Category: Baseball

After going 4-1 against two of the top teams in MLB — the Atlanta Braves and Los Angeles Dodgers — the Chicago White Sox are looking to continue their hot streak on the road as they begin a three-game set with the New York Yankees. The Yanks are the best team in the American League after overtaking their division rivals, the Tampa Bay Rays, and hold a 1 1/2-game lead in the AL East. Believe it or not, the South Siders are right there with them, ranking third in the AL while leading the AL Central division.

Despite playing without catcher Kyle Teel and their best hitter Munetaka Murakami, the Good Guys have still managed to go 6-4 in their last 10 games, and they remain a top-five team in team home runs with 96 on the season. It certainly helps when the rest of the team steps up, especially as players with less raw power start mashing extra-base hits — aka Tristan Peters, Chase Meidroth, and Sam Antonacci.

The Sox offense will have its first challenge in the Bronx with former Cy Young winner Gerrit Cole on the mound for the Yankees, making his fifth start of the year since returning from injury. In six rehab starts in the minors, Cole posted a 4.66 ERA in 29 innings alongside a 1.07 WHIP and 28 Ks, but he’s accumulated better metrics since returning to the majors with a 2.45 ERA in 22 innings. While only two South Siders on the roster have actually hit off of Cole, this isn’t the only run-in he’s had with the White Sox org. In his fourth rehab start, he allowed five earned runs and two home runs while taking the loss against the White Sox High-A affiliate, the Winston-Salem Dash. One of those homers came off the bat of top prospect Caleb Bonemer, whom Gerrit later hit in his third at-bat, because of course he did.

The home run in question:

With the strong righty on the mound, the South Siders are using a lefty-heavy lineup at the plate, hoping to take advantage of the short porch and Mickey Mouse fence in right field. Over the past two weeks, nearly the entire starting lineup has posted an OPS above .700, and six of those hitters are at .775 or better. Ideally, they can continue putting the ball in play and playing their game.

Chicago White Sox Lineup

Some additional good news for the Good Guys is that they will also have their ace on the mound as Davis Martin makes his 14th start of the season. After a rough outing against Minnesota to begin June, Martin was excellent against the Braves, going six scoreless with six strikeouts to help maintain his 2.41 ERA on the season. Martin’s strong points are that he doesn’t walk a lot of guys (5.4% walk rate), and he has a full arsenal of pitches that he’s able to leverage to get opponents to chase. His fastball averages around 94 mph, but the whiff percentage on his slider is phenomenal at 47%, and this changeup has produced a .150 opponent batting average. As I am writing this, MLB Network is also hyping him up with how great he’s been this season, so it’s not just us White Sox fans realizing how good he has been this year.

While the Yanks will be without Aaron Judge, Davis will still have to work against a tough offensive lineup that has plenty of power, as New York ranks first in barrel rate (10.4%) and home runs (102). First baseman Ben Rice holds down the leadoff spot for the Yankees, and he has been an offensive leader across MLB this season, ranking third in OPS, second in slugging, and eighth in homers with 19.

New York Yankees Lineup

First pitch will take place at 6:05 p.m. CT at Yankee Stadium with temperatures in the low-70s: a perfect night for some baseball. Tune in to the TV broadcast on CHSN, or listen in at ESPN Chicago AM 1000. Let’s go, Sox!

Today’s roster move: Here

Tuesday notes…

• ALL’S WELL THAT ENDED WELL, RIGHT?: The Cubs came from behind to win last night after twice squandering leads. They have erased 31 deficits this season in 28 different games, of which they won 17 and lost 11. They have blown 30 leads in 22 games, winning 10 and losing 12. (Courtesy BCB’s JohnW53)
• RISPy BUSINESS: The Cubs went 1 for 10 last night with runners in scoring position, with the only hit tying the game with nobody out in the ninth inning. They are 3 for 31 in their last four games, yet won three of them. In their last nine games, they are 5-4 despite going 7 for 60. (Courtesy BCB’s JohnW53)
• BETTER SCORE AT LEAST FIVE: When the Cubs have scored at least five runs, as they did last night, they are 31-6. With four or fewer, they are 7-29. When they allow no more than four runs, as they did last night, they are 32-12. With five or more, they are 7-23. (Courtesy BCB’s JohnW53)
• PCA’S PLAYER OF THE MONTH CAMPAIGN: Pete Crow-Armstrong, 13 games so far in June: .436/.458/.909 (24-for-55) with four doubles, two triples, six home runs, nine RBI, 10 runs scored and four stolen bases.

