Category: MLB

Hunter Goodman has been good. Again.

That is the place to start.

Goodman hit 31 home runs last season, became an All-Star, and won a Silver Slugger. And he has been productive in 2026, hitting .247/.310/.513 with an .823 OPS and 11 home runs through May 15th.

The interesting part is not that Goodman is producing. It is the extreme, occasionally odd shape of how he is doing it.

The power indicators are extreme. So are the access concerns. His production has been better on the road than at Coors Field. And he is not just a right-handed power bat exploiting left-handed pitching.

Then there is the ABS piece, where Goodman’s relationship with the strike zone appears to change depending on whether he is wearing the gear or holding the bat.

The production is real. So are the caution lights.

In 2026, Goodman ranks in the 91st percentile in average exit velocity, 85th percentile in barrel rate, 92nd percentile in hard-hit rate, and 90th percentile in bat speed. When he gets to the baseball, there is impact in the bat. The shape has also moved in an even more power-friendly direction:39.6% fly balls, 52.7% pull rate.

This is an extreme power profile.

But here is another extreme: 3rd percentile chase rate, 4th percentile whiff rate.

That is where the access question gets sharper. Power hitters are going to miss. Aaron Judge whiffs, too. The difference is whether those misses come while hunting damage in the zone or chasing damage out of it. Judge’s 2026 chase rate is 25.2%, below the MLB average of 28.5%. Goodman’s chase rate is 43.6%.

Their chase-contact rates are fairly similar — 45.7% for Judge, 49.7% for Goodman — but Goodman is putting himself in those chase situations much more often, contributing to an eye-catching 1st percentile strikeout rate and 25th percentile walk rate that holds the entire profile back.

Right now, Goodman is more Oneil Cruz and less Judge: overwhelming impact, real production, and massive plate discipline caution lights.

Still, it is working.

The home/road split is its own (odd) extreme

There were hints last year that Goodman’s power did not need Coors Field. In 2025, he hit more home runs on the road than at home, 18 to 13, even though the full profile still behaved like a normal Rockies hitter profile.

Goodman hit .307/.356/.526 with an .882 OPS at home and .248/.288/.515 with an .803 OPS on the road. The power traveled. The production still lived mostly at home.

This year, the whole thing has flipped.

In 2026, Goodman has hit .200/.278/.415 with a .693 OPS at home and .281/.333/.584 with a .917 OPS on the road. He has three home runs at Coors and eight away from it.

That is not just road power: That is a Rockies hitter doing the Rockies thing backward.

And because, apparently, the profile needed one more oddity, Goodman’s day/night split has been extreme, too: a .571 OPS in day games and a .962 OPS at night.

The platoon split is not extreme

Goodman is a right-handed power bat, so one might think the damage is coming mostly against left-handed pitching — the reverse Mickey Moniak.

Except that is not exactly the case, either.

His 2026 platoon splits are almost perfectly neutral: .244/.311/.512 with an .823 OPS against lefties and .248/.309/.513 with an .822 OPS against righties. And while the plate appearance gap matters, eight of his 11 home runs have come against right-handed pitching.

Goodman is giving the Rockies right-handed thump against all pitchers.

Goodman the catcher and Goodman the hitter

The strangest layer is Goodman’s relationship with the strike zone: it seems to change depending on where he is standing — or squatting.

As a hitter, Goodman has been one of the worst ABS challengers in baseball — ranking second-to-last in MLB in net overturns vs. expected at -4.0, while going 2-for-8 on challenges.

Behind the plate, he has been one of the best in baseball — ranking second in MLB with +14.4 net overturns vs. expected and a 71% success rate on 31 challenges.

Goodman appears to know the strike zone when he is trying to win a pitch for his pitcher. He has had a much harder time knowing it when he needs one more pitch for himself.

That split sounds strange, but eye angles and body positioning aside, there may be a simple human explanation. League-wide ABS usage hints at the emotional difference between challenging as a batter and challenging as a catcher. Batters challenge more often as the count becomes pressure-filled — especially in two-strike and full-count situations:

The same pattern shows up by inning, too. As the game gets later and the pressure rises, hitters challenge more often:

The urgency shows up in the challenge rate, but not in the success rate. Hitters challenge more often in those do-or-die counts without getting better results.

That is the existential crisis of the hitter. For a catcher, a challenge can be tactical. For a hitter, it can become a plea for one more pitch. To stay alive.

That does not solve Goodman’s hitter-side ABS struggles. It just makes the split more fascinating: the catcher can read the edge; the hitter is trying to survive it.

The Rockies can live with extremes

For now, maybe the cleanest way to understand the Rockies’ 26-year-old catcher is this: swing hard and often. Hit the ball outrageously hard when contact arrives. Live with the misses.

That profile is not tidy, but tidy is not the requirement. Production is. The Rockies can live with an extreme Hunter Goodman.

But this is also where the “what if?” game gets fun. What if Coors starts helping? What if the whiffs tick down? What if Goodman the hitter borrows a little more from Goodman the catcher?

Then the question gets bigger.

Is Hunter Goodman someone the Rockies can truly build around?

On the Farm

Triple-A: Oklahoma City Comets 17, Albuquerque Isotopes 1

The Albuquerque Isotopes fell to 25-18 with a lopsided 17-1 loss to the Oklahoma City Comets, who improved to 22-20.

Oklahoma City scored in each of the first five innings, including nine runs in the fifth. Carson Palmquist (No. 19 PuRP) started for Albuquerque and allowed five runs on seven hits and three walks over 2.1 innings. Palmquist took the loss, falling to 1-3 with a 6.95 ERA. The bullpen did not fare much better, as the Comets finished with 17 runs on 19 hits and 12 walks. Albuquerque had eight hits but scored only once. Blaine Crim drove in the lone Isotopes run and now has a .781 OPS, while Vimael Machín went 2-for-4 and is carrying a 1.010 OPS. The rest of the lineup was quiet. The Comets were led by Alex Freeland, who drove in five runs, Jack Suwinski, who added three hits and four RBI, and James Tibbs III, who went 3-for-5 with three RBI and has a 1.011 OPS.

Double-A: Portland Sea Dogs 2, Hartford Yard Goats 1 (F/10)

The Hartford Yard Goats fell to 17-19 with a 2-1 extra-innings loss to the Portland Sea Dogs, who improved to 17-19.

Portland scored first in the fifth inning on a Tyler McDonough RBI single, but Hartford answered in the sixth when Bryant Betancourt hit his sixth home run of the season, a solo shot to right field that tied the game at 1-1. The game stayed there until the 10th. Portland opened the inning with the automatic runner on second, moved him to third on a single, and brought him home on a groundout. Hartford moved its automatic runner to third with one out in the bottom half, but GJ Hill struck out and Benny Montgomery grounded out to end the game. Jake Brooks gave the Yard Goats a strong start — one run on eight hits over five innings with no walks and four strikeouts. Andy Perez went 2-for-4 and continues to produce on offense with a .368 average and .897 OPS.

High-A: Hillsboro Hops 5, Spokane Indians 4

The Spokane Indians fell to 14-23 with a 5-4 loss to the Hillsboro Hops, who improved to 15-22.

Spokane scored twice in the first inning, but Hillsboro tied it in the third, moved ahead in the fifth, and took the lead for good with two runs in the seventh. The Indians made it close in the ninth, loading the bases and scoring on an Ethan Hedges (No. 29 PuRP) hit-by-pitch, but Max Belyeu (No. 15 PuRP) struck out to end the game. Spokane had eight hits, with Robert Calaz (No. 6 PuRP) and Tevin Tucker collecting two apiece. Hedges drove in two runs, while Kelvin Hidalgo added an RBI single. The Indians used three pitchers in short outings. Brody Brecht (No. 3 PuRP) allowed two runs over 2.1 innings, Francis Rivera gave up one run in 2.2 innings, and Justin Loer took the loss after allowing two runs over three innings.

