For the third time this month, the Detroit Tigers have won a series against a first-place team — this time, a three-game sweep of the Chicago White Sox at Comerica Park punctuated by a 5-4 walk-off victory in extra innings on Sunday afternoon. The win bumped AJ Hinch and Co.’s home record to a robust 21-16 overall and 11-6 in June.
There is still a way to go before the team is back in the wild card race, but at least they no longer inhabit the American League Central cellar, which is now occupied by the Kansas City Royals.
The Motor City Kitties look to continue their home-field magic this week when the New York Yankees come to town for a three-game series starting on Monday. With a series win, they can make it four over first-place teams as the Yanks have overcome the Tampa Bay Rays to hold the top spot in the AL East.
Opening things up on the mound for Detroit is left-hander Framber Valdez, who posted his eighth quality start of the season last time out on the road against the Houston Astros. The 32-year-old gave his team six frames of one-run ball — which was unearned — on six hits and three walks while striking out six in what turned out to be a 4-2 loss.
For the Yankees, right-hander Gerrit Cole will climb the hill looking to tame the Tigers in his sixth start of the year. The 35-year-old got a late start to the 2026 campaign as he worked back from Tommy John surgery, which he underwent in March 2025. Three of Cole’s five appearances so far were quality starts, while both of his non-QS came against the Cleveland Guardians.
Here is how Valdez and Cole match up on Monday evening.
Detroit Tigers (33-44) vs. New York Yankees (46-30)
Time (ET): 6:10 p.m. Place: Comerica Park, Detroit, Michigan SB Nation Site:Pinstripe Alley Media: Detroit SportsNet, MLB.TV, Tigers Radio Network
Game 78: LHP Framber Valdez (3-5, 4.09 ERA) vs. RHP Gerrit Cole (2-1, 2.57 ERA)
Dodgers pitcher Eric Lauer delivers during a win over the Tampa Bay Rays on June 15. Lauer credits the Dodgers with aiding his development as a pitcher. (Eric Thayer / Los Angeles Times)
The Dodgers won the World Series last year, and the year before that. Their lead is the largest in any division this year. That success, and the money that nourishes it, has battalions of fans beyond Los Angeles all but marching outside ballparks with picket signs reading “SALARY CAP NOW.”
It’s a reasonable thought: The Dodgers can’t possibly keep winning if they can’t keep outspending the competition.
Or can they?
“There are a lot of little things that happen behind the scenes that people don’t see,” pitcher Will Klein said. “I understand where people are coming from. It’s easy to be a fan of a smaller team and get mad at other teams outspending you.
“But I think there’s a level of care here, and wanting to win, that exceeds other groups.”
The obvious disclaimer: Any team would be better with Shohei Ohtani and Freddie Freeman and Mookie Betts and Yoshinobu Yamamoto, at a combined price of $1.6 billion. The counter argument: The Angels had Ohtani and Mike Trout and, well, you know.
It takes a roster. In Klein and pitcher Eric Lauer, the Dodgers have done something they do well besides spend: develop valuable contributors out of players discarded by other teams.
The Dodgers grabbed Lauer last month, desperate to fill a hole in their starting rotation. The Toronto Blue Jays had cut him, and he would be joining his seventh major league organization. The logical thought: The Dodgers had found a healthy arm to eat up some innings until they could find someone better.
That still might happen. But Lauer, who is scheduled to start Monday, has put up a 3.22 earned-run average in four starts with the Dodgers. Four starts is a small sample size, but in that time, Lauer is a career league-average pitcher performing 28% above league average.
“They got me immediately,” Lauer said. “They figured me out right away, and they knew exactly what was going to help me.”
For Lauer, the changes affected his delivery, but the specifics were not as important as finding a kindred spirit in Connor McGuiness, the Dodgers’ assistant pitching coach.
“I’ve always had a really hard time explaining myself and what I do, because I think a little differently,” Lauer said.
“When I was with the Brewers, it was running joke that it was ‘the language of Lauer,’ because I would describe things so differently and feel things so differently that, if you weren’t close to me and you didn’t know how I operate, it was very hard to understand what I was trying to do.
“Connor just immediately got it. It was like he’s been speaking it forever.”
At one point in his career, Lauer said, he struggled to explain the sensation of catching his heel on the mound as he completed his delivery toward home plate.
“I would describe it as, ‘I was falling backwards and I would catch myself,’ and it’s a really weird concept to think somebody was falling backwards when it doesn’t look like you’re falling at all,” he said. “It looks like you’re just moving forward.
“So they were like, ‘That’s not what you’re doing’ and I was like, ‘That’s what I’m feeling.’ We have to make the connection between the feel and the real so that we can understand each other.”
