The Mets came back from an early 3-0 deficit to beat the Tigers, 9-4, on Thursday afternoon at Citi Field and complete a three-game sweep.
Here are the takeaways...
- With the score tied, 3-3, two outs in the bottom of the fifth inning, and Carson Benge on second base (after he lined a single and swiped a bag), the Mets pounced.
First, Juan Soto stroked a single up the middle to drive in Benge and put New York up, 4-3. Mark Vientos followed that up by launching a no-doubter of a two-run homer deep into the seats in left field to increase the Mets' advantage to 6-3.
The Mets added on in the sixth, seventh, and eighth.
In the sixth, after Marcus Semien walked, A.J. Ewing cracked a single that moved Semien to third base. Hayden Senger then dropped down a perfect sacrifice bunt/safety squeeze that brought Semien home to make it 7-3, Mets -- with Senger beating out the play to reach first base.
In the seventh, Soto led off by drilling a homer to center to increase the lead to 8-3.
In the eighth, Semien roped a leadoff shot off the foul pole in left field to up the advantage to 9-4.
- Leading off the third inning, Ewingjumped on a 1-0 pitch from Keider Montero and sent it over the right field fence for his first big league homer to trim New York's deficit to 3-1 -- the ball came off his bat at 110.5 mph.
Aside from Ewing's jack, the Mets' offense was kept in check by Montero over the first 3.2 innings. But they staged a two-out rally in the fourth. After MJ Melendez walked, Brett Baty smoked an opposite-field homer that tied things, 3-3.
- It was an inauspicious start for the usually-dominant Nolan McLean, who struggled with his command and didn't have his usual swing-and-miss-stuff in the first inning.
After a one-out walk followed by a single, the Tigers capitalized with two outs when Gage Workman lofted a three-run homer that landed just over the wall in left-center field to give Detroit a 3-0 lead.
Those were all the runs Detroit would get.
May 14, 2026; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets starting pitcher Nolan McLean (26) pitches against the Detroit Tigers during the first inning at Citi Field. / Brad Penner - Imagn Images
McLean, who battled with his command throughout and didn't have his best stuff, fought through seven innings where there was constant traffic on the bases -- his only clean frame was the second.
In the seventh, McLean closed his outing in emphatic fashion, striking out Jake Rogers swinging and Kevin McGonigle looking to end the inning before unleashing a primal scream as he fist-pumped while making his way off the mound.
McLean's final line: 7.0 innings, three runs, six hits, three walks, one hit batter, seven strikeouts. His ERA for the season is 2.92.
- Ewing became the first player in Mets history to have a triple and home run (in either order) for his first two career hits, and just the seventh MLB player in the last 20 seasons to accomplish that feat (h/t Sarah Langs).
BOSTON, MA - MAY 13: Garrett Crochet #35 of the Boston Red Sox talks with media prior to the game between the Philadelphia Phillies and the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park on Wednesday, May 13, 2026 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Joe Sullivan/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Starting pitching has not been the Red Sox problem in 2026. And with Payton Tolle performing well and Brayan Bello possibly bouncing back thanks to the use of an opener, the staff has more than held its own in the absence of Garrett Crochet. But Crochet isn’t taking any chances. Yesterday, he completed his first bullpen session since being sidelined with shoulder inflammation. And while he’s not ready to come back just yet, he hopes to skip any rehab assignments and head straight back to the Majors when he is. (Tim Healey, Boston Globe)
Crochet returning without stretching himself out in the minors would not be without recent precedent. Sonny Gray also came right back to the big league team and has been outstanding. (Peter Abraham, Boston Globe)
Exactly how good as the Sox’ rotation been lately? They have a 2.61 ERA in May. “I think pitching is contagious,” said Sonny Gray. “I think hitting is contagious. I think winning is contagious. So, I’ve enjoyed watching our staff, and there’s zero part of me that feels complacent or that feels that we’re there. I feel like when you start to feel that way, it’ll come up and find you. I feel we have a good staff, and I feel like you can definitely build off of one another. We’re just going to continue to push forward because I think we could still get better.” (Jen McCaffrey, The Athletic)
It sure would be nice if Roman Anthony could return from injury, but things aren’t looking great in that regard. He’s due to come off the IL tomorrow, but is wearing a brace and has yet to resume baseball activities. According to Chad Tracy, the Sox are waiting until his grip strength improves before thinking of next steps. (Justin Leger, NBC Sports Boston)
Speaking of injuries, Sox catcher Connor Wong had a little bit of an injury scare last night, when he tripped over Edmundo Sosa’s leg while chasing after a foul pop-up in the eighth inning. “I think he banged on the outside bone part of the ankle,” said Chad Tracy. “They did some quick images. Everything’s negative. He was able to kind of jump on it. Just felt a little discomfort pushing off of it.” (Christopher Smith, MassLive)
And speaking of Red Sox catchers, Sam Kennedy spoke a bit about the recently fired reassigned Jason Varitek. “We have a personal relationship, all of us do, with Tek. We’re gonna give him all the time he needs given what went down. We respect him and appreciate him. There will always be a home for him in this organization. But we’re also gonna respect the fact he’s probably taking some time now, well-deserved time, but we’ll address that at the appropriate time.” (Lauren Campbell, MassLive)
A frustrated John Smoltz called his agent in the winter of 2001 and gave him specific Bronx-themed instructions.
