Category: Baseball

Right-hander Liam Hendriks joins the Triple-A Iowa Cubs from Mesa.

Left-hander Aaron Bummer also joins Triple-A Iowa from Mesa.

Third baseman Drew Bowser goes from High-A South Bend to Double-A Knoxville. In case you’ve forgotten, Bowser was a high school teammate of Pete Crow-Armstrong.

Catcher Logan Poteet was promoted to South Bend from Low-A Myrtle Beach.

Catcher/first baseman Michael Carico also joins South Bend from Myrtle Beach.

Shortstop Jose Silva goes from the ACL Cubs to Low-A Myrtle Beach.

Shortstop Ezequiel Pena goes from Myrtle Beach to the ACL Cubs.

Catcher Ivan Cespedes goes from the ACL Cubs to Myrtle Beach.

Catcher Henniel Alcala goes from Myrtle Beach to the ACL Cubs.

Right-hander Aiden Moffat goes from Myrtle Beach to the ACL Cubs.

Right-hander Vince Velazquez has elected free agency. He did that earlier this season and ended up re-signing with the Cubs. We’ll see what happens this time.

There’s a nice surprise in the ACL Cubs box score.

Iowa Cubs

The Iowa Cubs roasted the Toledo Mud Hens (Tigers), 3-1.

A quality start for Will Sanders, who got the win after allowing just one run on two hits over six innings. He struck out five and walked no one.

Jayden Murray pitched the seventh and eighth inning and retired all six hitters. He struck out one of them.

Luis Peralta came on in the ninth for the save and made it scary by giving up singles to two of the first three batters. But with two on and one out, he retired the next to batters to end the game and claim the save. Peralta struck out two.

Catcher Moisés Ballesteros tied the game 1-1 in the third inning with an RBI single. Ballesteros went 1 for 2 with two walks.

Third baseman Owen Miller got a “Little League” home run as he rounded the bases with a triple and an error in the fourth inning. Miller was 1 for 4.

Second baseman James Triantos doubled twice in a 2 for 4 game.

Mo Baller’s RBI single.

Bally ties the game! pic.twitter.com/RpPJJtNaeh

— Iowa Cubs (@IowaCubs) June 30, 2026

Miller rounds the bases.

Little league home run from Owen Miller!! pic.twitter.com/2QwrVJ6J0o

— Iowa Cubs (@IowaCubs) June 30, 2026

Knoxville Smokies

The Knoxville Smokies pulped the Columbus Clingstones (Braves), 12-3. Knoxville is off to a 6-1 start to the second half of the season after winning the first half.

Connor Schultz gave up two runs in the first inning, which included a solo home run. After that, the Clingstones got pretty much nothing. retiring the last 13 batters he faced. Schultz’s final line was two runs on two hits over six innings. He walked two and struck out two as he got his first win of the season.

Right fielder Alex Ramírez tied the game up 2-2 in the bottom of the first with a two-run home run, his ninth blase of the year. Ramírez also made it 4-2 with a two-run single in the third, giving him four RBI on the night. Ramírez was 2 for 5.

In the fourth inning, second baseman Hayden Cantrelle connected with the bases empty for his first home run of 2026. Cantrelle went 1 for 3 with a walk and two runs scored.

Center fielder Andy Garriola chipped in a solo home run in the seventh inning. It was Garriola’s 16th home run this season. He was 2 for 4.

Shortstop Jefferson Rojas went 3 for 5 with two steals. Rojas scored three runs and drove in one.

Catcher Owen Ayers was 1 for 3 with a double and a walk. He scored one run and had one RBI.

The Ramírez home run.

Alex Ramirez sends a message to the Clingstones bullpen 💣 pic.twitter.com/hlzm6z1AXa

— Knoxville Smokies (@smokiesbaseball) June 30, 2026

Cantrelle’s first home run was not a cheapie.

Hayden Cantrelle just cannonballed into the Modelo Watering Hole 💣 pic.twitter.com/g5cnfMFyGl

— Knoxville Smokies (@smokiesbaseball) July 1, 2026

I wouldn’t say home runs are routine for Garriola, but they’re not uncommon either.

Andy Garriola goes yard for the 16th time this season 💥

104.2 mph off the bat, 400 ft 😳 pic.twitter.com/5SyXG1irUL

— Knoxville Smokies (@smokiesbaseball) July 1, 2026

South Bend Cubs

The South Bend Cubs got bombed by the Beloit Sky Carp (Marlins), 4-0.

Jostin Florentino started and took the loss after surrendering three runs on two hits over five innings. All three runs came on a home run in the third inning. Florentino struck out six and walked two.

South Bend managed just five hits. Center fielder Kane Kepley was 2 for 4 with two doubles.

Myrtle Beach Pelicans

The Myrtle Beach Pelicans got pinched by the Hickory Crawdads (Rangers), 6-3.

