Nolan McLean had been dominant to begin his big-league career.
The Mets' young right-hander appears to have officially hit his first rough patch at the highest level, though, as he’s been extremely ineffective each of his last two times out.
The latest came on Monday afternoon, when McLean allowed runs in three straight innings and was pulled after failing to complete the top of the fourth in a series-opening loss to the Reds.
His once stellar ERA has quickly risen to 4.40 through 11 starts on the the season after allowing 16 runs (13 earned) on 13 hits and four walks over that two-outing span.
McLean and Carlos Mendoza explained postgame Monday that the struggles have been a combination of things.
“He’s having a hard time landing the secondary pitches,” the skipper said. “There’s a ton of movement side-to-side and not so much depth, and he’s getting into bad counts -- it comes down to execution.”
“It’s just bad pitching, honestly,” McLean added. “Getting behind in counts, not landing my off-speed pitches, and I’ve been hitting guys with two strikes -- I haven’t been pitching my best and I gotta be better.”
McLean felt that he did too much mound work this week trying to work through the issue, which led to him losing his legs after striking out the first three hitters he faced in order on Monday.
The 24-year-old right-hander will now use this as a learning point moving forward, trying to find that balance as he works to get things right ahead of his next turn out against the Marlins.
Mendoza and the Mets are confident that he'll be able to do just that.
“He’s a competitor,” Mendoza emphasized. “He’s not happy, but he’s going to keep going -- this is a guy who isn’t going to back down, he’s going to show up tomorrow, put his head down and get back to work -- he’s going to get back on track.”
A.J. Minter #33 of the New York Mets pitches during the game between the New York Mets and the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park on Saturday, April 26, 2025.
By now, A.J. Minter has become familiar with surgeries and recoveries. In 2024, it was for his hip. Before that, it was Tommy John and thoracic outlet syndrome procedures at Texas A&M. But this one — surgery to repair a torn lat last May and the yearlong recovery that followed — has been a “weird one,” even by Minter’s standards.
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It felt easy at first. Then, a rough patch followed. Minter didn’t want to rush the recovery process, and just when it seemed earlier this month that he was on the verge of finally returning, the Mets removed him from his rehab assignment due to hip discomfort.
Minter described the setback as “super minimum,” but after resuming and making his latest minor league appearance Sunday, his return could happen as early as Tuesday or Wednesday — though it’ll arrive with a lingering velocity question he’ll need to answer.
“It’s been a difficult one for sure,” Minter told The Post of his recovery before the Mets opened a series against the Reds. “Obviously, I would love to [have] been back sooner, but just kinda taking me a little bit to get back. But I do feel like I’m in a good space physically, mentally.”
A.J. Minter of the Mets pitches during the game between the New York Mets and the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park on Saturday, April 26, 2025. MLB Photos via Getty Images
It could be a different version of the 32-year-old — at least to start. He might not have the same velocity. His fastball averaged 94.5 mph in 2024 and 2025, but during his most recent appearance for Triple-A Syracuse, Minter maxed out at just 93.7 mph and hit only 90.7 on May 20.
He hopes that will change once he returns to an MLB environment. Manager Carlos Mendoza agreed and cited an example of how that was the case for Minter in spring training last year, though he also admitted that it could take time.
“He’s still gonna be able to compete with whatever he’s got,” Mendoza said. “The 91 [mph], 92, he’s got weapons to get righties and lefties. I’m not worried about it, but it’ll be something that I’m pretty sure it’ll be a topic, but like I said, I think he’s more than capable of competing with what he has right now.”
Compared to an invisible lineup and woeful starting pitching, the Mets bullpen hasn’t been a glaring concern, as the team collected the ninth-best ERA in the majors (3.46) entering Monday’s game.
But Minter, who recorded a 1.59 ERA across 12 minor league appearances this season, would serve as another lefty alongside Brooks Raley and demoted starter Sean Manaea.
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Minter has tried to avoid getting caught up in the velocity. He just wants to make hitters work and earn everything. And when that happens, when Minter makes a return that Mendoza said the lefty “can’t wait” for, it’ll cap a grueling journey back to the Mets bullpen that’s now more than a year in the making.
“Whether I’m throwing 92 or 97, I feel like I’m just gonna go out there and just attack the strike zone and see what happens,” Minter said.
MILWAUKEE, WI - MAY 23: Eric Lauer #33 of the Los Angeles Dodgers smiles on the field prior to the game between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Milwaukee Brewers at American Family Field on Saturday, May 23, 2026 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by Aaron Gash/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
ARLINGTON, Texas — Texas Rangers shortstop Corey Seager still had not resumed actual baseball activities Monday, the day that he could have been eligible to return from the injured list because of lower back inflammation.
