Baseball News
Texas Rangers lineup for June 16, 2026 against the Minnesota Twins: starting pitchers are Kumar Rocker for the Rangers and Zebby Matthews for the Twins.
Texas looks to even the series against the Twins. Josh Smith and Ezequiel Duran are both starting.
The lineup:
Pederson — DH
Jung — 3B
Langford — LF
Nimmo — RF
Duran — SS
Burger — 1B
Smith — 2B
Osuna — CF
Diaz — C
7:05 p.m. Central start time. Rangers are -132 favorites.
Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the MLB. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Reds fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.
There have been precious few updates regarding the back problem that send Ke’Bryan Hayes to the injured list after he last played on May 20th. We know it’s both a chronic problem and that the Cincinnati Reds placed him just on the 10-day IL instead of the 60-day, but he’s nearing a month on the shelf already and the latest update on Reds.com slated him with a ‘TBD’ return date that was last updated on May 22nd.
That’s the unknown with Hayes. The knowns, of course, are that he hasn’t hit in a half-decade, is on the cusp of being 30 years old, and has dealt with this very same back problem time after time for years. In other words, much like it did at the time the Reds oddly chose to trade for him and his long-term contract, none of that screams should be the team’s everyday 3B going forward.
While it remains to be seen whether the contract there keeps him around for another shot or if he’s designated for assignment before it’s over (a la Mike Moustakas, Jeimer Candelario, Shogo Akiyama, et al), it’s pretty clear the Reds need to plan accordingly.
What we also know is that Nathaniel Lowe is slated to be a free agent again at season’s end, removing another corner infielder from the current mix for the 2027 season. We also know that TJ Friedl, earning $3.8 million in his first trip through arbitration this year, seems like a pretty obvious non-tender candidate given that he hit so poorly that he was optioned to AAA Louisville.
In Hayes, Lowe, and Friedl, that’s a trio of players who were expected to be regulars in 2026 that the 2027 club likely won’t have, for their own reasons. Now, you can pencil in Edwin Arroyo as a replacement on the position player side as he continues to evolve into a big leaguer, and in theory he could be in the mix at 3B. Sal Stewart could presumably be the everyday 3B, but that would take Spencer Steer out of the turbid OF mix as he’d be needed at 1B everyday with that mix. The DH options in that scenario would likely be just rotating through the rest of the down-roster guys, with none of them obvious bat-first guys who deserve to be hitting even on their ‘days off.’
To me, it seems pretty clear that beyond the 2026 season, the way this current Reds roster is constructed still has a glaring need for a big bat somewhere. The versatility of Steer and Stewart means that bat could come at 1B, 3B, or even in a corner OF spot, which gives the front office flexibility in who they choose to pursue.
But what if there’s already someone on the roster right now who profiles like a pretty perfect fit there?
What if there’s a guy who can play 3B, some 1B in a pinch, or serve as the regular DH who’s deeply familiar with the way the Cincinnati Reds work? Heck, he may even be a guy who has only ever signed contracts with the Reds in his entire big league career!
What if he’s coming off the first real injury of his career, one that cost him a month and sapped a little bit of his production? What if that made locking him up for another year ASAP the absolute bargain of the century?
What if last night, when Eugenio Suárez clubbed two homers – one a grand slam – should serve as the perfect reminder that the Reds, right now, have an absolute masher in the heart of the lineup, a guy who would be a great piece of a 2027 lineup that will have Elly De La Cruz once again in his dwindling time with the Reds before he reaches free agency?
What say you…should the Cincinnati Reds try to keep Eugenio Suárez beyond this season?
Let us know!
You might remember that during Monday’s game, Craig Counsell went out to the mound with the trainer to talk with Daniel Palencia. Palencia ultimately stayed in the game, striking out three Rockies.
Evidently the team found an issue, because today Palencia was placed on the 15-day injured list with right elbow inflammation.
To replace Palencia on the active roster, the Cubs recalled right-handed pitcher Gavin Hollowell from Triple-A Iowa.
Here’s hoping this is nothing serious with Palencia. The Cubs haven’t had many save opportunities anyway so far this year. I’d guess the Cubs would go with closer-by-committee if there are any coming up.
Palencia is 2-1 with a 2.70 ERA (5 ER/16.2 IP) with three saves in 19 relief appearances with the Cubs this season.
Hollowell made one relief appearance with the Cubs this season, tossing 1.2 innings and allowing two runs on two hits. With Iowa this season, he is 2-0 with a 3.63 ERA (7 ER/17.1 IP) in 15 relief appearances.
As always, we await developments.
The Guardians announced that Angel Martinez has a non-displaced foot fracture, placed him on the IL and called up Petey Halpin.
