SAN FRANCISCO, CA - MAY 9: A view of Sea Lions at Pier 39 of Fisherman's Wharf on May 9, 2026 as the San Francisco's Beloved Steller sea lion named as 'Chonkers' missing from Pier 39 in San Francisco, California, United States. Roughly 2,000-pound Steller sea lion became an internet sensation during his extended stay on decks at Pier 39 as visitors have continued to stop by in hopes of spotting him. The sea lions camped out in PIER 39âs West Marina have been endearingly coined The PIERâs âSea Lebrities.â The boisterous pinnipeds started arriving in droves in January 1990, shortly after the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake. (Photo by Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu via Getty Images) | Anadolu via Getty Images
Hickory starter Aidan Deakins allowed two runs in 5.2 IP, striking out 5. Louis Marinaro struck out two in 2.1 scoreless innings.
Yolfran Castillo was 2 for 5 with a homer and a sotlen base. Dewar Tovar was 2 for 4. Hector Osorio homered. Paulino Santana had a hit.
J’Briell Easley started for Hub City, allowing four runs, including a pair of home runs, in three innings, striking out three and walking two. Brock Porter struck out four and walked three in four shutout innings.
Malcolm Moore doubled twice and drew a walk. Maxton Martin was 3 for 6 with a walk. Rafe Perich had a pair of hits and a walk. Paxton Kling homered and walked twice. Gleider Figuereo drew a pair of walks. Yeison Morrobel had three hits and a walk. Chandler Pollard was 4 for 5 with a double.
2024 11th rounder Dalton Pence was promoted to Frisco and made his first start for the Roughriders, striking out three, walking two and allowing two runs. Bryan Magdaleno allowed a run in two innings, striking out two.
Jose Corniell struck out four in five innings for Round Rock, allowing two runs. Michel Otanez allowed faced five batters, walked four of them, gave up a hit, threw a wild pitch, and allow four runs. Ryan Brasier struck out two in a shutout inning. Dane Acker allowed 6 runs in 0.2 IP. Emiliano Teodo needed 10 pitches (9 strikes) to retire four batters, including one via strikeout.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - MAY 13: Kyle Tucker #23 of the Los Angeles Dodgers reacts after a double during the second inning against the San Francisco Giants at Dodger Stadium on May 13, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Katelyn Mulcahy/Getty Images) | Getty Images
There are lofty expectations for anyone that gets signed to a contract with an annual average value of $60 million. In the case of Kyle Tucker, it appeared as though the expectations were too tough to reach throughout the beginning of the season.
Tucker was performing at a below league-average rate over his first 33 games of the season, as he slashed .236/.322/.362 while having dropped in the lineup considerably from second on opening day to hitting routinely in the cleanup and five spots in the lineup. Since the Dodgers went into Houston to face Tucker’s old team, the outfielder has found a new gear at the plate and has been one of the Dodgers’ hottest hitters over his last 10 games.
Tucker has a .323 batting average over his last 10 games since the series opener against the Astros, and while the home run power hasn’t broken through, he has five doubles and as many walks as strikeouts. Dave Roberts knows that is still more to come from Tucker at the plate, per Bill Plunkett of the Orange County Register.
“Yes, I think Kyle has looked better the last week. Still not right, for me – and for him,” Roberts said. “I think he is taking much better at-bats. I think he’s been much more consistent controlling the strike zone and not chasing as much which has led to a lot more contact and some hits.”
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Shohei Ohtani was out of the lineup for a second straight game on Thursday, but it didn’t matter too much in the Dodgers’ 5-2 win over the San Francisco Giants to split the four-game set. Ohtani gave Dave Roberts the “ok” to sit out on Thursday in an effort to keep him fresh for the team’s upcoming nine-game road trip, per Sonja Chen of MLB.com.
Said Ohtani, through interpreter Will Ireton: “I talked to the team, and I’m good with it. My last at-bat as a hitter [Tuesday] was really good, so I want to continue that momentum whenever I get to hit again. … Tomorrow’s a day for me to work on that and make sure that that’s really my body, and to make sure that I can do that during a game.”
Kiké Hernández is in the thick of his rehab assignment, and that included a series against the Triple-A Albuquerque Isotopes— the former Triple-A affiliate of the Dodgers. Expecting to receive boos, Hernández was thrown off by the amount of love he received from the Albuquerque fans, per Maddie Lee of the Los Angeles Times.
“A little bit shocked. Slightly embarrassed, but good,” he told reporters, including Geoff Grammer of the Albuquerque Journal, before the Comets’ 8-2 loss on Wednesday.
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - AUGUST 09: A general view of the scoreboard before the San Francisco Giants play the Washington Nationals at Oracle Park on August 09, 2025 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Eakin Howard/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Good morning, baseball fans!
The San Francisco Giants are on the “road” this weekend (I use that word very loosely, because they will be in Sacramento) so I think it’s time for another temp-check to see how we’re feeling about the team right now.
Every time I have to take time off during the season, I always feel the overwhelming urge to burst in here like Daveed Diggs in the opening of the second act of Hamilton, with a “What did I miss?”
Thankfully for all of you, this is not an audio or visual medium. But the sentiment stands.
I have been completely off the grid for nearly two weeks, and I’m thoroughly confused about what is going on. It feels like the last time I was here, Patrick Bailey was being celebrated for home run heroics against the Dodgers. Now I’m back, and the team is still playing the Dodgers (as of the time this is being written), and Bailey is gone.
Okay, then. I didn’t see that one coming. But I guess I’ll trust Buster Posey’s judgement on catchers. Given the fact that he is, in fact, Buster Posey.
