a monster night at the plate. Of course, his signature moment was when he hit an inside the park grand slam in the second inning. That was the moment where the game turned. The game went from a comfortable 5-0 lead for the Mets to a 5-4 ball game. It felt like the Mets clenched up after the Nats immediately erased their big lead. This was Wood’s first grand slam, and he made it an exciting one.

JAMES WOOD INSIDE-THE-PARK GRAND SLAM! pic.twitter.com/8P0K4jhApZ

— MLB (@MLB) May 20, 2026

Wood tends to be a pretty even keeled guy, but he was all smiles after that. You could tell when talking to him at his locker that he was in a great mood. He was smiling ear to ear talking about his inside the park grand slam. Wood does not show emotion too much, so it is very exciting when he does come out of his shell like he did last night.

While Wood is not the most emotional guy, part of the Nats identity is based on emotion. You saw it when Richard Lovelady closed out the game. Another time you saw it was when Daylen Lile hit a go ahead homer in Cincinnati last week. This team is young, hungry and having a great time right now. Last season, especially in the second half, this was not a team having a lot of fun. They were beat down after a long season, but they have been rejuvenated by this new staff.

Another part of the Nats offensive identity is their power hitting. They are in the top 10 in home runs after ranking towards the bottom of the league the last few years. Obviously, Wood and Abrams are leading the way there, but it is not just them. Jacob Young is showing power we have not seen from him before. Curtis Mead and Keibert Ruiz are also showing increased pop. Jose Tena is another guy who has been hitting lasers, and we saw that tonight when he went deep.

JOSE TENA TIES THE GAME AT 5‼️#Natitudepic.twitter.com/JyTt1BcgzN

— SleeperNationals (@SleeperNats) May 20, 2026

Despite having that home run power, this is not a home run reliant offense either. This team has mastered the art of the double this season. They have 98 doubles this season, which is the most in all of baseball. Under new hitting coach Matt Borgschulte, Nats hitters have loved shooting gaps and driving guys in via the double.

Obviously, they lost due to a 12th inning implosion the other night, but that was a great example of the Nats double heavy offense. They were able to score plenty of runs without homering. This was able to happen because the Nats hit six doubles, all from different players. James Wood, CJ Abrams, Daylen Lile and Keibert Ruiz all have at least 10 doubles on the season.

For a young, fast team, it is fitting that doubles are a part of their identity. The Nats play such an exciting brand of baseball. Obviously it is not a perfect brand of baseball, and as this team matures, they need to clean some things up. However, as a Nats fan, all I could ask for this year is a team that is fun to watch. That is what we have been given in Blake Butera’s first year as manager. They are not a great, or even good team yet, but the Washington Nationals are an exciting team to watch and have a clear identity.

Hickory starter Moises Morales allowed five runs in six innings, including three home runs, striking out two and walking one. Michael Trausch threw a scoreless inning, striking out two and walking one.

Josh Springer was 4 for 5 with two doubles. Yolfran Castillo was 2 for 5 with a homer. Paulino Santana doubled. Hector Osorio doubled and homered. Marcos Torres had a hit and a walk. Dewar Tovar was 3 for 4 with a homer. Daniels Flames had a hit.

Hickory box score

Aidan Curry had an excellent start for Hub City, going six shutout innings with nine Ks and three walks. Joey Danielson struck out one in a scoreless inning.

Malcolm Moore’s hot streak continued, as he doubled twice and homered. Paxton Kling and Yeison Morrobel each had a pair of hits.

Hub City box score

Frisco starter Josh Trentadue had another rough outing, giving up three homers in three innings, and seven runs overall, while striking out three and walking one.

Dylan Dreiling was 2 for 4 with a walk and a stolen base. Arturo Disla doubled and homered.

Frisco box score

For Round Rock, Alexis Diaz struck out two in a scoreless inning. Emiliano Teodo threw a scoreless inning, with 11 strikes out of 19 pitches, striking out one, walking one and allowing two hits.

Cam Cauley had two walks and a stolen base. Aaron Zavala tripled and drew two walks.

Round Rock box score

ACL Rangers box score (Monday)

ACL Rangers box score (Tuesday)

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It's a getaway slate with lots of potential rain spots on the board. The hot weather has come and gone, so digging for some home run gems and MLB player props means circling the few HR-plus matchups.

The HR potential in Anaheim today might be the best on the board, with both offenses - highlighted by Mike Trout and Nick Kurtz - needing a piece of the HR pie. 