“(I) said, ‘Call the Yankees, tell him I’m going,'” Smotlz recalled to The Post’s Joel Sherman and Jon Heyman on the latest “The Show” podcast.
His agent, though, had made a promise to former Braves executive John Schuerholz that he would circle back to them before any decision would be finalized.
John Smoltz pitching for the Braves in 2007. Anthony J. Causi
Those late talks ultimately swayed Smoltz, keeping him in Atlanta at the “buzzer” rather than joining the Yankees after their Game 7 World Series loss to the Diamondbacks.
Said Smoltz: “That’s how close it was.”
One of the most famous failed Yankees free-agent pursuits involves Smoltz’s ex-Braves teammate Greg Maddux, especially due to the ramifications it would have had for both franchises, and this Smoltz entry is a neat little “What if” to ponder from the early 2000s.
After starting all 356 games in his career through the 1999 season, the Braves transitioned Smoltz to a relief role in the 2001 season in his return from Tommy John surgery.
Over the final roughly six weeks, he served as their closer and tallied 10 saves.
Smoltz entered free agency that offseason wanting to return to the rotation, but the Braves instead wanted him to remain in the closer role.
Atlanta valued said role at three years and $21 million, which he viewed as below his value.
The Yankees, meanwhile, viewed Smoltz as a starter and he said Gene Michael — then the team’s vice president of professional scouting — offered a four-year, $52 million deal.
“The negotiations did not go well in Atlanta,” he said. “I was like, ‘Look, we’re not even close.”
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Atlanta had one ace up its sleeve, though: Smoltz’s desire to remain in Atlanta.
He said he took less each time he stayed with the Braves during his career, but would be “boisterous” about it since he didn’t want to leave.
But the one year and extra $31 million marked quite the gap this time around.
“I didn’t mind taking a little bit less, but this was a little bit crazy,” he said.
John Smoltz pitching at Yankee Stadium in 2005. JASON SZENES for the NEW YORK PO
The Braves ultimately upped their offer to $30 million over three years, which Smoltz accepted.
Smoltz noted that he wanted to be paid the same amount as Mariano Rivera, who made $9.15 that season and would make $9.45 million, $10.5 million and $10.89 million from 2002-04, respectively.
“Mariano Rivera is the best in our business. Nobody’s better,” Smoltz recalled. “But I’m not taking a penny less than him. It wasn’t arrogance, it was just like, ‘I don’t want to be the closer.’
“We ended up working it out at the buzzer.”
Smoltz ultimately served as Atlanta’s closer for the duration of that deal before returning to a starting role in 2005, and he remained with the Braves through the 2008 season.
He finished his career with the Cardinals and Red Sox in 2009.
The Yankees, meanwhile, still added veteran pitching that offseason in the form of Daivd Wells, in addition to signing slugging first baseman Jason Giambi.
ATLANTA, GEORGIA - MAY 12: A detailed view of the No. 6 on the back of the hat of Walt Weiss #22 of the Atlanta Braves is seen prior to the first pitch against the Chicago Cubs at Truist Park on May 12, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. The No. 6 is embroidered on the back of the Braves hats to honor Bobby Cox, Hall of Fame manager of the Braves, who passed away on May 9, 2026. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Long after Bobby Cox managed his final game on October 11, 2010, and stepped away from the game he dedicated his life to, the news of his passing on May 9 felt like the coda to a magical period in Atlanta Braves history.