Let’s see, what else have I missed? I see that they are still doing their absolute best to avoid even a .500 record, so clearly my early season predictions were a little too optimistic. But I guess it’s still early, and as we’ve established, I’ve missed a couple of weeks.
So I want to hear from you guys. How are we feeling about the team/season at the moment?
What time do the Giants play today?
The Giants begin their three-game series against the Athletics tonight at 6:40 p.m. PT.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - MAY 03: Trey Gibson #43 of the Baltimore Orioles pitches in the first inning against the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium on May 03, 2026 in New York City. (Photo by Evan Bernstein/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Trey Gibson started and limited Charlotte to one run over four innings. After a brief stint in the Orioles bullpen, the organization limited Gibson to 65 pitches. He threw 41 strikes. The 23-year-old allowed four hits, three walks, and struck out five.
Trace Bright piggybacked Gibson and ran into some trouble. The righty allowed three earned runs on seven hits. He struck out six, but was done in by three Charlotte homers.
The Tides failed to match the Knights power. The team loaded the bases in the top of the eighth, but Sam Huff grounded into a double play. The contact led to Norfolk’s only run, but the twin killing ended any attempt at a rally. The team finished 0-for-11 with runners in scoring position.
Thomas Sosa drove in the go-ahead run with a sacrifice fly in the top of the ninth, but Chesapeake’s defense gave this one away at the end. The RubberDucks tied the game on a squeeze play. Akron got the winning run to second, and he came all the way around to score on an infield single to second base.
The outcome spoiled a solid outing by Juaron Watts-Brown. The former Blue Jays prospect limited Akron to only one hit over four scoreless innings. He struck out five and issued four free passes.
High-A: Frederick Keys 5, Hudson Valley Renegades (Yankees) 4
Yeiber Cartaya kept his season ERA below one with 4.1 solid innings. Cartaya actually allowed two runs, but only one was determined to be earned. He struck out three and walked three.
Keagan Gillies, Chandler Marsh and Joe Glassey teamed up to pitch 4.2 innings of scoreless relief. The trio combined to allow only one hit and struck out eight.
Elis Cuevas smacked his sixth home run of the year during a five-run seventh. The blast capped a 3-for-4 night with four RBIs and two runs scored. Wehiwa Aloy finished 1-for-4 with a walk and two runs scored. Leandro Arias doubled in four trips, and Braylin Tavera went 1-for-4 with a run scored from the leadoff spot. Ike Irish went 0-for-4 with a walk and three strikeouts.
Christian Rodriguez added to a strong night of starting pitching on the farm. Rodriguez held Fayetteville to only one hit over 4.2 innings. He struck out eight and walked three.
Unfortunately, the Woodpeckers managed six runs against Delmarva’s bullpen. The Shorebirds attempted to battle back with three runs in the bottom of the ninth, but a two-run single by Stiven Martinez and a throwing error were not enough to get Delmarva back in the game.
DENVER, CO - APRIL 3: Pitching coach Alon Leichman (77) of the Colorado Rockies and catcher Hunter Goodman (15) of the Colorado Rockies come to the mound to talk to pitcher Michael Lorenzen (24) of the Colorado Rockies during the first inning of the Rockies' season home opener against the Philadelphia Phillies on Friday, April 3, 2026, at Coors Field in Denver, Colo. (Photo by Timothy Hurst/MediaNews Group/The Denver Post via Getty Images) | Denver Post via Getty Images
I’ll be the first to admit that I was excited about the Rockies signing Michael Lorenzen this offseason.
With the new front office being high on him and the 34-year-old’s affinity for problem-solving and a seven-pitch mix, I bought into the hype. I even predicted Lorenzen, who signed a one-year deal worth $8 million in January, would record a career-high 10 wins this season.
Ten appearances — including nine starts — into the season, my optimism has worn thin. Lorenzen is leading MLB in hits surrendered with 67. And it’s not even close, as Cincinnati’s Brady Singer is second with 58. Minnesota’s Simeon Woods Richardson recently edged out Lorenzen for most earned runs given up at 36, while the Colorado RHP has 32.
Lorenzen has a 6.55 ERA in 44 innings — which is the worst in baseball among qualified players — and is 2-5 on the season. Lorenzen has not come close to solving Coors Field as he has a 9.64 ERA in four appearances there (18.2 innings) vs. a 4.26 mark in six appearances (25.1 IP) on the road.
Overall, opponents are hitting .347 with him with an xBA of .314. The xBA, his 114.2 max exit velocity, the .415 xOBA and 14.7% strikeout rate are all career-worsts for Lorenzen.
What’s most worrying about Lorenzen’s numbers is his high batting average on balls in play (BABIP) at .385, a hard-hit % of 50.3 and a barrel % of 9.3. The league average is around .300 for BABIP, 35-40% for hard-hit percentage and 6-7% for barrels. BABIP takes out homers, strikeouts, walks, and HBP and favors bloopers, line drives, poor defense, and ballpark gaps.
A high BABIP can be a mark of bad luck on its own, but paired with batters hitting the ball hard (at 95 mph or higher) and squaring the baseball up for barrels, it reduces the odds of bad luck and is more of an indicator of bad pitching.
In Lorenzen’s defense, he’s had some solid outings this season. His best game was his lone Quality Start when he gave up one run on seven hits in seven innings in New York against the Mets. Despite giving up 12 hard-hit balls, which is a season-high mark, Lorenzen’s curveball, sinker and cutter were working well.
He walked zero, struck out three and gave up only one double (six singles).