Single-A: Fresno Grizzlies 6, Visalia Rawhide 5 (F/10)

The Fresno Grizzlies improved to 22-15 with a 6-5 extra-innings win over the Visalia Rawhide, who fell to 13-24.

Fresno led early, lost the lead in the eighth, and then got it back late. Roldy Brito (No. 11 PuRP) delivered the biggest swing of the night, tying the game with a two-run homer in the bottom of the ninth. In the 10th, the Grizzlies put runners on the corners before Jeremy Ciriaco reached on a throwing error that brought home the winning run. Brito finished 3-for-5 with two RBI and now has a .965 OPS. Tanner Thach also had a strong night, going 3-for-5 with an RBI and pushing his OPS to .920. Jack O’Dowd added an RBI as part of Fresno’s 12-hit night. Angel Jimenez gave the Grizzlies a solid start, allowing two runs, one earned, on three hits over six innings while striking out six. Fresno’s bullpen made things interesting, but Samy Clausen struck out the side in the 10th to keep the game tied and earn the win.

Mickey to Mickey: A baseball thank-you letter | MLB.com

MLB.com’s Ayako Oikawa-Hughes shares a beautiful first-person piece from Mickey Moniak, written as a letter to Mickey Mantle. It is part family history, part baseball memory, and part reflection on how a name can connect one generation of the game to another.

Chase Dollander’s Elbow Is Now Colorado’s Biggest Problem | SI.com

Kyle Newman of SI.com frames Chase Dollander’s right elbow strain as the Rockies’ biggest concern because he represents both the present and future of a rotation already in crisis. It also covers the related roster moves, including Sterlin Thompson’s call-up and Sammy Peralta being added as likely multi-inning depth.

Purple Row After Dark: What are your way-too-early trade deadline predictions? | Purple Row

If you like trades and predictions, check out this Purple Row After Dark from Zeke you might have missed. He asked Purple Row readers for their way-too-early trade deadline predictions, which feels like a pretty natural conversation starter for where this Rockies season already is.

Please keep in mind our Purple Row Community Guidelines when you’re commenting. Thanks! 

Good morning Birdland,

Leave it to the 2026 Orioles to make a pitcher with an ERA near seven look like an all-star. Look, Zack Littell has been in the majors for nearly a decade and has put together multiple solid seasons. He’s not a random Triple-A arm making a spot start. But 2026 has been a struggle for him. The opener of this series with the Nationals seemed like an opportunity for the Orioles to score some runs. Instead, Littell shut the lineup down for five innings, and they couldn’t do much of anything against any of the Nationals pitchers until the ninth inning.

Given how poorly the Orioles hit all game, they were fortunate to have a chance so late in the game. They even had their best hitter, Adley Rutschman, at the plate with the bases loaded. They could have taken the lead outright. But it wasn’t to be. Rutschman got down in the count and was then struck out on a half-swing to end the game.

It was an appropriate conclusion to a bad day for the Orioles. A few hours earlier it had been announced that Jordan Westburg had undergone Tommy John surgery and was out for the year. This wasn’t necessarily a surprise at this point. The news trickling out about his rehab had all been bad. But it is still disappointing, and it gives the Orioles fewer viable options to solve their broken offense.

The decision to get Jackson Holliday involved at third base probably had a lot to do with the fact that the Orioles already knew Westburg’s elbow was not getting better. The team also can’t love what they have seen from Coby Mayo. Weston Wilson probably isn’t the solution. But they have to figure something out at the hot corner.

Just add it to the list of things with this team that have not gone according to Mike Elias’ plan in 2026. Some of it is bad luck, like the injuries to Westburg, Holliday, and Zach Eflin. But a lot more of it comes down to poor planning or bad development. The O’s President of Baseball Operations had better hope his roster magical starts playing well, or it’s going to be a long summer for him and his staff.

Links

Orioles infielder Jordan Westburg undergoes season-ending elbow surgery | The Baltimore Banner
Here’s more about Westburg’s surgery. It always felt like the Orioles weren’t going to have the third baseman in 2026, but because they opted for rehab over surgery for the last three months, the injury may now impact the 2027 season. It’s understandable. No one wants to get surgery if they can avoid it. Unfortunately, Westburg could not avoid it.

Orioles Acquire Eduarniel Núñez, Designate Christian Roa | MLB Trade Rumors
You have to be a sicko to know who either of these players are at this point in their careers. The Orioles swapped one righty for another. Núñez is a 26 years old and made his big league debut last year. He walks a lot of hitters, and his limited MLB experience has not gone well. Clearly, the Orioles like him a bit more than Roa, who could stick around the organization if he gets through waivers.

Leftovers for breakfast | Roch Kubatko
Quotes from Elias abound in this one. He even says that the team is looking in to what might be causing the continued onslaught of injuries that have plagued the Orioles for several seasons now. Any ideas?

Mayo shows potential with bat, glove while re-adjusting to hot corner | Orioles.com
Mayo has popped on occasion. That’s great. But the team needs some level of consistency. The answer could be to platoon him with Holliday since he does have an .874 OPS against lefties this year, but a lowly .411 OPS against righties.

Orioles birthdays

Is it your birthday? Happy birthday!

• Luis Sardiñas turns 33 today. He appeared in eight games for the Orioles as an infield option in 2018.
• Dietrich Enns is 35 years old. The lefty came out of nowhere to be a viable member of the Orioles bullpen in 2025, and has continued to do so in 2026.
• Ivanon Coffie is 49. His only MLB experience came as a utility infielder with the 2000 Orioles.
• The late Dave Philley (b. 1920, d. 2012) was born on this day. He had an 18-season career, which included parts of the 1960 and ‘61 campaigns in Baltimore.

This day in O’s history

1984 – The Orioles release legendary pitcher Jim Palmer, who began the season 0-3 with a 9.17 ERA. He is asked to retire and accept a job with the organization, but he declines, hoping to find a roster spot elsewhere.

1999 – The Orioles crush the Rangers 16-5. Mike Bordick leads the team with four hits, and Albert Belle smacks two home runs.

2017 – Chris Davis hits two extra-inning home runs to lift the Orioles to a 13-11 win over the Tigers. The O’s had blown a 7-1 lead and needed a Mark Trumbo homer with two outs in the ninth inning to even get to extras in the first place.

Today’s Reflections

Please. Jed. Just re-sign Ian Happ ASAP. You have to look at what he’s doing with bat-to-ball contact compared to how much he swings and misses pitches. Barreling-the-bat percentages aren’t my forte, but Happ been doing so at an over 18-percent rate, which puts him in the top 12 in baseball, ahead of Yordan Alvarez, Shohei Ohtani and Nick Kurtz. Good company.

There is a lot of consistent contact elsewhere on the Cubs. Leave it to them. The Cubs need to continue to have a big bat to count on. Thirty HRs is possible. He’s averaging over 20. He plays nearly every game, averages over 30 doubles and four Gold Gloves, even in LF, is nothing to sneeze at. I’m still hammering away on the big bat, but he’s seven HRs behind Hack Wilson, 15 behind Hank Sauer to be in the Cubs’ top 10 and 17 HRs from 200 for his career. Can he total 27 HRs this year? Heck, why not. He hit 25 two years ago, and he has 10 as of Thursday — a quarter through the season.

After I wrote this, I posted below that Pedro Ramirez will be playing some outfield in Iowa, making him a prospective replacement for Happ. Well, that’s interesting — can you name that last Iowa Cub that was an infielder who turned himself into a good LF to help his move into the majors? Yep. Happ. You should see my head having a nuclear explosion.