Martinez was having a solid season with a 97 wRC+, 11 homers, 9 steals and 0.9 fWAR. His defense looked solid in the outfield, also. It’s a real shame because Martinez seemed to have a good shot at being the first Cleveland outfielder to it 20 home runs since Tris Speaker (ok, not that long, but it feels like it).
Halpin returning is an interesting choice, as one might have suspected that Kahlil Watson would get a look. Halpin has an 82 wRC+ at Columbus and Watson has a 126 wRC+ there. It may indicate some doubts about Watson’s glove in centerfield. Both Halpin and Watson have whiff and chase concerns. Halpin has consistently put up .770 OPS’s against RHP in Columbus, so I would guess, for now, he will platoon with Stuart Fairchild in center field while Steven Kwan moves back more of a strictly left field role. Halpin offers good speed and great defense, so there’s a solid floor there the Guardians are relying on for the time being. They may also be holding off on Watson’s debut to allow his family time to travel and making it a home debut for when they come off this road trip. We will see.
Typically, such injuries require 6-12 weeks of recovery time, so the Guardians can likely put Martinez on the 60-Day IL if they need a roster spot. I’d guess we probably won’t see Angel in the outfield until the end of August, which is a real bummer.
Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the MLB. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Rockies fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.
With the halfway mark of the season coming, and the trade deadline approaching fast, Colorado Rockies fans are thinking about rebuilding and roster construction. It’s possible the Rockies make some trades, but it’s also quite possible that they keep some core players to build around for the future.
Over the last few years, Brenton Doyle and Ezequiel Tovar have won Gold Gloves; Hunter Goodman won a Silver Slugger and was an All-Star in 2025; and Jordan Beck has shown flashes of brilliance. All four have at one point or another been thought of as part of the Rockies future. But that could also mean they are viewed as potential trade chips to bring back a haul of prospects to build a better team in the future.
But let’s ask a hypothetical question this week: If you could only keep oneof those four players to build around, who would you keep?
Let us know!
Sign up for a user account and get:
Please keep in mind our Purple Row Community Guidelines when you’re commenting. Thanks!
Here are the lineups. For the Phillies:
For the Marlins:
Let’s talk about it.
Prior to tonight’s game against the Reds, the team designated infielder Vidal Bruján for assignment and added Zack Short, whom they claimed off waivers yesterday, to the major league roster. The team also added Kodai Senga back to the roster to make the start tonight, and optioned Jonathan Pintaro to Triple-A.
Bruján had just one hit in 11 at-bats for the club during his tenure, slashing .091/.167/.091 in nine games. Despite Francisco Lindor’s injury, which could have opened the door to more playing time for a club with few options at shortstop, he didn’t see the field much and was ineffective when he did. The team will instead opt to give Short a chance. Short performed marginally better than Bruján this season, collecting six hits in 36 at-bats for the Tigers before being DFAed. He hit .167/.304/.222 for Detroit this season.
The club also activated Senga off the IL to make the start tonight. Pintaro, who came in yesterday in relief of Tobias Myers, served as the corresponding roster move. The right-hander ate valuable innings in last night’s defeat, hurling 3 2/3 innings and allowing two earned runs on three hits. He struck out four and did not walk a batter. On the season, he’s allowed three earned runs in 10 1/3 innings for New York. Senga, meanwhile, will look to get his season back on track after struggling before his injury. In five starts, he posted a 9.00 ERA.
MILWAUKEE — Cooper Pratt has reached the major leagues 2 ½ months after the Milwaukee Brewers signed the shortstop prospect to an eight-year, $50.75 million contract.
The Brewers called the 21-year-old Pratt up from Triple-A Nashville before opening a three-game series with the Cleveland Guardians. They made room for Pratt by designating third baseman Luis Rengifo for assignment.
Brewers officials showed their faith in Pratt when they signed him on April 3 to an eight-year deal that includes club options for 2034 and 2035. The $50.75 million contract includes escalators that could raise the value by $10 million if he repeatedly finishes high in MVP voting and the team exercises those two options.
Pratt won a Gold Glove as the top shortstop in the minor leagues in 2024 and has continued to play outstanding defense ever since. His hitting is more of a work in progress.
Pratt was hitting .241 with a .349 on-base percentage, six homers, 32 RBIs and 17 steals in 58 games with Triple-A Nashville this season. He batted .238 with a .343 on-base percentage, eight homers, 62 RBIs and 31 steals in 120 games with Double-A Biloxi last year.
“We believe in the bat,” Brewers president of baseball operations Matt Arnold said when Pratt signed his contract. “We believe in the glove, certainly. This guy is really toolsy, too. He’s very athletic. He’s a big, physical kid, so we think there’s a chance to grow into some power. And he can really run. When you have that kind of athletic foundation, it’s a really good thing.”