Manager Skip Schumaker said the two-time World Series MVP went through some drills before the series opener against Houston but was “still probably a few days away” from batting practice or taking groundballs. Seager was mired in a career-worst 0-for-27 slump when put on the 10-day IL.
Seager wasn’t in the Rangers clubhouse when it was opened to reporters before the game.
Third baseman Josh Jung was out of the starting lineup for the second game in a row since banging his left shoulder hard on a diving defensive play Saturday. An MRI on Monday showed no significant issues in his non-throwing shoulder.
Jung tore the labrum in that shoulder during a weightlifting session just before the start of spring training in February 2022, seven months before his big league debut. He said he hadn’t felt any pain in that shoulder since then, which is was what concerned him.
Jung took some swings off the tee and went through his usual defensive routine Monday.
“I had zero range of motion left when I tore my labrum the first time,” he said. “I couldn’t lift my arm. I have full range of motion, and strength has been pretty good.”
Seager’s scratch and slump
The Rangers scratched a planned live batting practice session for Seager on Saturday, a day after he had jogged on the field and hit in the cage.
“I don’t know if it’s a setback,” Schumaker said. “I just think it hasn’t recovered as fast as we hoped for it.”
The 32-year-old Seager started 42 of the Rangers’ first 43 games, and said before the IL stint that physically he felt “completely fine.” He was hitless over his last seven games while playing 24 in a row over 27 days after his only previous game off April 16.
“We were monitoring and talking with him every day. ... I don’t think that was part of the deal,” Schumaker said. “He’s trying to get out of the slump that he was in. So I think there’s a lot of swings, and a dive up the middle, and I think all of it just kind of caught up to him a little bit.”
Seager last played May 13 at home against Arizona. Texas then had an off day and Seager was getting an extended break not playing in the series opener at Houston on May 15 before waking up with back spasms.
“So ironic that it was literally on the off day in Houston, and then here we are,” Schumaker said.
Seager has seven homers and 20 RBIs while hitting .179 — that average ranked 165th out of 170 qualified MLB hitters going into Monday’s game. In the fifth season of a $325 million, 10-year deal, Seager has 28 hits, 22 walks and 50 strikeouts in 182 plate appearances.
Langford and Smith updates
Left fielder Wyatt Langford, out since April 22 because of a right forearm strain, took BP in the cage Monday. If he continues to progress without any issues, he could take live BP and run bases by Friday and potentially begin rehab games next weekend.
Second baseman Josh Smith, after being hospitalized to be treated for viral meningitis, could be back at the ballpark in the next couple of days, according to Schumaker.
Smith was recovering from a right glute strain when he started feeling ill and was hospitalized. He hasn’t be around the team in nearly two weeks.
DENVER, CO - MAY 19: Tanner Gordon #29 of the Colorado Rockies pitches during the game between the Texas Rangers and the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field on Tuesday, May 19, 2026 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Ray Bahner/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Tanner Gordon will be looking to help the Rockies break a two-game losing streak and perform better than the last time he faced the Dodgers when he takes the mound for Colorado in the series-opening game in Los Angeles tonight.
After a solid 2026 debut, when he threw four scoreless innings against the Astros on April 15, Gordon has struggled. His second game came against the Dodgers when he gave up six runs on seven hits, including three homers, in four innings in a 12-3 loss on April 20 at Coors Field.
In seven starts, Gordon is 0-0 with a 6.59 ERA in 27.1 innings with 30 strikeouts, six walks and six homers. With Jose Quintana forced to leave Sunday’s game after 1.1 innings with elbow soreness and with him now headed to the IL, the Rockies could use a longer start from Gordon to give some relief to the bullpen.
The Rockies (20-34) are going through a rough May where they have put up a 6-16 record, including dropping five of their last six games. In their only showdowns with the Dodgers this season, Colorado split a four-game series against L.A. at Coors Field in April.
The Dodgers (33-20) are returning to Dodger Stadium after going 7-2 on their latest road trip against the Brewers, Padres and Angels. Emmet Sheehan (3-1, 4.93 ERA) will be on the mound for L.A. The 26-year-old RHP has given up nine home runs and 13 walks with 51 strikeouts in 45.2 innings in nine starts.
The Rockies faced Sheehan on April 18. In a 4-3 Rockies victory, Sheehan earned a no-decision when he surrendered two runs on four hits with four strikeouts and two walks in five innings.
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The Los Angeles Dodgers activated the fan favorite utilityman from the 60-day injured list on Monday, May 25 after Hernández missed the first 53 games of the season while recovering from offseason elbow surgery. Hernández is in the starting lineup and will make his 2026 debut against the Colorado Rockies.