Klein, who joined his fourth organization when the Dodgers acquired him in a minor league trade last June, is in his first full major league season. He has a 2.37 ERA, and his 0.7 wins above replacement is better than any Dodgers reliever besides veteran closer Tanner Scott.
Klein said other teams had made suggestions on how to improve his game, and with the Dodgers, he has added a sweeper and dumped a slider. But what he needed to do most was throw more strikes, trusting that his lively fastball and curve were good enough to beat the best players in the world.
In the minors, Klein issued 6.9 walks per nine innings. This season, he has issued 3.6 walks per nine innings.
The credit, he said, should be shared with the Dodgers’ mental skills coaches.
“It’s easy to see the guys in the batter’s box, especially when you come up watching baseball and being fans of these guys,” Klein said. “It’s easy to see them being above yourself.
“But you’re on the mound with them, so you have to see that too. There’s a lot on the mental side that’s helped me here.”
Dodgers pitcher Will Klein delivers against the Tampa Bay Rays at Dodger Stadium on June 16. (Eric Thayer / Los Angeles Times)
The Dodgers did not include Klein on their postseason roster for the first three rounds last year, but he said coaches at all levels — in the majors, at triple-A and at the Arizona training complex — never stopped checking in on him, during the season and throughout October.
“When you’re down there, they don’t forget about you up here,” he said. “That kind of commitment and care was levels above what I had experienced.”
When the Dodgers added him to the World Series roster, Klein saved the season, with four scoreless innings to close out an 18-inning victory in Game 3.
Lauer called the communication in the Dodgers’ organization “miles ahead” of any other organization in which he has played.
“The training room, the weight room, the coaching staff, the players to each other,” he said. “Every form of communication is so seamless. Everybody knows what’s going on all the time. There’s no gray area.
“It’s all: ‘This is the plan, this is what we want to happen, this is how we’re going to make it happen,’ instead of: ‘This is the plan, this is what we want to happen, figure out a way to make it happen.’”
Klein raved about how the Dodgers treat player families, and about a high-tech pitching machine so lifelike that he could see what it would be like to bat against him. Lauer reflected on his experience as a first-round pick turned journeyman who went to South Korea to revive his career.
“I have a hard time saying anybody has done a better or faster job of helping me than the Dodgers,” Lauer said.
What Lauer and Klein say substantially echoes what Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman said at last year’s World Series about turning the team into a preferred destination for players, and not just because the team wins and spends.
“Communication, being honest, having a really strong player development group in place at the major-league level, and how you treat families and treat the players,” Friedman said then, “I think matters a lot in that.”
To be clear: There is no indication the players’ union is willing to consider, let alone approve, a salary cap.
But, if that were to happen, Klein believes the Dodgers would be just fine.
“Our owners want to win, so they want to get the best product on the field, so they go and spend money,” he said, “and then everyone is mad that they want to win.
“I think they’ll find ways to win more if they can’t spend as much money. Friedman was with the Rays when they weren’t spending as much money and still had success there.
“I think they’re just better at wanting to win than some other people.”
PHILADELPHIA, PA - JUNE 20: Bryce Harper #3 of the Philadelphia Phillies celebrates on third base after hitting for his first career cycle with a two-run triple in the fifth inning during the game between the New York Mets and the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park on Saturday, June 20, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Rob Tringali/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
No starter named as of yet for tonight’s game, but I’ll bet that we see Alan Rangel throw some bulk innings for the team with Kyle Backhus returning to open the game and face James Wood.
Phillies have DFAd Bryse Wilson and optioned Max Lazar to Triple A. Kyle Backhus will be active tomorrow. Phillies haven’t announced yet, but Alan Rangel looks like a good bet for some innings.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - JUNE 21: Blaze Alexander #23 of the Baltimore Orioles celebrates his two-run home run with Leody Taveras #30 during the eighth inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium on June 21, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Ryan Sirius Sun/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Hello, friends.
The confusing Orioles have done it again. They wrapped up their weekend series against the MLB-best Los Angeles Dodgers, who also happen to be two-time defending champions, by putting a 12-1 thumping on their opponent. They head to a different part of the metro area to face the AL-worst Angels with a series victory under their belts. They blew Friday’s game while looking like a team that could surely lose 100 games and battled back from that, staving off another almost-morale-draining loss on Saturday before delivering the Sunday beatdown for the series win.
As I listened to the Orioles radio broadcast wrapping up the win, Brett Hollander commented that the Orioles have been on the verge of grasping momentum a number of times this season and they have never quite managed to actually do it. Here they are again, with a real chance to do it. They can feel good about themselves after what they did against the Dodgers overall, even if we still feel bad about them losing that Friday game, and they only have to keep their foot on the gas against the Angels to keep the momentum going.