The Brewers can afford to be patient with Pratt’s bat as long as he fields the way he did in the minor leagues.
Milwaukee has received little offensive production from the left side of its infield all season, yet the Brewers lead the NL Central by 4 ½ games over St. Louis as they chase their fourth straight division title. The versatile David Hamilton had been splitting time with Joey Ortiz at shortstop and with Rengifo at third base.
Hamilton is batting .231 with a .316 on-base percentage, .320 slugging percentage, three homers, 11 RBIs and 14 steals in 58 games. Ortiz is hitting .207 with a .299 on-base percentage, .262 slugging percentage, one homer, 14 RBIs and five steals in 60 games.
Rengifo was hitting .205 with a .280 on-base percentage, .254 slugging percentage, no homers, 19 RBIs and three steals in 57 games.
Pratt was one of two Brewers prospects to sign a lucrative long-term deal this year while still in the minors. Luis Lara, a 21-year-old outfielder playing for Nashville, signed a seven-year deal worth $31 million.
Having hit .275/.351/.392 in 14 rehab games with Triple-A Oklahoma City, Edman is finally back with the Dodgers after offseason surgery to repair the ankle injury that limited him throughout 2025. He'll be a part-timer initially and probably won't make an immediate impact in shallow leagues. However, he should prove to be rather valuable over the final three months.
⚾️ Baseball is back! MLB returns to NBC and Peacock in 2026! In addition to becoming the exclusive home of Sunday Night Baseball, NBC Sports will broadcast MLB Sunday Leadoff, “Opening Day” and Labor Day primetime games, the first round of the MLB Draft, the entire Wild Card round of the postseason, and much more.
Edman hasn't really been at full strength since 2023, when he hit 13 homers and stole 27 bases for the Cardinals. The Dodgers acquired him at the 2024 trade deadline, even though he was still recovering from wrist surgery that had kept him out all season. They then gave him a five-year, $74 million contract extension prior to 2025 after just 37 regular-season games and a strong run in the postseason. Last year, he started strong before the ankle injury but then turned in his worst season to date, finishing at .225/.274/.382 in 97 games. It's fair to wonder if he'll return to previous form after all the missed time. The Triple-A stint wasn't particularly encouraging in that regard, as he struck out 28 percent of the time and had a 26 percent hard-hit rate.
A big part of what makes Edman worth betting on, if not now then in a couple of weeks, is that he's a Dodger. He should eventually turn into a lineup fixture for the best offense in baseball. Even last year, when he wasn't at his best, he had 49 runs and 49 RBI in his 97 games. With Dodger Stadium boosting homers for righties and lefties alike, the switch-hitting Edman has gone deep 12 times in his 60 home starts the last two years. It's unclear if he'll reemerge as a strong basestealer right away or at all, but he's always been exceptional when he chooses to run, having gone 115-for-133 on the basepaths in his career. After 13 games without trying a steal, he did collect one in his final Triple-A game on Sunday. He might not be more than a fringy mixed leaguer if he declines to run, but it'd be nice to have him stashed and see how fares the rest of the month.
Finally bailing on Nolan Gorman, the Cardinals called up Jordan last week to take over at third base. The 23-year-old's bat demanded it, as he was hitting .313/.373/.548 with more extra-base hits (31) than strikeouts (29) in 252 plate appearances for Triple-A Memphis. His glove... well, that might still be an issue.
From 500-foot homers at 13 years old to his first Major League homer
— MLB (@MLB) June 13, 2026
Blaze Jordan has arrived pic.twitter.com/J11IavvuMB
Jordan has split time between third and first every year since the Red Sox made him a third-round pick in 2020. Expectations have always been that he'd wind up at first or as a DH for the long haul, but third base is what the Cardinals have open for now. Range is the issue for him at the hot corner, but he'll handle what he gets to and make strong throws. Having an excellent shortstop next to him in Masyn Winn will help.
Offensively, Jordan still doesn't show as much power as his frame suggests, but he's gotten quite a bit better there this year. His hard-hit rate jumped from 34 percent in his 85 games in Triple-A last year to 42 percent this season, yet his strikeout rate still held steady at 11-12 percent. He hits too many groundballs, mostly because he's just really good at making contact; breaking balls that would produce missed swings much of the time instead turn into foul balls and groundouts when Jordan gets a piece. Jordan will have to become more selective to turn into a major threat. As is, though, he's still probably a contributor. As much contact as he makes, he'll be a nice RBI guy once he settles into the middle of the order.