Starter Emilio Ramos only allowed one hit. Unfortunately, that that one hit was a three-run home run in the top of the first inning. The final line on Ramos was three runs on one hit and four walks over three innings. He struck out three.

Jhon Rosario pitched the final three innings and did not allow a run. He gave up just one hit and he walked one while striking out one.

The Pelicans managed just two hits. Second baseman Alexis Hernandez went 1 for 4 with an RBI single in the eighth inning.

ACL Cubs

Lost to the Dodgers, 7-1.

Ethan Conrad made his professional debut in this game as the DH. He was 2 for 3.

The Mets evened up the series against the Toronto Blue Jays with a shutout victory on Tuesday night, winning by a score of 3-0.

Here are the key takeaways...

-- For a second straight night in Toronto, offense came at a premium as the Mets and Blue Jays entered the fifth inning in a scoreless draw. Both pitchers, Nolan McLean and Kevin Gausman, were at the top of their game but did have to pitch out of some trouble early on. 

For McLean, that came in the second and fourth innings when the Blue Jays twice began two-out rallies to put runners in scoring position. Each time, though, the rookie escaped by getting the final out of the inning to keep Toronto off the board.

-- On the other side, after retiring the first seven batters he faced, Gausman allowed a one-out double to Brett Baty in the third and then got lucky with two consecutive lineouts that had exit velocities above 100 mph. 

-- New York had another chance to score in the fourth inning when Juan Soto walked to lead off the frame before Bo Bichette singled to right field for his first hit of the series against his former team. Francisco Lindor followed with a groundout to first base that advanced the runners to second and third, but Jared Young and A.J. Ewing both struck out against Gausman to end the threat as the Mets’ RISP issues continued.

-- To get around those problems, Francisco Alvarez, the designated hitter, led off the fifth with a solo bomb to finally get New York on the board and give the team its first lead of the series. Later in the inning with two outs, Carson Benge singled in front of a walk to Soto for another chance with RISP, but Bichette lined out.

-- Staked to a lead, McLean went out for the bottom of the fifth and worked around an infield single for a shutdown inning. In the sixth, he did the same thing, this time maneuvering past a one-out walk. The right-hander’s night was done after six terrific innings in which he allowed no runs on five and two walks while striking out seven. He threw 91 pitches (63 strikes). 

McLean’s outing was much needed, with it coming on the heels of allowing six earned runs last time out against the Chicago Cubs. 

-- Still nursing a 1-0 lead in the seventh inning, Luis Torrens doubled it immediately with a solo shot of his own against lefty reliever Mason Fluharty. The home run was the catcher’s second of the season and meant the Mets’ catching duo provided all of the game's offense up until that point with two swings.

-- After Brooks Raley pitched a scoreless seventh inning as the first reliever out of the bullpen, Luke Weaver retired the side in order in the eighth to extend his scoreless streak to 24 consecutive innings. He’s now three innings away from tying Mark Guthrie’s franchise-record 27 consecutive scoreless innings by a relief pitcher, which he did in 2002.

-- New York tacked on a run in the ninth on a sacrifice fly by Baty, and despite scoring three runs, it still managed to go 0-for-7 with RISP. The Mets are 0-for-16 in those situations this series and have scored four runs over the two games so far.

-- Devin Williams got his 12th save of the season after closing things out in the ninth inning.

Game MVP: Nolan McLean

McLean got back on track with a sizzling start and held his opponent scoreless for the second time in his last three starts. He lowered his ERA to 3.78 and is 5-5 on the season.

Highlights

Nolan McLean gets 5 strikeouts through 3 innings🔥 pic.twitter.com/o3FSCMoOnz

— SNY (@SNYtv) June 30, 2026

Francisco Alvarez home run gives the Mets the lead! pic.twitter.com/3ZfXVeI2IC

— SNY (@SNYtv) July 1, 2026

Luis Torrens hits his second home run of the season! pic.twitter.com/Yjm0hLzFdo

— SNY (@SNYtv) July 1, 2026

A sacrifice fly for Brett Baty to send A.J. Ewing home! pic.twitter.com/F8VocL1e4W

— SNY (@SNYtv) July 1, 2026

What's next

The Mets finish their series with the Blue Jays in Toronto on Wednesday afternoon, with first pitch set for 3:07 p.m. on SNY.

RHP Freddy Peralta (5-6, 4.53 ERA) goes up against LHP Patrick Corbin (2-4, 5.09 ERA).

The Tigers took the second game of the series against the Yankees 9-3 with thanks to a dazzling start from Tarik Skubal.

Start spreading the news… the Tigers were back in the Bronx for game two of their series against the Yankees, hoping to clinch the series win nice and early. It was going to be a pitchers’ duel for the ages though, with Cam Schlittler on the mound for the Yankees, up against Tarik Skubal for the Tigers. They would be hoping to carry through their hot bats from Monday night.

