ARLINGTON, TEXAS - JUNE 07: Elias Diaz #35 and Luis Curvelo #57 of the Texas Rangers celebrate after a game against the Cleveland Guardians at Globe Life Field on June 07, 2026 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by John E. Moore III/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Ross Fenstermaker, in his then role as a scout, described Chad Comer as “not a legitimate prospect” but thought he had a future as a coach. That turned out to be a spot-on assessment.
Cole Winn is back from the IL after receiving a Botox injection for thoracic outlet syndrome and is hoping to return to his 2025 form.
Brandon Nimmo has seen his numbers plummet over the last 30 days, though the data suggests that’s largely been a result of bad luck.
Nathan Eovaldi gave up some hard hit balls in the sixth and the offense failed to capitalize on opportunities as the Rangers failed to get back to .500 for the sixth time this season.
The last time the Rangers were at .500 was May 1, when they were 16-16.
On Ezequiel Duran giving himself the nickname The Solution, Skip Schumaker says “sometimes you need a delusional type of player.”
It’ll be tougher for the Reds against Michael King. The Reds rank 23rd in wOBA and 25th in ISO when facing righties on the road, and King has posted a 1.14 WHIP while allowing 0.94 HR/9 at home.
Singer has conceded at least three earned runs in five of his last six starts. He is struggling, and there’s no reason to expect the bullpen to pick him up.
The Reds ‘pen ranks 27th in xFIP over the last 60 days and isn’t overflowing with fresh arms after using six on Tuesday night.
Four of their relievers — including Mason Miller and Adrian Morejon — pitched in consecutive days and will be unavailable.
Bet to -125.
Todd Cordell's 2026 Transparency Record
ML/RL bets: 25-22, -3.63 units
Over/Under bets: 22-23-2, -4.01 units
Reds vs Padres odds
Moneyline: Reds +140 | Padres -160
Run line: Reds +1.5 (-140) | Padres -1.5 (+120)
Over/Under: Over 8 (-115) | Under 8 (-105)
Reds vs Padres trend
Cincinnati has hit the Over in 15 of the last 23 games (+6.25 units, 24% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for Reds vs. Padres.
How to watch Reds vs Padres and game info
Location
Petco Park, San Diego, CA
Date
Wednesday, June 10, 2026
First pitch
4:10 p.m. ET
TV
Reds.TV, Padres.TV
Reds starting pitcher
Brady Singer (2-6, 5.89 ERA)
Padres starting pitcher
Michael King (4-5, 3.41 ERA)
Reds vs Padres latest injuries
Reds vs Padres weather
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PORT CHARLOTTE, FLORIDA - MARCH 13, 2025: Brooks Brannon #71 of the Boston Red Sox celebrates with teammates after scoring on a two-run home run hit by Kristian Campbell during the third inning of a spring training Spring Breakout game against the Tampa Bay Rays at Charlotte Sports Complex on March 13, 2025 in Port Charlotte, Florida. (Photo by Nick Cammett/Diamond Images via Getty Images) | Diamond Images/Getty Images
For the first part of this game in Rochester (Nationals AAA), the WooSox suffered from a common problem the Red Sox deal with on almost a daily basis; great starting pitching, no runs. Jack Anderson was nearly lights out through the sixth, but the WooSox didn’t provide any run support until the seventh inning. By that point Tyler Samaniego had allowed a two-run shot and the WooSox had another hole to dig themselves out of. But, unlike the Major League squad, the offense could not have come at a more clutch time. First baseman Matt Lloyd drilled the game-tying shot in the ninth to drive in three runs and send this game to extras; Braiden Ward, Matt Thaiss and Kristian Campbell would all do their parts to get two insurance runs, in which Noah Song slammed the door in the bottom of the tenth despite walking two.
Is Franklin Arias or Brooks Brannon doing better as a hitting prospect? Who’s to say, it seemingly varies on the night. Though, I rather enjoy it when they’re both hitting well. They each captured three knocks including a double on the night off the Fightin’ Phils in Lehigh Valley. Anthony Eyanson ran into some walks trouble in the third cutting his night very short, but Lehigh Valley wouldn’t break through until Patrick Halligan’s next inning, and the deficit was too much to cut despite the usual suspects and Johanfran Garcia showing up as well as Caden Rose’s first Double-A home run in the ninth.
By some miracle, Greenville pulled out this game against Winston-Salem (White Sox High-A). A quick glance at Devin Futrell’s line leads to some celebration that he struck out six and didn’t walk anyone but then realization sets in that he allowed two home runs for five runs on eight hits. Tyler Uberstine also wasn’t exactly pristine in his rehab start, allowing four hits of his own. And yet Calvin Bickerstaff righted the ship, because, well, Isaiah Jackson and Ronny Hernandez already helped out enough in the second inning with twin home runs. Not to mention, six Drive batters had multiple total bases. It shouldn’t have had to come to some good late relief pitching. But a win is a win.
Jason Gilman took a rare shelling out of the gate, and the rest of the staff couldn’t really recover from it, though just one Woodpecker (Astros A) run was allowed after the second inning. Adonys Guzman also had a rough night behind the bump, committing three throwing errors. This isn’t to say the RidgeYaks’ offense was absent, just uninspired: the team lacked an extra-base hit on the night, though let’s debunk any claims that the team wasm’t opportunistic, either: three of their five RBI hits came with two outs. Sometimes, that’s juts baseball.
Have a wonderous Wednesday. As in, I wonder how the Red Sox are going to mess up today’s game.
Jun 8, 2026; Summerlin, Nevada, USA; Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Kyle Harrison (52) throws the ball during the first inning against the Athletics at the Las Vegas Ballpark. Mandatory Credit: Lucas Peltier-Imagn Images | Lucas Peltier-Imagn Images
Kyle Harrison got rocked Monday night in Las Vegas in a venue where the dimensions resemble your local Little League park, but the stats count nonetheless. Traded by the Red Sox to the Brewers for Caleb Durbin this offseason, the terrible outing — 8 ER in 2.1 IP — boosted his ERA by more than a full point, from 1.57 to 2.72. For a moment at least, it’s a milestone with respect to the Sox, who finally have a starter with a lower ERA than their former prospect: Peyton Tolle, whose 2.70 mark cleans the clock with Kyle’s. Regression, ramshackle stadium, randomness — whatever the reason, Harrison might be coming back to Earth.