These are my favorite MLB home run predictions for Wednesday, May 20. 

Best MLB home run props today

Home run pick: Mike Trout (+316)

I'm kicking myself for avoiding Mike Trout yesterday in a good spot, but at a sub-300 pricetag, it was a pass. That won't be the case today at +316 with a fair price at +280. Trout snapped a 12-game HR drought last night in Anaheim, and his swing speed is not dropping as we enter the Summer months of the season, which can be a worry for the oft-injured outfielder.

Trout gets Aaron Civale, who is a bottom-25 starter in BlastCont% and a pitcher he has already taken deep in a small six-at-bat sample. He isn't the only Halo projecting +EV, as Zach Neto (+433) and Jo Adell (+399) are also on the list. Neto has been crushing, and I bet Adell in yesterday's MLB picks, so the day-after theory is in full effect.

With a lot of rain on the slate, 6-mph winds blowing out to center with mid-70-degree temperatures are creating one of the better hitting environments with a pair of bad bullpens.  

• Time: 9:38 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: ABTV, NBCSCA

Home run pick: Willy Adames (+557)

I have Merrill Kelly ranked as one of the worst starters on the board today. He gets hit hard, his fly balls leave the yard, and the expected metrics suggest the damage is fully deserved. He’s also coming off a complete game, and that recent two-start stretch against weaker offenses feels due for a hard correction. Just three starts ago, he was carrying a 9.95 ERA with six home runs allowed over a 19-inning span.

Willy Adames is the target today, and Rafael Devers was unfortunately left off the card yesterday despite getting plenty of consideration. Adames has logged 25 at-bats against Kelly, which is a meaningful sample and gives the hitter a sizeable information edge. He’s already taken him deep twice and owns a .946 OPS in the matchup.

Adames has homered in back-to-back games and has an extra-base hit in four of his last five. I’m backing the hot bat in what could be the best starting pitcher matchup on the board, especially with potential weather concerns hanging over the Zack Littell spot.

• Time: 3:40 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: DBACKS.TV, NBCS BA

Home run pick: Nick Kurtz (+340)

Nick Kurtz is climbing the AL MVP odds board and now sits as the No. 5 betting favorite at +2200. Over the last two weeks, he owns the third-fastest swing speed in baseball behind Junior Caminero and Jordan Walker, while also ranking inside the Top 20 in both ISO and slugging percentage. He’s coming off a 3-for-5 game in Anaheim and should get a full nine innings against some of the worst pitching in baseball.

Jack Kochanowicz is a pitch-to-contact arm with poor BlastContact numbers and is coming off a three-home-run outing at home against the Los Angeles Dodgers.

His bullpen is also a massive target, carrying the second-worst ERA in baseball over the last two weeks while dealing with closer issues. The Athletics piled up 15 hits yesterday, including six extra-base knocks.

• Time: 9:38 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: ABTV, NBCSCA

Today’s HR parlay

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Just remember this old adage when thinking about the Cubs’ 5-2 loss to the Brewers and the current four-game losing streak: No team is as bad as it looks when on a losing streak. (Conversely, no team is as good as it looks when on a winning streak, and that includes this year’s Cubs.)

So exactly what sort of team is this Cubs team? A team that needs better starting pitching, for one. A team that needs a couple of key hitters to start hitting like they’re capable of. And a team that needs shutdown relief.

All of those things were in evidence Tuesday evening at Wrigley Field.

Everyone knew this was not going to be an easy game with Jacob Misiorowski throwing for Milwaukee. His numbers coming in were ridiculous: Of 202 batters faced before Tuesday, he’d struck out 80 of them — a 39.6 percent strikeout rate. And the Cubs couldn’t do anything with him for the first five innings, even while the first two Cubs hitters of the game reached base. Nico Hoerner walked and Michael Busch reached on an error. All that led to was an 0-for-3 with RISP — just for that inning alone. But the Cubs did make Misiorowski throw 26 pitches in the first inning, and that’s not a bad game plan against the Brewers fireballer — see if you can run up his pitch count and get him out of the game early.

It didn’t work, because over the next four innings, Misiorowski dispatched the Cubs on just 40 total pitches. They managed a single by Seiya Suzuki in the fourth and another single by Dansby Swanson in the fifth. Swanson was erased on a double play.