Santiago Espinal was designated for assignment in a corresponding move, the Dodgers announced. Hernández will bat ninth in the order and gets the start at third base in place of Max Muncy, who was hit by a pitch on his right wrist in the Dodgers' 5-1 loss to the Milwaukee Brewers on Friday, May 22 and has missed the last two games.
"He'll bounce around, which he has the ability to do," manager Dave Roberts told reporters. "He'll play some third. He'll play some second. If there's an opportunity to spell somebody out there in the outfield, he might do that, too. He'll be available off the bench in pinch-hitting spots, but some of it depends on Max, how Max is feeling, and see how that goes."
Monday will mark Hernández's 10th season with the Dodgers in his 12-year big league career. Last October, he became the franchise's all-time leader in postseason appearances (92) as he hit .250 with nine runs, one home run and seven RBI in 17 playoff games as the Dodgers won their second consecutive World Series title.
"October Kiké" made arguably the biggest play of the season in the ninth inning of Game 6 of the Fall Classic when, with the tying runs in scoring position for the Toronto Blue Jays, he ran full sprint into shallow left field to snag a line drive from Andrés Giménez and immediately fired a dart to Miguel Rojas at second base, who scooped it for a game-ending double play to force a Game 7.
And, as everyone wouldn't find out until he announced it later on his Instagram, Hernández did it all on a torn muscle/extensor tendon in his left elbow.
"He's a tough competitor, tough player," Roberts told reporters. "And I don't think anyone appreciated just how severely injured he was. He was not gonna come out of the lineup and gave himself every opportunity to play, and then the pain that he was going through. That's kind of what makes him special."
Hernández, a free agent for most of the offseason, didn't re-sign with the Dodgers until Feb. 12 so that he could immediately be placed on the IL and not take up a spot on the 40-man roster. During that time in contract limbo, he played a key role in bringing closing pitcher Edwin Díaz to LA. Now, Hernández gets his chance to contribute on the field again.
"I know, just talking to him, he's excited to be back -- number one -- but also to be back healthy and be back competing again, playing again, getting active," Roberts told reporters. "Just getting his energy back, it's gonna be good for our group."
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - MAY 25: Nick Lodolo #40 of the Cincinnati Reds pitches during the third inning against the New York Mets at Citi Field on May 25, 2026 in the Queens borough of New York City. (Photo by Ishika Samant/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Cincinnati Reds looked perfectly miserable against New York Mets rookie Nolan McLean, at least in the Top of the 1st inning in the series opener at Citi Field. McLean breezed through the top of the Reds lineup by striking out the side to begin, with none of Blake Dunn, Elly De La Cruz, or JJ Bleday looking comfortable at all in the batter’s box.
Perhaps the Reds just needed to shake off some quick rust after being idle for three of the previous four days. Whatever it was, they flipped the switch shortly thereafter and eventually blasted the Mets prized rookie and the rest of their roster in a 7-2 win to begin their road trip.
Bleday later homered off McLean, Tyler Stephenson did, too, and that was more than enough to back the best start of Nick Lodolo’s blister-delayed 2026 season. The latter fired 6.0 IP of 6 H, ER, 0 BB, 7 K ball on 98 pitches, keeping New York’s offense completely off the board until a solo homer by Marcus Semien in the Bottom of the 6th.
For that, Lodolo takes home this game’s Joe Nuxhall Memorial Honorary Star of the Game award, something I certainly hope he does again another two-dozen times before the season’s end.
While Dunn and Elly struggled (0 for 9, 5 K) atop the order, it was the middle-back of the lineup that carried the offense on the day. Bleday homered, Eugenio Suarez went 2 for 3 with a walk, a double, and 2 runs scored, Nate Lowe walked twice, poked a soft double down the RF line, and scored, and Spencer Steer came up large with a key hit and drove in 3 on the day. That, of course, came before Stephenson in a Reds lineup that increasingly looks potent again with Ke’Bryan Hayes on the IL and TJ Friedl on the back of milk cartons all over the tri-state area.
It was an all-around excellent win, the Reds feasting on the Mets on a day when so much of Cincinnati spends feasting on metts. And the Reds now get to hand the ball to Chase Burns tomorrow in the second game of the series. That will commence at 7:10 PM ET, with the Reds with the serious upper-hand on paper.
Out of all the potential issues the Mets could face, this wasn’t supposed to be one of them. Nolan McLean was their constant. Their ace who could stabilize, solve everything and stop losing streaks single-handedly during his starts.
In an ideal world for the Mets, Carlos Mendoza wouldn’t have needed to walk to the mound in the fourth inning Monday and pull McLean after just 78 pitches.
