PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - JUNE 15: Gabriel Rincones Jr. #17 of the Philadelphia Phillies hits his first career home run in the bottom of the second inning against the Miami Marlins at Citizens Bank Park on June 15, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Welcome to an odd, baseball-less Friday. The Phillies played the Mets yesterday, and they’ll play them tomorrow, and they’ll play them the day after that, but they’re not playing them today.
The Detroit Tigers began June en fuego, winning seven of their first nine games this month, including series wins over a pair of division-leading teams — a sweep of the American League East-leading Tampa Bay Rays and taking two of three from the AL West-leading Seattle Mariners. Since taking two of three from the Minnesota Twins at home, however, the team has reverted back to its losing ways.
After that hot start to the month, the Motor City Kitties have dropped four of five, with a de facto two-game sweep at the hands of the Cleveland Guardians and dropping two of three to the Houston Astros. Next up are the Chicago White Sox, who have been rather surprising so far in 2026 and are in a battle with the Guardians for the top spot in the AL Central.
Opening things up at home for a three-game weekend series against their division rivals is ace left-hander Tarik Skubal, whose return from the injured list last time out against Cleveland was a bit underwhelming. The 29-year-old lasted just 4 2/3 innings, surrendering three runs (two earned) on five hits (one home run) and a walk while striking out four and hitting a batter in for his third loss in a 3-1 defeat.
For the ChiSox, right-hander Erick Fedde will take the mound on Friday night for just the second start in his last six appearances. The 33-year-old’s previous start came against the Twins on June 3, when he tossed five frames of scoreless ball on two hits and a walk while striking out a pair for his first and only win of the season.
The game before that, Fedde faced the Tigers in relief, throwing four frames of two-run ball, allowing four hits (one home run) and three walks while striking out three in a game Chicago went on to win in extras, 4-3.
Here is how the two match up in the series opener on Friday.
Detroit Tigers (30-44) vs. Chicago White Sox (38-34)
Time (ET): 6:40 p.m. Place: Comerica Park, Detroit, Michigan SB Nation Site:South Side Sox Media: Detroit SportsNet, MLB.TV, Tigers Radio Network
Game 75: LHP Tarik Skubal (3-3, 2.81 ERA) vs. RHP Erick Fedde (2-5, 4.50 ERA)
Sawyer Gipson-Long gave the Hens a decent start, and the offense did the rest. Jace Jung has been running hot in June, and he led the way with a double and a home run.
Gipson-Long allowed three runs, but he went 5.2 innings, striking out seven.
Jung opened the scoring with a blast to center field for his 12th long ball of the season. Max Clark singled and scored on a Ben Malgeri single in the third. From there, Rochester chipped away at Gipson-Long to take a 3-2 lead until the Hens broke through in the seventh.
Jung started things off with an opposite field double and Tyler Gentry was hit by a pitch. Tomas Nido and Andrew Navigato walked, forcing in a run, and after the Red Wings went back to the bullpen, new reliever Zach Penrod walked Max Clark to force in a run. A Max Anderson ground out plated another, and a Gage Workman sacrifice fly brought in Navigato to make it 6-3. Two more walks made it 7-3 in a pretty ghastly display from Red Wings’ pitching.
In the eighth, Navigato and Clark hit singles with one out, and then they pulled off a double steal that produced a pair of errors that allowed them both to score. 9-3 Hens.
Ricky Vanasco collected four outs in relief of Gipson-Long. Nick Sandlin allowed a solo shot in the bottom of the eighth. Jung walked and scored on a Navigato sacrifice fly in the ninth. Sandlin allowed two more runs trying to put this one to bed, and Konnor Pilkington had to come on to get the final out, which he did.
Jung: 2-3, 3 R, 2 RBI, 2B, HR, 3 BB
Clark: 2-4, 3 R, RBI, BB, SB
Malgeri: 1-4, RBI, BB
Gipson-Long (W, 3-3): 5.2 IP, 3 ER, 5 H, 3 BB, 7 K
Coming Up Next: The Hens have a 2-1 lead heading into a 6:45 p.m. ET start on Friday.
Lefty Carlos Peña threw a pretty good game, but the Senators pitching kept the SeaWolves in check all evening.
Peña gave up single runs in the first, fourth, and fifth innings, but he only allowed five hits and no walks. The Senators managed to sequence their hits well, as they also struck out eight times.
Justice Bigbie cracked a solo shot in the seventh inning for the SeaWolves only run.
Bigbie: 1-3, R, RBI, HR, K
Peña (L, 3-3): 5.0 IP, 3 ER, 5 H, 0 BB, 8 K
Coming Up Next: It’s a 6:30 p.m. ET start on Friday.
West Michigan Whitecaps 16, Lansing Lugnuts 0 (box)
It’s been a rough first half for the Whitecaps, but on Thursday they were the hammer.
Ben Jacobs fired four scoreless innings with six strikeouts, though he did walk three and battled his command a little bit. He also spent a lot of time waiting between innings as his teammates piled up the runs. Lucas Elissalt was rained out this week, so he was about to get in four innings as well, and he looked great, showing off some good sliders and curveballs as well as a pretty dominant heater. He struck out six, allowing just two hits and a walk.
Of course, the story was the offense. Bryce Rainer and Garrett Pennington led the way as they each homered and collected three hits in this one. Everything Rainer hit seemed to be 112 mph or better, including a pair of screaming singles.
Bryce Rainer smashes a 113-MPH single to center to put West Michigan up 12-0. pic.twitter.com/uDmBYIcl2M
Ricardo Hurtado homered and had two hits. Woody Hadeen had two hits and two walks, while Jackson Strong had two hits and a walk of his own. The Whitecaps piled up 16 hits and four walks, scoring four in the first, two in the second, and then eight runs in an endless bottom of the third in which the Lugnuts also made a couple of errors.
Coming Up Next: The Whitecaps are up 2-0 in the now five-game set, with first pitch set for 6:45 p.m. ET on Friday.
Lakeland Flying Tigers 11, Dunedin Blue Jays 3 (box)
The Flying Tigers bounced back with an impressive showing behind Malachi Witherspoon on Thursday to get back into this series with the Blue Jays.