As it did throughout a storied baseball career that began in 1959, Cox’s influence still reverberates through the Braves organization. His loss was felt not only by the hundreds of men who played under the legendary skipper for over three decades, but by generations of baseball fans as well.
Current Atlanta manager Walt Weiss counts himself as fortunate to have played for Cox and believes that his legacy and commitment to the game will continue to live on.
“I wish everybody in the game could either play for Bobby or work with Bobby for at least one year just to see how it’s supposed to be done,” Weiss said. “He was different. He was a different type of leader, different type of person, really. He just created loyalty with how he treated people and that respect always came back to him.”
The passing of Cox added to an emotional week for the team as it closely followed the death of longtime owner and media mogul Ted Turner on May 6. Those two men were instrumental to the Braves’ rise to prominence in a true golden era that was the 1990s.
Cox led the team both on the field and the front office during two separate stints in Atlanta, while Turner established Braves baseball as a staple of his television empire on TBS.
As the club memorialized both men on Tuesday at Truist Park, the memories, testimonials and deep reverence shared by many who experienced those years was palpable.
Though Turner led from afar for most players and coaches in the organization, Cox’s fingerprints were all over the design of the team. His death struck a resounding chord for those who experienced life with the Braves during Cox’s time as a stalwart of the organization.
“I think everybody’s done a really good job of just communicating the legacy of Bobby Cox,” Weiss said on Tuesday. “A lot of great stories and just a lot of confirmation about what a great leader he was the impact he had on so many people.”
Though baseball is the ultimate game of numbers and those accomplishments may garner significant glory, Cox received universal praise for his loyalty and belief in his teams. The way he interacted with, utilized, and thereby instilled confidence in his players was second to none.
“He was a great encourager, and he had a knack for always making you feel like you were playing better than you actually were,” Weiss said. “Even in times where you struggled, he went out of his way to make you feel like maybe it wasn’t as bad as you thought. That’s probably the biggest thing I take from him, because I’m always in tune with that.”
Weiss, who is in his second stint as a major league manager, carries the lessons learned during a 14-year playing career with him to this day. The final three of those seasons were spent in Atlanta playing for Cox, who Weiss witnessed balance fiery competitiveness with steadfast loyalty.
Having the opportunity to pay those lessons forward is important to Weiss.
“With guys that are struggling, especially, [I] go out of my way to check in with them,” Weiss said. “I enjoy encouraging guys. I know how hard the game is. Over the course of my career, I struggled at times as much as anybody in this game, so I don’t ever want to forget that. That’s why I think it’s important to be an encourager. You have standards and you want to hold guys accountable to those standards, too, but at the same time you’ve got you got to encourage them. That’s the sort of thing Bobby was great at.”
Striking a balance between the tangibles and intangibles that lead to victory is one of the many responsibilities a major league manager signs up for. Playing for Cox allowed Weiss to gain a deeper understanding of just how much winning can be done in moments when not even a single pitch is thrown.
“Look, at the highest level, the margin of victory is razor thin,” Weiss said. “The difference between first and last place is one win a week. That’s 26 games out at the end of the year. So, you look for ways to create the edge, because it is razor thin. Maybe it’s encouraging a guy or speaking confidence into him so that he plays better ultimately. That’s where the culture comes in. Any way that you can create an edge could be a difference-maker in this game because it’s difficult to win at the highest level. Bobby was always so in tune with those things, and he always had great culture.”
Even though Weiss had already played for great teams and a World Series champion with the Oakland Athletics early in his career, it did not take him long to realize Atlanta’s way of doing things was different. By the time Weiss arrived, the World Series was an annual expectation.
“I remember coming in my first year in spring training as a Brave, because they were in the middle of that run I was thinking, ‘Man, I don’t want to be the one to screw this thing up,’” Weiss said. “So, you get on board and you do things the way that Bobby wanted them done.”
In doing so, Weiss was able to be a part of some special teams during his three-year stay in Atlanta. While the Braves did not realize the dream of becoming World Series champions again, Weiss recognized that he was experiencing something truly rare with Cox’s revered leadership style.
