Category: Baseball

For Astros fans, this season has been a harsh reminder that baseball is not always fair. What once looked like a team capable of another miraculous turnaround is now a club dangerously close to rock bottom. Unlike last season, when Houston managed to claw its way back into the divisional race, this year’s team appears to be spiraling further out of control with each passing game.

In professional sports, when things go wrong, the players are rarely the first to pay the price, especially when they are tied to massive contracts worth millions of dollars. Instead, organizations often look to the manager as the easiest way to shake things up. That reality may soon be approaching for Astros manager Joe Espada.

To be fair, the Astros have faced significant adversity from the start of the season. Beginning the year with 16 players on the injured list created immediate obstacles and left the roster depleted before the campaign truly got going. Injuries, however, can only excuse so much. Despite flashes of offensive success, the team as a whole has underachieved in nearly every area.

The biggest concern has undoubtedly been the pitching staff. Both the starting rotation and bullpen have struggled badly, and the numbers paint an ugly picture. Houston is currently on pace to challenge all-time records for walks allowed both per game and over the course of a full season. Regardless of injuries, that level of inconsistency and lack of command simply cannot continue if the Astros hope to remain competitive.

Much of the blame for the roster construction and pitching depth should rightfully fall on General Manager Dana Brown. Still, with the amateur draft approaching and critical decisions looming regarding potential trades, Houston likely needs Brown’s experience steering the organization through whatever comes next, whether that means attempting to buy at the deadline or beginning a larger reset for the future.

That leaves Espada in a difficult position.

This is not necessarily an argument that Espada is a bad manager or undeserving of the job. By most accounts, he is respected throughout the organization and well-liked inside the clubhouse. But sports can be unforgiving, and when a team consistently underperforms, ownership often believes a new voice is needed to spark change.

One name that could quickly enter the conversation is bench coach Omar López. Fresh off a championship run coaching in the World Baseball Classic, López has become one of the more intriguing rising names in baseball managerial circles. He carries strong relationships within the clubhouse and is viewed as someone capable of bringing fresh energy and perspective to a struggling team. If the Astros decide to make a move, promoting López could represent the organization’s best internal option.

Around Major League Baseball, managerial changes have already begun. Teams like the Philadelphia Phillies and Boston Red Sox have made leadership changes in response to disappointing performances, and Houston could soon find itself following a similar path very soon.

The question now becomes: how much responsibility should fall on Espada? Is the Astros’ disappointing season primarily the result of injuries and roster shortcomings, or does the team truly need a new manager to change its direction?

For Astros fans, that debate is only going to grow louder if the losses continue piling up.

Mets manager Carlos Mendoza provided a couple of positive injury updates prior to first pitch of Thursday’s matchup with the Detroit Tigers.

Shortstop Francisco Lindor’s MRI revealed that things are heading in the right direction, though when exactly he’ll be able to return to the field remains unknown. 

“He’s getting better, showing signs of healing,” Mendoza said. “Now we’re moving to the phase of the strength part, moving to the weight room before he starts his running progression. Positive sign, we’ve just gotta let it heal.”

Lindor landed on the IL after suffering a left calf strain on April 22. 

Mendoza said that he doesn’t think Lindor will need additional imaging, but that there is still no timetable for him to resume baseball activities or get back on the field for game action. 

Meanwhile, catcher Francisco Alvarez underwent surgery on Thursday morning, with Mendoza saying there was no additional structural damage to his right knee, aside from the torn meniscus. 

The manager said that Alvarez is likely looking at an eight-week recovery.

Alvarez is hitting .241 with four home runs and 10 RBI this season. 

In The Desert

[AZSnakePit] Rangers 6, D-Backs 5: Angina in Arlington

It seems as if no amount of lineup tinkering or prospect call-ups has been able to shake the Arizona offense out of its malaise and the team’s pitching (both in the bullpen and in the rotation) have significant question marks themselves. 

[AZCentral] Diamondbacks’ crushing, walk-off loss comes with a silver lining

“We’ve seen this before,” Lovullo said. “We’ve seen this lineup do what they did today.” He added: “We play games like this — and I know they’re very eager to get back out there and show what they can do — we’ll be just fine.”

[SI.com] What D-backs Poor Series Loss to Rangers Told Us — And What it Didn’t

The D-backs were held to just 6-for-25 with runners in scoring position, and stranded 21 batters. That is not a recipe for success, no matter how good the pitching may or may not be.
Gallen has been on a bit of a downturn ever since he was struck by a comebacker and forced to leave a promising start in Mexico City. Since that game, he has gone 0-3 and allowed 17 runs in 14.1 innings.

[DBacks.com] ‘This game will rip your heart out’: D-backs lament missed chances in Texas

“It’s brutal,” Lovullo said. “This game will rip your heart out. But the one thing I want to say is these guys play their [butts] off. And when you look at the full body of work, I thought today there was so much progress made and we were pushing in the right direction. I learned a lot about this team as I watched them rally and come together in those late innings and fight to win that baseball game.

