Baseball News
Red Sox 6, Mariners 2
Piggy Back: Bryce Miller, .11 WPA
Broken Back: Luis Castillo, -.21 WPA
Saving Me From Recapping a No-Hitter Back: Josh Naylor, .88888888888888 kWPA
Game thread comment of the day:
This one goes in the file on my computer labeled “so true bestie”
Discussion question: If you were to make a Dan Wilson soundboard like those ones dogs “talk” through, what would the buttons say?
The Iowa Cubs beat Indianapolis (Pirates), 11-7.
Starter Vince Velazquez gave the I-Cubs three innings and gave Indianapolis three runs on six hits. Velazquez walked three more and struck out four.
Andrew Wantz threw the next four innings, surrendered three runs on four hits, and got the win. Wantz struck out three, hit one batter and walked one.
Vince Reilly was summoned from the bullpen with the bases loaded and two outs in the top of the ninth. The first batter he faced hit an RBI single, but the second one struck out and Reilly got the save.
In the fourth inning, first baseman Jonathon Long hit a grand slam, his sixth home run on the year. Long went 1 for 4 with a walk and two runs scored.
DH BJ Murray added on two more runs with his eighth home run of the year n the fifth. Murray went 3 for 5 with a double, the home run and a walk. Murray scored three times.
Catcher Christian Bethancourt was 3 for 4 with a walk and a stolen base. He scored two runs and drove in one.
Shortstop Owen Miller went 2 for 6 with an RBI double in the fifth inning. He scored on Murray’s home run.
Center fielder Brett Bateman was 2 for 6. He scored one run and had one RBI.
Left fielder Chas McCormick went 2 for 3 with a walk and a hit by pitch.
Second baseman Ben Cowles was 2 for 5.
Everyone in the lineup for Iowa had at least one hit and reached base twice.
RBI single for Bateman gives him a ten-game hit streak.
RBI double for James Triantos, who was 1 for 4 and was hit by a pitch.
Nice catch by Bateman.
Long’s grand slam.
Murray’s home run was 416 feet.
Vince Reilly with the save.
The Knoxville Smokies smoked out the Chattanooga Lookouts (Reds), 2-0. The win gives the Smokies a one-game lead over Chattanooga in the first-half standings with two games to play.
Three Knoxville pitchers combined on a three-hit shutout. Jace Beck got the start and allowed two runs over five innings. But what really stands out is that Beck struck out a career-hight ten and walked just one. He did hit one batter.
Yenrri Rojas pitched the next two innings and retired all six batters he faced. He struck out one of them and got the win.
Tyler Ras was on the mound for the final two innings and got the save. He allowed a leadoff double in the ninth, but no other baserunners. Ras struck out two.
The Smokies scored both runs in the bottom of the seventh inning on back-to-back singles by left fielder Carter Trice and catcher Ariel Armas. Both players were 1 for 3.
The South Bend Cubs dented the Ft. Wayne TinCaps (Padres), 7-6 in 11 innings.
South Bend starter Koen Moreno put the Cubs down early when he gave up five runs in the first inning. One of the runs was an inside-the-park home run. However, four of the five runs Moreno allowed were unearned and he stayed in the game afterwards and gave the Cubs five innings. The final line on Moreno was five runs, one earned, on five hits over five innings. Moreno walked two and struck out two.
Jackson Brockett entered the game with the bases loaded and just one out in the sixth inning. He stranded all three runners and went on to pitch 4.1 innings of relief without allowing a run. He gave up two hits, walked no one and struck out three.
Ethan Bell did not allow a run or a hit over the final 2.1 innings and got the win, stranding the automatic runner in both the tenth and the eleventh. Bell walked three, one intentionally, and struck out four.
DH Ty Southisene singled home automatic runner Alex Madera in the top of the eleventh with what turned out to be the winning run. Southisene went 2 for 5 with a walk and three total RBI.
Center fielder Kane Kepley was 2 for 4 with a double, two walks and a stolen base. Kepley scored twice.
Shortstop Angel Cepeda came off the injured list and in his first game for South Bend since April, went 2 for 5 with a double and a walk.
First baseman Josiah Hartshorn was 1 for 4 with an RBI double, a walk and a sacrifice fly. Hartshorn scored one run and had the two runs batted in.
Hartshorn’s double.
Southisene drives home two.
Southisene’s go-ahead single in the 11th.
The Myrtle Beach Pelicans were egged by the Delmarva Shorebirds (Orioles), 8-4.
Kaleb Wing started this game and allowed one run on three hits over 2.2 innings. Wing walked four and struck out three.
Sam Mettert got tagged for four runs in the bottom of the eighth and took the loss. However, all four runs were unearned after two Pelicans errors. Mettert’s final line was four runs, all unearned, on three hits over two innings of relief. Mettert struck out two and walked no one.
Catcher Logan Poteet hit a solo home run in the eighth inning. It was his 11th on the season. Poteet was 2 for 3 with a double, the home run and two walks.
Right fielder Alexey Lumpuy went 3 for 4 with a walk and a stolen base. He drove home two.
Center fielder Darlyn De Leon was 2 for 4 with a triple and one run scored. He also stole one base.
Poteet’s home run.
Off day.
Atlanta Braves skipper Walt Weiss provided a cautiously optimistic update on Michael Harris II on Friday. Weiss told reporters that Harris is feeling better and continuing to receive treatment for the back injury that sidelined him earlier this week.
However, Weiss also acknowledged that an injured list stint remains a possibility if Harris does not show enough improvement over the next few days. While Harris was available off the bench Friday, the Braves did not need to call on him as they secured the win.
For now, both Harris and the Braves are hoping continued treatment will allow him to avoid the injured list and return to the lineup soon.
The Braves opened the series on a high note and defeated the Milwaukee Brewers 3-2.
Despite the rainy night across the farm, Alex Lodise logged a home run for the Augusta GreenJackets. More in the minor league recap.
The Arizona Diamondbacks placed right-hander Ryne Nelson on the 15-day injured list with a strained right elbow. The move is retroactive to June 16.
Detroit Tigers righty Justin Verlander has been diagnosed with a hamstring strain after a bullpen session. He will miss several weeks.
