Here are five things to watch and predictions as the Mets and Phillies play a three-game series in Philadelphia starting on Thursday night at 6:40 on SNY...
As Lindor continues to play simulated games at Citi Field, his return from a nearly two-month long absence appears imminent.
There's a chance Lindor is back as early as Saturday against the Phillies, in the second game of the series.
When Lindor does return, it will be just the 12th time that both he and Juan Soto are in the lineup together this season -- with Lindor having suffered his calf injury in the same April game where Soto returned from his.
The Mets' offense has been better lately, with them averaging roughly 4.7 runs per game over the last week -- including their nine-run eruption on Wednesday against the Reds.
Lindor being back should add a serious jolt to that. If he isn't activated from the IL in Philadelphia, it stands to reason that he'll return during New York's homestand that opens this coming Monday against the Cubs.
Bichette entered play on Wednesday having slashed .412 with a 1.222 OPS in 53 plate appearances over his last 12 games.
On Wednesday, he had another huge day, going 3-for-4 with a walk, RBI, and two runs scored. Bichette's OPS, which was .531 on May 17,is up to .677.
The return to form by Bichette has been enormous for the lineup, which is also getting strong contributions lately from Juan Soto (who has been on a tear for most of the season), Francisco Alvarez, Carson Benge, and A.J. Ewing.
Once Lindor returns, Bichette -- who has been holding down shortstop in Lindor's absence -- will slide back to third base.
New York's starting rotation is a tricky jigsaw puzzle right now, but Manaea has been sharp lately -- taking a bit of pressure off.
After working in a bulk role for a while, Manaea returned to the rotation on June 13 against the Braves and was strong, allowing two runs in six innings while striking out six.
New York Mets starting pitcher Sean Manaea (59) follows through on a pitch against the Atlanta Braves during the third inning at Citi Field / Brad Penner - Imagn Images
Manaea gets the start in Thursday's series-opener, with Freddy Peralta slated to start on Saturday and New York possibly going with a bullpen game on Sunday night.
Kyle Schwarber is on another level
Schwarber, fresh off re-signing with the Phillies this offseason after being pursued by the Mets and others, is having another monster year.
He entered play on Wednesday with an MLB-leading 25 homers, putting him on pace to come close to the career-high 56 he slugged last season.
Overall, Schwarber is hitting .249/.368/.574 in 70 games, with his slugging percentage leading the National League.
Strikeouts continue to be Schwarber's kryptonite, with him fanning a league-worst 107 times already. He's on pace to strike out 237 times this season, which would shatter his career-worst to this point (215 strikeouts in 2023).
Can the Mets get to Cristopher Sanchez and Zack Wheeler?
After the Mets face Aaron Nola (5.86 ERA, 1.47 WHIP), they draw Philadelphia's aces.
Sanchez, one of the early favorites for the NL Cy Young award, has a 1.82 ERA (2.14 FIP) and 1.09 WHIP while striking out 10.5 batters per nine in a league-best 99.0 innings.
Wheeler, who missed the start of the season as he finished his recovery from thoracic outlet surgery, has been nearly as good.
In 62.2 innings over 10 starts, Wheeler has allowed just 38 hits. He has a 2.01 ERA (3.38 FIP) and 0.84 WHIP, though his strikeout rate (8.9) has taken a serious dip from where it was in 2025 (11.7 per nine) and is the lowest it's been since the shortened 2020 campaign.
Predictions
Who will the MVP of the series be?
Bo Bichette
Bichette is sure to get a rude welcome after spurning the Phillies in the offseason. He'll use it as fuel.
Which Mets pitcher will have the best start?
Freddy Peralta
Peralta locked in during his last outing, allowing just one run in five innings against the Braves.
Which Phillies player will be a thorn in the Mets' side?
Brandon Marsh
Marsh is in the midst of the best season of his career.
After he was virtually untouchable in his first nine appearances of the season, Shohei Ohtani, the pitcher, is mired in a two-start funk on the mound.
Ohtani, who gave up one or no runs in eight of his first nine starts, gave up more runs in one inning — four — on Wednesday, June 17 than he did in his first five starts. And now he has a pair of nagging physical issues to monitor.
Making his first start since sitting out a game as a hitter due to left knee inflammation, Ohtani was peppered for four singles, a double and a walk as the Tampa Bay Rays batted around in the fifth inning.
After the inning, cameras caught small traces of blood on his pants, from the middle finger on his pitching hand, although Ohtani came out to pitch a scoreless sixth and even served as pinch-hitter in the bottom of the inning.
Despite his struggles he ended up the winning pitcher, after Freddie Freeman clubbed a go-ahead two-run home run in the bottom of the sixth, erasing a deficit and giving the Dodgers a 5-4 lead that the bullpen preserved.
L.A.'s relievers pitched nine scoreless innings in the three-game sweep of the Rays.
Yet the good vibes were at least partially tempered by the notion Ohtani - now 7-2 - hasn't been as indomitable of late as he was in the season's first third. He was sanguine about his dual health concerns.
"It’s just part of the game. Not a lot of situations where you feel 100% so I took it as that,' Ohtani told reporters via translator Will Ireton. "It was big we were able to win a game like this."
The bad inning Wednesday was fueled in part by his tardiness covering first base on a groundball to Freeman, who glanced momentarily toward second, freezing Ohtani in his journey off the mound. Soon, a 2-0 Dodgers lead was a 4-2 deficit.
And after Ohtani's six innings of seven-hit, four-run, one-walk, five-strikeout work against the Rays, his ERA stood at 1.47. Elite, to be sure, but when he took the mound in Pittsburgh one week ago, it was at an absurd 0.74.
Ohtani allowed a season-high 10 baserunners and gave up a season-high three earned runs to the Pirates in that game and a day later, was removed from the game due to left knee inflammation.
Ohtani sat out just one game as DH, and manager Dave Roberts said he remained on track to make his assignment against the Rays. That he did, though it went south after four innings, and now the finger issue may be one to further monitor for the Dodgers.
"My every intention was to start today’s game.," says Ohtani. "Didn’t really feel like that was not going to be an option not to pitch."
Roberts felt confident sending Ohtani out for the sixth despite his rough fifth inning and the knee and finger issues, citing a desire to avoid lower-leverage relievers before aligning for the seventh, eighth and ninth.
