NEW YORK, NEW YORK - MAY 04: Shane Baz #34 of the Baltimore Orioles in action against the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium on May 04, 2026 in New York City. The Yankees defeated the Orioles 12-1. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Some time recently on Bluesky, I saw someone make a comment that resonated with me. They said that the thing about the Orioles this year is that it feels like every loss is going to lead to a ten-game losing streak and every win is merely a temporary reprieve. I’ve forgotten who said it; if it was you, good job.
It does feel that way about the 2026 Orioles. A segment of people, myself included, are primed to feel this way after what we experienced in April and May of last year, with the attached disappointment of the second half of the 2024 season as well. One game of a helpless pitching staff, one game of a helpless offense, it all can seem like any win is just an accident and they’ll be right back to losing the next time. They are going to have to rip off an extended stretch of good baseball to ward off this feeling. They haven’t been capable of that for quite some time.
Winning today certainly would not be enough to do it, because even if they explode for like 20 runs, that will mean nothing unless they can sustain the effort into the weekend’s series and beyond. Even so, it would be nice if the Orioles win today, because it’s more fun when they win than when they lose, you know? This is especially true for each day’s game recapper here on Camden Chat. That’s me today. So come on, Orioles. Win one for yourselves, win for your position in the standings, and also, you know, maybe win for me?
Orioles lineup
Taylor Ward – LF
Gunnar Henderson – SS
Adley Rutschman – C
Pete Alonso – 1B
Tyler O’Neill – RF
Samuel Basallo – DH
Jeremiah Jackson – 2B
Weston Wilson – 3B
Blaze Alexander – CF
This is the lineup in support of Shane Baz, who, as you likely already recall, was acquired by the Orioles from the Rays. Nine games into his Orioles career, Baz has two games where he has pitched well and seven games where the sum total of what happened in them is that Mike Elias looked like an idiot for trading four prospects and a draft pick for this guy and then giving him a contract extension before he ever threw a pitch for the team.
Rays lineup
Chandler Simpson – LF
Junior Caminero – 3B
Jonathan Aranda – DH
Ryan Vilade – 1B
Richie Palacios – 2B
Jonny DeLuca – RF
Cedric Mullins – CF
Hunter Feduccia – C
Taylor Walls – SS
Steven Matz is the Rays starting pitcher. It’s weird that Matz is on the Rays. He has a 3.86 ERA through seven starts, and will cost less over his two-year contract than Chris Bassitt will cost for one year.
TORONTO, ON - CIRCA 1989: David Wells #46 of the Toronto Blue Jays pitches during an Major League Baseball game circa 1989 at Exhibition Stadium in Toronto, Ontario. Wells played for the Blue Jays from 1987-92. (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images) | Getty Images
David Wells turns 63 today.
David Wells was born in Torrance, California. Stories claim his mother was a ‘biker chick’ with five children from four fathers, and that he was raised by Hell’s Angels. True or not, it adds color to his background.
The Blue Jays picked him in the second round of the 1982 draft. Barry Bonds went nine picks later, and Bo Jackson and Barry Larkin were also picked in the same round.
A 6’4” left-hander, Wells was known for his size and fondness for beer, not fitness. Despite doubts, he pitched in the majors until age 44.
He had Tommy John surgery while in the minors. I read that he was the third pitcher to have it.
In 1987, Wells was called up to the Jays from Syracuse at the end of June, made two terrible starts, and then was sent back down. They brought him back to Toronto as a September call-up and pitched well as a reliever. He earned a spot in the Jays’ bullpen out of spring training in 1988 and made 41 appearances, saved 4 games with a 4.62 ERA. He was sent down to Syracuse in early July and then recalled late in the season.
1989 was David’s first full season with the Jays, and he had a heck of a year, pitching in 54 games, all in relief and finishing 7-4 with a 2.40 ERA. He started the season as a long reliever, going three or more innings several times, but he was used more as a setup man as the season went on. After the All-Star break, he was 5-0 with a 0.90 ERA. He had one appearance in our ALCS loss to Oakland.