Bobby Witt Jr. of the Kansas City Royals was left out of the lineup Friday due to a Grade 1 MCL sprain.
Cast your vote for Braves Player of the Game here!
Never mind a cup.
The best way to not get hit where Jazz Chisholm Jr. did Thursday night is by hitting the baseball like he did on Friday.
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Try it freeA night after Chisholm exited Thursday’s game mid-at-bat after fouling a ball off that bounced up into his groin area, he returned to the Yankees lineup on Friday and hit a changeup flush into the second deck in right field for a home run in a 5-0 win over the Reds.
“It felt great,” said Chisholm, who has hit six of his 11 home runs over his past 18 games. “Leaving the game [Friday] night, not being able to stay in there and help my teammates win the game, to come in and start off the game and put us in front early felt great.”
Chisholm was experiencing different feelings on Thursday, when he was writhing in agony after his foul bounced back up between his legs, describing his level of pain as “a million.”
“If you ever got hit in the testicles, you would know,” Chisholm said Friday afternoon.
Still, the second baseman said, “Hell no,” when asked if he would start wearing a cup after Thursday’s mishap.
“I’ve never had a reason to wear one,” he said. “Now I have a reason to wear one, but it doesn’t mean I’m going to wear one.
“It was mandatory in the minor leagues and I still never wore it. I’m just not a cup guy.”
Aaron Boone took a different approach during his playing career as a third baseman.
“In December going to hit soft-toss, I put a cup on,” the manager said.
“That’s the difference between this generation and my generation. I did nothing without a cup, baseball related.”
Chisholm indicated that his refusal to wear a cup had to do with his supreme confidence in his fielding ability.
“If you don’t trust your hands, I recommend you wear a cup,” he said.
Some of Chisholm’s teammates were seen laughing in the dugout as he was tended to by a trainer — before it became clear he would have to leave the game — but he said they did not give him much grief once they knew he was OK.
“They just were asking me how my [testicles] felt,” Chisholm said.
Friday night was another win for Matt Hyde, the Yankees’ Northeast Area scout who signed both Cam Schlittler and Ben Rice. Schlittler, a seventh-round pick out of Northeastern, struck out 13 across six scoreless innings while Rice, a 12th-round pick out of Dartmouth, hit a three-run shot, his 21st of the year.
“Yeah, but they come out of a hotbed of big league talent,” Boone deadpanned before laughing. “It’s remarkable, really, when you think about it, two Massachusetts kids.
“Obviously a great job by Matty Hyde and then all the people involved in helping them get here. They are obviously turning into two cornerstone pieces for us and, in their own way, dominating the league.”
Austin Wells (cervical headaches) played a third rehab game on Friday with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, going 0-for-4 with a walk while playing the full game (eight innings) behind the plate. Boone was noncommittal on whether Wells would continue his rehab assignment through the weekend, though it would not be surprising if he just meets them in Detroit on Monday.
Max Fried threw a second bullpen session on Friday as he continues his recovery from a left elbow bone bruise. It remains to be seen when he might be cleared to advance to facing hitters, but a return in early August looks possible. … Reliever Peter Strzelecki opted out of his minor league deal with the Yankees and became a free agent.
Two full years have not even passed, yet, since Gage Jump was drafted by the Athletics in the 2nd round of the 2024 MLB Draft. To have made it to the big leagues and completed five consecutive scheduled starts in the A’s rotation in such a short amount of time is impressive. To be dominating professional hitters the way that he has in those starts is extraordinary.
Jump delivered his best performance so far last night, completely shutting down the Los Angeles Angels. He pitched 7.0 innings and struck out 7, only allowing a single hit. The 7 Ks are the most he’s had in any MLB start, so far, while the 1 hit is the fewest.
His debut against the Seattle Mariners back on May 26 was his only “bad” start, giving up 4 runs on 9 hits. But, still, he battled his way through 5.0 innings instead of getting yanked early. Since then, he’s been on a heater. In his next four starts, he’s only allowed 4 runs on 12 hits in 25.1 IP. That’s absurd for a pitcher as young as him.
All in all, Jump’s numbers look comparable to the top pitchers in the sport. Yes, it’s a small sample size, but the continued improvement through each of his starts is promising. Take a look at his stats, as a whole.
Tiger fans have seen this story before, though. After pitching for the UCLA Bruins in his freshman year, he missed his sophomore season with Tommy John surgery. He then transferred to LSU and as he was steadily built up by Jay Johnson and Nate Yeskie coming back from the injury, he got better and better throughout that 2024 season. By the end of the year, he was considered one of the best aces in the SEC, due to these numbers:
6-2 record / 3.47 ERA / 83.0 IP / 101 K / 22 BB / 1.060 WHIP / .218 BA against
Simply put, Gage Jump is a stud. He’s also not done improving. He was sitting in the low-to-mid 90s with his fastball velocity just two years ago in Alex Box. He’s touched 99 mph already as a pro. The lefty and his funky delivery aren’t going anywhere any time soon. The Athletics have themselves a good one.
The Guards would get off to a quick start with 2 of the first 3 hitters getting singles, but Bazzana and Rocchio would be stranded after back to back strikeouts by Hoskins and Schneemann. In the bottom half of the inning, the Astros would get on the board first. After the first 2 hitters were out, Christian Walker would draw a walk and come around to score on a throwing error by Khalil Watson in RF after Isaac Paredes singled. Bibee was able to strike out Altuve to end the inning and keep the score at 1-0.
After an uneventful 2nd inning, the Guards would tie the game on doubles by Bazzana and Rocchio and then take the lead on a 2 run homer by Rhys Hoskins. Houston would get 1 back in the bottom half of the 3rd on a solo shot by Jeremy Peña, making it a 3-2 game.
The score would remain 3-2 until the bottom half of the 6th inning. After issuing a leadoff walk to Yordan Alvarez and getting Walker to line out (on a nice jumping catch by Watson in right-center field), a ground ball single to RF by Paredes would spell the end of the night for Tanner Bibee. Matt Festa came on in relief and gave up the go ahead 3 run home run to Jose Altuve.
