CLEVELAND, OHIO - JUNE 10: Angel Martínez #1 of the Cleveland Guardians hits a fly ball to left field for a home run in the first inning against the New York Yankees at Progressive Field on June 10, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. Cleveland leads 1-0. (Photo by Russell Lee Verlinger/Cleveland Guardians/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Pretty embarrassing series start to finish, especially on the heels of taking 2 out of 3 from this same team in the Bronx. Starting pitching was an absolute mess, furthered today by Messick giving up a career-high 5-runs against a Judge-less Yankees lineup. The bullpen was, again, an embarrassment. Festa came on in relief of Messick and gave up a run and Heuer gave up 2 runs only recording 2 outs. On the bright side, Will Dion pitched 2 1/3 scoreless innings, striking out 3!
The game started well, at least, with Martinez hitting a leadoff homer.
This last month-ish of mediocre baseball from the Guardians (paired with the White Sox seemingly being a team of destiny) is going to make the trade deadline much more difficult than it looked early on. This team has gaping holes in the rotation (whether it’s an abject lack of depth or an inability for the non-Gavin-and-Parker starters to establish themselves as the SP3), in the bullpen (even with a healthy Sabrowski), and in the lineup. Getting tossed around by a Yankees team — when you didn’t have to face their best starter or the best hitter on the planet — is an embarrassment. This team desperately needs another injection of youth into the 26-man roster, and I just don’t see how the front office can neglect the bullpen (with Aleman still waiting in the wings and an external addition absolutely necessary) and lineup (with Valera, Ralphy, Ingle, and Watson all raking in AAA) much longer.
The Guardians will host a hot Detroit team this weekend, with Skubal perhaps making his return at some point during that series. The White Sox now hold a share of first place in the division (with the chance to own it alone tonight) for the first time in 4 years.
The Yankees completed a three-game sweep of the Cleveland Guardians, winning Wednesday's matinee by a score of 8-4.
Here are the takeaways…
-- A big moment came in the top of the sixth, with the game tied 3-3. After Trent Grisham was initially called out on strikes (the call was challenged and overturned), he then laced a ball over the head of Angel Martinez in right, good for a one-out triple. Grisham came around to score on a Jose Caballero sac fly to left, thanks to a great slide into home plate. And the rally would continue from there.
-- Anthony Volpe had a fielding mistake earlier in the game, throwing one away at first base in the third inning on what was ruled a Jose Ramirez infield single. Ramirez advanced to second on the wild throw, but luckily for the Yankees, the Guardians didn’t score in that inning. It was Volpe’s second error since being called up.
But the young shortstop made up for it in the bottom of the sixth, roping a double to left to put the Yankees up 5-3. Paul Goldschmidt followed up with another RBI hit to right to extend the lead to three runs.
--Carlos Rodon, who owned a 2.88 ERA coming into the game, allowed a leadoff home run to Martinez, who smoked the second pitch of the game 406 feet for a solo shot. But from there he was fairly solid on the bump.
Rodon allowed two more earned runs in the fourth after walking the first two batters, but he ended up turning in a quality start. The lefty went six innings, allowing three earned runs on four hits with seven strikeouts and three walks.
-- Jazz Chisholm Jr. had another big hit against a lefty, roping a two-run triple to right in the second inning off of Guardians starter Parker Messick. Chisholm drove in three runs and scored a pair of runs on the afternoon.
Grisham, meanwhile, had a pair of hits and scored three runs.
Well, June was a rough time for the Guardians in 2025 and it is shaping up that way again.
Parker Messick didn’t have it today and Matt Festa and Codi Heuer continue to be bad. Festa was good in 2025. He is not now.
The Guardians actually scored 3 runs off of Carlos Rodon. A minor miracle. Angel Martinez may very well become our first outfielder to hit 20 homers since Elmer Flick. At least it feels that way.
I hate when they play the Yankees. I hate that the Yankees won those first two close games and then blew them out today. I find myself looking at the Columbus box score and hoping that Kahlil Watson and Cooper Ingle sitting today means they are getting a call up for Detroit, but doesn’t that just mean Grant Fink and co. will fail to finish developing them?
Bring me Watson, Ingle, and have Franco Aleman and Andrew Walters join them in the Uber. Or, don’t and just make Friday’s delightful surprise Gabriel Arias for Stuart Fairchild and some more sacrifice bunts. That’s cool, too, I guess.
The game isn’t even over so I can’t tell you the score. The Yankees are up 8-3 but it’ll probably get worse. Let’s hope the Tigers fall apart in Cleveland again.
The Braves placed their franchise outfielder on the 10-day IL Wednesday, June 10 with a strained left hamstring. It is the second time this season that same injury has put him on the IL. He left Tuesday night’s game against the White Sox after trying to beat out a ground ball to third base, the kind of play he used to make look effortless.
The Braves had been hopeful he would not need a trip to the injured list this time, and Acuna told reporters he didn’t think it was as bad and he had no pain.
Still, before Wednesday night’s series finale in Chicago, Acuna was back on the shelf.
His history of injuries is getting long.
He had a torn right ACL that ended his 2021 season. A torn left ACL ended his 2024 season after just 49 games. He opened 2025 still finishing that rehab, added a calf strain in July and played just 95 total games. Now in 2026, he has hit the IL twice with the same left hamstring issue. That is five lower-body IL stints across five seasons.
The Braves can absorb this, for now.
Michael Harris II is having the best season of his career, hitting .308 with 13 home runs. He is the reason Atlanta’s outfield does not feel depleted right now. Beyond Harris, the depth runs thin. We'll see Mike Ystremzeski in a platoon role and more Eli White, who replaced Acuna the moment he limped off Tuesday night.
Rowdy Tellez was added to the roster with Jhancarlos Lara designated for assignment to open the spot on the 40-man roster.
In between his injuries, Acuna has shown flashes of stardom. In 2023, his last full season, he hit 41 homers, scored 149 runs and stole 73 bases, becoming the first 40/70 player in MLB history.