Lorenzen has two starts where he’s given up two runs or fewer, including the May 12 performance against Pittsburgh, where he was outdueled by Paul Skenes. In his five-inning outing, Lorenzen gave up two runs on five hits with five strikeouts and two walks, limiting the Pirates to three hard-hit balls. A big reason for his success was the command of his changeup and the steady 95-mph velocity of his four-seam fastball.
After the game, Colorado manager Warren Schaeffer was pleased with Lorenzen’s start.
“Breaking balls were good. I thought he was attacking very good. His fastball maintained velocity all night,” Schaeffer said. “I thought he was really good. He matched [Skenes]. Michael was good for us. That’s what we expect from him.”
Earlier in May, MLB.com’s Manny Randhawa documented Lorenzen’s high BABIP, especially at Coors Field, blaming bad luck. Lorenzen explained that he believes he is pitching well and his BABIP is bound to shrink.
“It’s kind of just challeng[ing] them to put the ball in play, and just a lot of bloops that are hit over second base on changeups, sinkers in that are jammed,” Lorenzen said. “I’m making good pitches, I’m throwing the right pitches. Just things aren’t going my way.”
Considering the elevated hard-hit % and barrels, this might be wishful thinking. At the same time, Lorenzen does have a low walk rate (6.6%) and a good ground ball rate (46.3%), which shows he is doing some things right. He’s proven he can have success, but it comes when his changeup, curveball, sinker and cutter are working and the four-seam fastball isn’t the go-to pitch.
However, Lorenzen has only made it to the sixth inning three times and is consistently getting shelled. After discussing Lorenzen’s early tenure with the Rockies with the wonderful Broomfield Baseball Club this week, it’s clear to see I am not the only one who’s doubting Lorenzen. The group, which meets monthly at the Broomfield Public Library, had several thoughts. Lorenzen might not have the durability to stay in the Rockies rotation, or, if he does, he’ll require a long reliever more often than not. He may have to move to the bullpen. Perhaps the front office will decide the Lorenzen experiment didn’t work and he’ll be shipped out of town by the trade deadline (if a team will take him).
After giving up seven runs on 11 hits with three walks, two strikeouts and 10 hard-hit balls on May 6 at Coors Field against the Mets, Lorenzen remained confident his numbers would even out.
“You just have to keep doing it and trust that baseball’s going to change,” Lorenzen told Randhawa. “You can’t have a .450 BABIP all year. So you just have to kind of hope that at some point it changes. … I feel like I’m making progress. Today’s the best I’ve felt in a really long time, mechanically. I’m happy with how I feel. And the numbers aren’t supporting it.”
His start in Pittsburgh supported that, but it was on the road. The next test will be when the Rockies return to Coors Field when Lorenzen is scheduled to start against the Diamondbacks on May 17.
The Isotopes scored nine runs in the last three innings, shrinking an 8-1 deficit, but the comeback still came up short on Thursday night. The late surge was powered by a three-run homer by Blaine Crim, who also doubled and scored another run. Vimael Machín hit a two-run double, while Cole Carrigg tripled and added an RBI single. Zac Veen and Braxton Fulford each chipped in RBI singles, and Drew Avans drove in a run with a sac fly.
Cole Messina homered, Andy Perez went 4-for-5 and Bryant Betancourt added two hits as the Yard Goats out-hit the Sea Dogs 10-7, but it wasn’t enough for Hartford. Portland jumped out to a 3-0 in the second inning by getting three hits, including a homer, against Sam Weatherly (0-2). Blake Adams took over for the next five innings, but gave up two more runs that ended up deciding the game. Jimmy Obertop added a double for Hartford, Zach Kokoska singled and scored a run and GJ Hill scored a run for the Yard Goats.
Spokane jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the top of the first, but it didn’t last long. The Hops tied it up in the bottom of the frame and continued to add one-run tallies in the second, third, fifth and seventh on their way to victory. Caleb Hobson started the game with a single for the Indians, stole second and reached third on an error. He came around to score on a Royneir Hernandez single to put Spokane up 1-0. Max Belyeu doubled to move Hernandez to third and a wild pitch allowed Hernandez to score to make up the Indians runs. Belyeu finished with three hits, while Kelvin Hidalgo added two. Lebarron Johnson Jr. took the loss, giving up four runs (three earned) on six hits with two walks and two strikeouts in four innings.
Ethan Holliday hit his seventh homer of the season, a two-run shot in the eighth inning, Carlos Renzullo hit a two-run triple in the seventh inning and Roldy Brito and Derek Bernard each recorded RBI doubles in Fresno’s 15-hit victory on Thursday night. Tanner Thach added three hits, drove in a run and scored a run and Clayton Gray went 3-for-4 with two RBIs. Riley Kelly struck out eight batters, giving up two runs on two hits with five walks in 4.1 innings for the win. Jhon Medina allowed one run in 1.1 innings and Manuel Oliveras added 3.1 scoreless innings to help the Grizzlies win.
The young pitcher left in the second inning with right arm tightness. Dollander and the Rockies coaching staff aren’t saying a lot about the seriousness of the injury. Dollander will likely undergo imaging before more information is released. Read more about the game here.
Cristian Crespo dives into some of the successes of Rockies prospects like Cole Carrigg, Roc Riggio, Andy Perez, Jacob Humphrey and more across all four levels.
BOSTON, MA - MAY 13: Sonny Gray #54 of the Boston Red Sox pitches during 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
The Red Sox are starting to pitch like the rotation they were built to be over the offseason. That’s even with Garrett Crochet still on the shelf as he strengthens his way back from left shoulder inflammation.