Whatever kind of story it is, it is decidedly otherwise not about the Red Sox. It’s fair to judge trades by the outcomes, especially when it comes to trading prospects, but it’s the longer-term view we’re after. That’s when it’s about us, insofar as it ever is. Chris Sale winning the Cy Young? Sure, but even then, am I gonna say a bad word about the guy? No. But a single bad start does not a Boston story make. Or at least not a good one, because apparently it does make for a story, several times over. MassLive did it. So did NESN, which got picked up by (an automated, but widely viewed) MSN. And folks, I just don’t know what we’re doing here anymore. I sure don’t. It’s tautological. If this is the story, this isn’t the story. The story is the Red Sox sucking. Do not wish bad on Kyle Harrison, do not celebrate his down moments and for dog’s sakes, don’t look away from the disaster before us!
LAS VEGAS, NV - JUNE 08: A general view of the Las Vegas Ballpark before a game between the Milwaukee Brewers and the Athletics on Monday, June 8, 2026 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Daniel Shirey/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Happy Wednesday A’s fans!
Today marks the midway point of the Athletics’ weeklong Las Vegas residency. After concluding a series against the Milwaukee Brewers tonight, the team gets tomorrow off before wrapping up its Las Vegas showcase with three games against the Colorado Rockies this weekend.
So far, the games at Las Vegas Ballpark, home of the A’s Triple-A affiliate, the Las Vegas Aviators, have lived up to expectations. Entering this week, the consensus was that there would be an enormous amount of offense because of the way the ball travels in the warm desert air and the hitter-friendly nature of the ballpark. That proved correct as the A’s lost the opener 15-14 in what was the highest scoring game of the season so far. Last night, the A’s rebounded with a 7-5 victory over the Brewers, hitting five more home runs and receiving herculean relief efforts from Elvis Alvarado and Mason Barnett.
The hitter-friendly conditions complicate evaluations of A’s pitchers at Triple-A, making it harder to determine when they are ready for the major leagues. This week, the stadium has challenged pitchers on both teams as hitters continue to take advantage of the favorable conditions.
Moving to Las Vegas represents a dramatic shift from Oakland, where the A’s played from 1968 through 2024. Because of the marine layer, the Oakland Coliseum was one of the most difficult places in baseball to hit home runs. Their future ballpark on the Las Vegas Strip will likely be more hitter-friendly.
If the new ballpark plays similarly to its Triple-A neighbor, the A’s could face challenges similar to those experienced by the Rockies, whose pitchers have long had to work in arguably MLB’s toughest place to pitch. However, its dome, humidor and air-conditioning system, as well as the Strip’s lower elevation compared with Summerlin, will likely prevent the ball from carrying as much as it does at Las Vegas Ballpark.
With four games remaining, the A’s have an opportunity to make a positive impression on potential future fans in Southern Nevada. Winning certainly wouldn’t hurt as the team continues building its presence in the market.
Athletics minor-league transaction update: Nice to see Devin Taylor promoted to Double-A, as that level should provide a tougher test for last year’s second-round draft pick.
A'S MOVES OF Devin Taylor/2B Casey Yamauchi to MID OF Carlos Pacheco/IF Jared Sprague-Lott to LAN C-1B Dylan Fien to LAN IL IF M.Muncy off A’s IL IF D.Hernaiz to LV RHP N.Hernandez on LV develop list RHP S.Emanuels off LV develop list IF J.Riemer to MID ILhttps://t.co/joKXkyUAPy
— Bill Moriarity – A's Farm (@AthleticsFarm) June 9, 2026
The Athletics are continuing to integrate themselves into the Las Vegas community ahead of their planned relocation to Southern Nevada.
Hopefully, what renowned baseball reporter Ken Rosenthal said here will hold true once the Athletics’ new ballpark opens. A 15-14 ballgame at Las Vegas Ballpark shows just how hitter-friendly the environment can be. Ideally, MLB games should feature a more balanced contest between pitchers and hitters.
"The humidor and indoor element will come into play."
Don't expect the ball to be FLYING like it was in Las Vegas last night when the A's move into their new ballpark. pic.twitter.com/IDgUXUAOPN
Vanderbilt pitcher Carter Holton (20) throws to a Gonzaga batter during the first inning of an NCAA college baseball game Friday, Feb. 23, 2024, in Nashville, Tenn.
It’s been a year and a half since Carter Holton last pitched in a GreenJackets uniform, and the long wait for Braves fans was rewarded with a terrific first outing. Holton led the team with his five scoreless innings. Adam Zebrowski had a monster day for Gwinnett by driving in six of their seven runs, and in Augusta it was Luis Guanipa who led the offensive charge with two separate go-ahead RBIs.
Anthony Molina, SP: 5 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 5 K, 4.05 ERA
Elieser Hernandez, RP: 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K, 4.88 ERA
The Gwinnett Stripers may have ended this game comfortably out in front, but for most of the evening this played out like a nail-biter led by Anthony Molina and the pitching staff. Molina has been on a nice little stretch run here over his past few starts, and trouble for him in this one was quite scattered with the Jumbo Shrimp only managing to scratch out a run late. Molina had a smidge of trouble throwing strikes in the early innings and walked a couple of batters, but didn’t allow any hard contact and managed to make it through the fourth inning with no trouble at all. To that point Molina had yet to allow a hit, though that and his shutout all came to a crashing halt on the first pitch of the the fifth inning. Molina left a fastball right over the middle of the plate that got smacked for a solo home run, cutting down the lead for the Stripers to 2-1. Molina didn’t waver and retired the next three batters in order, closing out a day that save for the single home run was impeccable. Elieser Hernandez had an outstanding relief appearance and didn’t allow a baserunner over two scoreless innings of work, and it was under his watch that Gwinnett ballooned their lead to 7-1. That made the job easy for Hunter Stratton to close it out, and though he would allow a ninth inning run there was never any real threat to the Stripers margin.
Gwinnett managed seven runs in this game but only had six hits, getting their runs as they were able to take advantage of the mistakes made by the Jumbo Shrimp with timely hitting. Enter: Adam Zebrowski – the man in the middle of the biggest moments of this game. Dax Fulton issued all three of his walks to the Stripers in the fourth inning, and Zebrowski had his first big opportunity of the game with the bases loaded and two outs. Zebrowski didn’t make good contact at all, but his nestled into a gap behind second base for a hit, driving home the first two runs of the game for the Stripers and giving them the lead they would hold throughout the rest of the game. Zebrowski’s next chance came in the eighth inning of this game, when once again he found himself staring down a bases loaded opportunity. Jacksonville reliever Josh Hejka had a terrible time of it prior to this, hitting a batter, seeing one reach on error, and then walking another as the first three he would face, and it got much, much worse with Zebrowski at the dish. Zebrowski got ahead in the count 3-1, and knowing Hejka wouldn’t want to walk a runner home was able to sit on a fastball. He hit a rocket at a 106.3 mph the other way, and even though he didn’t get it in the air much it still had enough carry to get out for a grand slam that broke the game wide open.