“I think that the greatest compliment I can give him is that in 1999, we lost in the World Series to the Yankees and every guy in the room felt like we let Bobby down,” Weiss said. “I mean, that doesn’t happen in professional sports. A lot of times it becomes self-preservation because it’s such a cutthroat business, but he had that kind of impact where you knew when we didn’t play well. In that instance, we didn’t win the World Series for him, and we felt like we let him down. I don’t know if I’ve ever felt that before and at this level.”
The drive to baseball’s postseason begins when the team reports to spring training. In addition to the physical preparation required over the course of a marathon season, the club sets its intent through intense commitment to one another and the organization.
The Braves franchise underwent a tonal shift when the 1991 club went from worst to first in the National League West and set off a string of events that would establish Atlanta as a perennial contender.
After decades of irrelevance in the standings, expectations changed. So too did the Braves’ standards. Atlanta captured 14 consecutive division titles, won five NL pennants, and defeated the Cleveland Indians to win the 1995 World Series during their incredible run under Cox.
In many ways Cox was an instrument of change, right down to how the team dressed.
“I stand up in front of the club and talk about our standards or rules – I like to call them standards not rules – but and we continue the tradition of taking care of the brand,” Weiss said. “I communicated that on the first day of spring training, how important that is to me and how important it’s been to a lot of people before me. We’re going to continue to respect that and honor it in the way that we wear the uniform, the way that we respect the brand. The brand means something really special to a lot of people. A lot of people have worked hard to make it this brand special and Bobby is at the forefront of that. So, as long as I’m here, we will always honor that.”
That is certainly a fitting tribute to Cox and his legacy.
While the game continues to evolve, the uniform standard remains sacrosanct to the Braves. It was of the utmost importance to Cox. Though his playing days were long behind him, Cox still wore his traditional stirrup socks and metal spikes every single day he put on a Braves uniform. It was a small but meaningful symbol of his reverence for the game.
Even in something as relaxed as the batting practice environment, Weiss believes just as Cox did all those years that the Braves brand is always on display.
“We don’t go out there in t-shirts and cutoffs and that kind of thing,” Weiss said. “We wear the uniform. We’re going to respect the Braves brand. We’re going to wear a hat the right way. Bobby’s thing was that we don’t put the sunglasses over the ‘A’ so that people can see the ‘A.’ We’ll continue to do that. It’s just a respect for the game a respect for the brand.”
With Cox already immortalized in the National Baseball Hall of Fame, his lasting legacy will be one of a man who held a deep respect for the game, fostered relationships, elevated the people around him, maximized talents, and left baseball better than he found it.
“I said this when I got hired, that I was proud that in some small way as it relates to me that Bobby’s lineage continues,” Weiss said. “He’s been foundational to the Braves’ success over the last few decades, so I’m proud of that… I’m proud that in some small way I’m an extension of Bobby.”
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - MAY 08: Michael McGreevy #36 of the St. Louis Cardinals pitches against the San Diego Padres during the first inning at Petco Park on May 08, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Orlando Ramirez/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The St. Louis Cardinals will wrap up their west coast swing Thursday afternoon as Michael McGreevy will start the game against the Athletics. Left-hander Jacob Lopez is scheduled to take the mound for the Athletics. First pitch scheduled for 2:05pm central time in Suter Health Park in Sacramento. Game broadcast on Cardinals.tv.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - MAY 10: Shohei Ohtani #17 of the Los Angeles Dodgers checks an iPad in the dugout during the first inning against the Atlanta Braves at Dodger Stadium on May 10, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images) | Getty Images
For the first time of 2026, the Dodgers on Thursday won’t have Shohei Ohtani starting for them in any capacity, a planned rest day during the final game against the San Francisco Giants at Dodger Stadium.
“It might be a good thing to take a little bit of a load off his plate offensively,” manager Dave Roberts said on Tuesday.
That means no start for Ohtani on Thursday, though Roberts did say Ohtani would be available to pinch-hit later in the game if needed. Roberts also had advice for Ohtani’s first real rest day of the season, which is directly in the middle of a stretch of 13 game days in a row for the Dodgers.
“I would say show up late, start the day much later, build up some R and R,” Roberts said. “But as the game goes on, start reading the scoreboard and seeing if the situation potentially could arise, to then prepare for that spot.”