In 1990, Wells started in the bullpen but moved to the rotation in late May, after Mike Flanagan was released. And Wells stayed there the rest of the season. He made 25 starts and 18 relief appearances; he was 7th in ERA at 3.14, going 11-6.
Boomer started in 1991 in the rotation but moved to the pen in September, after a bad stretch of 5 starts, all losses. He had an 8.89 ERA in those games. The Jays went to a four-man rotation down the stretch. He had an excellent season, going 15-10 with a 3.72 ERA in 28 starts and 12 relief appearances. He also led the league in picking off runners first, 13, a total that was higher than any other team. In our five-game loss to the Twins in the ALCS, Wells had four relief appearances and a 2.45 ERA.
In our first World Series season, 1992, Wells started the rotation and made two starts, but Stieb returned from injury, and Boomer went back to the pen. He returned to the rotation to make 12 starts from the end of July to the end of August, when Todd Stottlemyre went down with an injury and then went back to the pen again when the Jays picked up David Cone. Wells didn’t have a great season, going 7-9 with a 5.40 ERA, though his ERA was ruined from a game on August 20 when Cito Gaston left him in the game to allow 13 earned runs to save the bullpen. He pitched in 4 games of our World Series win over Atlanta, giving us 4.1 shutout innings.
In spring 1993, the Jays released Boomer, reportedly due to a poor relationship with manager Cito Gaston. Instead of trading him for value, personal differences led to his release.
The Detroit Tigers quickly signed him and made him a full-time starter. From Detroit, he went to the Reds, then the Orioles, and then to the Yankees. He had two good seasons with the Yankees, going 34-14, and winning a World Series ring. He also became the 15th pitcher in major league history to throw a perfect game.
After the 1998 season, the Yankees traded Wells, Homer Bush, and Graeme Lloyd to the Jays for Roger Clemens. At the time, I wasn’t too happy about it, as even though Wells had pitched well in two of the previous seasons before the trade, but not at the level Clemens had. Add in that Wells was 36, and since he didn’t take care of himself, I thought he wouldn’t end well. But Boomer was terrific for us, and Roger wasn’t as fantastic for the Yankees.
In 1999,, Wells went 17-10 for us with a 4.82 ERA while setting career highs in innings pitched (231.2), leading the league, and strikeouts (169), a club record at the time for a lefty. He also led the league in complete games with 7, as well as hits allowed. But with his excellent control, he could allow many hits and still be an effective pitcher, and in 1999, he walked only 2.41 batters per 9 innings.
2000 was even a better season for David, finishing 20-8 in 35 starts, with a 4.11 ERA. He finished 3rd in the Cy Young voting, and he started the All-Star game, pitching two shutout innings. He also received MVP votes. He tied Tim Hudson for the league lead in wins, was 6th in ERA, 2nd in innings pitched, 1st in complete games and shutouts, and in walk rate, walking only 1.21 batters per 9 innings. He was also the first Jay lefty to win 20 games.
After the season, Gord Ash, showing why he shouldn’t have been GM, traded Wells and Matt DeWitt to the White Sox for Mike Sirotka, Kevin Beirne, Brian Simmons, and Mike Williams. Sirotka was injured and never pitched in the majors again. Ash didn’t make the trade contingent on a medical examination, and MLB ruled against the Jays and upheld the trade. The Jays soon fired Ash.
After pitching a season for the White Sox, Boomer continued his tour of major league teams, taking a second tour with the Yankees, then playing for the Padres, Red Sox, and finally, the Dodgers. A fellow whose idea of working is a series of 12-ounce curls, he had a long career, pitching 21 seasons and pitching in the majors till age 44. He made it to post-season play with six different teams.
He finished with a 239-157 record in 660 games, 489 of them starts. The Jays started his career as a reliever, which is an excellent way to get a pitcher into the big leagues and learn to pitch in low-leverage spots, but the Jays couldn’t seem to put David into the starting rotation and leave him there. Partly because Cito didn’t like him, and likely some of Cito’s dislike was because he didn’t feel the need to keep himself in shape.
He was a big pitcher with great control, a great curve, an above-average fastball early in his career, not so above average later, a slider, and a changeup. Since he pitched into his 40s, it is hard to say he would have had a better career if he had kept himself in better shape. But then he has been diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes, so there are other reasons to stay in shape.