Swing and Misses
Anthony Molina – 12
Elieser Hernandez – 6
(26-28) Columbus Clingstones, (28-29) Pensacola Blue Wahoos POSTPONED
(30-27) Rome Emperors 0, (42-15) Bowling Green Hot Rods 11
Jeremy Reyes, SP: 2.1 IP, 5 H, 6 R, 6 ER, 4 BB, 2 K, 5.44 ERA
Blake Burkhalter, RP: 1 IP, 4 H, 5 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 2 K, 2.25 ERA
This was a bad one all around, though the hitting prospects for the Emperors were good enough to give this one a positive spin even with the blowout results. Tate Southisene hasn’t had much trouble adjusting to High-A pitching over his first couple of games, as he reached base twice in this one including a first inning walk. His contact wasn’t that great in his three at bats with his hit being a ball he rolled over and beat out to first, but even with that the process of the at-bats has looked solid and he is comfortable out there. John Gil had the best day of the crew as the only player on the Rome side with multiple hits, and even his outs were hard hit balls. Gil ended last week on an ugly stretch of games so it’s nice to see a quick bounce back with great results in this one. Isaiah Drake added a single to his total as well, though with another strikeout the results of late continue to underwhelm. over his past eight games he has no walks and 16 strikeouts, and after a first month and a half of him being a serious tough out the strikeouts and whiffs have piled up quickly. It was a tough matchup for Eric Hartman facing a left-handed starter and he went 0-4 with two strikeouts. Hartman’s power has kept his numbers against left handed pitching looking good this season, but there is still a clear drop off in his performance against breaking balls against lefties. That’s really to be expected for him or any player at this level, and it’s actually a positive that he has kept his swing-and-miss numbers respectable and still hit for power.
Pitching is not a whole lot of good to run through. Jeremy Reyes had poor command again, actually probably one of his worst performances on that front all season, and against a team that hits as well as Bowling Green he could not get away with those problems. Reyes only last 2 1/3 innings and gave up runs every time he came out of the dugout, building up a huge early deficit for Rome. The bullpen did a rather fine job of holding it together until Blake Burkhalter appeared in the eighth inning, at which point everything quickly spiraled out of control. Burkhalter had trouble keeping his fastballs down in the strike zone which led to loads of trouble, starting with two quick hits to open the inning. He then threw a comebacker into center field for an error before allowing another hit, though he thankfully did settle down to get a couple of outs as he made much better pitches. That was until he threw a pitch right over the plate that got smashed for a grand slam, putting a stamp on a terrible outing for him. He bounced back with a strikeout to end the inning, but that did little to dull the sting of a poor outing.
Swing and Misses
Jeremy Reyes – 7
Mathieu Curtis – 5
Jacob Kroeger – 5
Blake Burkhalter – 5
(31-27) Augusta GreenJackets 5, (21-35) Myrtle Beach Pelicans 2
Carter Holton, SP: 5 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 6 K, 0.00 ERA
Aiven Cabral, RP: 4 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 2 K, 2.54 ERA
This was a pretty fun game, but started out with some early drama. Conor Essenburg was rung up on a borderline pitch in the third inning, and did not like the call very much. He was quickly ejected from the game, leaving Augusta without one of their top options for most of the night. Augusta got on the board quickly in the next inning. Alex Lodise went down and got a slider out of the zone but hit it hard, carrying it all the way to the right field wall where it bounced off and skipped away from the defender allowing Lodise to stand in with a leadoff triple. He took the next ninety feet quickly on a Luis Guanipa sacrifice fly, but that was all of the run scoring for Augusta for quite awhile in this game. Guanipa had a good game out there but the GreenJackets still trailed going into the ninth inning, and with two quick outs by the bottom of the order it seemed they may go quietly despite the great pitching they received all night. When the lineup flipped so too did the switch for the GreenJackets with Cody Miller starting a two out rally on a base hit. Michael Martinez, the replacement for Essenburg, shot one the other way for a base hit to put the go-ahead run on, and Lodise came to the plate with another chance to make an impact in the game. Lodise hit a shot out into center field for a base hit, and Miller was able to score without a throw, tying the game with the middle of the order yet to come. Guanipa worked an incredible at bat with a chance to give Augusta the lead, and he did just that by lining a single into right field to score pinch-runner Joe Olsavsky on the fourth straight GreenJackets hit. Juan Mateo kept it going and broke the lead open by ripping a fly ball to right field that sunk down past the right fielder for a double to score Lodise and Guanipa and make it 5-2.
Carter Holton made his return to the GreenJackets, and it was a successful first start for him. Holton held the Pelicans to no runs and struck out six batters over his five innings of work, and looked solid for a guy who hasn’t pitched at this level for such a long time. Holton did a great job of elevating his fastball even if his overall control wasn’t great, and flashed some feel for both his changeup and his slider from the outset of this game. Holton’s mechanics were inconsistent and his velocity (if the broadcast radar is accurate) a bit down, but neither of those issues are out of the norm for a player who is still in the process of building back up. His velocity dipped late in the game — again something to be expect — and his slider was the pitch that seemed to suffer the most command-wise. This was overall a much better game than the last time he pitched with the GreenJackets, especially with his ability to command his fastball, and though he didn’t really answer any questions with this outing he fortunately didn’t create any more concerns. Aiven Cabral came out of the bullpen behind Holton, and thanks to him allowing a couple of runs and then being the pitcher of record following the late comeback he got yet another win on his total.
Another loss for the FCL Braves as they continue to be the worst team and offense in the league, though at least there are some smidges of hope offensively. This is probably not the best example of that for Diego Tornes, given that he struck out twice and only had an infield single to his name, but he has been better this month. So far he has four walks to only four strikeouts after struggling in both categories in May. Caden Merritt, an unsigned free agent from last draft, has been solid for the FCL Braves since being demoted from Augusta, adding another hit to his resume.
The DSL Braves have allowed 73 runs in seven games which is not exactly a recipe for success. This game didn’t start out terribly for them. Martires Polanco, an older signee from this winter, had a great run of success in the first three innings, allowing no hits while striking out seven batters. He has had two good outings for the DSL Braves, which is basically the sum total of all of the good outings the team has had this season, and the reason he had a run on his final line was because he got pulled after facing and walking one batter in the third inning. Once you get past Polanco it gets spooky. All 13 runs came in the final four innings of this game.
Caleb Ricketts of the Lehigh Valley IronPigs swings the bat during a Minor League Baseball game at Coca-Cola Park in Allentown, United States, on May 8, 2026. (Photo by Dan Squicciarini/NurPhoto via Getty Images) | NurPhoto via Getty Images
Tuesday was a rough day on the Pharm, with only one win for a Phils team. Here’s how the games shaped up.