Teoscar Hernández had his second multi-hit game of the series on Wednesday night as he filled in at designated hitter while Ohtani was focusing only on pitching. Dalton Rushing has the other three non-Ohtani starts at DH this season, collecting a home run and double in his 11 at-bats, with four RBI. Throw in Alex Call’s pinch-hit double on May 5 in Houston, the non-Ohtani designated hitters are hitting .313/.313/.625 (5-for-16) with two doubles, a home run, five runs scored and five RBI in four games, with another coming Thursday night.
The Dodgers are 8-5 in the final game of series this season, but just 3-4 in such games at home. Thursday is the end of the fourth homestand of the season, with the Dodgers splitting the final games in each of their first three homestands of 2026.
ATLANTA, GA - APRIL 26: Chris Sale #51 of the Atlanta Braves pitches in the first inning during the game against the Philadelphia Phillies at Truist Park on April 26, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Matthew Grimes Jr./Atlanta Braves/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Fresh off of winning a series in Dodger Stadium to cap off a successful road trip out West, the Atlanta Braves are now looking to keep this fantastic run going by not just picking up a series win against the Chicago Cubs but capping off the three-game set with a series sweep of the current NL Central leaders.
The pitching has been a big reason behind Atlanta’s success in this series so far (and the season as a whole), as the raves have only given up three runs on five hits through both games so far. The Cubs came into this series slumping after having been shut out during their final two games at Texas and the Braves have done a good job of extending that misery with their efforts on the mound and their defensive quality as well.
It only figures to get better for the Braves coming into this game, as it’s Chris Sale’s turn in the rotation. Outside of a rough outing in Anaheim against the Angels last month, Sale has ben pretty consistent and a very steady figure in the rotation so far — which is exactly what you’d expect from the future Hall-of-Famer. Sale’s last outing saw him perform well enough to keep the Braves competitive against the Dodgers but ultimately, the three runs (two eanred) that he conceded were enough for the Dodgers to eke out a win. Still, those two earned runs were the most that Sale had given up in any outing outside of the one against the Angels — all of the others saw him give up at least one run or fewer while going at least six innings as well.
That’s to say that Chris Sale has been very consistent on the mound so far for the Braves and you always have to like Atlanta’s chances of winning any given game that he’s pitching in. While this does seem like an ideal situation for Sale and the Braves to thrive in considering how anemic the Cubs lineup has been in recent days, one thing to keep an eye on is that the Cubs have done pretty well against left-handed pitching so far this season. As a team, they’re hitting .267/.364/.425 against lefties with 15 home runs, a .352 wOBA and 126 wRC+ and that wRC+ mark is the top mark in all of baseball so far. If the Cubs do wake up tonight, it may not be all that surprising.
With that being said, it also wouldn’t be surprising if they just kept on struggling. The Cubs have faced left-handers Dylan Lee (who FanGraphs has noticed is doing a fantastic job so far) and Martín Pérez for three innings combined over the course of this series and they’ve collected zero hits, zero walks and struck out six times against the two of them. It is possible for left-handers to have success against the Cubs and maybe we’ll see that from Chris Sale tonight.
If they continue to struggle, then the relevant stat could be that the Cubs’ lineup isn’t nearly as imposing away from The Friendly Confines of Wrigley Field. At home, the Cubs are hitting .263/.364/.496 with a .377 wOBA, 29 homers and a wRC+ of 128. Away from the North Side, those numbers go down to .227/.319/.378 with 23 homers, a .317 wOBA and a wRC+ of 100. Now granted, it’s not hardly surprising to see a team hit better at home than on the road but for comparisons’ sake, the Braves wRC+ goes from 123 at home to 119 on the road. That much of a drop off is enough to take notice of and maybe it could be that the Cubs are just a different team once they put on the road grays (or blues).
So while the Braves may have the advantage in their attempt to go for a sweep, it won’t be easy. That’s because the Cubs are sending Ben Brown to start tonight’s game. There’s been a lot of uncertainty about whether or not the Cubs want to make Brown a starter instead of keeping him in the bullpen and as of right now, he’s got the nod to be a starter. His most recent outing was a successful one where he tossed four scoreless innings against the Rangers and that was part of a lovely stretch that he’s been on since April 11 where he’s thrown 19 innings and given up three runs (with only one of those being earned) on 10 hits and five walks while striking out 16 batters.