Those hot bats certainly came to play. With two outs in the first, Kerry Carpenter homered to center. It really looked like Spencer Jones had nabbed it over the wall, but it bounced out of his glove for a home run.

THINGS ARE HAPPENING pic.twitter.com/P0tcqgq0PF

— Detroit Tigers (@tigers) June 30, 2026

Riley Greene wasted absolutely no time getting in on things, like his way of saying, “I missed out on all the fun yesterday, it’s my turn.”

KERRY AND RILEY GO BACK-TO-BACK 💥 pic.twitter.com/JaQBHdK5FZ

— Detroit Tigers (@tigers) June 30, 2026

Colt Keith singled. Then, a very lengthy at-bat from Spencer Torkelson ended with a Tork Bomb to left, and it seemed very likely that Schlittler–who hadn’t given up more than one run in the first before this game–would not be long for his start. He got the final out of the inning, but it took him 36 pitches to get through a single inning.

HOW 'BOUT A TORK BOMB 💣 pic.twitter.com/scsmUt8Uqw

— Detroit Tigers (@tigers) June 30, 2026

In the home half, the Yankees retaliated with a two-out home run by Ben Rice.

The Tigers went 1-2-3 in the top of the second, but the Yankees did the same in the home half of the inning, so perhaps both pitchers were evening out after their first inning faux pas.

Or, perhaps not. Dingler singled to start the third, and then with one out, Greene hit another home run. Schlittler did get the final two outs, but the Tigers were up 6-0.

IS HAVING TWO HOME RUNS BY THE THIRD INNING A GOOD THING? pic.twitter.com/Xc4wKPQU6q

— Detroit Tigers (@tigers) June 30, 2026

Skubal was looking good in the bottom of the inning, going through the lineup in order.

In the fourth, James Outman took a two-out walk, but the Tigers weren’t able to convert the baserunner. In the bottom of the inning, Tarik Skubal was showing precisely why he has two Cy Young awards, tunneling pitches that went from 100mph to 81 back-to-back and making Ben Rice look a little silly after getting that first-inning home run. Just looking really good. He went through the side in order.

Tarik Skubal, Devastating the Side. pic.twitter.com/0Its1MRdNH

— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) July 1, 2026

Dingler opened the fifth with a leadoff double and that was it for Schlittler. Ryan Yarbrough came on to replace him. Yarbrough got the rest of the side out in order, leaving Dingler stranded. Skubal once again got the Yankees 1-2-3 in the bottom of the fifth.

The Tigers were right back on their game in the top of the sixth with a leadoff single from Torkelson. McKinstry reached safely on a throwing error from Jose Caballero, which allowed McKinstry and Torkelson to advance to scoring position. Outman then came in and hit a home run to score three. Three outs followed, but the Tigers were doing pretty well.

OUT, MAN. pic.twitter.com/BqeWlSyzUg

— Detroit Tigers (@tigers) July 1, 2026

Max Schuemann was hit by a pitch to start the home half. Ali Sanchez then singled, bumping Schuemann to third. Paul Goldschmidt hit into a double play, but Schuemann scored as well. Skubal got the final out of the inning, and all things considered, one extra run isn’t the end of the world. Don’t make me regret writing that, Tigers.

Yovanny Cruz came in for the Yankees in the seventh, and got the side out in order. Skubal’s day was done after six innings, going 6.0 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 0 BB 9 K, 1 HR on 87 pitches (a note on the 1 ER – the second run was charged as an error to McKinstry well after the fact, so the run wasn’t credited to Skubal). A nice night from him overall, truly. Jacob Waguespack came in from the Tigers’ bullpen to replace him. With one out, Jasson Dominguez singled. Anthony Volpe then grounded into a force out, eliminating Dominguez. Waguespack got the final two outs of the inning and no runs scored.

The Tigers went 1-2-3 in the top of the eighth. In the home half, Waguespack got the side out in order.

Jake Bird was the Yankees pitcher for the ninth and gave up a leadoff single to Hao-Yu Lee, then Kevin McGonigle singled right behind him. A popout and a double play ended the inning. Tyler Holton was out of the bullpen to hang onto the Tigers’ lead. Amed Rosario got a one-out walk. With two outs, Rosario advanced to second on defensive indifference. Dominguez then singled to score Rosario, with a little help from an ugly failed catch attempt by Carpenter. Anthony Volpe singled, pushing Dominguez to third. Holton finally got out of the inning with just the one run scored, and the Tigers officially won the game and the series, with one more to play tomorrow afternoon.

Final: Tigers 9, Yankees 3

Cam Schlittler was tagged for four home runs and the Yankees bats continued their week-long slump in their 9-3 loss to the Tigers on Tuesday night.