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He wouldn’t have needed to turn to his bullpen that early. But after delivering the worst start of his career last week, McLean one-upped that on Memorial Day, lasting just 3 ¹/₃ innings in his shortest outing with the Mets, surrendering seven runs on five hits, walking two and hitting two more batters in the Mets’ 7-2 loss to the Reds at Citi Field.
“It’s just bad pitching, honestly,” McLean said, turning a question about his stretch and windup splits into a telling line that he hasn’t needed to utter much throughout his young career. “If I’m just gonna be straight up, I just haven’t been pitching my best, and I gotta be better.”
The usual issues appeared again for the Mets (22-32). They couldn’t manage to score more than two runs for the fifth consecutive game and now have their second four-game losing skid of the season. They made Reds starter Nick Lodolo, who entered with a 7.20 ERA, look like an All-Star. The boos at Citi Field were temporarily replaced by “Let’s go Knicks” chants.
Mets pitcher Nolan McLean (26) reacts after giving up a two-run RBI single to Cincinnati Reds left fielder Spencer Steer (7) in the fourth inning. Corey Sipkin for the NY POSTMets third baseman Bo Bichette (19) hits a single in the fifth inning. Corey Sipkin for the NY POST
“I mean, they’re all frustrating,” manager Carlos Mendoza said when asked if this current stretch was more frustrating after the Mets appeared to turn a corner. “Especially when you’re not playing well. They’re all the same, to be honest with you. Yeah, it sucks.”
But around all that, McLean tossed what he called a second uncompetitive start in a row. The 24-year-old mostly breezed through opponents last season and at the start of 2026, too, and that’s exactly what happened Monday for his first 18 pitches.
McLean struck out the side in the first inning, but he quickly unraveled after hitting Reds third baseman Sal Stewart. He eventually loaded the bases and watched as Cincinnati scored its first two runs when Spencer Steer grounded into a fielder’s choice and McLean threw a wild pitch.
Mets second baseman Marcus Semien (10) is greeted by his teammates in the dugout after he scored on his solo home run in the sixth inning. Corey Sipkin for the NY POST
Then, JJ Bleday crushed a homer over the right-center field fence in the third, before Steer connected on a two-run single the following frame and Tyler Stephenson launched a two-run homer on the first pitch after a mound visit. McLean has allowed 16 runs, with 13 earned, across his last nine innings, walking four batters and hitting four others.
He has struggled to land his secondary pitches while also getting into bad counts, McLean and Mendoza agreed. McLean also admitted that he dealt with fatigue early Monday — perhaps trying to get “a little bit too much after it” to fix what went wrong after his start against the Nationals last week, he said. When he cruised through the opening frame, Mendoza thought, “Oh, he’s on today,” but everything unraveled from there.
And all it takes — with these Mets and this offense — is one bad inning to sink them, let alone three from their ace strung together. Marcus Semien homered in the sixth as part of a two-hit day to give a lineup missing Juan Soto (illness) for a second consecutive day a temporary jolt. Carson Benge added an RBI groundout the following frame to score Brett Baty.
But that was it. The Mets, as they’ve done all season, had other chances and failed to convert. They had runners on first and third with two outs in the third, but Mark Vientos rolled over a pitch and grounded out. They had the same situation again in the fifth inning, but this time, Vientos struck out on a curveball that hit him.
On most occasions, McLean could bail out the Mets. He could deliver a gem — or at least give them a chance to win. The last thing the Mets need is another rotation problem. Clay Holmes and Kodai Senga are already injured. Sean Manaea and David Peterson have already been demoted at different points, though Peterson is slowly working his way back. Freddy Peralta has mostly underwhelmed.
And now, at the very least, they have a worrying trend with McLean.
“He’s gonna get back on track,” Mendoza said. “He’s got too good of stuff for this to keep going. … It just sucks it happens on back-to-back outings, especially in the middle of this stretch.”
The Mets lost their fourth straight game, falling to the Cincinnati Reds on Memorial Day, 7-2.
Here are the takeaways...
-- Nolan McLean came out firing and struck out the side in the first inning, but it was all downhill from there. The righty ended up allowing seven runs on five hits, including two home runs, with six strikeouts over 78 pitches into the fourth inning. His season ERA is now up to 4.40 after allowing 13 earned runs over his last two outings.
He hit Sal Stewart in the rib on an 88 mph changeup in the second inning and then loaded the bases on a single and walk. A run scored on a forceout as Bo Bichette's slow glove flip to second base caused a late throw to first. McLean then threw a wild pitch as the Reds took a 2-0 lead.
McLean nearly escape the third inning unscathed, but let up a solo home run to JJ Bleday with two outs that made it a 3-0 game. The right-hander allowed two more runs in the top of the fourth on Spencer Steer's single up the middle and then gave up a two-run homer to Tyler Stephenson as the Reds went up 7-0. McLean stayed in and plunked his second batter of the day before getting pulled from the game after 3.1 IP.