This year, he's hitting .253 with a .380 on-base percentage and a .441 slugging percentage. He has seven home runs and 12 stolen bases in 53 games played.
The Braves own the best record in baseball going into Wednesday’s games at 45-22.
ST. PETERSBURG, FL - JUNE 10: Jarren Duran #16 of the Boston Red Sox bats during the game between the Boston Red Sox and the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field on Wednesday, June 10, 2026 in St. Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by Alex Zadorozny/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
The Red Sox showed exactly why the lineup just hasn’t been good enough all season long. The group made the wrong kind of history in Wednesday’s matinee loss as the Tampa Bay Rays completed the sweep.
Boston is 12 games under .500 as the season swirls further away from the team’s control.
Here’s three takeaways from Wednesday’s loss.
FOR THE HISTORY BOOKS! (Yikes)
Drew Rasmussen completely carved the Red Sox lineup from start to finish in the series finale. Tampa Bay’s right-hander had thrown the ball well(entered with 3.00 ERA in 12 starts) and took it to a new level against the AL East counterpart.
Rasmussen set a career high with 13 strikeouts in seven scoreless innings with just two hits allowed. Jarren Duran, Ceddanne Rafaela and Wilyer Abreu all struck out in each of the first three turns of the order, marking the first time the top three hitters in an MLB lineup have done that since 1901, per the NESN broadcast.
Boston’s dugout rejoiced when Tampa Bay went to the bullpen to start the eighth inning. Clearly the Red Sox found an opportunity.
Caleb Durbin did hit a 415-foot solo shot for his first home run off of a non-position player in the eighth inning. Boston’s third baseman is up to .278 in his last 10 games and hit another solo homer in the ninth. Later in the frame, Ceddanne Rafaela took a massive cut against former teammate Steven Matz for a three-run blast to left field.
The @RedSox were down 5-0 when the 8th inning started …
Despite the late rally, Boston still struck out a glaring 15 times in the game.
JAKE BENNETT CAN BE SERVICEABLE Boston’s No. 6 prospect (MLB Pipeline) returned for his third MLB start and struck out two in the first inning with five swings-and-misses.
Bennett struck out four in five innings. The four earned runs on his line could’ve been cut down had Isiah Kiner-Faleka not misplayed a potential double play ball that should’ve ended the starter’s final frame.
NOT SO WELCOME BACK TO THE TROP
The Red Sox actually had a decent run at Tropicana Field the last season they visited in 2024 at a 4-2 clip.
Boston previously went a combined 2-15 in St. Petersburg in 2022 and 2023. The Red Sox fell back into those struggles this week and will return for another clash with the Rays from Sept. 18-20.
Jared Jones takes the hill for the Pittsburgh Pirates, and he owns a brutal 5.78 xERA across his last two starts. During that span, Jones also has a 50% hard-hit rate while allowing 1.93 home runs per nine innings.
That's bad news against a Dodgers team that ranks fourth in the big leagues in long balls. L.A. also has a 41.6% hard hit rate over their last six games, while owning an xSLG of .412.
Shohei Ohtani counters for the visitors, and he's been absolutely lights-out.
Ohtani sports a 2.27 FIP over his last four starts, while holding opponents to a .115 average. He's given up only one earned run over his previous four outings as well.
Dodgers vs Pirates Over/Under pick: Over 7.5 (-125)
This is a prime opportunity for the Dodgers to explode offensively, but there's more reason to believe we'll see the Over hit tonight. Both of these bullpens are struggling to get outs.
L.A.'s pen sports a 4.50 xERA over the last week, with a hard-hit rate of 39.5%. Ohtani rarely pitches past the sixth inning, so they will be busy when he exits, and the relievers aren't thriving at the moment.
As for the Bucs, their bullpen owns a 4.41 xFIP over the last 14 days while allowing 5.63 walks per nine innings. While I expect the Dodgers to do damage against Jones, given Pittsburgh's inconsistent command and poor form, L.A. could also score more runs when Jones departs.
There are multiple paths to offense, making 7.5 runs a relatively modest number to clear. I'll play this pick up to -140.
Quinn Allen's 2026 Transparency Record
ML/RL bets: 22-18, +2.77 units
Over/Under bets: 23-16, +3.30 units
Dodgers vs Pirates odds
Moneyline: Dodgers -198 | Pirates +166
Run line: Dodgers -1.5 (-126) | Pirates +1.5 (+106)
Over/Under: Over 7.5 (-127) | Under 7.5 (+122)
Dodgers vs Pirates trend
The Dodgers have covered the run line in 27 of their last 45 away games for +9.90 units and a 18% ROI. Find more MLB betting trends for Dodgers vs. Pirates.
How to watch Dodgers vs Pirates and game info
Location
PNC Park, Pittsburgh, PA
Date
Wednesday, June 10, 2026
First pitch
6:40 p.m. ET
TV
SportsNet LA, SportsNet Pittsburgh
Dodgers starting pitcher
Shohei Ohtani (6-2, 0.74 ERA)
Pirates starting pitcher
Jared Jones (1-0, 4.82 ERA)
Dodgers vs Pirates latest injuries
Dodgers vs Pirates weather
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
CHICAGO, IL - JUNE 05: Robbie Ray #38 of the San Francisco Giants pitches during the game between the San Francisco Giants and the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field on Friday, June 5, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Nick Loggarakis/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
The San Francisco Giants wrap up this three-game series against the Washington Nationals this afternoon at Oracle Park.
Taking the mound for the Giants will be left-hander Robbie Ray, who enters today’s game with a 4.12 ERA, 5.33 FIP, with 63 strikeouts to 36 walks in 67.2 innings pitched. His last start was in the Giants’ 18-3 win over the Chicago Cubs on Friday, in which he allowed just two hits and five walks with four strikeouts in five innings.
He’ll be facing off against Nationals left-hander Foster Griffin, who enters today’s game with a 3.63 ERA, 4.84 FIP, with 69 strikeouts to 21 walks in 72 innings pitched. His last start was in the Nationals’ 14-1 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks on Friday, in which he allowed one run on two hits with four strikeouts in five innings.