The Yankees have lost six in a row and end June with a 12-14 record. 

Here are the takeaways...

-Schlittler had a rocky start. After getting the first two outs quickly, Kerry Carpenter hit a ball deep into right-center field. Spencer Jones timed it perfectly and had the ball in his glove, but the ball dislodged over the wall when he hit the wall to give the Tigers the lead. Riley Greene followed up with a no-doubt 424-foot bomb into the second deck in right field. 

Two batters later, Spencer Torkelson took Schlittler deep (405 feet) over the left field wall to give the Tigers a 4-0 lead. It took Schlittler 36 pitches to get out of the first inning.

Greene would get Schlittler again in the third, with a two-run shot. Schlittler would pitch into the fifth and, after allowing a leadoff double to Dillon Dingler, manager Aaron Boone pulled his young star. 

Schlittler allowed six runs on seven hits and one walk while striking out five batters across four-plus innings. 

It's the first start this season that Schlittler has allowed more than one home run. He allowed six in his first 17 starts. It's also a career high in earned runs (6).

-Ryan Yarbrough was the first man out of the pen for the Yankees. After getting out of Schlittler's trouble in the fifth, the defense betrayed him. Jose Caballero, starting at second with Jazz Chisholm Jr. out after Monday's collision with Jasson Dominguez, threw a would-be double play into left field. James Outman followed with a three-run shot, putting Detroit up 9-1. 

-In his first game after being recalled, Yovanny Cruz struck out three in his two perfect innings of work. Jake Bird worked in and out of trouble in his one inning of work.

-Going up against Tarik Skubal down four runs is difficult, but Ben Rice got the Yankees on the board with a two-out solo shot in the first. The only other run the Yankees would get off of Skubal would be in the sixth. After Max Schuemann was hit by a pitch to lead off, Ali Sanchez hit a grounder to Zach McKinstry, but the shortstop whiffed on the groundball, putting runners at the corners with no outs. Paul Goldschmidt hit into a double play, but Schuemann scored. 

The Yankees' third run came in the ninth. After Amed Rosario walked, he scored on a Dominguez fly ball single that fell in front of a diving Karpenter in right field. 

The Yankees had four hits, the first time they eclipsed three in five games.

Game MVP: Riley Greene

Greene's two home runs accounted for three of the Tigers' nine runs.

Highlights

Spencer Jones nearly robs Kerry Carpenter at the wall, but the ball pops out of his glove for a home run pic.twitter.com/eOkW9qUovr

— SNY Yankees (@snyyankees) June 30, 2026

Ben Rice homers off Tarik Skubal! 🍚 pic.twitter.com/tQkzsubzGQ

— SNY Yankees (@snyyankees) June 30, 2026

What's next

The Yankees and Tigers wrap up their three-game set in the Bronx on Wednesday afternoon. First pitch is set for 1:35 p.m.

Will Warren (7-3, 3.75 ERA) will take the mound against Troy Melton (4-1, 2.39 ERA). 

Buoyed by another stellar outing by their ace and hopeful All Star Game starter, Cristopher Sanchez, the Philadelphia Phillies (48-38) blanked the Pittsburgh Pirates (43-43) by a score of 8-0 to even up the four-game series at the halfway point.Sanchez battled a blister on his throwing hand and still managed a no hitter into the fourth inning, going seven full allowing just three hits, two walks and striking out nine.

Cristopher Sánchez strikes out the side!

He's struck out 5 through the 2nd inning 🔥 pic.twitter.com/TvNpdfm4rr

— MLB (@MLB) June 30, 2026

Sanchez lowered his ERA to an even 2.00 and became the major’s first 10-game winner of 2026.

Another Cristopher Sánchez 💎

His 2.00 ERA is 2nd-lowest in MLB! pic.twitter.com/q3bz7i2cL2

— MLB (@MLB) July 1, 2026

The effort was necessary as the Phillies nursed a 2-0 lead most of the game before turning it into a laugher in the third act.

Alec Bohm makes a remarkable diving play 😯 pic.twitter.com/ciljp8THz9

— MLB (@MLB) July 1, 2026

Justin Crawford started the scoring with a two-RBI single in the second inning and drove in another run with a single in the eighth for the first three-RBI game of his career.

Trea Turner also drove in three with an RBI double in the seventh and a two-run home run in the eighth, his ninth of the year.

Trea Turner is really finding his swing

Just need his glove to follow suit pic.twitter.com/ujidQ5NINT

— Philly Sports Sufferer (@mccrystal_alex) July 1, 2026

Trea Turner has homered in back-to-back games, this one on his 33rd birthday! pic.twitter.com/lzFEFDZKP9

— Talkin' Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) July 1, 2026

Bryce Harper and Brandon Marsh accounted for the other two runs in the seventh with an RBI single and fielder’s choice respectively.