-- New York's hitting woes continued, failing to take advantage of runners in scoring position. Carson Benge was left stranded on second base in the second inning and Mark Vientos grounded out to end the third inning with runners on the corners.
The Mets found themselves in the same situation in the fifth inning and came up empty again, as Vientos struck out swinging on a ball that hit his leg. Overall, NY left eight on base and went 0-for-6 with RISP.
-- RHP Austin Warren cleaned up the mess in the fourth inning, getting the final two outs of the frame. He stayed in the game and tossed a scoreless fifth inning. Jonathan Pintaro entered in the sixth and made quick work of the Reds, retiring six straight through the seventh inning.
-- Marcus Semien got the Mets on the board with a solo home run in the sixth inning, cutting the deficit to 7-1. Brett Baty led off the bottom of the seventh inning with a double and scored on Benge's groundout, making it a 7-2 game.
-- Tyrone Taylor appeared to injure his right leg running out of the batter's box on a groundout in the sixth inning. He was replaced on defense in the seventh by MJ Melendez, who took over in LF with Nick Morabito moving to RF. The team later said Taylor left with right hip pain.
-- Bichette had three of the Mets' nine hits, going 3-for-4.
Game MVP: Nick Lodolo
The Reds' left-hander kept New York's bats quiet, tossing six strong innings. He allowed one run on six hits and struck out seven with no walks.
Los Angeles, CA - April 01: Los Angeles Dodgers first baseman Enrique Hernández (8) warms up prior to the start of a MLB game between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Cleveland Guardians at Dodger Stadium on Wednesday, April 1, 2026 in Los Angeles, CA. (Ronaldo Bolaños / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
The Dodgers activated infielder/outfielder Kiké Hernández off the 60-day injured list as expected on Monday, and he starts at third base in the series opener against the Colorado Rockies at Dodger Stadium. Santiago Espinal was designated for assignment, which created room on both the active and 40-man rosters for Hernández.
Espinal, signed to provide a right-handed bat off the bench who could play around the infield, started five games at third base and four games at second base. He played in 26 total games and batted 44 times, hitting .220/.238/.366 with three doubles and a home run.
He became a bit redundant with Hernández getting activated. The Dodgers could have also optioned the Hyeseong Kim, who has six hits in his last 40 at-bats with 16 strikeouts and four walks over his last 14 games. But instead they kept Kim around as an extra left-handed bat with excellent defense and plus-speed.
Nov 1, 2025; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; A detailed view of a Toronto Blue Jays hat in the sixth inning for game seven of the 2025 MLB World Series at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images | Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images
I’m sure you’ve heard the news:
Nathan Lukes back.
Davis Schneider to Buffalo.
Dylan Cease to IL.
Vlad day to day. Hoping he is back in the lineup tomorrow (but I wouldn’t be the house on it).
For the first time since José Caballero came off the injured list, Volpe started at shortstop and ended up saving the day, delivering a two-run single in the top of the ninth to lift the Yankees to a 4-3 win over the Royals in a Memorial Day matinee at Kauffman Stadium.
After Bobby Witt Jr. had put the Royals ahead with a solo shot off Jake Bird in the bottom of the eighth, the Yankees (32-22) staged a one-out rally capped by Volpe, who has gone from October shoulder surgery to losing his job to being optioned to Triple-A to coming back up and now making a consistent impact through his first nine games.
“It just felt great to contribute and help the team win — that’s all I’ve ever wanted to do,” Volpe said. “That was all I wanted to do when I was working and grinding to come back.
“You do it for this, for the guys. Everyone in this clubhouse does absolutely everything they can to come through and help the team win. I just feel like I’m one of the guys and everyone pushes me the same way I hope I push everyone else to do the exact same thing.”
Yankees’ Anthony Volpe waits for the pitch before hitting a two-run single during the ninth inning of baseball game against the Kansas City Royals, Monday, May 25, 2026. AP Photo/Charlie RiedelYankees left fielder Cody Bellinger, center, runs home to score after hitting a solo home run during the second inning of a baseball game against the Kansas City Royals, Monday, May 25, 2026. AP Photo/Charlie Riedel
After Volpe sat out the previous two games in favor of Caballero, they were both in Monday’s lineup against Royals righty Michael Wacha, who has reverse splits, with Caballero getting his first start at third base.
Sure enough, both played a key role in the win, with Caballero driving in Volpe on a single that made it a 2-0 game in the second inning and later ending the game with a strong play on a slow chopper to third base.
“I trust in both of those guys and who they are and their makeup and their toughness, that it doesn’t have to be one way or another in one game,” manager Aaron Boone said. “They were both in the middle of helping us win today.”