SAN FRANCISCO, CA - JUNE 08: Members of the Washington Nationals celebrate a win after the game between the Washington Nationals and the San Francisco Giants at Oracle Park on Monday, June 8, 2026 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Kavin Mistry/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
The Nationals issues finishing off sweeps have been well documented at this point. They will get another chance to finally bring out the broomsticks this afternoon. This has already been a great road trip, but getting the sweep would be the icing on the cake. A good road trip has the chance to become a great one.
Blake Butera has decided to give CJ Abrams an off day this afternoon. Abrams has rough numbers against Robbie Ray, so the Nats decided today was the right day to give him a breather. Nasim Nunez will take his place at shortstop and Jorbit Vivas will play second. Curtis Mead is at third. James Wood will DH, meaning Daylen Lile is in left, Jacob Young is in center and Dylan Crews is in right. Andres Chaparro will be at first with a lefty on the hill and Keibert Ruiz will be behind the dish. Foster Griffin is on the mound for the Nats.
The Giants are also making a few changes. Interestingly, Casey Schimitt moves from left field to shortstop, giving Willy Adames an off day. Victor Bericoto will get his first start of the series in left field. Matt Chapman will move up to the 3 spot against a left hander. Veteran Robbie Ray will be on the hill for the Giants.
Giants 6/10
C. Schmitt SS L. Arraez 2B M. Chapman 3B R. Devers 1B J. Hoo Lee RF B. Eldridge DH D. Susac C V. Bericoto LF J. Cox CF
The Nats are looking for a sweep, but will have to do it without their star shortstop, at least for the start of the game. This has already been a very good road trip, but has the chance to be a special one. Follow along in the comments down below and let’s go Nats!
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - JUNE 09: Will Wagner #7 of the San Diego Padres hits a single during the second inning against the Cincinnati Reds at Petco Park on June 09, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Orlando Ramirez/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Cincinnati Reds (32-34) at San Diego Padres (34-32), June 10, 2026, 1:10 p.m. PST
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May 25, 2026; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets relief pitcher Jonathan Pintaro (91) follows through on a pitch against the Cincinnati Reds during the sixth inning at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images | Brad Penner-Imagn Images
The Mets are recalling right-hander Jonathan Pintaro from Triple-A Syracuse and optioning Joey Gerber, the team announced on Wednesday afternoon ahead of the second game of their series against the Cardinals.
Pintaro, the Mets’ No. 20 prospect per MLB Pipeline, impressed during a brief stint with the big league club in May. In two appearances, the 28-year-old totaled 3.2 scoreless innings, allowing no hits and one walk while striking out three. Pintaro has been effective all year in Syracuse, with a 3.16 ERA over 31.1 innings pitched. But he’s made a notable step forward in terms of limiting free passes of late. Pintaro issued 12 walks in 25.2 innings (4.21 BB/9) to open the season in the minors. Since returning to Syracuse on May 26, Pintaro has issued just 1 walk in 5.2 innings (1.59 BB/9).
Gerber, an offseason signing, has recorded three outings at the major league level this season. The most recent came on Tuesday night against the Cardinals, when the 29-year-old right-hander allowed one run in two innings. Gerber went out to the mound to warm up for a third inning of work, but was removed with an apparent injury.
The Mets have also made an adjustment to their rotation. Christian Scott, who was originally supposed to start Wednesday night against the Cardinals, will instead start Thursday afternoon in the series finale. Austin Warren will be the opener on Wednesday night. Pintaro, who last pitched for Syracuse on Saturday night, could provide multiple innings in relief for the Mets.
CINCINNATI, OHIO - MAY 30: Brady Singer #51 of the Cincinnati Reds throws a pitch against the Atlanta Braves at Great American Ball Park on May 30, 2026 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Have yourself a seat in a comfortable spot and take a deep, deep breath. Here at Red Reporter, we are about to dive into some Brady Singer stats, and you need to prep for those before reading.
Among the 128 MLB pitchers who have thrown at least 50 IP so far in 2026, Singer ranks dead last in HR/9 (2.78). That’s especially a problem when you factor in that his K-BB% of 8.9% ranks 108th of that group. His 23.6% HR/FB rate is also the highest in the sport, with none of those 127 other pitchers so much as crossing the 20.0% mark.
His 90.6 mph average fastball velocity ranks 3rd lowest among the 126 pitchers that have that data tracked this year. His 5.89 ERA ranks 12th, somehow…wait a second, there are a lot of Colorado Rockies pitchers ahead of him on that list. His xERA of 6.27 ranks 6th worst – again, with two Rockies ahead of him and one right behind him on that list.
His 6.79 FIP, though, is the single highest in the sport. It’s somehow vastly larger than Eric Lauer, who sits at 6.46 behind him. Unsurprisingly, his fWAR of -0.6 has been worsted only by one pitcher in the game, and that’s Chicago’s Jameson Taillon at -0.7.
It’s been simply a horror show season for Singer, the highest earning pitcher (and second highest earning player) on the 2026 Reds. On Wednesday afternoon in San Diego, he’ll get yet another chance to either vastly improve those overall numbers or, instead, rocket to the top of all the bad leaderboards in one fell swoop.
Cincinnati will be up against Padres starter Michael King, who is coming off a trio of extremely mediocre starts by the standards of anyone other than, say, Singer. He’s yielded 13 ER across 15.2 IP, with 4 dingers allowed in those outings, so perhaps it’s good that the Reds are catching him at this juncture.
First pitch is slated for 4:10 PM ET, so tune in early.
Feb 19, 2026; Scottsdale, AZ, USA; San Francisco Giants pitcher Reiver Sanmartin (48) poses during Photo Day at Scottsdale Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images | Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images
Some day game roster moves: lefty reliever Reiver Sanmartin, who’d been placed on the 60-day IL with a right hip flexor strain back in Spring Training, has returned from his rehab assignment and is now on the active roster. To make space for him, the Giants needed to clear both a 40-man spot and a 26-man roster spot.