Wells has an ‘autobiography’ called ‘Perfect I’m Not: Boomer on Beer.’ Among other things, it said he pitched his perfect game while hungover. He later said he was misquoted in the book, a strange claim for an autobiography.
Boomer, married with two sons, is a cult hero for middle-aged men who don’t fit the typical athletic mold. He shows that athletes can succeed without traditional fitness standards.
Wells is married and has two sons. He has done commentary on the YES Network and TBS. He does charity work for diabetes research.
He’s number 9 on the teams all-time list in pitcher bWAR and number 6 in wins.
Todd Stottlemyre turns 61 today. I don’t know why that makes me feel older than Wells turning 63. I guess I still see Stottlemyre as the young guy he was when he joined the Jays.
Todd’s most memorable moment came in Game 4 of the 1993 World Series, when his inexperience as a base runner led to an awkward, chin-scraping slide into third base and an easy out. The NL didn’t use the DH in those days, but the AL did. World Series games used the rules of the home team.
During that series, Philadelphia mayor Ed Rendell boasted he could hit Stottlemyre. Todd joked he’d strike the mayor out, later telling him to ‘kiss my ass’ at the Jays’ victory rally.
Stottlemyre was born May 20th, 1965, in Yakima, Washington. The Blue Jays drafted Todd in the first round (3rd pick) of the 1985 Amateur Draft, June Secondary phase, out of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. He is the son of former Yankees pitcher and pitching coach Mel Stottlemyre, a 5-time All-Star and brother of Mel Jr, who pitched in 13 games with the Royals in 1990. So he had the bloodline and the raw talent to be a good prospect. His father’s book, Pride and Pinstripes, is a good read.
A 6’3” right-hander, Stottlemyre was a durable, league-average pitcher famous for his intensity on the mound.
Todd’s rookie season was 1988. He made 16 starts and 12 relief appearances and finished with a 4-8 record and a 5.69 ERA in 98 innings pitched. He walked too many (46) and gave up way too many home runs (15).
In 1989, Stottlemyre helped the Blue Jays reach their first playoffs, starting in the ALCS but taking the loss in Game 2.
In 1990,, he became a full-time starter, making 33 starts with a 13-17 record and a 4.34 ERA over 203 innings. How he ended up with a losing record despite the 2nd-best run support (5.81 runs/9 innings) in the league, I have no idea. His strikeout rate dropped to 5.1 per 9 innings.
In 1991, Stottlemyre posted a 15-8 record and a career-best 3.78 ERA as the Jays reached the playoffs, though they lost to the Twins in the ALCS.
1992 was our first World Series win. Todd went 12-11 with a 4.50 ERA in 27 starts, but in the playoffs, he pitched out of the bullpen, as we had a pretty loaded rotation that season with Jack Morris, Jimmy Key, Juan Guzman, and late-season pickup David Cone. He had 1 appearance in our 6-game ALCS win over Oakland, and 4 shutout appearances in our 6-game World Series win over Atlanta.
The 1993 championship season saw Stottlemyre struggle in the regular season and playoffs, but the Jays still won the title.
Stottlemyre’s last season with the Jays was shortened by the lockout/strike that led to the World Series. He started 19 games and had 7 more relief appearances that year, with a 7-7 record and a 4.22 ERA. With the Jays, his strikeout-to-walk rate was never great, but it improved after leaving the team.
After the 1994 season, he signed as a free agent with the A’s. He pitched there one year, then they traded him to the Cardinals. In the third season, they moved him to the Rangers at the trading deadline. After the 1998 season, he signed a 4-year, $32 million contract with the Arizona Diamondbacks. They didn’t get much for their investment; he only made 39 starts over those 4 seasons because of arm troubles.
His 14-year career ended in 2002 with a 138-121 record and a 4.27 ERA. Never really a star, but he had a nice career. In his seven seasons as a Blue Jay, he was 69-70, with a 4.39 ERA in 206 games, 175 starts.
Todd is married and has five children. He now works as a life coach and has written two books.