One thing I keep coming back to is that they’ve yet to win more than three games in a row. Five different times this year, they’ve won three straight and failed to stack a fourth. Right now, they haven’t even won three in a row! They just won the last two against the Dodgers. Maybe they’ll play well tonight against the Angels – it’s another late night game, a 9:38 start, hopefully a better version of Kyle Bradish shows up. If they do that, maybe they’ll make it three in a row. Then they’d still have to win Tuesday to get four.
The Dodgers had not lost consecutive games in more than a month before the Orioles did this to them over the weekend! It is not a meaningless thing that the Orioles managed to win the last two games of the series over this weekend.
A frustrating thing about the 2026 Orioles is this never quite grasping momentum. Another way I’ve seen it put stands out to me from The Baltimore Banner’s Jon Meoli, who remarked that the team keeps getting back up after it gets knocked down, but they’d be a lot better off if they stopped getting knocked down in the first place. They sure would! They are just good enough and resilient enough to battle back after disappointment. They aren’t good enough to avoid the disappointment. This year, that keeps you in the AL Wild Card race, at least up til now.
I still think they need to find a strong run later to make it. The only thing stopping them from being in the middle of doing that right now is… them. Perhaps most likely the bullpen, though there are also questionable parts of the rotation, and the offense remains enigmatic in the aggregate. It is nice to see so many players surging who struggled early on. We are going to need to see a couple more guys join that club to really solidify the possibility of a strong stretch of play.
Dean Kremer and Cade Povich start rehab assignments (Baltimore Baseball) These guys have been out for long enough that they should probably get the full length allowed for rehab assignments. It’s easier to imagine Kremer reclaiming his spot than Povich right now.
Today in 2022, Austin Hays hit for the cycle against the Nationals, managing to do so in a game that was called off in the sixth inning due to rain. The most recent cycle for the Orioles came when Cedric Mullins got his on May 12, 2023.
One current Oriole has a birthday today. Happy 31st to Tyler O’Neill. There are also former Orioles who were born on this day. They are: 2018 infielder Engelb Vielma, 2001 outfielder Willie Harris, 1996 pitcher Brian Sackinsky, 1978 outfielder Mike Anderson, and 1961-67 outfielder Russ Snyder. Today is Snyder’s 92nd birthday, so an extra happy birthday to him.
Is today your birthday? Happy birthday to you as well! Your birthday buddies for today include: explorer George Vancouver (1757), soldier and author Erich Maria Remarque (1898), author Octavia Butler (1947), actress Meryl Streep (1949), singer-songwriter Cyndi Lauper (1953), basketball Hall of Famer Clyde Drexler (1962), and pro football Hall of Famer Kurt Warner (1971).
On this day in history…
In 1633, Galileo Galilei was forced by the Catholic Church to recant his accurate statement that the Earth orbits the sun, rather than the other way around.
In 1812, Napoleon’s France declared war on Russia. This did not turn out to be a good idea for him.
In 1941, Nazi Germany initiated Operation Barbarossa, a surprise attack and invasion against Russia, with whom it had a non-aggression pact. Over a longer timeframe than Napoleon’s invasion of Russia, this did not turn out to be a good idea for the invaders.
In 1969, a section of the Cuyahoga River in Cleveland caught fire, with one factor being the amount of pollution in the water. This is one of the substantial stories that led to the creation of the Environmental Protection Agency.
**
And that’s the way it is in Birdland on June 22. Have a safe Monday. Go O’s1
Jun 20, 2026; Cumberland, Georgia, USA; Milwaukee Brewers shortstop Cooper Pratt (12) reacts with catcher William Contreras (24) after scoring a run against the Atlanta Braves during the seventh inning at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images | Dale Zanine-Imagn Images
Last Week’s Results
Tuesday: Brewers 2, Guardians 1
Wednesday: Brewers 9, Guardians 4
Thursday: Guardians 4, Brewers 2
Friday: Braves 3, Brewers 2
Saturday: Braves 4, Brewers 3
Sunday: Brewers 9, Braves 4
Division Standings
Brewers 46-29
Cardinals 41-34 (5.0 GB)
Cubs 40-37 (7.0 GB)
Pirates 39-39 (8.5 GB)
Reds 37-39 (9.5 GB)
Last Week
Brewers: 3-3
Cardinals: 3-3
Cubs: 3-3
Pirates: 3-3
Reds: 4-2
Top Pitching Performance of the Week
As usual, the Brewers got good starts this week from Jacob Misiorowski and Kyle Harrison. But I’m going to give the week’s Brew Crew Ball honor to Robert Gasser, the only starter who pitched twice this week. On Tuesday, Gasser went 5 2/3 innings, allowed only two hits, and didn’t allow a run in a game the Brewers won 2-1. On Sunday in Atlanta, Gasser was gifted an early lead and pitched to six solid innings in which he allowed two runs on four hits and matched a season high with seven strikeouts. In total, Bobby Gas had a 1.54 ERA with 12 strikeouts, allowing three walks and six hits in 11 2/3 innings.