Outfielder Will Brennan became the 40-man roster casualty as the Giants designated the 28-year old outfielder for assignment. The “speedster” stole 0 bases in 11 games with the Giants and was just 2-for-23 at the plate with 0 walks and 3 strikeouts. I confess ignorance about the financial ramifications of his split contract. He would’ve earned $900,000 if he’d spent the whole year in the majors or $400,000 if he played the whole year in the minors, but if he goes unclaimed (as I suspect he will), does that mean the Giants are on the hook for the prorated portion of the $900,000, as that’s a major league salary and seemingly guaranteed? Or because it was a formally split one, does that mean he’s only guaranteed the prorated portion of $400,000 because that’s where he was located at the time of the DFA? or is there some Giants both optioned Tristan Beck back to Triple-A Sacramento and designated for assignment outfielder Will Brennan. The difference would be about $250,000 ($450,000 if the majors is guaranteed vs. $200,000 for the minors).
But enough about Will Brennan.
Tristan Beck was optioned to Triple-A to clear the requisite spot on the major league roster and as someone who was once a Beck booster I believe his time on the team has likely come to an end. In this latest callup, he had just two scoreless appearances out of 6 and a 7.88 ERA (4.73 FIP) in 8 innings of work. Just 3 strikeouts, too.
He never had a great fastball, but it averaged down around 94 as opposed to 95 and batters teed off on it pretty good, slugging 1.091 off of it on 10 batted balls out of 56 times it was thrown. He’s been a bit better in Triple-A this year (3.91 ERA in 23 IP with a 9.0 K/9), but at 30 years old, he’s definitely entered “fungible reliever” territory.
So now the Giants turn to Reiver Sanmartin as their third lefty reliever in the bullpen, slotted behind Erik Miller (4.19 ERA / 3.77 FIP) and Sam Hentges (1.92 / 4.92). His 4-year major league career prior to 2026 had been on the Reds exclusively, where he had a 5.66 ERA (4.45 FIP) in 84.1 innings pitched. He had an 8.22 ERA with the River Cats in 7.2 IP but 8 strikeouts against just 2 walks. He is not a velo arm. He’s a contact pitcher by arsenal, featuring a 92-94 mph sinker, high-spin slider, and a changeup. Firmly in the Scott Alexander or Joey Lucchesi mold. Obviously, there’s something in the Giants’ scouting that tells them this pitch-to-contact type of arm is effective, even if the results for the team hasn’t shown up. A reminder that that Giants are 22nd in K/9 (8.03) but 4th in groundball rate (45.2%) yet 22nd in ERA (4.47). From 2022-2025, they were 12th (8.67 K/9), 1st (47.5%), and 12th (3.96), respectively.
Sanmartin missed all of the 2024 season after undergoing Tommy John surgery. He made just one appearance in 2025, back on September 2nd.
SHEPTON MALLET , ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 06: A old, end-of-life scrap car is placed in a crusher as it is processed at Pylle Motor Spares and Metal Processing, a licensed scrap yard in Pylle, near Shepton Mallet on September 6, 2017 in Somerset, England The UK government recently announced that it is to ban the sale all new petrol and diesel powered cars and vans from 2040 amid public health fears posed by rising levels of nitrogen oxide. The move follows similar pledges in France and has seen a number of car manufacturers offering substantial savings or 'scrappage' deals on new cars if customers trade-in older more polluting cars. (Photo by Matt Cardy/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the MLB. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Diamondbacks fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.
A.J. Puk and Carlos Santana are rehabbing in Reno. Lourdes Gurriel Jr recently started his rehab assignment at Salt River Fields. The team signed Max Kepler to a deal. The clock is ticking on all these players, and in the next couple of weeks, decisions will need to be made, regarding what to do with them. There’s really three separate levels at which these choices have to be executed. Let’s look at each in turn, and see where the Diamondbacks stand.
The 40-man roster
Gurriel is, at least, already on here. Having been placed only on the 10-day injured list, that saves his spot on the 40-man roster. But Puk and Santana are both on the 60-day IL. While a positive at the time, in that they no longer counted towards the 40-man roster, in order for them to be re-activated, a spot will have to be cleared on that. Kepler, similarly, is not on Arizona’s 40-man roster, because he is still serving out the end of his 80-game suspension for a failed drug test. But when that happens, the team will also need to find a spot, if they want to keep him. All told, that’s three 40-man spots Arizona probably needs to find.
Let’s exclude the current 26-man roster from consideration here, calling their spots on the 40-man roster secure for the time being. That leaves fourteen men. Nine of them are pitchers, three are position players, and there are two on the 10-day IL: Gurriel and catcher James McCann. The latter is out with a strained quad, which led to an IL placement on May 19. Might he be moved to the 60-day IL? Quads are tricky things, especially for catchers. However, he reportedly started facing a pitching machine and doing catching drills last week. Unless there’s a set-back, 60-daying McCann – sidelining him for at least another five weeks – seems excessive. Especially with Aramis Garcia as the backup catcher.
The three position players are Jose Fernandez, Tim Tawa and Tyler Locklear. The first two were on the active roster until just a few days ago. If they were going to be DFAd, it would probably have have happened when they were taken off it (on June 5th and 1st respectively). I think it’s interesting that Locklear wasn’t activated when he came off the IL, especially given Arizona’s struggles at 1B, where their production is among the worst in the majors. But he has been merely okay in Reno: his .786 OPS in 25 games through Monday is basically team average. Still, the team traded for him for a reason, and it seems unlikely they’d cut bait as yet.
My instinct is, there’s going to be a bit of a National German Chocolate Cake Day Massacre (you know I’ll be celebrating that one tomorrow) among the minor-league pitching staff. Below, I’ve ranked the nine pitchers from most secure to most at risk, in terms of whose 40-man roster spot is in jeopardy. Generally, starters preferred over relievers, age and current level of performance also taken into account. All stats through Monday.