If Ramirez can turn himself into an inexpensive Happ by the trade deadline, do you deal Happ? If the Cubs have built an offense to make a World Series run, can they handle the up-and-downs of another young player in the lineup while dealing with PCA, Shaw and Ballesteros at the plate? We await developments.

Thank goodness that Daniel Palencia is back! A big ninth inning for his third save of the year Thursday. His presence moves everybody up a chair. Hoby Milner pitched the fifth and sixth for the win, while Phil Maton and Jacob Webb took care of the next two. Combined, four innings of shutout ball on three hits and four strikeouts. Need more of that!

I don’t always pay attention to everything that goes on — some do. More power to ya. 🙂 As much as I love JD, I usually watch the Cubs with the sound off. I don’t want to belabor the reason why. But Thursday night, while working on the computer, I had the game and volume on. I entered the game in the fourth, scoreless (again), and after a couple of innings, I had realized that there had been melodious sounds coming from the speakers that just melded perfectly with JD and called the game with the perfect flair with out overdoing. It was like music to my ears. I have heard people talk about Alex Cohen from the Iowa Cubs, and I now I know why people have sung his praises. I will hold off on giving the obvious comment in this spot. 🙂

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(misc videos)

• Casey McAleer (Da Windy City): Cubs learned an important lesson during statement series against Braves. “Chicago proved it could compete with one of baseball’s best teams, but the series also exposed what still needs to improve moving forward.”
• Thomas Domol (North Side Baseball): Cubs’ Distinguished Running Game Is Finding Its Stride. “Seizing opportunities is what separates baseball’s contenders and pretenders. Despite their recent slide, the Chicago Cubs are one of the best in the game at cashing theirs in. The club’s deceptively deep running game is one major way in which the North Siders are winning or staying in ball games.”
• Ryan O’Rourke (Cubbies Crib): Cubs’ series against the White Sox could not come at a worse time. “One team in Chicago is playing hot and having fun right now, and it’s not the Cubs.”
• AP (CBS Sports): Ian Happ homers, 5 combine for shutout as Cubs snap a 4-game skid with a 2-0 win over Braves. “Happ’s home run led off the eighth inning and traveled 424 feet to right field, bouncing off the side of the Chop House restaurant. ….. In Ben Brown’s two starts, he has not allowed a run in eight innings.”

• Aldo Soto (Sports Mockery): Ian Happ Replacement? Chicago Cubs Prospect Moves to Outfield. “Pedro Ramirez, a switch-hitting infielder, has already set a career high in home runs after 40 games with the Iowa Cubs, and now Ramirez is expanding his versatility by playing in the outfield.”
• Carson Wolf (Just Baseball): Michael Conforto Is Back To Mashing Righties. “Michael Conforto has become a key left-handed bat for the Cubs, returning to form while dominating right-handed pitching.”
• Patrick Mooney and Sahadev Sharma (The Athletic): Cubs mailbag, Part 2: All your questions about the trade deadline answered. “Ultimately, the major decisions won’t be made until much closer to the Aug. 3 trade deadline. But the interest in trade concepts is such that it filled Part 2 of this week’s mailbag.”
• Gordon Edes (Chicago Sun-Times): Braves skipper Walt Weiss has fond memories of Craig Counsell, Dansby Swanson. ““He’s a good one, man,’’ Weiss said of Counsell.”
• Perla Paredes (MLB.com): Amaya returns to Cubs’ lineup after battling back tightness. “Amaya participated in baseball activities on Tuesday, doing fielding work and taking live at-bats before rejoining the lineup on Thursday.”
• Matthew Trueblood (North Side Baseball): Pete Crow-Armstrong and the Perils of Bat Speed. “The Cubs’ star center fielder has better bat speed this season, which is leading to more hard contact. He’s not paying for it with more whiffs, either. So why are his numbers so off?”
• Jordan Campbell (Cubbies Crib): Beloved former Cub is once again proving Jed Hoyer right that it was time to move on. “Cubs fans are quick to point out the ones that got away under Hoyer’s watch, but in this case, it seems like the Cubs were smart to give up on Morel when they did.”
• Matt Sullivan (Sporting News): Cubs’ Alex Bregman called upon to break out ASAP, which doesn’t make sense. “Bregman, so far in 2026, has been a bit underwhelming for his massive contract, but compared to the rest of Major League Baseball, he’s not actually been that bad.”
• Meghan Montemurro (Chicago Tribune {$}): Chicago Cubs drop season-high 4th straight, wasting Shota Imanaga’s strong start in 4-1 loss to Atlanta Braves. ““Reflecting on my outing today, if I didn’t give up any runs, then the Cubs would have had a chance to win,” Imanaga said through interpreter Edwin Stanberry. “So when I’m looking back at it, I should have kept them to zero.”
• Max Ralph (MLB.com): Cubs’ pitcher injuries: Who’s available? Who’s on the way back? “The club has used 24 pitchers this season, 11 of whom were not on the active roster on Opening Day. …… So, let’s take stock of what’s actually out there for the North Siders.”
• Paolo Mariano (Clutch Points): 2 2016 World Series champions spurn Cubs’ efforts to bring them back. “The Chicago Cubs tried to infuse the front office with familiar faces as they aim to return to the World Series.”
• Gordon Edes (Chicago Sun-Times): Cubs’ losing streak reaches four after rare misplay by second baseman Nico Hoerner. “The Braves scored three runs in the eighth inning after an errant flip by Hoerner en route to a 4-1 victory. The Cubs have scored a total of three runs during their skid.”
• Meghan Montemurro (Chicago Tribune {$}): Chicago Cubs drop season-high 4th straight, wasting Shota Imanaga’s strong start in 4-1 loss to Atlanta Braves. ““Reflecting on my outing today, if I didn’t give up any runs, then the Cubs would have had a chance to win,” Imanaga said through interpreter Edwin Stanberry. “So when I’m looking back at it, I should have kept them to zero.”

• Gordon Edes (Chicago Sun-Times): Friendship goes a long way for Cubs first baseman Michael Busch. “Cole Veith is Busch’s best friend. Has been since they met in history class in sixth grade in Inver Grove Heights, Minnesota.”

Food For Thought:

Freddie King, blues musician, was born Freddie Christian in Gilmer, Texas, on September 3, 1934. He was the son of J. T. Christian and Ella Mae (or May) King. At the age of six he began playing guitar with his mother and an uncle, Leon King. As a youth he purchased a Roger’s acoustic guitar with money he had earned picking cotton.

He moved to Chicago with his family in 1949. At the age of sixteen he snuck into a Chicago blues club and sat in with the house band, which included Howlin’ Wolf. King developed his style under the influence of Lightnin’ Hopkins, T-Bone Walker, B. B. King (not a relative), Louis Jordan, and others. By day he worked in a steel mill, and he played shows at night. King formed his own band, the Every Hour Blues Boys, which included Eddie Taylor, Jimmy Rogers, Jimmy Lee Robinson, and Sonny Scott.

Mexican performer lifts 166.11 pounds with her hair — A Mexican circus performer showed off the strength of her scalp by lifting a 166.11-pound weight with her hair. Diana Elizabeth Batres Hermosillo, who has been performing circus feats for 26 years, took on the Guinness World Record for the heaviest weight lifted with the hair (female) at the Le Paz Theatre in San Luis, Potosi, on Feb. 28.

Hermosillo put her long hair into twin braids that she tied together at the ends and used them to lift 166.11 pounds of weight. She kept the weight off the ground for 14 seconds. She took the record from Indian weightlifter Asha Rani, who used her hair to lift 122.58 pounds in 2014. Hermosillo said she trained for six months to be able to withstand the immense pressure on her scalp, neck and back.