Robert Gasser tied his career high for innings and strikeouts today in a 97-pitch outing: Six innings, four hits, two runs, one walk, seven strikeouts. Bidding for his first win since his second Major League start on May 15, 2024.
It wasn’t an especially explosive week for the Brewer offense, which scored three runs or fewer in four of six games. But there are a couple of people worth mentioning: William Contreras, on the back of a four-hit Sunday, hit .350 with a .935 OPS in 20 at-bats. Andrew Vaughn had a smaller workload but led the team in OPS after going 4-for-12 with two doubles and three walks. Sal Frelick, working on turning around a poor start to the season, went 4-for-11 (.364) with two doubles and four RBI.
But for the sake of the big picture, I’m going to give this week’s honor to the new guy, Cooper Pratt. Pratt will still encounter his struggles this year, surely, but given that he was expected to start as a low-offense, high-defense guy, he couldn’t have asked for a better start at the plate. Pratt is still looking for his first extra-base hit, but he went 7-for-19 (.368), knocked in a couple of runs, and walked twice. More importantly, he doesn’t really look overmatched.
The week’s biggest injury news was not good: it was determined that Quinn Priester, who has been dealing with thoracic outlet syndrome since spring training, will need season-ending surgery. He’ll be out 8-10 months, giving him a chance of being ready for spring training next season.
In happier injury news, Brandon Woodruff made a successful rehab appearance for High-A Wisconsin on Tuesday, and it was announced that his next appearance will come in the majors. He is expected to start against the Reds on Monday.
Before Tuesday’s game, last weekend’s news that Pratt was being promoted became official. To make space on the roster, Luis Rengifo was designated for assignment. If he goes unclaimed and the Brewers are unable to make a trade, he has accrued enough service time that he can refuse an assignment to Triple-A Nashville and become a free agent.
The San Francisco Giants are on the verge of a low they haven't reached since 2018.
And that doesn't even include their myriad off-field dramas.
The Giants were swept in three games at Miami this past weekend and once again fell 15 games below .500, at 31-46. They haven't been 16 games underwater since the final day of the 2018 season.
The Giants are also firmly ensconced at No. 29 in USA TODAY Sports' power rankings - and No. 30 Colorado isn't too far from dropping them to the cellar. While the Giants franchise is known for its June swoons, this one is unique.
The club has lost five of eight games since starting pitcher Landen Roupp and two relievers scrawled a Bible verse on their caps on the Giants' Pride night, a story that grew into more than a weeklong news cycle, despite the pitchers claiming they simply want to "play ball."
But that's not going so hot either. Rafael Devers publicly protested his removal from their Sunday, June 21 game at Miami by wagging his finger at manager Tony Vitello and then cursing into his helmet; shortly thereafter, the Giants hit into a game-ending double play. Adrian Houser, one of Buster Posey's offseason pitching signings, is ticketed for the bullpen and not happy about it.
And the Giants are on pace for 65 wins, fewest since 2017. This might not be bottom, either.
NEW YORK, NY - JUNE 21: Home plate umpire Nic Lentz stands in position in the first inning during the game between the Cincinnati Reds and the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium on Sunday, June 21, 2026 in New York, New York. (Photo by Daniel Shirey/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
For whatever reason, the Yankees just haven’t been able to shake the Reds of all teams. Since MLB changed its schedule to allow all teams to play at least one series against each other on an annual basis in 2022, the Yankees have now lost four of five series to the Reds, who even at their best this decade have only been fringe NL Wild Card contenders. The lone series win came in 2023, a Yankees sweep despite being at their most recent nadir. Go figure. The primary culprit this time around was a 2-for-32 series with runners in scoring position — though that hasn’t generally been an issue for the Yankees in 2026.
Now, the Yankees will play a slightly resurgent Tigers club, who just swept the White Sox and are 11-6 in June following a dreadful May that almost put them out of the mix entirely. Sam will preview the three-game set from Detroit that kicks off tonight, Kevin will run through the Rivalry Roundup, and Jeff will celebrate the 147th birthday of an original Yankee from the 1903 team. Later on, Madison will put out the call for your mailbag questions.
Also, in case you missed it, check out this survey I put in the Feed last night about Giancarlo Stanton. I’ll be curious about your thoughts!
Today’s Matchup
New York Yankees vs. Detroit Tigers
Time: 6:10 p.m. EST
TV: YES Network, Detroit SportsNet
Venue: Comerica Park, Detroit, MI
Questions/Prompts:
1. How much of the Yankees’ play over the past couple days is more concerning and how much is it simply “That’s baseball, Suzyn?”