Last time Mitchell was featured here was on Apr. 7, when he was rostered in 15 percent of leagues. That the number has gone down makes some sense, as he slumped in the first half of May and faced playing time questions as Christian Yelich and Andrew Vaughn returned from injury. Mitchell, though, seems back on solid footing. He's batting .307/.366/.560 with three homers in 22 games since May 14. He also seems to have overtaken Sal Frelick on Milwaukee's outfield depth chart, keeping him in the lineup when the team opts to play Jake Bauers in a corner or gives Blake Perkins a chance against a lefty.
Mitchell is probably going to remain streaky going forward. He strikes out far too much, and though his exit velocity numbers are impressive, he's developed a bad habit of hitting too many balls on the ground this season. Mitchell’s Statcast page is truly remarkable. He's in the 96th percentile of major leaguers in bat speed and the 97th percentile in sprint speed. And he's in the first percentile in strikeout rate. In truth, he's probably swinging a little too hard. It's kind of nuts that he can be in the 91st percentile in chase rate yet in the second percentile in whiff rate. It's basically just him and Munetaka Murakami with that profile this year.
What's made Mitchell fairly disappointing for fantasy purposes this year is that he's just 6-for-11 stealing bases through 59 games. He'd been 23-for-28 in 141 career games coming into the season. Obviously, it's not a matter of speed. Still, Mitchell hasn't been willing to take chances lately; he hasn't attempted a steal since May 29 after being caught on his last two tries. Mitchell would need to get back to stealing bases to be an impact player in mixed leagues, but as is, he's still worth playing until his next injury arises.
- The Brewers didn't exactly wait until Cooper Pratt got hot to call him up. In fact, his .655 OPS in Triple-A this month is about 100 points lower than Joey Ortiz's .748 mark in the majors. Overall, he'd come in at .241/.349/.386 with six homers in 58 games for Nashville. He did have 17 steals in 18 attempts, but it's hard to see him being of much use in mixed leagues in the short term.
- There's no denying that Cardinals closer Riley O'Brien is a mess right now. Since opening the year with 13 consecutive scoreless appearances, he's posted a 6.88 ERA in his last 17 outings, walking 10 and hitting four batters in 17 innings. His K rate is a modest 20 percent during the span, and his usually strong groundball rate has collapsed. As good as he looked early on, he really shouldn't be closing for a major league team right now. If the Cardinals had a clear No. 2 reliever, he'd probably be worth stashing right now, but JoJo Romero, Ryne Stanek and George Soriano could all be candidates for saves if they pull the plug on O'Brien. I'd like to recommend Soriano as a sleeper, but I can't help but think Oli Marmol might default to the more veteran options.
The proof of the pudding is in the eating. Despite featuring a closer who has, at times, underperformed and lacking a clear bridge to him in the late innings, the Yankees’ relief corps has posted the third-lowest ERA in the AL. Yes, a big reason for that statistic is the fact that New York’s starters have done their part, allowing their counterparts in the bullpen to toss the second-fewest innings in the league as manager Aaron Boone has been able to put his relievers in position to succeed. But it’s also a testament to the overperforming veterans who’ve buoyed the bullpen as a whole.
As I do each month in a given season, I’m going to take a look at the Yankees’ relievers to identify how Boone is deploying each and offer a verdict as to how much trust we can place in them moving forward.
Statistics below are as of June 15th.
Recent stats (since May 15th): 11.2 IP, 3.86 ERA, 14 SO, 3.62 FIP, 4 Saves (in 5 opportunities)
After a sloppy start to the year, Bednar appears to have settled in. He’s rolled off eight straight scoreless outings, including a stretch of four hitless appearances to start the month of June. A few of those goose eggs put up by the Yankees’ closer came in games where the Yankees led by more than three runs, negating a save opportunity and perhaps providing an easier avenue for outs against an overpowered opponent. Still, zeroes are zeroes.
Confidence level: High
Bednar’s peripherals anticipated some positive regression after his early struggles, and that has started to come to fruition. Opponents are chasing on pitches outside the zone 39.4 percent of the time and putting the ball on the ground 59.8 percent of the time when they make contact, both of which are in the game’s upper echelon. Expect the eight-year veteran to continue an upward trajectory as he remains unchallenged for the ninth.
Recent stats (since May 15th): 14.2 IP, 1.23 ERA, 16 SO, 2.56 FIP
Cruz has gradually become the Yankees’ de facto set-up man. It’s not hard to see why. The 36-year-old has built on a breakout 2025, pitching to a 2.01 ERA in 34 games (only five MLB pitchers have made more appearances) while bringing an explosive intensity to the mound that has helped galvanize his teammates. As was the case last year, the only scary part of his game is control; Cruz has walked five batters over his last three appearances, creating the kind of traffic that can quickly lead to big innings.