Cubs lineup:

See you for game two, @ofcwrigleyfield.

Tune in live on @WatchMarquee. pic.twitter.com/ck24LcFAoL

— Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) June 16, 2026

Rockies lineup:

Today's lineup has arrived 🙌 pic.twitter.com/FIlPyA3ZIK

— Colorado Rockies (@Rockies) June 16, 2026

Edward Cabrera, RHP vs. Ryan Feltner, RHP

This is a pitching rematch of the game last Thursday at Coors Field.

Edward Cabrera threw 5.2 innings and allowed five hits and two runs, striking out five. Both of the hits were solo homers.

The Cubs hit Ryan Feltner hard, scoring six runs in 4.1 innings, with the big blow being Seiya Suzuki’s grand slam.

We’ll take another one just like that, please.

Here is the weather forecast for the area around Wrigley Field.

Today’s game is on Marquee Sports Network.

Here is the complete MLB.com live streaming page for today.

MLB.com Gameday

Baseball-reference.com game preview

Please visit our SB Nation Rockies site Purple Row. If you do go there to interact with Rockies fans, please be respectful, abide by their individual site rules and serve as a good representation of Cub fans in general and BCB in particular.

The 2026 game discussion procedure has been changed, so please take note.

You’ll find the game preview, like this one, posted separately on the front page two hours before game time (90 minutes for some early day games following night games).

At the same time, a StoryStream containing the preview will also post on the front page, titled “Cubs vs. (Team) (Day of week/date) game threads.” It will contain every post related to that particular game.

The Live! (formerly “First Pitch”) thread will still post at five minutes to game time. It will also post to the front page. That will be the only live game discussion thread. After the game, the recap and Heroes and Goats will also live on the front page as separate posts.

You will also be able to find the preview, Live! thread, recap and Heroes and Goats in this section link. The StoryStream for each game can also be found in that section.

Discuss amongst yourselves.

If you were to ask a random group of Red Sox fans what the most fun part of the 2026 season has been so far, many might come back from the slim pickings and respond with some version of “watching Payton Tolle pitch.” It’s certainly not a bad answer, but in typical 2026 Red Sox fashion, there hasn’t exactly been much winning when he’s on the mound despite his very solid 2.70 ERA. Some of this has been the lack of run support, some of it has been the bullpen blowing his games, and some of it has been him not going deep enough in starts to bridge directly to the high leverage relievers.

Last time out on the mound in Tampa, in was because Tolle gave up a season high four earned runs over six innings of work, putting this putrid Red Sox offense in a position where it could not recover.

If the Red Sox are going to win tonight, they’re probably going to need something closer to the Payton Tolle they got in his last outing at Fenway back on June 3rd against the Orioles, when he gave them six shutout innings of work.

Here’s the lineup that will be “supporting” Tolle tonight against Dylan Cease and the Blue Jays:

⚾️ First Pitch: 6:45pm — Fenway Park, Boston, Massachusetts

📺 TV: NESN

📻 Radio: WEEI

LOS ANGELES — Tommy Edman was activated off the 60-day injured list on Tuesday after missing the first 73 games of the season following right ankle surgery in November. They get back a multi-positional player who started 32 of 33 postseason games in his first two years with Los Angeles.

To make room on both the active and 40-man rosters, infielder Santiago Espinal was designated for assignment.

The Dodgers were methodical with Edman’s rehabilitation from surgery, hoping to finally put behind them the injury that has plagued the switch-hitting utility player since 2024, even before the St. Louis Cardinals traded him to Los Angeles.

As Edman said of his expected rehab during Dodgers fan fest in January, “I want to make sure I’m a full go, and don’t have to worry about [the ankle] again the rest of the year.”