Meanwhile, Ben Brown didn’t have a terrible start. It wasn’t quite as good as his first two. He allowed seven hits and three runs in five innings, striking out six. The key to both the innings in which the Brewers scored, the first and third, were walks. A one-out walk in the first turned into a manufactured run for Milwaukee. A two-out walk in the third led to another such run, and the other run off Brown was on a wild pitch.

Basically, Brown had to be as good as Misiorowski to give the Cubs a chance, and he wasn’t. That’s not a knock on Brown, who looked decent enough. It’s just that the Cubs couldn’t do anything against Misiorowski. Hoerner, in the first inning, was the only Cubs runner past first base through six.

Here are Brown’s six strikeouts [VIDEO].

Jacob Webb threw a scoreless sixth and Caleb Thielbar, just returned from an IL stint, threw a scoreless seventh. So that’s good; perhaps the pen is stabilizing a bit.

Or, maybe it was before Trent Thornton threw the eighth. He allowed a one-out walk and after recording the second out, served up a home-run ball to Brice Turang.

At 5-0 entering the bottom of the eighth, this one appeared hopeless, but the Cubs did put together a rally. Pete Crow-Armstrong led off with a single and took third when Miguel Amaya doubled into the ivy in left-center.

Nico’s single made it 5-1 [VIDEO].

Busch and Alex Bregman then struck out. After that, Ian Happ walked to load the bases. A single by Suzuki made it 5-2 [VIDEO].

So the bases are still loaded and the tying run is on base. Moisés Ballesteros, back in the lineup at DH, is the scheduled hitter against lefty Aaron Ashby. Craig Counsell sent Matt Shaw up to bat for Ballesteros, knowing that Pat Murphy would counter with a right-hander, which he did, calling Chad Patrick into the game.

Michael Conforto was sent up to bat for Shaw, which is obviously the matchup Counsell wanted. And Conforto, as you know, has had a flair for the dramatic lately.

Not this time, unfortunately. Conforto hit into a force play to end the inning.

Phil Maton entered the game to throw the ninth and that created visions of this 5-2 game becoming a 7-2 game or worse, given Maton’s recent failures. But Maton retired the Brewers 1-2-3. That provides at least a bit of hope that Maton can become a useful part of the Cubs bullpen.

The Cubs went down 1-2-3 in the bottom of the ninth to end it. Swanson thought he had led off with a walk, but Brewers catcher William Contreras challenged the pitch and it wound up strike three [VIDEO].

Close, but definitely a strike.

Here are Craig Counsell’s postgame comments [VIDEO].

With the loss and the Cardinals defeating the Pirates, the Cubs drop to third in the NL Central, virtually tied with St. Louis but a few percentage points behind. Both teams are half a game behind the Brewers.

So again… no team is as bad as it looks when on a losing streak. They just ran into a really good pitcher in this one (Bluesky link):

The Cubs are better than this, and they will win again. Many times. Hopefully, starting tonight at Wrigley Field when they attempt to avoid a sweep. Edward Cabrera will start for the Cubs and Kyle Harrison goes for the Brewers. Game time is again 6:40 p.m. CT and TV coverage will be via Marquee Sports Network.

I’ve created a bit of a dilemma for myself. (Not Jonah Heim related.)

I’m at least reasonably committed to doing the Big Board… but all the questions that I’ve come up with, and that people submitted responses and confidence ratings to, are all scored at the end of the year — except the Braves’ manager one, which is the only one to assign points so far. I’ve wanted to do in-season questions that are resolved and scored sooner, but the 2026 Braves season, as great as it has been, hasn’t lent itself to that for whatever reason. With the Braves dominating, there just hasn’t been much worthwhile, meaty debate on stuff that should or could happen. (I also have a separate dilemma about the best way to score certain things, but… that will be its own series of posts as we get closer to the end of the season and the need for scoring things.)

With that said, I do think Drake Baldwin’s injury and the Braves’ current catching situation lends itself to an in-season question… but, unfortunately, it’s another one that can really only be resolved at the end of the year. Anyway, here goes…

---

As the Braves waited for Sean Murphy to recover from hip surgery, they signed Jonah Heim to a low-cost ($1.25 million) MLB deal. Heim was an elite defensive catcher from 2021-2023, and the Rangers’ title run coincided with him starting to hit a bit, too, garnering a 4 fWAR season in the process. However, his career fell apart afterwards. Maybe it was the wrist injury he suffered in 2023. Maybe it was something else less overt. But, he went back to not hitting, and more damningly, he went from a cream-of-the-crop defensive catcher to a below-average one. Despite playing for 400+ PAs in both 2024 and 2025, he clocked in below replacement, tallying a combined -0.6 fWAR in the process. His time with the Braves before he was traded was similar despite the small sample of 45 PAs: a .275ish xwOBA, and well below average defensive play. The only reason Heim ended up at +0.1 fWAR in that sample was because he massively outhit his xwOBA in those 45 PAs.