Bryce adds another! pic.twitter.com/2CUWMNjivf

— Philadelphia Phillies (@Phillies) July 1, 2026

Jonathan Bowlan and recently recalled Lou Trivino preserved Sanchez’s shutout with a scoreless inning each in relief.

Game three of the four game set is tomorrow with Zack Wheeler slated to battle reigning NL Cy Young winner, Paul Skenes.

In Monday’s loss to the White Sox, it took Chicago until the 9th inning to score their eighth run of the game. Tonight, they only had to wait until the 3rd inning, as the Southsiders clobbered Orioles’ starter Trey Gibson en route to a 9-3 blowout of Baltimore.

After only lasting four innings last time out against the Angels, the rookie right-hander was hoping to give the O’s additional length against the White Sox. Instead, Chicago chased him after a disastrous 3rd inning. The Orioles came into the inning tied at 1-1, but former Red Sox and Yankee Andrew Benintendi started the rally off the inning with a single to right. Gibson then hung a slider to Chicago SS Colson Montgomery, who proceeded to blast it toward Eutaw Street for a two-run homer

Colson Montgomery crushes a 440-foot homer onto Eutaw Street 😮 pic.twitter.com/7eyY8U9YXS

— MLB (@MLB) June 30, 2026

From there, it only got worse for Gibson. He’d issue his fourth and fifth walks of the game before a Tristan Peters single loaded the bases for the Southsiders. Jacob Gonzalez then dug the O’s grave that much deeper, slashing a 1-0 fastball to left field to score two runs and give Chicago a 5-1 lead.

And while Gonzalez couldn’t clear the bases, No. 9 hitter Junior Perez was happy to oblige. On the first pitch to Perez, Gibson left another breaking ball over the plate, and the outfielder sent it 409 feet to center field for a game-breaking three-run homer.

Junior Perez's 3-run homer makes it a 7-run @WhiteSox inning before recording an out 🤯 pic.twitter.com/rma0d83KNs

— MLB (@MLB) June 30, 2026

Gibson would stick around for a couple more batters, finally getting the first out of the inning by striking catcher Kyle Teel. The righty then got Miguel Vargas to pop out before Benintendi ended his evening by working the White Sox’s sixth walk in less than three innings. Gibson exited having thrown 78 total pitches and 37 in the 3rd alone, finishing with a final line of 2.2 IP, 7 H, 8 ER, 6 BB and 5 Ks. It was the Orioles’ shortest start since Chris Bassitt only completed three innings in an 8-1 loss to the Red Sox on June 3rd.

Offensively, the Orioles looked ready to compete early, but that spark faded as fast as Gibson’s start. After falling behind 1-0 in the top of the 1st, Gunnar Henderson and Samuel Basallo helped spark a game-tying rally. Henderson led off the home 1st by singling up the middle on a changeup on the outer third of the plate. Pete Alonso then worked a two-out walk to move Gunnar to second and set the table for Basallo. The rookie catcher jumped on a first-pitch cutter, slamming a single to right-center to score Henderson and tie the game.

From there, the O’s would go 13 straight plate appearances without registering a hit. Their only base runners during that stretch would come via a Colton Cowser leadoff walk in the 3rd and a Basallo leadoff walk in the 4th. Cowser also came close to hitting a two-run homer in the 4th, only for the loud fly ball to die on the track in right-center field.

The Baltimore bats finally got back on the board in the 5th thanks to the top of the lineup. Henderson started the rally with his second double of the night, sending a one-out double ricocheting off the out-of-town scoreboard in right. Two batters later, Dylan Beavers picked up his first hit since coming off the IL, doubling under the glove of the right fielder to score Gunnar and cut the deficit to 9-2. Alonso then notched up his 59th RBI of the season, singling to right to bring home Beavers and make it 9-3.

The O’s would attempt another rally in the 6th, with Leody Taveras reaching on a leadoff single before moving to second on a one-out single by Blaze Alexander. The attempted rally would fall flat, though, as Jackson Holliday flew out to left for the second out before Gunnar weakly grounded out to second to end the inning. Basallo and Alexander would each reach on leadoff singles in the 7th and 9th, but both were left stranded.

The bullpen arms were really the only group who performed up to expectations Tuesday night, with four pitchers combining for 6.1 IP while only allowing one run. Lanky lefty Josh Walker replaced Gibson and got the final out in the 3rd on two pitches. Walker would allow Chicago’s ninth run in the 4th, giving up a two-single to Tristan Peters before Gonzalez brought him home on a double to center.