2. Did you watch any of the U.S. Open this weekend and Wyndham Clark’s win at Shinnecock?
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - JUNE 21: Bryce Harper #3 of the Philadelphia Phillies celebrates after hitting a solo home run in the fifth inning during a game against the New York Mets at Citizens Bank Park on June 21, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Phillies won 6-2. (Photo by Hunter Martin/Getty Images) | Getty Images
It’s always nice to beat the Mets.
It’s even nicer to beat them in back to back games.
It’s even nicer to beat them by hitting home runs and pitching well like they did Sunday night. Playing the game on Sunday Night Baseball for a national audience, the offense clicked into gear yet again, riding the wave of home runs from Kyle Schwarber and Bryce Harper to take the series from New York.
The scoring started in the first when Mets starter David Peterson walked the first two hitters in the lineup, struck out Harper, then allowed an infield single to Alec Bohm. On that single, Brett Baty threw the ball away, allowing Trea Turner to score the opening run. Edmundo Sosa followed that with an infield single to score Schwarber and the Phillies had a 2-0 lead by hitting the ball a total of about 120 feet.
Zack Wheeler settled in nicely, even if he was a bit off with his command. He had a jam in the second when he allowed singles to lead off the inning by Jared Young and A.J. Ewing, but retired the next three batters in order. That allowed the Phillies to tack on in their half of the inning when Bryson Stott and Turner singled with one out for Schwarber.
A second night in a row with a monster shot and the lead was at five. Wheeler would give one back in the third when emerging pest Carson Benge homered on an opposite field shot to cut the score to 5-1. The Mets might have started a rally later when Juan Soto hit a ball that he believed was a perfect opportunity to stretch into a double, but Derek Hill gunned him down with relative ease.
Juan Soto tried to stretch a single to a double down four and was thrown out by a mile pic.twitter.com/SH4jU5uD8z
New York threatened yet again in the sixth when Wheeler walked the bases loaded with one out before a visit from Don Mattingly. The ace was left in the game to try and get a double play, but only managed to get one out on a force out, giving the Mets another run, but keeping runners on the corners for Marcus Semien. Jonathan Bowlan was summoned from the bullpen to put the fire out and did so with ease, striking Semien out and ending the threat.
From there, the Phillies’ bullpen trio of Jose Alvarado, Orion Kerkering and Jhoan Duran doused any other flames and gave the Phillies a win to send them seven games over .500. They’ll head to Washington for an interesting showdown with one of the top offenses in the game.
NEW YORK, NY - JUNE 21: Austin Wells #28 of the New York Yankees takes the field prior to the game between the Cincinnati Reds and the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium on Sunday, June 21, 2026 in New York, New York. (Photo by Daniel Shirey/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
New York Daily News | Peter Sblendorio: Austin Wells made his return yesterday after a two-week stint on the IL due to cervical headaches. Wells went 0-for-2 and was lifted in the sixth inning, but said he felt good about his first day back. “I felt solid,” Wells said afterward. “I saw the ball well, so I feel good.” The Yankees are relying on better health getting Wells back to his prior standards. Though he’s never been a great hitter in the majors, Wells combined fringe-average offense with quality defense at catcher over his first few seasons, before cratering to a 50 OPS+ in his first 47 games this year.
In some good injury news (also in the Sblendorio article), Trent Grisham appears to be progressing well in his recovery from a hamstring injury. The center fielder performed agility drills on the field yesterday ahead of the Yankees’ 4-1 loss to the Reds. “We’re really encouraged by how well he’s doing,” Aaron Boone said. Grisham missing minimal time would be a boon to a Yankee offense that, though it’s done well on the whole since Aaron Judge went down, could use a little more depth.
New York Post | Dan Martin: The Yankees have been deploying Jasson Domínguez in right field in light of Aaron Judge’s injury, and the Martian is still a work in progress out there. He’s made a couple nice plays, but also had some adventures, overrunning a ball on Friday night, while also having trouble with a fly ball down the line yesterday. The Yankees have high hopes for Domínguez, who they hope will adapt to the new position. “I’m very confident in him feeling very comfortable quickly,’’ outfield instructor Luis Rojas said. “Obviously, you want more experience for him there. Our right field [at Yankee Stadium] plays a lot different than a lot of other places in the big leagues, but with his tools… I think it’s gonna work well for him.”
Bryan Hoch via X/Twitter: For the second time this month, J.C. Escarra will likely see a quick return to the majors following a demotion. The Yankees optioned him when Wells was activated from the IL, choosing to keep Ali Sánchez as the backup catcher. However, Sánchez will soon go on the paternity list, opening the door for Escarra to report back to the team — though there will again be a clock ticking on how long that will last. Escarra was optioned with a .188/.239/.271 triple slashand a a 42 OPS+ in 32 games.