A big part of better turns through the rotation lately comes from a solid run of starts from Sonny Gray. His ERA didn’t jump off the page from his final years in St. Louis, but his metrics were encouraging to the point that the Red Sox made the move to trade for him this winter.
He didn’t have his rhythm immediately in April and spent some time on the injured list with a hamstring strain. Gray clearly found something in his return as he’s allowed just one earned run in 11 innings since his activation off the injured list.
The veteran right-hander is 4-1 with a 3.18 ERA through his first seven starts in a Red Sox uniform. He’s settled into a role without the pressure to lead a return. Crochet will be back and Ranger Suarez also started to throw the ball exceptionally well in recent weeks. As a result, Gray can be himself and go to work on the mound.
All the recent signs are encouraging for Gray as of late and nobody in the Red Sox community wants him to succeed more than the person who still plays his 2013 ALDS highlights on loop (wonder who that might be). With that said, two metrics for Gray are worth keeping an eye on if his production slips this summer.
Gray’s K/9 sits at 5.8 after his most recent start. For reference, he struck out at least 10 per nine innings in each of his final two seasons with the Cardinals. The Boston starter also holds an ERA-FIP gap of 1.01 (4.19 FIP). No need for real concern yet, just something to monitor as the season develops closer to hitter-friendly environments.
Obviously, none of the rotation growth matters if the Red Sox don’t start scoring more runs. In the meantime, the Gray trade looks strong for the health of the pitching staff in 2026.
Happy Friday, everyone! Hopefully, it’s been a good week, and you’re set to enjoy your weekend. To ease you into the final day of the week, we’ve got an assortment of baseball news for you to enjoy. We’re taking a look at the early discussions regarding the CBA and a potential salary cap, the new tentative Rays stadium deal, bad luck injury news for Cal Raleigh (who just busted his slump in the strangest way), and a surprising turn for the White Sox who… are playing winning baseball?
We’ve got all that and more in today’s news, so grab a coffee and enjoy!
A scary update from a recent White Sox game. Stay safe out there, friends!
There's an update regarding the delay in the 4th inning. A fan fell into the visiting team bullpen. That fan has now been transported to the hospital for treatment.
A.J. Ewing hit his first major league home run, Nolan McLean got through seven innings, and the Mets hit a total of five home runs as they completed a sweep of the Tigers yesterday at Citi Field.
Ewing’s home run traveled 405 feet, and here’s something you might not have known about the 21-year-old: When he’s not on the field, he plays guitar to take his mind off the game.
Before the game, the Mets provided injury updates on Francisco Lindor and Francisco Alvarez, as the former has shown signs of healing in his calf but still doesn’t have a timeline for returning, while the latter had surgery that will very likely keep him out until mid-July.
The Mets will appear on three different networks this weekend as they host the Yankees: Apple TV has the game tonight, FOX has the game tomorrow, and the series finale on Sunday will mercifully be on SNY.
Ranger Suárez struck out eight in five-and-one-third scoreless innings against the Phillies, the only team he’d ever pitched for until signing with the Red Sox in free agency, but Philadelphia scored three runs in the eighth and beat Boston.
The White Sox continue to be one of the most surprising teams in baseball, as they completed a sweep of the Royals to put themselves over .500 for the first time since Opening Day of the 2025 season.
Former Met Justin Turner couldn’t get a gig with a major league club coming off his disappointing year at the plate in 2025—and blames the game putting too much weight in “data sheets” for not even getting a non-roster invitation—but he’s thriving as he continues to play baseball in Tijuana.
This Date in Mets History
Pat Mahomes recorded the win against the Phillies in his Shea Stadium debut on this date in 1999.
BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - MAY 13: Blaze Alexander #23 of the Baltimore Orioles drives in two runs with a single in the sixth inning against the New York Yankees at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on May 13, 2026 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Greg Fiume/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Introduction
On February 5th, 2026 Arizona Diamondbacks GM Mike Hazen sent fan favorite infielder Blaze Alexander to the Baltimore Orioles in exchange for relief pitcher Kade Strowd, along with two minor league prospects, RHP Wellington Aracena and infielder Jose Mejia. It definitely hasn’t been long enough to evaluate this trade fairly, and won’t be for a few years, but I am going to try to do that today anyway.
How’s Blaze doing for the Orioles anyway?
Blaze Alexander has appeared in 36 games for the Baltimore Orioles, He’s seen time at every fielding position other than catcher, first base and pitcher, and as a result, his defensive stats have really taken hit. This is pretty clearly demonstrated by his Def stat on Fangraphs (which includes the positional adjustment) going from a positive 2.7 for the Diamondbacks in 2025 to -2.7 in 2026. Looking over his advanced fielding stats at each position, Blaze is still an above average fielder at third base, and possibly at the two corner outfield positions, but he’s a well below average fielder anywhere else in the field. Blaze’s defense would be fine if he was taking steps forward and growing as a hitter, but that’s not what we’ve been seeing through his first 100 plate appearances. He’s hitting .244/.299/.289 with a 70 wRC+, 69 OPS+, and a .271 wOBA; combined with his defensive decline, that puts his seasons value at -0.1 fWAR.
It’s actually not all doom and gloom for Blaze, as he’s actually been hitting the ball harder with a max EV a full 2.2 MPH faster than his highs in previous seasons. His expected wOBA (.306), expected Batting Average (.281), and expected Slugging Percentage (.350) do give some indication that he’s been somewhat unlucky as well. I think Blaze has the potential to turn it around if the Orioles leave him at a defensive position he’s actually comfortable at.
