New York Yankees @ Baltimore Orioles: Will Warren vs. Trevor Rogers

HOUSTON, TEXAS - APRIL 24: Will Warren #29 of the New York Yankees pitches in the third inning against the Houston Astros at Daikin Park on April 24, 2026 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images) | Getty Images

I think I speak for everyone here when I hope the 2026 iteration of the Yankees does not prove to be as starkly bipolar as it has been throughout the season’s first month and a half. New York has dropped four consecutive games following a torrid stretch when they briefly had the best record in baseball—and that brief skid has allowed the Rays to not only catch up in the division, but go up by two games.

For what it’s worth, the last three Yankee defeats including last night’s 3-2 heartbreaker against the Orioles have all been one-run margins, but they have shone a spotlight on some weaknesses in this roster, one only exacerbated by a spate of recent injuries. Tonight they’ll look to avoid dropping their second straight series after winning their previous six.

Last season, the Bombers often needed to turn to Max Fried to stop a losing streak. They’re hoping they don’t have to wait an extra day for Fried’s turn in the rotation, sending Will Warren to the hill tonight. Warren has a tough act to follow: Ryan Weathers was outstanding against Baltimore, bringing a no-hitter into the seventh inning before one little hit (and later, a big one off Brent Headrick) spoiled the party. With Carlos Rodón back from the IL and Gerrit Cole continuing to ramp up for his long-awaited return, Weathers and Warren are both auditioning to stay part of the regular starting crew. Thankfully, both pitchers have impressed to start the year.

Warren’s last start was not his finest work, as the Rangers had little trouble stacking baserunners on him. He gave up seven hits, three walks, and a pair of homers in a 6-1 loss; though he still managed to squeeze in seven strikeouts amid all that hullabaloo. His previous three starts before that one were all high-quality—and hey, three good starts out of four while posting a strikeout rate over 30 percent is a body of work any team would take from their fourth or fifth starter.

Naturally, a strong outing from Warren won’t mean diddly squat if the Yankees can’t get out of their sudden funk at the plate.

I was actually in person for Trevor Rogers’ last start before he hit the IL with a nasty case of the flu. It wasn’t pretty—he got stuck in the mud in the second inning against a struggling Red Sox lineup and just couldn’t claw his way out. Once he reached over 30 pitches in the inning, Craig Albernaz sent him on his way. Boston won that game 17-1, and Alex Cora was fired later that evening. Baseball!

Rogers tore up the league last year for Baltimore, earning down-ballot Cy Young love as a result. His 2026 campaign has been uneven: his first three starts were 2025 Rogers-esque, but his next three were messy before he fell ill. Well, a recent illness didn’t stop Weathers from finding his footing on the slab—let’s see if Rogers can shake off the rust, too. (In case you’re curious, his last two starts of 2025 were both against the Yanks; one was great, the other was rough.)

In case you missed it, José Caballero officially went on the IL with a broken finger and Anthony Volpe was recalled. However, the latter won’t necessarily make his 2026 debut tonight—at least not in the starting lineup anyway. Max Schuemann gets the nod at the six after doubling in his last two starts. Paul Goldschmidt leads off against the lefty Rogers, and Amed Rosario subs in at second for the ever-slumping Jazz Chisholm Jr.

How to watch

Location: Oriole Park at Camden Yards — Baltimore, MD

First pitch: 6:35 pm ET

TV broadcast: YES, MASN

Radio broadcast: WFAN 660/101.9 FM, WADO 1280 (NYY), 98 Rock 97.9 FM, WBAL 1090 AM (BA. L) n

Online stream: MLB.tv (out-of-market only), Gotham Sports App

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David Stearns confident Mets 'have the talent' to turn 2026 season around

Heading into Tuesday's game against the Detroit Tigers, the Mets own the worst record in the MLB at 15-25 and find themselves 12.5 games back in the NL East standings.

New York was expected to be one of the top teams in the league, but have been far from it. They dealt with a 12-game losing streak in April while Juan Soto was out with a calf injury, and now Francisco Lindor, among others, are sidelined on the injured list as well. 

With things are looking like it's now-or-never for the Mets to save their 2026 season, president of baseball operations David Stearns expressed optimismthat the team can still make a run and "get this together."

"I do believe that," Stearns said. "We have not shown that yet, but I do believe that."

He added: "I think we have the talent on the roster and the character on the roster to make a run. We've got a lot of season left. I'm not going to say it's early, it's not. We're a quarter into the season, it's not early anymore, but we do have enough season left to make a run and I think we have the talent to do that."