PHILADELPHIA — Francisco Lindor’s next stop could be Citi Field but perhaps not to rejoin the Mets roster just yet.
After the shortstop played in a rehab game for Triple-A Syracuse on Sunday, manager Carlos Mendoza indicated there is a possibility Lindor will play in a simulated game before the Mets open their series against the Cubs on Monday — serving the purpose of giving Lindor back-to-back “games” given the minor league schedule is dark.
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The earliest Lindor would likely play for the Mets is Wednesday — he would receive a day off after the back-to-back outings.
Mendoza was encouraged that Lindor, who is rehabbing a right calf strain that has kept him sidelined since April 22, played a full game for Syracuse. Lindor played a rehab game for Double-A Binghamton on Friday before receiving a day off Saturday.
“He’s getting close,” Mendoza said before the Mets lost 6-2 to the Phillies on Sunday night.
Mets Francisco Lindor reacts in the dugout in the eighth inning against the Cincinnati Reds at Citi Field, Monday, May 25, 2026, in Queens, NY. Corey Sipkin for the NY POST
Mendoza gave Luis Torrens a second straight start at catcher with Francisco Alvarez as the DH, allowing the Mets to play their best defensive option behind the plate while keeping Alvarez’s higher-upside bat in play. Torrens went 1-for-3 with a strikeout while Alvarez was 0-for-4 with three strikeouts.
Luke Weaver has a 20-inning scoreless streak over his previous 18 appearances. Over that stretch, he allowed 10 hits with four walks and 25 strikeouts.
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Knicks broadcaster Mike Breen will throw out a ceremonial first pitch before Monday’s game at Citi Field. The Yonkers native and Fordham alum — a longtime Mets fan — has been the voice of the NBA Finals for the past two decades.
Sunday was the 62nd anniversary of Jim Bunning’s Father’s Day perfect game for the Phillies against the Mets at Shea Stadium.
Austin Wells was behind the plate for the Yankees for the first time Sunday since hitting the injured list with cervical headaches.
The catcher went 0-for-2 with a strikeout, but both Wells and manager Aaron Boone are confident that his ability to work on his approach at the plate while on a rehab stint with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre will be beneficial.
The Yankees hoped the time in the minors might serve as something of a “reset” for Wells, according to Boone.
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Wells has continued to wear a one-piece face mask, which resembles a hockey goaltender’s mask, instead of the more traditional two-piece mask he’d worn throughout his career.
He made the switch shortly before being sidelined and used it in the minors.
While rehabbing, Wells said he took “one or two” foul balls off the helmet and noticed an improvement from his previous headgear.
He also hasn’t experienced any more headaches, which he hopes are behind him.
The Yankees certainly could use more offense from the catcher position, since Wells, J.C. Escarra and Ali Sánchez have mostly struggled.
Escarra was optioned to SWB after Saturday’s game, as the Yankees preferred to keep the righty-hitting Sánchez around with several left-handed pitchers lined up to face them in the coming week — including Framber Valdez and Tarik Skubal in Detroit.
New York Yankees catcher Austin Wells (28) reacts during the fourth inning against the Cleveland Guardians at Yankee Stadium on June 2. Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images
Boone added that Sánchez and his wife are expecting, which could lead to Sánchez landing on the paternity list and a return of Escarra.
“Ali has earned some opportunities,’’ said Boone, who’s been impressed with Sánchez’s work on defense, as well.
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Gerrit Cole, originally scheduled to start Sunday, was pushed back to Monday in Detroit, as the Yankees looked to give their rotation a break in the middle of a 16-day stretch without an off day.
Cole has made five starts since returning from Tommy John surgery and said he feels good and the extra day was the team’s suggestion.
“It’s not that big a deal,” Cole said, adding it didn’t impact his preparation between starts.
The Yankees felt that with Cole, along with Carlos Rodón, coming back from elbow surgeries, and young pitchers like Cam Schlittler and Will Warren in the rotation, a break was beneficial.
Yankees pitcher Gerrit Cole (45) throws a pitch during the first inning when the New York Yankees played the Chicago White Sox Tuesday, June 16, 2026. Robert Sabo for NY Post
The transition of Carlos Lagrange to the bullpen — at least for now — continued Sunday, with the right-hander tossing a scoreless inning for SWB. He hit 100 mph twice in the outing as the Yankees prepare him to pitch as a reliever for the rest of this season.
The Yankees have said they want him to be able to pitch on back-to-back days before bringing him to The Bronx, which he still hasn’t done, but it’s becoming clearer that Lagrange will likely be part of a new-look bullpen with the Yankees fairly soon.