Confidence level: High
Until proven otherwise, Cruz’s splitter remains an unstoppable force. Opponents are hitting just .117 against the pitch and are showing no signs of adjusting to its confounding vertical drop. The walks are a concern but, for now, he remains in the driver’s seat.
Recent stats (since May 15th): 11 IP, 4.09 ERA, 8 SO, 3.38 FIP
In Doval, the Yankees have a textbook case of analytics versus outcomes. The former Giants closer’s 2.76 expected ERA is sparkling; his 5.06 season ERA, not so much. FIP, looking at a 25:5 K:BB ratio but four home runs in 26.2 innings, is in between at 3.74. The good, old-fashioned eye test tells us that we have a pitcher with impressive stuff and strong control who struggles far too often to command the zone (his nearly 50 percent hard-hit rate backs this up as well). Where does that leave us?
Confidence level: Low
While Doval has pitched better of late, holding opponents off the board in his last five outings, there’s been far too much boom-and-bust in the right-hander’s game since he joined the Yankees at last year’s deadline (and before) for him to garner much trust. While he’s lost the set-up role with which he entered the season, Doval has remained in the late-inning mix and, considering his recent success, should see more opportunities, but we’re still in breath-holding mode when he enters in high leverage.
Recent stats (since May 15th): 12 IP, 1.50 ERA, 14 SO, 2.27 FIP
Headrick has been one of the sport’s biggest surprises at reliever and, considering the chasm between expectation and performance, arguably the biggest reason the Yankees’ bullpen has been as successful as it has so far this year. He’s one of those five pitchers with more than 34 appearances and has posted a 1.87 ERA while shouldering that heavy workload. Opponents are hitting below the Mendoza line against both his four-seamer and slider, the two pitches he throws nearly 85 percent of the time.
Confidence level: High
I’ve been skeptical of Headrick’s staying power in the column. And, while most metrics expect some regression, at some point you have to accept that the man is for real. Boone is using him often as a stopper in the middle innings, and to great success. As the season progresses, it will be interesting to see if he ends up throwing the southpaw into more eighth-inning work.
Recent stats (since May 15th): 9.1 IP, 9.64 ERA, 7 SO, 6.00 FIP
It finally happened, folks: Hill had a bad month. When I wrote my last installment of this series a month ago, he had an even 1.00 ERA. It’s jumped all the way up to 3.95 after a doozy of a stretch that saw two different four-run blow-ups and a run of nine outings in which he escaped just three without putting runs on the board. While the sidewinder’s ground-ball rate has remained typically pristine, he’s allowing more hard contact and no longer getting by on the strength of his all-world sinker.
Confidence level: High
Hill has tossed off perfect outings his last four times out, lending credence to the notion that his nine-appearance implosion was just a fever dream. Between his track record since joining the Yanks last year and the specificity of his role in the middle innings, I remain confident in the 36-year-old’s ability to deliver. All signs point to his MLB-best 69.6 percent ground-ball rate continuing to carry the day.
Recent stats (since May 15th): 7.2 IP, 5.87 ERA, 10 SO, 5.84 FIP
The Yankees just keep running Bird out there. He’s floundered since coming over at last year’s deadline, never settling in and bouncing between the bigs and Triple-A. He’s allowed 12 runs in 21 innings this year, a ratio that’s simply noncompetitive.
Confidence level: Low
Bird is a black hole in the Yankees’ bullpen right now, mostly entering in pretty close games and mostly exiting with the team worse for wear. He’s thrown more than 20 pitches just once this year, meaning he doesn’t even offer many bullets for a garbage time role. The 30-year-old’s roster spot should be considered tenuous at best, particularly since he can still be optioned down to the minors.
Recent stats (since May 15th): 12.2 IP, 1.42 ERA, 10 SO, 3.03 FIP
After mostly using him in blowouts or bulk-type roles early in the season, Boone has experimented with inserting Blackburn for shorter appearances in closer games. The former starter has acquitted himself nicely, dropping his season ERA under 3.00 while avoiding any multi-run outings despite pitching more than one inning in six of his eight appearances over the past month.
Confidence level: Medium
Outside of a strong ground-ball rate, there’s not much to indicate Blackburn has transformed himself from a middling starter into a top-tier reliever a la Luke Weaver. Still, the Yankees are getting great value out of the 32-year-old on a one-year, $2 million contract.
Recent stats (since May 15th): 7.2 IP, 3.52 ERA, 4 SO, 4.02 FIP
Clearly jumped by Blackburn in the pecking order, Yarbrough is an afterthought in the Yankees’ bullpen. He’s pitching about once a week, usually in a game that’s not particularly close. His outcomes remain serviceable but, after an excellent run last year that netted him a return engagement, it appears the honeymoon is over.