Edman had a busy three weeks on a rehab assignment for Triple-A Oklahoma City, playing 14 of 18 games for the Comets. He hit .275/.351/.392 with a 94 wRC+ in 57 plate appearances, with a home run, triple, double, and stolen base. Edman fared better batting left-handed while on rehab, hitting .300/.378/.450 in 45 plate appearances while he had two hits in 11 at-bats batting right-handed in Triple-A.

During his seven-year career, Edman’s splits have gone the other way, hitting .273/.314/.495 with a 118 wRC+ batting righty against left-handed pitching, and .254/.313/.373 with a 90 wRC+ batting left-handed.

With Oklahoma City, Edman started five games at second base, made two starts each at third base, left field, and center field, and also started three times as designated hitter. He’s expected to play multiple positions now that he’s back with the Dodgers, and will start on Wednesday afternoon against Rays left-hander Shane McClanahan.

Espinal hit .268/.276/.375 in 36 games and 60 plate appearances with the Dodgers, with seven starts at third base, four starts at second base, and one at designated hitter. Espinal was previously designated for assignment this season on May 25, but returned within a few days after injuries to both Kiké Hernández and Teoscar Hernández.

Edman’s history against left-handed pitching made Espinal’s role redundant.

“Espy’s been great for us, but the fit right now with our ballclub, it just doesn’t make a whole lot of sense,” manager Dave Roberts said after Monday night’s game.

Now with both Edman and Alex Freeland active, the Dodgers have two switch-hitters — Freeland is stronger batting left-handed — with plenty of versatility. Freeland can play all over the infield, and Edman can add outfield as well to his infield duties.

Espinal’s second Dodgers tenure ended with a four-game hit streak, with five singles in his last eight at-bats.

Joe DeMayo and guest co-host Steve Gelbs drop the latest episode of The Mets Pod, as the Mets continue their step forward and step back moves. 

Steve and Joe cover the shaky starting rotation, including ups and downs from Freddy Peralta, an injury to Christian Scott, the return of Kodai Senga, and the improvement of Sean Manaea. 

The guys also talk Bo Bichette getting hot, Carson Benge and A.J. Ewing's effect on the clubhouse, and when to expect Francisco Lindor back on the field. Later, Joe goes Down on the Farm for an exclusive interview with rising Mets pitching prospect Jonathan Santucci, and then the show goes into the Mailbag to answer questions about Mark Vientos, Luis Robert Jr, trade deadline options, and Steve's all-time favorite celebrity interviews during Mets games.

Be sure to subscribe to The Mets Pod at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Rutgers Outfielder Peyton Bonds has received an invite to the 2026 MLB Combine, where he will get the chance to show his athletic ability in front of scouts from every team in the MLB, according to a post by Richie O’Leary of The Knight Report.

Bonds has been with the Scarlet Knights since 2025, after transferring in from Campbell, where he played for just one year in 2024, when he was named to the CAA all-freshman team.

In his second season with the team in 2026, Bonds played in 36 games, posting a .352 average. He finished the season with 50 hits, six home runs, 29 RBI’s, and 13 stolen bases. In the field, Bonds recorded 80 put-outs and 1 assist.

The combine itself is set to take place over three days, June 23- June 26, at Chase Field in Phoenix, Arizona. The MLB Draft will take place on July 11-13. Bonds has the potential to be one of the highest Rutgers draft picks in recent memory, thanks to his skill and possibly his well-known last name. As of right now, Rutgers has had 72 total players drafted to the MLB, with a good chance at making it 73 with Bonds.

Bonds’ deep ties to the MLB are well-documented. His father, Bobby Bonds II, played in the MLB for 11 years. His grandfather, Bobby Bonds, is a three-time MLB All-Star. However, the biggest star of the Bonds family was his uncle, Barry Bonds, MLB’s all-time leader in home runs

A lot has happened in the last couple of days! Coming off of a series win over the weekend against the Philadelphia Phillies, the Brewers have a brand new shortstop to debut as they welcome the Cleveland Guardians to town.