Witherspoon’s consistency remains an issue, because the stuff remains undeniable. He had everything under control in this one, including his changeup, and the Blue Jays had no answers. The right-hander fired five innings of one-run ball with seven strikeouts against three hits and a walk allowed. He racked up 13 whiffs, averaging 95 mph with his fourseamer. He allowed a single and a double in the first to produce the run he allowed, and then was dominant the rest of the way.
Malachi Witherspoon with one of his best outings of the year: 5IP 3H ER BB 7K 13 Whiffs
It looks like he broke out his changeup for the first time this season. Some were mischaracterized as sinkers, but we count 11 changes, 7 swings, 2 hits, 4 whiffs. Full video later. pic.twitter.com/dJZHPXDriQ
The Flying Tigers took control in the second when Carson Rucker led off with a walk and Anibal Salas blasted his sixth home run. Salas remains interesting with plus raw power, plate discipline, solid speed, and a strong throwing arm.
In the fourth, Nick Dumesnil, Rucker, and Salas singled in order to produce a run. Zach MacDonald smoked a line drive single to left to plate Rucker, and then Jack Goodman singled in Salas. Beau Ankeney and Edian Espinal got into the act with RBI singles as the inning continued and they batted around with an 8-1 lead.
In the seventh, Espinal led off with a single and Espinal walked. A wild pitch with two outs advanced the runners and MacDonald and Goodman walked to push across another run.
Joe Ruzicka allowed a two-run homer in the top of the eighth, but his teammates came right back for two more in the bottom half as Dumesnil launched a two-run homer.
Nick Dumesnil crushes a 2-run homer to left to put Lakeland up 11-3. It’s his 4th home run of the season. @AaronArnstein on the call. pic.twitter.com/LiKaKt6Lmz
Jack Bushell was lit up in a shorter start this time out after punching out 10 last time out. Johnathan Rogers did even worse, and the Blue Jays just poured it on from there.
What was notable in this game was the return of the Tigers’ 2025 competitive balance round A pick, Michael Oliveto, returning from a broken toe to make his pro debut. He walked twice and struck out once in this one.
Pride Night signage is displayed before a 2023 game between the Dodgers and the San Francisco Giants at Dodger Stadium. (Meg Oliphant / Getty Images)
Amid the first days of grief after Alex Vesia and his wife lost their newborn daughter last fall, Vesia noticed something as he watched the World Series on television. He paused the broadcast, then checked the video, then texted another player to make sure.
51.
Dodgers teammates wore his number on their caps. So did players from the Toronto Blue Jays.
“It was awesome,” Vesia said. “It was a very heartwarming moment.”
Who knew, really, until this week? Three pitchers from the San Francisco Giants wrote the name of a Bible verse on their Pride Night caps and, amid an uproar, Major League Baseball said it had warned the players that “writing of any kind, with any message” on any playing apparel is not permitted. The issue, the league said in a statement, was not what they wrote on their caps but simply that they wrote on them at all.
Said MLB in the statement: “We have given the same warning numerous times in the past to players for messages such as ‘Dad’, ‘Happy Mother’s Day, I Love Mom’ and names of family members.”
To its credit, the league did not enforce the rule when Vesia’s number started appearing on caps in the World Series. But, if you’re going to draw a line on enforcement, where should you draw it?
In San Francisco, the actions of the Giants’ pitchers were widely condemned.
“They were in for a rude awakening with the response, and it wasn’t just from the gay community,” Giants broadcaster and former pitcher Mike Krukow told KNBR, the team’s flagship radio station. “It was from the Northern California community that supports the gay community.”
In response to media inquiries, and as first reported by Outsports, MLB confirmed it had warned the three players. I asked the league whether warnings had been issued in two other instances in which players had written on their caps, including Clayton Kershaw last year writing the same Bible verse on his Pride Night cap that the Giants’ pitchers wrote this year. MLB declined to comment.
“I got chastised by the league when I put Charlie [Kirk]’s name on my hat last year, because a man was murdered in cold blood,” Dodgers pitcher Blake Treinen told me, “and now these gentlemen who are relievers in San Francisco are getting chastised by the league for putting a Bible verse on their hat. It’s crazy to me.”
Treinen said league officials had told him the rule is strictly enforced.
“I straight up asked Clayton last year, ‘Did they call you when you put that on your hat?’” Treinen said. “He said, ‘No.’”
The Pride caps feature team logos decorated in the colors of the rainbow, a symbol long associated with the gay community. In the Bible verse cited by the pitchers (Genesis 9:12-16), the rainbow represents “the everlasting covenant between God and all living creatures.”
Missouri Sen. Josh Hawley fired off a letter to MLB commissioner Rob Manfred, alleging apparent discrimination “against baseball players who profess their Christian faith” and threatening the league’s antitrust exemption. Assistant U.S. Atty. Gen. Harmeet Dhillon said on national television that players might be able to file a claim for employment discrimination.
That is complete nonsense. This is what you want: When employees raise an issue to their employer, the employer listens and addresses their concerns.
“We have told teams, in terms of actual uniforms, hats, bases that we don’t think putting logos on them is a good idea just because of the desire to protect players: not putting them in a position of doing something that may make them uncomfortable because of their personal views,” Manfred said then.
Teammates congratulate Freddie Freeman after his walk-off home run gave the Dodgers a 1-0 win on June 5, when the Dodgers held their annual Pride Night. Blake Treinen, the winning pitcher that night, elected to wear his regular Dodgers cap instead of the Pride version. (Katelyn Mulcahy / Getty Images)
Manfred said the Pride Night celebrations could go on, however a team wished to stage them — or not, in the case of the Texas Rangers, the only one of the 30 MLB teams that declines to hold a Pride Night. And the league still sells Pride gear on its website for all teams, including the Rangers.
In the cases of the Giants and Dodgers, MLB grandfathered each team’s long-running use of a rainbow logo on the cap, with this accommodation to players: If you don’t feel comfortable wearing the Pride cap, just wear your regular cap.
That is what Treinen and outfielder Alex Call did when the Dodgers celebrated Pride Night. That is also what a fourth Giants pitcher did.
“My job is to abide by the rules,” Treinen said. “Ultimately, the only rule we have is to wear our team-issued uniform. So that’s what I chose to do.”
To Treinen, the decision over whether to wear a Pride cap is not about passing judgment on anyone else but about what he sees as the push “to force something on people that you know that is controversial to their faith — and, in fact, straight up against their faith.”