Confidence index: Low
The last man out of the bullpen is a dangerous place to be. It appears Yarbrough is sticking around because there’s no one in line to replace him who would offer more value (or who the team would not prefer to stash at Triple-A for the time being). If the Yankees add another bullpen piece — either from the minors, off another team’s scrap heap, or by bouncing a struggling Ryan Weathers to the bullpen — the veteran lefty is at serious risk of a DFA. Perhaps his best case to stick around is the team’s ability to option Bird down to Triple-A without passing him through waivers.
ARLINGTON, Texas — When St. Louis Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol saw his team had an unusual Saturday off during the season, and in the middle of a series, he had one question: “Can I make it to the soccer game?”
Not just any soccer game, a World Cup match.
The international soccer tournament, held every four years, is ongoing at 16 sites in the United States, Canada and Mexico. Those include 11 markets that also are home to a combined 13 Major League Baseball teams.
Kansas City, where the Cardinals open a three-game series, is hosting six World Cup matches at the NFL stadium in the same complex with the Royals’ ballpark. The Cardinals and Royals will be off Saturday, when Ecuador plays Curaçao.
“That is the goal, yes,” Marmol said when asked if he was going to that match.
Royals first baseman Vinnie Pasquantino and his wife, who played soccer at Old Dominion, plan to be there.
“It’s strange, but it’s special circumstances,” Pasquantino said. “It’s awesome that Kansas City got access to World Cup games. So, however many years until the United States hosts again, we’ll be all right with some off days like that.”
World Cup matches are being played in the United States for the first time since 1994.
A tournament-high nine matches are being played at AT&T Stadium, the home of the NFL’s Dallas Cowboys that is adjacent to Globe Life Field. The neighboring Texas Rangers will host two split series, but also have a Monday off between home series on July 6, the day of a round of 16 match.
Texas now is in a three-game series against Minnesota that will finish Thursday, after a pause Wednesday when powerhouse England plays its Cup opener against Croatia.
“It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” said Rangers designated hitter Joc Pederson, who played soccer as a kid in California.
The Rangers completed a road trip Sunday in Boston, with thousands of Scottish fans chanting and singing at Fenway Park the night after Scotland won the opener of its first World Cup appearance in 28 years. That win over Haiti was at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, about 30 miles away.
Rangers manager Skip Schumaker said the presence of the Tartan Army made it feel like a European soccer game. He and members of his staff now want to attend the World Cup.
“It was so much fun that on the off day the majority of our staff is trying to find a way to get tickets to go to a game that they know really nothing about because of the atmosphere that was so incredible,” Schumaker said. “The passion was insane.”
In Philadelphia, the Phillies will be off Friday during their home series against the New York Mets since Brazil plays Haiti at nearby Lincoln Financial Field.
Like for the Rangers, Royals and Seattle Mariners, the home of the Phillies is next to an NFL stadium hosting some of the 104 matches during the nearly six-week tournament with teams from 48 nations. Those stadiums all have shared parking lots.
Texas and Kansas City both are off for round of 32 Cup matches on July 3, a Friday. The Rangers will have already opened a series against Detroit, while the Royals wait to start an unusual Saturday through Monday series against the Phillies.
Either the Mets or Yankees have a home game on each of the eight dates World Cup matches are at MetLife Stadium across the river in New Jersey, including the championship finale July 19, when the Yankees also host Shohei Ohtani and the World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers. Yankee Stadium is about 14 miles from the Meadowlands, with Citi Field about 24 miles away.
World Cup matches at SoFi Stadium will be about 13 miles from Dodger Stadium and 35 miles from Angel Stadium. Either the Dodgers or Angels play at home on six of the eight match dates in Inglewood. Those other two dates fall on normal off days during a homestand, one for each team.
With separation between stadiums, Atlanta, Boston, Houston, Miami and Toronto all will play multiple home games that concur with World Cup matches in their markets.
There still will be a split series for the Angels when they go to Seattle, with a midweek break July 1 for a round of 16 Cup match.
The Mariners originally were scheduled to have a home doubleheader Saturday against Boston with the United States playing Australia in Seattle. But when match time at Lumen Field was set at noon local Friday, the Mariners and Red Sox switched to a traditional three-game series with the opener that night, instead of playing MLB’s first scheduled doubleheader in two years.
The San Diego Padres were on the wrong end of the best start of Dustin May’s major league career. The righty threw nine shutout innings against the Friars with some help from some key defensive plays by the St. Louis Cardinals. The Padres only had one real rally in the seventh inning and it was quashed by a lucky double play.