Brandon Pfaadt. Despite his fall from grace, definitely not going anywhere.
Mitch Bratt. Performing very well – a 2.68 ERA in 10 Reno starts is stellar. Currently on the MiLB IL with back inflammation
Yilber Díaz. Best K-rate of anyone currently in Reno – 38 Ks in 27.2 IP – but as ever, the walks (19) are an issue. Future closer potential.
Dylan Ray. A starter, and a 4.82 ERA is reasonable. He’s also young for AAA, but is on the 7-day IL for the second time this season.
Kohl Drake. A 7.80 ERA isn’t great. But he’s a starting pitcher and a left-hander, two big reasons to keep him around.
Andrew Hoffmann. Prone to the meltdown. Allowed 19 ER in twenty outings: 12 ER came in just two of those. Walks too many, but improved recently.
Philip Abner. Well, he’s left-handed and quite young. But that horrendous outing vs. Washington won’t have done his chances any good.
Kade Strowd. A rough game against the Nationals, and almost as many walks as strikeouts in Reno. Also turns 29 in September. so limited upside.
Juan Burgos. Came from Seattle with Locklear in the Suarez trade, but seems to have struggled since.
The 26-man roster
The next problem is going to be finding slots for everyone on the active roster. Let’s start with Puk, since he’s the only pitcher among the quartet, and there is a fairly easy solution there. As mentioned previously, the top of the D-backs bullpen has been excellent so far. The latest arrival was Drey Jameson, who took Pfaadt’s spot after the starter was optioned to Reno. His appearance in the Washington series didn’t exactly inspire confidence, allowing two runs on two hits and two walks in an inning of work. Having only been recalled on the 6th, he seems the clear candidate to give up his spot for Puk.
On the position player side, LuJames Groover is the most obvious candidate for similar reasons, and will probably be going back down to Reno when Santana is available. It’s an infielder for an infielder, and with Santana being a switch-hitter, handedness isn’t particularly important. When Lourdes is ready, I’d not be surprised to see Adrian Del Castillo optioned out to Reno. I’ve a feeling the team may want to keep Gurriel off the field, given this is already his second IL stint of the year, and use him more as a DH. Del Castillo is a lefty though while Gurriel is a righty. If the team wants to remain balanced, and Gurriel is considered able to play the outfield, optioning Tommy Troy instead makes sense.
If that does happen, then making room for the final man would become relatively easy, with left-handed Del Castillo being replaced by left-handed Kepler, largely in the DH spot. So while the ordering may be uncertain, it looks as though Groover, Troy and Del Castillo will be the ones to give up their spots on the position player side, as and when necessary to make room for the returning players and new arrival.
The roles
I touched briefly on this above, mentioning whether Gurriel is going to keep playing the field, or become our primary DH. Given the problems with his legs, I would be inclined to keep him at DH where possible. While Gurriel has struggled at the plate this year (OPS+ just 66), he might have the best overall track record among the right-handed candidates there. The problem would be, DH starts vs. LHSP are going to be the minority. What do you do the rest of the time with a man who is earning $13 million this year, whether or not he plays?
That isn’t a particular problem with Kepler, who is likely earning little more than league minimum. If he doesn’t hit down in Reno – and there’s a non-zero chance of that – then the team can simply let him go, with no damage except to their reputation. Presuming that isn’t the case, and he joins the active roster, then he’ll likely get starts at DH against RHSP. Even with the low bar at 1B (the D-backs are dead last in OPS there, and it’s not close), it’s hard to see much time for Santana, except as a late-inning defensive replacement. I would not be surprised if he comes back, fails to hit and the D-backs release him before the trade deadline.
The most interesting situation will be Puk, and whether he’ll take over as closer from Paul Sewald. The latter has been almost perfect in save situation (15 of 16), but a FIP of 4.00 and a minuscule .137 BABIP suggests there may be a Paulpocalypse approaching. The latter is the third-lowest of the 360 pitchers with 20 IP this year. That might be good reason to transfer the closer’s mantle to A.J. as soon as possible, rather than continuing to roll the dice. But that’s what the poll below is for. How do you think the team should handle the closer’s situation when A.J. Puk returns? Make your selection below, and explain your decision in the comments.
ATLANTA, GA - JUNE 04: Ronald Acuna, Jr. (13) of the Atlanta Braves loses his bat after striking out during the Thursday evening MLB game between the Atlanta Braves and the Toronto Blue Jays on June 4, 2026 at Truist Park in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by David J. Griffin/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The big advantage of having a blazing two-plus months and MLB’s best record? You can afford to ease off the gas here and there. The disadvantage? Your fans have to watch a team that sometimes eases off the gas. While I have no idea how long Ronald Acuña Jr. will actually be out as a result of his latest run-in with injury, it’s possible that it’s less than ten days and this is a precautionary, if warranted, Injured List placement:
Atlanta today also placed OF Ronald Acuña Jr. on the 10-day injured list with a strained left hamstring and selected INF Rowdy Tellez to the major league roster. To make room on the 40-man roster, the club designated RHP Jhancarlos Lara for assignment.
This is Acuña’s second IL placement for a left hamstring issue this year. He previously missed about two weeks in May with a similar ailment. He had a .333 wOBA (111 wRC+) and a massive .380 xwOBA before his first IL stint, and then returned and posted a much more fortunate .390 wOBA (150 wRC+) with more or less the same inputs (.376 xwOBA). What will he do for his third act? Stay tuned, but it won’t start until at least ten days from now. On the season, he has 0.9 fWAR in 235 PAs, which is a pretty good rate for a player in general, but is well below what we’re used to from him — dragged down by his own defensive issues, and the lingering ball-in-play issues from April.