We talked to him a few years ago, when his first book, Relentless Success, came out. The interview is in two parts: part one and part two. He was amiable, a very nice interview. As I mentioned, he wore his emotions on his sleeve. I asked, What advice would he give a 19-year-old Todd Stottlemyre:
Todd: Wow. Great question. Well, I tell people all the time that number one, it takes time. And success isn’t gonna happen overnight, and the focus should be every single day getting a little bit better. And you have to come to a place of resolve, where ‘quit’ is never an option. So I would probably start there, with me at 19. And I probably would’ve told myself at 19, instead of speaking or acting on all my emotions, I probably would’ve told me, Todd, pour all those emotions out on paper, in a journal, and that’ll keep you out of a lot of trouble.
In his book, he talked a lot about his relationship with his dad. His dad pitched for the Yankees in the 1960s and 70s. He had a streak of nine seasons with more than 250 innings. Unfortunately, at age 32, he had arm issues (not a surprise). The strange part was that they sent him to have his arm radiated as treatment, which didn’t work. I’m not sure if a direct line exists, but his dad battled cancer for years, and it finally killed him in 2019.
I asked Todd about some advice his dad gave him:
I was frustrated because it was my second time being sent down in the second consecutive year. I remember calling my father and I was frustrated, aggravated, complaining. I remember my dad letting me pour it all out, and when I was done, and at the time he was the pitching coach for the New York Mets, and he said “You know Todd, we’d love to have you as a starting pitcher here in New York.” And then he kinda took a breath, and then he says “But not the way you’re pitching today.” And it was kind of that wake-up call that I needed.
In his book, Todd also tells a story about being arrested with Dave Stewart in Dunedin for battery on a policeman. As Todd tells the story, a policeman was unhappy with Stewart, feeling he was disrespectful or something. There had been some dispute about a $3 entry fee at a bar. Stewart said he paid for it but didn’t want to wear a wristband. Todd got jumped by the police. Todd says he and Stewart were taken somewhere other than the police station and held there. He felt the police were using the time to get their story straight. An officer claimed that Stewart punched him. Stewart said, “If I close-fist hit anybody, you can believe that they would get more than just a gash.” They were found not guilty of all charges.
Todd is tied for 18th on our all-time list in bWAR for pitchers and 8th in Wins.
Jayson Werth turns 47 today.
Werth was a first round draft pick by the Orioles in 1997. We traded John Bale for him in 2000. He played parts of two seasons for the Jays (41 games in all) before we traded him to the Dodgers for Jason Frasor.
Jayson played for 6 major league teams over 15 seasons. In all, he played 1583 games with a .267/360/455 batting line and 229 home runs. He made one All-Star teams and received MVP votes four time
Undervalued underdogs highlight our favorite MLB picks for Wednesday's schedule, as our baseball experts have found two moneyline plays that show a ton of value at Polymarket.
See why you should tail our baseball experts in backing the ChiSox and Brew Crew... as well as an Under in Jays/Yankees in a showdown between two aces.
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Josh Inglis' expert pick: White Sox moneyline
Price: 43¢ (+133) at Polymarket
The Chicago White Sox project as one of the best moneyline values on the board today at +133, with a fair price closer to -102. Years of losing have softened the market on Chicago, but THE BAT is extremely high on them in this spot. They grinded out a 2-1 win last night in Seattle, behind a combined one-hitter, and could catch a Mariners team looking ahead — Seattle has to pack up after a two-series homestand and travel to Kansas City for tomorrow, while the White Sox stay on the road and remain on the West Coast.
It’s a favorable schedule spot for Chicago, and Seattle could also be forced to navigate without its closer and setup man after both worked on back-to-back days.
Jon Metler's expert pick: Brewers moneyline
Price: 49¢ (+104) at Polymarket
The Milwaukee Brewers are trading as 49-cent underdogs in their NL Central matchup against the Chicago Cubs, but I make Milwaukee closer to 54-cent favorites in this spot.
Edward Cabrera draws a difficult matchup against a Brewers lineup that can stack as many as seven left-handed bats. That’s significant because Cabrera’s curveball loses some of its effectiveness against lefties, as it breaks into their barrels instead of away from them, but the bigger concern is command: Cabrera has always battled inconsistency in the strike zone, and this matchup could make him even more hesitant to attack hitters aggressively.