"He still always finds a way to manage innings and make pitches when he needs to," says Roberts. "I think he’s still kind of working through delivery stuff with the knee."
Roberts said that "right now," Ohtani would be fine to make his next start one week from now, and says they will revisit his use of a topical skin adhesive on the middle finger. As for the past two starts?
"I don’t think anyone expected him," says Roberts, "to never give up any runs."
Pitcher Landen Roupp was one of three San Francisco Giants players who were issued warnings for inscribing a Bible verse on their Pride Night caps. (Scott Marshall / Associated Press)
The controversy around the Pride Night protest by three San Francisco Giants pitchers continues to grow.
Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) entered the fray Tuesday, demanding answers from Major League Baseball after it issued warnings to Landen Roupp, JT Brubaker and Ryan Walker about writing on their uniforms. The players added a Bible verse on their specialty caps for the night.
In a letter addressed to MLB commissioner Robert Manfred, the Republican senator also accused the league of “a pattern of discrimination ... against baseball players who profess their Christian faith.”
“I write with grave concern over your reported decision to issue a formal warning to three Major League Baseball (MLB) players for publicly expressing their Christian faith,” Hawley says in his letter. “MLB has said this is a content-neutral policy and that MLB ‘respect[s] players’ right to free expression.’ But this is dubious, given that MLB is openly promoting a political viewpoint and possibly compelling adherence to that viewpoint.”
The Missouri senator referenced the league’s “sweeping, judicially manufactured exemption from the federal antitrust laws” as justification for his inquiries.
“Trump won we don’t have to do this anymore,” Vice President JD Vance wrote on social media.
The San Francisco Giants' pride logo is displayed on the scoreboard at Oracle Park before its Pride Night game against the Chicago Cubs. (Scott Marshall / Associated Press)
In Friday’s Pride Night game against the Chicago Cubs, Roupp, the Giants’ starting pitcher, wore a hat with “Gen 9:12-16” written alongside the rainbow “SF” logo. Relief pitchers Brubaker and Walker also added similar references to the Old Testament passage about rainbows being a “covenant between God and every living creature” on their caps. (Fellow Giants pitcher Sam Hentges chose to wear a cap with the team’s standard logo instead of the Pride Night version.)
“That’s just kind of something I believe in, and I stand firm in that,” Roupp told reporters after the game. “I’m thankful we live in a country where, you know, we have the freedom to believe what we want ... and express what we want.
“The verse says ... the rainbow is a symbol of God’s covenant to us, and us as believers to stand firm in that,” he added after confirming he never had previously inscribed it on his cap before. “There’s no hate at all. It’s just what I stand for and what I stand in. I believe in God, and that’s me.”
Rainbows have been associated with LGBTQ+ pride since the rainbow flag was introduced by activists and artists in San Francisco in the 1970s. The verse Roupp mentions often is cited by Christian conservatives in their effort to “reclaim” the rainbow’s symbolism. (Former Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw added the same Bible verse to his Pride Night cap last season.)
Following the Pride Night actions of Roupp and his fellow Giants pitchers, the team’s fans, members of the LGBTQ+ community and allies expressed their hurt, anger and disappointment in the players and the organization. The Giants have a history of supporting the LGBTQ+ community and causes.
The MLB issued the players who added inscriptions to their caps a warning Monday for violating the league’s uniform policy.
“To be clear, this routine verbal warning not to wear the hat in future games is not disciplinary and had absolutely nothing to do with the content of the message,” MLB clarified in a widely reported follow-up statement issued Tuesday.
“We respect players’ right to free expression. However, writing of any kind, with any message, is prohibited per Major League Baseball’s Uniform Regulations which provides in part that, ‘(a) Player may not write, attach, affix, embroider or otherwise display nicknames or messages on apparel or playing equipment…’. We have given the same warning numerous times in the past to players for messages such as ‘Dad’, ‘Happy Mother’s Day, I Love Mom,’ and names of family members.”
A number of fans expressed anger and disappointment after the actions by pitchers for the Giants, a team with a history of supporting the LGBTQ+ community and causes. (Scott Marshall / Associated Press)
The Giants have not addressed the fallout beyond their statement following the game Friday.
“The San Francisco Giants are proud to support Pride Night and the LGBTQ+ community. Baseball should be a place where everyone feels welcome, respected, and valued,” the statement provided to numerousoutlets reads. “We also respect that individuals may make personal choices about participating in team activations. We understand that the choices by individual players has caused pain and anger to many in the LGBTQ+ community and we are sorry for that. Those choices do not change our organization’s commitment to inclusion, belonging, and creating a welcoming environment for all. We remain grateful to our fans, partners, employees, players and coaches who help make Pride Night a meaningful celebration.”
The team was among the first in professional sports to host an HIV/AIDS awareness game in the 1990s and the first MLB team to incorporate the Pride rainbow in its on-field uniforms for its Pride game in 2021.
California state Sen. Scott Wiener has continued to call out both the Giants and Republican politicians regarding the Pride Night protest and the aftermath.
“MAGA leaders like JD Vance and Josh Hawley are now glomming on and declaring an anti-LGBTQ culture war, in an attempt to bully MLB from enforcing its rules,” Wiener wrote in an lengthy post on social media, calling them out for their “Bigotry against LGBTQ people.”
“This isn’t an issue of religious freedom. People have a right to whatever religious beliefs they want — even if those beliefs dehumanize other people — but they don’t have a right to hijack their employer to promote those hateful beliefs at a job-related event.”
With high school baseball seasons across the country coming to a close, attention now turns to the 2026 MLB Draft.
On Monday, June 15, hundreds of the nation’s top prospects received invitations to the MLB Draft Combine, a three-day event that gives players the chance to showcase their skills in front of Major League baseball operations departments, scouting directors and other personnel.
Of the 334 draft-eligible players invited, 140 are high school athletes representing numerous schools. The event begins with a high school sim game on June 23 before players participate in on-field workouts, strength and conditioning assessments and biomechanical testing.
While those players represent programs from across the country, nine schools placed multiple athletes on this year’s invite list. Here’s a look at the high schools with the most players invited to the 2026 MLB Draft Combine.