Okay, that’s cool, but what about the players the D’Backs acquired?
First up, there’s Kade Strowd, who was assigned to the AAA affiliate Reno Aces after not making the MLB Roster out of spring. Strowd has been an effective reliever for the Aces so far in the 14 games he’s appeared in. He’s put up a 2.40 ERA, though that does come with a significantly higher 4.17 FIP and xFIP, so I would expect that ERA to go up. Strowd seems like a solid candidate to be called up eventually this season, especially if there are any injuries in the bullpen.
RHP Wellington Aracena was assigned to the A+ Level Hillsboro Hops. There he’s started 5 games, but appeared in 6, pitching 18 ⅓ IP with a 2.95 ERA, a 3.58 FIP, 3.61 xFIP, and a 64 ERA-. In other words, he’s been an above average pitcher so far. Aracena has stood out to me thanks to an insane 32.4 strikeout percentage, in addition to his other stats above.
Finally, there’s 2nd baseman Jose Mejia, who has stood out the most to me, thanks to his performance at the plate in 2026. In 32 games and 132 plate appearances for the D’Backs A ball level affiliate Visalia Rawhide, Mejia is hitting .308/.455/.500 with a .442 wOBA and 152 wRC+. Mejia is sporting an excellent 19.5 walk percentage, along with a more than acceptable 15.9 strikeout percentage. Mejia has been an above average hitter throughout his minor league career, ans hiis .363 BABIP is well in line with his career norms, so this isn’t a case of a fluke hot streak. Mejia appears to legitimately be one of the better hitters in the Diamondbacks farm system.
Conclusion
While none of the players acquired are currently on the MLB roster for the Dbacks, the results so far in 2026 from each player make this trade look more and more promising as time goes by. Kade Strowd should be a useful bullpen piece in the very near future, with Aracena hopefully doing the same a few seasons down the line. Mejia looks like a guy who should climb the Dbacks top prospect list, though he plays a position that the Dbacks are absolutely stacked at currently. Meanwhile Blaze Alexander is currently struggling for the Orioles and may be sent down to the Minors sooner rather than later if his struggles continue.
It’s still way too early, but right now this looks like one of the better long term moves that GM Mike Hazen made over the offseason.
Dodgers pinch hitter Alex Call celebrates in the dugout after scoring in the sixth inning of a 5-2 win over the San Francisco Giants at Dodger Stadium on Thursday night. Call hit a two-run single earlier in the inning. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
You better run. Those three words were the only thought racing through pinch-hitter Alex Call’s head when he laced a pitch from San Francisco Giants reliever Matt Gage into right field.
The two-run single, which gave the Dodgers the lead, sparked a three-run rally in the sixth inning that concluded when Miguel Rojas drove in Call on a single to center field.
“It felt like I hit it,” said Call, who initially hesitated to run after making contact. “But I guess I just didn't quite see it off the bat, and I'm like looking for it, keep looking up, and then all of a sudden I hear the crowd get really loud.”
Call's single helped the Dodgers beat the Giants 5-2 on Thursday night, reclaiming first in the National League West after San Diego lost to Milwaukee. The Dodgers also escaped a third straight series loss at home ahead of their weekend road series against the Angels.
Call wasn’t the only Dodger who thrived under pressure. Designated hitter Will Smith, whom Dodgers manager Dave Roberts described earlier in the day as “unflappable,” hit from the leadoff spot for the first time in his career and homered to right-center field in the first inning to set the tone for the series-splitting win.
“That was nice, huh?” Roberts said. “Like I said before the game, just to be able to plug him in, you feel confident that no matter what, he’s going to give you his best. And I didn’t expect a homer, but it was a good way to start.”
The decision to put Smith in the leadoff spot allowed Roberts to maximize the 31-year-old’s plate appearances without moving other players after Shohei Ohtani was held out of the lineup.
The Dodgers (26-18) are trying to lighten Ohtani's workload after his recent struggles at the plate. It’s the first time a healthy Ohtani has been out of back-to-back batting orders, except for the paternity list, since the universal designated hitter rule was implemented in 2022.
Will Smith gets a face full of sunflower seeds from teammate Andy Pages after hitting a leadoff home run in the first inning for the Dodgers on Thursday. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
Though the Dodgers outlasted the Giants (18-26) without Ohtani's help, the team’s compounded mistakes almost cost it a win.
In the second inning, the bottom of the lineup strung together two hits to score Max Muncy, who reached on a walk. However, after Miguel Rojas softly hit a ground ball to Giants starter Landen Roupp, Teoscar Hernández found himself stranded in no-man’s land after running toward home from third — there was no force play at the plate.
Rojas, who stood on the basepath, slammed his helmet down in frustration after Smith struck out to end the inning.
Rojas wasn't the only one upset. Dalton Rushing was shown on the game broadcast breaking his bat in the dugout and slamming his leg guard on the back bench after striking out in the fourth inning. Dodgers starter Emmet Sheehan shared some words of encouragement with the catcher and patted him on the back.
“He was frustrated obviously with that at-bat,” Sheehan said. “We just wanted to let him know that he’s good and we still got work to do.”
Despite striking out three times in three at-bats, Rushing continued to work well with Sheehan.
Sheehan gave up just two earned runs and two hits with six strikeouts and two walks over six innings. He produced a 50% whiff rate with his slider, and his four-seam dotted the zone 73% of the time.