Top 10 Travel Destinations That Will Change You — Looking for a trip that will change your life? These life-changing travel destinations go beyond beautiful scenery — they’re places that can shift perspective, spark courage, and open new chapters. In this video, I’m sharing my top 10 travel destinations that will change you, diving into why each place can be powerful for a journey of personal growth and self-discovery — from Tanzania and New Zealand to Peru, Iceland, and beyond. As a woman in midlife who loves to travel, I believe the right destination can spark new adventures, personal growth, and even a whole new chapter of life. So, are you ready to explore these life-changing places? Let’s go! (VIDEO)

Please be reminded that Cub Tracks and Bleed Cubbie Blue do not necessarily endorse the content of articles, podcasts, or videos that are linked to in this series.

When the Milwaukee Brewers sent Caleb Durbin and Andruw Monasterio to Boston before the season, the focus was, understandably, on the former top 100 prospect Kyle Harrison. (That has worked out quite well so far!) After that, people’s eyes likely wandered to David Hamilton, who was expected to get a pretty decent amount of work as the replacement for Monasterio as the Brewers’ primary backup infielder (and has). It was easy to overlook the third player in that return, a 27-year-old pitcher who had not yet thrown a pitch as a major leaguer.

But to call Shane Drohan’s 2025 season “intriguing” would be an understatement. Drohan, who was a fifth-round pick in 2020 out of Florida State, spent 2021-2023 toiling in the minor leagues before the White Sox selected him in the 2024 Rule 5 Draft. But he missed the first half of that season with a nerve issue before the White Sox — who lost 121 games in 2024 — couldn’t find a place on their major league roster for him and sent him back to Boston. In total he pitched only 16 1/3 professional innings in 2024, and heading into 2025, his career ERA was hovering right around 4.50.

But, with due credit to Boston’s pitching development system, Drohan figured something out in 2025, despite missing significant time with forearm inflammation. So what changed? Drohan’s four-seam fastball, according to MLB Pipeline, had one of the best whiff rates in Triple-A even though it averaged a fairly modest 93.3 mph. Drohan also showcased an improved slider, and in 12 games (11 starts) that covered 47 2/3 innings last season, Drohan pitched to a 2.27 ERA, he struck out 67 batters (12.7 per nine), and walked only 16 (3.0/9, a vast improvement over his previous minor league seasons).

That’s not a huge sample size, but it was enough for the Red Sox to add him to the 40-man roster to protect him from another Rule 5 Draft, and it was enough for the Brewers to ask for him in the Durbin trade.

Drohan has started for his entire career, and he began the 2026 season in Triple-A Nashville’s rotation. But after just one start for the Sounds, Milwaukee needed a spot starter on April 8 and summoned Drohan for his major league debut (against his former team, the Red Sox). Things didn’t go particularly well: Drohan struggled badly with his command, walked four batters, and allowed three runs in just 2 2/3 innings in what became a 5-0 loss. Drohan was sent back to Nashville the next day. But he did have some fun trivia: his first career strikeout was of the guy he was traded for, Durbin.

Drohan made two more appearances (one of which used an opener) in mid-April for the Sounds and looked quite good — he allowed just three earned runs over 10 1/3 innings and had 11 strikeouts to three walks in that time — and by the end of the month he was back in Milwaukee. But this time Drohan was in a different role: Milwaukee was asking him to fill the bulk relief role that has been held at times over the last few seasons by players like Bryse Wilson, Tyler Alexander, Tobias Myers (in 2025), and, briefly earlier this season, Carlos Rodriguez.

Since returning to the big leagues on April 24, Drohan has made six appearances, none of which were starts. He has thrown at least three innings in half of those appearances. He has allowed just three earned runs in 14 innings, giving him a 1.93 ERA in that span. He has struck out 13 batters and, impressively, walked just two (half of the number he walked in the 2 2/3 innings of his major league debut).

This isn’t necessarily a situation where Drohan has increased his effectiveness because of shorter bursts as a reliever. That could be a little bit of a contributing factor, but Drohan threw 71 pitches on April 24, 60 on April 30, and 40 on May 8, with shorter outings sprinkled in between his longer ones. And while his role is ostensibly one that will include some mop-up duty, it’s getting harder to say that Drohan isn’t ever pitching in high-leverage situations. Only two of the six games that Drohan has pitched in since coming back are losses, and while two of the wins were blowouts, the score was within three runs — technically save situations — at the time when he entered. In the four wins in which Drohan has pitched as a Brewer, the team’s lead has been three runs or less when he entered in three of them, and he earned a three-inning save in the other.

It remains to be seen how sustainable Drohan’s improvement is. Even including last year’s minor league numbers, it’s a pretty small sample we’re dealing with here. He does not boast an overpowering fastball. But there are good underlying indicators. Drohan currently sports a 2.39 FIP, and there’s a pretty solid amount of red on his statcast profile: his xERA (2.73) is in the 88th percentile, his barrel percentage (4.0%) is in the 87th percentile, and he’s solidly above average in xBA, average exit velocity, chase percentage, hard-hit percentage, and groundball rate. FanGraphs’ Stuff+ model has Drohan as slightly below average overall, but it likes his slider quite a bit, and his fastball, curveball, and changeup all rate as perfectly usable. If he stays in the bullpen, the fact that Drohan has a reliable four-pitch mix is going to be rough on batters who only get to see him once.

Drohan looks like he might be overqualified for the mop-up role that he was sort of slotted into. That might be a very good thing for the Brewers. As Aaron Ashby and DL Hall have shown, having guys who can give you length in the bullpen who can be relied upon at any time are valuable weapons, and even if Drohan never gets a real shot in the Brewers’ rotation — Robert Gasser and Coleman Crow are still healthy and available at Triple-A — he can still be a valuable long-term contributor for his new team.

I expect to see a continued shift in how smart teams like the Brewers (and, eventually, everyone) thinks of starters and relievers. As innings continue to trend downward amongst starters, it will be more and more important for teams to have multiple relief pitchers who can go multiple innings. Drohan, along with Ashby and Hall, gives the Brewers at least three of those guys who can all be relied upon, with Chad Patrick as a possible fourth depending on how his role shakes out.

Once again, we’re seeing a situation where the Brewers have identified an undervalued asset, and once again, it looks like the Brewers are ahead of the curve on how they’re going to deploy their bullpen. The Red Sox deserve credit for helping Drohan turn a corner, but that doesn’t change the fact that he’s making a difference not in Boston, but in Milwaukee.

Good morning, baseball fans!

Another week of San Francisco Giants baseball comes to a close this weekend, which means it’s time to pick our Player of the Week!

Or, I guess in this week’s case, our Players of the Week. Because I’m giving the honors to two people this week, with a caveat that I didn’t pick any players last weekend or the weekend before. So I’m kind of making picks for the entirety of May so far.

And my picks are a pair of rookies who had pretty great accomplishments.

First up, we have Jesús Rodríguez who made a statement in the Giants’ 10-5 loss to the San Diego Padres on May 5th. Not only did he get his first major league hit earlier in the game, but he also got his first major league home run a few innings later! On top of that, he knocked in the winning run last Sunday for a Mothers Day walk-off win.

That leads me to our second pick for this week, Bryce Eldridge! Eldridge also got his first major league home run in the Giants’ 13-3 loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates last Saturday. Sure, it was a massive loss. But Eldridge gave us something to cheer for, at least. We love to see rookies doing well.

Who is your pick for Player of the Week?

What time do the Giants play today?

The Giants continue this three-game series against the Athletics tonight at 6:40 p.m. PT in Sacramento.

Man, when the times are going well, they are going well. Kyle Schwarber homers twice, the bullpen does a fairly decent job of holding the game close to allow the offense to get back into and boom – extra inning victory.