Fourteen straight Yankees had been retired before Paul Goldschmidt started the game-winning rally in the ninth with a broken-bat infield single off Royals closer Lucas Erceg. Jazz Chisholm Jr. came up next and roped a hustle double past the dive of first baseman Salvador Perez.
That set the stage for Volpe, and, with the infield in, he lofted a single over the head of Bobby Witt Jr. at shortstop to put the Yankees ahead.
Yankees pitcher Will Warren (29) pitches during the first inning against the Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
David Bednar then closed it out in the bottom of the ninth, working around a two-out walk, as the Yankees took the series opener from the Royals (22-32).
“Honestly, it was time to win the game,” said Chisholm, who tweaked his right ankle rounding first but said he was OK. “End of the game, we never quit, we never give in. We needed to win that game, so we just came together and did it.”
Anthony Volpe, left, and Jazz Chisholm Jr. celebrate after their baseball game against the Kansas City Royals, Monday, May 25, 2026, in Kansas City, Mo. AP Photo/Charlie Riedel
Bird was called on to relieve Brent Headrick with two outs and a runner on third in the bottom of the seventh inning and got out of that jam. But Boone stuck with Bird to face the heart of the Royals lineup in the bottom of the eighth and he hung a curveball to Witt, who clobbered it 432 feet to break a 2-2 tie.
Boone said Fernando Cruz was available “in a role,” but wanted either Bird or Camilo Doval in that spot because of the matchups.
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The bullpen had no margin for error, after another solid start from Will Warren (six innings, two runs), because the offense had trouble breaking out against Wacha. Cody Bellinger drilled a leadoff home run in the second inning before Caballero drove in Volpe for the two-run lead, but the Yankees stranded a runner at third base in each of the next two innings before getting shut down for a stretch.
That changed in the ninth, though, with Volpe playing hero and offering up his latest forget-me-not.
“He’s a dawg. He’s a gamer. He’s a tough kid,” Boone said. “Certainly [losing his job] isn’t the way he would draw it up or maybe even doesn’t feel that’s fair — whatever it may be — but the one thing he does is continue to work his tail off and play his tail off. He’s come up here and in his first several games back, he’s played really well.”
In their latest roster crunch, the Dodgers made the expected move Monday.
With Kiké Hernández returning from the injured list, veteran utility man Santiago Espinal was designated for assignment.
Dodgers utilityman Santiago Espinal was DFA’d on Monday as Los Angeles is adding World Series hero Kiké Hernández to the active roster. Getty Images
Espinal being the odd man out for Hernández’s activation was no surprise. Ever since the former All-Star made the team coming out of spring training, he seemed like a de facto place-holder until Hernández returned from offseason elbow surgery.
“We were very forthright up front about the expectations, so I think he respected that,” manager Dave Roberts said. “[He’s] a complete pro.”
Leading up to Hernández’s scheduled activation on Monday, however, intrigue had nonetheless intensified over what the team’s corresponding move would be.
Espinal himself hadn’t done much to change the calculus, batting just .220 in extremely limited playing time this year.
But amid a recent slump from Hyeseong Kim, the Dodgers suddenly had another option to contemplate.
It was only a couple weeks ago, remember, that Kim survived the first roster crunch of this Dodgers’ season –– staying on the MLB roster over Alex Freeland when Mookie Betts returned from a month-long oblique injury.
At that time, Kim kept his spot because of how well he was playing. After beginning the year in the minors, he had hit .314 with only 14 strikeouts over his first 26 games back in the majors.
“When he plays,” Roberts said of Kim last month, “he always does something to help the team win.”
For the second time this season, Dodgers Hyeseong Kim has survived roster changes and remains on the active roster. AP Photo/Tony Ding
Alas, that has not remained the case lately.
Going back to May 8, the second-year South Korean import has struggled mightily, entering Monday a woeful 6-for-his-last-40 with 16 strikeouts and no extra-base hits.
He acknowledged he hasn’t felt great with his swing, which in turn has led to worse swing decisions as well.
“I recognize what I need to work on,” he said through an interpreter.
Still, the slump was bad enough that, when Roberts was asked about the team’s upcoming roster decision on Sunday afternoon, he acknowledged Kim was in the conversation for getting sent down.
“He’s passive when he shouldn’t be, and then he’s getting into bad counts. I don’t know if it’s a mechanical thing, but he’s been grinding the last – quite honestly, the last month it’s been kind of tough for him.”
Roberts also pointed to Kim’s positive attributes: A plus infielder defensively, the kind of left-handed hitter that better suits the current construction of the club’s roster, and a well-liked teammate who is always “preparing and competing.”
“But right now, it’s just not working,” Roberts acknowledged. “We’ve got to have a tough conversation.”