The Astros would tack on 2 more in the 7th on Jeremy Peña’s second home run of the game and a 2 out RBI double by Altuve off Daniel Espino. Erik Sabrowski would make his return in the 8th. He would only retire one batter and give up 2 runs. The 2nd run was surrendered by Shawn Armstrong, who came on in relief for Sabrowski. Armstrong would get out of the inning, only surrendering the one hit that scored the second run.
The Guardians offense could not muster any more runs, and 9-3 was the final score.
The Guards will look to even the series in Houston Saturday night, with first pitch scheduled for 7:15pm Eastern time. It will be Joey Cantillo on the mound for the Guards, taking on Spencer Arrighetti for the Astros.
Landen Roupp last bagged a win on April 26th, when he allowed 3 runs over 7.2 innings against Friday’s opponent, the Miami Marlins.
When Roupp walked off the mound that night in late April, he felt satisfied. He had pitched into the 8th, authored his fourth quality start in the season’s first six games, whittled his ERA down to 2.55, his WHIP sub – 1.00, and set his team up for a win. The Giants did win that game, their fifth in six Roupp starts.
But in the intervening weeks something changed. Roupp climbed the hill eight different times and in various ways left it prematurely, frustrated, gassed, bogged-down, alienated. Only once during that stretch did he pitch through the 6th inning and earn a quality start. His ERA ballooned past 4.00.
The Giants record in those games: 0-8.
As we all know after a feast comes a famine. Neither lasts forever — but one tends to end abruptly and the other lingers. On this Friday night in June, Roupp walked off the mound in Miami with 18 outs recorded for the first time in a month. It felt different, maybe not quite like a “feast,” but hinting at earlier days. Six complete, over the hump, with just one walk given, quickly erased on a double play to end his evening. After leaning on his signature curveball early, Roupp upped his change-up usage each time through the order with the off-speed fetching four of his seven total strikeouts. He surrendered 2 runs, both RBIs delivered by the bat of Owen Caissie.
It could’ve been worse, but the right-hander mitigated the damage and managed traffic with some gritty pitching. With a runner, or runners threatening from scoring position, Miami went just 1-for-8, including four K’s.
All that — and the Giants are now…0-9 with Roupp at the helm.
The drought continues. Roupp exited the game with a 3-2 lead. Every time Miami notched a run off of him, San Francisco’s offense had a response. They erased two deficits before nosing ahead in the 6th. Daniel Susac missed a grand slam by a couple of feet, settling for a sac fly in the 2nd. Soon after Caissie’s RBI double reclaimed their lead in the 5th, Rafael Devers led off the next frame with a 407 footer to the second deck in right-center.
Jung Hoo Lee piled on with a double, his second hit of the night, and scored on Casey Schmitt’s flipped single to right for the Giants’ first lead of the night.
The lead lasted for an inning. Not long for this world the moment Tony Vitello dipped into the Giants’ rainbow relief corps and pulled out Sam Hentges. In an 0-2 count, the Bible-thumping Hentges thumped pinch hitter Esteury Ruiz with a fastball to start the inning, defying the first of the Bullpen Commandments:Thou shalt not walk the leadoff batter. A transgression that proved consequential. Before Hentges could even record an out, Ruiz had rounded the bases on a bunt single and roller into right. Two pitches later Caissie collected his third RBI of the game on a sacrifice fly that proved to be the fatal coup.
A hit by pitch, a couple of singles, a sac fly shut San Francisco up for good. They had no response. Right when the pitching faltered, the offense went silent and cold. Three Miami relievers tag-teamed to retire the last 10 Giant hitters in order.
4-3, final score.
The Colorado Rockies needed to win a winnable game. They made it harder than it needed to be, but they still got there.
The Rockies beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 4-3 on Friday night at Coors Field, improving to 29-47 while Pittsburgh fell to 38-38. Kyle Freeland gave Colorado seven brilliant innings, reached 1,000 career strikeouts, and then watched the game nearly slip away in the eighth. The Rockies answered with two outs in the bottom half, and Antonio Senzatela escaped a bases-loaded, no-out jam in the top of the ninth.
Senzatela got the win, improving to 7-0 with a 2.23 ERA.
Mason Montgomery took the loss for Pittsburgh, falling to 2-2 with a 4.71 ERA.
Freeland was brilliant before the eighth changed the final line. He finished with 7.1 innings, four hits, two earned runs, no walks and eight strikeouts, with his ERA moving to 7.36. The two runs came after Freeland had worked seven scoreless innings, retired 15 straight Pirates and reached 1,000 career strikeouts.
Freeland threw 81 pitches, 57 for strikes, and leaned on his knuckle curve more than any other pitch. He threw it 26 times, ahead of his four-seam fastball at 25 and his cutter at 17. The knuckle curve produced three strikeouts, including the milestone pitch to Marcell Ozuna in the seventh.
Freeland’s first real test came in the second, when Brandon Lowe doubled sharply to right field. The ball left the bat at 107.5 mph and traveled 389 feet, the hardest contact against Freeland until the eighth. It was loud, but it stayed isolated. Freeland answered by striking out Endy Rodríguez on a foul tip and getting Esmerlyn Valdez to fly out to center field.
Jared Triolo singled and stole second in the third, but Freeland stranded him when Nick Gonzales flew out to Cole Carrigg. From there, Freeland controlled the middle of the game. He retired 15 straight from Triolo’s single through the end of the seventh, needed just 63 pitches to get through six innings, and came back out for the seventh still in control.
After Ryan O’Hearn flew out to Jake McCarthy in foul territory, Freeland ran the count full against Ozuna before finishing him with an 84.4 mph knuckle curve for career strikeout No. 1,000.
No. 1,001 came much faster. After a brief acknowledgment from the crowd, Freeland struck out Lowe on three pitches, going four-seamer, knuckle curve and cutter to close seven scoreless innings.
The Rockies applied pressure, but Bubba Chandler never unraveled. He finished with six innings, six hits, two runs, two walks, one strikeout and two hit batters on 74 pitches. His ERA moved to 4.62.
Chandler leaned on premium velocity, throwing 35 four-seam fastballs that averaged 99 mph and 15 sinkers that averaged 98.3 mph. His hardest pitch was a 100.6 mph fastball, which came on his only strikeout of the night. Sterlin Thompson challenged the previous strike call through ABS, had it confirmed, then chased the next pitch above the zone.