Taking Acuña’s spot on the active roster is Rowdy Tellez, a veteran of eight MLB seasons that signed a minor league deal with the Braves a week before Opening Day. Tellez has a career 98 wRC+ and 0.1 fWAR, which makes sense given that a league-average bat isn’t very useful if you aren’t providing any defensive value. He’s put up a 123 wRC+ in 207 PAs in Gwinnett. My main thought is: if Dominic Smith can be blessed with the bounty of the 2025 Braves and become a fan-favorite masher, why not Tellez? The answer? Well, he and Smith can’t both be in the lineup at the same time…
Part of the roster math here sees Jhancarlos Lara get DFAed. I have no real knowledge about Lara, but people used to talk about him as being exciting back in 2023, when he was striking out a million dudes as a starter in A-ball. Since then, he’s really fallen apart with ballooning walk rates and dwindling strikeout rates; even moving to a swingman and then a relief role didn’t salvage much. Lara was pitching out of the Double-A bullpen earlier this year and putting up ghastly numbers like an FIP and xFIP both in the 7.00s.
The real question, though: are you ready for more Eli White?
RICHMOND, VA - APRIL 26: Cesar Perdomo #57 of the Richmond Flying Squirrels pitches during the game between the Somerset Patriots and the Richmond Flying Squirrels at CarMax Park on Sunday, April 26, 2026 in Richmond, Virginia. (Photo by Matthew Mitrani/Minor League Baseball via Getty Images)
Apologies for going a few days without roundups for the San Francisco Giants Minor League Baseball affiliates. Thankfully, Tuesday was a full day, with all seven teams in action, so there’s still lots to talk about!
All listed positions in the roundup are the position played in that particular game.
News
High-A Eugene LHP Luis De La Torre (No. 14 CPL) was named Pitcher of the Week in the Northwest League after a 12-strikeout performance last week. Congrats!
AAA Sacramento (38-24)
Sacramento River Cats beat the Sugar Land Space Cowboys (Astros) 5-4 Box score
What’s the pitching equivalent of “one to measure, two to rake?” Whatever it is, it’s a philosophy that LHP Matt Wilkinson apparently abides by. Wilkinson, acquired earlier this year in the Patrick Bailey trade, was promoted to AAA after just 9 games in AA. And in his AAA debut, he was unable to make it out of the 2nd inning.
But things went much, much better with his second take. The burly southpaw was sensational on Tuesday, striking out 9 Space Cowboys in 5 innings, while throwing 53 of 81 pitches for strikes. Tugboat gave up just 4 baserunners on the day: a pair of singles, a walk, and a hit batter.
Unfortunately — but kind of humorously — all 4 of those allowed baserunners were in succession. After Wilkinson retired the first 2 batters he faced, he gave up back-to-back singles, hit a batter, and then issued a 4-pitch, run-scoring walk. But after that? He retired 13 consecutive batters to finish his day, which included striking out the side in both the 2nd and 4th innings. And with that, Tugboat is off and motoring in AAA!
Matt Wilkinson was on cruise control after a busy first inning yesterday against Sugar Land. A season-high nine Ks in five innings of one-run work for Tugboat, retiring the final 13 batters that he faced. No footage of the ninth strikeout due to a broadcast issue. pic.twitter.com/gupBGcIBEs
— Giant Prospective (@giantprospectiv) June 10, 2026
Things went less well for the pair of pitchers on the 40-man roster who threw. Recently-optioned RHP Wilkin Ramos threw just 12 of 26 pitches for strikes while failing to get through an inning, allowing 2 hits, 1 walk, and 2 runs, while recording 2 outs. RHP Ryan Walker got the save, but gave up 2 hits, 1 walk, and 1 run, with no strikeouts. Walker has been pitching quite well with Sacramento, where he has a 1.93 ERA, a 3.80 FIP, and just 3 walks in 9.1 innings … given how awful San Francisco’s bullpen is, I’m in favor of bringing him back … just not for the 9th inning.
A very boring day on offense. Designated hitter Will Brennan had the only multi-hit game, as he went 2-4 with a strikeout, but I think most Giants fans have seen enough to want Brennan to stay put as depth in AAA. He could be a roster casualty given that center fielder Jared Oliva (who went 1-5 with 2 strikeouts) will be coming off the 60-Day IL soon, and the Giants won’t need as much as outfield depth when Heliot Ramos and Harrison Bader get healthy. And as I write this, the news comes in that Brennan has been designated for assignment.
Catcher Drew Cavanaugh (No. 19 CPL) continues to look oh so comfortable at the level, and went 1-2 with a walk and a hit by pitch. In their recent ranking of the top prospects in the organization last week, Fangraphs noted that “there are people within the organization who think he’s the player most likely to emerge from the pile of upper-level catchers as the club’s starter.” The lefty is up to a 1.166 OPS and a 196 wRC+ through 21 games with the River Cats, and has done a tremendous job limiting strikeouts this year (he had a 27.4% strikeout rate across 4 levels last year, and just a 19.8% rate in AAA this season). I think we’ll see him make an MLB debut at some point this year, especially since Daniel Susac (No. 20 CPL) has been struggling on offense lately, Jesús Rodríguez (No. 16 CPL) got optioned/demoted, and Eric Haase could be dealt at the deadline.
AA Richmond (37-20)
Richmond Flying Squirrels lost to the Harrisburg Senators (Nationals) 1-0 Box score
The Squirrels may have lost, but it was still perhaps the best game on the farm this year from a pitching standpoint. Richmond was truly and utterly sensational from the start of the game to the finish.
It began with the starter, LHP Cesar Perdomo. A week after having one of the best pitching performances of the year on the farm, Perdomo one-upped himself with what I feel quite confident calling the best pitching performance of the year for a Giants prospect. The 24-year old from Venezuela took down 7 shutout innings while throwing just 85 pitches, 65 of which went for strikes. In those 7 innings, Perdomo allowed just 1 batter to reach base, when he gave up a 3rd-inning single.
And the cherry on top? Of the 22 batters he faced, Perdomo struck out 13 of them!