“Kudos to those men over there who are standing strong in their faith,” he said. “It’s a sad thing to corner someone and try to make them feel bad about their convictions.”
I respect Treinen for explaining his viewpoint. To me, wearing a Pride cap for one night does not diminish your faith at all. It might sharpen your convictions. More important, it signals a welcome to everyone in the community that buys the tickets and broadcast subscriptions that help pay your salary.
“I think a few people made it about themselves and not about the community,” San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie told the Bay Area Reporter.
We always proclaim the life lessons of sports. One of them: Sometimes you have to put the team’s interests ahead of your own.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JULY 04: Ben Rice #93 of the New York Yankees hits his first career home run during the fifth inning against the Cincinnati Reds at Yankee Stadium on July 04, 2024 in the Bronx borough of New York City. (Photo by Luke Hales/Getty Images) | Getty Images
A four-game winning streak came to an end last night thanks to Andrew Benintendi’s late grand slam. Whatever. It’s not news that the bullpen needs work (Tim Hill and Camilo Doval were the villains on Thursday), and even the best teams will take their lumps in that department. The Yankees remainl 8-2 in their last 10 games and already had the series win in the bag.
Next up: the Yankees face the Reds beginning today. For one reason or another, they’ve proved to be a tougher opponent than expected every time they’ve gone head-to-head since 2022, when MLB teams began playing every other club for at least one series on an annual basis. Cincinnati has one three of the four sets, going 7-5 against them with the Yanks’ only triumph coming in a sweep from the otherwise-underwhelming 2023 team. The Reds memorably returned the favor the following year, sweeping the Yankees in the Bronx during their pennant-winning 2024. The only real highlight for the Yanks in that one was Ben Rice’s first career homer. Cincy won two of three last year at Great American Ballpark.
Today on the site, Jeremy will offer an expanded series preview against the Reds, Sam will run through the Rivalry Roundup, and Matt will celebrate the 123rd birthday of one of the greatest and most beloved players in MLB history: the “Iron Horse” himself, Lou Gehrig. (Donate to your favorite ALS research organization in his memory!) Later, Peter will break down an at-bat against Cam Schlittler for his Sequence of the Week, Josh will discuss why MLB’s latest CBA proposal to the players is horrible for the game on multiple fronts, and Madison will answer your mailbag questions.
Today’s Matchup
New York Yankees vs. Cincinnati Reds
Time: 7:05 p.m. EST
TV: YES Network, Reds.tv
Venue: Yankee Stadium, Bronx, NY
Questions/Prompts:
1. The Yankees’ best three relievers right now are (in some order) David Bednar, Fernando Cruz, and Brett Headrick. Who is next on the depth chart for you?
2. Will you watch any of the Team USA vs. Australia World Cup match in the afternoon today before the Yankees game? If so, any pregame thoughts?
Spencer Strider: ‘It’s important to pursue what you don’t know, because it may be of use to you.’Photograph: Icon Sportswire/Getty Images
Spencer Strider made an impression in 2022, his first full season in Major League Baseball: he was runner-up for National League Rookie of the Year. In 2023 he was ever better, leading the majors in wins and strikeouts and earning a spot on the All-MLB first-team.
But what set him apart from many of his peers wasn’t his athletic ability but his life away from baseball. In a sport that is often socially conservative, the Atlanta Braves pitcher was a vegan Bernie Sanders supporter who was just as likely to discuss indie music as his fastball.
Strider, who has been troubled by injuries in recent seasons and is set for another lengthy spell away from baseball in 2026, credits coach Tommy Pharr of the Christian Academy of Knoxville, his high school, as the original source for much of his mindset. He calls Pharr “probably the most influential person for me”.
“[The lessons he taught me] led me … to never be satisfied with the depth of knowledge that I have at any given moment,” he says. “That it’s important to pursue what you don’t know, because it may be of use to you.”
This openness permeates Strider’s attitudes toward many aspects of life – including his veganism.
“I started [eating vegan] in 2019 when I was rehabbing from Tommy John surgery,” he says. “I had blood pressure that I was medicated for, [which] I always thought was a little peculiar for a 20-year-old. I had issues sleeping … and then there were also a lot of ethical and environmental concerns that I was sympathetic towards. I decided one day to try it and, within two weeks, I was off the hypertension medicine.”
Strider is far from the only professional athlete to cite a vegan diet’s health benefits. His commitment to discussing veganism’s broader ethical arguments, however, is less common.
“I understand that people have differences of opinion but, nonetheless … I think factory farming is certainly problematic and not exactly what we’re supposed to be doing to the planet,” Strider says, before clarifying that veganism is just one of many ways to address such issues. “I’m very conscious to the idea that any improvement, while it may seem insignificant, is still worthwhile. For me, it’s easier to be fully plant-based, but I think everybody can have a marginal improvement [around the ethics of the meat industry] that would, collectively, be great for the environment and the planet.”
Championing of a vegan diet is often associated with left-leaning politics and Strider has expressed admiration for Sanders. Given that, by some measures, baseball players are the most politically conservative athletes among the “Big Four” North American sports leagues, this too makes Strider an unusual fit for his profession. (In typically thoughtful fashion, he refuses to make such broad observations about this peers’ politics, nothing that “there’s a diverse group of personalities around here.”)
“I don’t know that I would single anyone out,” Strider says when asked if there are any other politicians he admires.
“Plenty of things are antiquated. I think about homophobia, racism, sexism, those types of structures and behavioral systems that have existed for a long time – they’re eventually going to subside entirely,” he says. “My position is that: to be ignorant to the reality that [homophobia and racism] are wrong is a misguided and unnecessary approach … There’s no reason to pretend that they’re not wrong or not harmful.”
While Strider’s observations on politics and culture are refreshing, such interests do not occupy all his time off the field. Instead, talking with Strider feels a bit like catching up with an old friend – the conservation jumps from the serious to the lighthearted with ease.
“I’m a big music fan. I like playing music, listening to vinyl, listening to music,” says Strider, who has played guitar since he was a teenager. With a laugh, he refuses to share the name of his high school band.