Lehigh Valley 2, Scranton/Wilkes-Barre5
Early scoring gave the Railriders the win in the opening game of this series, with five runs in three innings. Carter Kieboom’s two-out, two-run double in the seventh saved the ‘Pigs from being shut out, but there just wasn’t enough offense to make up for SWB’s early lead. Tucker Davidson got the loss, allowing four runs (three earned).
Reading 7, Portland5
The Fightin Phils snapped a five-game losing streak behind Caleb Ricketts’s career-best six RBI. He hit two homers: a grand slam in the fourth inning and a two-run in the eighth. It was his first game with Reading in 2026. With a 7-3 lead, closer Alex McFarlane gave up his first earned run since mid-April on a solo home run in the ninth inning. Portland narrowed the lead with another run in the inning, but McFarlane pulled it back together for his sixth save of the season. Jean Cabrera got the win giving up three runs on six hits, two walks and three strikeouts in 5.2 innings.
Jersey Shore 0, Hudson Valley 5
The BlueClaws lost their fifth straight game despite a decent start by Sam Highfill, who gave up three runs on seven hits, two home runs, two walks and five strikeouts in six innings. The offense was nearly non-existent in this game, with only three hits (all singles), no walks, and ten strikeouts. Kodey Shojinaga had two of the hits.
Clearwater 5, Lakeland 7
A six-run eighth inning for Lakeland made the difference in this game, which Clearwater had led since the first. Reigning FSL Pitcher of the Week Tanner Gresham was dominant in five scoreless, one-hit innings (4 walks, 5 strikeouts) opposite former Tigers first overall draft pick Casey Mize, who is on a rehab assignment. Peyton Havard took the loss, allowing six runs on seven hits and two walks in 0.2 innings. Catcher Will Vierling extended his RBI-streak to four games. With two singles, Griffin Burkholder picked up his twelfth multi-hit game of the season.
Jun 9, 2026; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Seattle Mariners pitcher Nick Davila (82) celebrates a win against the Baltimore Orioles with Seattle Mariners catcher Mitch Garver (18) at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Mandatory Credit: James A. Pittman-Imagn Images | James A. Pittman-Imagn Images
The Cubs made a small series of roster moves, activating utilityman Matt Shaw from the IL and optioning outfielder Kevin Alcántara. The North Siders also placed RHP Jameson Taillon on the injured list and recalled RHP Ethan Roberts from Triple-A Iowa.
ARLINGTON, TX - MAY 30: Daniel Lynch IV #41 of the Kansas City Royals celebrates with teammate Maikel Garcia #11 during the game between the Kansas City Royals and the Texas Rangers at Globe Life Field on Saturday, May 30, 2026 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Courtney Kramer/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
There is something in my DNA that makes me prefer certain types of players more than others, which I am sure is true for all of you as well. What my inclinations push me toward are not a single loud skill, but rather the players who are kind of good at everything. I think it is underappreciated to be pretty solid with no major weaknesses because black ink was always a dominant theme of conversation. Fewer fans care about guys who are simply above average in many categories, but don’t excel in any one area. Offensively, Alex Gordon was one of these guys and a favorite of mine. Now, Daniel Lynch IV may have morphed into that style of pitcher. He has no particular standout skill but he has added quality to everything he is doing. And, more importantly, it is working.
Daniel Lynch IV was a heralded prospect at one point, even making some top 100 lists. He is tall and left-handed, though lacking a bit in velocity for modern baseball. His fastballs, especially the four-seamer, have always graded out pretty poorly both from a scouting perspective and from a run value perspective, leading to diminished usage. When he first made the big leagues, the 4-seamer made up over 40% of his pitches, but that has dropped and dropped until this year it is only making up 17.4% of his pitches.
He has adjusted by using the sinker a lot more, although still only about a quarter of the time. His changeup and slider make up nearly half of pitches now with the knuckle curve showing up every now and again to keep batters off balance. That pitch mix evolution has over time taking some pressure off of the four-seam fastball to improve its performance while become more a sinker, slider, change profile. That is not enough to explain how he has significantly i,proved, however.
The change in pitch mix may have helped Lynch become a viable middle-reliever, but it is the changes to the quality of his pitches have taken him to a higher level this year. Last year, pitch modeling metrics graded out his pitches at or below-average with only two minor exceptions – his change up and sinker. PitchingBot had his changeup as a 53 and Stuff+ put the sinker as a 103, both just barely above league-average stuff for those offerings.
This year, the modeling metrics are improved almost across the board. None of his pitches are elite but now PitchingBot has his four-seamer, sinker, and change at 54, 62, and 53 respectively along with a one-point improvement to his slider and knuckle curve. Similarly, Stuff+ now has four pitches above-average, with his sinker over a full standard deviation above-average with an above-average grade for his slider as well. Only the knuckle curve is still not favored sitting below the average 100. Both systems now have his composite stuff overall as above-average, which he has never done before. Beyond stuff, they think his command is around or slightly better than average now too and Stuff+ has his Pitching+ as above-average. Almost everything about what Daniel is doing this season is better than at any other point in his career and he is kind of a bit better than average at most things now. If you are better than the typical pitcher on stuff and command and process, it turns out good things happen.
None of this seems to be velocity-related. Some of it seems to be spin-related. His RPM values for the fastball, sinker, and slider are all higher than in any other season. The sinker, which has the biggest stuff value change, is now averaging 2,215 rpm is the largest difference more than 100 rpm above last year’s spin rate. This does not seem to change the movement a lot, but it might be shifting the shape of the pitch, later break or something along those lines. You can see below that the pitch movements, 2025 on left and 2026 on right, are not all that different. Sorry that the color-coding changes from one year to the next, Fangraphs is not perfect, but it does take a little time to read since the sinker is orange in 2025 and black in 2026 for instance.
There might be some subtle differences there and the clusters might be tighter, but that could just be a sample size effect. Whatever it is, the statistics models are picking up on the change, and the results can be seen on the field. Lynch has a strikeout rate of 9.91 per-nine innings this year, when his previous best mark was 8.34 back in 2022. He also has his lowest walk rate ever. Higher strikeout rates and lower walk rates are generally a good recipe. His average against and WHIP have also come way down, though a bit of this is BABIP luck, which is sitting at .239. I don’t think the 1.71 ERA is his true talent level, but his xERA, FIP, xFIP, and SIERRA are 2.67, 2.54, 3.63, and 3.02 respectively, so the improvement seems to be real. His home run rate is quite low, leading to his xFIP being quite a bit higher. Regardless, those are all much lower than any other season of his career as well.