Andrew Kittredge then took over in the 5th, punching out two while working around another Benintendi base hit. The real yeoman’s work game from the ever-dependable Albert Suárez. After chewing up three innings in the loss to the Nationals Sunday, the 36-year-old gobbled up another three innings of scoreless ball Tuesday, only allowing one hit and punching out four. Rico Garcia worked a 1-2-3 9th to finish off the impressive effort by the pen.

---

The loss drops the O’s to nine games under .500 for the first time since September 20th of last season. Dean Kremer is expected to come off the IL tomorrow as the O’s look to avoid the sweep in an afternoon matinee.

Willson Contreras is making a habit of this ejection thing.

The Red Sox and Nationals got into a heated scrap at Fenway Park on Tuesday night after Contreras — who got tossed on Monday — got into it with Washington starter Cade Cavalli during an 8-1 Boston loss.

Cavalli, already with one strikeout in the bottom of the fourth inning, got Contreras looking on a full-count sweeper. After the punchout, NESN’s microphones near the field picked up audio from Cavalli, where he appeared to say, “Sit down, boy.”

You’re never gonna believe this, but Willson Contreras is at the forefront of a fight on a baseball field. Not his fault, by the way.

Cade Cavalli said, “Sit down, boy.” The fuck is his problem? pic.twitter.com/JkBvN88DwA

— Jared Carrabis (@Jared_Carrabis) July 1, 2026

Contreras looked back toward the Washington starter and pointed at himself, seemingly asking if the pitcher was talking about him.

After being held back by Nationals catcher Keibert Ruiz, Contreras than tried to bolt — unsuccessfully — toward Cavalli as he tried — also unsuccessfully — to chuck his batting helmet at the pitcher.

A lot of pushing and shoving near the first base line occurred as the Red Sox tried with all their power to hold Contreras from going after Cavalli. Eventually, even as both teams’ bullpens emptied, Contreras was restrained and tossed from the game, along with interim Boston manager Chad Tracy, third baseman/outfielder Nate Eaton and Nationals pitcher Miles Mikolas.

When asked after the game what he said to Contreras, Cavalli said he did not remember.

“I don’t know. I just lose my head in it. I’m competitive. I just told him to sit down,” Cavalli, who finished with 13 strikeouts, told reporters, according to the Associated Press. “[Contreras has] just been doing stuff. In the first inning, he just runs past me and brushes me. It’s just something you don’t do in baseball. I think he knows that. I didn’t say anything. I just looked at him. And a few words were said after the strikeout. It’s part of the game. And he’s going to let everybody run out there and try and do whatever he does, throw a helmet and get himself tossed.”

Contreras said he Cavalli was “instigating,” leading to things getting heated.

“He struck me on a good pitch, I was walking back to the dugout, and then he did what did, and the rest was history,” Contreras said. “He was like, instigating, and I snapped.”

Contreras is no stranger to fiery incidents these days, as he jawed at Yankees starter Will Warren on Friday after taking a pitch up and in before eventually walking and emphatically flipping his bat while jawing at Warren, causing a benches-clearing incident that was relatively tame and did not lead to any ejections.

On Monday, Contreras was ejected from the series opener against Washington after he struck out on a check swing and then tapped his helmet in disagreement with the call.

Unlike the automated ball strike system, where batters can tap their helmets to challenge a strike call, check swings cannot yet be challenged in MLB.

Contreras said after the game he was not directing his frutstration toward first base umpire Nic Lentz, who made the check swing decision.

“It wasn’t directed at him,” Contreras said. “He told me, ‘Because you tapped your helmet.’ I was like, ‘Yeah, I didn’t make eye contact with you.’ I didn’t argue. I didn’t yell. I didn’t do anything wrong. And he told me, ‘Yeah, but I have to throw you out.’

“I was like, ‘You didn’t have to, but you made that choice. That’s it.’”

The native of Venezuela also homered Monday and said everything that’s happened in his home country after the devastating earthquakes that have killed over 1,700 people has been difficult to deal with.

“The homer just represents something that I prayed to God for it to happen, because that’s the only thing that I can do for Venezuela right now, physically, and that’s when my emotions showed,” Contreras said.

“I was thinking of so many kids that have died, so many people that have died, and it’s not easy to deal with it.”

Only one Max Muncy starts Tuesday.

Tonight's #Dodgers lineup at Athletics: pic.twitter.com/4RGHDdZGFH

— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) June 30, 2026

Tuesday game info

• Teams: Dodgers at Athletics
• Ballpark: Sutter Health Park, West Sacramento
• Time: 6:40 p.m.
• TV: SportsNet LA
• Radio: AM 570 (English), KTNQ 1020 AM (Spanish)

The news you never want to hear about a young, blossoming pitcher has struck Connelly Early, who left tonight’s start against the Nationals after four shutout innings. Here’s Chris Cotillo with the post:

Connelly Early left the game with "left elbow discomfort," the Red Sox announce.