Now if they can just get Aaron Nola right…

On to the links.

Phillies news:

• Jesus Luzardo and Ranger Suarez put up a duel on Thursday night. It was a game between “two brothers” ($).
• Listening to Bryce Harper talk about hitting has to be something of an interesting exercise for anyone lucky enough to do it.

MLB news:

• With the Subway Series underway this weekend, it’s a good time to ask: which potential ace would you rather have – Cam Schlittler or Nolan McLean ($)?
• The season is now at least 40 games old, the unofficial quarter mark. What are some of the things that have been gleaned from those games ($)?
• Max Fried has a bone bruise. Blake Snell has loose bodies in his elbow. Bad day to be a left handed pitcher.
• Clay Holmes broke his fibula and will be out for quite a while for the Mets. A shame.

Triple-A: Syracuse Mets (22-20)

SYRACUSE 8, SCRANTON/WILES BARRE 2 (BOX)

The only team in the organization continued their winning ways with a trouncing of the Yankees Triple-A affiliate. After cooling off a bit as of late, Nick Morabito went 3-5 and Cristian Pache, Yonny Hernandez, and Ben Rortvedt each hit a solo home run to help put Syracuse on top. Zach Thorton had a fantastic performance as well, striking out nine and allowing just four baserunners over six innings of work.

CF Nick Morabito: 3-5, RBI, K

2B Ji Hwan Bae: 1-4, R, BB, K, SB

LF Ryan Clifford: 0-5, R, K

DH Christian Arroyo: 1-5, R, RBI

1B Eric Wagaman: 0-4, BB, K

3B Yonny Hernández: 1-4, R, HR, RBI, SB

RF Cristian Pache: 2-4, 2 R, HR, RBI, K

C Ben Rortvedt: 2-4, 2 R, HR, RBI

SS Jackson Cluff: 0-3, BB, SB

P Zach Thornton: 6.0 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 9 K

P Luke Jackson: 1.1 IP, 0 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 1 K

P Mike Baumann: 0.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 1 K

P A.J. Minter: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K

Double-A: Binghamton Rumble Ponies (12-25)

SOMERSET 7, BINGHAMTON 3 (BOX)

R.J. Gordon got rocked for six earned runs in one and two-thirds innings pitched in a losing effort. Chris Suero and Jacob Reimer drove in all three Rumble Ponies’ runs.

CF Eli Serrano III: 1-4, R, 2 K

1B Chris Suero: 2-3, R, HR, 2 RBI, SB

3B Jacob Reimer: 1-4, R, HR, RBI, 3 K

DH Jose Ramos: 0-3, BB

2B Nick Lorusso: 1-4, 2 K

LF JT Schwartz: 0-4, K

C Vincent Perozo: 0-4, 2 K

RF Jaylen Palmer: 2-4, K, 2 SB

SS Diego Mosquera: 0-4

P R.J. Gordon: 1.2 IP, 7 H, 6 R, 6 ER, 1 BB, 1 K

P Zach Peek: 1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K

P Max Green: 2.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 2 K

P Gabriel Rodriguez: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 3 BB, 3 K

P Saul Garcia: 1.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K

High-A: Brooklyn Cyclones (10-26)

BROOKLYN 8, ROME 5 (BOX)

The Cyclones’ bullpen, with the exception of Joe Charles, was fantastic, and even Charles’s one-third of an inning that led to three runs wasn’t enough to stop Brooklyn tonight. Ronald Hernandez drove in three runs and Corey Collins and Trace Willhoite each hit a dinger. Collins added a triple for good measure.

SS Mitch Voit: 2-4, R, BB, 2 K

CF Yonatan Henriquez: 0-4, BB, 2 K

RF John Bay: 0-5, R, K

1B Corey Collins: 2-4, 2 R, 3B, HR, RBI, BB

DH Daiverson Gutierrez: 1-2, 2 R, RBI, 2 BB

C Ronald Hernandez: 2-5, 3 RBI, K

3B Colin Houck: 1-4, R, 2B, BB, 3 K

LF Trace Willhoite: 1-4, R, HR, 2 RBI, 3 K

2B Nick Roselli: 1-3, RBI, BB, K

P Noah Hall: 4.0 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 5 BB, 4 K

P Tanner Witt: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K

P Dakota Hawkins: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K

P Bryce Jenkins: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K

P Hoss Brewer: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K

P Joe Charles: 0.1 IP, 2 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 3 BB, 0 K

P Danis Correa: 0.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K

Single-A: St. Lucie Mets (14-23)

JUPITER 9, ST. LUCIE 7 (BOX)

Daviel Hurtado only lasted two innings in a losing effort. JT Benson went 2-5 with a homer, a double, four RBI and a stolen base.

SS Elian Peña: 0-3, R, BB, K, E

DH Jared Young: 1-4, R, 2 K

PH-DH Chase Meggers: 0-0, BB

CF JT Benson: 2-5, 2 R, 2B, HR, 4 RBI, K, SB

1B Julio Zayas: 0-4, BB, 2 K

LF AJ Salgado: 3-5, RBI, K, SB

3B Sam Robertson: 0-2, 3 BB, K, 3 SB

2B Kevin Villavicencio: 0-5, 2 K

RF Simon Juan: 1-5, R, HR, RBI, 3 K

C Francisco Toledo: 2-3, 2 R, BB, K, 2 SB

P Daviel Hurtado: 2.0 IP, 5 H, 4 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 2 K

P Cam Tilly: 5.0 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 3 BB, 1 K

P Tyler McLoughlin: 1.2 IP, 5 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 1 BB, 3 K

P Jorge De Leon: 0.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K

STAR OF THE NIGHT

Zach Thorton

GOAT OF THE NIGHT

R.J. Gordon

The Detroit Tigers snapped a three-game losing streak on Friday night with a 3-2 win over the Toronto Blue Jays in the first game of the home series this weekend. A strong pitching performance punctuated by a walk-off home run that finally gave the club a win in a close game.

On Saturday, AJ Hinch gets right-hander Casey Mize back from the injured list to make his first start since April 28. On that day he only lasted 2 1/3 innings, allowing two runs on three hits and a walk while striking out three before injuring his groin fielding a bunt toward first base.

The last time Mize faced the Blue Birds was back in 2024 on May 26, when he allowed three runs on eight hits (one home run) and two walks while striking out nobody over 4 1/3 frames in what resulted in a 14-11 team win.

Fluharty has appeared in relief for 21 of his 22 outings this season, with the only start of his major league career coming in an opener role against the Chicago White Sox on April 4. He threw just one inning, allowing a run on two hits and a walk while striking out one in a team loss.

Take a look at how the pitchers line up below.

Detroit Tigers (20-25) vs. Toronto Blue Jays (19-25)

Time (ET): 1:10 p.m.
Place: Comerica Park, Detroit, Michigan
SB Nation Site:Bluebird Banter
Media: Detroit SportsNet, MLB.TV, Tigers Radio Network

Game 46: RHP Casey Mize (2-2, 2.90 ERA) vs. LHP Mason Fluharty (2-0, 5.40 ERA)

MIZE

FLUHARTY

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A full 15-game slate awaits, and we have 15 moneyline picks throughout the day for you to consider.

We've found solid matchups with good odds and a nice opportunity for you to grow your bankroll.  

Find out more in my MLB picks for Saturday, May 16. 