While that start against the Rangers was actually a spot start, the Cubs clearly believe in Brown enough to give him a shot against this very potent Braves lineup at Truist Park, so we’ll see if Chicago’s faith in their talented pitcher will be paid off. He’s entering this game with an ERA of 1.82 (46 ERA-) and a FIP of 2.63 (66 FIP-) so if he keeps that up, he will provide some tough opposition for the Braves this evening.
If it comes down to it, the Braves may just have to once again find a way to get to their opposition’s bullpen and make something happen in the later innings. As it turns out, the Braves have been the best-hitting team in baseball from the seventh inning onwards. Atlanta is hitting .275/.344.459 with a wOBA of .353 and a wRC+ of 125 in the seventh, eighth and ninth inning of games so far — all of those numbers are either at the top of the baseball leaderboards or in the top five when it comes to that particular stat, so it’s pretty clear that if the bullpen does get involved, the Braves are capable of turning the game around at that point in time.
The pitching matchup is certainly intriguing and it’s one that makes you think that the Braves can afford to get greedy and go for a sweep here. Going 5-1 against two of the best teams in the National League so far would be a true statement of intent to the rest of baseball that this Braves team means serious business here in 2026. You could argue that that statement has already been made with their series win but a sweep just seems so much nicer, doesn’t it? It’s not going to be an easy task for the Braves but with the way they’ve been rolling so far, it’s not hard to believe that they can pull it off. Let’s see what happens, y’all.
A.J. Ewing blasted his first major league home run in Thursday’s game against the Detroit Tigers.
Leading off the bottom of the third inning, the Mets' outfielder jumped on a Keider Montero 93 mph fastball, hitting a line-drive laser over the wall in right.
The solo home run traveled 405 feet and came off the bat at 110.5 miles per hour.
"That was really cool," Ewing said after the game. "The first homer, that was awesome."
The Mets' highly touted prospect scored the game-winning run in extras on Wednesday night, hustling in from second on Carson Benge's 10th-inning single, and now he has his first major league round-tripper.
Ewing finished the game 2-for-4 and is slashing .333/.538/.889 while filling up the stat sheet with a home run, a triple, four walks, three RBI, four runs scored and a stolen base after his first three-game series in the big leagues.
Not exactly known for his power after hitting just 15 dingers in 251 minor league games in his career, including two in 30 games between Double-A and Triple-A this year, Ewing believes it can still happen every now and then.
"I think it can be a part of my game," the rookie said. "I don’t think it’s gonna be my identity, I’m gonna spray the ball, hit a lot of line drives and put myself in position to get on base a lot, but I think that when I catch stuff out in front it can happen for sure."
Jacob Lopez takes the mound today in the rubber match of the three-game series against the St. Louis Cardinals at Sutter Health Park. | Getty Images
Last night the A’s tied up this inter-league three-game series with the St. Louis Cardinals at Sutter Health Park in West Sac, and today we get the rubber match at 12:05 PM. The Athletics currently reside in first place in the American League West with a 22-20 record, while the Cards are in third place in the National League Central Division with a 24-18 record.
Taking the mound for the Athletics today is 28-year-old lefty Jacob Lopez. So far on the year, Lopez has a 3-2 record with a 6.11 ERA over 35.1 innings. He’s started in seven of his eight appearances and has struck out twenty-eight batters. He’ll face off against 25-year-old righty Michael McGreevy. He’s 3-2 on the season with a 2.11 ERA in his eight starts this season.
McGreevy will go up against this lineup for the Mark Kotsay’s A’s today:
The Philadelphia Phillies and Boston Red Sox wrap up their three-game series. The teams split the first two games. Jesús Luzardo takes the mound for Philadelphia with a 5.77 ERA, while Ranger Suarez starts for Boston with a 2.77 ERA.
How to watch Philadelphia Phillies vs. Boston Red Sox
Jun 8, 2025; Anaheim, California, USA; Seattle Mariners catcher Mitch Garver (18) reacts after scoring in the fifth inning against the Los Angeles Angels at Angel Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
After last night’s fully-cursed game, the Mariners have just one game to play before they get to get out of Houston and return home to Seattle. Luis Castillo will take the ball for Seattle.