TNXL Academy: Ocoee, Florida (4)
TNXL Academy is a baseball-focused high school program that allows athletes to train in a professional style environment. Since the academy was founded in 2014, it has produced eight MLB draft picks and 93 college commits. It's no surprise that TNXL produced the most invites this year, but it has not yet had four players drafted in the same year.
Coleton Brady – RHP (No. 178)
Genson Veras – OF (No. 184)
Spencer Evans – LHP (No. 194)
Kaleb Traylor – 3B
Orange Lutheran High School: Orange, California (3)
Orange Lutheran has long been one of the nation's top high school baseball programs, producing several notable MLB players, including AL Cy Young Award winner Gerit Cole. The Lancers continued that tradition this year, placing three players on the MLB Draft Combine list after also producing 10 Division I signees this year.
Cooper Sides -- RHP (No. 99)
Gary Morse -- RHP (No. 137)
CJ Weinstein -- SS (No. 149)
Etowah High School: Woodstock, Georgia (2)
Fresh off of its third state championship in program history, Etowah High School enters the draft season as Georgia's top-ranked baseball program. The Eagles captured the 2026 GHSA Class 6A State Championship, marking its second title in three years, and placed two players on the Combine invite list. Senior outfielder Trevor Condon is one of the top high school prospects invited to the Combine.
Trevor Condon -- OF (No. 22)
Matthew Sharman -- RHP
Casteel High School: Queen Creek, Arizona (2)
Despite being founded just 11 years ago in 2015, Casteel High School has established itself as a powerhouse in Arizona. After earning back-to-back AIA 5A state championship titles in 2023 and 2024, the Colts moved up to the 6A classification last season.
Ryne Barker -- 3B (No. 195)
Ryan Harwood -- OF
De La Salle High School: Concord, California (2)
De La Salle High School is another one of California's premier baseball programs. The Spartan's won their second-consecutive NCS Division I Championship this season, securing the program's 16th North Coast Section. De La Salle has produced numerous MLB draft picks and will look to add a pair of teammates to that list.
Tyler Spangler -- SS (No. 49)
Graham Schlicht -- RHP (No. 139)
Corona High School: Corona, California (2)
Corona High School made MLB history last year after three of its players were drafted in the first round of the 2025 MLB Draft. Two of the three were drafted in the top-10, which was also a historic feat. The program hasn't always been dominate, but has become a national powerhouse under head coach Andy Wise. Trey Ebel hopes to follow in the footsteps of his brother Brady who was the No. 32 overall pick last year.
Anthony Murphy -- OF (No. 107)
Trey Ebel -- SS (No. 113)
St. John Bosco: Bellflower, California (2)
While St. John Bosco isn't the first California school to enter this list, it is the top-ranked program in the state. The program claimed back-to-back CIF Southern Section Division 1 Championship titles, with draft prospect Julian Garcia paving the path this year. He threw a complete game and struck out 14 en route to the championship title.
James Clark -- SS (No. 53)
Julian Garcia -- RHP (No. 117)
South Walton: Santa Rosa Beach, Florida (2)
The South Walton Seahawks emerged as one of the nation's top teams this season, finishing 30-4 and capturing the first state championship in program history. Ranked No. 4 nationally, the Seahawks also boast one of the top MLB draft prospects in the country in right-handed pitcher Coleman Borthwick, who could be a first-round pick this year.
Coleman Borthwick -- RHP (No. 35)
Denton Lord -- RHP (No. 72)
Jesuit High School: Tampa, Florida (2)
Jesuit High School Tampa has one of the most historically dominant baseball programs in the nation. The Tigers have captured seven state titles and have produced hundreds of Major Leaguers, including Hall of Famer Al Lopez Sr. In last year's draft, Jesuit High School graduate Jamie Arnold was drafted 11th overall, becoming the second-highest Jesuit alumnus ever drafted.
Jacob Misiorowski is dominating on the mound in his sophomore campaign, and one of the game's all-time great arms is taking note. CC Sabathia showered the Brewers' ace with praise on the latest episode of his podcast, MLB According to CC.
"He's a top-two pitcher and not number two. Right now, he's one of the best pitchers in the game."
Misiorowski currently leads all qualified starters with a 1.34 ERA, 48 points better than any other starter. The 24-year-old sits atop the leaderboards in WHIP (0.71), strikeouts (131), and opponent batting average (.140). Reaping the benefits of their young star, the Brewers hold a 4.5-game lead in the NL Central.
This isn't the first time Sabathia has shouted out Milwaukee's flamethrower. Back in May, the Hall of Famer emphasized cutting down on walks and being "aggressive in the strike zone" in order for Misiorowski to reach the upper echelon of starting pitchers. Since then, he has done just that, allowing 2+ walks in just one of his last six starts.
Sabathia was an early believer in the Miz, saying he "absolutely" had the chance to become baseball's No. 1 starting pitcher. After facing the minimum in a complete game shutout against the Phillies on June 12 (with 15 strikeouts to boot), Misiorowski may have already proved he is the game's best.
New episodes with CC and Ahmed Fareed drop every Wednesday on NBC Sports NOW, NBCSN, YouTube, and wherever you get your podcasts.
Who makes the Mount Rushmore of New York City sports?
On today’s episode of MLB According to CC, legendary Yankee CC Sabathia discussed his top four “modern era” New York athletes, alongside his cohost, Ahmed Fareed who made his own “legends” top four list. Sabathia gave the number one spot to five time World Series winner with the Yankees, and his teammate of five years, Derek Jeter.
"Derek Jeter's got to be No. 1 with five rings."
Next, the former pitcher selected former Giants quarterback, Eli Manning, pointing to his destruction of the unbeaten 2007 Patriots’ Super Bowl dreams. In the number three slot, Sabathia selected newly minted NBA Champion, Knicks point guard Jalen Brunson.
Knicks need to “put the statue in front of MSG" for Jalen Brunson.
Rounding off the former Cy Young winner’s “Mount Rushmore” was another former teammate who spent their whole career in the pinstripes, iconic Yankees' closer Mariano Rivera. Sabathia praised Rivera, saying he “embodies what it means to be a Yankee.” Sabathia also mentioned Brooklyn Dodger and sports legend, Jackie Robinson for “what he did for Brooklyn and the game of baseball.”