“Every time he’s been going out there, he’s getting better,” Roberts said. “And today was his best outing in totality. The fastball was good, the life to it, the command of it. I thought Dalton did a great job with him, in the sense of when to use a curveball, when to use a change-up, when to use a fastball, and we needed it.”
With a four pitch arsenal, Sheehan put together three hitless innings before San Francisco’s Rafael Devers hit a one-out single to left field.
From there, things got worse. In the fifth, Jung Hoo Lee hit an inside-the-park home run when Hernández misread the ball off the left-field wall in foul territory, allowing the ball to roll past him. Rojas' relay throw was too high for Rushing to catch, and Lee slid into home to become the first Giants player to hit an inside-the-park homer at Dodger Stadium.
But the Dodgers responded in the sixth. After Max Muncy reached base on a force out at second and was moved over to third on a single from Hernández, Alex Call delivered a pinch-hit, two-run single to right field. Rojas then blooped a ball over the infield to drive in Call.
“This game at the end of the day is about results,” Call said. “Sometimes you just have to let it play out and just play baseball. Sometimes you just have to get through the tough stuff. We're doing a great job in here and no one's losing faith in anybody.”
May 14, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers left fielder Alex Call (12) runs home to score against the San Francisco Giants in the sixth inning at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
The Dodgers scored three runs in the sixth inning to back a strong start by Emmet Sheehan to beat the San Francisco Giants 5-2 on Thursday night at Dodger Stadium and salvage a series split after dropping the first two games.
Teoscar Hernández figured prominently on both sides of the ball in and around left field on Thursday, and it was his third hit of the night that finally chased San Francisco starter Landen Roupp with one out in the sixth inning with a tie score and runners on second and third base.
Left-hander Matt Gage was called in for his third appearance of the series and struck out lefty-hitting Dalton Rushing for the second out of the frame. Alex Call, a right-handed batter, pinch-hit for Hyeseong Kim, and dunked a single into short right field to give the Dodgers their second lead of the night, and he took second base on the throw home. Call scored on the second single of the game by Miguel Rojas, who started at shortstop for Mookie Betts.
It took until the sixth inning of the seventh and final game, but the three runs in the sixth marked the Dodgers’ largest-scoring frame of the homestand.
Hernández had no extra-base hits in his previous 15 games before this series, but doubled twice on Thursday, including a third-inning ball to the right field wall that set up another run. Hernández was caught between third base and home later in the frame, when Rojas attempted a safety squeeze but bunted it right back to pitcher Landen Roupp. Rojas was so displeased with the bunt that he slammed his helmet to the dirt when the inning ended one out later without another run scoring.
Sheehan was effective all night against the Giants, inducing 19 swinging strikes — his second-most in a start this season — including 10 whiffs on the fastball and seven on the slider. That fueled Sheehan’s six strikeouts in six innings in which he nearly escaped unscathed.
San Francisco didn’t get a hit off Sheehan until Rafael Devers dropped a bloop single into shallow left field in the fourth inning. Sheehan walked a pair, both after 0-2 counts, including one in the fifth to Drew Gilbert. The second hit against Sheehan was another properly placed looper into left field, this one by Jung Hoo Lee that somehow managed to scoot past Hernández for an inside-the-park two-run home run.
Instead of a 2-0 lead in which Sheehan was relatively cruising, suddenly the game was tied. But he rebounded to retire his next four batters to complete six innings for the third time this season.
Sheehan famously pitched six scoreless no-hit innings against the Giants in his major league debut at Dodger Stadium in 2023, and has allowed only four runs and five hits with 31 strikeouts in 28 innings against them for a 1.29 ERA in five career games, including four career starts.
Notes
Call has four hits in six at-bats as a pinch-hitter this season, including a double. Rest of the Dodgers have two hits in 25 pinch-hit at-bats.
Hernández in the series had three multi-hit games and three total doubles in the four games.
With Shohei Ohtani sitting, Will Smith got the start at designated hitter on Thursday after catching the first three games. Smith batted leadoff for the first time in his career and homered in the first inning.
Technically the Dodgers are on the road next, though close enough for many to still sleep at home, starting a three-game series against the Angels on Friday night (6:38 p.m.; SportsNet LA, KTTV channel 11) in Anaheim. Blake Snell goes in the opener, with Jack Kochanowicz on the mound for the Halos.
GOODYEAR, ARIZONA - MARCH 16, 2026: Kane Kepley #20 of the Chicago Cubs bats during the seventh inning of a spring training game against the Cleveland Guardians at Goodyear Ballpark on March 16, 2026 in Goodyear, Arizona. (Photo by Chris Bernacchi/Diamond Images via Getty Images) | Diamond Images/Getty Images
Starter Doug Nikhazy struggled with control tonight, walking seven batters in just 3.1 innings. But he kept the Sounds to only two hits and two runs. He struck out four.
Luis Peralta pitched the seventh inning, gave up an unearned run on no hits and took the loss. He walked one and struck out one.
The I-Cubs rally in the top of the ninth fell short. I don’t normally, or ever, show the highlights of the opposing team, but I will make an exception in this case. This is the deep fly that Justin Dean hit that Jordyn Adams turned into a game-ending double play.
— Nashville Sounds (@nashvillesounds) May 15, 2026
Dean was 1 for 4 with the sacrifice fly. He also scored one run.
Pedro Ramírez started this game in left field, the first time he’s played the position since four games with South Bend 2024. He did move to third base in the eighth inning after BJ Murray was pinch-run for. Anyway, Ramírez went 4 for 5 with a stolen base. He scored one run and drove in one.
Murray went 3 for 4 with a double and a walk. He also had one RBI and one run scored.