Stearns admitted that the group has "underachieved" from what they expected the season would look like, but still believes they can turn it around.

"I think we've underachieved, there's no question," Stearns said. "Collectively as an organization, we've got to figure out a way to get better and I think we will."

Some thought making a change at manager would be the short-term solution to save the season, taking after the Red Sox and Phillies, but Stearns backed Carlos Mendoza on May 1 and doubled down on those comments Tuesday. He made it very clear the organization has no plans to move on from Mendoza any time soon.

"I'll let my words speak for themselves, I've been very clear and consistent that I think Mendy does a really good job," Stearns said. "I believe Mendy does a really good job. I like coming to work with him every day. I'm not going to address this every two weeks when I talk to you guys and I'll leave it at that."

Looking ahead, the Mets will try to become just the fifth team in MLB history to suffer a 10-game losing streak and still make the postseason. When asked what gives him confidence in the talent of the players to flip the script on the 2026 season, Stearns said he believes in the experience and background the individuals on the roster have. 

"I think we have a lot of players with really good track records in this league," Stearns. "We are counting on those track records. Not only on the field, but how they prepare for games. How they go about their business, how hard they're working right now. And we believe that ultimately that's going to show."

Talking to the fans, Stearns acknowledged their frustration with how the year has gone, but again, pointed to the "talent on this team" to be able to right the ship.

"I think our message to fanbase is we recognize that the first six weeks of this season haven't been close to good enough," Stearns said. "We understand that, we're disappointed in it. We also believe we have the talent on this team to turn this around and our focus is doing everything we can every single day to get it there."

The Mets' talent will get their chance to turn things around one last time this week with six straight home games, three against the Tigers and another three in the first Subway Series of the year against the Yankees over the weekend.

Tuesday game thread: vs Yankees, 6:35

BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - APRIL 1: Trevor Rogers #28 of the Baltimore Orioles throws a pitch in the sixth inning during a game against the Texas Rangers at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on April 1, 2026 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Brandon Sloter/Getty Images) | Getty Images

For the first time since April 25, Trevor Rogers is back on the bump for the Orioles. The lefty hit the IL with an illness that coincided with his shortest start of the year a few weeks back (1.2 IP, four hits, three runs, two walks, two strikeouts). Hopefully he is 100% now because the O’s could use the pitching help.

More good news: Samuel Basallo is in the lineup after being scratched on Monday night due to knee discomfort. The rookie might be the team’s most important hitter, so avoiding a lengthy injury is a big boost. He will DH while Adley Rutschman handles the catching duties once again.

Coby Mayo keeps his place in the order after smacking the winning three-run homer in the series opener. Craig Albernaz is trying anything he can to find consistent offense from his lineup. Mayo going 3-for-11 over his last four games is about as good as it gets for the back half of the order, which has been scuffling.

Dylan Beavers is your centerfielder, giving Leody Taveras a breather. It’s Beavers’ first start at the position since April 26. Colton Cowser is, by far, the better glove, but his bat is unplayable at the moment, so Beavers gets the nod instead. Again, the lineup needs whatever help it can get, and Beavers has been putting together some nice at-bats lately.

The Yankees made a roster move today. They put José Caballero on the IL and brought Anthony Volpe up from Triple-A. Caballero came in as a pinch runner in the ninth inning of Monday’s game and got thrown out trying to steal second for the final out of the evening. It doesn’t seem like he was hurt on the play. Caballero had been nursing a finger injury and was likely headed for the IL today anyway, so Aaron Boone put his legs in the game. Volpe is not starting tonight but could make his return to the big league squad at any point.

Orioles lineup

  1. Gunnar Henderson, SS
  2. Taylor Ward, LF
  3. Adley Rutschman, C
  4. Pete Alonso, 1B
  5. Samuel Basallo, DH
  6. Tyler O’Neill
  7. Dylan Beavers, CF
  8. Coby Mayo, 3B
  9. Jeremiah Jackson, 2B

LHP Trevor Rogers (2-3, 4.75 ERA)

Yankees lineup

  1. Paul Goldschmidt, 1B
  2. Aaron Judge, RF
  3. Ben Rice, DH
  4. Cody Bellinger, LF
  5. Amed Rosario, 2B
  6. Trent Grisham, CF
  7. Ryan McMahon, 3B
  8. Max Schuemann, SS
  9. Austin Wells, C

RHP Will Warren (4-1, 3.46 ERA)

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Game Thread #39: Milwaukee Brewers (22-16) vs San Diego Padres (24-16)

Milwaukee Brewers
Mar 29, 2026; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Milwaukee Brewers designated hitter Christian Yelich (22) reacts after hitting a three-run home run in the eighth inning against the Chicago White Sox at American Family Field. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-Imagn Images | Benny Sieu-Imagn Images

The Milwaukee Brewers and San Diego Padres are getting a three game series started at American Family Field. The Brewers are coming off a sweep of the New York Yankees while the Padres just finished a four game series split with the St. Louis Cardinals.