In his own words, his tastes are “middle of the road”. Strider mentions his fondness for millennial indie darlings such as Vampire Weekend, the Strokes and Mac DeMarco before namechecking the slightly more obscure acts that reveal his preference for riffy basslines and quasi-psychedelic sounds. He cites Patrick Taylor of Trash Panda as both a favorite musician and someone who his connections through the Braves have allowed him to get to know personally.
“He’s just an unbelievable musician and awesome creative mind. He’s somebody I’ve really enjoyed getting to be around [and] a really cool relationship for me,” Strider says. “There’s a lot of acceptance and freedom that the [the music] industry could share with the rest of the country and the world.”
Despite his interests outside baseball, Strider isn’t one of those athletes who views his profession as just a paycheck. In addition to music and climate change, he discusses the nuances of his craft with enthusiasm. He thinks recent changes to MLB (pitch clocks and the automated ball-strike system, etc.) haven’t gone far enough in improving the game.
“I think teams should be able to construct rosters however a team deems necessary for their own strategy,” Strider says. “Right now, it’s limited to 13 pitchers and 13 position players [active on each MLB roster]. If the Atlanta Braves want to have 15 pitchers on their roster, they should be able to … Even if it’s [just] for a series or a week. I think that could lead to more diverse strategies and would be good for the game.”
This perceived shortcoming has yet to hurt the Braves’ season – they are top of the NL East and have one of the best records in the majors. Team success, however, has not always translated into individual success for Strider. He hasn’t pitched a full season since 2023 and it seems this will be another campaign ruined by injury. Perhaps predictably, Strider – who was speaking before his most recent injury setback – approaches these challenges mindfully.
“Injuries are always going to be a part of playing, and I try to do as much as I can to minimize them and minimize the length of them,” the 27-year-old says. “I try to keep the mentality that you know, ‘Wherever you’re at, good or bad right now in this very moment, is not the ultimate definition of you.’ I don’t define myself by any singular moment, so I try to keep him to keep that long-term perspective and know that my career, and what I want out of it, will be defined by the collective [experience].”
At the very least, it’s clear that Strider won’t be bored off the field as he heals.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JUNE 18: Jazz Chisholm Jr. #13 of the New York Yankees reacts after fouling a ball off himself during the fourth inning against the Chicago White Sox at Yankee Stadium on June 18, 2026 in New York City. (Photo by Adam Hunger/Getty Images) | Getty Images
MLB.com | Bryan Hoch: In case you missed last night’s game, Yankees’ second baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr. was forced to exit it due to a, um, likely quite painful injury. Chisholm fouled a ball off the ground that came right back up and hit him right in the groin. He remained on the ground in pain for quite a while before exiting the game. You would hope that’s not the type of injury that will cause any lingering effects, but we shall see.
MLB.com | Bryan Hoch: On the positive injury news front, Austin Wells gave us a good sign down in a rehab outing. In a game with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre on Thursday, Wells homered twice in Columbus as he continues to recover from cervical headaches that sent him to the IL.
New York Post | Jon Heyman: Not that it’s particularly surprising, but it seems unlikely that the Yankees could swing a deal for two-time reigning Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal at the Trade Deadline this year. While every team could always use pitching, the rotation is a strong point on this year’s roster, and the Yankees will likely try to use their assets on deals to shore up more pressing holes on their roster.
CBS Sports | Mike Axisa: We’re not that far away from the 2026 All-Star Game, and at least one Yankee is looking at participating in more than just the game. Yankees’ breakout star first baseman Ben Rice has said that he would participate in the Home Run Derby if asked. He is one of just five American League players at the 20-homer mark at this point.
PHILADELPHIA — Francisco Lindor’s countdown to rejoining the Mets is underway.
The shortstop will begin a minor league rehab assignment Friday for Double-A Binghamton, according to manager Carlos Mendoza, and could return to the Mets lineup by early next week.
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Mendoza indicated the plan is for Lindor to play two games in the minors (Triple-A Syracuse could be a stop if weather affects Binghamton) and then decide if he is ready or needs additional time. Lindor would play Friday, rest Saturday and then play Sunday before a determination is reached.
Lindor, who has been on the injured list since April 23 with a left calf strain, has spent the last week playing simulated games.
“This is a guy who knows himself better than anybody, and he’s going to let us know whether he needs more at-bats or basically how he’s feeling, and we’ll go from there,” Mendoza said before the Mets beat the Phillies 6-4.
Francisco Lindor, who has been on the injured list since April 23 with a left calf strain, will begin a minor league rehab assignment Friday for Double-A Binghamton. Corey Sipkin for New York Post
Among the possibilities is that Lindor will receive occasional starts at DH upon his return.
“I am pretty sure that is going to be a discussion, knowing him, a guy that wants to be in the lineup every day,” Mendoza said. “He will take that as an off day as opposed to being completely out of the lineup, but I am pretty sure there’s also going to be days where we are going to have to be firm and keep his name out of the starting lineup.”
Lindor’s return will shift Bo Bichette back to third base and Brett Baty into the utility role in which he began the season.
Tyrone Taylor will also begin a rehab assignment for Binghamton, but Mendoza said the outfielder’s stay will be longer because he hasn’t built up volume in his at-bats compared to Lindor, who has been playing simulated games.
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Taylor is rehabbing a right hip flexor strain that has kept him sidelined since May 26.
This series won’t resume until Saturday night because of Friday’s World Cup match between Brazil and Haiti scheduled for Lincoln Financial Field — which is across the street from Citizens Bank Park.
“It’s weird,” Mendoza said of the off day within a series. “But then you understand: You have got the World Cup right next door and you will have 80,000 people there.”
Mendoza said he’s hoping to attend the match.
“I am trying,” he said. “It’s not an easy ticket.”
Bichette was booed each time he walked to the plate in his 0-for-5 performance, which snapped his streak of multihit games at six.
Last January the Mets, after learning that free agent Kyle Tucker had chosen the Dodgers, pivoted toward Bichette — who was deep into negotiations with the Phillies.
Bichette took the Mets offer of $126 million over three years — with opt-outs after 2026 and ’27 — preventing the Phillies from adding another key bat. Earlier in the offseason, the defending NL East champions had re-signed Kyle Schwarber to a five-year contract worth $150 million.