Starter Lucas Giolito pitched well, surrendering just three runs across five innings of work. He looked better than he has in his last few outings, commanding his pitches well apart from a two-run fourth inning. But it was impossible for Giolito to keep up with May. Thankfully, San Diego staved off a perfect game after six perfect innings from the right-hander. Still, he pitched a one-hitter and gave up just one walk to Fernando Tatis Jr.
The Padres’ offense had looked great for the last few games until Tuesday night. Hopefully the Friars can right the ship in Game 2, and force their fourth consecutive rubber match.
Pallante has been a solid starter for St. Louis to start the year. He boasts a 3.88 ERA and 1.26 WHIP through 69 2/3 innings. He’s been incredibly consistent throughout the year, surrendering less than four runs except for three of Pallante’s starts.
Most of the Friars have yet to face the right-hander. The only batter to have any success has been Manny Machado. The star third baseman owns a career .273 batting average in 11 at-bats against Pallante.
King has put up a fantastic season with the Friars, posting a 3.46 ERA and 72 strikeouts through 80 2/3 innings. He’s had some rough outings lately but bounced back somewhat against the Cincinnati Reds (3 ER, 6.2 IP).
Unlike Pallante, King has faced plenty of the Cards’ hitters. The ace has had plenty of success against the St. Louis lineup, with the group having a combined .148 batting average when facing King. Should he have the same success tonight, it would be huge for San Diego.
The offense struggled in an (almost) historic way on Monday night. San Diego had been slugging their way to victory in the last two series, scoring an average of 5.2 runs per game against Cincinnati and the Baltimore Orioles. It was a resurgent performance for the Friars. Hopefully the club can regain that momentum against Pallante in Game 2.
Monday night was Taylor’s first game out of the lineup since last Saturday against the New York Mets. He’s been a spark plug for the Friars offense so his departure came at a difficult time. He figures to be back in the lineup with manager Craig Stammen back after serving his one-game suspension for Saturday’s debacle with the O’s.
With Wandy Peralta being used as an opener, the Padres only had to turn to Kyle Hart to cover the final two frames for the San Diego pitching staff. Hart was called up in Mason Miller’s place after the latter was placed on the bereavement and family medical leave list ahead of Game 1.
With just those two relievers being used, San Diego has a plethora of options to turn to tonight. Jason Adam, Ron Marinaccio, Yuki Matsui, Adrian Morejon, David Morgan and Bradgley Rodriguez are all available out of the bullpen. Marinaccio and Matsui haven’t been used since Saturday, and Morgan since Friday’s game against Baltimore. Those three will likely be the first out of the ‘pen once King exits the game.
There is no way to sugarcoat it, the Atlanta Braves have struggled offensively this month. In fact, only three teams have scored fewer runs since the start of June. Of course, there are some excuses in terms of injuries, but the fact remains the same that the offense needs to get rolling again.
This evening the Braves are facing the San Francisco Giants who will be bringing Adrian Houser and his 5.54 ERA to the mound. With the news that reigning ROTY winner and first place All-Star vote getter Drake Baldwin will be back, there is hope that the Braves can catch a spark.
Baldwin coming back in itself is huge, but factor in that the catcher position for the Braves since the Baldwin injury is dead last in fWAR in all of MLB, it amplifies how big of a deal the return is.
As mentioned earlier, Houser is struggling this season for the Giants, and there are a few Braves players who have done well against him in their careers. Austin Riley has seventeen at-bats against Houser and has been successful with one HR, .471 average, and .1.147 OPS. Ozzie Albies has also done well in his sixteen at-bats where he has maintained an OPS of .974 which is promising since he typically hits lefties better than righties. Michael Harris only has eight at-bats against Houser but has a .375 average against him.
Interestingly, Matt Olson has struggled in his eleven at-bats against Houser with a .182 average and .630 OPS.
Baldwin will be the one leading off with Michael Harris hitting second. It should also be noted that Ha-Seong Kim will be getting the start at SS and will be batting ninth.
Grant Holmes has struggled mightily when he faces hitters a second time in a game. Hitters are averaging a slash line of .317/.391/.663 the second time they face him in a game. With JR Ritchie now slotted in the rotation, there is a good chance we will see Didier Fuentes today.
Only four players on the Giants’ active roster have faced Holmes before and none of them have more than five at-bats. Rafael Devers is the player to watch today. He has a .400 average in his five at-bats against Holmes. Willy Adames is one for two against Holmes. Matt Chapman and Luis Arraez are both hitless in their two at-bats against Holmes.
The Giants are starting every player that has faced Grant Holmes before as both teams look to get headed in the right track in this series.
First pitch is at 7:15 pm EDT.