That’s dangerous against Milwaukee because the Brewers can pressure pitchers in multiple ways. They have speed throughout the lineup and can force mistakes on the bases, and Cabrera has historically been slow to the plate. If he starts handing out free passes, Milwaukee has the profile to capitalize quickly.
Joe Osborne's expert pick: Blue Jays/Yankees Under 8.5
Price: 57¢ (-133) at Polymarket
Everything points toward a low-scoring game tonight between the Toronto Blue Jays and New York Yankees. Both teams send dominant starters to the mound, with Cam Schlittler being the early AL Cy Young favorite after allowing one earned run or fewer in eight of his 10 starts this season, while Trey Yesavage has been nearly as sharp, bringing a 1.40 ERA into the matchup.
In 14 combined starts for Schlittler and Yesavage, only four have gone Over the game total. Both offenses have also struggled badly against right-handed pitching lately, ranking a surprising 26th and 28th in OPS over the last two weeks.
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
The Cleveland Guardians will be searching for their fifth straight victory tonight as they take on the Detroit Tigers. First pitch is scheduled for 6:40 p.m. ET at Comerica Park.
While Tanner Bibee has had bad luck this season, I’m eyeing Cleveland to deliver another high-scoring win in my Guardians vs. Tigers predictions.
Who will win Guardians vs Tigers today: Guardians moneyline (-117)
The Cleveland Guardians are 7-3 in their last 10 games, notching four consecutive victories on the road.
Tanner Bibee owns an 0-6 record, but his 4.15 ERA is respectable, and the right-hander has improved lately. He’s only surrendered four earned runs across his last two starts, lasting at least six frames in each.
The Guardians are currently flourishing offensively. The Detroit Tigers haven’t announced who will pitch here, but it’ll likely be an opener.
Regardless of who’s on the bump, Cleveland should continue to produce. They’ve scored 29 runs across the last four games.
COVERS INTEL: The Guardians are sixth in wRC+ (107) over the last two weeks.
Guardians vs Tigers Over/Under pick: Over 7.5 (-112)
Although Bibee has been better over the last few weeks, he’s still struggled on the road, and the Tigers are scoring more runs at home overall, averaging 4.13 per contest.
Bibee won’t get lit up, but he’s also not going to throw a scoreless gem, either.
As for Detroit’s pen, they own an ERA just under 4.00. The Guardians are averaging 7.33 runs per game across their last three, making the most of their offensive opportunities.
With a total this low, there’s clear value in the Over.
Quinn Allen's 2026 Transparency Record
ML/RL bets: 12-11, +2.26 units
Over/Under bets: 14-9, +3.16 units
Guardians vs Tigers odds
Moneyline: Guardians -117 | Tigers +113
Run line: Guardians -1.5 (+144) | Tigers +1.5 (-150)
Over/Under: Over 7.5 (-108) | Under 7.5 (+104)
Guardians vs Tigers trend
The Guardians have hit the Moneyline in 22 of their last 35 away games (+13.95 Units / 37% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for Guardians vs. Tigers.
How to watch Guardians vs Tigers and game info
Location
Comerica Park, Detroit, MI
Date
Wednesday, May 20, 2026
First pitch
6:40 p.m. ET
TV
Guardians.TV, DSN
Guardians starting pitcher
Tanner Bibee (0-6, 4.15 ERA)
Tigers starting pitcher
TBD
Guardians vs Tigers latest injuries
Guardians vs Tigers weather
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - MAY 19: Andy Pages #44 of the Los Angeles Dodgers hits a sacrifice fly during the ninth inning against the San Diego Padres at Petco Park on May 19, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Yuichi Masuda/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Since joining the San Diego Padres at last year’s trade deadline, closer Mason Miller has appeared in 44 games, and had scoreless appearances in 41 of them. The Dodgers accounted for one of the other three games in Tuesday’s win at Petco Park, helped in large part by Miller’s errant pickoff throw to first base that moved Alex Call to first base with only one out.