First baseman Jonathon Long was 2 for 5 with one run scored.
Catcher Christian Bethancourt was 2 for 4 with a walk.
Jake Knapp was activated off the injured list and got the Smokies off to a good start. Knapp did not allow a run or a hit over 2.2 innings. He struck out five and walked just one.
Knapp was relieved after 45 pitches by Jace Beck, who pitched the next three innings and got the win. Beck allowed one unearned run on two hits. He struck out three and walked one.
Frankie Scalzo Jr. pitched the next 2.1 innings without allowing a run and Evan Taylor threw a scoreless ninth in a non-save situation.
Left fielder Carter Trice hit a solo home run in the top of the first inning. It was Trice’s second-straight game with a home run, his third in four games and his fifth overall. Trice went 1 for 5.
In the second inning, catcher Ethan Hearn connected for a solo home run, his second on the year. Hearn was 2 for 4.
In the third inning, the Smokies smashed their third home run of the game. This one came with a man on and off the bat of right fielder Alex Ramírez. It was his third home run of the season. Ramírez was 2 for 5 with three overall runs batted in.
South Bend actually fell behind in this game early as starter Ethan Flanagan allowed three runs in the bottom of the first. But Flanagan settled down and finished with three runs on five hits over four innings. He walked two, hit one batter and struck out five.
South Bend came back to take a 6-4 lead into the bottom of the sixth, but Kevin Valdez coughed up the lead with two runs in that frame. However, Valdez got the win because South Bend scored 19 runs from the seventh through the ninth inning. Valdez’s final line was two runs on two hits over three innings. He struck out an excellent seven batters while walking two.
The Cubs scored 25 runs on 20 hits and 15 walks. South Bend scored one run in the fourth, two in the fifth, three in the sixth, four in the seventh, nine in the eighth and six more in the ninth. Only in the ninth inning did the Rattlers throw a position player on the mound.
Matt Halbach gave the Cubs a charge in the seventh inning with a three-run home run, his third of the year. Wisconsin literally couldn’t get Halbach out as he went 5 for 5 with two walks tonight. Halbach drove in six runs and scored five times.
Catcher Justin Stransky hit a grand slam in the ninth off of the position player. It was his second on the season. Stransky went 1 for 3 with two walks. He scored twice and had five total runs batted in.
Left fielder Kane Kepley was 4 for 5 with two walks and four stolen bases. He now has 23 steals in 29 games. Kepley scored five runs and drove in two.
Right fielder Leonel Espinoza went 2 for 5 with a double and a walk. He also stole one base. Espinoza score twice and drove in two.
Center fielder Kade Snell was 2 for 5 with two walks. Snell scored four runs and drove in two.
Second baseman Alex Madera went 2 for 3 with three walks. Madera drove home three and scored two times.
Shortstop Christian Olivo was 2 for 6 with a triple and a steal. He scored two runs and had two RBI.
Starter Dominick Reid tossed six scoreless innings and got the win. Reid surrendered just one hit and faced just one batter over the minimum. The one hit was an infield single in the fourth and that runner was thrown out trying to steal. The other baserunner was an error in the sixth. Reid struck out four.
Left fielder Geuri Lubo clubbed a two-run home run in the second inning, his first with the Pelicans and second overall. Lubo was 1 for 4.
Right fielder Josiah Hartshorn hit his fifth home run of the year. It came with a man on in the seventh. Hartshorn was 2 for 4 with a two-run double in the third, giving him four overall RBI.
Shortstop Alexis Hernandez went 2 for 3 with a double and a walk. Hernandez scored twice.
Max Fried became the latest and most important piece to enter an MRI tube Thursday, with the Yankees’ hopes and dreams potentially riding on the result of it.
Fried left Wednesday’s start in Baltimore after just three innings due to left elbow posterior soreness.
Even if the tests rule out the worst, it would be somewhat surprising if Fried was able to make his next start Tuesday in The Bronx against the Blue Jays, meaning the Yankees would likely need a spot starter for at least a turn or two until Gerrit Cole is ready to come off the injured list, likely by the end of this month.
Max Fried throws a pitch during the Yankees’ loss to the Orioles on May 13, 2026 in Baltimore. Mitch Stringer-Imagn Images
With some strong rotation depth, the Yankees are in a position to withstand a short-term Fried absence.
The top candidates to replace him, should he need a stint on the injured list, would be Elmer Rodríguez and Brendan Beck.
Rodríguez, who made two spot starts after Luis Gil (now on the IL at Triple-A with shoulder inflammation) was optioned and before Carlos Rodón returned, is scheduled to start Saturday for Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.
Beck started there Wednesday, meaning Tuesday would be his regular day to pitch if needed.
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Both Rodríguez and Beck would only be eligible to be recalled if they are replacing an injured player, since they were both optioned within the last 15 days.
Fried, meanwhile, became the latest Yankees injury worry after Giancarlo Stanton, Jasson Domínguez and José Caballero all landed on the IL within the last three weeks.
Caballero’s injury was the most recent, suffering a fracture in his right middle finger Sunday, although he also is expected to be the first to return from the IL — as soon as his 10 days are up, if it is up to him.
May 14, 2026; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Braves third baseman Austin Riley (27) breaks his bat on a single against the Chicago Cubs in the ninth inning at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | Brett Davis-Imagn Images
The Atlanta Braves were unable to come away with the series sweep after Thursday’s 2-0 loss to the Chicago Cubs. Chris Sale got the start, where he threw six innings. He allowed an unearned run, walked two, and recorded eight strikeouts.