His exit velocities, barrel rates, and hard-hit rates are all lower too. This does not look like a fluke. His whiff rate on the slider is the other exceptional change statistically. That pitch has gone from a 13.3% swing-and-miss rate to 23.4%, an 80% increase in rate. The slider whiff rate is up even more, nominally at least, going from 29.9% to 48.1%. So far, the knuckle curve is also way up, but since he has only thrown that pitch 32 times I would like to see more before I declare that worth paying attention to. He uses all of his pitches against right-handed batters and then against lefties 93% of his offerings are sinker or slider. This is similar but more extreme than his past mix too.
The Royals bullpen has many problems which has depleted it to the point where Alex Lange is closing games. Carlos Estévez and Nick Mears are hurt. Matt Strahm has missed time too and has not been as reliable as you would like. Lucas Erceg has struggled mightily. Basically, the entire back-end of the pen has not done well.
Luckily, there has been at least one arm step up and into that role to help cover some of the problems, Daniel Lynch IV. He still needs to remain where he is, I know some will want him to close games, but he should not. The splits are real and he needs to be aimed at lefties most of the time. Still, I am very impressed with the steps he has taken, and it is nice to have at least one guy we can depend on while the rest of it hopefully gets sorted out.
Jun 9, 2026; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Philadelphia Phillies first baseman Bryce Harper (3) reacts during the sixth inning against the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images | John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images
Batted ball luck, when going against the team you choose to root for, is the worst thing to watch. The Blue Jays had quite a bit of luck in that final frame against Jhoan Duran, but the guy was simply going to show a crack in the armor at some point.
Where would the Yankees be without Cody Bellinger? Even before the Aaron Judge injury, Bellinger was by far the Yankees’ third-most productive and perhaps the most consistent hitter at the plate. Now with Judge on the shelf for at least another month, the Yankees rely on Bellinger’s steady approach perhaps more than ever. On top of that, it is hard to name a hitter who has provided them more clutch hits this season, Monday night’s game-winning single in the 10th inning the latest example.
We join Bellinger with one out in the 10th, the score tied at five apiece. A one-out intentional walk of Ben Rice and an ABS-assisted walk of Max Schuemann have loaded the bases, placing automatic runner Ali Sánchez on third 90 feet away from scoring the go-ahead run. Bellinger lined a single up the middle in his last AB and faces a similar look in the 10th, Shawn Armstrong like Hunter Gaddis a righty reliever who leans on his mid-90s four-seamer.
True to form, Armstrong starts Bellinger with a first-pitch four-seamer at 95.
This is an excellent pitch from Armstrong, over the plate but elevated just above the zone. It’s a pitch that’s too close to take for Bellinger, who also appears to be hunting a first-pitch fastball that he can pull for power, and he fouls it back to the screen. The swing is on time, but just a little under the pitch.
After showing Bellinger a fastball that maintains its vertical plane and gets the chase and foul he was looking for, Armstrong switches to the sinker hoping to fool Bellinger with a pitch that has almost a foot more break down and away than the four-seamer.
Instead, he sails this sinker high and wide. The pitch looks like a ball out of his hand and never looks like a strike on its path toward home, making for a straightforward take from Bellinger.
Armstrong introduces another wrinkle with the 1-1 pitch, throwing his third different fastball in the cutter. The cutter come in about four mph slower than the four-seamer or sinker, but with late diving movement down and in.
Fortunately for Bellinger, the pitcher tugs this pitch badly and he has to maneuver out of the way to avoid being hit.
Given that he exhibited very little feel for the previous sinker and cutter, Armstong shelves those two pitches and sticks with the four-seamer for the rest of the encounter. Patrick Bailey flashes a similar target to the four-seamer Armstrong successfully executed above the zone first pitch.
It’s clear this is the only pitch Armstrong can command, and he nails his target centrally located over the plate but elevated above the hitting zone. Just like with the first pitch of the AB, Bellinger is right on time but can’t lift his barrel to match the four-seamer’s elevation and nicks a foul tip for strike two.
Now we get to see Bellinger’s two-strike approach, where he shortens his swing, lets the ball travel, and stays on his back side looking to shoot a base hit to the opposite side.
Bellinger’s superpower in these situations is his elite bat-to-ball that allows him to foul off pitchers’ pitches and stay alive until a mistake is made that he can jump on. Indeed, we see how he’s somehow able to get wood on this four-seamer that handcuffs him in off the plate and almost keeps it fair down the line in right for what would have plated at least two runs.
Bellinger finally seems to have figured out the movement profile of Armstrong’s four-seamer, getting a fatter piece of the bat to the previous pitch after previously swinging underneath for a foul to the screen and a foul tip. He should have no trouble finding the barrel should Armstrong give him something to hit.
That’s just what happens, Bellinger lining this four-seamer on the outer half through the hole on the left side to plate Sánchez and Rice as the go-ahead runs. Bellinger gets exactly one pitch in the zone in this encounter, and he makes sure he doesn’t miss it, that’s what I call clutch hitting.
Bellinger has been an absolute godsend for the Yankees since re-upping over the winter, with Gold Glove defense in left field and a 138 wRC+ that places him in the top-30 qualified hitters league-wide. He put all facets of his offensive profile on display in this AB, including zone awareness, bat-to-ball skills, and two-strike hitting. The Yankees will continue to lean on the possible All-Star’s all-around contributions while awaiting Judge’s return further down the stretch.
FLUSHING, NY - SEPTEMBER 28: Mr. Met entertains fans before the game between the New York Mets and the Florida Marlins at Shea Stadium on September 28, 2008 in Flushing, New York. The Marlins defeated the Mets 4-2. (Photo by Rich Pilling/MLB via Getty Images) | MLB via Getty Images
Syracuse initially kept pace with the Herd, but Buffalo began pulling away in the middle innings; with a good two months plus into the season, it is beginning to look more and more apparent that the tinkering the Mets have made with Jonah Tong has made him a worse pitcher than he was last season, so here’s hoping this experiment comes to an end sooner rather than later. It started raining hard in the sixth and the game was delayed, and then eventually ended early; in my mind, no question: Syracuse would’ve come from behind to take this one if given the chance and it would’ve been an epic walk-off win that would’ve been the impetus of a ten game winning streak that would’ve bumped Rochester out of first place.
Binghamton’s modest little five-game winning streak came to an end, falling in game one of the Double-A Subway Series in a laughter. Binghamton had the initial lead, scoring two runs in the top of the first on a Jose Ramirez single, but the Patriots took over in the fourth thanks to the Rumble Ponies’ own carelessness, taking the lead on a wild pitch and adding an insurance run on an error. They continued piling on and piling on, while the Binghamton bats forgot how to hit.