[DBacks.com] Thomas trade provides Hazen, D-backs ‘flexibility’ for Deadline

In addition, the financial savings could pay dividends in a couple months at the Trade Deadline.

That’s because the Diamondbacks are getting close to the first Competitive Balance Tax threshold. They are around $5-$10 million away from that threshold, and if they want to make significant acquisitions at the Deadline, they’ll need some financial flexibility unless they are willing to go over the CBT for the first time in franchise history.

[Rangers.com] Burger delivers on SpongeBob Night as his ‘swagger’ leads to walk-off

For SpongeBob SquarePants Night at Globe Life Field against the Diamondbacks on Wednesday, it was only right that Burger would blast a three-run opposite-field homer in the fifth inning before delivering a game-tying RBI single in the bottom of the ninth.

Around The MLB

[MLB.com] Varsho delivers walk-off hit in 10th

[MLB.com] McCarthy’s unassisted DP from left field is a Rockies first, MLB first in 13 years

[MLB.com] Josh Bell steals base for first time since 2018

[MLB.com] Braves first team to reach 30 wins

[FanGraphs.com] Dansby Swanson is King of old Shortstops

[CBS Sports] How to blow up the Astros: Why Houston could dictate the trade deadline if ugly season continues

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Colorado Rockies vs. Pittsburgh Pirates, May 14, 2026, 12:35 p.m. ET

Location: PNC Park, Pittsburgh, PA

Broadcast: KDKA AM/FM, Sportsnet Pittsburgh

Pitching Matchup: Chase Dollander (3-2, 3.35 ERA) vs. Carmen Moldzinski (2-3, 4.50 ERA)

The Pittsburgh Pirates are at home with a three-game series against the visiting Colorado Rockies at beautiful PNC Park.

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BD community, this is your thread for today’s game against the Rockies. Enjoy!

It was a very happy birthday for Mickey Moniak as he helped propel the Colorado Rockies to a 10-4 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Wednesday night. If the team is hoping for some more birthday magic, it just so happens to be Brenton Doyle’s birthday, and he could use some of that magic himself. With the series tied, the Rockies are looking to end the road trip on a high note and finish 3-3.

Chase Dollander (3-2, 3.35 ERA) will get his second straight start as it appears the team is moving away from the opener for “Mr. Hundy.” Dollander wasn’t exactly sharp in his last outing in Philadelphia as he issued five walks but he still managed to grind out 5.2 innings and allowed just two runs on three hits with five strikeouts. The command has been a little lacking his last two times out, but the ability to get strikeouts and be effective when he doesn’t have his best stuff is what top-of-the-line pitchers have to be able to do. This will also be Dollander’s first time facing Pittsburgh.

Mason Montgomery (1-0, 2.87 ERA) will make the start for the Pirates, serving as the opener. Montgomery has slotted in as a fireballing lefty since coming over from the Tampa Bay Rays in the trade that also brought in Brandon Lowe. He has tossed 11-straight scoreless outings and is also making his third start of the season. Carmen Mlodzinski (2-3, 4.50 ERA) was initially scheduled to start the game, but the Pirates are choosing to go the opener route and use him as the bulk reliever, as they did on April 15 against the Washington Nationals. Mlodzinski was excellent in his last outing, allowing just two runs on six hits over six innings in his start against San Francisco, but he only had one strikeout.

In roster news, the Rockies placed Jimmy Herget on the 15-day injured list with a right shoulder impingement. In the corresponding move, Tanner Gordon was recalled from Triple-A Albuquerque.

First Pitch: 10:35 AM MDT

TV: Rockies TV

Radio: KOA 850 AM/94.1 FM; KNRV 1150 (Spanish)

Pirates SB Nation site: Bucs Dugout

Lineups:

Please keep in mind our Purple Row Community Guidelines when you’re commenting. Thanks!

As we saw when the Angels had literally Shohei Ohtani and Mike Trout at the same time and couldn’t sniff the playoffs, you need more than just a couple stars to make a good roster in baseball.

The “Murderers’ Row” Yankees of the 1920s and ‘30s are a good example. Yes, they had the likes of Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig, and without those two, those teams would’ve gone nowhere. However, if it was just those two with a roster of below average players everywhere else, those teams might not have won a World Series, never mind be historically notable. One of the other good players who played on those great Yankees teams of the ‘20s and ‘30s was Earle Combs. Today happens to be his birthday, so let’s look back on the life and times of “The Kentucky Colonel.”