Bo Bichette throws to first base after a fielder’s choice force out at second base in the first inning of the Mets’ 6-4 win over the Phillies on June 18, 2026 at Citizens Bank Park. Getty Images
“We were definitely talking, but there were a few things that were unfinished, so I wouldn’t say necessarily that we were at the finish line,” Bichette said.
The Phillies’ reported offer for Bichette was $200 million over seven years. Dave Dombrowski, the team’s president of baseball operations, described losing Bichette as a “gut punch.”
Bichette, who helped the Blue Jays reach the World Series last season, isn’t looking back.
“[The Phillies] are a great team that I was interested in being part of, but I wouldn’t say I think too much of what could have been,” Bichette said.
Bichette reiterated factors that attracted him when he selected the Mets.
“Ownership is doing their best to get a team of talent on the field to win and the team has a ton of talent,” Bichette said. “Playing in New York, the market here, all that was important to me — we have the opportunity to win, with talent, in a place that fans care about the team.”
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The Phillies fired manager Rob Thomson following a slow start — replacing him with bench coach Don Mattingly — and have surged into wild-card contention. They began play 40-34, ahead by 1 ½ games for the second wild card.
It has been a different story for the Mets, who haven’t recovered from their 12-game losing streak in April, despite improved play in recent weeks.
They are 34-41, last in the NL East.
“We have played better for a decent stretch of time,” Bichette said, referring to the team’s 25-20 record since May 1. “Probably not to our capabilities, but we just have to continue to keep on grinding, putting up wins however we can. Most teams have that little hot stretch that kind of evens out the cold stretch and hopefully we have that soon.”
Jun 16, 2026; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; San Diego Padres right fielder Samad Taylor (0) slides in safely at home and scores against the St. Louis Cardinals during the fifth inning at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images | Jeff Curry-Imagn Images
The San Diego Padres left on their current road trip three games over .500 and in contention for a Wild Card spot come playoff time. After the first six games of the nine-game road trip, playing against the Baltimore Orioles and St. Louis Cardinals, the Friars are three games over .500 and in contention for a Wild Card spot. In that sense, nothing has changed.
There was good and bad to be seen over the past week. There have been incremental improvements with the offense, especially with specific players. Some players who were hitting well have stopped. The current roster has a large contingent of El Paso Chihuahua players trying to support the organization through an especially trying time with injuries and roster upheaval.
Highlighting some of the good
Let’s take Fernando Tatis Jr. as an example. We all watched as his futility at the plate had piled up over the start of the season. Finally getting two home runs over the past two weeks has taken a bit of the pressure off, but the real accomplishment is in his overall performance.
Tatis was definitely stuck in a rut.
Swinging at bad pitches, chasing out of the strike zone, and especially vulnerable to the up and in, then down and away pattern that pitchers routinely used against him.
Manager Craig Stammen had already mentioned to him during spring camp that Tatis might be needed in the infield. He had been taking grounders there since February.
On May 5, second baseman Jake Cronenworth went on the injured list with concussion symptoms. On May 12, Tatis made his debut as the Padres second baseman. Since that day, Tatis has hit .366/.420/.485 with two home runs and 11 RBI. He has acknowledged in the past that he loves playing in the infield (originally as a shortstop). Tatis has improved his defense at second base, and his offensive numbers have skyrocketed.
Over the past week, he has hit .320 with five RBI and a .757 OPS.
Third baseman Manny Machado had a horrible May, the worst month of his career. He hit .127 with a .526 OPS, which was only that good because he still hit home runs (6 HR, 14 RBI).
June has been better, and the past week has shown some hope for Padres fans that the normal Machado will show up going forward. His .227/.333/.429 batting line isn’t great, but he has three doubles and a home run to go with three walks and two RBI.
Samad Taylor, called up to replace Nick Castellanos, has been a revelation as the everyday left fielder. Since joining the team on June 3, he has hit .343/.410/.457 with a double, a home run, eight RBI, four stolen bases and eight runs scored. He has also played excellent defense. Over the past week, Taylor has hit .350/.381/.500 with a home run, three RBI, and two stolen bases.
The Padres’ bullpen has moved back up the rankings in MLB. After having a rough patch, the relievers’ ERA is 3.01, second in MLB and close to the Atlanta Braves’ 2.91 ERA.
The Padres used both Wandy Peralta and Bradgley Rodriguez as openers this week; both pitched a scoreless first inning in their respective games (Peralta for Giolito and Rodriguez for Canning against the Orioles).
Some of the bad
Padres starting pitchers are not getting the job done. Inconsistency has been the issue for all of the starters. Overall, command of their pitches leaves a lot of room for improvement.
In his start against the Orioles, Griffin Canning allowed seven runs on six hits and five walks over five innings. Even with a good offense, that would be a hard game to win. He was better against the Cardinals but only went 4.1 innings with four hits and one run allowed after Bradgley Rodriguez pitched as the opener.
Lucas Giolito started the first game versus St. Louis, going five innings, allowing seven hits and three runs with three walks.
None of the starters turned in a quality start because none could make it into the sixth inning.
The offense was stifled for two against St. Louis with Cardinals pitcher Dustin May pitching a complete game, one-hit shutout and the next day the Padres didn’t get a hit until the fifth inning. They went 5-for-57 over those two games.
Overall, the Padres have had 35 quality starts thrown against them, including eight shutouts.
First baseman Ty France, who has given a great defensive performance so far, has gone cold at the plate. Over the past week, France hit .071 with a .204 OPS. He has one hit, one RBI and seven strikeouts. For June, his average is .132 and he has dropped his overall line to .245/.294/.434.
Outfielder Jase Bowen, who was leading the Triple-A Chihuahuas in many offensive categories, has had a difficult time adjusting to major league pitching. In 25 at-bats, he is hitting .120/.154/.274 with 11 strikeouts.
Roster moves and injury updates
Outfielder Bryce Johnson was designated for assignment when Xander Bogaerts returned from paternity leave and Will Wagner remained with the team. Johnson cleared waivers and was outrighted to El Paso.
DH Miguel Andujar went on the injured list with a left hamstring strain and utility player Nick Solak was promoted from Triple-A.
Catcher Blake Hunt was promoted from Triple-A and catcher Freddy Fermin was place on the injured list with a concussion.
RHP Ty Adcock was designated for assignment. Adcock cleared waivers and was outrighted to El Paso.