After undergoing offseason elbow surgery, Hernandez will join the active roster on Monday and give the Dodgers a much-needed boost in depth.
Ultimately, Kim once again skirted such bad news.
The Dodgers stuck with their plan to cut Espinal, who would have been redundant upon Hernández’s return as a fellow right-handed-hitting utility bat. Kim, meanwhile, was back in the lineup for Monday night’s series opener against the Colorado Rockies, continuing on in his platoon role at second base against right-handed pitching.
“[I want] Hyeseong just playing and freeing himself up and not worrying about kind of who’s coming, who’s not coming,” Roberts said. “Just kind of get back to being who he is as a ball player.”
That doesn’t mean Kim has a prolonged runway for continued playing time.
With Tommy Edman set to begin a minor-league rehab stint with triple-A Oklahoma City this week, another roster crunch is looming, as Edman will likely take over everyday duties at second base when eventually returns from an offseason ankle injury that has sidelined him to start the year.
That means, while Kim is safe for now, he is officially on the clock to turn things around.
The fact that he was under consideration at all for Monday’s roster cut only underscored his precarious situation.
“It’s my job to produce, so I’m always focused on producing numbers,” Kim said. “Given the [roster] situation, I’m not trying to think about it too much. Just keep working hard, and keep producing as best I can.”
PITTSBURGH — The Chicago Cubs spent the first six weeks of the season threatening to run away with the NL Central.
A pair of 10-game winning streaks will do that.
It’s taken just over two weeks for a big chunk of all that hard work to disappear.
A skid that earned the Cubs a share of some unwanted big league history will do that.
Chicago’s 2-1 loss to Pittsburgh on Monday marked its ninth straight defeat, joining the 2017 Los Angeles Dodgers as the only two teams in the expansion era to have multiple 10-game winning streaks and a nine-game skid in the same season, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.
“We got to play better,” manager Craig Counsell said after watching his team lose for the 13th time in 15 games.
“We’ve got to swing the bats better. We’ve got to pitch better. We need more guys contributing to good stuff, and as a coaching staff we’ve got to figure out a way to get the players there.”
The Cubs’ current slide is the franchise’s longest since a 10-game winless drought in 2022. Back then, the franchise was firmly in a rebuilding phase. Expectations are much higher nowadays, and while the Cubs still sit somewhat comfortably over .500 at 29-25, that’s just good enough for third in a division where all five teams started Memorial Day over .500.
It’s hardly time to panic. Yet fresh off a winless six-game homestand that began with getting swept by NL Central-leading Milwaukee and ended with three losses to mediocre Houston, it looked like more of the same against the improved Pirates.
Michael Busch provided the only offense with a solo home run in the fifth that tied the game. The Cubs managed just five other hits the rest of the way, going 0 for 2 with runners in scoring position and leaving seven runners on base.
“Offensively, we are equipped to be way more consistent than this and way better than this, and we need to show it,” Counsell said.
Monday’s loss marked the ninth time in 15 games the Cubs have scored two runs or fewer. And after making Pirates starter Carmen Mdlozinski work through five innings, they went down meekly late.
Pittsburgh relievers Wilber Dotel and Gregory Soto combined to retire the last 10 Chicago hitters in order. Dotel earned the first victory of his career by working three scoreless innings. Soto worked a perfect ninth for his sixth save.
Counsell experimented in the ninth, sending right-handed batters Nico Hoerner, Seiya Suzuki and Carson Kelly to the plate as pinch hitters against the left-handed Soto. It didn’t work. Hoerner grounded out to first, and Suzuki followed by striking out looking on a 3-2 slider.
The Japanese slugger appealed strike three, but Soto’s 84 mph offering scraped the bottom of the strike zone upon review. Kelly then hit a routine grounder to second and the Cubs’ miserable May continued.
“It’s pretty challenging,” Busch said. “It’s hard to see the bright spots in it. Just trying to do anything we can to scrape across a W.”
The loss marred another excellent start by Ben Brown. The 26-year-old right-hander limited the Pirates to one run and four hits in six innings with two walks and seven strikeouts while dropping his ERA to 2.01.
It just wasn’t enough. Pittsburgh catcher Henry Davis turned on a Trent Thornton offering in the seventh and sent it 427 feet over the wall in left field to give the Pirates the lead for good and eventually send the Cubs back to another quiet clubhouse.
“The guys are working hard,” Brown said. “We’re just not winning baseball games. That doesn’t take away from how talented this group is, and the characters in this room that are pushing each other. We all love each other. The reality of baseball is it can really be tough.”