Earle Bryan Combs
Born: May 14, 1899 (Pebworth, KY)
Died: July 21. 1976 (Richmond, KY)
Yankees Tenure: 1924-35

As that nickname might suggest, Combs was born and raised in Kentucky, and basically lived his entire life there apart from his baseball career. He grew up working on his family’s farm, but eventually decided to attend Eastern Kentucky University to study to be a school teacher. He played on several of the college’s sports teams, including baseball, where he was a star. After graduating, he did follow through on becoming a teacher, but eventually the pull of baseball, including the money that came with it, became too much to ignore.

Combs first signed with the local Louisville Colonels, where he was managed by his future Yankees skipper Joe McCarthy. Combs quickly locked down the center field role for Louisville and became a star, hitting .380 in his second season. That season led to the Yankees purchasing him ahead of the 1924 season.

In Louisville, Combs had been not only an excellent hitter but a dangerous base-stealer. Upon getting to New York, Miller Huggins had him tone down that aspect, as Combs would be tasked with hitting in front of Ruth and a strong Yankees’ lineup. With Combs’ on-base ability, that ended up allowing him to become the perfect lead-off hitter for the Yankees’ Murderers’ Row era.

Over the course of a 12-year career with the Yankees, Combs hit .325/.397/.462, which equated to a career 125 OPS+. He was extremely adept at getting on base ahead of he likes of Ruth and Gehrig, as he was skilled at both getting hits and walking. Even with all the stars that littered the 1927 Yankees, it was Combs who ended up recording a league-leading 231 hits that season. In addition, Combs could still use his speed even without stealing bases. He recorded 154 triples in his career, and led the league on three occasions.

Over the course of his 12 seasons in the majors, Combs would be part of three World Series championship teams with the Yankees: 1927, ‘28, and ‘32. Combs performed especially well in the third of those, as he OPSed 1.125 in the sweep of the Cubs in ‘32.

In addition to his remarkable career on the field, Combs was also regarded as one of the best human beings in baseball in his era. He was also a fan favorite in the Bronx, and some fans even apparently once took up a collection to buy him a gold watch. That’s something that won’t — and shouldn’t to be real — happen in today’s game.

Combs remained a very solid player to the Yankees until 1934. He was on pace for another good year that season, but he suffered a fractured skull after crashing into an outfield wall trying to make a catch. There were briefly fears for his life after the accident, but Combs eventually recovered in time to return to the Yankees for 1935. However, he dealt with further — not as serious — injuries that year. He was limited to just 89 games and didn’t play to his previous level. At that point, Combs was 36 years old, and the Yankees had also signed a young center fielder named Joe DiMaggio. Sensing that the writing was on the wall, Combs retired after 1935.

After retiring as a player, Combs joined the Yankees as a coach, where he was credited with helping DiMaggio learn how to play center field at Yankee Stadium. Combs would also spend time on the coaching staffs of the St. Louis Browns, Red Sox, and Phillies before leaving baseball for good and returning to his Kentucky farm.

In 1970, Combs was voted into the Hall of Fame via the Veterans Committee. He’s considered a bit of a reach in retrospect, although the Veterans Committee still makes plenty of those choices today. Combs himself was surprised by his induction, saying “I thought the Hall of Fame was for superstars, not just average players like me.” He was a bit unfair to himself, there, as he was definitely not “average.”

Combs eventually passed away in 1976 at the age of 77. He was never as famous or as good as the likes of Babe Ruth or Lou Gehrig, but if you look ever look back at the play-by-play data of Yankees’ games of those era, chances are good that he was the one scoring on their hits.

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

You are perpetually judged on results in the business of baseball. Wins are ultimately what matter to fans (and most owners), and flags fly forever. Chasing results, however, is an administrative tactic of the past.

Front offices, at least I hope, don’t go sign a guy because he had 112 RBI the season before. Even if he swatted 40 dingers the season before free agency, where he hit them, how far they went, and how many he’d ever hit in a season before that carry just as much weight in the evaluation now than simply staring at the back of one’s baseball card.

So far in 2026, the results of the Cincinnati Reds offense are pretty poor. They own just a 90 wRC+ as a team, a mark good for just 26th out of the 30 MLB clubs. Their .220 batting average ranks dead last, their .306 OBP just 25th. There are 227 MLB players who have logged at least 110 PA so far, and the Reds have the guy with the single worst wRC+ mark (Ke’Bryan Hayes, 10), 14th worst (TJ Friedl, 51), and tied for 23rd worst (Tyler Stephenson, 66).

If you had never looked at the FanGraphs leaderboards, though, and simply cruised over to the team stats at Baseball Savant, you’d be shouting from the rooftops that this Cincinnati Reds offense has been built up as a powerhouse.

Only the New York Yankees (7.5%) have a better barrels per PA percentage than the Reds (7.2%). The team with Aaron Judge, Giancarlo Stanton, breakout star Ben Rice, Cody Bellinger, and Paul Goldschmidt…and then the Cincinnati Reds. Barrels, for those that aren’t familiar with the term, are effectively qualified on a rolling scale based on exit velocity and ideal launch angle, but are effectively a term that describes squaring a ball up, and only the Yankees do it with better frequency than the Reds so far this season.