MLB moneyline picks for May 16

Matchup	Pick
Blue Jays vs Tigers	-108
Royals vs Cardinals	-113
Diamondbacks vs Rockies	-117
Orioles vs Nationals	-113
Phillies vs Pirates	+117
Marlins vs Rays	+122
Reds vs Guardians	+150
Cubs vs White Sox	-104
Brewers vs Twins	-108
Rangers vs Astros	-104
Red Sox vs Braves	+117
Yankees vs Mets	+108
Padres vs Mariners	-133
Dodgers vs Angels	-138
Giants vs Athletics	-127

Prices courtesy of Polymarket as of 5-15.

Expert MLB moneyline picks for May-16

Blue Jays vs Tigers: Tigers (-108)

Tigers win probability: 52%

Detroit gets the nod at home, where its relievers have been more reliable than Toronto's over the last two weeks. 

This is a coin flip with a home-field tiebreaker, and if this game is close late, the Tigers are the team to back.

Royals vs Cardinals: Cardinals (-113)

Cardinals win probability: 53%

St. Louis is seven games better than Kansas City in the standings and opens this series at home.

Kyle Leahy gets the ball against Noah Cameron, and the Cardinals’ lineup has been productive at Busch Stadium all season.

Diamondbacks vs Rockies: Diamondbacks (-117)

Diamonbacks win probability: 53.9%

Although Arizona's lineup has been ice cold lately, the Rockies are 17-27 and (once again) one of the worst teams in baseball. 

Their pitching has been getting shelled all season, and Eduardo Rodriguez gives Arizona a real advantage on the mound. 

Phillies vs Pirates: Pirates (+117)

Pirates win probability: 46%

Pittsburgh's lineup has been the hottest in baseball over the last two weeks, and the Pirates own a better record than Philadelphia. 

With Bubba Chandler taking the mound at PNC Park, the Buccos get the nod. 

Orioles vs Nationals: Nationals (-113)

Nationals win probability: 53%

Washington's lineup has been one of the hottest in the NL over the last two weeks, while Baltimore's offense is among the coldest.

The Nationals' hitting edge is significant enough to back the home team.

Marlins vs Rays: Marlins (+122)

Marlins win probability: 45%

Miami’s bullpen has been genuinely stingy lately, and Sandy Alcantara vs. Nick Martinez sets up a real pitching duel.

The Marlins aren’t getting blown out here, and that’s enough to make them worth a look.

Reds vs Guardians: Reds (+150)

Reds win probability: 40%

Cincinnati's lineup isn't far behind Cleveland's recent production, and Chris Paddack gives the Reds tremendous value at this price. 

Rangers vs Astros: Rangers (-104)

Rangers win probability: 51%

Houston is 17-28, and its lineup has been among the least productive in the American League recently. Jacob deGrom starting for Texas against Kai-Wei Teng is the entire argument.

Getting a pitcher of deGrom's caliber at essentially even money against a struggling team is a straightforward play.

Cubs vs White Sox: White Sox (-104)

White Sox win probability: 51%

The White Sox have been one of the hottest offensive teams in baseball over the last two weeks, while the Cubs' lineup has gone quiet. 

For the first time in a while, the South Side has life in this Windy City rivalry.

Brewers vs Twins: Brewers (-108)

Brewers win probability: 52%

Milwaukee’s relievers have been among the best in baseball lately, and they now face a Twins team whose biggest weakness is the bullpen.

Despite Minnesota getting Royce Lewis back from the IL, that's not going to prevent them from blowing games in late-inning situations.

Padres vs Mariners: Mariners (-133)

Mariners win probability: 57%

San Diego's lineup has been one of the two coldest offenses in baseball lately.

Logan Gilbert is one of the better pitchers in the AL and gets to face that dormant lineup at home.

The price is steep, but the Mariners are worth the price.

Red Sox vs Braves: Red Sox (+117)

Red Sox win probability: 46%

Boston's bullpen has been one of the best in the sport recently, and rookie starter Payton Tolle has proven to be no slouch either.

The Red Sox are a live underdog with real teeth.

Yankees vs Mets: Mets (+108)

Mets win probability: 47%

The New York Yankees' lineup has been one of the best in baseball lately, but Carlos Rodon has been unreliable, and the Mets' bullpen has been sharper than the Yankees' recently.

With Mendoza reportedly on the hot seat, the stakes of the Stadium Series at Citi Field add even more urgency. The home team at nearly even money is worth backing.

Dodgers vs Angels: Dodgers (-138)

Dodgers win probability: 58%

The Angels possess one of the coldest lineups in baseball over the last two weeks. Meanwhile, the Dodgers have a deeper, more talented roster top to bottom, and their bullpen has been sharp lately. 

Take the defending champs to pull away in Anaheim. 

Giants vs Athletics: Athletics (-127)

Athletics win probability: 55.7%

San Francisco's bullpen has been the worst in baseball over the last two weeks, and the Giants' lineup hasn't fared much better. 

The A’s offense continues to take the league by storm, and Luis Severino should deliver a solid start in this Northern California battle.

This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here and view our best betting sites or check out our top sportsbook promos.

Beau Brieske got the start in this one as his rehab progression advanced to Triple-A. He gave up a run in the first, but tossed a clean second inning. Brieske averaged 95.9 mph on his fourseamer, and mixed in some good changeups in his outing. He looks fairly close to rejoining the Tigers.

Will Vest blessedly has avoided a tendon or ligament injury and is working his way back as well. He tossed a scoreless third inning. averaging 95.8 mph with his fourseamer. Vest struck out one in a perfect inning of work, but may need another outing before rejoining the Tigers’ pen.

In the top of the second, Corey Julks singled and later scored on a Tyler Gentry single to even things at 1-1. That’s how it stayed until the fifth, when Max Clark reached on an infield single and Eduardo Valencia mashed a two-run shot to left center field.

Troy Watson took over after the rehab work was done, allowing one run in five innings of work. Matt Seelinger handled the ninth, looking for a save. He got Josh Rojas to fly out, but allowed a single to John Rave. That brought the dangerous Kameron Misner to the dish. Seelinger carved him up with cutters for a strikeout, and then blew Drew Waters away with a good fastball to earn the save.

Valencia: 1-4, R, 2 RBI, HR

Clark: 1-4, R

Watson (W, 1-0): 5.0 IP, ER, 2 H, BB, 0 K

Coming Up Next: It’s a 8:05 p.m. ET start on Saturday with the series all tied up.

Erie SeaWolves 8, Richmond Flying Squirrels 6 (box)

The SeaWolves were down early in this one, but another Thayron Liranzo blast got them back into the game and they held off the Squirrels on Friday.

Max Alba made a spot start, and it didn’t go too well. The right-hander allowed three runs in the second inning. He did settle in to pitch in the fifth without more trouble.

In the bottom of the third, catcher Bennett Lee doubled with one out, and took third on a wild pitch. Brett Callahan and Peyton Graham didn’t press in their at-bats, and both walked to load the bases. A sacrifice fly from John Peck scored Lee. Liranzo stepped in against lefty Cesar Perdomo, and for the second day in a row crushed a right-handed homer, this time a three-run job to left, seizing a 4-3 lead.

In the bottom of the fifth, Callahan reached on a fielder’s choice, and Graham singled him to third. Another Peck sacrifice fly made it 5-3. In the bottom of the sixth, Richmond’s Will Bednar walked four straight hitters and Bennett Lee smoked a two-run double to make it 8-3.

Wandisson Charles leaked a late run, and Tanner Kohlhepp surrendered two more, but they held on to win.

Liranzo: 1-3, 2 R, 3 RBI, HR, BB, K

Graham: 3-3, R, BB, SB, CS

Lee: 2-3, R, 2 RBI, 2B, BB, K

Alba: 4.2 IP, 3 ER, 7 H, BB, 4 K

Coming Up Next: It’s a 1:35 p.m. ET start on Saturday with the series tied up at two apiece.

Great Lakes Loons 9, West Michigan Whitecaps 3 (box)

The crumbling Whitecaps are now 1-17 in their last 18 games.