Milwaukee is getting healthier as Christian Yelich was activated off the IL prior to tonight’s game. Tyler Black was optioned back to Triple-A Nashville as the corresponding move. Yelich is back at DH in his customary third spot in the batting order.

“It’s a sure good feeling to have Yeli back. He means so much to our team.” manager Pat Murphy said.

Murphy has the Brewers lineup loaded with six lefties to counter the right-handers the Padres will be throwing. Bradgley Rodriguez will be the opener for San Diego with the previously scheduled starter Matt Waldron expected to follow him. Waldron is a knuckleballer, which will present quite the unique look for the Brewers lineup. Waldron also has a 7.71 ERA on the season.

No Andrew Vaughn in the lineup tonight. Instead Jake Bauers will get the start at first base, batting fifth. Garrett Mitchell, Sal Frelick, and David Hamilton will be the lefties that follow. Joey Ortiz rounds out the lineup at shortstop, batting ninth.

Overall, this Brewers lineup looks so much deeper and stronger with Yelich back in it. A top four of Brice Turang, Jackson Chourio, Yelich, and William Contreras is a fearsome group. It allows Mitchell to be in a lower pressure spot in the order and provide some more protection up and down the lineup.

The Brewers will have Brandon Sproat on the mound. Sproat has a 5.87 ERA on the year, but had a solid outing his last time out, throwing 4 scoreless IP, allowing just one hit. His pitch count was high at 76 pitches through those four innings, but he’s taken some steps forward lately. We’ll see if he’s able to continue that tonight.

Sproat will be facing a star studded Padres lineup, including Jackson Merrill, Fernando Tatis Jr, and Manny Machado at the top. That also means we’re due some loud booing during tonight’s game from the Brewers faithful every time Machado steps to the plate.

First pitch is at 6:40 PM.

GAME THREAD: Angels at Guardians, game 44 of 162

CLEVELAND, OHIO - MAY 10: José Ramírez #11 of the Cleveland Guardians bats against the Minnesota Twins at Progressive Field on May 10, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Here’s the Angels lineup:

Here’s the Guardians lineup

Let’s go, Guardians!

Shaikin: Mark Walter says the Dodgers can't win all the time. Even Magic Johnson agrees

Magic Johnson speaks during a media event for the upcoming FIFA World Cup soccer tournament. at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Calif., Tuesday, May 12, 2026. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
Magic Johnson speaks during a media event for the upcoming FIFA World Cup at SoFi Stadium on Tuesday. (Jae C. Hong / Associated Press)

On the morning after the Lakers got swept out of the playoffs and the Dodgers lost their fourth consecutive game, Magic Johnson flashed his trademark smile and stepped to the podium to talk soccer.

“The world’s game is coming to the greatest city in the world,” Johnson said Tuesday.

In Los Angeles, Johnson joined in a celebration marking one month until the World Cup arrives in town. Meanwhile, in New York, representatives of Major League Baseball and its players’ union held the first session of collective bargaining negotiations widely expected to be so contentious that the 2027 season could be in jeopardy.

The Dodgers might not be the lone reason for the dispute, but they are Exhibit A. For these negotiations, the owners have shifted their benchmark for competitive balance from making the playoffs to winning the World Series.

Read more:Mookie Betts returns but the Dodgers' offensive struggles persist in loss to Giants

No small-market team has won the World Series since the Kansas City Royals in 2015, and the Dodgers last year became the first team in 25 years to win back-to-back championships.

If you’re a Dodgers fan, these are the best of times. If you own one of the other 29 teams, you can complain that you cannot sell championship hope and faith if the Dodgers are spending five times as much as the Cleveland Guardians.

On the day the negotiations started, the Guardians were in first place in the American League Central. Of the first-place teams in the six divisions, four reside in small markets: Cleveland, San Diego, Tampa Bay and Sacramento/Las Vegas. The team with the highest payroll in the majors — not the Dodgers, but the New York Mets — had the worst record in the majors.

On opening day, Dodgers chairman Mark Walter told me this: “Here’s what the problem is: Money helps us win. We can’t win all the time. We’ve got to have some parity.”

Johnson is L.A.’s ultimate champion. As a player, he won with the Lakers. As an owner, he's won with the Dodgers, Sparks and LAFC.