On the other side of the ball, the Braves’ bats were quiet, with the offense tallying just five hits on the night. The Chicago bullpen was not messing around and sat down the Braves as soon as they walked to the plate.
Atlanta fell to 30-14 on the season but despite the loss, still managed to win the series over the NL Central-leading Cubs.
More Braves News:
The Braves wrap up the homestand with a three-game set against the Boston Red Sox. Spencer Strider, Bryce Elder, and Grant Holmes are expected to start.
Eric Hartman continues to shine for the Rome Emperors, this time robbing a home run. More in the minor league recap.
MLB News:
The Washington Nationals signed left-hander Alex Young to a minor league deal. For now, he has been assigned to the Florida Coast League but will make the transition to Triple-A.
The Athletics have acquired lefty Jose Suarez from the Seattle Mariners in exchange for cash. Prior to the Mariners, Suarez was a Brave, but he was designated for assignment earlier this month.
LOS ANGELES — Two nights after Eric Haase etched his name in the lore of the Giants’ rivalry with the Dodgers as the first San Francisco catcher to homer twice in one game at Dodger Stadium, his teammate made more history in the same venue.
Only, Jung Hoo Lee took the long way.
What looked like a bloop hit that landed on the warning track down the left-field line morphed into the first inside-the-park home run by a Giant inside their arch rivals’ ballpark, rounding the bases while Teoscar Hernandez gave chase as the ball careened away from him in the left-field corner.
San Francisco Giants right fielder Jung Hoo Lee (51) hits a two run home run against the Los Angeles Dodgers in the fifth inning at Dodger Stadium. Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
The Giants outfielder dove across home plate as the throw from cutoff man Miguel Rojas sailed over catcher Dalton Rushing’s head, completing his 360-foot sprint around the base paths that tied the score at 2 in the fifth inning of the finale of the four-game series Thursday night.
That, however, proved to be the only highlight — and one of just two Giants hits — in a 5-2 loss, splitting the series two games apiece.
“It was fun. I mean, it was a meaningful moment because it tied the game,” manager Tony Vitello said. “[We] were doing anything to fight and get on base.”
Despite Hernandez’s misplay, there was no error assigned on the play, resulting in a rulebook inside-the-park home run — the first-ever by a Giant inside Dodger Stadium and the first by a San Francisco player since Patrick Bailey walked off the Phillies at Oracle Park last July.
“I got lucky, for sure,” Lee said through a team interpreter.
The Giants caught a break in more ways than one on the play.
Lee fought off a tough 0-2 fastball at the top of the zone from Emmet Sheehan with an inside-out swing that resulted in an exit velocity of only 73.2 mph. It would have been a difficult play to make on the fly, and when the ball bounced on the warning track dirt, it came up inches short of going into the stands, which would have put an end to the play and resulted in a ground-rule double.
San Francisco Giants right fielder Jung Hoo Lee (51) celebrates after hitting a two run home run against the Los Angeles Dodgers in the fourth inning at Dodger Stadium. Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
Instead, the ball bounced off the wall in foul territory and away from Hernandez toward the Dodgers’ bullpen. Hernandez recovered and made a strong throw to Rojas, but the relay was late and off-line.
Giants third base coach Hector Borg windmilled Lee home. Catcher Eric Haase, who started the play on first base, scored easily. Luis Arráez, who was standing on deck, laid prone on the ground, signaling to Lee to get down. The headfirst dive ended up only as an unnecessary flourish.
Lee showed more emotion than usual upon returning to the dugout, emphatically slapping hands with his teammates, a few of whom had poured out to greet him.
“I’m not one of those players that show a lot of emotion on the field,” Lee said. “But that two-run home run tied the game. It just came out from inside of me.”
The third-year outfielder from Korea displayed more fire earlier in the series, uppercutting the air with his right fist and letting out a yell after a two-RBI double in the Giants’ win Tuesday night.
“Jungy’s really come out of his shell I think the last couple months,” Vitello said. “Anytime you see him emotional, it’s pretty fun.”
The inside-the-parker was Lee’s third homer of any variety this season and the first time in his career — dating all the way back to youth ball, he said — that he recorded one in that fashion.
There hadn’t been an inside-the-parker from anyone at Dodger Stadium, let alone their chief rivals, since Nick Ahmed did it on May 9, 2018. The last Giants player to do it against the Dodgers came at Candlestick Park, all the way back in 1981, by Larry Herndon off Fernando Valenzuela.
The Little League-style home run resulted in the Giants’ only runs off Sheehan, who otherwise mostly breezed through six innings. Their only other hit came on an equally weak piece of contact — another bloop hit, a single that dropped into shallow left field off the bat of Rafael Devers.
“When [Sheehan] is mid-90s and it’s up in the zone, it’s a challenge to lay off,” Vitello said. “He combines it with a pretty good slider and a couple other pitches tonight. But it’s really about that combo. He was pretty good. We chased up and made him better.”
Sheehan also hit a batter and walked two, including the other run that came home to score on the play.
Hernandez, for his part, quickly made up for the defensive blunder with his bat.
The Dodgers’ slugger had already doubled twice when he came up for a third time and proceeded to reach second again — although it was later ruled a single — putting runners on second and third and knocking San Francisco starter Landen Roupp out of the game with one out in the sixth.
Two batters later, Hernandez came around to score on two-run single to right from pinch-hitter Alex Call, effectively negating Lee’s two-run homer and giving the Dodgers the lead again, 4-2.
“It definitely got us back into the game, for sure,” Roupp said. “I kind of feel bad about giving it up.”