It’s the same story for Brls/BBE%, or barrels per batted ball event – the Reds rank 2nd (11.2%) to only the Yankees (11.7%) in the rate in which they barrel the ball in plate appearances where the ball ends up in play.

No team, and it’s not particularly close, has a higher average launch angle this season than the 17.5 degree mark posted by the Reds. In fact, dating back to the start of the 2021 season, no team in any season has posted a mark better than 16.1 degrees over the course of a season.

They rank 4th in launch angle sweet spot percentage. They rank 5th in maximum exit velocity, and 4th in average exit velocity. In other words, they’re hitting the ball square with more frequency than just about every team out there, hitting harder than almost every team out there, and hitting it with the highest average launch angle in recent memory – all hallmarks of a club that should be seeing line-drive lasers plastered all over every ball park in which they play.

Yet here they are sporting that lowly 90 wRC+ over a quarter of the way through the 2026 season.

What we get to ponder, for now, is which one of these begins to normalize and reveal itself as the true indicator of what this Reds club truly is. Will they continue to mash like this with middling results? Will the mashing produce better results? Is this offense actually even worse than it’s shown so far, and will it produce even worse results as the rate in which this club hits barrels sinks back down towards league average?

What we get to watch for the rest of the season is which one wins out, since for now, there’s a pretty clear divergence between process and results.

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The Seattle Mariners and Houston Astros finish off a four-game AL West series at Daikin Park on Thursday, May 14, and my top Mariners vs. Astros predictions and MLB picks expect Houston to eke out a win this afternoon in the series finale. 

Who will win Mariners vs Astros today: Astros moneyline (+117)

The rubber has hit the road for Seattle Mariners righty Luis Castillo, and his annual statistical decline has hit rock bottom through eight 2026 starts. His average fastball velocity has dropped each of the past four seasons while his xFIP has also climbed in sync to his current, career-high 4.34 mark.

This isn’t a layup matchup against the Houston Astros for Seattle, either.

Houston is third in wOBA against right-handed pitchers, and Astros starter Mike Burrows has found a groove across his past three starts with a 2.50 ERA while holding opposing hitters to a 30.6% hard-hit rate.

COVERS INTEL: Seattle Mariners starting pitcher Luis Castillo has surrendered an alarming 58.3% hard-hit rate across his past three starts.

Mariners vs Astros Over/Under pick: Under 9.5 (-125)

While the sum of Castillo’s statistical parts isn’t pretty, there have been a few signs, with the righty allowing three earned runs or fewer in four of his eight starts. Additionally, his highlighted xFIP is well below his 6.57 ERA, and there is screaming statistical correction coming to his unsustainable .364 BABIP and 59.0% strand rate.

Add the potential for both teams to rest regulars in this afternoon series finale, and I’m anticipating both starters to put enough zeros on the scoreboard to keep this total Under the number Thursday.

Mariners vs Astros odds

• Moneyline: Seattle -125 | Houston +105
• Run line: Seattle -1.5 (+130) | Houston +1.5 (-150)
• Over/Under: Over 9.5 (+105) | Under 9.5 (-125)

Mariners vs Astros trend

The Seattle Mariners have hit the Under in 14 of their last 22 away games (+6.50 Units / 27% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for Mariners vs. Astros.

How to watch Mariners vs Astros and game info

Mariners vs Astros latest injuries

Mariners vs Astros weather

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If you blinked, you may have missed it.

That was the time flying by, quicker than any of us realized. We’re halfway through May, which means that All-Star weekend is coming up in two months. And now, thanks to MLB thinking that their presentation needs to rival that of the NFL and/or the NBA, that means the MLB first year player draft is coming up soon as well. We’ve documented how much we don’t care for the league making this into some kind of event that it really is not, but hey, why not?

With the quickly approaching MLB draft coming up, that means people are starting to think about which amateur players will go where. This may be the last year the draft looks like this with the impending labor dispute threatening to upend everything we know about the sport, so while it’s still something we’re used to, let’s take a look at what those who are a lot smarter on this topic than I am are saying about who the Phillies might be selecting.

Remember: the Phillies have fallen 10 spots in this year’s draft thanks to being over the largest luxury tax so many years in a row.

Just Baseball – Hunter Dietz, LHP – Arkansas

Double-dipping in the Arkansas cheese dip, the Phillies go back and grab an exciting southpaw in Hunter Dietz. He’s been in the race for the top southpaw in this class for a while now, and while the track record isn’t as lengthy as his peers, the angle he creates allows his breaking pitches to be absolutely devastating. The fastball has reached into the upper-90s, too.