Most of Chandler’s night did not look like that. The Rockies put 21 balls in play against him and did not strike out until Thompson’s plate appearance in the sixth. They did not turn that into a big offensive night, but they kept Chandler’s velocity from taking over the game.
Colorado’s first run came in the third. Thompson was hit by a pitch to open the inning, and Ezequiel Tovar followed with a bunt single in front of Rodríguez. Kyle Karros then grounded to Triolo, who cut down Thompson at third, but Tovar moved to second and Karros reached first.
After McCarthy lined out, Willi Castro fell behind 0-2, fouled off a 99.6 mph fastball, then stayed on an 87.7 mph curveball and lined it 104.2 mph to right field.
Tovar scored from second, Karros moved to third, and the Rockies led 1-0.
TJ Rumfield added the second run in the fourth, driving his 11th home run of the season to right field. The 427-foot solo shot left the bat at 101.3 mph and pushed the lead to 2-0. Rumfield had already singled in the second, but Tyler Freeman erased that inning with a double play.
The Rockies had chances to do more. Tovar opened the fifth with his second hit, but Karros grounded into Colorado’s second double play. McCarthy followed with his 12th double, Castro walked, and Hunter Goodman hit a 105.7 mph line drive to center field, but Billy Cook was there to end the inning.
Chandler gave Colorado another opening in the sixth when he hit Freeman, Freeman’s 11th hit-by-pitch of the season, and walked Carrigg. Thompson’s strikeout and Tovar’s groundout ended that chance.
Yohan Ramírez replaced Chandler to start the bottom of the seventh and retired Karros, McCarthy and Castro in order.
The eighth changed the game.
Rodríguez grounded out to open the inning, but Valdez followed with a double, a 110.7 mph line drive to center off a 91.5 mph four-seam fastball. Triolo then doubled to right, scoring Valdez and cutting the Rockies’ lead to 2-1. That ended Freeland’s night.
Jaden Hill entered with Triolo at second and Bryan Reynolds pinch-hitting for Cook. Hill threw six sinkers in a 10-pitch appearance, but Reynolds singled through the middle to score Triolo and tie the game at 2-2.
The Rockies briefly slowed the inning when Jake Mangum, running for Reynolds, was thrown out trying to steal second after Colorado challenged the initial safe call, with Goodman’s throw and Tovar’s tag giving them the second out.
Hill still had to finish the inning. He hit Spencer Horwitz with a pitch, and Gonzales followed with a triple to right field that scored Horwitz and gave the Pirates a 3-2 lead. Hill got O’Hearn to fly out to center, but the inning had flipped.
Hill’s line was 0.2 innings, two hits, one earned run, no walks and no strikeouts, with his ERA moving to 5.19. The inherited runner charged to Freeland scored, making Freeland’s final line look less clean than the first seven innings felt.
Colorado answered with two outs in the bottom half.
Goodman flew out against Ramírez to open the inning, and Mason Montgomery replaced Ramírez after an injury delay. Rumfield grounded out softly, leaving the Rockies one out from taking a deficit into the ninth.
Freeman kept the inning alive with a single to right, and Carrigg followed with a single to left. Braxton Fulford then pinch-hit for Thompson and worked the count in his favor. After seeing three fastballs and a curveball, Fulford got a 97.5 mph fastball from Montgomery and lined it to center field. The ball left the bat at 109.5 mph and traveled 302 feet, scoring Freeman and Carrigg for a 4-3 Rockies lead.
Tovar struck out to end the inning, but Fulford’s third double of the season gave Colorado the lead back.
Senzatela came on for the ninth with a one-run lead and immediately had to work through traffic.
Ozuna opened the inning with a single to right, and Henry Davis entered as a pinch-runner. Lowe then reached on a fielder’s choice when Tovar could not handle a sharp grounder, with the error moving Davis to third. Senzatela walked Rodríguez, loading the bases with nobody out.
Senzatela got the first out himself, striking out Tyler Callihan with a 96.7 mph four-seam fastball and keeping the tying run at third.
Then the Rockies got the ground ball they needed. Triolo hit it to Tovar, who flipped to Castro at second. Castro stayed on the bag, pivoted and threw to first, and Rumfield secured the final out. The play went to review, but the call was upheld.
The Rockies had turned a bases-loaded, no-out jam into a game-ending double play. It was not clean, but it was enough.
The Rockies finished with four runs, nine hits and one error. The Pirates had three runs, seven hits and no errors.
Colorado struck out only twice as a team, a notable number against Chandler’s velocity-heavy mix. The Rockies went 2-for-9 with runners in scoring position and had two two-out RBI, one from Castro in the third and two from Fulford in the eighth. They left seven runners on base.
They found a way to win the winnable game.
The Rockies continue the series against the Pirates on Saturday night at Coors Field, with first pitch set for 7:10 p.m. MDT.
It will be a tough follow-up assignment for Colorado. Pittsburgh is scheduled to start Paul Skenes, who enters at 6-6 with a 2.85 ERA and 99 strikeouts. The Rockies will counter with Tomoyuki Sugano, who is 7-4 with a 4.54 ERA and 41 strikeouts.
After finding a way through Friday’s late-game mess, the Rockies get one of the league’s toughest arms next.
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NBA champion Knicks guard Josh Hart has fully embraced the Cam Schlittler hype train.
Following a dominant start that saw the Yankees right-hander reach new heights on Friday night at the Stadium, Hart took to social media with an endorsement for Schlittler winning the most prestigious pitching award in baseball.
“Schlitty is the Cy Young winner hands down,” Hart wrote on X.
The post from Hart arrives as Schlittler struck out a career-high 13 hitters in six scoreless innings as the Yankees defeated the Reds 5-0.
Schlittler continues to emerge as one of baseball’s biggest breakout stars, a continuation of what Yankees fans saw brewing last year.
The 25-year-old right-hander has developed into one of the best young pitchers in baseball.
He arrived for his June 19 start with a league-best WAR at 3.8, as well as an American League-best ERA at 1.82, which dropped to 1.71 following his latest effort.
In Schlittler’s first 16 starts this season, he has 109 strikeouts across 95 innings pitched.
Hart’s endorsement comes during what has been a memorable week for the Knicks star.