So, after the soccer talk was done Tuesday, I asked Johnson what a Dodgers fan should think when the Dodgers chairman says the team can’t win all the time.

Johnson, who is one of Walter’s ownership partners, laughed.

“We want to win all the time,” Johnson said. “But, realistically, we can’t win all the time.”

Why not?

The Dodgers just went back-to-back, and everyone at the championship rally — including Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts, Dave Roberts, Andrew Friedman and even Walter himself — giddily talked about a threepeat. They run L.A. — and now Japan — and their star-studded team leads baseball in road attendance, generating money for the rival owners that complain about the Dodgers.

Read more:Shaikin: Dodgers owner Mark Walter: 'We’ve got to have some parity'

“Nobody can win all the time,” Johnson said. “Mark made that comment, and I think he wants — everybody wants — the game to be great. It’s great when there is parity. That’s what it’s all about. That’s what you’re seeing in the NBA now. You want the same thing in Major League Baseball.

“Do I ever want to lose? No. But it’s great for the game that it can be even and everybody has a real fair chance of winning.”

In the NBA, which has the salary cap that major league owners covet as a supposed solution to competitive balance, the Oklahoma City Thunder are eight victories from winning back-to-back championships, just like the Dodgers did. The Sacramento Kings, the kind of small-market team a salary cap is intended to lift toward parity, have made the playoffs once in the past 20 seasons.

However baseball’s owners and players resolve their differences, the almost certain lockout in December is expected to be followed by a season-threatening stare down: Do the players give in on a salary cap rather than give up their salaries for part or all of the season?

Or do the owners surrender on the salary cap, well aware that a 2027 lockout could drive away fans on the eve of media rights negotiations in 2028? After the 1994-95 strike, the average attendance did not return to prestrike levels until 2006.

And how long might the unified front Walter and the other 29 owners are putting up now last, once games and the revenues that flow from them are lost?

Golden State Warriors owner Joe Lacob, one of the runners-up in the sale of the Padres, said at a Sportico conference last week that his group’s bid assumed the possibility of MLB not playing the 2027 season. In order for the NHL to secure a salary cap, its owners shut down the sport for an entire season.

Read more:Dodgers muster only two hits, drop series to MLB-leading Braves: 'We're struggling'

The Dodgers sold 4 million tickets last season. If parity would make it harder for the Dodgers to win, what would Johnson tell the team’s fans?

“We’re going to try to win all the time,” he said. “That’s what we are telling our fans. But, probably, things are going to change after this season, so we’ll see what those changes are.”

If the Dodgers do not threepeat, or even if they somehow fail to make the playoffs, no matter. The bargaining battle is on.

But the baseball gods surely had a laugh about this: On the eve of the first bargaining session, and for the first time in the Walter ownership era that started in 2012, the Dodgers lost a third consecutive game by at least five runs.

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

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

Colorado Rockies game no. 42 thread: Michael Lorenzen vs Paul Skenes

May 6, 2026; Denver, Colorado, USA; Colorado Rockies starting pitcher Michael Lorenzen (24) delivers a pitch against the New York Mets in the first inning at Coors Field. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

After spending the weekend and going 1-2 against the Philadelphia Phillies, the Colorado Rockies (16-25) will look to reset as they begin a three-game set against the Pittsburgh Pirates (22-19).

They will, however, have their work cut out for them with a much-improved Pirates squad. Moreover, Colorado has lost five-straight in Pittsburgh dating back to their last win at PNC Park on May 3, 2024.

The Rockies have gone 8-14 on the road overall but are 6-4 over their last 10 road games dating back to April 16 at Houston. The are averaging 4.4 runs per game of that span while batting .256 (90-for-351) with nine home runs. Worth noting, Rockies pitchers have posted a 4.30 ERA (88.0 IP, 42 ER) over their last 10 road games, including a 4.38 ERA (51.1 IP, 25 ER) by the starting pitchers.

Starting for the Rockies is Michael Lorenzen. This will be his tenth start for the Rockies in 2026.

The righty has a 6.92 ERA in 39.0 IP. He’s struck out 26, walked 12, and given up seven home runs. Lorenzen has a 1.90 WHIP. 

He suffered his fourth loss of the season May 6 against the Mets at Coors Field, a 10-5 Rockies loss. During that outing, Lorenzen allowed seven runs on 11 hits with three walks and two strikeouts across five innings.

Taking the mound for the Pirates will be RHP and Cy Young winner Paul Skenes.

Currently, he has an ERA of 2.35 in 40.2 IP. He’s struck out 47 while giving up seven walks and allowing four home runs with a 0.71 WHIP.