Fareed’s selections for his legends “Mount Rushmore” included names such as Yankees icons Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig, Giants' defensive gamewrecker Lawrence Taylor, and Islanders' stalwarts Mike Bossey and Denis Potvin.
New episodes with CC and Ahmed Fareed drop every Wednesday on NBC Sports NOW, NBCSN, YouTube, and wherever you get your podcasts.
Jun 12, 2026; New York City, New York, USA; Atlanta Braves relief pitcher Jr. Ritchie (60) reacts after throwing a runner out at first base in the sixth inning against the New York Mets at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images | Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images
The Braves are firmly mired in their first extended skid of the 2026 season.
After an uncompetitive 7-2 loss to the San Francisco Giants — who have the second-worst record in the National League —in a game concluded Wednesday after it was delayed a few innings in on Tuesday, the Braves have lost five of their last six games.
To put it in perspective, they hadn’t even lost four games of a six-game span before this slump.
Atlanta turns to rookie righty JR Ritchie (1-1, 3.82 ERA) to look to earn a Wednesday split and set up a Thursday rubber match, weather permitting.
Ritchie was sent back down to Gwinnett last month after making his first five career major league starts. It wasn’t clear if Ritchie was going to be a starter or reliever upon his return to Atlanta, but Spencer Strider being sidelined with elbow inflammation made that choice for the Braves, thrusting Ritchie back into the rotation for the time being.
His first outing back was a relief appearance, just the second of his professional career. It was also his best career major league outing to date as he replaced Strider and allowed two hits and two walks over five scoreless innings —his first outing without allowing a run — while striking out five.
The hope is that appearance can be something to build around as he enters his first career game against a NL West team.
The Giants will be starting a similarly new pitcher to this level in Carson Whisenhunt, who will be making his season debut at the major league level in this start. The 25-year-old 11th-ranked prospect in the Giants organization made his first five starts in the majors last season, posting a 2-1 record and 5.01 ERA with 16 strikeouts, 12 walks and six home runs allowed in 23 1/3 innings.
The southpaw has a 5-2 record and 3.65 ERA in 14 games (13 starts) this season for Triple-A Sacramento, with 77 strikeouts and 30 walks in 69 innings.
No member of the Braves’ offense has faced Whisenhunt, just like no Giants player has faced Ritchie.
Long before he was striking out hitters in Yankees’ pinstripes, Carlos Rodón was mowing them down on the South Side. | (Matt Marton/Imagn Images)
The White Sox are looking to bounce back from last night’s 12-2 thumping. Standing in their way is an old friend, Carlos Rodón, who has quietly put together another strong, albeit brief, season since returning from left elbow surgery.
First, though, the Sox need a solid outing from Anthony Kay. The southpaw’s season has been a roller coaster. April was rough, May was excellent, and June has gotten off to a rocky start. The veteran definitely has an intriguing profile. His average fastball velocity of 95.5 mph ranks above average for a lefty, and his 71st-percentile chase rate shows he has the stuff to entice hitters into swinging at pitches outside the zone. The challenge has been converting those chases into outs.
Kay’s 5.65 xERA ranks among the bottom tier, and his strikeout numbers aren’t great. His 21.9% whiff rate and 17.6% strikeout rate both sit well below league average as well, meaning hitters are often making contact when they decide to swing. Against a Yankees’ lineup that demonstrated exactly how dangerous it can be when putting balls in play last night, that is not an ideal recipe.
The good news is that Kay’s 9.0% walk rate is manageable, and he generates ground balls at an above-average clip. If he can get Yankees hitters to chase while keeping the ball on the ground, the White Sox have a chance to keep this one close.
On the other side stands Rodón, whose profile is almost the exact opposite. While Kay’s underlying metrics suggest a pitcher searching for answers, Rodón’s numbers paint the picture of a legitimate front-line starter. Opponents own only a .184 expected batting average against him, ranking in the 97th percentile. He still misses bats at an elite rate, striking out 26.4% of hitters while generating a 27.8% whiff rate.
The velocity isn’t quite what White Sox fans remember from his dominant 2021 campaign. Rodón now averages 94.1 mph rather than the upper-90s heat he once featured. Yet his fastball remains one of the game’s most effective weapons, ranking in the 87th percentile in run value.
If there is a crack in Rodón’s armor, it is his control. His 14.7% walk rate ranks among the worst in baseball, and that may provide the White Sox with their clearest path to victory. Chicago has done a better job this season of grinding out at-bats and forcing pitchers to work, but that approach will be tested tonight. If the Sox come out chasing early-count pitches and expanding the zone, Rodón’s swing-and-miss arsenal could make for a very long evening. If they stay patient, force him into hitter’s counts, and capitalize on the free passes he occasionally offers, they may be able to drive up his pitch count and expose the Yankees’ bullpen.
Here is the Sox lineup that skipper Will Venable hopes can grind out some offense against Rodón.
The matchup tonight feels like a battle of opposites: Kay needs hitters to chase, while Rodón needs hitters to swing. The team that best executes its offensive approach may very well decide who walks away with the W.
First pitch is at 6:05 p.m. CST. Tune in to the TV broadcast on CHSN or listen in at ESPN Chicago AM 1000.
HOUSTON, TEXAS - JUNE 17: Peter Lambert #38 of the Houston Astros reacts during the third inning against the Detroit Tigers at Daikin Park on June 17, 2026 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Houston Astros/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Peter Lambert (W, 6-4) almost wasn’t a part of this team. He’s been their second best starting pitcher despite not making the team out of Spring Training.
Lambert was nails for the Astros yet again, in a terrific 7 inning performance in which he allowed just one run on 2 hits, he struck out 5 and did not walk a batter. He threw 60 of his 89 pitches for strikes, leading the Houston Astros (35-41) to a series-clinching 4-2 victory over the Detroit Tigers (30-44) at Daikin Park.
Jeremy Pena got the Astros on the board first in the bottom of the third with a 2-out solo shot to left for his 4th HR of the season, giving Houston a 1-0 lead.
The Astros would tack on 2 more in the bottom of the 5th. After Christian Vazquez singled to lead off the inning, Yordan Alvarez drilled a one-out RBI double to drive Vazquez home. After Christian Walker lined out, the Tigers replaced SP Casey Mize (L, 2-4) with Kyle Finnegan.