After helping deliver New York its first NBA championship since 1973, Hart on Thursday participated in a massive ticker-tape parade through Manhattan that drew millions of fans.
The Knicks’ celebration culminated with players receiving the keys to the city from Mayor Zohran Mamdani following a historic postseason run.
Hart was a key contributor throughout the championship season and really has been his entire Knicks tenure since arriving in New York via trade during the 2022-23 season.
Known for his rebounding, tenacity and two-way versatility, the veteran wing averaged 10.4 points, 8.9 rebounds, 4.6 assists and 1.7 steals per game in the playoffs.
His all-around play helped New York complete a dominant playoff run that ended with a Finals victory over San Antonio.
The celebration tour continued this week when Hart and Finals MVP Jalen Brunson threw out ceremonial first pitches at Yankee Stadium before a game against the White Sox.
To no surprise, the showing was met with raucous ovation from Yankees fans, many of whom have likely also been celebrating the Knicks’ championship team.
The Yankees, as they chase their 28th World Series title, sit at 46-28 and three games up in the AL East.
Friday Night was a mini redemption tour of sorts. Jose Altuve was stuck in the midst of a 0-12 slump, with visible frustrations boiling over prior to launching a decisive 3 run shot in the 6th inning.
One week ago, teammate Tatsuya Imai had been rocked in Kansas City failing to survive even a single inning of work. Fast forward things, Imai would strike out six Guardians throughout the course of two innings, and before it was all said and done, he’d register 11 K’s along with zero walks in a comeback 9-3 victory over Cleveland. The win represents the 9th for the month of June, and the 3rd in a row for a Houston squad gaining more and more momentum. For Altuve and Imai, it’s a chance to exhale and celebrate.
The Astros would actually start off the scoring. In the bottom of the first, Cleveland would gift the first run of the evening. After Isaac Paredes singled to right field, Christian Walker would score on a throwing error by Kahlil Watson.
However, in the bottom of the third, Imai would run into trouble. Travis Bazzana would start off things with a stand up double. Brayan Rocchio would bring him home with his 33rd double of the season and then he’d come around to score on the strength of Rhys Hoskins home run to left field. All told, Cleveland would post three runs, but that was all.
Jeremy Pena would respond in the fourth with a line drive solo shot, the Astros 100th home run of the season. That cut the deficit to 3-2. The Astros would next do damage in the bottom of the six off reliever Matt Festa. Festa would allow 3 hits in just 2/3’s of work after replacing starter Tanner Bibee. Pena would go yard again the next time up. He now has 6 home runs on the season. Altuve would pick up an RBI double in the 7th, finishing the night with 4 RBIs in total.
In the bottom of the 8th, Cam Smith would come around and score after leading off the inning with a walk thanks to an extra base hit from Jake Meyers who’s fresh off his 30th birthday. Meyers would be brought home by a Pena single. Pena would finish with 3 hits on the night.
After a pair of solid innings of relief from Steven Okert, Mike Burrows would come out of the pen to close the door in the 9th in his first relief appearance of the season.
Odds & Ends:
Lance McCullers threw 25 pitches of live b.p. on Friday Night as he continues his rehab.
Yanier Diaz would catch Imai for the first time in his young career.
Yordan Alvarez has now reached base safely in 25 straight contests.
Tomorrow, Spencer Arrighetti will take the mound for the Astros searching for his 8th win. First pitch @ 6:15 CDT.
The Texas Rangers scored nine runs while the San Diego Padres scored seven runs.
When the Rangers and Padres took the field for the first inning in tonight’s game, there were just two umpires on the field as the rest were delayed by travel issues. That’s pretty strange. It was also the least weird thing about the first inning.
On Jacob deGrom’s 38th birthday, the veteran frustratingly allowed a two-out, RBI single in the first inning — because he is a 2026 Texas Ranger, after all — but that was merely the start of a bad beginning. deGrom loaded up the bases without getting that final out of the first frame before San Diego first baseman Ty France parked a 1-0 pitch over the fence in right field for a two-out grand slam to put the Padres up 5-0.
That was the fourth first inning home run that the Rangers have allowed in four games during this current homestand. The Rangers have allowed 14 first inning runs during this stretch and now sport an unfathomable 7.56 ERA in the first inning this season.
You couldn’t even really say “here we go again” because again implies tonight’s start was the norm and even these Rangers sometimes keep their bad starts to just a run or two. This wasn’t “again,” this was a full-on disaster.
Texas’ best starter of the season allowed five runs — all with two outs — before the lineup was even allowed to trudge up to the plate in a stretch where the team has been worn down by first inning woes in a season that has been defined by them. Happy birthday!
So, yeah. Game over, right? The Rangers allowed three runs in the homestand opener earlier this week against the Minnesota Twins. They lost. They allowed two runs in the first inning on Tuesday to Minnesota and lost by ten runs. They allowed four runs in the first inning in the finale against Minnesota and were swept.
Five runs? Might as well pencil in the tally in the loss column.
Except by the time the first inning ended, and the rest of the umpire crew had weaved through Arlington traffic to take the field, it was 6-5 Rangers.
Unlike any of those games against Minnesota, and unlike most of the games otherwise, the Rangers came storming back. It didn’t even take the John Blake peckaway theory. They didn’t methodically score a run here and a run there before overcoming San Diego in the end. They did it all immediately.
Here’s a fun fact: The Padres came into tonight’s game dead last in baseball in runs scored. The Rangers came into tonight’s game ahead of only the Red Sox and Padres in runs scored as baseball’s 28th best run producer. The Shed is notoriously one of the most difficult places to score runs where people play baseball.
So these two teams combined to score 11 runs in the first inning.
The Rangers got their six runs thanks to five hits with RISP in the first inning. It felt like the Rangers hadn’t had five hits with RISP in the whole of June. There had been many instances this season where even one first inning run allowed felt like enough to derail Texas. It was shocking to see them score six runs after allowing five.
Following that weird first inning, a more usual baseball game unfolded. The Padres tied the game in the fourth on another France home run, but luckily that came with no one on base. The Rangers countered immediately again with Wyatt Langford doubling in Josh Jung to put Texas back up 7-6.
The Rangers extended their lead to 8-6 in the sixth via an Ezequiel Duran RBI single. That came a half inning after deGrom’s night concluded, surely one of the stranger outings of his career. The birthday boy eventually finished six innings and allowed six runs on six hits and three walks with nine strikeouts in 106 pitches. He also got a win!
The Padres scored again in the top of the eighth to pull to within a run but just like every other inning that San Diego scored in, the Rangers returned serve with Langford again giving Texas a two run cushion with a solo home run in the bottom of the eighth.
After another 1.1 innings of scoreless ball from Jacob Latz, following 1.2 innings from Jakob Junis, the Rangers had a very weird, very Jac(k)ob-filled victory.
Player of the Game: Langford let the way with three hits, including the RBI double and the big insurance run with is fifth home run of the year. The Rangers have been needing Langford, and especially extra base hits from Langford, in the worst kind of way this season so getting a couple from him tonight made all the difference.
Up Next: The Rangers and Padres will play the second game of this series with RHP Nathan Eovaldi expected to make the start for Texas opposite RHP Walker Buehler for San Diego.
The Saturday afternoon first pitch from The Shed is scheduled for 3:05 pm CDT and you can catch the telecast on the Rangers Sports Network.
As it seems we do every couple of weeks, here’s a rundown of affiliate standings, before we dive into Friday’s games.
Charlotte Knights 10, Buffalo Bisons 5
Old friends highlighted the Knights’ victory over the Bisons. Kyle Teel played like a man on a mission to reclaim his spot on the White Sox roster, going 5-for-6 with three runs and two RBIs. MLB’s Scott Merkin reported that Teel is apparently much closer to the majors than we think, playing all nine innings both Friday and Saturday before a re-evaluation for his immediate future. It sounds as if he could be back in Chicago in time for the Cleveland series next week.
Rikku Nishida is also eager to reunite with the parent club after his short and not-so-sweet taste in the big leagues. The multi-position thread had a strong performance, too, driving in two runs and scoring two of his own off just two hits. Backing Charlotte on the mound was Jonathan Cannon, who managed to show glimpses of his old self. His eight-hit, three-run start isn’t Cy Young-worthy, but it got the job done. Classic Cannon. And finally, towards the end of the night, Peyton Pallette reminded everyone why he should’ve been protected from the Rule 5 draft, twirling two shutout innings and striking out a pair to keep the Knights comfortably ahead of the Bisons.
While Ben Peoples didn’t exhibit perfection, his closing inning allowed Charlotte to come away with a healthy win.
Pensacola Blue Wahoos 9, Birmingham Barons 2
Pensacola blew the Barons out of the water largely due to Birmingham’s inability to hit or throw. Bham tallied 10 strikeouts and just six hits through the night. They waited till the eighth to load the bases and allow Anthony DePino to hit into a fielder’s choice that notched their first run of the night. Colby Shelton continued being a standout for the Barons by posting his fifth jack, in the ninth, to keep the Barons from being completely decimated:
Aside from the final two innings, however, the crew failed to get on base and convert their baserunners into scorers.
On the pitching front, things were quite ugly. Connor McCullough’s formidable 3.99 ERA took a hit after giving up four runs off six hits in five. The bullpen didn’t play hero in this one, either: Jarold Rosado and Mark McLaughlin combined for eight hits and five runs in the sixth through eighth, handing Pensacola a cushy lead. At this point, it may be time to start sending arms down to High-A.
Greensboro Grasshoppers 7, Winston-Salem Dash 3
The Dash suffered from a case of nonexistent bats. Max Banks encountered his second welcome-to-Winston-Salem outing, giving up five runs and a home run in four frames. The adjustment from Low-A to High-A has proven bumpy for the rookie.
Banks’ position player counterparts didn’t offer much help, either. Kyle Lodise slammed a leadoff homer in the first, but everyone else’s bats failed to get the memo and stayed stagnant through the seventh. Perhaps pinch-hitting for Lodise in the fifth, before he got a third at-bat as the only hitter with a run thus far, was a poor decision. Boston Smith, everyone’s favorite catcher in the Sox organization, launched his 11th home run of the year, in the eighth, to try and get some momentum going after Greensboro had made it a 7-1 game. But by then, there was no turning things around for a crew that was 1-for-9 in scoring position and left nine on base.
Fayetteville Woodpeckers 10, Kannapolis Cannon Ballers 8
There’s no nice way to spin this: Kanny’s late collapse was a demoralizing way for the Low-A affiliate to fall back below .500 after fighting so hard to revive its season. The ferocious top of the lineup (Jaden Fauske, Matthew Boughton, Derek Cerda) each had a multi-hit game and were responsible for six of Kannapolis’ eight hits. A three-run first and two-run fifth were supported by Truman Pauley holding the Woodpeckers to two runs through the fifth. Kanny was also a base-running machine, stealing four free bases to keep the runs coming.
But the game suddenly got out of hand in the seventh. Ryan Schiefer started the seventh with the CBs up, 8-3, but allowed the first three Woodpeckers to reach base. He only managed to get one out before departing, closing the lead to three. Marco Barrios fared similarly. He gave up a two-run bomb before the seventh and a leadoff homer in the eighth before he was kindly shown the door. Landen Payne continued the misery, blowing the game in the eighth by handing Fayetteville another home run in what turned out to be one of the worst meltdowns by Kanny this year.
ROOKIE LEAGUES
ACL White Sox 9, ACL Dodgers 8 (7 innings)
The battle for Worst in the ACL turned out to be a whiplash of a game. The Complex Sox put up two runs in the first with much help from a fielding error and Jose Mendoza’s hit-by-pitch, and then a four-spot in the second thanks to Landon Hodge’s grand slam. Confidence didn’t remain high for long, though. The ACL Dodgers located their pride struck back in the third with a run and in the fourth with their own four-run tear. Kendry Garcia and Cesar Nunez shared the blame for the Sox’s blown lead, resetting the game at 6-5, Sox. Fortunately, the Good Guys got their mojo back before it was too late. Marcelo Acala, who finished with three walks, three stolen bases and three runs, led the sixth-inning charge to pad the lead just enough to fend the Dodgers off.
DSL Giants Orange 9, DSL White Sox 2 (7 innings)
Another game, another loss for the DSL White Sox, as they fell to 5-9 with a 9-2 loss to one of their many nemeses, the DSL Giants Orange. Somehow the Sox could not manage to have a bases-l0aded walk to right fielder Orlando Patino hold up, as the game was off the rails at 6-1 by the end of the second inning. It was four walks and four hits over seven innings for the White Sox, and in the DSL that sort of production rarely holds up. Patino had half of the team’s walks, while Diego Natera (pinch-hitting when the game was out of reach) came off of the bench for half of his club’s hits (one a triple, the other a single-stolen base). Very young righty Franchel Crisostomo got the start but only saw two outs: One in the first inning in the process of giving up three earned before getting yanked, the other in the second when he came back out and had the same results. Crisostomo holds an 18.75 ERA over three starts in the young season. Reliever Alexander De Los Santos helped hold S.F. short of 10 runs with a brilliant three innings, giving up one (unearned) run on two hits.
The Royals hit eight doubles in last night’s game to dominate the Cardinals; they added five more tonight en route to another victory. This time, they won 6-5 over their cross-state rivals.
Seth Lugo made his return from the 7-day concussion IL tonight, and it didn’t start great. He walked Iván Herrera with one out, then gave up a double to Alec Burleson. He was fortunate that two well-struck flyballs resulted in only a sacrifice fly, but he threw a lot of balls in the inning.
He had a 1-2-3 second, but gave up another run in the third thanks to a leadoff walk, a passed ball, and a Herrera single. Fortunately, Burleson hit a grounder to Jac Caglianone, who calmly stepped on first and threw a strike down to second to initiate the rundown that resulted in an inning-ending double play. Lugo ended the night with a quality start, allowing only the two runs in six innings. Of concern would be that he gave up three walks without earning a single strikeout. He did field a comebacker from JJ Wetherholt and calmly made the routine throw to first, so at least it doesn’t appear the Gold Glover will field his position scared after taking that liner off the dome last time out.
The Royals stranded John Rave’s leadoff double in the third inning. They got another leadoff double in the fourth from tonight’s two-hole hitter, Lane Thomas. Caglianone was up and just trying to make sure he moved the runner over, but squeaked a single through the second base spot as the Cardinals had him shifted to pull. He advanced to second on a groundout by Salvador Perez. Then Michael Massey, also just doing his best to make sure he put his bat on the ball, flipped a single into center to tie the game. Nick Loftin struck out, but John Rave took a tough walk to put runners at first and second with two outs for Isaac Collins. Collins has been a disappointment for many Royals fans this year, but he didn’t disappoint this time with an opposite-field double to bring both runners home.
The Royals tacked one on in the fifth when Jac decided to show his oppo-taco from last night was no fluke.
They scored their final run in the sixth. Loftin walked to lead off the inning, Rave popped up a bunt, and Collins ripped a double into the right-center gap. With runners at second and third and Tolbert at the plate, the Royals put the squeeze play on. He put a couple of good bunts down, but both went foul. So he had to swing away and ended up with a sac fly to deep center instead.
John “Gas Can” Schreiber pitched a clean seventh, and Daniel “Danny Drips” Lynch IV pitched a clean eighth with a little help from his defense.
Some of you might not remember, but ESPN used to do a fan vote for the best web gem. They’d post two web gems to social media and let fans vote which was the best. Whichever one won would be one of the options the next day. This play from 2015 won the vote so many times that ESPN eventually quietly just picked two brand new gems for fans to vote on.
So, yeah, the Royals were invoking some good memories tonight.
Unfortunately, not everything that happened late in the game was positive. Matt Strahm-boli was given the ninth in a non-save situation. He ended up allowing three runs, with an honorable mention to Alex Lange-xiety. He allowed the tying run to reach the plate before Matt Quatraro was forced to summon Alex Lange to save the game. That also means Strahm has given up 10 runs in his last 6.2 innings. It’s amazing the Royals can win any games with both he and Lucas Erceg still looking completely unpitchable. Tyler Tolbert made another slick defensive play to finish the game.
A couple more highlights:
The Royals have now guaranteed a season series tie with the Cardinals. They’ll have a chance to go for the series sweep and season series victory on Sunday afternoon. They won’t play tomorrow because of the World Cup game happening across the parking lot.
The Royals are nowhere near the playoff hunt, still. They’d need to win something like 20 in a row to get back in it, but you can’t win 20 in a row without first winning 3 in a row. Maybe they can take the next step on Sunday when Stephen Kolek (2.68 ERA, 12.1% K-BB%) faces off against the Cardinals’ Dustin May (3.75 ERA, 16.4% K-BB%) at 1:10 Kauffman time.
Michael McGreevy did not have his best game Friday night in Kansas City. His outing started decent, but the latter innings not so much. Unfortunately, the St. Louis Cardinals offense didn’t accomplish much either as the Royals were too much for them again. You wouldn’t know that Kansas City has the sixth worst record in MLB so far this season based on how they’ve played St. Louis so far. The Cardinals would prove they never quit, though.
The St. Louis Cardinals have had the healthy habit of scoring early this season and Friday night was no exception. In the top of the 1st inning, Iván Herrera drew a one-out walk. Alec Burleson then ripped a double to right as Herrera advanced to third. Jordan Walker had a great team at-bat managing to lift a sacrifice fly to right field scoring Herrera giving the Cardinals a 1-0 lead.
St. Louis would add to their lead in the top of the 3rd inning when Nathan Church drew a leadoff walk and then advanced to second on a passed ball charged to Jensen (on a ball in the strike zone, no less). After JJ Wetherholt failed to advance Church when he flew out to left field, Iván Herrera came thru with an inside-out swing that drove a single to right field easily scoring Church and doubling the Cardinals lead to 2-0 which would stand until the bottom of the 4th.
About that bottom of the 4th inning…this is where a well-pitched game by Michael McGreevy would begin to come apart. Suddenly, the Kansas City Royals began hitting everything hard and often. Lane Thomas led off with a double and then scored on a double by Jac Caglianone cutting the Cardinals lead in half 2-1. McGreevy was able to get Perez to ground out which advanced Caglianone to third. Michael Massey followed that with a single to center scoring Caglianone and then advanced to second on a throwing error by Nathan Church as the game was then tied 2-2. Michael was able to get the second out as Loftin lined out to center, but Collins crushed a two-out double over Lars Nootbaar’s head in left scoring both Rave and Massey giving the Royals a 4-2 advantage.
Kansas City would add another run off in the bottom of the 5th inning when Jac Caglianone would show off his opposite field power hitting a McGreevy 92 mph four-seam fastball 404 feet into the fountains in left field making it 5-2 Royals. Manager Oli Marmol would remove McGreevy from the game after he completed the bottom of the 5th inning. His stat line for the night was 5 innings pitched getting tagged for 8 hits, 5 earned runs while striking out 2 and walking 1.
George Soriano was the Cardinals answer for the bottom of the 6th inning and he almost immediately ran into trouble, but it could have been worse. He walked Loftin to lead off the inning and then went on to prove that walks almost always come back to hurt you as Collins doubled to right over Jordan Walker as Loftin was held up at third which proved to be smart as he would score on a deep sacrifice fly to center by Tyler Tolbert as Kansas City started to pull away leading 6-2 after 6 innings.
Matt Svanson was solid taking care of the Kansas City Royals bottom of the 7th inning setting the heart of their order down 1-2-3 with 2 pop-outs to short and a groundout to first. He also did a fine job of managing the 8th inning for St. Louis, too. A nice defensive play by Blaze Jordan didn’t hurt his cause. JJ Wetherholt also made an incredible play on a ball that ricocheted off of Svanson’s leg throwing out Collins nearly from his back.
If you’re wondering why I haven’t mentioned much about the St. Louis Cardinals offense, it’s because there isn’t much to talk about through the first 8 innings. They would have their chances, but couldn’t seem to string hits together. They almost did in the top of the 4th inning when Jordan Walker singled, but he was picked off of first by Seth Lugo right before Lars Nootbaar singled. In the top of the 5th inning, Nathan Church hit a two-out triple, but he was stranded when JJ Wetherholt’s sharp ground ball up the middle was nabbed by the pitcher. In the top of the 6th inning, Herrera drew a leadoff walk, but two groundouts and a flyout made that lead to nothing. The Cardinals didn’t even have any baserunners in the 7th or 8th innings.
The Cardinals did prove that they do not quit in the 9th inning. Jordan Walker managed a single, but was forced out at 2nd when Lars Nootbaar hit into a fielder’s choice. Lars would score, though, when Masyn Winn doubled to left making it 6-3 Royals. After Nelson Velazquez walked, Blaze Jordan came up as the tying run which led to Kansas City taking reliever Matt Strom out of the game. Jordan would face Alex Lange and would manage a two-out single to right which scored both runners after they had advanced on a wild pitch making it a real game at 6-5 Royals. Bryan Torres was brought in as a pinch-runner for Jordan as Jose Fermin came to the plate as the potential go-ahead run. He unfortunately grounded out in a fielder’s choice to end the game.
The St. Louis Cardinals will return to Kauffman Stadium Sunday after a day off thanks to World Cup activities in Kansas City on Saturday. The Cardinals will ask Dustin May to be the best version of Dustin May as he gets the start Sunday afternoon. He’ll be up against RHP Stephen Kolek who’s 4-1 on the season for the Royals. First pitch scheduled for 1:10pm central time and the game broadcast will be available on Cardinals.tv.
Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor and center fielder Tyrone Taylor started their respective rehab assignments with Friday's Double-A game between the Binghamton Rumble Ponies and New Hampshire Fisher Cats, and they wasted no time in making an impact while batting first and second.
In Binghamton's 5-2 win over New Hampshire, Lindor (left calf strain) and Taylor (right hip flexor strain) posted a combined 3-for-7 line with Lindor's leadoff single up the middle and Taylor's first-inning knock to center field starting the game strong.
Taylor's fifth-inning solo shot to center field was the rehabbing duo's biggest highlight with Taylor giving the Rumble Ponies a 3-1 lead over the Toronto Blue Jays' Double-A affiliate.
TYRONE TAYLOR SOLO HOME RUN!
— SNY Mets (@SNY_Mets) June 20, 2026
It's the third at-bat of his first rehab assignment game🫡 pic.twitter.com/XjnbIua7Xp
"I feel good," said Taylor, whom the Mets placed on the 10-day injured list May 26. "Extremely thankful for all the work that I've put in with the PTs and athletic trainers, strength coaches with the Mets. Happy to be back on the field and thankful to be back out there."
Between Taylor's first-inning single and fifth-inning homer was his third-inning flyout to right field. He exited the game entering the sixth inning while Lindor left before the start of the seventh.
"The results were cool, man," Taylor said. "I haven't had as many at-bats recently. So, to feel like I wasn't too far behind some fastballs there was nice. But, really, I'm just thankful that my leg feels good and take it day by day."
Tyrone Taylor gets a base hit in his first at-bat💪 pic.twitter.com/M36YbCshoN
— SNY Mets (@SNY_Mets) June 19, 2026
Lindor's 1-for-4 night included a second-inning flyout to center field, a fifth-inning strikeout on a foul tip and sixth-inning flyout to right field.
"I felt really good," Lindor said. "I was excited. It's been a minute since I'm on the field and I felt like, overall, it went really good. To be able to be on my feet, move around, react to certain balls, react to certain pitches and then be able to swing a bat, it felt good."
Lindor has been on the Mets' 10-day injured list since April 23.
Francisco Lindor singles on his first swing for Binghamton! pic.twitter.com/uo0AWApwj9
— SNY Mets (@SNY_Mets) June 19, 2026
"You try to play the game as hard as you can, no matter what the circumstances are," Lindor said, "because, at the end of the day, there's guys that are trying to make it the big leagues here. So, try to avoid not going through the motions, making sure I go as hard as I can but understanding that it's my first game back. So, I try to go ... as close as I can to 100 (percent) and then, as the game went on, I started to ramp up a little bit and trusting your legs."
Does Lindor know what is next for him as he progresses through his rehab assignment?
"I don't," Lindor said. "I'm going to recover right now, go home, see my kids, see my wife and then tomorrow we'll figure out what I've got next."
Francisco Lindor makes the play at second base to end the inning pic.twitter.com/6AJMcJ1Yu5
— SNY Mets (@SNY_Mets) June 20, 2026