HAVE A NIGHT, DOMO‼️
Cesar Perdomo has struck out 1⃣3⃣ batters tonight, tying a Flying Squirrels single-game record! pic.twitter.com/QG6CPOE5Bt
— Richmond Flying Squirrels (@GoSquirrels) June 10, 2026
June has been sheer dominance for Perdomo, who in his last start pitched 6 shutout innings with 4 baserunners and 9 strikeouts. Perdomo’s numbers this year are phenomenal: he has a 3.35 ERA, a 2.45 FIP, and 68 strikeouts against just 18 walks in 53.2 innings. He’s also made huge strides: after striking out 8.3 batters per 9 innings in High-A a year ago, he’s all the way up to 11.4 in AA this season. Of the 39 Eastern League pitchers with at least 40 innings thrown this year, Perdomo is 3rd in strikeouts per 9, and 2nd in FIP (behind former teammate Joe Whitman in both cases). Just an incredible year.
The bullpen was awesome, too, if a little chaotic. LHP Jack Choate (No. 37 CPL) had the lone hiccup, but even it was kind of funny and impressive: he gave up the winning run in the 8th inning, despite not allowing a hit or a walk, and striking out 2 … but he hit a pair of batters and committed an error. RHP Ben Peterson, recently promoted to AA, struck out a pair in the 9th inning, while allowing a hit. He has a stunning 23 strikeouts in just 13 innings since getting promoted.
In all, Richmond pitchers had 17 strikeouts on the day, while allowing just 2 hits and 0 walks. They deserved better than to lose the game!
Unfortunately, the offense couldn’t help them. The Squirrels had just 6 hits, and 0 extra-base hits. Center fielder Bo Davidson (No. 4 CPL) led the way by going 2-4, as he continues to round into form. Davidson hit quite a rough patch there for a while, but has opened up June with a 7-game hitting streak, during which time he’s gone 12-30 with 5 home runs, 1 double, and just 4 strikeouts. That’s brought his OPS back to .814 and his wRC+ to 110.
Eugene was the lone member of the Giants Class-A teams that didn’t shine on the pitching front, but they still won, which made them first-half champions in the Northwest League. Still, there were some exciting things there. LHP Jacob Bresnahan (No. 11 CPL) is still trying to find a groove this year, after missing the start of the season with an injury. He wasn’t great in this game, as he allowed 4 hits, 2 walks, and 2 runs in just 4.2 innings, but he did strike out 6 batters. With a 4.80 ERA and a 5.05 FIP, it’s looking very unlikely that Bresnahan makes it 3 straight seasons with Pitcher of the Year honors in his league, but the 11.4 strikeouts per 9 innings are a reminder as to why the Giants are so high on the southpaw, who turns 21 later this month. There’s a lot to like there, even if right now he’s issuing too many walks and giving up too many dingers.
RHP Ubert Mejias pitched quite well in relief, striking out 4 batters in 3 innings, while throwing 31 of 42 pitches for strikes. Impressive! Mejias did allow 4 hits though (all singles), which tagged him for a run. It was nice to see Mejias settle in, as he got absolutely rocked in his High-A season debut (this was his 2nd appearance at the level this year, after 1 appearance in 2025). As a result of that, his numbers look hilarious with Eugene this year: in 5 innings, he’s allowed 10 hits, 3 homers, and 6 earned runs … but has 8 strikeouts and 0 walks.
The offense was more solid than exceptional, but Eugene’s quartet of highly-ranked prospects, who fittingly fill the top spots in the order, all had good days. Right fielder Trevor Cohen (No. 15 CPL) went 1-4 with a strikeout, but drew a walk and bopped his 20th double of the season. Last year’s 3rd-round pick has an .808 OPS and a 124 wRC+ in his debut full season. Shortstop Jhonny Level (No. 3 CPL) also went 1-4 with a double, while also getting hit by a pitch and not striking out. Level has adjusted well to High-A so far, as he’s hit safely in all 7 games with the Emeralds, going 11-31 with 4 doubles and just 5 strikeouts (he hasn’t drawn a walk yet, but he’s been hit 3 times). Notably, Level played shortstop with High-A for the first time on Tuesday, as he had only played second base in his opening series with the team. It seems as though the Giants will switch he and Gavin Kilen (No. 7 CPL) on a series by series basis, rather than a game-by-game one.
Speaking of which, Kilen played second for the first time this year, and went 1-3 with a double and a walk. The reigning 1st-round pick is now up to a .774 OPS and a 111 wRC+, with just a 13.3% strikeout rate. Rounding things out was center fielder Dakota Jordan (No. 5 CPL), who had a mixed bag of a day … the powerful righty hit 1-4 and struck out 3 times, but also blasted a 2-run home run, showing off his sensational power. The 2024 4th-rounder has a .790 OPS and a 113 wRC+ on the year, but also has a 30.6% strikeout rate.
San Jose Giants beat the Stockton Ports (A’s) 7-1 Box score
And now we return to our regularly scheduled pitching dominance. And this one began with someone who I would argue is the top pitching prospect in the organization: RHP Keyner Martinez (No. 10 CPL).
It’s been an up-and-down season for Martinez, following his breakout in 2025. But Tuesday was firmly in the “up” category, as the 21-year old Venezuelan breezed through 5 innings, giving up just 2 singles, a walk, and an unearned run, while striking out 8 batters. After a tough May, Martinez has started June on a dominant foot, as his 1st start of the month featured 9 strikeouts in just 4 innings, with an unearned run.
There’s no denying the magic in Martinez’s arm. He’s now up to 67 strikeouts in 41.1 innings, resulting in a 14.6 K/9 mark that ranks 3rd out of the 419 Minor League pitchers with at least 40 innings thrown this year.
It hasn’t been a flawless year for Martinez, who is allowing 5.0 walks per 9 innings, has seen his ground ball rate drop by more than 10 percentage points (to 38.6%), and has both an ERA and an FIP that begin with a 4 (4.57 and 4.05, respectively). But my goodness is he exciting.
The bullpen was great, too. More than great, actually; perfect! RHP Mauricio Estrella tossed 3 perfect innings while striking out 4 batters, while RHP Trey Seeley K’d all 3 batters that he faced. Estrella’s overall numbers have been more good than great, as he has a 3.74 ERA and a 3.62 FIP, but the recently-turned 22 year old has phenomenal walk and strikeout numbers: 42 and 7, respectively, in 33.2 innings.