RHP Mason Miller was placed on family/bereavement leave and LHP Kyle Hart was called up from Triple-A.
RHP Ron Marinaccio began serving a two-game suspension (June 17-June 19) for intentionally hitting the Orioles’ Gunner Henderson.
Manager Craig Stammen also served a one-game suspension for the same offense.
Pitchers Joe Musgrove and Nick Pivetta have both advanced to long-toss in their throwing programs on rehab from arm injuries. Per a report from The Athletic’s Dennis Lin on 97.3 The Fan, Musgrove also has a bone spur in his right elbow. There is reportedly no issue with the bone spur at this time.
RHP Germán Márquez is progressing in his rehab with Triple-A El Paso. In four starts and 15.1 innings pitched, Márquez has a 1.76 ERA and just allowed his first runs in his fourth start. Per a report from MadFriars.com, he reached 95 mph on his four-seam fastball and reached 73 pitches on June 17.
Catcher Luis Campusano was seen with the team last week but is back in Arizona and ramping up his baseball activities. There is no rehab assignment yet (per manager Craig Stammen).
Second baseman Jake Cronenworth is also slowly ramping up baseball activities but is still experiencing some symptoms resulting from a concussion and there is no timeline for his return (per Stammen).
RHP Jhony Brito has completed his rehab and was optioned to El Paso. He has made two starts with a 2.00 ERA in nine innings pitched. He has reached the mid-90’s on his fastball and threw 71 pitches in his last start, per MadFriars.com reporting.
LHP Marco Gonzales, signed to a minor league contract before Spring Training began, was released by the Padres this past week. He had a 7.99 ERA in 47.1 innings pitched at Triple-A.
RHP Matt Waldron began his rehab from his right brachialis muscle injury with El Paso.
The A’s took the first game of their four-game series against the Angels on Thursday night, beating the Halos 5-0 on a warm evening in West Sacramento at Sutter Health Park. The win moves the A’s back to just one game under .500 and the team remains a game and a half back of the Seattle Mariners for first place. Things are getting interesting.
A’s “Jump” out to huge lead
It didn’t take long for the scoring to get started. The Angels sent right-hander Ryan Johnson to the mound this evening, recalling him from Double-A to start the first game of the series against the A’s. A tough spot to put him in. The rookie right-hander entered tonight with just one career start plus 17 relief appearances at the big league level, so expectations couldn’t have been too high on the Angels’ part.
Leading things off for the A’s was Zack Gelof. He didn’t wait around to extend his hitting streak, swatting a single off the third pitch from Johnson to extend his career-high hitting streak to 22 games and counting:
And to think, he was almost an afterthought for most A’s fans entering the season. He’s completely turned his fortunes around and now he seems as important a player as anyone on the team.
Nick Kurtz came right behind him with a double to put two runners in scoring position with no outs. Up to the plate stepped Shea Langeliers, and did he what he’s been doing all year: hitting home runs, this one a three-run shot to give the A’s an early lead:
Then it was Tyler Soderstrom’s turn and he got in on the action with his own long ball, going back-to-back with Langeliers and making this a 4-0 lead before the A’s had even had an out:
That opposite-field shot was Sodey’s 13th of the year and he now has five homers over his last 10 games. We’re finally seeing the power that was missing from our left fielder all year and it’s going to make the A’s much more dangerous with Soderstrom hitting like we know he can.
The A’s kept things going after that with two more hits, with six straight hits to open up this contest. A pair of sacrifice flies brought home the Athletics’ fifth run of the frame. Another hit and the A’s had officially batted around, bringing Gelof to the plate for the second time this inning. He worked a walk to load the bases but Kurtz grounded out to finally end the rally. Plenty of runs to work with for the team’s starting pitcher though.
Jump dominates (again)
While the Athletics’ offense was having its way with the Angels’ pitchers in the early going, the arm on the mound for the A’s was quietly going to work. Rookie Gage Jump, making just his fifth career start, absolutely dominated the Angels’ lineup tonight. The 23-year-old only allowed a single and a trio of walks during seven scoreless frames, racking up seven strikeouts on top of a dominant performance.
Somewhat surprising to see Kotsay let one of the prime pitchers in the organization pitch deep into a blowout but everything worked out fine in the end. Jump lowers his ERA to 2.37 through his first five starts. He’s next lined up to go against the Giants next week, though we’ll wait and see which game he’s slated for. Do we finally have our ace in hand? Him and Ginn seem to be a formidable duo atop the rotation.
Once Jump was done it was Mason Barnett, who handled a scoreless eighth. Lefty Hogan Harris finished things off for the home team for the ninth. Uneventful, like like we like it.
A fantastic win against one of the worst teams in the sport. The A’s did what they needed to do tonight and have momentum for the next three contests to wrap up the homestand. Big homers from Langeliers and Soderstrom in the first was all that was needed. Paired with a fantastic outing from rookie lefty Gage Jump and the club is a mere game and a half back of the Mariners for the division lead.
The series continues tomorrow night, same time same place. The Halo’s will have their best pitcher going for them in the second game of the series in right-hander Jose Soriano. The 27-year-old is having a career season as his 2.79 ERA ranks fifth in the entire American League. He faced the A’s almost exactly one month ago down in Anaheim, pitching into the seventh inning while allowing just a pair of runs. The A’s meanwhile will counter Soriano with veteran Jeffrey Springs. The left-hander has gotten hit hard in recent outings, allowing 15 runs in three June starts. The A’s need better results from him going forward and the hope is that tomorrow’s the day he can iron things out and look more like the arm that led the team through the first weeks of the season. We’ll have to wait and see which Springs shows up tomorrow.
Smokies catcher Owen Ayers (6) celebrates hitting a solo home run during a minor league baseball game between the Knoxville Smokies and Birmingham Barons at Covenant Health Park in Knoxville, Tennessee., on May 7, 2026. | Angelina Alcantar/ News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
I’m sure there will be an article on it after it is officially announced, but the Cubs transactions page notes that catcher Moisés Ballesteros has been demoted to Triple-A Iowa.
South Bend right-hander Mason McGwire was activated off the development list.
Will Sanders gave the I-Cubs a good start, giving up just one run on three hits over five innings. He struck out six and walked no one. Sanders fastball was sitting 92-93 miles per hour.