Jose Chirinos had a strong start, allowing three runs over six innings, allowing four hits and walking three while striking out ten, but it wasn’t good enough to avoid getting tagged as a hard luck loser. The Brooklyn bats were mostly shut down, managing only six baserunners on three singles, a double, a walk, and a hit batsman.
For six-and-two-things inning, Cam Tilly was phenomenal. Not perfect, but pretty close, walking three and striking out four while not allowing a hit. He ran into some trouble in the seventh, walking a pair of batters and was replaced by Elwis Mijares, who wiggled out of trouble, inducing a flyball and groundball to end the inning. Mijares pitched a clean eighth and ran into a little trouble himself in the ninth, but once again got out of trouble, completing the no-hitter, the second in the Florida State League this year and the ninth in all of Minor League Baseball. For St. Lucie themselves, it was the franchise’s first no-hitter, and for the Palm Beach Cardinals, it was the first time ever that they got no-hit.
· SS Elian Peña: 0-3, 3 R, BB, K, HBP, SB (19), E (11)
1892 – Though Baltimore fails to score after the 6th inning‚ the Orioles explode for 25 hits and swamp St. Louis, 25-4. Wilbert Robinson‚ Orioles catcher‚ goes 7 for 7‚ bats in 11 runs‚ then a major league record.
1998 – Yankee OF Tim Rainessteals the 800th base of his career in New York’s 6-2 win over the Expos. He is the fifth player in history to reach that milestone.
2023 – In only his fourth start since coming back from a serious shoulder injury that cost him the second half of last season, Kyle Hendricks takes a no-hitter into the eighth inning before Mitch Haniger hits a two-out double. Hendricks then retires the next batter and Julian Merryweather pitches the 9th inning to complete the Cubs’ 4-0 shutout win over the Giants, the first victory of the season for Hendricks.
1692 – First victim of the Salem witch trials, Bridget Bishop, is hanged after being found guilty of witchcraft in the Colony of Massachusetts.
1752 – Benjamin Franklin tests the lightning conductor with his kite-flying experiment.
1845 – Andrew Jackson‘s African Grey parrot “Poll” is removed from his funeral for swearing at The Hermitage, Tennessee. Funeral attendee William Menefee Norment records: “Before the sermon and while the crowd was gathering, a wicked parrot that was a household pet got excited and commenced swearing so loud and long as to disturb the people and had to be carried from the house”.
1898 – US Marines land in Cuba during the Spanish–American War.
1933 – Clyde Barrow and Bonnie Parker flip their car into a ravine. Parker suffers serious third degree burns from the accident which would affect her for the rest of her life.
1933 – John Dillinger robs his first bank, taking $10,600 from the National Bank in New Carlisle, Ohio.
1991 – Final episode of David Lynch‘s “Twin Peaks” television series airs on ABC-TV.
2003 – The Spirit Rover is launched, beginning NASA’s Mars Exploration Rover mission.
2007 – “The Sopranos” series finale on HBO (infamous “cut to black” ending).
Today in music history:
1964 –Rolling Stones record their “12×5” album at Chess Studios in Chicago, Illinois.
1966 –Janis Joplin plays her 1st live gig with Big Brother & The Holding Company, at Avalon Ballroom in San Francisco, California.
1966 – The Beatles release single “Paperback Writer” / “Rain” in UK; “Rain” featured experimental studio tricks of slowed down bass and drums tracks, and backwards vocals in the fade out.
1966 – The Mamas & the Papas are awarded a gold record for “Monday, Monday”.
1972 – Elvis Presley records a live album at NYC’s Madison Square Garden.
1972 – Sammy Davis Jr.‘s cover of “The Candy Man” by Anthony Newley and Leslie Bricusse (from the film “Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory”) goes to #1 on the charts – his biggest single.
1976 – 67,000 fans attends Paul McCartney & Wings concert at the Kingdome in Seattle, Washington
PHOENIX, ARIZONA - MARCH 20, 2026: Cooper Pratt #9 of the Milwaukee Brewers bats during the second inning of a spring training Spring Breakout game against the Seattle Mariners at American Family Fields of Phoenix on March 20, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Chris Bernacchi/Diamond Images via Getty Images) | Diamond Images/Getty Images
Note: the stats in this article were accurate through Monday; Pratt hit another homer on Tuesday.
When Cooper Pratt signed an eight-year, $50 million contract (with two lucrative option years) on April 3, a clock started. Pratt was no longer beholden to any concerns about team control, super two status, 40-man roster status, any of it. That’s all been sorted out.
This clock was for the players on the left side of the major league Milwaukee Brewers infield.
This was a known weakness coming into the season. When the Brewers traded Caleb Durbin, Andruw Monasterio, and Anthony Seigler to Boston before the season, they opened up some holes. Despite offensive concerns, Joey Ortiz was still around to play shortstop, and Seigler, maybe, was never in the plan beyond providing some minor league depth. Monasterio played a utility role, and though he played that role nicely, David Hamilton, who came back in the trade, could probably make up for that loss.
The starting role at third base, though, was a question. Milwaukee’s minor league system is chock-full of tantalizing infield talent, but before the season started, all of Pratt, Jett Williams, Jesús Made, Luis Peña, and Andrew Fischer had a combined 151 plate appearances at Triple-A or higher. All of those belonged to Williams, and his OBP during that stretch was .285.
The problem
The kids weren’t quite ready, so Milwaukee made a move for a temporary solution: Luis Rengifo, a proven commodity, a 29-year-old with six years of MLB experience who was coming off a tough year but had a reasonable track record of success going back to 2022. It wasn’t unreasonable to think it would work fine for a year until someone showed they were ready for the big-league Brewers in 2027. My own analysis told me that Rengifo’s issue was less about hitting the ball hard than about needing to elevate the ball. If he could just hit more fly balls than line drives, he could turn back into a 15-homer guy and provide solid-enough offense for Milwaukee.
Well, it hasn’t happened. Rengifo’s exit velocities are largely in line with his career average, but the launch-angle aspect hasn’t come to fruition at all. There’s somebad luck in Rengifo’s season results: his BABIP is just .226, and his weighted on-base average (.243) is underperforming his expected number (.296) by more than 50 points.
But that xwOBA would still be the worst for Rengifo since he became a regular player in 2022. He has zero home runs. The doubles he was hitting at the beginning of the season have mostly dried up. What’s worse, arguably, is that he’s not offering any defensive value while all of this is happening. Rengifo, depending on whether you prefer looking at DRS or OAA, is either slightly above or slightly below average in the field. He’s passable, but he’s not good.