Junior Tilien singled in Luke Shilger for a 1-0 lead in the top of the second, but that was the last the Whitecaps would see of the lead. Unfortunately, Carlos Marcano is still stretching out after a late start to the season. He gave the Whitecaps two scoreless frames before turning things over to Duque Hebbert. Things went straight downhill as Hebbert allowed six earned runs across the third and fourth innings.

In the sixth, Clayton Campbell drew a leadoff walk, and Jackson Strong launched a two-run homer that made it 6-3 Loons. Outfielder Caleb Shpur pitched the eighth as the ‘Caps waived the white flag, allowing three runs.

The Whitecaps are struggling with injuries like the parent club, but even getting Ben Jacobs up from Lakeland and into the rotation hasn’t done much for them. Malachi Witherspoon isn’t far from joining them, and there may be a few more young arms working their way up shortly, but there’s no telling when the Whitecaps will get some of their veteran hitters back.

Strong: 1-3, R, 2 RBI, HR, BB, 2 K

Tilien: 3-3, RBI, BB

Marcano: 2.0 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 2 BB, 2 K

Coming Up Next: It’s a 6:35 p.m. ET start on Saturday.

Clearwater Threshers 6, Lakeland Flying Tigers 2 (box)

Kelvis Salcedo’s start was a short one after a long second inning that saw him lifted due to pitch count per inning restrictions.

In the top of the second, Edian Espinal singled, and Carson Rucker doubled Espinal to third. A Javier Osorio sacrifice fly brought the run home. Unfortunately, after striking out the side in the first, and two more in the second along with two singles and an error that scored a run, Salcedo suddenly lost control and walked back-to-back hitters before surrendering a two-run double and exiting the game.

Yendy Gomez gave up two more runs in the sixth, and it was a 5-1 game. A pair of a walks and a sacrifice fly from Jack Goodman made it 5-2, but the bullpen allowed another run in the bottom half, and the Flying Tigers couldn’t muster a comeback.

Espinal: 2-3, R, BB

Yost: 1-4, 2B, 3 K

Salcedo: 1.2 IP, 3 ER, 3 H, 2 BB, 5 K

Coming Up Next: It’s a 6:30 p.m. ET start with the Flying Tigers up 3-1 in the series.

FCL Blue Jays 4, FCL Tigers 3 (box)

LHP Andrew Sears, our 11th ranked prospect for the Tigers in the preseason, and currently 9th for MLB Pipeline, emerged from injury blackout to spin a pair of perfect innings with four strikeouts in his first rehab assignment. He’ll need plenty of time to build himself up, but the hope is to return to Erie by early June. If he can get back and get it going, he’s a solid bet to help the Tigers out in the second half.

De Los Santos: 1-4, R, CS

Rodriguez: 1-3, RBI, BB, K

Sears: 2.0 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 BB, 4 K

The Yankees have been up and down the last week or so, but perhaps just what they need to get rolling again is a date with their crosstown rivals. The Bombers got this Subway Series started off nicely last night, Cam Schlittler shoving (what else is new?) in a straightforward 5-2 victory. They’ll look to cinch a series win in Queens with Carlos Rodón making his second start of the year, as he’ll look to sharpen his command a bit after last week’s debut in Milwaukee.

On the site today, Andrew runs through Friday night’s American League action, and Sam profiles a huge figure in Yankees history, Billy Martin, who was born on this day 96 years ago. Also, Nick delivers this month’s Reliever Confidence Index, and Kento looks at the tallest Yankee outfields of all time.

Today’s Matchup

New York Yankees at New York Mets

Time: 7:15 p.m. EST

Video: FOX

Venue: Citi Field, Flushing, NY

Questions/Prompts:

1. How do you think Carlos Rodón will look now that he’s gotten a start under his belt at the major league level?

2. Do you think the Mets are going to get their act together, or will this be another lost year in Queens?

MLB Trade Rumors | Steve Adams: Prior to yesterday’s game, the Yankees placed ace Max Fried on the 15-day injured list with a bone bruise in his left elbow. While, obviously, this isn’t great news, as Fried will not throw for a few weeks before being reevaluated, early indications seem to suggest that he has avoided ligament damage (although we’ll get confirmation on that in a couple of days). The start of the Gerrit Cole/Max Fried tandem atop the rotation will almost certainly be delayed once again, but at least we can cross our fingers and hope to see them both on the active roster at some point this season. Elmer Rodríguez is expected to take Fried’s next turn in the rotation, though until then, his roster spot will soon likely be occupied by a reliever.

Yahoo! Sports | Scott Walsh: In an article originally published our pal Scott in The Times-Tribune in Scranton, PA, the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders announce that Yankees ace Gerrit Cole will be making his sixth rehab start with them on Saturday, as they face the Syracuse Mets. Even with Fried down, the Yankees do not appear inclined to rush Cole’s rehab, and expect him to make at least two more starts before returning to the Bronx.

The Athletic | Jayson Stark: (subscription required) Now that we’re about a quarter of the way through the season, we have finally reached the point where we can begin to draw some preliminary conclusions about the game this season. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the biggest new thing this season is how the ABS challenges have changed the game, with batters swinging less and walking more — perhaps the result of the fact that the ABS strike zone is, at its edges, a touch smaller than the “traditional” zone called by most umps.

The Athletic | Chris Kirschner: (subscription required) In what will, rather annoyingly, be a staple of the next several years, the start of this season’s Subway Series once again has people talking about the fallout of Juan Soto’s decision to sign with the Mets. At this stage of the game, not much has changed since we talked about this last season, and in truth, the answer even within the front office is mixed, with people simultaneously talking about Soto’s offensive production and the importance of the moves made in the aftermath of that deal (e.g., Fried, Cody Bellinger).

Andy Pages got a sunflower seed shower. Then, he delivered another one himself.

In a 6-0 win over the Angels on Friday night, the Dodgers’ third-straight victory was keyed by two big swings.

Pages had the first, ambushing a 3-0 fastball from Angels starter Jack Kochanowicz for a three-run homer in the top of the fourth inning. Moments later, Max Muncy delivered the other, crushing an 0-2 mistake that Kochanowicz left over the plate to make it back-to-back long balls with a solo drive to right.

As Pages returned to the dugout following his trot around the bases, he got a customary seed shower from teammate Teoscar Hernández –– who has made the celebration a staple since arriving in Los Angeles three years ago.

But with Hernández on deck when Muncy went deep, it was Pages’ turn to handle the honors, grabbing a bag of seeds himself and tossing them in Muncy’s face as he came back off the field.

“He’s going to have my job when I’m not here,” Hernández joked of Pages’ seed-throwing form. “So it is getting better.”

The scene represented an uplifting turn on what started as a dark day for the Dodgers (27-18), who placed scheduled starting pitcher Blake Snell on the injured list pregame with loose bodies in his elbow that could require surgery.

Snell’s injury is the third the Dodgers have suffered to a star pitcher in the last month (after Edwin Díaz and Tyler Glasnow). It leaves them concerningly thin on depth as they try to emerge from a month-long slump.

“It seems like every year we go through it,” manager Dave Roberts said of the sudden deluge of pitching injuries. “What I have learned is, we get through it.”

The easiest way to do so this time: More offensive performances such as Friday’s. 

Thanks to a third home run in the sixth inning from Hernández –– who snapped a month-long homer drought by driving a two-run blast the other way –– the Dodgers eclipsed the six-run mark for only the fifth time in their last 23 games.

It gave their pitching staff plenty of breathing room in what became an emergency bullpen game.

And it served as the latest encouraging sign that they are beginning to rediscover better form at the plate.

“The at-bats are getting better throughout this week,” Hernández said.