ESPN – Aidan Ruiz, SS – Stony Brook HS (NY)

*no written report at this time on ESPN

MLB Pipeline – Wes Mendes, LHP – Florida State

An athletic 6-foot-1 left-hander, Mendes will use a robust five-pitch mix to keep hitters guessing. While his fastball sits around 92 mph and tops out at 96, it does feature some life upstairs with some angle to his glove side. His 80-mph changeup is his best secondary, a plus cambio he sells well with arm speed, the kind of offspeed offering that seems to pause in mid-air with late arm side depth to it. His low-80s slider can show some good short glove side tilt and he can back foot it to right-handed hitters and he’s added a new, harder cutter, with better shape and control of it as the season has gone on. He’ll use his upper-70s curve to steal a strike early in counts.

Baseball America – Hunter Dietz, LHP – Arkansas

Like basically all of the pitchers mentioned in this mock outside of Flora, Dietz has a chance to go as high as the early teens depending on how he pitches down the stretch. He’s currently leading the SEC with 108 strikeouts and owns a 3.22 ERA over 13 starts and 72.2 innings—far and away a career high—with a 35.4% strikeout rate and 8.5% walk rate. 

There will be many more mock drafts put up for us to discuss, so check back often as we update the mock draft round ups.

After matching their season-high 10-game winning streak, the team has now followed with a season-high four game losing streak. Spoiler alert, the last (full) season where the Cubs didn’t have a losing streak longer than four games was back in 2003. I didn’t take pen to paper (or make a spreadsheet), but the Cliff’s Notes are this. In the seasons where the Cubs are at least decent, the longest losing streak tends to check in right around five. When the Cubs are bad, that losing streak tends to be several games longer. As I’m pretty confident this is a good Cub team, I’d feel comfortable betting that the Cubs win at least one of their next two games. This is the hard-hitting analysis you come here for. Right?

Here’s the thing, if you were making Bingo cards, not just for the Cubs, but any MLB team, one of the spaces would be “whole team slumps for multiple games simultaneously.” This is the least fun period of time for any team. “Bullpen blows multiple games consecutively” is at least fun for a bit. Save for some pitching highlights, these four games have been brutal. The whole offense has completely vanished. This stretch has really tanked the Cubs season numbers. I mean, they’ve fallen from first place in the whole league in on-base percentage to second. Their on-base plus slugging still sits in the top five. That is to say that even with this painful stretch built into the recipe, they are still an elite offensive team.

This is definitely unfortunate. It’s doubly unfortunate when Shōta Imanaga is as excellent as he was Wednesday night. You really hate for that start to go to waste. You hope, at least, that maybe a well-rested bullpen lets you go after Thursday’s game a little more aggressively and it helps you snap this skid against a terrific Braves team.

My son asked me several times this year, largely in jest, if I ever got tired of writing about win after win. I will say this. I never actually heard any of the sports talk or print media people actually say that they preferred a little losing from time to time. I think some of that is overblown. Sure, sometimes, amidst a skid, certain storylines become available that might generate a little extra attention. I suspect most of them really hope for their local team to make a deep run every year and that maybe they’ll get to go to some big games and cover them. For me? I’ll take a win every single day and I’ll find something to talk about. I promise. So any time they want to get a long winning streak going, I’m here for it. I’d certainly like to write about one championship team before I’m done doing this.

Three Positives:

• Shōta Imanaga pitched into the eighth inning, throwing less than 100 pitches. He allowed five hits, no walks and just two runs. Pitching for this team, that’s almost always going to be enough.
• Alex Bregman had two of the four Cub hits.
• Ian Happ drew a pair of walks. It’s not flashy, but he’s tied for seventh in walks among all MLB hitters.

Game 43, May 13: Braves 4, Cubs 1 (27-16)

Reminder: Heroes and Goats are determined by WPA scores and are in no way subjective.

THREE HEROES:

• Superhero: Shōta Imanaga (.242). 7 IP, 24 BF, 5 H, 0 BB, 2 R, 6 K (L 4-3)
• Hero: Nico Hoerner (.023). 1-4, RBI
• Sidekick: Ian Happ (-.002). 0-2, 2 BB

THREE GOATS:

• Billy Goat: Phil Maton (-.295). IP, 5 BF, 3 H, 2 R, K
• Goat: Seiya Suzuki (-.185). 0-4
• Kid: Moisés Ballesteros (-.115). 0-4

WPA Play of the Game: Mike Yastrzemski batted with runners on first and second and one out in the eighth inning, the game tied. He doubled and a run scored, though the Cubs did throw the other runner out trying to score. (.189)

Cubs Play of the Game: Nico Hoerner batted with runners on first and second and one out in the fifth. He singled and the Cubs tied the game. (.134)

Cubs Player of the Game:

Game 42 Winner: Alex Bregman received 89 out of 107 votes.