This might be an issue for the Brewers as a whole. I say “might be” because your preferred defensive stats will influence this conversation. By DRS, the Brewers rank eighth, which is actually a slight step above the 10th-place finish they had in 2025. But by Outs Above Average, Milwaukee, at -5, is 18th; they were thirdin 2025 at +33.
Rengifo is not solely responsible for that drop in OAA. Jake Bauers is way worse in 2026 than he was in 2025. Andrew Vaughn has flipped from +5 to -2. Sal Frelick has gone from one of the team’s best defenders (+7 in 2025, behind only Joey Ortiz) to neutral (0). David Hamilton weighs heavily on the Brewers’ OAA score — at -6, he’s the worst defender they’ve had in the last two years by this measurement. (This should be taken with a grain of salt, though; DRS quite likes Hamilton’s defense, and this accounts in large part for the Brewers’ gap between DRS and OAA).
The thing about all of those other guys (save for Frelick, who might be a discussion for a different time): they’re not all that easily replaceable. The Brewers need offense from Vaughn and Bauers. Hamilton is coming around offensively, offers a lot of value as a base runner, and the Brewers may very well believe that he’s a good defensive player (which wouldn’t be unreasonable at all).
The solution
In Pratt, the Brewers have a replacement.
Will he struggle when he gets the call? Probably. Pratt started the season badly at the plate, and he had just a 107 wRC+ at Double-A last season. But in his last 24 games, which covers exactly the last month, Pratt is hitting .301/398/.516 for a 143 wRC+. He’s striking out only 16.5% of the time and walking almost 13%. His wRC+ for the season was at 74 at the end of play on May 8; it’s now at 105.
And the thing about Pratt is that he could give the Brewers a huge defensive boost, not just because of his own ability but because of how the pieces would fall into place alongside him. His scouting grades give him a 60/60 fielding/arm score. People feel like he’s ready today to be plugged in at shortstop at the major league level. He might not be better than Ortiz, but he probably isn’t much worse.
My solution, then, would be to cut Rengifo, move Hamilton and Ortiz into a third-base platoon, and give Pratt the shortstop job. Hamilton is clearly better against right-handed pitching; Ortiz has reverse splits this season, but has been clearly better against left-handed pitching over the course of his career. If you believe DRS’s measure of Hamilton’s impact is more accurate than OAA’s, then you’ve vastly upgraded the defense at third base. A Hamilton/Ortiz platoon isn’t going to strike fear into opposing pitchers’ hearts, but it’s going to give you more than what Rengifo has this season.
Crucially, it paves the way for Pratt to play every day, which seems to be a major concern of management. It’ll probably be a struggle for a while at the plate, but when the guy being replaced has a 49 OPS+, I’m not all that worried about Pratt’s struggles. This is a rare move that works at two levels: it’s a pivot to the future, but it’s also a move that makes the team better today.
The case for haste
Look: I don’t like doing this. I’m acutely aware of the fact that baseball players are human beings, even if they are lavishly compensated for that work. I feel bad saying this. But the Brewers should cut their losses with Rengifo. They’re already on the hook for a $1.5 million buyout of a mutual option in 2027, and he has a clause in his contract that rewards him an extra $100,000 for every 50 plate appearance he makes at this point in the season (and more if he gets to 400+); that’s not a ton of savings, but there’s no reason Milwaukee should keep paying those bonuses. Rengifo is harming the team offensively, and he’s not helping on defense.
The Brewers are winning. That has afforded them time to wait and see if Rengifo turns it around. With the wins piling up, there’s no harm in that.
But there could be a form of harm later in the season, specifically in the postseason. It seems certain that at some point soon, the Brewers will need to come to the conclusion that Rengifo is not going to be who they want at the hot corner in a postseason series.
Maybe they think the answer is outside the organization. I’m skeptical. I haven’t really done my pre-deadline scan of the league yet, but I’m not expecting the Brewers to trade for a real difference maker at third base when they have the upcoming prospects that they have.
So if the answer is not coming from outside, that means it’s already here, and that means it’s either Pratt or Williams. Williams is struggling. Pratt is improving. The longer the Brewers wait, the less time Pratt will have to adjust to major league pitching, and the less prepared he’ll be for a potential postseason series. It’s time to make this happen.
A quick post-script
Given that Luis Lara signed a contract similar to Pratt’s after I had already done much of the research for this piece, I do feel it’s necessary to address his situation at least a little bit. Lara is now in line to come up to the big leagues if there’s any immediate need, but I don’t see it happening unless something else happens first. For one thing, Lara’s track record is far shorter than Pratt’s.
There’s also an issue of playing time. Garrett Mitchell has been good lately. Frelick hasn’t been, but he’s a favorite of the manager, and he was a three-WAR player last season and a Gold Glove winner the year before. Blake Perkins will be sent back to the minors as soon as Brandon Lockridge is ready to return, and if what Murphy said about Pratt is true — that they don’t want him in the big leagues unless he’s going to play regularly — then one would assume that would also be true of Lara, and he would thus not fill a soft-side platoon role in the majors. (Lara is also a switch-hitter, which complicates things; he’s better from the right side, so could conceivably do a loose platoon with Frelick.)
If Mitchell (or Jackson Chourio) gets hurt again, Lara will be up. If Frelick is still rocking a 70 OPS+ in August, then Lara will probably be up. But I think Mitchell and Frelick have earned some patience here that Rengifo has not, and this is why I’d make the Pratt move immediately and save Lara for later.
BALTIMORE – J.P. Crawford has held the Seattle Mariners’ shortstop position for the past eight seasons and would prefer that continue, though is prepared for change.
Cole Young was selected in the first round by the Mariners in 2022 and moved quickly through the system to fill that position - until Seattle drafted a kid just down I-70 from him who turned out to be even better.
Colt Emerson is the one with certainty – in the form of an eight-year, $95 million contract, largest ever given a player before his major league debut – yet realizes unlocking his dream job long term requires soaking up the wisdom of those who came before him.
There is an undercurrent of humanity within what could be an awkward situation – three guys, one job – and it is the Mariners who are benefiting. The defending American League West champions were 23-27 after losing on May 17, the day they summoned Emerson for his major league debut.
They’ve since won 13 of 18 games, seized first place in the West and reestablished the World Series hopes that accompanied this season after they fell two innings shy of that goal in 2025.
Along the way, they’ve fully integrated two cogs of their future – Young and Emerson – into their present. Both are benefiting from Crawford, the clubhouse sage that many have described as the Mariners’ de facto captain.
“He’s an open book. And I’m really grateful for that,” Emerson, still just 20 years old, tells USA TODAY Sports. “Him showing us support and showing us the ropes and being accepting of me is everything I could ask for.
“It’s really good to have him on this team and have his support and as a teammate.”