So, that’s Jonah Heim. But, with both Murphy and Baldwin down, the Braves’ other options are… also bad.

Sandy Leon is a 37-year-old veteran of 14 major league seasons who is about as replacement-level as they come. He has a .250ish career xwOBA, and was consistently below replacement from 2019-2025 because he simply can’t hit enough despite the decent defense he sometimes provides. He has a career 0.3 fWAR in 1,752 PAs. He also hasn’t actually provided useful defensive value since 2019, either. It’s not clear why the Braves really wanted Leon rather than some other option, enough to fish him out of the Mexican League when Murphy got hurt again, but here we are.

Chadwick Tromp is 31 years old and is largely a Quad-A catcher. His career xwOBA is even worse than Leon’s (in the .230s). He’s generally gotten positive defensive marks when he’s played enough to accrue them, but he only has 179 career PAs at the big league level. His 0.4 fWAR in that span kinda suggests that he might actually be a serviceable MLB backup catcher, but the problem is that he has a .264 wOBA / .234 xwOBA over those 179 PAs, and if he had a .234 wOBA instead, that positive value probably evaporates. Tromp hasn’t even hit in the minors since 2024. The upside is unclear, if it exists.

The Braves could go outside the organization for temporary help. Unfortunately, there don’t seem to be a lot of options. Guys like Austin Wynns have been on the waiver wire recently, but they’re basically Leon-esque, no hit, some field, veteran options. Heim hasn’t been good in a while but was at least useful once; many of these waiver wire options have rarely gotten MLB exposure and haven’t done much when they have, even if they’ve been around the game for a decade or more.

So, here’s my question to you:

There are two “buckets” of production, for which we’ll use fWAR.

Bucket One is Jonah Heim, since the Braves traded him. (Irrespective of whether he goes anywhere else.) Right now, he has -0.2 fWAR in 20 PAs, which is a bizarrely hilarious -6 fWAR/600 PAs. This bucket consists of that -0.2, plus whatever else Heim does for the rest of the season.

Bucket Two is every non-Baldwin, non-Murphy player the Braves use at catcher this year. This includes Leon, Tromp, and anyone else they use as a stopgap. Leon is currently at -0.1 fWAR (-5.5 fWAR/600, in all of 11 PAs). Tromp had a single in his only PA yesterday, so he’s at 0.1 fWAR in 1 PA. (I’m not pro-rating that, el-oh-el.) This bucket consists of everything Leon, Tromp, and any other guys the Braves acquire to catch do for the team over the course of the season.

Your choices are as follows:

In the below, production means “taking Heim’s rate basis production and applying it over the set of PAs accrued by non-Baldwin, non-Murphy Braves catchers for the rest of the year.” Yes, this is subject to insane variation depending on how much Heim plays. But, there isn’t a better way to do this, I don’t think, because with Heim barely playing for the Athletics, while the Braves are forced to use multiple catchers due to injury, doing a straight-up fWAR basis wouldn’t work.

A: Bucket One (Heim) outproduces Bucket Two (Leon, Tromp, anyone else) by at least 1.0 fWAR. In other words, this is a meaningful difference.

B: Bucket One outproduces Bucket Two, but only by 0.5 to 0.9 fWAR. In other words, yeah, better production, but not really enough to swing anything.

C: Bucket One outproduces Bucket Two by less than 0.5 fWAR, which includes Bucket Two producing more than Bucket One.

Note that due to the quality of player we’re talking about here, “outproduce” can definitely mean less negative.

As usual with these, please assign a confidence score, where 5 is “I am absolutely certain this will occur” and 1 is “I have no idea but feel like participating in this anyway.” So, an answer would be something like A1 (you think it’d be funny if Heim was more productive but you aren’t staking much on it) or C5 (you are certain that the Braves won’t regret shipping Heim off). I kind of imagine that based on the types of people that have participated in these Big Board-soliciting questions, this will be heavily C3 through C5 rather than any As or Bs, but if you truly believe in Heim, here’s your chance to get some Big Board points and gloat later.