Includes quote from Ty France on error in ninth: “It cut a little bit, but I should have caught it.” https://t.co/RnMAh7AJdH
That provided a prime scoring opportunity for the Dodgers, with Andy Pages at the plate. He fell behind 0-2 to Miller but kept battling. Here are the pitches in that plate appearance:
Slider (87.2 mph), foul (the errant pickoff attempt came after this pitch)
Miller has thrown 80 pitches this season registering at least 101 mph this season, about 21.6 percent of this total pitches thrown. Just 11 of those 80 super-fast pitches were put into play. Only 20 of those 80 pitches were fouled off, with Spencer Torkelson the only other player to foul off two in the same plate appearance, on March 28 in the ninth inning. Tokelson worked a walk, but was stranded.
Pages fouled off three of those 101-mph pitches, plus another 100.8-mph pitch, part of his six fouls in a nine-pitch battle that ended with a game-winning sacrifice fly on another 101.5-mph fastball.
“I think, at the end of the day, it was just fight,” said manager Dave Roberts. “It’s just me versus you. And it was him versus Mason Miller, and he wasn’t gonna lose that battle. Mason’s the best in the game right now. And Andy, he willed himself to do something productive in that at-bat.”
PHILADELPHIA — Chase Burns’ backside absorbed the brunt of a 108.8 mph — ouch! — scorching liner off the bat of Bryce Harper that nearly caught the Cincinnati Reds’ ace in a more precarious position.
Burns kept his poise, recovered the ball just off the mound, and flipped it to first to retire Harper and end the sixth inning.
Burns felt the, well, burn, and hightailed it to the clubhouse for treatment on a smash hit near the upper groin area that will leave nothing more than a bruise.
“I’ll tell you what,” Reds manager Terry Francona said, “that was scary. The way he ran off the mound, I thought he was OK. Then he got in the dugout, and it looked like he was dead. I asked him, please tell me you have a cup on. He said, no. I was like, Chase, I don’t even watch a game on TV without wearing a cup.”
Burns did at least protect the lead against the streaking Phillies.
The 23-year-old Burns, the second overall pick in the 2024 amateur draft, was terrific again in the latest start in his first full major league season.
Burns used a filthy slider to set up the 99 mph heaters upstairs and struck out nine over six innings. He lowered his ERA to 1.83 in the Reds 4-1 win over the Philadelphia Phillies.
Oh, and one assist on Harper’s comebacker.
“It hurt, for sure,” Burns said. “Just trying to get the out and come in as fast as possible. It’ll be good.”
Each time Burns walked to the mound, it was impossible to miss that oversized All-Star game logo that looms large in the Ashburn Alley concourse.
With the way he’s pitching this season, Burns’ next appearance in Philadelphia could come in the Midsummer Classic.
“It might be in the back of my mind somewhere,” Burns said.
Burns (6-1) allowed only Trea Turner’s solo shot in the third as he helped the Reds end a three-game losing streak and move back above .500 (25-24).
Burns allowed three hits, walked none and drew 18 swings and misses. The right-hander has allowed two or fewer runs in nine of 10 starts this season and one or fewer runs in seven of 10 starts.
He was at his best against the Phillies in the fourth and fifth innings. He got the first batters in the fourth on strikeouts and then struck out the side — Bryson Stott on a slider, Edmundo Sosa on a fastball and Justin Crawford on a nasty slider.
“Feels like if you miss that mistake, then the at-bat gets a lot tougher,” Turner said. “Great arm and seems to be a good competitor.”
His 121 strikeouts — on the strength of that slider — in his first 18 career starts rank third in Reds history (since 1900) behind Gary Nolan (134) and Nick Lodolo (126).
“It’s a pretty devasting pitch,” Francona said.
With a 4-1 lead, there was no sense in putting Burns back on the mound for the seventh.
“I mean, my goodness, the ball almost killed him,” Francona said.
Burns has turned into a bit of a stopper for the Reds. He is 3-0 with a 0.72 ERA and has three of the Reds’ five wins in May.
“There’s been some days where we we’ve kind been up against it and he’s given us what we needed,” Francona said.
Burns went 0-3 with a 4.57 ERA in eight starts over 13 appearances for the Reds last season.