Isaac Paredes greeted Finnegan with an RBI double to score Alvarez, and make it a 3-0 lead for Houston.
In the 6th, the Astros loaded the bases for Jeremy Pena, who delivered an RBI single scoring Joey Loperfido to increase the lead to 4-0.
In the top of the 7th, the Tigers would finally get to Lambert, as Kerry Carpenter snuck a fly ball into the Crawford Boxes for his 10th HR of the season, cutting the lead to 4-1. That HR would not have been a HR in any other park except Daikin.
In the 9th, Josh Hader (S, 4) was brought in to close the game out. Hader was working on back-to-back days for the first time since coming off the IL. He allowed a solo HR to Kevin McGonigle that went all of 3 feet further than Carpenter’s Crawford Boxes special, and followed it up by striking out the next 3 batters on 14 pitches with 7 swings and misses. It was the first run Hader has allowed this season.
With the win, the Astros are back to 6 games under .500. They are currently 4 games behind the Seattle Mariners, who play later this evening. They are 2.5 games behind the Athletics for the final Wild Card spot in the American League. The Athletics also play later this evening.
NOTES:
Cristian Javier is expected to make one more rehab start before being activated. Javier pitched for the Sugar Land Space Cowboys last night, allowing 3 runs on 4 hits (including a HR) in 3.1 IP. He walked 1 and struck out 6.
Javier worked the first two innings primarily with a fastball at 92-93, hitting 94 once. In the last two innings of his appearance, his velocity deteriorated to 91-92.
Mike Burrows will have his next turn through the rotation skipped, and will be available out of the bullpen. He is ready to piggyback on Tatsuya Imai on his next turn in the rotation which is scheduled for Friday.
Astros probables for the upcoming series with the Cleveland Guardians that runs Fri-Sun:
Fri: Tatsuya Imai (3-3, 6.43) vs Tanner Bibee (2-7, 3.96)
Sat: Spencer Arrighetti (7-2, 2.57) vs Joey Cantillo (5-3, 4.38)
Sun: Kai-Wei Teng (3-6, 4.31) vs Slade Cecconi (3-5, 4.60)
Kyle Leahy battled spotty command in the early going. He ends up working through to a quality start with 6 IP, 3 runs allowed with 7 strikeouts. But the Cardinal offense musters but a single run on a ground, losing multiple runners on the bases in a game where there weren’t a lot of base runners. The Cardinals were outhit 14-6 on the day.
Pre-game notes
Here we are again on a Wednesday. A day game. Getaway day. You probably don’t want to hear their record on such days.
The Cardinals go for a home sweep over the San Diego Padres. Perhaps you would not like to hear their record on “sweep day”.
It is also their fourth crack at vaulting to the mark of ten games over .500. You definitely don’t want to hear their record on days when they are 9 games over .500.
So, with the odds stacked against them, Kyle Leahy toes the rubber and leads the team to battle against…TBA? Turns out to be Bradley Rodriguez as the opener. I expect him to be followed by Griffin Canning, who if I recall mesmerized in San Diego twice through the line-up and then blew up the third time through. That was a different line-up, though.
Speaking of line-ups, today will be a typical L-R-L lineup.
For those that track such things, Fangraphs now projects the Cardinals to win 84 games, which would be the result of a projection that has them playing slightly less than .500 baseball the rest of the way.
Marinaccio is unavailable today. He pitched last night and takes his suspension day. Without him and Miller, the Padres bullpen seems short.
The first innings
The Padres came out swinging against Leahy. A fine stop by Blaze saved a bigger inning, but a Leahy walk complicated the inning and ultimately scored on a SacFly following an advancing single. I hate walks! Leahy navigates the first three innings, working around 3 hits and a walk, with a lot of hanging pitches that a poor offense could do little with. He did accumulate 4 K’s in the early going.
In the Cardinals’ first, Herrera nearly decapitated the pitcher with a hit, then made two base running mistakes to remove the advantage. The first mistake was he started and stopped when trying to steal second, but got away with it when the C threw the ball into CF. Herrera was unable to advance (never make the third out at third base is a good rule of thumb). But, then he promptly ran into the 3rd out at third when Walker hit a nubber to the third baseman, who had to do nothing other than tag the incoming Herrera.
Griffin Canning indeed replaced Rodriguez in the second, and he mesmerized again. Through four innings, the Cardinals mustered 3 singles and a walk, none in the same inning.
The middle innings
More hits and more hanging pitches combined to add to the Padres score in the fourth inning. A double play builds Leady a pathway out of the inning, though. A single on a 0-2 count and a misplay by Church in CF scores a third Padre run in the fifth. It was scored a double, but it was a poor read and route taken.
Blaze Jordan gets his first MLB walk as he leads off the fifth. Church follows that with a single. Wetherholt advances them with an infield out. The Cardinals lose a runner at the plate on Herrera’s infield out. Burleson gets a nice 2-out RBI single, extending his hitting streak to 17 games. After five innings the score is 3-1 Padres.
Leahy ends up with a 1-2-3 inning in the sixth. Overall, he battles through six innings, giving up 7 hits, 1 walk and 3 runs. He recorded 7 K’s as well. 81 pitches. His command appeared to improve as he got deeper into the game.
In the sixth, Winn walks and gets picked off. Been difficult to get any offensive continuity today.
The decisive and bitter end
Svanson effectively pitches the seventh and 1 out into the eighth. Bruihl then comes in for the left-right matchups. Sure enough, he gets the RH hitter and loses the LH hitters. Hey, wait a minute….
Roycroft comes in for Bruihl. HBP on the first hitter but retires the next of a fly to left to end the 8th inning.
Very little occurred offensively in the later third. An eighth inning HBP on Herrera (again!) is quickly erased by a GIDP.
The Padres tack on runs in the ninth against Roycroft. In a surprising turn of events, Roycroft had an inning spin out of control. A single followed by another single off the wall by Tatis Jr. who was thrown out (by Walker) trying to make it a double but still garners the RBI, followed by another single and a long home run by Merrill. Then a walk. Roycroft was out on an island with no one warming. Then another walk. Then came an error on a routine grounder by Winn to continue the misery. A strikeout to the ninth batter of the inning brings a merciful end.