Rizzo Award Standings: (Top 3/Bottom 3)

The award is named for Anthony Rizzo, who finished first in this category three of the first four years it was in existence and four times overall. He also recorded the highest season total ever at +65.5. The point scale is three points for a Superhero down to negative three points for a Billy Goat.

• Michael Busch/Shōta Imanaga +13
• Michael Conforto +12
• Dansby Swanson -8
• Matt Shaw -9
• Seiya Suzuki -17

Current Win Pace: 101.72 wins

Up Next: The third and final game of this series Thursday night. I’ll start by booing the Braves for scheduling a night game for the Cubs on travel day. They are at least travelling back to Chicago to play the White Sox on Friday night on the south side. Still, it’s always nice to be able to play and get out of town early.

Ben Brown (1-1, 1.82, 29.2 IP) makes his second start of the season (25th career) after a very successful stint as a multi-inning reliever for the team. Last time out, he surprised me by going one more inning than I thought possible for him on three days rest. He threw four no-hit and scoreless innings against the Rangers in the last game won by the Cubs. With the off day Monday, he has a full five days of rest between starts. He threw 46 pitches last Friday, a number he’d topped twice out of the pen coming out of spring training. I’d think you’d probably let him try to get up around 60 in this one. As noted in the open, the Cubs have a pretty rested pen heading into this one and can deploy it aggressively to chase a win here.

37-year-old Chris Sale (6-2, 2.20, 49 IP) makes his ninth start of the season. Those are some old school numbers. A decision in every appearance and more than six innings per start. Age doesn’t appear to be slowing down the former 13th overall pick by the White Sox in 2010. He was a tough luck loser in his last start, allowing two runs on five hits and no walks in seven innings in Los Angeles against the Dodgers last Friday. In less than a week, this will be the second opposing starter who will be one day printed on Hall of Fame ballots and have at least some discussion. Simply put, this doesn’t get any easier.

Find a way to sneak out of Atlanta with one and stop the skid.

Go Cubs.

Another day of minor league baseball is in the books. See the results below. Check out the previous day’s recap here.

AAA: Sugar Land Space Cowboys (19-22) lost 6-1 (BOX SCORE)

Ullola started for Sugar Land but lasted just 3 innings allowing 3 runs, which all scored in the first inning. The offense got on the board in the 6th on a Nelson RBI groundout. The pen allowed another 3 runs and the offense was quiet the rest of the way as Sugar Land fell 6-1.

Note: Nelson is hitting .314 in Triple-A.

• Kellen Strahm, CF: 1-for-3, R, 2B, BB
• James Nelson, 3B: 1-for-4, RBI

• Miguel Ullola, RHP: 3.0 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 4 BB, 4 K
• Joey Mancini, RHP: 3.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 4 K
• Tom Cosgrove, LHP: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 0 K
• Hudson Leach, RHP: 1.0 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, 0 K

AA: Corpus Christi Hooks (16-19) won 7-6 (BOX SCORE)

Mayer got the start but struggled allowing 3 runs over 1.2 innings. The Hooks got on the board in the 4th inning on an Austin 2 run double. They picked up another in the 5th on a Holy RBI single. The Sod Poodles extended their lead with 2 in the 7th but the Hooks got one back on a Bush RBI single. The Hooks entered the 9th inning down 6-4 but rallied. They scored a run on a Bush RBI single and then tied it with a Spence bases loaded walk.  With two outs and the bases loaded, Encarnacion drew a walk to bring in the winning run as the Hooks won 7-6.

Note: Holy is hitting .375 in Double-A.

• Will Bush, C: 2-for-5, R, 2 RBI
• Max Holy, SS: 2-for-4, RBI, BB, SB
• Lucas Spence, CF: 1-for-4, RBI, BB
• Joseph Sullivan, DH: 1-for-5, R, 2B
• Yamal Encarnacion, 2B: 0-for-2, R, RBI, 3 BB, SB
• Trevor Austin, 3B: 1-for-4, 2B, 2 RBI
• Tyler Whitaker, LF: 0-for-3, R, BB, SB
• Garret Guillemette, 1B: 1-for-3, 2 R, 2B, BB
• Jeron Williams, RF: 1-for-4, R, 2B

• Bryce Mayer, RHP: 1.2 IP, 0 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 4 BB, 2 K
• Michael Cuevas, RHP: 2.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 1 K
• Julio Rodriguez, RHP: 2.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 1 K
• Alejandro Torres, RHP: 2.0 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 3 K
• Ramsey David, RHP: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K (WIN)

A+: Asheville Tourists (8-27) lost 6-4 (BOX SCORE)

Asheville got on the board in the first on a Frey sac fly. Santos started for Asheville and was solid allowing 3 runs over 5.2 innings. He was relieved by Pena who allowed another 3 runs as Asheville found themselves down 6-1. They rallied in the 9th scoring a run on an error, a run on a wild pitch and a run on a Nunez groundout but that was it as Asheville fell 6-4.