 He won a 1-0 decision after allowing just two hits (back-to-back singles from Lourdes Gurriel Jr. and Nolan Arenado in the fourth inning) and striking out seven batters over 8.0 scoreless innings in his last start on May 6 at Arizona. Skenes became only the sixth Pirate (seventh instance) to pitch at least 8.0 scoreless innings with seven strikeouts, two or fewer hits allowed and zero walks issued in a game during the Modern Era.

He has a 1.83 career ERA (73.2ip/15er) vs. the National League West.

And now to the details.

First Pitch: 4:40 pm MDT

TV: Rockies TV

Radio: KOA 850 AM/94.1 FM; KNRV 1150 (Spanish)

SB Nation site:Bucs Dugout

Lineups:

For the visiting Rockies:

Colorado Rockies Lineup @ Pittsburgh Pirates (5.12.26) — Julien, Moniak, Goodman, Rumfield, Freeman, Johnston, Castro, Tovar, McCarthy with Lorenzen pitching

And the home Pirates:

Pittsburgh Pirates Lineup vs. Colorado Rockies (5.12.26) — Cruz, Lowe, Reynolds, O’Hearn, Gonzales, Ozuna, Horowitz, Griffin, Davis with Skenes Pitching


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Game #42: Colorado Rockies vs. Pittsburgh Pirates

PHOENIX, ARIZONA - MAY 06: Starting pitcher Paul Skenes #30 of the Pittsburgh Pirates reacts after pitching out of the eighth inning of the MLB game against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field on May 06, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Colorado Rockies vs. Pittsburgh Pirates, May 12, 2026, 6:40 p.m. ET

Location: PNC Park, Pittsburgh, PA

Broadcast: KDKA AM/FM, Sportsnet Pittsburgh

Pitching Matchup: Michael Lorenzen (2-4, 6.92 ERA) vs. Paul Skenes (5-2, 2.36 ERA)


The Pittsburgh Pirates are at home with a three-game series against the visiting Colorado Rockies at beautiful PNC Park.


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BD community, this is your thread for today’s game against the Rockies. Enjoy!

Game No. 41: Phillies at Red Sox — Brayan Bello tries to do it again

BOSTON, MA - MAY 10: Manager Chad Tracy #17 of the Boston Red Sox looks on from the dugout during the sixth inning against the Tampa Bay Rays at Fenway Park on May 10, 2026 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo By Winslow Townson/Getty Images) | Getty Images

One of the old adages in Major League Baseball is that all teams win a third of their games, all teams lose a third of their games, and it’s that middle third that separates pretenders from the contenders. Well, let’s just say that on paper, this is one of the games that looks like a loss for Boston.

The Red Sox have Jovani Moran opening for Brayan Bello, they’re down both Roman Anthony and Willson Contreras in the lineup (although Contreras did avoid the IL today after getting hit in the hand with a pitch on Sunday), and Mickey Gasper batting second. They’re also facing Zack Wheeler, who has a 3.12 ERA and has been the second best starter all year for the Phillies.

But then again, the Red Sox were facing almost this exact same predicament last Tuesday when they were on the road in Detroit. They had Moran opening for Bello, were missing Roman Anthony from the lineup, and were facing the Tigers’ second best starter in Framber Valdez. But because baseball is baseball, they won that game going away 10-3.

Will something like that happen again tonight? And if it does, does Brayan Bello start to earn some trust tokens back in his quest to stay in the rotation? We’ll all find out together over the next few hours.

Today’s Lineups

PHILLIESRED SOX
Trea Turner – SSJarren Duran – LF
Kyle Schwarber – DHMickey Gasper – 1B
Bryce Harper – 1BWilyer Abreu – RF
Adolis Garcia – RFMasataka Yoshida – DH
Brandon Marsh – LFTrevor Story – SS
J.T. Realmuto – CCeddanne Rafaela – CF
Bryson Stott – 2BMarcelo Mayer – 2B
Alec Bohm – 3BCarlos Narvaez – C
Justin Crawford – CFCaleb Durbin – 3B
Zack Wheeler – RHPJovani Moran – LHP

⚾️ First Pitch: 6:45pm — Fenway Park, Boston MA

📺 TV: NESN

📻 Radio: WEEI

Zack Wheeler is brilliant in tight 2-1 win over Red Sox

Zack Wheeler is brilliant in tight 2-1 win over Red Sox originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

BOSTON – Zack Wheeler worked so quickly (and efficiently) Tuesday night you’d have thought he was double-parked out in Kenmore Square.