Jun 11, 2025; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; New York Yankees shortstop Anthony Volpe (11) celebrates in the dugout after scoring during the second inning against the Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: William Purnell-Imagn Images | William Purnell-Imagn Images
The Yankees hadn’t lost to the Royals in 11 consecutive games, dating back to Game 2 of the 2024 ALDS. That almost changed this Memorial Day afternoon.
After grabbing a pair of early runs, the Yankee offense appeared to rest on their laurels, watching passively as the Royals battled back to take a 3-2 lead in the home half of the eighth. But the Bombers mustered the fight they needed. Anthony Volpe’s go-ahead two-run single with two outs to go turned what would have been another enervating defeat into a much-needed, well-deserved 4-3 victory at Kauffman Stadium. Will Warren registered a quality start on the mound to keep the game winnable, and Volpe’s heroics stood up. The Yankees now have a winning streak.
The first inning flew by in an eyeblink, setting the stage for a far more eventful second inning, for better and worse. The better part came first, on a Belli Bomb to lead off the frame. Cody Bellinger’s seventh home run of the season traveled 403 feet out to right and gave New York the early lead against Michael Wacha.
However, that lead only stood up in the short term thanks to the contributions of the bottom of the order. With two outs, Volpe worked a walk and J.C. Escarra slashed an opposite-field single to put runners on the corners for José Caballero. Despite getting an automatic strike called on him before he even reached the plate because he lost track of his batting helmet, Caballero lined a base hit to the right-center gap to plate Volpe and make it 2-0.
The worst part for Warren came when he walked the bases loaded to give the light-hitting Royals lineup a chance to claw back. They got halfway, thanks to a Michael Massey sac fly, but the 26-year-old righty was able to hold it to the lone run. He found his command again in the third, working around a Vinnie Pasquantino double with two outs to post a scoreless frame.
From that point forward, Warren really started to flummox Kansas City hitters, starting a string of six-straight harmless fly outs before a two-out single from Maikel Garcia gave a big opportunity to franchise face Bobby Witt Jr. Undaunted, Warren went right after the star shortstop and struck him out on three pitches to end the fifth inning.
Unfortunately, the Royals would finally tie the score in the sixth. Warren’s trend of getting outs through the air continued, but opposing captain Salvador Perez finally timed him up in his third at-bat, scorching a two-seamer deep out to left for an equalizing homer.
The Yankees wasted a double of their own from Aaron Judge in the top of the third, then a double play quashed a first-and-third threat in the fourth. Those missed opportunities allowed Wacha, always effective against New York, to settle into the game. The veteran retired nine Yankees in a row for a perfect third time through the order. He completed seven full innings for the fifth time in eleven starts. That’s not what New York was looking for after making him work hard earlier in the afternoon.
Then came the home eighth. Daniel Lynch IV dispatched the top of the Yankee order very quickly to bring up the Royals’ team MVP. Witt greeted Jake Bird with a big fly down the left field line toward the Royals’ Hall of Fame building that he might one day inhabit, putting Kansas City ahead for the first time and causing a wave of exasperated sighs across the Tri-State area.
It’s been a while since the last inspiring Yankees comeback. Could we get one this Memorial Day? After a first-pitch out from Bellinger, a rally began to take shape.
It started with a broken-bat infield single from Paul Goldschmidt; the ball deadened so much on impact with the ground that not even Witt could make a play on it. Then came Jazz Chisholm Jr., and he slapped a groundball past the second-base hole for a hit. He raced to second and reached safely with a double, perhaps thanks to an ill-advised cutoff from Nick Loftin. Jazz then got a visit from the trainer before staying in the game, as Volpe took a consequential plate appearance.
The Fox delivered. Volpe fell behind in the count 1-2, but closer Lucas Erceg’s slider caught too much of the plate. No. 11 made him pay with a two-run single to catapult the Yankees back ahead, 4-3. While Volpe was caught in a rundown after the runs scored, the damage had been done. It was up to David Bednar to make the result stand up.
Bednar faced the bottom of the Royals’ lineup, and wasted little time getting the first two outs before entering a drawn-out battle with ninth-place hitter Lane Thomas, who had entered off the bench. He ultimately walked Thomas to bring up the top of Kansas City’s order, but it was water under the bridge; Garcia bounced out to third to end the game, and the Yankees won 4-3.
Thanks to a truly wild walk-off victory for the Orioles over the Rays in Baltimore, the Yankees gained another game on Tampa Bay in the standings. Their AL East lead is down to 3.5 games. Positive momentum for multiple days in a row—when’s the last time that happened?
Cam Schlittler will get the ball for his 12th start of the season tomorrow evening as the Yankees look to continue their recent dominance at The K. He’ll most likely face an opener for the Royals, the identity of which is yet to be announced by the team. First pitch is scheduled for 7:40 pm EST, which coverage thankfully returning to YES.