Note: Thomas is hitting .303 this season.

• Justin Thomas, LF: 1-for-3, R, 2B, 2 BB
• Alejandro Nunez, 2B: 1-for-4, 2B, RBI, BB
• Ethan Frey, CF: 0-for-4, RBI
• Freuddy Batista, C: 1-for-3, R, BB, SB
• Caden Powell, LF: 1-for-3, BB
• Zach Daudet, 3B: 1-for-3, R, 2B, BB, SB
• Kyle Walker, SS: 0-for-3, R, BB

• Yeriel Santos, RHP: 5.2 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, 4 K
• Alain Pena, RHP: 2.1 IP, 4 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, 1 K
• Francisco Frias, RHP: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 2 K

A: Fayetteville Woodpeckers (14-21) won 5-1 (BOX SCORE) 

Potter started for the Woodpeckers and was solid allowing 1 run over 4 innings of work. The offense broke open the game in the 4th inning scoring 4 runs on a Sierra 2 run home run, a run on an error and a run on a wild pitch. They picked up another run in the 6th inning on a Salas RBI single. Oakes relieved Potter and was great losing 5 scoreless innings with 7 strikeouts as he closed out the 5-1 win.

Note: Potter has a 2.45 ERA this season.

• Xavier Neyens, SS: 0-for-4, BB
• Kevin Alvarez, RF: 0-for-4, R, BB
• Juan Sierra, LF: 1-for-3, R, HR, 2 RBI, BB, SB
• Arturo Flores, 1B: 1-for-3, 2 R, 2B, BB
• Hector Salas, 3B: 1-for-3, RBI, BB, SB
• Yosweld Vasquez, C: 1-for-4, R, 2 SB
• Brandon Forrester, 2B: 1-for-4, 2B

• Nick Potter, RHP: 4.0 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 3 BB, 5 K
• Kellan Oakes, RHP: 5.0 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 7 K (WIN)

Today’s minor league starters:

SL: TBD – 9:05 CT

CC: James Hicks – 6:35 CT

AV: Cole Hertzler – 5:35 CT

FV: TBD – 6:05 CT

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We're starting nice and early with our MLB picks for today, double-dipping in a 12:30 p.m. ET matchup at PNC Park in Pittsburgh.

Read on to see why our baseball experts are on the side and the total for Rockies/Pirates — and why we're also backing the Red Sox tonight in a battle of star southpaws.

MLB expert picks for today

Pick	Odds
Josh Inglis: COL/PIT o7.5	-113
Jon Metler: COL ML	+156
Joe Osborne: BOS ML	+104
Neil Parker: SEA/HOU u9.5	-117

Prices courtesy of Polymarket.

Josh Inglis' expert pick: Rockies/Pirates Over 7.5

Price: 53¢ (-113) at Polymarket

I’m hitting the early game and getting back on the Over with 14-mph winds blowing out to center field at PNC Park. Last night turned into a 14-run game — and Hunter Goodman wasn’t even in the starting lineup. Both bullpens have been more than generous over the last two weeks, ranking among the bottom four teams in ERA. Mason Montgomery gets the ball as Pittsburgh’s opener, and then it’ll be time for the Colorado Rockies to take swings at Carmen Mlodzinski, who has allowed 17 runs over his last 19+ innings. I like the Rockies, but I like runs more.

Jon Metler's expert pick: Rockies moneyline

Price: 39¢ (+156) at Polymarket

There won’t be many chances this season to back Chase Dollander in a true pitcher-friendly environment, considering he calls Coors Field home, but this is one of those spots — and it’s hard not to like the setup for him at PNC Park. Dollander has looked every bit the part of a frontline starter this season, featuring a 99-mph fastball paired with elite, high-spin secondary pitches. Those breaking balls and off-speed offerings should play even better away from altitude, with the conditions at PNC Park likely giving them sharper movement and more bite. The matchup also lines up well against Pirates slugger Oneil Cruz; a power right-hander with a high-carry four-seam fastball is exactly the type of pitcher that can give Cruz trouble because of his long swing path. If Dollander can neutralize Cruz at the top of the lineup, the Pittsburgh offense becomes far less intimidating. Given the combination of the park upgrade, Dollander’s stuff, and the matchup dynamics, I think the Rockies should be trading closer to 45-cent underdogs in this spot.

Joe Osborne's expert pick: Red Sox moneyline

Price: 49¢ (+104) at Polymarket

The Boston Red Sox haven’t had many bright spots this season, but they’ve been excellent against left-handed pitching, ranking fourth in OPS versus southpaws over the last month. That sets up well against Jesus Luzardo, who has regressed badly this season and already owns four starts with five or more earned runs allowed. Meanwhile, Ranger Suarez will face his former team after allowing zero earned runs in four of his last five outings. The Philadelphia Phillies also rank dead last in road OPS, while Boston’s bullpen leads MLB in ERA over the last two weeks.

Neil Parker's expert pick: Mariners/Astros Under 9.5

Price: 54¢ (-117) at Polymarket

Houston Astros starter Mike Burrows has found a groove across his past three starts with a 2.50 ERA while holding opposing hitters to a 30.6% hard-hit rate, and Seattle Mariners righty Luis Castillo has an unsustainably bad .364 BABIP and 59% strand rate. Add the potential for both teams to rest regulars in this afternoon series finale, and I’m anticipating both starters to put enough zeros on the scoreboard to keep this total Under the number.

More MLB best bets for today

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Today would have been Roy Halladay’s 49th birthday.

Depending on who you ask, Roy Halladay is either the best or second-best Blue Jays starter of all time, but there’s no question that he and Dave Stieb top the list in franchise history. Stieb was the best AL pitcher of the 1980s, while Halladay dominated the AL in the 2000s. Doc ranks second in franchise wins with 148 (Stieb had 175), second in BWAR at 48.5 (Stieb 57.2), and third in starts at 287 (behind Stieb’s 408 and Jim Clancy’s 345).

Halladay won two Cy Young Awards (one as a Jay, one as a Phillie) and finished in the top five in voting five other times. He was also selected for eight All-Star teams. Doc was one of the few bright spots on an otherwise average Blue Jays squad during most of his tenure. I always looked forward to his starts. Beyond his immense talent, he was a fierce competitor. On days he pitched, he was completely locked in—teammates and especially the press knew not to disturb him as he focused on the task at hand.

Halladay’s passing remains one of the saddest moments for me as a fan.

Pat Borders turns 63 today. Borders was never a star player or a great hitter, but he did have one above-average season as a Jay. In 1990, he posted a 120 OPS+, hit .286 with 15 home runs, and had an on-base percentage above .300 (.319) for the only time in his Blue Jays career. His career offensive win percentage with the Jays was .458. He had decent power, though his lack of plate discipline held him back. Still, he was a tough catcher and an excellent handler of pitchers, with a decent arm, though never quite Gold Glove caliber.

Borders played 747 games for the Jays, ranking second among catchers behind Ernie Whitt. He went on to play for eight other MLB teams and was still playing professional baseball at age 42. Kirk is at 569.

Borders was the World Series MVP in 1992, and every Jays fan owes him a beer or two for that feat alone. I thought he e could have pursued a career as a coach or manager after his 17-year major league stint, and he did spend some time managing in the Phillies system. Now, he coaches at the university level.

Pat always struck me as the kind of guy you’d want to share a drink with—just a genuinely good person and a hard worker.

I also want to mention Dennis Martinez, who turns 72 today. Though he never played for the Jays during his 23-year career, he spent eight years as an Expo. Martinez racked up 245 wins, but the highlight for me will always be his perfect game against the Dodgers in 1991. Dave Van Horne’s call—“El Presidente, El Perfecto”—remains iconic. Martinez overcame alcoholism to become one of the era’s best pitchers.

It’s a shame he dropped off the Hall of Fame ballot after just one year.

Also, having birthdays:

Hosken Powell would have turned 71 today, but sadly, he passed away last June.

Powell played six seasons in MLB—four with the Twins and his last two with the Jays.

He played for the Jays in 1982 and 1983. In 1982, he performed respectably, batting .275/.304/.389 over 112 games. The following year didn’t go as well—he hit just .169/.213/.205 in 40 games before being released on July 10th. Over his career, Powell hit .259/.314/.349 with 17 home runs and 17 triples in 594 games, adding 43 steals while mainly playing right field. As a left-handed hitter, his splits were remarkably similar: a .649 OPS against lefties and .665 against righties. I don’t recall much about him except enjoying his Strat-O-Matic Baseball card.

Mark Dalesandro turns 58 today. He served as a backup catcher for the Jays in parts of 1998 and 1999, appearing in 48 games and hitting .266/.276/.383 with two home runs. He also played a few games for the Angels and made a single appearance for the White Sox.

Morning, all!

Adam and I were at the game last night, though Adam left in the sixth and missed the theatrics. That was something.

Chris Martin made a rehab appearance for Round Rock on Tuesday and batters teed off on his splitter. Martin doesn’t know if it’s a mechanical issue or execution and described the sudden demise of his most effective pitch “a real head scratcher.”

Nathan Eovaldi threw a bullpen session yesterday and thinks he will be able to make his next scheduled start on Sunday, though Skip Schumaker is not yet ready to write that in stone.

Last night’s walkoff featured some unlikely heroes in Jake Butger and Danny Jansen.

Jansen would say he’s not an unlikely hero at all, as he reminded his teammates that last night was his fifth career walkoff hit.

Burger has five hits in the last two games after getting benched for two games to get right with Jesus.