Trent Grisham has been doing on-field agility drills, and Boone said he’s “encouraged” by how the center fielder is recovering from a right hamstring strain.
“Maybe a little surprised he’s moving as well as he is,” Boone said.
Without Grisham, they used José Caballero in center after some pinch-hitting moves in the bottom of the sixth, and he was slow to get to Spencer Steer’s grounder up the middle and then threw wildly, which allowed Steer to get to third.
David Peterson struggled again during the Mets' loss to the Philadelphia Phillies, and manager Carlos Mendoza acknowledged they'll need to have conversations about the starting rotation.
New York lost the rubber match of its three-game road set Sunday, 6-2, with the left-hander allowing four earned runs in four innings.
"Right out of the gate, there were a couple of walks that ended up hurting him," Mendoza lamented, referring to Peterson issuing free passes to Trea Turner and Kyle Schwarber in the bottom of the first.
Both Turner and Schwarber came around to score in the inning thanks to two infield singles.
The skipper also felt that Peterson "was inconsistent with the two-seamer execution, and [the Phillies] got him."
Philadelphia's 2-0 lead ballooned to 5-0 the very next inning, when Schwarber tomahawked a slider which hung up and inside for a three-run homer.
"[Peterson] tried to go inside, but didn't get inside enough," Mendoza said of the game's most impactful moment.
Peterson reflected on that at-bat, stating "I made a good pitch to Schwarber, it was where I wanted it to go, but gotta tip the cap."
The southpaw did battle back after digging the early hole, at one point retiring eight straight Phillies batters.
"I felt like myself, pounding the zone, getting the ball on the ground, getting some strikeouts and whiffs," Peterson explained postgame.
When asked whether he expects to get the starting nod for his next turn in the rotation, Peterson replied, "My job, regardless of the role, is to put good work in and be ready when I'm given the ball."
"I'll get back home, talk to [Mendoza] about the plan going forward and go from there," he concluded.
From Mendoza's perspective, especially with Christian Scott and Clay Holmes still out injured, the Mets have no other choice but to band together and find ways to win, regardless of what the starting rotation looks like.
"There's no other way to look around it. These are the guys that we're counting on, and we need to help them."
However, the manager did concede that the current results on the mound aren't cutting it, and a shakeup could be in the works.
"We have no off-days, so people need to step up. We'll have conversations. We expect more out of them."
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Kyle Schwarber and Bryce Harper each homered for the second straight game and the Philadelphia Phillies defeated the New York Mets 6-2 on Sunday night.
The Phillies duo followed up their historic night on Saturday in which Schwarber hit three home runs and Harper hit for the cycle, by both going deep against the Mets again.
Schwarber launched a second-deck blast, a three-run homer off of Mets starter David Peterson in the second inning, for his Major League-leading 29th home run.
Harper finished with three hits, which included a solo shot, his 17th this season, and a double, giving him five extra base hits in the last two games.
Zack Wheeler (7-1) pitched 5 2/3 innings and allowed two runs and four hits with seven strikeouts as the Phillies won the weekend series from New York.
Philadelphia scored a pair of runs in the first inning without hitting a ball out of the infield. Peterson walked Trea Turner and Schwarber before a one-out infield single by Alec Bohm. Turner scored on a throwing error by Brett Baty on the play and Edmundo Sosa followed with another infield single that drove in Schwarber.
Carson Benge hit a solo homer in the third inning. Peterson (3-6) allowed five runs on six hits across four innings. The Mets have dropped four of their last six games.
Up next
Mets RHP Kodai Senga (0-5, 9.00 ERA) starts Monday opposite Chicago Cubs LHP Shota Imanaga (4-6, 4.26) to kickoff a four-game series.
Philadelphia has not announced a starter for the opener of a four-game series against Washington on Monday. LHP Foster Griffin (7-2, 3.32 ERA) is scheduled to start for the Nationals.
After walking to open the bottom of the third, Volpe was picked off first by right-hander Chase Burns.
Volpe was originally called safe on the play, but Cincinnati challenged the call and it was overturned.
Even before the ruling, Volpe argued with first base umpire Brian O’Nora that first baseman Sal Stewart blocked his path back to the base with his foot.
“I had nowhere to go,” Volpe said of the play. “In spring training, at shortstop receiving throws [to second base], we try to be spot on with that rule. It’s not from us. The league tells us.”
Volpe’s argument fell on deaf ears.
“He told me he didn’t want to watch [the replay] on the screen,” Volpe said. “He said the throw took him there. It’s up to him.”
To make matters worse, Ben Rice followed with a home run to give the Yankees a one-run lead.
New York Yankees shortstop Anthony Volpe reacts after being picked off first base. Jason Szenes for the New York Post
“It’s a huge play in the game,” Volpe said. “It took a run off the board.”