Given the team’s pitching situation, not a moment too soon either.

What it means

The Dodgers don’t want to go with bullpen games regularly this year.

But when they need to, as Friday showed, it isn’t always the worst tactic.

Eight different Dodgers pitchers combined for the club’s fifth shutout this year, limiting the Angels to just two hits while striking out a combined 11 batters.

It started with two scoreless innings from Will Klein, who retired his first five batters before stranding a couple runners in the second. Edgardo Henriquez and Blake Treinen then followed with 1-2-3 frames, keeping the Angels quiet as the Dodgers built their lead. 

Wyatt Mills and Kyle Hurt both worked around walks in the fifth and sixth innings, respectively. Alex Vesia negated a seventh-inning single by striking out his other three batters. Jack Dreyer and Charlie Barnes (a recent waiver claim who was called up in Snell’s place pregame) handled the final six outs.

It was the latest standout performance from a Dodgers relief corps that has a top-10 ERA in the majors this year.

It was also somewhat historic; marking only the 10th time in MLB’s modern era (since 1901) that club pitched a shutout using at least eight pitchers.

“We couldn’t have asked for a better situation tonight,” Roberts said. “It was good to see a few of the guys break out.”

Who’s hot

We covered Hernández (who is 9-for-19 in his last five games with four extra-base hits) in this space last night.

So, let’s go with Pages.

Entering Friday, the third-year slugger was in a lull, held without a hit in his last 13 at-bats. But with his score-opening home run, he continued to build on his strong overall start to the season –– continuing to be the Dodgers’ most consistent, and clutch, hitter.

Pages’ big fly was his 10th of the year, trailing only Muncy (who has 12) for most on the team.

It also put him back in a tie for the MLB lead in RBIs with 38, while helping him finish the night with a .305 batting average (11th-best in the National League) and .893 OPS (which ranks 12th).

Who’s not

Plain and simple, the Angels.

Since an encouraging 11-10 start to the season, the team has dropped 19 of its last 24 games. At 16-29 overall, they now own the worst record in the majors.

Before the game, manager Kurt Suzuki was asked if the club’s recent slump was simply in a run-of-the-mill “cold stretch” –– or something more reflective of the state of an organization that hasn’t been to the playoffs since 2014.

Suzuki insisted it was the former, arguing that “there are a lot of games where we’re in it; we’re one swing away, maybe one pitch away, one out away.” 

“We’re gonna turn this around,” he added.

Either he was running cover for his bosses, or helplessly kidding himself.

Regardless, a franchise that has never before lost 100 games is well on its way to doing so right now. The “cold stretch,” unsurprisingly, continues.

Up next

The Dodgers will be going for only their second series win in the last three weeks on Saturday, when Justin Wrobleski (5-1, 2.42 ERA) faces breakout right-hander José Soriano (6-2, 1.66).

Early in the Mets' 5-2 loss to the Yankees on Friday night, it looked as if Juan Soto had tweaked something during a swing-and-miss early in the game.

Soto took a hack at a Cam Schlittler cutter in the fourth inning and noticeably grimaced. The Mets slugger had already landed on the IL this season, back in April, for a calf injury, and his return to the outfield was delayed due to an elbow, but Soto and his manager downplayed the moment following the Subway Series opener.

"The wrist. It’s usually when he swings and misses. It comes and goes," manager Carlos Mendoza said. "Whenever he makes contact, there’s no issue there. It’s only the swing and miss when he feels something. There’s nothing that we’re worried about there." 

"I was a little discomfort," Soto said. "No pain at all. I’ve been dealing with a couple of things. The foul ball [off my foot], the hand, the calf. Just trying to get back on track."

To Soto's credit, he completed the game in the outfield without issue. Even more impressive, he took Schlittler deep in the seventh to put the Mets on the board. And while it didn't spark a comeback victory, it did mark an individual achievement. The blast was Soto's 250th career home run, making him the fifth-youngest player in MLB history to reach the milestone.

"Means a lot," Soto said of the achievement. "A lot of hard work I’ve been putting on every year. Coming to play hard to have success for my team."

Soto's homer was a bright spot in an otherwise dour evening for the Mets. The loss snapped the team's three-game winning streak and halted the momentum from the sweep of the Tigers this week. But the Mets lost more than just the game. Clay Holmes will be out for a while with a fractured fibula he suffered after being hit by a Spencer Jones comebacker.

"It’s tough, man. Clay is a guy that shows up every day. One of the hardest workers I’ve seen in my career, Soto said of Holmes. "It’s unbelievable what he’s doing but it’s really sad about what happened to him. It’s part of the game. We’re going to support him, be right there for him in any kind of way that he needs us. It sucks."

And while the Mets navigate the loss of their most consistent pitcher, they hope Soto's blast on Friday could be the start of a hot streak for their slugger.

Soto had been hitting just .118 with an OPS of .449 from May 3-13, but now that he's homered in back-to-back games, perhaps more production is in his and the Mets' future. 

For the first seven weeks of this trying 2026 season, Clay Holmes was the least dramatic thing about the New York Mets. 

He pitched like the ace they needed as the aces they planned for, Freddy Peralta and Nolan McLean, worked through minor inconsistency. He pitched into the sixth inning in seven of his first eight starts, never taxing a bullpen often needed to carry a heavier load as Kodai Senga and David Peterson took their turns. 

But Friday night, he succumbed to whatever relentless force keeps pulling Mets onto the injured list whenever this team threatens to start getting in rhythm. The broken fibula he suffered on Spencer Jones’ comebacker will keep him out for “a long time,” according to Carlos Mendoza, though the Mets had no timetable immediately after the game. He had no spin about how the Mets proceed now, either.  

“It’s a huge blow,” Mendoza said. “He’s been one of the most consistent guys that we had in that rotation. Yeah. It’s a big blow.” 

Logistically, the loss of their steadiest starter in a season that has already required them to tap into minor league depth makes the Mets’ potential climb back to contention even more complicated. They began the year with promising starting pitching depth. By late May 15, they were running out. 

Senga is on the injured list. Sean Manaea is pitching out of the bullpen, scraping for innings where he can find them and hoping he pitches well enough to prove he deserves more. His bullpen colleague Tobias Myers is a former starter, but he has pitched so well that he has been promoted from mop-up duties early to keep-it-close duties recently. His first 10 outings were multiple innings. His last four — all of his work in May — have been one inning or fewer. 

“At the moment, I’m [not stretched out to where I could start]. Maybe 35, 40 pitches,” said Myers, noting that no one had approached him about how the Holmes news might affect him yet. 

Of course, they hadn’t. The news was so jarring that when someone asked Mendoza whether Triple-A righty Jonah Tong might be an option, the normally patient manager interrupted. 

“We don’t know,” he said. “We don’t know. It’s too early.” 

Tong, who was called up last year but has spent the beginning of this season trying to expand and hone his arsenal in Triple-A, is part of the pitching depth that reassured the Mets about their chances prior to this season. But Tong has been inconsistent, and at times wholly ineffective: He allowed six earned runs on five hits and three walks while recording just five outs Thursday. 

His Syracuse Mets teammate Jack Wenniger, on the other hand, has a 1.08 ERA and more strikeouts than innings pitched in seven starts. The 24-year-old last pitched May 12. 

Wenniger, a sixth-round pick, has never carried the same expectations as Tong. And despite his sparkling headline numbers, he is walking nearly five batters per nine innings while benefiting from an anomalously low .237 batting average on balls in play. Still, results as good as his do not happen fully accidentally. 

Perhaps by Saturday, the Mets will probably have a better idea of their short-term plans. They will not, however, have many more long-term answers. Because as they sit eight games under .500, just 44 games into the season, chaos remains the only constant.