Wheeler led the Phillies to a tight 2-1 win over the Boston Red Sox in Fenway Park. His recipe for success was simple: Get the ball, throw the ball, get back in the dugout.

Nineteen days before his 36th birthday and just shy of eight months after he had surgery to address thoracic outlet syndrome, Wheeler pitched 7 1/3 innings of one-run ball. He took a shutout into the seventh before the Red Sox nicked him for a run on three singles. Wheeler left the game with one out in the eighth and a runner on first base. Jose Alvarado survived some shaky work by his defense to get out of that inning with the tying run on third.

Jhoan Duran got the final three outs for the save. He recorded the final two outs with two men on base.

The win improved the Phillies to 11-3 under new manager Don Mattingly. Phillies starting pitchers have delivered nine quality starts in those 14 games.

Kyle Schwarber and Bryson Stott both hit balls over the wall for the Phillies. Schwarber homered (No. 17) for the fifth straight game, tying a team record, in the first inning and Stott clubbed a ground-rule double in the second inning for the Phillies’ second run.

The pitching did the rest. It had to because the Phillies’ bats produced just five hits.

Wheeler gave up six hits, all singles. He walked none, hit a batter and struck out four. His economy of pitches was exceptional. He threw eight or fewer pitches in four innings. He needed just 16 pitches to complete the first three innings and 59 to complete the first six. He faced one batter over the minimum over that span, thanks to two double plays.

Wheeler has won both of his career starts in Fenway Park. He’s given up just two runs in 14 1/3 innings in those games.

(More coming)

Mets Injury Updates: The latest on Francisco Lindor, Jorge Polanco, Luis Robert Jr, and A.J. Minter

David Stearns and Carlos Mendoza provided Mets injury updates prior to Tuesday’s game against the Tigers…


Good news on Lindor

Francisco Lindor is feeling better, and he’s shed the boot on his left foot as he continues recovering from a calf strain. 

Lindor is set to undergo a follow-up MRI within the next few days. 

From that point, Stearns said that the team will get opinions from their doctors so they can start mapping out what a return to play looks like.

“We won’t know until we see the results of the MRI,” he said. “We need to get it over the next 48 hours or so and once we get that, we’ll get our doctors to map out a plan.”

Stearns also said the team isn’t concerned that Lindor’s injury could impact his Achilles. 

The star shortstop has been on the IL since April 23.

Robert Jr. not progressing as planned

While both Stearns and Mendoza emphasized that A.J. Ewing’s call-up had nothing to do with Luis Robert Jr’s timeline, they didn’t have a positive update on the injured outfielder. 

Robert hasn't been progressing as hoped, and he continues to deal with discomfort in his lower back.

“He’s still showing some symptoms there,” Mendoza explained.

The team hasn’t gotten any indication that surgery could be required, but they are consulting with additional specialists. 

Robert received an injection upon landing on the IL two weeks ago, and the Mets said at the time that they didn’t expect him to miss much more than the minimum.

They do not have an update on his timeline, as of now. 

Apr 5, 2026; San Francisco, California, USA; New York Mets designated hitter Jorge Polanco (11) stands in the on deck during the first inning against the San Francisco Giants at Oracle Park.
Apr 5, 2026; San Francisco, California, USA; New York Mets designated hitter Jorge Polanco (11) stands in the on deck during the first inning against the San Francisco Giants at Oracle Park. / D. Ross Cameron - Imagn Images

Polanco’s ankle still symptomatic 

The Mets will be without Jorge Polanco a bit longer as well, as he continues recovering from bursitis in his Achilles. 

Stearns said Polanco’s ankle continues to show signs, and they have to get it asymptomatic before he can work his way back into the lineup. 

“We have good days and then it flares up,” he said. “We need to get the ankle asymptomatic so we know he can go out on a daily basis, run the bases freely, and we’re not there yet.”

The team is currently following protocols put forward by specialists in that area, who have not recommended shutting Polanco down completely.

The veteran began the season but quickly developed the issue. 

He played just two games at 1B, then was in and out of the lineup as the DH before landing on the IL on April 18.

Polanco resumed baseball activities over the past few weeks, but hasn’t been able to take the next step in his recovery, with the issue continuing to flare up. 

Next step for A.J. Minter 

The left-hander doesn’t appear far off from resuming his rehab assignment after completing a successful bullpen session on Tuesday at Citi Field.

Minter is expected to toss at least one more bullpen later this week. 

He’ll then head to the minors to continue building up, but could be back up with the big league club before long. 

Stearns said a two-to-three-week timeline is about right. 