The rule, Volpe added, also exists to help prevent injuries.
“You don’t want to mess up your shoulder sliding back into first,” the shortstop said.
Boone sympathized with Volpe but was not surprised by the outcome.
“By the letter of the law, he’s blocking the base,” Boone said. “Are you really gonna get that call very often? Probably not.”
The Yankees were still able to capitalize on Burns being slow to home plate to steal six bases — despite Burns having a good pickoff move. But their lack of hitting with runners in scoring position meant that none of those swipes led to a run.
The six stolen bases came from just three players, as Cody Bellinger, Jasson Domínguez and Jazz Chisholm Jr. each swiped a pair.
Only José Caballero was thrown out — and that’s because he overslid second base in the second inning and shortstop Edwin Arroyo kept the tag on him.
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The Yankees have stolen 80 bases this year, their most through 76 games since 2002.
But it wasn’t enough Sunday.
“As an infielder, you’ve got to be locked in on that rule,” Volpe said.
PHILADELPHIA — David Peterson barely gave his team a chance Sunday night, becoming the latest Mets starting pitcher to bury the team early.
Over the past week it’s a list that also included Kodai Senga and Freddy Peralta, both of whom also got knocked around early, creating a significant deficit. It’s getting too repetitive for the Mets.
On this night, Peterson surrendered five runs over the first two innings, sending the Mets to a 6-2 loss to the Phillies. The loss was their second straight, completing a 2-4 road trip.
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“It’s very tough to give up the lead right away,” Juan Soto said of the team’s starting pitching woes. “But it’s part of the game. We have just got to be better. We have got to play better baseball and go out there and execute.”
There isn’t much to like about the team, save for a bullpen that consistently gives the Mets a chance in close games. The Mets (34-43) just aren’t playing enough of them.
“The record is the record,” manager Carlos Mendoza said. “For us, [starting pitching] is where it starts. Our job as a coaching staff is to help these guys get through it.”
In just his latest clunker, Peterson lasted only four innings and allowed five runs (one unearned) on six hits and two walks with five strikeouts over four innings. In three appearances this month the lefty owns a 12.15 ERA. His ERA for the season is 6.09.
Peterson walked Trea Turner and Kyle Schwarber to begin his night before striking out Bryce Harper on a full-count pitch at his ankles. But Peterson still paid for the walks: Alec Bohm hit a grounder that went for an infield single, with Brett Baty’s errant throw bringing in the first run. Edmundo Sosa’s ensuing slow grounder to Bo Bichette went for an infield single, extending the Phillies lead to 2-0.
David Peterson delivers during the second inning of a baseball game against the Philadelphia Phillies, Sunday, June 21, 2026. AP Photo/Chris Szagola
“I wasn’t too pleased with walking the two guys, but after that I felt I made an adjustment, challenged them in the zone, got some ground balls and weak contact,” Peterson said. “Kind of the way I finished, I felt like myself.”
Bryson Stott and Turner singled in succession to start the second before Schwarber launched a three-run homer that buried the Mets in a 5-0 hole. It was the fourth homer of the series for Schwaber, who blasted three in the Phillies’ 15-3 victory a night earlier. Schwarber has 29 homers only 77 games into the Phillies’ schedule.
“We obviously have not put ourselves in a situation we want to be in, but it’s not for lack of effort or lack of commitment,” Peterson said. “I think it’s just 1-26 getting the job done. At the end of the day, do we come away with the win or loss, and that is something that we all need to focus on, whether it’s pretty or not.”
Mets outfielder Carson Benge (3) hits a home run against the Philadelphia Phillies in the third inning at Citizens Bank Park. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters ConnectPhillies’ Bryce Harper reacts to his solo home run during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the New York Mets, Sunday, June 21, 2026, in Philadelphia. AP Photo/Chris Szagola
Carson Benge’s homer against Zack Wheeler in the third cut the Phillies lead to 5-1. The homer was the rookie Benge’s ninth this season. The inning concluded with Soto thrown out at second base by plenty attempting to stretch a single into a double.
Harper hit a line drive into the right field seats leading off the fifth against Austin Warren to give the Phillies a 6-1 lead. A night earlier, Harper hit for the cycle for the first time in his career.
A.J. Ewing’s RBI fielder’s choice in the sixth cut the Mets deficit to 6-2. Ewing was the final batter faced by Wheeler, who left to a standing ovation. Wheeler loaded the bases on walks to Benge, Soto and Jared Young. The inning concluded with Marcus Semien striking out against Jonathan Bowlen.
“[Wheeler] is a really good pitcher, and the reason he’s really good is he’s able to limit damage,” Mendoza said. “In order to beat guys like that, not only do you have to create traffic, but you have got to hit. Against arms like that, they get the lead, and it’s going to be hard.”