Yosver Zueleta did not make a great impression in his Cubs and Iowa debut. He relieved Sanders in the sixth and gave up five runs on three hits over two-thirds of an inning. Zueleta walked two, had two wild pitches and struck out just one. He was throwing 95-to-97 though.
Left fielder Jonathon Long hit a solo home run in the second inning, his fifth on the year. Long went 3 for 5 with a double and the home run. He scored two runs.
Right fielder Chas McCormick crushed a 467-foot home run in the sixth inning with a man on. It was McCormick’s eighth home run this season. He went 1 for 4 with a walk.
Later in the sixth inning, catcher Christian Bethancourt hit a two-run home run. It was his eighth on the season. Bethancourt was 2 for 4 and scored twice.
First baseman Casey Opitz then went back-to-back with Bethancourt for his first home run of 2026. Opitz went 1 for 4.
DH BJ Murray went 2 for 4 with a double and a walk. He scored once.
Everyone in the I-Cubs lineup had at least one hit.
Dawson Netz started and got the win after giving up just one run on six hits over five innings. Netz struck out seven, walked three and hit one batter.
Erian Rodriguez then pitched three scoreless innings, surrendering just two hits. He struck out one and walked no one.
Marino Santy pitched the ninth inning and got the save. Santy gave up a walk and a single after one out, but then ended the game when he caught a hard comeback line drive to the mound and then threw to first base for the double play. Santy did not have a strikeout.
The Smokies took the lead with three solo home runs in the bottom of the fourth inning, the first two of which were back-to-back. Third baseman Jefferson Rojas tied the game with his 11th home run of the year. Rojas also walked with the based loaded in the seventh inning, giving him two RBI on the game. Rojas went 1 for 3.
Next, catcher Owen Ayers went back-to-back with his 12th home run. Ayers was 1 for 4.
The next batter, Alex Ramírez, struck out, but then center fielder Andy Garriola hit his team-leading 13th home run. Garriola went 1 for 4.
Those three hits were the only hits the Smokies had in this game. They did draw six walks and were hit by a pitch.
The win moves the Smokies back into a first-place tie with the Lookouts for the first-half title with three games to play.
Here are all three Smokies hits and all three home runs.
THE SMOKIES TAKE THE LEAD WITH THREE HOMERS IN THE 4th!
— Knoxville Smokies (@smokiesbaseball) June 19, 2026
South Bend Cubs
The South Bend Cubs dropped a doubleheader to the Ft. Wayne TinCaps (Padres), 4-3 in eight innings and 5-2.
Mason McGwire started and gave the Cubs three good innings, allowing just one run on two hits. McGwire struck out three and walked three.
Cole Reynolds then pitched the next four innings, allowing just one run on one hit, a solo home run. Reynolds walked two, hit one batter and struck out three.
After the Cubs scored a run in the top of the eighth, Adam Stone came in to get the save in the bottom of the inning. Unfortunately, Stone gave up two runs on three hits while retiring just one batter. One of the two runs was unearned, naturally. Stone also walked one and struck out no one.
South Bend had just three hits in game one, all singles. Catcher Justin Stransky was 1 for 2 with a two-run single and two walks. One of the two walks was intentional.
Jostin Florentino started game two and gave up just one hit and one run over four innings. The one hit, unfortunately, was a solo home run. Florentino struck out six and walked two.
Brayden Spears gave up four runs in the bottom of the sixth and took the loss. Spears’ final line was four runs on three hits and two walks over two innings. He struck out two.
South Bend only had three hits in game two as well, but one of them was a solo home run by third baseman Matt Halbach in the fourth. It was Halbach’s sixth home run on the season. Halbach was 1 for 3.
Center fielder Kane Kepley went 1 for 3 with a walk and two steals in game two. He scored on a throwing error.
Josiah Hartshorn went 0 for 7 with zero times on base in this game. He’s human, I guess.
Starter Hayden Frank got knocked around for five runs on three hits and five walks over three innings. He struck out three.
Yoendris Gonzalez got the win with 2.2 innings of scoreless relief. Gonzalez gave up just one hit and he walked one while striking out two.
The Pelicans sent 16 batters to the plate in the 12-run eighth and five of them hit home runs. The first one was shortstop Derniche Valdez, who hit his fifth home run with a man on. Valdez went 2 for 6 with a walk. He had the two RBI and scored three times.
The next home run came three batters later as catcher Henniel Alcala hit a three-run home run. It was his first home run with the Pelicans and second on the season. Alcala was 3 for 5 with a walk. He scored twice.
Next, center fielder Alexey Lumpuy connected for a solo home run, his fourth on the season. Lumpuy was 2 for 6 with a walk. Lumpuy also stole two bases. He scored twice and had two runs batted in.
The fourth home run of the eighth was hit with two men on by first baseman Michael Carico. It was Carico’s sixth on the season. He finished the night going 1 for 3 with three walks. He drove in four total runs and scored three times.
Finally, right fielder Geri Lubo cranked his fifth home run of the year with two men on. Lubo went 1 for 4 with two walks. Lubo scored three times and had the three RBI.
Second baseman Alexis Hernandez doubled twice in a 2 for 6 night. He also walked once and stole a base. Hernandez scored twice and had two RBI.
Left fielder Darlyn De Leon was 3 for 5 with two doubles. De Leon drive in three runs and scored three times.
None of the home runs were hit off of position players.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Bobby Witt Jr. hit the first of Kansas City’s three home runs before leaving with a sore right knee, and the Royals smacked a club-record five doubles in a six-run second inning Thursday night on the way to a 14-6 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals.
Jac Caglianone and Salvador Perez also went deep for the Royals, who set season highs for runs and hits (17). Each of the first eight batters in the starting lineup had at least one RBI.
Witt homered in the first inning and delivered an RBI single in the second. But he was lifted for a pinch hitter in the fourth after making a sliding stop at shortstop in the top of the inning. The two-time All-Star was shaken up on the play and got checked out on the field by an athletic trainer.
Kansas City took a 7-2 lead in the second on the strength of five doubles — a team record for one inning. Carter Jensen, Isaac Collins, Lane Thomas and Starling Marte each had an RBI double. Perez led off with a two-bagger.
Caglianone hit a two-run shot to left-center in the fourth for his ninth homer this season. Nick Loftin doubled in two more runs.