Crawford, 31, is in the final year of a five-year, $51 million contract. Shortly after Emerson’s arrival, he professed his willingness to move to third base, taking grounders there and expressing his desire to be a “Mariner for life.”
Off-season machinations are still months away, and the club still has prized winter trade acquisition Brendan Donovan – currently on the injured list with a groin injury – under control for another season, though Donovan can play the outfield, as well.
For now, though, he’s a de facto piece of a Mariners development machine that seems to grow more impressive every year.
“It’s his ability to relate to me and to Colt as well,” says Young of Crawford. “He knows how hard it is once you get called up. All the emotions and thoughts that come with that. He does a really good job guiding us in that direction – whether it’s on- or off-field stuff.
“He’s such a good leader and I’m so thankful to have someone like that. He’s had a huge impact on me.”
Cole Young and Colt Emerson: Same road to Seattle
While Young and Emerson feature different facets to their game, their professional indoctrinations were near carbon copies.
Young was drafted 21st overall in 2022 out of Pittsburgh’s North Allegheny High School, cracked the top 100 prospect lists a year later and reached No. 37 by 2024.
He didn’t hold the title as the Mariners’ definitive shortstop of the future for very long.
Emerson was drafted 22nd overall in 2023, emerging just down the I-70 corridor from Young out of New Concord, Ohio’s John Glenn High School. He, too, was a top 100 guy by his first full pro season, reached the top 20 two years later and was a consensus top 10 guy before this season.
As projected late first-round picks, both describe a similar journey: Exhaustive two-hour interviews over Zoom with Andy McKay, then the Mariners’ assistant general manager; Young also had a meeting with the Mariners at the MLB draft combine.
The questions only had so much to do with baseball.
“Character’s a big thing,” says Emerson. “It was a two-hour meeting of asking personal questions and character questions and what would you do in this situation, and stuff like that.”
Says Young: “They take a lot of time to know you as a person. That’s the most important thing in this game – being a good person and a good teammate goes such a long way. They really care about you as an individual and that helps you a lot as a player.”
Young’s team-first mentality would undergo a test of sorts as Emerson rumbled through the system, needing just 40 games to graduate low A ball as an 18-year-old in 2024 and vaulting two levels to finish at Class AAA Tacoma last year, posting an .842 OPS and 16 homers at the three levels.
Young was already on the varsity, making his Seattle debut May 31, playing in 77 games and sitting wide-eyed in the dugout, though not on the roster, for the Mariners’ two wild playoff series against Detroit (a five-game ALDS conquest) and Toronto (a gutting seven-game ALCS defeat).
Yet it was hard to ignore the freight train behind him in the minors. And Young hadn’t conceived that there’d be room for both he and Emerson someday.
“For me, it was just like, I’m going to try my hardest and whatever happens, happens. I’m going to come to the field every day and put in the work,” says Young. “I never imagined we’d play together – when he got drafted I was like oh, that’s cool, he’s from pretty close to me. That’s awesome.
“But I just worked really hard and once I got to know him it was like, ‘I want to play with him. I think it’d be fun.’”
Jorge Polanco’s free agent departure opened up second base for Young; he’s played in every game this season, producing a respectable 2.2 WAR in 67 games, with four homers and a .675 OPS just shy of league average.
When Donovan hit the IL in mid-May, there was a lane to third base for Emerson, who at 6 feet, 195 pounds possesses greater power potential than Young and began the season polishing his skills at Class AAA even after signing his $95 million guarantee.
Big league pitching has not daunted Emerson: He’s hit four homers in just 19 games, with an .867 OPS.
And suddenly the three shortstops comprised almost the entire infield – Emerson at third, Crawford at short, Young at second.
Funny how things work out: After Crawford was hit in the hand by a pitch June 5 in Detroit, he was placed on the IL three days later with a contusion and Emerson was penciled in at shortstop. Yet shortly before their June 8 game against the Orioles at Camden Yards, Emerson’s back spasmed.
And there was Young, making his first career start at shortstop.
“He said it’s kind of like riding a bike,” Mariners manager Dan Wilson said of Young making his first start at short since AAA ball. “It’s great to have that flexibility from him.”
Young believes it’s simply embracing the ethos that percolates through the organization.
“Everyone just wants you to grow,” he says. “As a person and a player.”
Fantastic voyage
Nowadays, that growth seems to happen at warp speed for elite players.
Emerson’s shadow in the latter portion of his amateur career was Kevin McGonigle, now an American League Rookie of the Year candidate for the Detroit Tigers. They were travel adversaries – Emerson on Team Elite, McGonigle, from neighboring Pennsylvania – for the Canes National team – and eventually Team USA teammates who won an 18U World Cup title in 2022.
Since then, they’ve traded milestones.
Emerson was picked 22nd overall by the Mariners in 2023, while McGonigle went 37th overall to Detroit. Emerson got his $95 million guarantee March 31 – but McGonigle debuted on the Opening Day roster, and then signed a nine-year, $150 million contract.
He’s also probably headed to the All-Star Game, raising a floor Emerson’s accustomed to reaching.
“That draft class was really good. A lot of great people. I don’t know any different,” says Emerson of the Class of ’23. “I think iron sharpens iron. Having those guys around, ultimately playing with them and seeing them go about their business, taking tips from them makes an impact.”
Emerson and McGonigle crossed paths last weekend when the Mariners played in Detroit; the two hung out before a game and no, there was no discussion of who’d pick up the check.
Detroit and Seattle squared off in last year’s ALDS. The titillating five-game set – Seattle prevailed in the winner-take-all Game 5 in 15 innings – and the seven-game setback that followed in Toronto unlocked a level of baseball that Young, watching from the dugout, could not fathom.
“It made me see, there’s so much to this game that I didn’t realize,” he says. “The atmosphere of those games – it’s what you play for. It’s why you work so hard.
“To play in that atmosphere. To play to win a World Series. And also, made us realize, hey, we can play in the World Series. We’re a really good team.
“Having that vision every single day is so important.”
Wilson, in his second full season as Mariners manager, presides over a 36-32 club. He appreciates that today’s young player seems uber-prepared, both due to their amateur pedigree and the good work of the Mariners’ player development arm, among other factors.
“It’s also a huge credit to those guys in the clubhouse,” says Wilson. “I know all the veterans have taken both those guys under their wing some and those guys pouring into them oftentimes makes a huge difference.
“It’s a tremendous effort on everybody’s part, but the end product is those guys come here and are able to settle in quickly and become pretty polished.”
There’s still nearly 100 games for Emerson to acclimate. He anticipates the rest of the journey to be similarly smooth.
“I feel like that’s why we have a lot of success - we ride for each other,” says Emerson.
COVERS INTEL:
