Category: Baseball

The 2026 Colorado Rockies season has been bittersweet for me. I’m ecstatic that the team has been playing better and that the new front office has a clearer sense of direction, but I’m also saddened that my dad isn’t here to enjoy the climb.

I’ve missed being able to talk to him about the Rockies to lament losses, rejoice in the big wins, and theorize what the best course of action for the team is. My older brother and I will text each other about things happening during the game (usually venting frustrations about relievers giving up a lead), but there is still that missing piece for both of us. Even attending Rockies games since his passing has felt like there was an empty seat where he should have been with us, eating a hot dog and sipping a Coke.

June has turned into a particularly tough month as it marked a year since my dad passed away after his battle with cancer. June features my dad’s birthday, my parents’ wedding anniversary, and the anniversary of his passing, all within a week. Add in Father’s Day later in the month, and that’s a lot of emotional tolls to pay. I’ve thought about him a lot this month, and my mind has lingered on the idea of how much he would have loved the team’s new look this year, particularly in the player personnel.

My dad loved the Rockies and loved to cheer for the players. He’d have to rely on me to inform him about players initially, but would make his decision based on watching them play.

As I’ve watched the new faces of the 2026 Rockies, I couldn’t help but try to figure out some of the players that would likely be among his new favorites.

TJ Rumfield

There is no doubt Dad would absolutely enjoy watching TJ Rumfield. The rookie first baseman has been nothing short of amazing in his first year of big league action and has been a steadying presence at the Rockies’ most tumultuous position. His dedication to working hard and playing the game “the right way” is quite evident in his performance night after night. Dad always loved those players who spoke softly, worked hard at their craft, and let their play on the field do the talking. Rumfield so often reminds me of a mix of Todd Helton and DJ LeMahieu by his approach at the plate and the fact that I’m not sure I’ve heard him speak more than a single sentence at any given time. It’s hard not to admire the way Rumfield plays baseball and, hopefully, continues to have a fantastic season and career.

Troy Johnston

There is always a need for those fan favorite players that are mostly here for the vibes, with an added bonus of playing well. Troy Johnston checks those two boxes relatively easily. What makes Johnston such an easy player to root for is that he appears to be an infectiously joyful individual. In a world where so many star athletes approach the game like it’s a typical 9-5 because of their dedication to being the best, Johnston reminds us that it’s okay to have fun and be goofy. The defense may leave a lot to be desired, but his bat and clutch hits have been a joy to behold. I’ve also enjoyed those moments of levity where he hops into interviews to ask teammates why they are so handsome. Dad loved players like Johnston who become part of the heart and soul of a team, even for a short while.

Tomoyuki Sugano

There is always a love-hate relationship when it comes to a majority of Rockies pitchers. You rejoice when they are excellent, but curse them when they struggle. And yet, every once in a while, a pitcher comes along that you can’t help but root for every time out, no matter what, because of what he brings to the table. Tomoyuki Sugano is that type of pitcher. I can imagine that Dad would be skeptical of Sugano, like so many of us. Sure, he had a great career in Japan, but the home runs were an issue in 2025, and he’s old by baseball standards. It only took a couple of starts for Sugano to prove that he’s easily one of the most reliable and consistent starters for the Rockies this season. He is in the mold of the “old school” pitchers that pound the zone and locate very well, which my dad grew up following. When we would plan out our annual trip to Coors Field, a major part of it would be trying to figure out which starting pitcher we would see that day. Sugano is the pitcher Dad would be thrilled to see in person.

Moving forward

Through the rest of the 2025 season, the changes of the offseason, and the growth of 2026, I’ve longed for those days when I could recap what’s happening in the world of the Rockies with my dad. Having suffered through so many bad seasons, he deserved a year like 2026, where hope has begun to flourish, and that classic LoDo magic was re-conjured. He deserved to root for players like those listed above.

And yet, in a way, I can’t help but feel that this season is something of a gift from beyond for me. The team is full of players that he would adore, and he would cheer for each of them as much as he could. As I watch the players above alongside others not mentioned, I can feel like I’m still watching games with my dad, even if he isn’t here physically.

Baseball was the greatest source of bonding that I had with him, and I’m grateful that the 2026 Rockies and the new faces on the team have enabled me to enjoy that bond even more through one of the most difficult things I’ve ever experienced.

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Death. Taxes. This current era of the Atlanta Braves having nearly nothing go right for them whenever they’re in California. Petco Park has especially turned into a house of horrors for the Braves, as Atlanta has now lost nine straight games on the road against the Padres (if you’re including the 2024 NL Wild Card series) and haven’t looked particular inspiring in most of them.

What makes the following recap so disappointing is the fact that the Braves were heading into this series buoyed by the success that they had against the NL Central-leading Brewers during their most recent series at home. Now granted, the Braves did drop the final game of that series in ugly fashion but at the same time, the Braves kind of made that a habit during their successful run earlier this season. A series win is a series win, especially against a top-tier team like Milwaukee.

Unfortunately, the momentum did not carry over from Cobb County to California and now, things are back to looking bleak after a brief weekend respite. Let’s go ahead and get into this series.

Monday, June 22

Padres 1, Braves 0

Michael King had been having a rough go of it on the mound for San Diego as he had come into this start having given up at least three runs in each of his past five starts. I’d have to imagine that his eyes lit up once he saw those navy blue “A” hats and the jerseys with the tomahawks across the chest because those seem to always inspire confidence in the San Diego hurler.

It felt a lot like 2024 on this particular night as Atlanta was unable to really get anything going against King as he tossed seven strong innings. Meanwhile, Atlanta’s pitching staff did a tremendous job of making San Diego’s lineup scuffle as well and we ended up having a predictable pitchers’ duel in Petco Park. Grant Holmes was once again unable to get deep into a start and while he did a great job of limiting San Diego’s damage, it was certainly annoying to see him give up a dinger to the currently-struggling Manny Machado

As such, since Atlanta’s offense was unable to make anything happen in response to the Machado homer, the Braves ended up having to deal with Adrian Morejon and Mason Miller, which meant that the Braves ended up losing by one run.

Tuesday, June 23

Padres 7, Braves 6

I’m not going to lie to you, the second inning of this game felt a LOT like 2025 when this team was seemingly allergic to success. That was when something truly rare for the Braves at Petco Park happened for them: A big inning. Atlanta put up four (yes, four!) runs in the second inning with Rowdy Tellez plating two RBI on a single, Michael Harris II smacking a double that brought in Drake Baldwin and Matt Olson welcoming Kyle Hart into the game (who inherited a bases-loaded mess from Griffin Canning) by walking the bases loaded. Atlanta was up 4-0 in the second inning! Life was good! I could taste colors! I could see sounds!

Then it was almost as if the Braves remembered the stadium and state that they were playing in and things went to pot almost immediately afterwards. In the immediate next frame, JR Ritchie proceeded to have a nightmare inning after getting the leadoff runner out. The next six runners all reached base safely as two consecutive walks turned into a horror inning for Ritchie. Once the smoke cleared, a four-run lead had quickly turned into a one-run deficit and frustration abounded in the visitors’ dugout.

Fortunately, Atlanta did respond after Ozzie Albies cashed in a Money Mike single by cracking a double to tie the game up and then Mauricio Dubón came up big yet again as he hit a dinger at Yuki Matsui’s expense to put Atlanta back in front.

However, this is California (and it’s Petco Park in particular) which means that the good times couldn’t possibly last for long. Carlos Carrasco ended up getting pressed into duty for two innings in this one and the second inning is when the other shoe finally dropped. Fernando Tatis Jr. came into this series with a grand total of two (2) homers across the entire season. He left this series with three, as his third homer of 2026 was hit off of Cookie Carrasco and it tied the game at six. The Braves ended up having to deal with Adrian Morejon and (two innings of) Mason Miller, which meant that the Braves ended up losing by one run in extras after Manny Machado (of course) walked it off.

Wednesday, June 24

Padres 5, Braves 2

The Braves did not have to deal with Adrian Morejon and Mason Miller since they were both down, but nonetheless, they were unable to make anything happen against David Morgan, Wandy Peralta and Jason Adam so the Braves ended up losing and getting swept in a three-game series for the first time all season. Joey Bart hit a home runs off of JP Sears in order to chase him from the game, so that was cool. Other than that, this was a fitting end to yet another horror show of a series in San Diego for the Braves.

Yep, there’s no sugarcoating this. This is some bad baseball being played by the Braves at the moment. Never mind the fact that Petco Park has suddenly turned into a nightmare factory for Atlanta, the Braves are in a serious funk right now and it’s honestly starting to get annoying. It’s one thing to go through a slump like this — it happens to all teams and if it didn’t, we’d regularly see the best teams win around 120 games and winning 100 wouldn’t really be anything special. With that being said, it’s starting to get really concerning!

The Braves just need a spark right now and while there are plenty of candidates on this team who are clearly capable of doing something to really get the rest of the team going, it’s hard to see who’s going to do it at the moment. It also doesn’t help that any time the offense makes something happen, the Braves end up in a situation like we saw on Tuesday when any good times are extremely short-lived and they’re back in the mud again. Whether it’s the inconsistent offense or the unreliable starting pitching, there’s a lot that needs to be fixed at the moment.

Whatever the case may be, things have got to get fixed and soon. Considering how far ahead the Braves were in the standings not all that long ago, it’s actually kind of wild that it’s very much possible that the Phillies may catch and possibly even surpass the Braves in the NL East race soon. Atlanta still has the upper hand but if this continues for much longer, the once-inconceivable could happen and Atlanta could have a fight on their hands with not even the All-Star break having passed yet. That’s how quickly things have changed in this division and if the Braves want to avoid the nightmare scenario, they will have to find their groove quickly.

Unfortunately, there’s still one more California series left in this road trip which means that things could very get worse before they get better. There was a time when a series against the team of San Francisco’s caliber would’ve had both the team and the fans licking their chops at what’s to come. Now, it just feels like there’s a sense of foreboding doom at the moment. Again, it’s just a moment but it sure would be nice to see the Braves break out of this slump as soon as possible. I genuinely thought that we might’ve seen Atlanta break out of it with that series win against the first-place Brewers but the California nightmare has ensured that this slump continues for at least another few games.

Many years, the Seattle Mariners reaching the midway point of the season above .500 would be seen as a distinct success. Similarly, reaching Game #82 in first place by 2.5 games would be a state of abject glee. But the expectations are different in 2026, and the rubber match of Seattle’s series with the Pittsburgh Pirates will once again give Seattle a shot to win a series or drop to .500.

On the heels of Wednesday’s drubbing, the M’s will run out nearly the same lineup as a night ago against Pirates rookie RHP Bubba Chandler. Chandler entered 2026 as one of the sport’s top pitching prospects, albeit of a lesser caliber to Paul Skenes when he arrived on the scene a few years prior. Bryce Miller will oppose him, Seattle’s least-heralded hurler at times whose start to 2026 has been outright dominant.

Lineups

The lineup looks potent still, albeit with Cal Raleigh taking a DH day to let Mitch Garver work behind the dish. That puts Dominic Canzone on the bench for now.

Pittsburgh made a roster move before the game today, placing disciplined leadoff hitter INF Spencer Horowitz on the injured list with a hamstring strain and recalling INF Jack Brannigan in his place.

Game Information

First Pitch: 9:35 a.m. PDT

TV:Mariners.TV, with Aaron Goldsmith, Angie Mentink and sideline analyst Brad Adam

Radio: 710 AM Seattle Sports, with Gary Hill Jr. and Shannon Drayer

Today marks the 54th birthday of Carlos Delgado.

Carlos Delgado was born in Aguadilla, Puerto Rico. The Blue Jays signed him as an amateur free agent in 1988 when he was just 16. He climbed through the minor league system as a catcher. He quickly became our top prospect; he hit 30 home runs in Dunedin in 1992 at 20 years old and 25 the following season at Double-A Knoxville.

Carlos was called up to Toronto at the end of the 1993 season, the team’s second World Series-winning year, but he only appeared in a few games. Nonetheless, the Jays awarded him a World Series ring. The following season, Carlos began the year with Toronto and played most of the early games in left field. He started strong, posting a 1.028 OPS on April 24th with 8 home runs, but then struggled and was sent back to the minors in early June, hitting .215/.352/.438 at the time. Manager Cito Gaston was known for his lack of patience with young players, and it’s possible Delgado could have benefited from more time to adjust. Notably, Bill James predicted he’d be an MVP candidate by 2000, and Carlos fulfilled that potential several times.

In 1995, the Jays brought Delgado up at the end of April, but Cito used him mainly as a pinch hitter, and he didn’t hit much in the 25 at-bats he was given that month (it was more important to keep Joe Carter’s .300 OBP in the lineup). The Jays sent Delgado back down. They brought him back up in September, where he played more, but still didn’t hit much.

Finally, in 1996, Carlos got to stay up with the Jays for the entire season. DHing most of the time, he hit .270/.353/.490 with 25 homers and 82 RBI. After the season, the Jays traded John Olerud to make room at first base for Carlos.

Carlos opened 1997 as the DH while Joe Carter played first base, but by late May, Delgado took over at first and kept the job for the next eight years. He had a great year, hitting .262/.350/.528 with 30 homers and 91 RBI.

In 1998, Carlos played first base full-time, and his numbers took another big jump. He hit .292/.385/.592 with 38 homers and 115 RBI. He received MVP votes and finished fifth in the league in slugging average.

Delgado followed with another terrific season in 1999, hitting .272/.377/.571 and setting career highs in home runs (44), RBI (134), runs (113), and walks (86). He won his first Silver Slugger award and finished 12th in MVP voting. Additionally, he tied George Bell’s single-season team record for RBI. Delgado likely would have set a new record if he hadn’t broken his tibia after fouling a ball off his leg and missing the final ten games.

In 2000, Carlos played in all 162 games and led the league with 57 doubles. He hit .344/.470/.664, had 41 homers, and set a new team record with 137 RBI. Carlos also took 123 walks and led the league, being hit by a pitch 15 times. He made the All-Star team for the first time, came in 4th in MVP voting, won the AL Hank Aaron Award (for best hitter), and was the Sporting News Player of the Year. He also got his second Silver Slugger award. Also, Carlos finished 4th in the league in batting average, 2nd in on-base average, 2nd in walks, 2nd in slugging, and first in total bases.

His .664 slugging average is the Jays’ single-season record, and his .344 BA and .470 OBP are the second-best in Jays’ history. He also had the Jays’ season-highs in total bases, doubles, walks, extra-base hits, and runs created. He was AL Player of the Week twice and had a 22-game hit streak. He was one of seven Jays to hit 20 homers and one of three with 30.

Delgado appeared in all 162 games again in 2001. Although his numbers declined from the previous year, he still produced a solid .279/.408/.540 line with 39 home runs, 102 RBI, and 111 walks—impressive for what was considered a down season. It marked his fourth straight season with over 35 home runs and 100 RBI. He also recorded the first stolen base of his MLB career.

His numbers fell more in 2002. He hit .277/.406/.549 with 33 homers, 108 RBI, and 102 walks. He finished 4th in the league in OBP, 8th in slugging, and 4th in walks. Carlos was the first Jay to hit 30 homers in 6 consecutive seasons and 100 RBI in 5. He missed a game on August 4th to snap a streak of 432 straight games played. Then he went on the DL for just the second time in his career in late August with a stiff back.

Carlos had a bounce-back season in 2003, hitting .302/.426/.593 with 42 home runs and a new career and franchise high in RBI with 145, which led the league. He made the All-Star team, got the Silver Slugger award, and came second in the MVP voting. He finished 2nd in slugging, on-base, home runs, and walks.

It was his seventh straight year with 30 home runs, sixth with 100 RBI, and fifth with 100 runs. Among other achievements, he had 97 RBI at the All-Star break and four home runs in a game on September 25th. In addition, he reached base 334 times, setting another team record.

The 2004 season was Delgado’s last with the Blue Jays. He missed about a month due to a strained rib cage and, for the first time since 1997, didn’t reach 100 RBI. Still, he finished with 32 home runs and a .269/.372/.545 batting line.

After the season, Carlos was a free agent, and the team decided not to sign him. JP wanted to cut the salary, and Carlos had made $19.7 million in 2004. He signed a four-year contract with the Florida Marlins. When the team missed the playoffs, Carlos got the blame. I find bad organizations, and often fans, will blame the team’s best player for the team’s shortcomings.

After one season with the Marlins, they cut payroll and traded Delgado to the Mets for Mike Jacobs, Yusmeiro Petit, and Grant Psomas. Carlos then played four seasons for the Mets, making the playoffs for the first time in 2006 and losing to the Cardinals in the NLCS in 2007.

Carlos retired with a .280/.383/.546 line and 473 home runs in 2035 games. He was one and out on the Hall of Fame ballot, only getting 3.8% of the votes in 2015. He deserved better. He may have lost some votes because he would stay in the dugout for the God Bless America, making a silent protest against the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Rob Neyers’ Big Book of Baseball Lineups lists him as the best Jays first baseman and the worst defensive first baseman in the Jays’ history. Considering John Mayberry played first for us, that’s saying something. He’s right; Delgado was never very good with the glove, but we never had a better hitter.

Carlos was awarded the Roberto Clemente Award in 2006 for ‘good play and strong work in the community.’ He does work for many charities in Puerto Rico.

He has had his moments of controversy. He protested the war in Iraq by not standing during ‘God Bless America’ (he was ahead of his time). He said,” I feel so sad for the families that lost relatives and loved ones in the war. But I think it’s the stupidest war ever.”

He is married and has two children, a son and a daughter.

It is also Mike Stanley’s birthday; he turns 63 today.

Stanley had a 15-year MLB career. He was an offence-first catcher, hitting .270/.370/.458 in 1467 MLB games, with 187 home runs. He was never a good defensive catcher, but when you can get a corner infielder’s type of bat from your catcher, you put up with the less-than-great defense.

Stanley signed with the Jays as a free agent before the 1998 season, hitting .240/.353/.472 with 22 home runs before being traded to the Red Sox at the trade deadline. The trade worked out well for the Red Sox, and they made the playoffs that year.

It didn’t do much for the Jays. We received Jay Yennaco and Peter Munro. Yennaco never made it out of the minors. Munro pitched in 40 games for the Jays, starting 5, and put up a 1-3 record and a 6.00 ERA.

Happy Birthday to both Carlos and Mike. I hope you both have a great one.

Go Rays!

Lance McCullers Jr., on the IL since May 19 with a right rotator cuff impingement, is scheduled to make his first rehab start tonight with the Sugar Land Space Cowboys at Constellation Field.

Josh Hendrickson is currently listed as the Space Cowboys starter tonight when the team hosts the El Paso Chihuahuas.

That, combined with the wording of the tweet from the Triple-A team, indicate McCullers will likely get a 1 inning appearance out of the bullpen.

McCullers showed promise in spring and had a terrific first start of the season, but it has been a struggle for the veteran ever since with fluctuating velocity levels and intermittent command.

McCullers currently sports a 2-3 record with a 6.86 ERA and 1.53 WHIP over 8 starts in 39.1 IP.

Good…morning?

Yes, good morning, everyone. To conclude their four-game series in St. Petersburg, the Royals and Rays face each other on this fine Thursday a.m. It’s not every day that you can watch baseball before noon–well, maybe it is if you live out west, but rare is this chance for Kansas Citians.

At stake: the series! The Royals won the first two games against the Rays in vastly different fashions before dropping last night’s ho-hum contest. Now, Kansas City can take the series with a victory while the Rays, bless their hearts, can only split the series.

Let’s check out the lineups with the Royals first, of course.

Once more, Bobby Witt Jr. is not in the lineup, nor has he been placed on the Injured List. Maybe he’ll show up in Chicago.

But focusing on those starting, Carter Jensen remains in the leadoff spot, where he’s hit very well. I’m glad to see Nick Loftin getting another start, although, I mean, who else is there to play over him? Jac Caglianone didn’t hit a home run yesterday, so he’s clearly a bust. Lane Thomas is batting cleanup. Sure, whatever. Salvador Perez remains in the sixth spot, Isaac Collins and Starling Marte round out the outfield, and Tyler Tolbert starts at short.

The Royals face Opener–I refuse to call this man a starting pitcher–Casey Legumina. Have you heard of him? If so, kudos. I hadn’t, though I’m not exactly a Rays fan. It’ll be his 17th appearance for the Rays after appearing in eight games to start the season with the Mariners. Looking at his numbers…he’s fine.

Seth Lugo is on the mound for the Royals. Recently on 810 Sports Radio, ESPN’s Jeff Passan named Lugo as the biggest Royal name to be moved at this year’s deadline. Makes sense. I like Lugo a lot, but he’s probably better off pitching for a contender (he’s already 36) while bringing back a younger piece or two to Kansas City.

Lugo’s last outing was an odd one. He picked up the win against the Cardinals after surrendering only one earned run (two runs total) through six. He gave up five hits and allowed three walks while not striking out a single batter. In fact, his strikeouts have decreased each of his last four starts from six to four to two to zero. Expect negative strikeouts today.

Here’s the Rays lineup:

Game starts at 11:10 a.m. CST.

Seattle Mariners vs. Pittsburgh Pirates, June 25, 2026, 12:35 p.m. ET

The Pittsburgh Pirates are hosting the Mariners for their final game of a three-game set in a Thursday matinee at PNC Park.

Bubba Chandler is drawing the start for the Buccos, and he’s coming off a game in which he pitched six innings against the Colorado Rockies on June 19 at Coors Field. Chandler went six innings, giving up just two earned runs, but could not grab the win as he failed to generate any run support. The Pirates offense will have to step up against the Mariners, but they won’t have it easy against Bryce Miller.

Miller has been very impressive since entering the rotation in the middle of May. He has a 3-0 record with a 1.58 ERA. He hasn’t given up more than two earned runs in any start this season and has gone at least five innings in every appearance he’s made. This doesn’t bode well for the Pirates, who have been inconsistent with their offense as of late.

With the Pirates slipping in the standings, they need to ensure that they aren’t dropping too many games, especially at home. The halfway point of the season has come and gone, so the Pirates’ margin for error is growing increasingly thin for the standings.

Location: PNC Park, Pittsburgh, PA

Broadcast: KDKA AM/FM, Sportsnet Pittsburgh

Pitching Matchup: Bryce Miller (3-1, 1.58 ERA) vs. Bubba Chandler (2-7, 4.62 ERA)

BD community, chime off in the comments section below.

Toledo Mud Hens 5, Worcester Red Sox 4 (BOX)

The WooSox got out to a 3-0 lead in the first inning on Wednesday against the Mud Hens (DET), thanks to a two-run double from Allan Castro. The pitching was unable to hang on, though, with starter Raymond Burgos allowing four runs (three earned) in four innings. Reliever Tyler Samaniego gave up a home run in the fifth, to get the loss, falling to 1-1 with a 5.56 ERA in his time at Triple-A. Samaniego had a 2.66 ERA in the big leagues over 20 1/3 innings, but has struggled at Worcester over 11 1/3 minor league innings. 

Braiden Ward had two hits for the Woo Sox in the leadoff spot, stealing his 33rd and 34th bags of the season. Ward would be a great September call-up when the rosters expand for his speed, or even the last guy on the bench in a playoff series … never mind. 

Brayan Bello (0-0, 5.19) will get the ball for the Woo Sox on Thursday at 6:45. 

Lastly, when I used to read the Boston Globe box scores meticulously every day as a kid, my favorite team name in any sport or level was the Toledo Mud Hens. I’m just glad this team name still exists in the same form.

Portland Sea Dogs 10, Hartford Yard Goats 4 (BOX)

The Sea Dogs exploded for 14 hits against the Yard Goats (COL) on Wednesday, in a 10-4 rout. Portland also had eight walks and a hit by a pitch on the day. By my math, that’s 23 baserunners. Tons of multi-hit efforts, including three from Matt Fraizer, and two from Franklin Arias, Nate Baez, Jack Winnay, and Marvin Alcantara. 

Starting pitcher Hayden Mullins fell one out short of qualifying for the win, going 4 2/3 with 6 strikeouts and 2 runs allowed. Michael Sansone took it from there, going the final 4 1/3 for the win, allowing 2 runs. Hopefully, this is a step in the right direction for Mullins, who was excellent a year ago (2.21 ERA between High-A and Double-A) but had not gotten out of the fourth inning in three consecutive starts. 

Gage Ziehl (3-2, 4.56) will start for the Sea Dogs on Thursday at 7:10. 

Greenville Drive 5, Asheville Tourists 0 (BOX)

The best performance of the day throughout the minor leagues for the Red Sox was from last year’s eighth-round pick, Dylan Brown. Brown dominated Asheville (HOU) hitters over seven innings, striking out 11. Brown has a 3.34 ERA combined between Salem and Greenville this season, in 12 games. 

Luke Heyman hit a two-run homer for the Drive, his fifth, and Antonio Anderson had a two-hit day. 

This line in the box score made me laugh. I wish I could find a video. “Ejections: Drive hitting coach Jarrett Pico ejected by HP umpire Natanael Rodriguez Garcia (2nd).”

Jojo Ingrassia (1-0, 1.52) takes the hill for Greenville at 6:45 on Thursday.

Salem RidgeYaks 5, Myrtle Beach Pelicans 4 (BOX)

The RidgeYaks got ahead early, thanks to home runs from Adonys Guzman and Andruw Mussett, to take a 3-0 lead after two. 

Starter Leighton Finley, a sixth-round pick a year ago, took it from there, pitching great against the Pelicans (CHC) to pick up the win on Wednesday. He struck out ten batters in five innings, allowing two runs. Williams Rodriguez picked up a seven-out save, not allowing a run. 

Cole Tolbert (1-0, 2.55) will toe the rubber for Salem on Thursday at 6:35.

Finally, a reminder that if you want to chat about major league or minor league Red Sox baseball, you can reach me on Twitter @BobOsgood15 or by email at redseatpodcast@gmail.com

The 1993 Yankees were a pivot point. After posting four straight losing seasons for the first time in nearly 80 years, the ’93 squad climbed out of the morass with an 88-win season. While that finish left them with the third-best record in a two-team AL playoff picture, it served notice that the Gene Michael and Buck Showalter-led Yankees were on the rise. On a team laden with veteran stars like Don Mattingly, Wade Boggs, and Paul O’Neill alongside up-and-comers like Bernie Williams, the team’s most valuable position player was a much less heralded player who, at the age of 30, was getting the chance to start full-time for the first time in his career.

Robert Michael Stanley
Born: June 25, 1963 (Fort Lauderdale, FL)
Yankees Tenure: 1992-95, 1997

Mike Stanley grew up in Florida, where he starred on both sides of the ball at the University of Florida, earning all-scholastic SEC team honors. Taken by Texas in the 16th round of the 1985 MLB Draft, the catcher quickly rose through the Rangers’ system, hitting .327 across three levels of the minor leagues to turn himself into a legitimate prospect. Stanley made his debut on the day before his 23rd birthday in 1986 and the future looked bright.

However, he struggled to translate his offensive profile into big-league success. Over parts of six seasons, he never held down a regular job while posting a subpar .699 OPS. “I never knew until about the last day (of spring training) whether I had a job,” said Stanley of this frustrating period. Things got bad enough that he considered walking away from the game altogether. “I love fishing,” he later said. “I thought I might open a tackle shop.”

The Rangers did not offer Stanley a contract after the 1991 season, letting him become a free agent. With his career on the brink, Michael offered him an opportunity as a non-roster invitee to compete in Yankees camp for a backup role behind Matt Nokes. The legendary talent evaluator saw enough in the consistent, “quality at-bat” and ability to handle a pitching staff Stanley demonstrated with Texas. “I made calls around to ask people I respect about him, and I liked what I heard,” said the Yankees GM of the fortuitous decision.

Stanley indeed won a role with the ’92 Yankees and began to show some offensive upside, hitting a career-high eight homers in just 173 at-bats while posting an .800 OPS. He also contributed positively to the clubhouse culture, making “gooners” t-shirts for himself, Pat Kelly, Mike Gallego, Jim Leyritz, and Randy Velarde to wear in a tongue-in-cheek embrace of their roles as part-time players.

That performance was enough to net Stanley a two-year extension after the season, giving him some welcome stability for the first time in his career. “When you’re not a superstar and not one of the top five players in the game, you feel fortunate to be in the majors,” Stanley said upon receiving the deal. “I think you sit back and appreciate it more when you’ve been the 25th man. I know I do.”

Expected to serve as a backup once again, Stanley quickly overtook a struggling Nokes and ended up playing in 130 games, by far the most of his career. He emerged suddenly and unexpectedly as one of the best offensive catchers in baseball, slashing .305/.389/.534 with 26 homers and 84 RBI while leading Yankees regulars in everything from WAR to OPS and OPS+ and earning a Silver Slugger.

Even the man himself was caught off guard by his sudden dominance. “There is no explaining it. I never hit like this on the big-league level,” said Stanley. ”I feel good, don’t feel any extra pressure. I feel I belong.”

His manager agreed. “Mike Stanley exemplifies what in a lot of ways our team is about this year,” said Showalter. “He’s a gamer.”

Entering the ’94 season with higher expectations, Stanley proved his first season as a starter was no fluke, once again hitting .300 and improving on his OPS in the strike-shortened season. By the time baseball returned in ’95, Stanley was firmly entrenched in the middle of the Yankees’ order, making his first and only All-Star. In the first game of a doubleheader on August 10th, he set career-highs against the Cleveland team that would romp to the pennant, clobbering three homers and driving in seven runs.

That October, Stanley joined most of his teammates in seeing the first playoff action of his career. He rose to the challenge against Seattle, recording at least one hit in each of the four ALDS games in which he played. He particularly shone as a bright spot in his team’s losses, reaching base in six of his 14 plate appearances in Games 3-5.

The Yankees’ heartbreaking first-round exit prompted many changes before the ’96 season. Michael and Showalter were out at GM and manager, with Bob Watson and Joe Torre taking their places. With Stanley a free agent and his greatest internal champions no longer calling the shots, the new administration chose to trade for the more defensively sound Joe Girardi to man the backstop and let Stanley walk.

Stanley signed with the Red Sox that offseason and was magnanimous after his departure, offering his best wishes to Girardi when the latter was booed at a fan festival by Yankees fans upset with Stanley’s departure. “I appreciate immensely the fanfare I had in New York,” Stanley said. “But it’s not (Girardi’s) fault. What’s done is done. It’s time for me to move on and for him to come in and do a job for them.”

Perhaps in part due to the grace with which he handled his exit, Stanley had a brief second act in pinstripes. To augment an aging roster at first base and DH, Watson traded for Stanley in August of 1997 in what would be the last trade between the Yankees and Red Sox for 17 years. So beloved was Stanley among his former teammates that Wade Boggs and Paul O’Neill had made sure his locker, situated between theirs, remained empty after his departure. With his locker reclaimed, Stanley posted an .871 OPS in 28 games before going 3-for-4 during another futile ALDS tilt, this time at the hands of Cleveland.

Despite Watson expressing an interest in retaining Stanley, he signed with Toronto that offseason. He’d play three more seasons, splitting time between the Blue Jays, Red Sox, and Athletics before retiring at the age of 37. The 16th-rounder who didn’t earn a regular role until the age of 30 ended his career with 1,138 hits and 187 home runs to go with a sterling .827 OPS.

After hanging up his spikes, Stanley briefly served as a bench coach for Boston in 2002 before retiring to Florida for good. He remains a fan favorite among the Yankees faithful for his underdog narrative, prowess on both sides of the ball, and reliability during a time when baseball in the Bronx became exciting again. Please join us in wishing a very happy 63rd birthday to Mike Stanley.

See more of the “Yankees Birthday of the Day” series here.

The Pittsburgh Pirates had struggled in the month of June but despite the 40-40 record the Bucs are still three games out of a Wild Card spot. 

What’s clear is the team has to improve before this year’s MLB Trade Deadline, and that marker is quickly approaching. With limited time, the Pirates have to accomplish these three things before the deadline passes.

Add to the bullpen

The biggest issue right now with the bullpen is that there isn’t a single pitcher that you can rely on in the late innings. Guys like Mason Montgomery, Gregory Soto, Yohan Ramirez and Denis Santana have been too inconsistent. Since there has been that inconsistency that has put a lot of pressure on the starting rotation which of late has been shaky as well. Going six innings isn’t enough anymore, as turning the ball over to the pen is a gamble manager Don Kelly seems hesitant to play.

The Bullpen right now ranks 18th in the league with a 4.38 ERA. That needs to improve if Pittsburgh wants to stay in the National league Wild Card race. 

The Pirates adding Hunter Stratton is fine but its not a piece that will completely change the bullpen and make them better. A reunion with Aroldis Chapman is something that could work. Antonio Senzatela from the Colorado Rockies is another pitcher that could come in and change the bullpen for the better.

Finding a consistent DH

Consistency can go a long way for this team, especially offensively. The Bucs made a big move in the offseason to bring in 35 year old veteran Marcell Ozuna as the designated hitter. However, Ozuna has struggled with a .201 batting average and six home runs with 25 RBIs. 