Minter, of course, wasn’t too far off from making his return to the Mets' bullpen before left hip discomfort caused him to pause his rehab last week.

He’d allowed just three runs (one earned) over eight appearances, at the time.  

A’s roster moves: Bolte, Stefanic recalled; Wilson to IL; Harris optioned, Nuñez DFA’d

MESA, ARIZONA - MARCH 22, 2026: Henry Bolte #16 of the Athletics hits an RBI single during the second inning of a spring training Spring Breakout game against the Milwaukee Brewers at Hohokam Stadium on March 22, 2026 in Mesa, Arizona. (Photo by Chris Bernacchi/Diamond Images via Getty Images) | Diamond Images/Getty Images

The Athletics announced a bunch of roster moves on Tuesday afternoon in the lead up to their series with the Cardinals kicking off:

That’s a lot of moves for one day. The biggest news is the promotion of Henry Bolte. One of the organization’s very top prospects, the former 2nd-round pick has absolutely demolished Triple-A pitching this season and will be rewarded with his first call up to the major leagues. With Denzel Clarke on the IL and Tyler Soderstrom and Lawrence Butler struggling, there is a clear and open path for Bolte to make an impression and make it so he never has to return to the minor leagues.

The other big news is the Wilson injury. After injuring his shoulder this weekend we saw the runner-up in last year’s AL ROTY voting in a sling so this placement isn’t exactly a surprise. It does sound as though it’s not a worst-case scenario for him as it’s to his non-throwing shoulder but the team will surely be cautious with their young infielder. There’s no set timetable for his return but it’s going to be at least a month before we see him suit up again. In the mean time expect to see plenty of Darell Hernaiz at shortstop for the Athletics.

The team is also bringing up infielder Michael Stefanic to help bolster the team’s depth on the dirt. The 30-year-old has spent parts of four seasons in the big leagues with the Angels and Blue Jays. He joined the A’s on a minor league deal this offseason and he’s slashed .250/351/.355 with a pair of long balls and a trio of steals for the Aviators. He has some experience at shortstop but hasn’t played there this season, getting most of his playing time at second and third base. He’s a depth piece for Mark Kotsay at this point but the A’s need bodies with Max Muncy and Jacob Wilson out of action.

The A’s weren’t done there. To make room for Stefanic on the roster the team demoted third baseman Brett Harris. The shine has worn off Harris as he’s struggled in his limited opportunities in the big leagues. He only got four at bats this year for the A’s and didn’t record a hit in those chances. For now he’ll return to Las Vegas and continue to try working on his game and force the team to give him another chance later this year.

And finally wrapping up the roster moves today, the team needed to create 40-man roster space and reliever Eduarniel Nuñez was the casualty. The flame throwing right-hander came over in the Mason Miller trade with the Padres last year but struggled in his time with the Athletics. Those struggles have continued this year as he’s allowed 7 runs in just over 11 innings of work. The A’s made him a part of the return for Miller so it’d be disappointing to see the team move on after less than a calendar year. Hopefully the team can sneak him through waivers unclaimed and get him back into the Las Vegas bullpen, but we’ll just have to wait and see if another team is more interested.

The Arizona Diamondbacks’ rotation makes an abrupt turnaround following ugly stretch

PHOENIX — The walks were piling up, homers flying out of the ballpark, runs racing across the plate.

Arizona Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo had seen enough.

A manager who prefers one-on-one meetings with his players called Arizona’s entire starting rotation into his office for a one-way conversation.

Hearing what their manager said — throw strikes, essentially — was something the starters already knew, but the reinforced message kicked off the best run by the Diamondbacks’ rotation in nine years.

“That was his message, just to remind us that we’re really good and what we’re going through right now is not who we are,” Arizona right-hander Merrill Kelly said.

It was ugly.

The Diamondbacks had a few decent starts here and there the first month of the season, but the blowups started coming with more regularity.

Instead of throwing strikes and letting hitters put the ball in play, the Diamondbacks were being too fine with their pitches or trying to get strikeouts. The walks started racking up and with those came big innings — lots of big innings.

Through the first 33 games of the season, Arizona’s starters had the worst ERA in baseball at 5.42 as the Diamondbacks dropped 4 1/2 games out of first in the NL West barely a month into the season.

Lovullo made the rare decision to meet with all his starters during a May 1-3 series at the Cubs and the results — whether he had anything to do with it or not — have been impressive.

With Michael Soroka’s gem against Texas on Monday night, Arizona’s starters have had seven straight starts of at least six innings, longest active streak in the majors and the Diamondbacks’ best since 2017. They currently have four straight starts of at least six innings with one or fewer runs and four or less hits for the fifth time in franchise history, first since 2019.