Lineups:
News:
Unfortunately it’s bad news for the Mariners. Cal Raleigh is headed to the IL for the first time in his career with an oblique strain. Obliques! They are evil! Read more here.
Game Information:
Game time: 11:10 PT
TV: Mariners.TV, with Aaron Goldsmith, Dave Valle, Jay Buhner and Brad Adam
Radio: 710 AM Seattle Sports, with Rick Rizzs and Gary Hill Jr.
The Chicago Cubs and Atlanta Braves end their three-game series between divisional leaders. The Braves won the first two games. Starting pitchers are scheduled to be Ben Brown for the Cubs, with a 1.82 ERA, and Chris Sale for the Braves, with a 2.20 ERA.
The Seattle Mariners placed catcher Cal Raleigh on the 10-day injured list with a right oblique strain, the team announced Thursday, May 14.
Raleigh left Wednesday's game against the Houston Astros in the ninth inning after experiencing pain on his right side. Raleigh lands on the injured list for the first time in his career, and in a corresponding move, catcher Jhonny Pereda was recalled from Triple-A Tacoma.
Mitch Garver will take Raleigh's place in the lineup for Thursday's game against Houston and is batting eighth.
After hitting 60 home runs and finishing second in the American League Most Valuable Player voting, the 29-year-old Raleigh has gotten off to a horrible start in 2026.
“Logan (Gilbert) gave me some good advice to wash off the bad mojo or juju from the baseball gods,” Raleigh told the Associated Press. “So yeah, it worked. He was right, so I got to give him credit where credit’s due.”
Raleigh is batting .161 with seven home runs and 18 RBIs for Seattle, which enter the day two games back of the Athletics for first place in the AL West.
What a season it has been for Kahlil Watson! He went 2-5 with a 2 RBI double to raise his average to .276 and his OPS to .931. Juan Brito also went 2-5 with an RBI triple. He is hitting .281 with a .903 OPS in AAA this season. Stuart Fairchild went 2-4 with a walk, and Kody Huff continues his great season going 2-3 with a walk. He is now hitting .318 with an OPS of .980.
It was a solid start for Rorik Maltrud. He gave up 3 runs in 5 innings pitched but also had 7 strikeouts to just 1 walk. His ERA on the season sits at 2.50. Daniel Espino pitched 2/3 of an inning and had two more walks, something he has been struggling with lately. Trent Denholm wound up getting the win by pitching 3.1 scoreless innings of relief with 5 strikeouts.
We are calling this one the Juan Benjamin game. Benjamin went 4-4 with two doubles and was responsible for 3 of the 5 RubberDucks runs. Alfonsin Rosario went 1-4 with a double, Alex Mooney went 1-3 with an RBI single.
It has been a rough season for Dylan Delucia. This start wasn’t too bad but he still allowed 4 runs on 7 hits in his 4 innings pitched. His ERA on the season sits at 8.14. Adam Tulloch, Reid Johnston, and Jay Driver combined for 5 scoreless innings of relief with 5 strikeouts to just 2 walks.
What a day it was for the Rake County Captains. They really made that nickname proud last night. Luke Hill continues to have an awesome season, he went 4-5 with two Home Runs. Nolan Schubart had 3 walks and hit a grand slam. Aaron Walton might be the highest rising position player prospect in the system after homering again today, he is hitting .319 with a 1.027 OPS on the season. They have to get him to Akron soon. Jace Laviolette went 1-4 with a double and a walk, and Dean Curley went 1-3 with two walks and an RBI single.
It hasn’t been the season that Rafe Schlesinger was hoping to have. He allowed 3 more runs today in 3.1 innings pitched and his ERA is up to 5.33 on the season. The main takeaway from this game on the pitching side has to be Cam Schuelke. His ERA is down to 0.55 on the season after throwing 2 scoreless innings of relief with 3 strikeouts and 1 walk.
Dauri Fernandez went 2-4 with an RBI double and a walk. He is now hitting .288 with a .769 OPS on the season. Cannon Peebles went 2-4 with a walk and an RBI single. Jose Pirela homered again and continues his nice season. Tyler Howard went 2-4 with a 2 RBI ground rule double.
Nelson Keljo continues to look awesome. He tossed 4 more scoreless innings tonight with 4 strikeouts and 2 walks. His ERA is down to 1.69 on the season. Ryan Prager made his Single A debut today and threw 2 scoreless innings of relief with 2 strikeouts.