Nootbaar leads off the ninth with a single, but Winn quickly erases him with a GIDP. Pages ends the game with a ground out. Padres win 6-1. Back to 8 games over .500.
Post-Game Notes
Check out Today on the Farm – Wednesday 6.17 for updates on MiLB action.
The Cardinals head to Kansas City for that crucial cross-state, inter-league rivalry match-up with the Royals. Games are Thursday, Friday and Sunday with an odd Saturday off to accommodate a soccer game.
It’s funny how a bullpen can go from over-used to well-rested and rusty in such a short span, huh? And back again…
Have you noticed the trend of openers against the Cardinals? That seems to me to be a league-wide recognition of the top 3-4 hitters in the line-up. Teams find value in trying to neutralize them the first time through that line-up. Seems like the investment is a scripted one inning appearance with the chosen matchups and payoff is you give the starter a shot to go two times through the line-up and get deep enough into the game to avoid the chase/bridge guys and go straight to the leverage/closer guys.
I think we need an update on Blaze Jordan’s defensive prowess at third base. He has been better than advertised.
ATLANTA, GEORGIA - JUNE 17: Robbie Ray #38 of the San Francisco Giants reacts during the sixth inning against the Atlanta Braves during the continuation of a game from June 16, at Truist Park at Truist Park on June 17, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Todd Kirkland/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The San Francisco Giants’ 7-2 victory over the Atlanta Braves on Wednesday was a story of two games. No, literally. A story of two games, played on two days. Two games that the Giants won, resulting in — stay with me — one game that the Giants won.
It began on Tuesday night when, against the the judgement of nearly everyone at the park, the game was started despite pouring rain in Atlanta. The rain seemed to benefit the hitters on each side, as they jumped on pitches that were lacking in their usual spin. Luis Arráez led off the game with a double, and moved to third when Bryce Eldridge singled. After an unproductive out by Matt Chapman, Rafael Devers loaded the bases with a walk, before a Jung Hoo Lee sacrifice fly put the first run on the board. In all, Grant Holmes threw 28 pitches in the first inning, and looked entirely uncomfortable in the storm, though his long, soaked hair looked fairly majestic.
In the bottom half of the inning, it became abundantly clear that the struggles in the top half had been due to the weather, as Adrian Houser immediately suffered the same fate. The first batter he faced, Drake Baldwin, absolutely annihilated the baseball, hitting one of the longest home runs in the Majors this year (473 feet!!!), despite it being his first at-bat in roughly a month.
A single, a walk (by former Giant Dominic Smith), and another single (by former Giant Mauricio Dubón) later, and Atlanta had not just equalized, but taken a 2-1 lead. Houser, like Holmes, had thrown 28 pitches in the first inning, and looked equally uncomfortable in the downpour.
Yet the game continued into the second inning, where the wetness continued to favor the hitters. Casey Schmitt led off with a single, and Drew Gilbert followed with a walk. Following an atrocious at-bat by Daniel Susac (a three-pitch strikeout that featured two failed bunts, and a whiff at a pitch in a different area code), Arráez loaded the bases with a Sandovalian golfed single. In one of the best at-bats of the season, Eldridge tied the game by working a walk, which featured a tremendous ABS challenge. Chapman, having failed in his prior attempt, exacted revenge this time around, successfully achieving a sacrifice fly (though sacrifice liner is a more accurate term, with Dubón making a brilliant catch in center to rob Chapman of a hit).
With that, the Giants not only led, but won the first game 3-2.
That was all the baseball that would be played, though we didn’t know it for a while. The rain had stopped, and the game had not entered a delay, but the baseball was over. The grounds crew took the field in an attempt to restore the soaked infield, and they stayed there for a good 45 minutes. At no point did the game ever officially enter a rain delay, to the confusion of the fans at Truist Park and the ire of the broadcasters and reporters in attendance. Finally, roughly an hour and a half after play had been paused (but not delayed!), it was announced that the game had been postponed, and would resume on Wednesday before the scheduled game.
In doing so, a gift was handed to Robbie Ray, a player in dire need of some help. Because the game was postponed after it began, the lineups were already set … which means Atlanta’s lineup was full of left-handed hitters to combat Houser. Ray, who doesn’t get to face left-handed hitters all that often, found the tonic he was searching for in Atlanta’s arrangement.
He struck out his former teammate Mike Yastrzemski to begin the second half of the first game, and then struck out Ha-Seong Kim, en route to a three-up, three-down first/second inning. He handled the third easily, giving up just a walk. In the fourth, he set down the side in order on just 12 pitches, finishing things off with another strikeout of Yastrzemski. He opened the fifth with back-to-back strikeouts, before issuing a walk that he easily worked around. Only eight pitches were required for a dominant sixth.
Ray was cruising, and he was cruising for the first time in a while. It was a delight to see. He resembled the Ray of early last year, who was both dominant and unfazed. In the seventh, he gave up a leadoff double, but looked completely unbothered, never letting the runner reach third while striking out Yastrzemski for a third time, and also the ever-dangerous Baldwin.
After opening the eighth with an out, Ray ceded a single to Matt Olson. With 94 pitches thrown, Tony Vitello deemed that a good enough effort for Ray, who left the mound having thrown 6.1 scoreless frames, while allowing just four baserunners and striking out eight.
It was a performance worth admiring, even if such performances are a little bittersweet right now. Ray finding his form doesn’t really help the Giants this year, given the hole they’ve dug; right now his success correlates mostly with the return the Giants will get when they presumably trade him next month.
So until then: enjoy the strikeouts, and enjoy the grunts.
While San Francisco opted to move up their scheduled Wednesday starter (Carson Whisenhunt has been recalled from AAA Sacramento to pitch the evening game), Atlanta chose to keep their rotation in order, and handle Wednesday’s resumption with a bullpen game.
For a while, it worked. James Karinchak handled the third inning, and set down the Giants in order. Dylan Dodd came on for the fourth, and did the same. With a pair of lefties due up in the fifth, the southpaw Dodd was given a second inning, and that’s where the Braves’ plan went awry. He retired Eldridge and Chapman easily, but Devers had different plans. Despite generally struggling against lefties this year, Devers jumped on a 1-1 sinker at the top of the zone, and comfortably cleared the fence with it.