Those stats don’t warrant him starting on an everyday status. The Buccos have been putting different guys like Bryan Reynolds, Henry Davis and Spencer Horwitz. The lack of consistency in this lineup is caused by injuries to Konor Griffin and Oneil Cruz. It’s clear to me that the Pirates need to move on from Ozuna, and it starts by finding someone they can put at the DH spot everyday that can produce. 

Add another outfielder

With Oneil Cruz expected to miss more time, the Pirates really need to find another outfielder. Jake Mangum hasn’t been horrible but Billy Cook and Tyler Callihan aren’t reliable options. 

Even when Cruz comes back he could be the reliable designated hotter that the pirates need. His defense is still not great and there is nowhere else on the field to put him. I don’t think Bryon Buxton is realistic but someone like Taylor Ward from the Baltimore Orioles could be someone to target and be that reliable piece with Ryan O’Hearn and Bryon Reynolds. 

Adding another strong right handed bat like Ward would help the lineup as well with the injury of Konnor Griffin.  

Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the MLB. Throughout the year, we ask questions of the most plugged-in Kansas City Royals fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.

Earlier this week, we asked if y’all wanted to watch Jac Caglianone play in the home run derby

I have to admit, I’m surprised by these results. Almost all of the comments I saw on the poll were quite negative in one way or another toward Jac Caglianone participating, but perhaps I should take that as a sign that the comments aren’t actually representative of much.

In the end, not just a plurality, but a full majority of voters think Jac belongs in the Home Run Derby, hitting his hammers, jacks, and whatever other word play we can come up with to signify his home runs. A full 53%! And yeah, after this poll question went up, Jac had a two bomb night in Tampa Bay, including a mammoth shot that absolutely went further than the 444-foot estimate and line drive hit so hard that it cleared the centerfield fence before it could drop enough to stay in the park.

31% of voters felt that while Jac might “deserve” a trip to the derby, they hoped he wouldn’t go. Most of you who voted that way fear that it would wreck his swing, I imagine. If he does get to participate, you can take solace in the fact that every study on the subject has debunked this myth.

16% of fans just don’t think Jac would be one of the best possible contestants. And to those people, I submit the above highlight video. Watch those two bombs again and tell me the guy who can hit those doesn’t have a place in the derby. At the very worst, Jac Caglianone deserves to go on the same merits that saw Oneil Cruz selected last year. He hits the absolute tar out of the ball on a regular basis, and there simply can’t be eight more people in MLB who would be more fun to watch strut their stuff like that.

Last year, MLB The Show developer Sony San Diego studios brought back an in-game prediction game that had been part of the series previous for the Home Run Derby. Players were encouraged to guess who would win the derby, who would hit the longest home run, who would hit the most home runs in a round, and which league would win the All-Star Game itself. Once I knew who was in the field, guessing who would hit the longest dinger was a no-brainer for me; it was always going to be Oneil Cruz. Cruz indeed hit the longest blast at an estimated 513 feet. Outside of maybe Giancarlo Stanton or Cruz again, Jac has the best chance among current MLB players to outdo that.

These survey results are sponsored by FanDuel.

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The Chicago Cubs won the first three games of this series while scoring 9+ runs in each.

My Cubs vs. Mets predictions and MLB picks are banking on more of the same as they look to complete the sweep on Thursday night.

Who will win Cubs vs Mets today: Cubs moneyline (-110)

The Chicago Cubs have feasted on right-handed pitching over the past two weeks, ranking seventh in wOBA, eighth in OPS, and first in walk rate.

They should get to Freddy Peralta, who has allowed four runs or more in four of his past six starts — and has simply not lived up to expectations with the New York Mets.

Matthew Boyd is unlikely to provide much length in his return, but the Cubs should be able to patch things together against an offense sitting 22nd in runs and 29th in OBP. 

Back Chicago to -120.

COVERS INTEL: Freddy Peralta ranks in the 31st percentile in pitcher run value.

Cubs vs Mets Over/Under pick: Over 8.5 (-115)

At least 13 runs were scored in each of the first three games, and I’m expecting more fireworks in tonight's finale.

Chicago has plated 6+ runs in six consecutive games and scored five or more in eight of the past 10. The Cubs are firing on all cylinders at the plate and can be relied upon to do heavy lifting.

Boyd has given up multiple runs in four of five starts and will be making his first MLB appearance since May 3. Behind him is a taxed bullpen; New York should score.

Play the Over to -130.

Cubs vs Mets weather

Temperatures are expected to approach 80 with 15-mile-per-hour winds blowing out. Clear boost to the offenses.

Cubs vs Mets odds

• Moneyline: Cubs -110 | Mets -110
• Run line: Cubs -1.5 (+155) | Mets +1.5 (-180)
• Over/Under: Over 8.5 (-110) | Under 8.5 (-110)

Cubs vs Mets trend

The Mets have cashed the Over in 13 of their last 23 games for +6.3 units and a 25% ROI. Find more MLB betting trends for Cubs vs. Mets.

How to watch Cubs vs Mets and game info

Cubs vs Mets latest injuries

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