“I’m just taking everything I learned from last year and putting it into this year,” Burns said. “Learning about routines and how to stay healthy during the week. Midweek bullpens and stuff like. Just executing pitches, really.”
Burns is the first Reds starter to throw at least six innings while allowing two runs or fewer in five straight games since Hunter Greene in 2024. The last Reds starter to do so before Burns age 23 or younger was Jay Tibbs in 1984.
“I think he’s special now,” Francona said. “What he grows into will be what he grows into.”
The Los Angeles Dodgers, ranked first in the NL West with a 30-19 record, face the San Diego Padres, who are second in the NL West with a 29-19 record. The Los Angeles Dodgers are favored with a -190 moneyline compared to the San Diego Padres' +154. Starting pitchers are Shohei Ohtani for the Dodgers, with a 0.82 ERA, and Randy Vásquez for the Padres, with a 2.68 ERA.
How to watch Los Angeles Dodgers vs San Diego Padres
Date: Wednesday, May 20
Time: 8:40 p.m. ET / 5:40 p.m. PT
Where: PETCO Park, San Diego, CA
TV Channels: Padres.TV Presented by UC San Diego Health, SportsNet LA
CINCINNATI, OHIO - MAY 10: Andrew Abbott #41 of the Cincinnati Reds throws a pitch against the Houston Astros at Great American Ball Park on May 10, 2026 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images) | Getty Images
In taking Tuesday night’s game over the Philadelphia Phillies in 4-1 fashion, the Cincinnati Reds have set themselves up for a chance to win a road series for the first time in a month. The last time they accomplished such a feat came on April 21st when they wrapped up a victory in the second game of a three-game set in Tampa, having won the opener the night before.
Since then, though, it’s been a bit of a horror show for the Reds outside of Great American Ball Park. So, a victory today would go a long way towards reestablishing some sense of ability to put up Ws in their road grays, and would do so as they head into a two-week stretch where they’ll be home almost exclusively.
Andrew Abbott will toe the rubber for today’s rubber match, and he’ll do so opposite veteran righty Aaron Nola. Cincinnati has made a number of lineup alterations on the day, including Spencer Steer getting a start at 2B, Matt McLain playing SS, Elly De La Cruz getting a day at DH, and an outfield of JJ Bleday in LF, Will Benson in RF, and Blake Dunn in CF as TJ Friedl sits again.
Ke’Bryan Hayes, mercifully, is out of the starting lineup, too.
First pitch is set for 1:05 PM ET. Here’s how both clubs will line up to start, with Philadelphia once again without Kyle Schwarber (illness):
NEW YORK — The long wait nearly is over for Gerrit Cole and the New York Yankees.
Cole is scheduled to return from Tommy John surgery and make his season debut against the Tampa Bay Rays, his first big league outing almost in 19 months.
A six-time All-Star and the 2023 AL Cy Young Award winner, Cole hasn’t pitched in the majors since October 2024 in Game 5 of the World Series versus the Los Angeles Dodgers.
“It’s been tough. I mean, I’ve missed it quite a bit,” he said at Yankee Stadium. “There’s been some blessings along the way as well. I talked about my family, and spending time with my boys. But largely I’m just looking forward to being really tired and having that exhaustion, like, mean something.”
Cole was set to throw a bullpen and will be on a pitch count during his first start back, manager Aaron Boone said.
“He hasn’t been in that flow of competition for 17 months. That being said, it is Gerrit Cole,” Boone said. “He looks great to me. So, my expectation is that he’s going to be really good.”
Even after fellow Yankees ace Max Fried landed on the injured list with a left elbow bone bruise, Boone said the team still intended to have Cole make a seventh minor league rehabilitation start before rejoining a big league rotation that includes Cam Schlittler, Carlos Rodón, Will Warren and Ryan Weathers.
But after the 35-year-old right-hander threw 86 pitches over 5 1/3 innings for Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre against the Syracuse Mets, Cole and the Yankees changed course.
“We just kind of continued to work through that. Didn’t want to make any rash decisions just because Max was out. This isn’t about that spot. It’s like, we were going to play the long game with this,” Boone said.