Number 1️⃣ 2️⃣ is ready to debut pic.twitter.com/TPyAmXqGRr

— Milwaukee Brewers (@Brewers) June 16, 2026

Cooper Pratt is, of course, in the starting lineup tonight, and Luis Rengifo has been designated for assignment. Pratt will bat eighth, and with a glimpse into what the Brewer infield might look like in the coming weeks, David Hamilton will start alongside him at third base. If I had to guess, Hamilton and Joey Ortiz will move into a platoon situation at third base, but we’ll see how often Pratt and Ortiz are in the lineup together and, when they are, who will play where.

In Milwaukee’s lineup alongside Pratt and Hamilton this evening we will see Christian Yelich at designated hitter, Jackson Chourio, Garrett Mitchell, and Jake Bauers in the outfield, William Contreras behind the plate, and Brice Turang and Andrew Vaughn on the right side of the infield, so tonight is a win for the “get Bauers and Vaughn into the lineup no matter what” folks. Cleveland’s lineup is notably absent their biggest weapon, as the typically ultra-durable José Ramírez was placed on the injured list on Sunday with a broken hamate bone. Old Friend Rhys Hoskins gets the start at first base, while a former Brewer farmhand, David Fry, will start in right field and bat cleanup. (Fry, who was a 2024 All-Star, was drafted by the Brewers in 2018 and sent to Cleveland in 2021 for J.C. Mejía. A rare front-office miss.)

On the mound for the Brewers is the lefty Robert Gasser, who is making his fifth start of the season. He got beat up a bit his last time out, but that game was on the moon in Las Vegas, so I’m willing to give it a pass; I actually thought Gasser did a pretty solid job against the Athletics until they broke through with two homers in the fifth inning. In his previous outing in a real ballpark, Gasser had his best outing of the season: on June 3 in San Francisco, he held the Giants to one run on five hits in five innings.

The Guardians counter with the right-handed Slade Cecconi, who has had mixed results this season. Cecconi sports a 4.83 ERA in 72 2/3 innings, but his FIP is significantly better at 4.28. He’s also been much better lately; Cecconi has allowed three runs or fewer in each of his last seven starts, a span in which he’s gone 2-1 with a 3.16 ERA in 37 innings. Cecconi isn’t a hard thrower (he sits at about 93 mph with his fastball), and he doesn’t strike out a whole lot of batters, so hopefully the Brewers will be able to take advantage tonight.

A couple of injury notes: Brandon Woodruff is headed to the Quad Cities to start for the Timber Rattlers tonight and is slated to throw about 85 pitches. Additionally, Logan Henderson, who hasn’t pitched since May 22 because of a back strain, is throwing bullpens. The news isn’t as good on Quinn Priester: he’s got a meeting scheduled to determine the next step in recovery for his thoracic outlet syndrome. (The vibes aren’t good here.)

#Brewers injury updates:

– Brandon Woodruff will throw five innings/80-85 pitches with Class-A Wisconsin tonight

– Logan Henderson has progressed to throwing bullpens

– Quinn Priester is following up with the doctor today to decide on next steps

— Jack Stern (@ByJackStern) June 16, 2026

First pitch tonight is at 6:40 p.m. on Brewers TV and the Brewers Radio Network.

Watch Cooper Pratt's MLB debut on https://t.co/eycfmE2vgm

📺: https://t.co/eycfmE2vgm
📻: WTMJ

→ https://t.co/mvGXoRMTFSpic.twitter.com/bVJoq74Ghr

— Milwaukee Brewers (@Brewers) June 16, 2026

Opening up the series in Milwaukee!#GuardsBallpic.twitter.com/xbX7DtvGNE

— Cleveland Guardians (@CleGuardians) June 16, 2026

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!

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Here are the lineups. For the Phillies:

Leadoff Dawg#RingTheBellpic.twitter.com/BoOPkHvMu0

— Philadelphia Phillies (@Phillies) June 16, 2026

For the Marlins:

Round two.

📺: https://t.co/6SPbeLqH20
👂: @MarlinsRadio, @radiomambi710, @1043wqam
⏰: 6:40 PM ET#FightinFishpic.twitter.com/vxFBSNRiwZ

— Miami Marlins (@Marlins) June 16, 2026

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.