As for Seeley, it was his debut at Low-A, and what a debut it was! The 23-year old was a 14th-round pick in last year’s draft, and pitched 7 times in the Complex League with middling results this year, before moving to San Jose. Perhaps he just needed to face better competition!
The pitching stole the show, but the hitting was good, too. Catcher Junior Barajas had a really nice game, hitting 2-5 with a solo home run and a strikeout.
A left-handed hitter taken in the 11th round last year, Barajas earned high praises entering the year, and started the season red hot, but he’d really cooled off lately, posting just a .573 OPS in May after a .940 OPS in April. Most notably, he bashed 4 home runs in his first 8 professional games … then went 31 straight games without a dinger. Until Tuesday! The cold stretch tanked his numbers to a .741 OPS and an 83 wRC+, but there’s still so much potential in his bat, to go along with some awesome defense and leadership behind the dish.
Two other hitters had great games: third baseman Dario Reynoso continued his stellar season by hitting 2-3 with 2 stolen bases, while also striking out once, while designated hitter Jeremiah Jenkins went 1-2 with a double, 2 walks, and a strikeout. Reynoso, a right-handed hitter from the Dominican Republic who recently turned 21, has a sensational 1.003 OPS and a 148 wRC+, with 9 stolen bases in 11 attempts, though he’s still striking out at a 30.5% clip. Jenkins, a lefty from Maine who was taken in the 14th-round of the 2024 draft and just turned 23, has an .828 OPS and a 113 wRC+, but is striking out 33.1% of the time.
Arizona Complex League (12-15)
ACL Giants lost to the ACL Athletics 12-2 (7 innings) Box score
Well, this was just a bad game, and there’s no reason to dwell on it. The ACL Giants sent 5 pitchers to the mound, and all 5 struggled, en route to 15 hits and 12 runs in just 6 innings of action. RHPs Brayan Narvaez and Matt Dunaway, the latter of which is on a rehab assignment from High-A, struggled the most, as each gave up 3 runs in just an inning of work, without a strikeout.
The offense wasn’t all that much better. Designated hitter Yulian Barreto had a funny game in which he didn’t register an official at-bat, as he had a sacrifice fly and was hit by a pitch twice. Second baseman Jose Ramos had the best day, as he went 2-4, while shortstop Luis Hernández (No. 6 CPL) went 1-3, but was caught stealing and committed an error.
Moving on…
Dominican Summer League Black (4-3)
DSL Giants beat the DSL Red Sox Blue 15-5 (7 innings) Box score
Well, this is a much better game. The pitching wasn’t great, with the best performance coming from RHP Frank Quiroz. A 19-year old from the Dominican Republic who was a late addition to this year’s international signing class, Quiroz got rocked in his first 2 games of the season. But this one went much better, as he tossed a no-hit inning with 2 strikeouts, though he also walked 2.
The offense, on the other hand, was awesome, with 14 hits in 7 innings, half of which went for extra bases. Left fielder Franco Willias went 2-4 with a 3-run home run, a walk, a stolen base and a strikeout, while third baseman Boris Sarduy hit 1-3 with a 2-run blast and a walk. Both players are having exceptional seasons: Willias, a 21-year old, has a 1.029 OPS and a 119 wRC+, though it’s his third pass through the DSL (he performed well in the first two attempts); Sarduy, a 19-year old, has a 1.111 OPS and a 176 wRC+. It’s very early, but after really struggling with strikeouts in his first two years, Sarduy is K’ing much less frequently this season.
Designated hitter Keiberg Camacaro hit 2-4 with a double, a walk, and 2 stolen bases, while catcher Diego Alambarrio went 2-3 with a pair of doubles and a walk. Camacaro, who is only 19 but is in his fourth season in the DSL, is easily having his best year, with an .899 OPS, a 125 wRC+, 6 stolen bases in 8 attempts, and, like Sarduy, a dramatically reduced strikeout rate. Alambarrio, who just turned 18, has a .950 OPS and a 127 wRC+; he was great in his debut last year, but only played 9 games.
Dominican Summer League Orange (5-2)
DSL Giants Orange beat the DSL Mariners 8-7 Box score
Another rough pitching performance, though RHP Gerson Rivero stood out in earning the save, as he struck out 2 batters in a scoreless inning, with a hit allowed. Rivero, who recently turned 18, was part of last year’s signing class but this was his professional debut. Quite an introduction!
The stars were on offense, though, and there were a trio of them. Third baseman Albert Jimenez had the biggest day, as he went 2-4 with a 3-run home run, a sacrifice fly, and 5 runs batter in. Jimenez, a 19-year old righty, entered the season with 7 career home runs in 81 DSL games over two seasons. This year? He already has 5 home runs in just 7 games, giving him a 1.580 OPS and a 218 wRC+.
Shortstop Yeison Oviedo hit 3-5 with 2 doubles and 2 strikeouts, while right fielder Yoxander Benitez went 3-4 with a walk. Oviedo, an 18-year old in his second season, has a 1.071 OPS and a 163 wRC+ after struggling in his debut last year; Benitez, a 19-year old in his third season, has a 1.029 OPS and a 160 wRC+ as he looks to prove himself following two below-average years.
Home run tracker
8 — Dakota Jordan — [High-A] 5 — Junior Barajas — [Low-A] 5 — Albert Jimenez — [DSL] 1 — Franco Willias — [DSL] 1 — Boris Sarduy — [DSL]
Wednesday schedule
Sacramento: 5:05 p.m. PT at Sugar Lang (SP: John Michael Bertrand) Richmond: 4:05 p.m. PT vs. Harrisburg (SP: Greg Farone) Eugene: 6:35 p.m. PT vs. Spokane (SP: Niko Mazza) San Jose: 7:05 p.m. PT at Stockton (SP: Jordan Gottesman)
COVERS INTEL: Shohei Ohtani has limited opponents to a 