“I probably had 1% to do with that,” Lovullo said. “I just created awareness, just told them this is what I’m seeing, go out there and reverse it. Figure out how to pitch deep into games, execute and put balls into play. I said what I said and I’m proud of the way they’ve been getting after it.”

It’s been an impressive run.

Eduardo Rodriguez, Arizona’s steadiest pitcher, kicked it off by allowing two hits in seven scoreless innings in a win over the Pirates on May 5. The left-hander backed it up by limiting the Mets to one run on four hits in a career-best 8 1/3 innings on Sunday.

Soroka lost a 1-0 pitcher’s duel with Pittsburgh’s Paul Skenes despite allowing a run in 6 1/3 innings, but beat the Rangers 1-0 Monday night by allowing three singles over 6 1/3 scoreless innings.

Following six-inning starts by Zac Gallen and Ryne Nelson, Kelly had his best start of the season against the Mets on Saturday.

Relying on a few tweaks in his mechanics, the right-hander allowed a run on three hits in seven innings after 19 earned runs over 13 2/3 innings his previous three starts. Kelly’s impressive start kicked off Arizona’s current three-game winning streak and earned him hugs and high-fives in the dugout after his day was done.

“It’s bittersweet; you feel like the kid who finally passed the test,” Kelly said. “You feel like the kid who’s been getting F’s all the time and finally got an A. It feels a lot better coming off the mound knowing you gave your team a chance to win.”

Dodgers acquire outfielder Alek Thomas in a trade with the Diamondbacks

LOS ANGELES — The Los Angeles Dodgers added to their outfield depth by acquiring Alek Thomas in a trade with the Arizona Diamondbacks on Tuesday.

Thomas was batting just .181 with two homers and 10 RBIs when he was designated for assignment by Arizona last week. But the speedy Thomas is a solid defender, and he could be used by Los Angeles as a late-inning defensive replacement and pinch runner.

The Dodgers sent outfield prospect Jose Requena to the Diamondbacks. To make room for Thomas on the 40-man roster, outfielder Michael Siani was designated for assignment.

Thomas was selected by Arizona in the second round of the 2018 amateur draft. He made his major league debut in 2022.

Thomas had his share of big moments with the Diamondbacks, particularly during the team’s run to the 2023 World Series. He hit four homers during the postseason, including a tying two-run shot against the Phillies in Game 4 of the NL Championship Series.

The 26-year-old Thomas is a .230 hitter with 31 homers, 143 RBIs and 28 steals in 448 career games.

Tuesday Bantering: Jays Bits

TORONTO, ON - MAY 11: Agent 00 delivers the ceremonial first pitch prior to the game between the Tampa Bay Rays and the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre on Monday, May 11, 2026 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Peter Sarellas/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images

There isn’t much for news today.

Jake Bloss pitched for the first time this year, after UCL surgery a year ago. He threw 2.1 innings, with four strikeouts. He allowed 2 hits, with no walks and no runs, pitching in the FCL. We could use him now, but it will be late June before he’ll be an option for the Blue Jays.

It looks like Max Scherzer would be the first of the injured pitchers, he had cortisone injections, one in his thumb yesterday, so he won’t be throwing for a few days. And Shane Bieber is to throw a bullpen session today. It will be June before he can help the Jays. José Berríos is meeting with a doctor about the changes in his latest MRI.

Rotowire says that the Jays are the second most injured team in the MLB, behind the Tigers.

The Jays have an off-day Thursday, so they won’t need a fifth starter until May 19th. I thought Spencer Miles did a great job, the other day, I’d lean to seeing if he can be stretched out beyond three innings.


Today’s lineup against the lefty. Andrés Giménez gets the day off despite the two home runs yesterday. Giménez doesn’t hit lefties well and has been nursing an sore hamstring. I got an email saying Andrés had the best day at the plate of any MLB player yesterday.

Sooner or later some of the other guys are going to have to start hitting.

Today’s Lineups

RAYSBLUE JAYS
Yandy Diaz – DHGeorge Springer – DH
Jonathan Aranda – 1BMyles Straw – RF
Junior Caminero – 3BVladimir Guerrero – 1B
Ryan Vilade – LFKazuma Okamoto – 3B
Jonny DeLuca – RFLenyn Sosa – 2B
Ben Williamson – 2BErnie Clement – SS
Cedric Mullins – CFDaulton Varsho – CF
Nick Fortes – CDavis Schneider – LF
Taylor Walls – SSBrandon Valenzuela – C
Shane McClanahan – LHPPatrick Corbin – LHP