Earlier today, Joe asked the question about how everyone is feeling about the team’s All-Star voting results after the first round of results were released.
Now, we’re asking a different question.
Realistically, Sanchez and Schwarber are as close to locks as we can get. Sanchez is probably going to start while Schwarber will be the backup to Shohei Ohtani as the DH. They do have other candidates available, but let’s be honest: J.T. Realmuto and Bryson Stott probably aren’t going to in the All-Star Game. These other three do have a solid chance at making it.
Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the MLB. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Phillies fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.
Eric Reyzelman was glad to be back in Triple-A.
After spending all of last season with the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders, the right-handed reliever and No. 28 prospect in the Yankees organization opened this season in Double-A Somerset. He was promoted May 19th.
“I loved being in Double-A. We have a great staff, great team, love the facilities and the people over there,” Reyzelman said. “It was really good for me to go back there and get some confidence and get back to how I feel I should be pitching.
“But obviously, really good to be here. Definitely wanted to be back here and pitch well and put myself in a good spot to move through.”
Unfortunately, his return was curtailed by a trip to the injured list.
In Reyzelman’s first three outings, he allowed one run and four hits with three walks and four strikeouts in 4.1 innings. Then at Syracuse on June 3rd, he gave up four runs and three hits in two-thirds of an inning with four walks and one strikeout. He was put on the seven-day IL on June 5th.
Injuries were the primary culprit for Reyzelman’s struggles last season. He appeared in 34 games with the RailRiders and was 1-2 with a 4.29 ERA, 42 walks, and 45 strikeouts in 42 innings. He was experiencing back pain, but didn’t say a word. Being so close to The Show, he was afraid to tell the Yankees anything.
Part of the reason he didn’t say anything was due to the season he had in 2024. He went a combined 1-1 with a 1.16 ERA, 63 strikeouts, and 5-for-5 in save opportunities in 31 games across three levels: Rookie ball, High-A, and Double-A. He got an invite to big-league spring training in 2025 as a result.
“To know I was a call away, I just really, really wanted to push through,” he said. “It turned out to not be the right decision. But all of that is a learning process and experience and something that I now know how to deal with.”
Reyzelman said it was like putting a Band-Aid on a bullet hole. He would do all these short-term fixes, but all he was doing was making things worse.
Finally, after a rough outing on August 3rd against Nashville – three runs, one hit, three walks, two strikeouts in two innings – he couldn’t take the pain anymore and spoke up.
“I realized if I did go up, if there was a circumstance, a situation, if I had a couple good outings in a row, when I did get called up to the big leagues, I wouldn’t be able to bring my best self,” Reyzelman said. “I didn’t want to go up there and not pitch the way I know I can pitch. I know how tough it is, I know what the business is like. You go up there and don’t throw the ball well, it makes it a lot harder to get back up. Unfortunately, that’s how it goes sometimes. You need to be ready and the truth is I just wasn’t physically, mentally, all the stress of dealing with that. Where I was, the headspace I was in, wasn’t going to translate to good pitching performances.”
When rest and rehab didn’t work, Reyzelman had back surgery in the offseason. He also did a lot of work with Aaron Barnett in the Yankees’ mental conditioning department.
Having surgery meant Reyzelman wasn’t able to go to big-league camp this year nor able to pitch alongside fellow Triple-A arm Harrison Cohen for Team Israel in the World Baseball Classic. Then, his first outing in minor-league spring training wasn’t great.
“I went in there thinking, ‘I’m going to throw the best I’ve ever thrown,’” Reyzelman said. “That first outing it was like my body forgot what to do. I think I walked three or four in a row, gave up a couple hard hits in the zone and my velo was 91, 93. I just had to take a step back. Last year, after all those outings, I’d be so shortsighted that I’d lose sight of why I wasn’t pitching well, which was my back. I tried to make all these changes on the fly and reinvent the wheel every outing. I kind of defaulted back to that for a second and was like, ‘Oh, no. It didn’t work.’
“But we just have the best people in the business. John Kremer, our rehab coordinator, sat me down and was like, ‘Dude, it is your first time on the bump in who knows how long. You just had major surgery. Everything we’ve been doing is 100 percent right. We have a great process, you have the best routine you’ve ever had. Continue to hammer it and the results will come.’ As much as I didn’t want to listen to him, I did. It was the best advice I’ve taken. I did not change a thing in my routine since that day and progressively every outing just got better and better and better.”
It showed at Somerset. In 13 games, he was 1-1 with a 3.12 ERA, 32 strikeouts and just four walks in 17.1 innings to earn the promotion to Triple-A.
Now, it’s wait-and-see for how long Reyzelman is on the injured list before returning to the RailRiders.