CINCINNATI, OHIO - MAY 08: Mike Burrows #50 of the Houston Astros throws a pitch against the Cincinnati Reds on May 08, 2026 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images) | Getty Images
TODAY’S GAME: The Houston Astros (17-27) will continue their seven-game homestand today as they look to earn a four-game series split with a win against the rival Seattle Mariners (21-23).
Astros starter RHP Mike Burrows (2-4, 5.04 ERA), who tossed 7.0 shutout innings his last time out, will oppose RHP Luis Castillo (0-4, 6.57 ERA) and the Mariners in this series finale.
ABOUT BURROWS: RHP Mike Burrows owns a 2.50 ERA (5ER/18IP) in his last three starts and is coming off the best start of his young career on Friday at CIN (0ER/7IP).
Burrows is acclimating himself to the AL West, as he was acquired from the Pirates this offseason as part of a three-team, six-player trade in which the Astros sent OF Jacob Melton and minor leaguer RHP Anderson Brito to the Tampa Bay Rays, while the Rays sent IF Brandon Lowe, OF Jake Mangum and LHP Mason Montgomery to the Pittsburgh Pirates.
ROCK CLIMBING: The Astros are facing RHP Luis Castillo for the 11th time in his career today and for the second time this season, with the first coming on April 11 in Seattle when the Astros tagged him for seven runs on 3.1 innings.
DH Yordan Alvarez took Castillo deep in that game and now has three career home runs and a lifetime .474 (9×19) average off the three-time All-Star.
VS. SEATTLE: The Astros and Mariners are playing their second series of 2026 and after today will not see each other again until August.
With a win last night, the Astros snapped a nine-game losing streak to Seattle, which spanned back to 2025.
ABOUT THE SKIPPER:Manager Joe Espada recorded his 192nd career managerial victory last night, which moved him past Harry Craft (1962-64) into 12th in club history. He now immediately trails Jimy Williams (215) for 11th on that all-time list.
LANCE REACHES 900 K’S: RHP Lance McCullers Jr. surpassed 900 career strikeouts last night as he fanned six in his 5.1 innings pitched. McCullers became the 15th player in franchise history to reach 900 strikeouts and the quickest to do so in terms of appearances (154g).
THE ORDER: The Astros have used 44 different lineups in their 44 games in 2026. Only LF Yordan Alvarez has started every game in the same spot in the lineup (hitting second), although he will bat 3rd today.
1B Christian Walker has played in every game (43 starts).
CLIMBING THE CHARTS: With two RBI last night, 2B Jose Altuve reached 900 career RBI, making him the fifth player in franchise history to reach that mark.
He also checks in with 238 career homers as a second baseman, needing one more to tie Lou Whitaker for seventh place all-time in MLB history among second basemen.
THE SHEW FITS: SS Braden Shewmake went 2×5 last night, which extended his current hitting streak to a career-long eight games.
Shewmake has hit .364 (12×33) with three homers and a 1.000 OPS in 13 games since being acquired by the Astros in a trade from the Yankees on April 19.
WALKER, TEXAS HAMMER: 1B Christian Walker is hitting .296 (24×81) in his last 21 games (since April 20) with six homers and 13 RBI.
Among AL players this season, Walker ranks tied for third in RBI (29), sixth in extra-base hits (20), seventh in total bases (84), and seventh in SLG (.525).
GUN ‘EM DOWN: In just 21 games, C Christian Vázquez has thrown out nine baserunners attempting to steal (in 25 attempts), which ranks tied for first in the AL and fourth in the Majors.
TODAY IN ASTROS HISTORY: 2017 – The Astros spoil Derek Jeter Night at Yankee Stadium, erupting for six runs in the 1st inning off RHP Masahiro Tanaka en route to a 10-7 win on national TV. 3B Alex Bregman hits his first career grand slam in the big 1st inning. The win gave Houston a split in what was a Mother’s Day doubleheader.
Game Info
Game Date/Time: Thursday, May 14, 1:10 p.m. CT
Location: Daikin Park, Houston, TX
TV: Space City Home Network
Streaming: SCHN+
Radio: KBME 790 AM & 94.5 FM HD2; TUDN 102.9 FM HD2 (Spanish)