— Chris Cotillo (@ChrisCotillo) July 1, 2026

Good updates almost never follow a pitcher leaving a start with “elbow discomfort,” and given the way Red Sox injury news almost always gets worse, I’m bracing for impact with this one.

Adding salt to the wound, this comes right as the Red Sox rotation was turning into the engine driving their five game winning streak. Early was well on his way to posting the 13th consecutive quality start for Red Sox pitching when his departure abruptly ended it.

That’s all we’ve got for now, so let’s hope for good news from here, but I’m not optimistic.

With the off day tomorrow, the Mariners are using today as an opportunity to get a few dinged-up players some back-to-back days of rest: Dominic Canzone (hamstring) and Luke Raley (elbow) are both out of the lineup, and Canzone, at least, won’t be available off the bench. Randy Arozarena is also getting a breather. Not getting a breather: Cole Young, who continues to be the Mariners’ iron man.

Lineups:

Cool lineup graphic, at-Angels. Former Mariner Donovan Walton deserves better (in many senses).

Roster move:

RHP Cole Wilcox is up in place of LHP Josh Simpson; read more here.

Game information:

Game time: 6:40 PT

TV: Mariners TV with Aaron Goldsmith and Ryan Rowland-Smith, with Angie Mentink as field analyst

Radio: 710 AM Seattle Sports with Rick Rizzs and Gary Hill Jr. For those wondering where Shannon Drayer has been, she sustained a broken pinky finger on the roadtrip in Baltimore (road trip! from! hell!) and is having surgery on it this week, so she’s been off for a few days.

Programming note/reminder: Because of the World Cup, tomorrow is an off day. The series will conclude with its normal day game on Thursday before the Blue Jays come to town this weekend.

The San Francisco Giants continue this three-game road series against the Arizona Diamondbacks tonight.

Taking the mound for the Giants will be Landen Roupp. He enters tonight’s game with a 4.07 ERA, 2.94 FIP, with 95 strikeouts to 34 walks in 86.1 innings pitched. His last start was in the Giants 9-6 loss to the Athletics last Thursday, in which he allowed two runs on six hits with six strikeouts and a walk in six innings.

As of the time this is being written, the Diamondbacks have not yet announced a starting pitcher. So check down in the comments for more up to date information.

Game #85

Who: San Francisco Giants (35-49) vs. Arizona Diamondbacks (42-42)

Where: Chase Field, Phoenix, Arizona

When: 6:40 p.m. PT

Regional broadcast: NBC Sports Bay Area

National broadcast: n/a

Radio: KNBR 680 AM/104.5 FM, KSFN 1510 AM

Willson Contreras struck out, but did not go down quietly.

The Red Sox first baseman did not care for Cade Cavalli celebrating the punchout. Contreras confronted the Nationals pitcher, threw his helmet at him and within seconds both dugouts at Fenway had emptied Tuesday night.

Four ended up ejected, including Contreras, Red Sox outfielder Nate Eaton and interim Boston manager Chad Tracy. Nationals pitcher Miles Mikolas was tossed, but Cavalli remained in the game.

Willson Contreras throws his helmet during a benches clearing incident after Nationals pitcher Cade Cavalli told him to “sit down boy” pic.twitter.com/IBEyYXKReN

— Talkin' Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) July 1, 2026

It was the second straight night that Contreras got the boot. Monday, it was for tapping his helmet after a check-swing strikeout, a gesture the umpire took as a dig. Three days before that, he was in the middle of a benches-clearing scrum with the Yankees, chirping over a pitch that came in too high and tight.

Contreras has been openly emotional about his native Venezuela this week. Two earthquakes have killed more than 1,700 people. He has been raising money and pushing out word for relief efforts. Contreras, who is one of five Venezuelan-born players on the Red Sox roster, sat in the Boston dugout Monday night and bawled after hitting a home run.

When he signed with Boston over the winter, Contreras said he would "play with fire." He has shown he also has a short fuse. The Red Sox, however, have not complained about his emotions, which have carried them through a hot close to June, including a four-game sweep on the Yankees.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Watch: Benches clear at Fenway after Contreras throws batting helmet

Jacob deGrom and Tanner Bibee faced off in game two of the three game series. Both pitchers had great outings, with Bibee going a full seven innings of work. Bibee allowed five hits and struck out two batters. He did not walk a single batter. Bibee gave up three runs, two earned. Rookie Cooper Ingle lost track of the outs and gave up a costly two base error to account for the unearned run. Bibee fell to 2-9 on the season. Shawn Armstrong worked an inning, giving up a run on a solo homer. Daniel Espino had a clean inning of work, striking out two of the three batters faced. In the top of the ninth, Bazzana made a great stop to record the out.

The Guardians offense only recorded five hits on the night with Daniel Schneemann going 2-for-3 with a stolen base. The runs for Cleveland came early in the bottom of the first. Chase DeLauter hit a one-out double to center. Kyle Manzardo followed up with his tenth home run of the season.

A victory against deGrom will always be difficult and hard fought. It is, regrettably, unsurprising that the offense couldn’t get on and get home when they needed to. The unfortunate error and a solo shot were the nails in the coffin that is this series, and the season series, against the Rangers. Texas and Cleveland will play one more game tomorrow with a 1:10 PM EDT first pitch.

The Texas Rangers scored four runs while the Cleveland Guardians scored two runs.

The first couple of handfuls of minutes of tonight’s game was enough to make one wonder if maybe the wheels were finally coming off. Despite piling up some wins here in the final days of June, parts have been falling off the vessel even as Texas continues to barrel forward at full throttle.

In the top of the first, after a couple of outs, Corey Seager was due up to face right-hander Tanner Bibee, but instead, Cam Cauley arrived in the box on his second day as a big leaguer. Seager never entered the game as he appears to once again be dealing with a balky back, an issue that sidelined him several weeks. That was before a concussion knocked him out for several series.

With Brandon Nimmo out and Wyatt Langford on the IL, Seager became yet another top-of-the-lineup regular not participating in this one.

Things didn’t get much better in the bottom of the inning for tonight’s other superstar Jacob deGrom as after three Cleveland batters, it was 2-0 Guardians following a one-out Chase DeLauter double that was followed by a Kyle Manzardo two-run home run.

deGrom has been among the more prominent perpetrators of first inning misery for Texas this season, but the Rangers had been better about getting out to leads during this road trip. Tonight they would have to battle back from an early deficit, which isn’t something they’ve been adept at all season.

Nevertheless, deGrom allowed a leadoff single in the next inning but then didn’t allow another hit until two outs in the seventh. With deGrom settled in, the Rangers were given a golden opportunity to enjoy a comeback. Joc Pederson made that more of a reality by smacking a two-run home run of his own in the the top of the third to tie the game.

The scored stayed tied with deGrom battling Bibee until the top of the seventh when the Rangers were given a gift.

With one out, and Ezequiel Duran on second base representing the go-ahead run, Alejandro Osuna popped a lazy flyball to medium distance in left field where Cleveland left fielder Cooper Ingle easily fielded the ball before jogging in a few steps and tossing the ball into the stands, completely forgetting the number of outs.

🤷 pic.twitter.com/r4GOi3pIKW

— Texas Rangers (@Rangers) July 1, 2026

By rule Duran was allowed to advance two bases, which means he scored the go-ahead and eventual winning run on the ultimate brain fart.

Ingle likely wished the Cuyahoga River would swallow him up. Maybe he felt a tad better when Josh Jung hit a solo home run in the eighth to make it a 4-2 game. At least then he could tell himself it wasn’t a one-run loss in which his blunder contributed the one run.

With the lead, the Rangers went to Peyton Gray for a scoreless inning before handing the ball to Jacob Latz for a scoreless ninth and his 18th save of the year. Almost cruelly, Ingle was the last batter for Cleveland. He struck out looking.

The victory is Texas’ sixth in a row, their best winning streak of the year.

Player of the Game: Despite that danged first inning bugaboo providing a jump scare again tonight, deGrom settled in and gave the Rangers seven innings of two-run ball. deGrom allowed the two runs on four hits and zero walks and nine strikeouts.

deGrom also picked up his seventh win of the season as he continues to make a case for an All-Star nod.

Up Next: The Rangers open July with an opportunity for a second consecutive sweep as LHP MacKenzie Gore will take the mound for Texas in the road trip finale opposite LHP Joey Cantillo for Cleveland.

Wednesday’s early first pitch from Progressive Field is scheduled for 12:10 pm CDT and will be aired on the Rangers Sports Network.

Arizona managed to provide more than ample excitement last night, capping off a solid win with a near-meltdown by Paul Sewald. Eduardo Rodriguez was once again his reliable self, pitching seven complete innings of one-run ball> While he only struck out one Giant, he also avoided issuing any free passes. Ketel Marte and Geraldo Perdomo were big contributors last night. And, as is often the case when those two have a good night, the offense managed to put up some runs on the board, enough to survive a mini-stumble by the bullpen. Nolan Arenado piling on was good to see. The veteran third baseman is becoming a polarizing figure in the fandom.

As expected in the series preview, Brandon Pfaadt has been recalled to be today’s starter. It remains to be seen if tis is a one and done situation, or if he’ll stay put for a bit while the team tries to weather this rash of injuries they have sustained of late. All eyes will be on the former Reno standout as the Diamondbacks attempt to remain perfect against the Giants in 2025. One other player to watch will be Max Kepler. Will he finally notch his first base hit as a Diamondback? Tune in to see!