Perez added his 10th home run in the sixth. It was his 137th at Kauffman Stadium, most in the ballpark’s history.
Royals starter Noah Cameron (4-4) threw 108 pitches in five innings. He gave up four runs, three earned, and eight hits.
Matthew Liberatore (3-4) was charged with seven runs — five earned — and seven hits in 1 2/3 innings.
Up next
RHP Seth Lugo (2-4, 3.86 ERA) returns to the Royals’ rotation Friday after spending the required seven days on the concussion injured list. He was hit in the head by a line drive last week. RHP Michael McGreevy (3-5, 2.99) pitches for the Cardinals in the second game of the series.
PHOENIX, ARIZONA - MAY 05: Joey Bart #14 of the Pittsburgh Pirates gets ready in the batters box against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field on May 05, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Norm Hall/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Despite having tonight’s scheduled series finale against the San Francisco Giants rained out well ahead of first pitch, the Atlanta Braves are still up burning the midnight oil while trying to figure things out with their roster. The latest bit of shuffling sees the Braves going back to addressing their catcher situation, as they’ve brought in another backstop to help fortify that spot.
Joey Bart is now a member of the Braves after being acquired in a straight swap with the Pirates for Hunter Stratton.
What makes this an interesting move for the Braves is that Bart is currently on the IL. With that being said, he appears ready to leave the IL imminently since he’d been on rehab assignment for a week now. It took him a month to recover from a foot infection (yikes) but apparently he’s healthy and ready to go now and as it turns out, he’ll be doing so in a Braves uniform instead of a Pirates uniform.
Bart hasn’t swung the bat particularly well this season, as he’s hitting .259/.290/.370 with a .294 wOBA and 82 wRC+ along with two homers but he did serve as a very reliable backup catcher for the Pirates over the past couple of seasons. Across the 2024 and 2025 seasons, Bart hit .257/.346/.398 with a .331 wOBA and 110 wRC+ with 17 homers to boot. That is perfectly fine plate production from a backup catcher and the Braves are obviously hoping that he’ll be able to tap into that vein of form while he’s here in Atlanta. Bart is also a Georgia Tech product who went to high school at Buford so maybe some home cooking will do him right, as well.
Hunter Stratton is actually heading back to Pittsburgh after the Braves picked him up in July 2025 in exchange for Titus Dumitru and cash considerations. Stratton made 12 appearances for the Braves, the bulk of which came in September when the season was quite clearly lost and they were just trying to end things on a high note as professionals. Stratton produced a 2.220 ERA and a 4.18 FIP during his 2025 stint with the Braves and only got one inning of work in for Atlanta during 2026 — a scoreless inning on May 2 against the Rockies.
Meanwhile, Sandy León is the latest Braves veteran to hop aboard the DFA cycle and considering how this stint went for León at the plate and where he was to start the season, it’s really anybody’s guess as to whether or not he’ll stick around with the Braves going forward. I’m certainly not going to speculate this late at night but here’s hoping that León does find a smooth landing spot no matter what happens.
Following the Mets' 6-4 win over the Phillies on Thursday night, manager Carlos Mendoza and certain players spoke about the happenings during the game...
Key to go-ahead seventh inning
With the score tied 3-3 heading into the seventh inning, it looked as though the frame would end without much doing after Bo Bichette and Juan Soto couldn't capitalize on a Carson Benge leadoff single.
But then came Mark Vientos. The young slugger came up as a pinch-hitter to take on lefty Jose Alvarado. Vientos got behind 1-2 before Alvarado threw three straight balls to extend the inning.
From there, Eric Wagaman hit a pinch-hit single to put the Mets in front and Marcus Semien broke it open with a two-run triple. But while there was a lot going on in that inning, Mendoza pointed to Vientos as the key.
"I thought Vientos’ at-bat there was the key of that whole inning," Mendoza said. "For him to go up there, control the strikezone and end up walking. And then Waggy there and Marcus to break it open. I’m going to back to that inning to the Vientos at-bat."
Back to Semien's at-bat, the veteran second baseman almost struck out before his game-changing triple. On a 2-2 count, Semien swung through Alvarado's cutter in the dirt. The Phillies thought it was a strikeout, but home plate umpire Brian Walsh ruled it a foul tip, which gave Semien a second chance.
One pitch later, and Semien rocketed a triple 99.6 mph off the left-center field wall.
"I saw it right away," Mendoza said of the foul tip. "Glad they were able to see it right away."
“I’m glad that ball hit the dirt because I would have been walking back to the dugout and no runs would have scored," Semien said. "[Alvarado] has a really good cutter, down in the zone. I got him up in the zone, but I was short to the ball, got it into the wind and good things happened.”
Wagaman comes up big
Speaking of Wagaman, Mendoza was asked about pinch-hitting for rookie A.J. Ewing in that spot. The Mets skipper simply played the matchup game, trying to get the right-handed Wagaman a more favorable matchup.
"Tough left-on-left matchup…you got a bullet understanding that’s a pretty good bullpen there and that might be the only chance," Mendoza said of the move. "Glad it worked out for us today."
Entering Thursday's game, Wagaman had just two hits in seven games with the big league club. So it was a risky move, but one Mendoza embraces. When asked how he felt when the move worked out, Mendoza couldn't help but joke.
"I look like a genius," Mendoza said of the move with a smile. "When it doesn’t work out, I’m the worst. That’s part of managing. My job is to put guys in position to have success and it’s baseball."
A pinch-hit single for Eric Wagaman off of Jose Alvarado to give the Mets the lead! pic.twitter.com/oP3Sdad7Je
After being away from the team since April 22 with a calf strain, Lindor's teammates are looking forward to getting their shortstop back soon.
"His defense and his bat is elite," Juan Soto said of getting Lindor back. "He has one of the defensive players in the game and it’s going to help a lot."
"It’s huge. It’s Francisco Lindor," Sean Manaea added. "He’s an integral part of this team. I can’t wait for him to be back and just have his presence again."
“He’s one of the best in the game. We’ll take one of the best in the game in this lineup every time," Semien said. "Hopefully he’s being smart, getting ready and we’ll see how he’s feeling when he gets back. I know things will take time to get back into rhythm, but everyone is excited."
The Mets are hopeful Lindor could be back before the end of June.