What came next was even more surprising: on the very next pitch (a nearly identical pitch, I might add), Lee followed Devers and did the exact same thing.
It was a stunning sequence of events, and the context from the broadcast only made it more stunning: it was the first time since Barry Bonds and A.J. Pierzynski, a whole 22 years ago, that a pair of Giants lefties had gone back-to-back off of a left-hander. What a beautiful thing.
The Giants continued to rely on the long ball, getting their next run in the eighth inning, when Willy Adames took Anthony Molina deep for an awe-inspiring 424-foot solo bomb. By the time the ninth inning rolled around, not only did the Giants have a cozy lead, but they had scored all of their resumption runs on homers.
That would finally change in the ninth with a rally befitting the start of the game on Tuesday: Arráez and Eldridge hit back-to-back singles, with the former scoring on a Chapman ground ball, locking in the final score at 7-2.
Meanwhile, the bullpen held strong enough. Dylan Smith took over when Ray departed with one on and one out in the eighth, and quickly got out of the inning, though he did give up a single. Smith stayed in for the ninth and impressively struck out Riley, as he looked to be cooking.
It came to a screeching halt after that, though, when he gave up a single to Yastrzemski, before issuing a four-pitch walk to Kim, who currently boasts an .089 batting average. Even with the five-run cushion, and even with another nine innings to cover in a few hours, Vitello decided to take no chances, and brought in his recently-appointed closer, Caleb Kilian.
I’ve had my quips with Vitello opting to name Kilian the closer, but one of my favorite things is when the Giants make me look dumb. And Kilian made me look dumb. With two on and the top of the lineup stepping up, Kilian pounded the strike zone with a flurry of unhittable pitches, striking out Baldwin and Eli White to end the game.
It might have taken a few days, but the Giants won, and even managed to look great doing it.
CHICAGO, IL - JUNE 09: Ronald Acuña Jr. #13 of the Atlanta Braves looks on prior to the game between the Atlanta Braves and the Chicago White Sox at Rate Field on Tuesday, June 9, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Kyle Sheridan/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
As expected, the Atlanta Braves are likely going to take things very cautiously with Ronald Acuña Jr. and his most recent Grade 1 hamstring. Walt Weiss spoke with the media following Wednesday afternoon’s tough loss against the Giants and he was asked about Acuña’s status at the moment. If you were thinking that Acuña would be making a quick return, you can probably put a pause to that speculation right now.
Weiss said Acuña is a “long way” from returning. Because the hamstring strain is in the same spot, the Braves will be more cautious than they were when Acuña missed nearly three weeks with the previous strain
As frustrating as this is to see, it’s likely the right decision. While it’s hard to predict injuries, this is the safer route than rushing to get him back out there. Despite the current rough patch that the Braves have hit, they’re still comfortably ahead in the NL East and 20 games over .500 so they can afford to give Acuña as much time as he needs to get fully healthy again. It’s what I suggested in earlier posts about him and it’ll likely be the path that the Braves take when it comes to getting theri star outfielder right again.
So yeah, it’s a bummer but it’s likely the right path for the Braves to take. I’d imagine that we’ll probably see Acuña back in action after the All-Star break, maybe a little bit sooner if he’s further along in his recovery thane expected. We’re definitely not going to be seeing him in the field for the rest of June and it’s looking likely that he’ll be out for most of July as well. Again, it’s rough but it’s the sensible course of action.
Meanwhile, we also got some news on who the 27th man will be for the second game of today’s doubleheader. It’ll be Jair Camargo, who will likely serve as the emergency catcher while Sandy León likely starts tonight’s game as the catcher. If Drake Baldwin does play, it’ll likely be as the DH.
Cookie Carrasco and catcher Jair Camargo (27th man) will join the Braves roster for the second game. Camargo provides length in the pen. Camargo’s presence will allow Baldwin to stay in the DH spot if something happens to Leon in the second game
Also, Carlos Carrasco is back with the big league Braves. Welcome back, Cookie — hopefully the DFA cycle continues to work out for both parties since it’s almost certain that it’ll be happening again at some point in the near future. For now, the Braves have covered themselves depth-wise for tonight’s night cap and hopefully the decisions will help to yield results for Atlanta as they attempt to get this series evened up.
GOODYEAR, ARIZONA - FEBRUARY 14: Kahlil Watson #71 of the Cleveland Guardians poses for a portrait at Cleveland Guardians Photo Day during 2026 Spring Training at Goodyear Ballpark on February 14, 2026 in Goodyear, Arizona. (Photo by Russell Lee Verlinger/Cleveland Guardians/Getty Images) | Getty Images
As another Cleveland outfielder hits the IL, Kahlil Watson gets his shot at a big league debut.
Chase DeLauter and his broken rib will spend some time recovering, joining José Ramírez and Angel Martinez on the IL. These are severe blows to the Guardians’ offense. The team needs to be aggressive about trying any and all solutions, which is why I’d like to see plenty of Cooper Ingle and Ralphy Velazquez in left field and even some Juan Brito and Angel Genao at third base in Columbus. In addition to those moves, giving Kahlil Watson a look makes sense.
Watson is a 23 year-old left-handed hitter whom the Guardians acquired from the Marlins in 2023 for Josh Bell. Watson put up a 123 wRC+ (.382 wOBA, .321 xwOBA) in Columbus, with a 28/14.6 K/BB%. He has a 26.8% out-of-zone swing rate and a 12.6% swinging strike rate. He has a 72% contact rate and an 82.6% in-zone contact rate. The concerns with Watson are, indeed, if he will chase and whiff too much to be an effective ML player. He has made his noise mostly at Columbus with an OPS over 1.000 at that hitter’s park, but he does still have a .762 OPS on the road. His game will be to play good defense, take enough walks to earn himself a few pitches to hit, and to do maximum damage on those pitches when he sees them; we need that .236 ISO to show up in some form or another to compensate for what is sure to be a healthy amount of strikeouts. Watson is no sure thing as a prospect, but he has shown enough to earn himself a look as a strong-side platoon outfielder on a team in dire need of help roaming the grass.
Reports are mixed on his defense. He has looked mostly competent in center field, but is not the defender there that Petey Halpin is, for sure. He also has had pretty extreme splits vs. LHP, but that’s why we have Stuart Fairchild, folks! Watson is known to be a passionate and competitive ballplayer which can provide a needed push for a locker room that has to be a little down right now.
Welcome to the big leagues, Kahlil! We are desperate for a spark on offense, and everyone will be hoping you can provide it.
Jun 17, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Detroit Tigers center fielder Jake Rogers (34) talks to starting pitcher Case Mize (12) before pitching against Houston Astros center fielder Jake Meyers (6) (not pictured) in the fourth inning at Daikin Park. Mandatory Credit: Thomas Shea-Imagn Images | Thomas Shea-Imagn Images
The finale and rubber-match of a three-game series in Houston, in which the Tigers blew a golden opportunity for a series victory on Tuesday night, saw them struggle against a solid-but-not-great starting pitcher and lose the game by a 4-2 score.
Casey Mize, who just returned from the Injured List with a right adductor strain in the groin (ouch), made his tenth start of the season for the Tigers. He was put on the shelf in late May and was recativated today; he spent a couple of weeks on the IL a month earlier for the same affliction. When he’s been healthy this season he’s been fantastic, with a WHIP under 1.00 and only a pair of home runs given up. Stop pulling that groin, young man! (Take that any way you like.)
Facing Mize and the Detroiters for the Astros was Peter Lambert, who’s in his first year in Houston. He’d been up-and-down with the Rockies since 2019, so a return to (almost) sea level was probably a welcome development. His season so far has been pretty solid, but like his colleagues on the ‘Stros, he walks too many batters. He seems to have genuinely found a home in Houston’s rotation, though, which is nice for him.
Both pitchers were in control early on; through two innings each team only had one baserunner, although the Astros had some hard contact with only a harmless double to show for it. What wasn’t so harmless was Jeremy Peña’s fourth home run of the year with two out in the third to put Houston up 1-0.
The Astros loaded the bases with two out in the bottom of the fourth and Jake Meyers at the plate, but Mize made Meyers fly out harmlessly to centre and the quandary was quelled. Lambert, however, was rolling: through five innings he only gave up a Dillon Dingler single and had Tiger hitters flummoxed with a half-dozen different pitches. It’s like that thing you hear about occasionally, the “paradox of infinite choice.” Remember when there were three television channels? You found a show to watch. Looking at an endless scroll of streaming-movie choices? Impossible to find anything you like. Something like that.
Houston extended its lead in the fifth with a single-productive groundout-double combination to go up 2-0. Plenty of long at-bats, plus it being Mize’s first start back from being on the IL, shortened Mize’s start; he exited after the second out in the fifth in favour of Kyle Finnegan with a runner on second. The change did not do the Tigers good, as Finnegan surrendered an RBI double to Isaac Paredes to put the lead at 3-0.
Houston went up 4-0 in the sixth after a double, a pair of walks and a single; it would’ve been 5-0 but Meyers was thrown out at home on the relay from Kerry Carpenter.
Leading off the ninth, Kevin McGonigle hit his own solo home run off tough lefty Josh Hader for a 4-2 score. Nice to see the Kid taking a tough lefty oppo to stay hot. But from there Hader slammed the door on the Tigers and that was the end of the proceedings.
In case you missed it, Gleyber Torres is back on the IL with his oblique, something that flared up with a swing-and-miss on Monday night. My goodness, what a season it’s been for him.
In other, weirder injury news, Chris McCosky of the Detroit News reported that Wenceel Pérez was injured after Tuesday night’s game after a plyo band — basically a bungee cord used for workouts — hit him in the face. No word on whether it was his own or someone else’s. We thought nothing could surprise us anymore this season, but the creativity on display is unmatched.
Colt Keith missed Tuesday’s game due to wrist discomfort, but he was back in the lineup today.
On this day in 1579, Francis Drake claimed modern-day California for England. The most recent episode of Map Men, in its hilariously British-humour kind of way, tries to answer the question of who circumnavigated the Earth first, Drake or Ferdinand Magellan (spoiler: neither, probably). Both those voyages sounded pretty miserable.
Jun 17, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Phillies starting pitcher Andrew Painter (24) stands on the mound against the Miami Marlins in the first inning at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Ross-Imagn Images | Kyle Ross-Imagn Images
It was a semi-getaway day for the Phillies and Marlins and after getting embarrassed a bit by the Phillies the previous two games, Miami came out swinging. On the day, they battered Andrew Painter and the rest of the Phillies’ pitching staff, putting up twelve runs on thirteen hits. It started early
The Phillies got a good day from Trea Turner (three hits on the day), Alec Bohm and Bryson Stott (two hits each) on offense, but it just wasn’t enough. Even after Painter departed, the bullpen also had a rough day. Tanner Banks allowed four runs in his inning of work, Orion Kerkering was a bit shaky and it got so bad, Garrett Stubbs was called upon to pitch in the ninth even though he was catching start the day.
But the big story was and is Andrew Painter.
Andrew Painter still has a viable path to being an MLB starter, especially with his willingness to mix pitches lately.
But it starts with finding a fastball he can execute at a high level with some degree of nastiness. Whether it's a Sinker or Cut Fastball, he needs it. pic.twitter.com/8vxNoGy3Ga
The fastball is just complete garbage right now, his command is sketchy at best and to be as kind as possible, his spot on the team is just nowhere near as guaranteed as it was when the season started.
The Phillies have bullpen action in the second inning as Andrew Painter once again is getting hit around. The rookie's spot in the rotation is tenuous.
You can almost feel the lack of confidence exuding off Painter when he’s on the mound, the lack of trust in his fastball something of an issue. Yes it takes players varying amounts of time to recover from a Tommy John surgery like Painter had, but he simply doesn’t look as though he belongs at the major league level.
Even it means making a move to Bryse Wilson or Alan Rangel, Andrew Painter needs to be sent down to Lehigh Valley, for the betterment of him as a pitcher and the betterment of the team.
They cannot continue to run him out there, back to back, with a struggling Aaron Nola as well. It’s taxing on the bullpen and taxing on the team as well. There has to be some consideration for the group as a whole and whether or not he puts them in the position to win. Right now, he does not.
The Phillies will be fine as a whole, but Andrew Painter? He’s bad right now.