“But in just like, all the talks with the trainers, pitching group, Gerrit, his support group and all that, we just felt like he has done everything he needs to be ready to compete now at this level. So, I’m really excited to get him back and excited for him because, again, knowing the long road that it’s been and the blood, sweat and tears he put in the rehab process.”
In his most recent minor league outing, Cole averaged 97 mph with his four-seam fastball and reached 99.6 mph.
“When we all looked at it and just considered all the variables, it checked all the boxes,” he said.
Cole will start the series opener at Yankee Stadium against the AL East rival Rays, who swept three games from New York last month in Florida and currently have with the top record in the majors at 31-15.
“I expect it to be intense. Tough matchup. Lot of balls in play. Control the running game,” Cole said. “Lot of pressure from the other team.
“I’m most looking forward to just competing at the highest stage,” he added. “Pretty high stakes Friday night for May, and I mean, it’s just a blessing to play the game. You get a better sense of that once you’re removed from it.”
Cole was pleased with his progression throughout the long rehab process.
“I felt like any return around this point, even with a few weeks ahead of time, would be generally viewed as a good return-to-play plan and a good level of execution. I mean, I expected to do well. I didn’t really hit any significant snags. And so, you put a lot of hard work in and execute along the way and this is where it takes you,” he said.
“It didn’t feel very quick, yet it’s been very efficient and optimal.”
Cole is 153-80 with a 3.18 ERA in 12 major league seasons with the Pirates, Astros and Yankees. He’s won a pair of ERA titles, and his return to an already-strong rotation figures to provide a significant boost for second-place New York, who are three games behind Tampa Bay at 29-19.
“This is a good measuring stick. So you get a good litmus test of where you are,” Cole said. “I’m confident. I’m optimistic. But I definitely know there’s some work in front of us. It’s just the right time to take the next step.
“I’m as prepared as possible to do the best I can, whatever challenges come our way on Friday.”
Cole went for tests in 2025 after allowing two home runs in his second spring training start, against Minnesota on March 6 that year, and had reconstructive elbow surgery five days later.
He made a pair of one-inning spring training starts this year on March 18 and 24, then began minor league rehab outings on April 17. He compiled a 4.71 ERA in 28 2/3 innings, giving up 28 hits while striking out 28 and walking three.
“We’re all excited for him and know the long road that it’s been to get back to this point,” Boone said. “I’m sure there’s been some trying moments for him, but I also feel like he’s handled it all really well, and there’s been a discipline to what he’s done.”
USA - CIRCA 1987: Ty Gainey of the Houston Astros looks on circa 1987. (Photo by Sporting News via Getty Images via Getty Images) | Sporting News via Getty Images
In our 17th installment of our Legends Series we sit down with Ty Gainey, whose debut with the Astros in 1985 was brief and memorable.
Q: What do you remember about being called up in April of 1985 ?
A: It was shocking because one day I’m down in the minors and then next thing I know, Yogi comes over and tells me that I better get loose around the 6th or 7th inning because I might be used as a pinch runner or possibly even pinch hit that night. That really stuck with me because he took the time to come tell me that.
Yogi was a funny guy. My first day at the dome he told me that they put the grass down before they put the top on. I just looked at him. He was funny.
Q: When I say Houston Astrodome, what comes to mind?
A: You know, I actually tripped in center field and fell. I had toe turf or something (laughs). The turf got me, crept up on me.
Q: You only appeared in 13 games. When you look back on it, do you feel they rushed you out too quickly?
A: They changed course and decided to go with the older players before the younger ones, so I just had a courtesy glance. Keep in mind, Terry Puhl, Jose Cruz, and a lot of talented guys were there, but what really happened was Kevin Bass came along, and Hal Lanier became manager and that was the end for me.
Q: And yet your one career home run, you hit off one of the very best in Orel Hershiser. What do you remember about that?
A: I was a little nervous the first pitch he threw me but then I felt okay. I started fouling balls off. I had studied Orel from the bench, so I knew what his pitches were and what he liked to go with. I knew he was going to throw me a fastball and when he did, I drove it to left field.
Q: What was it like playing all of those years in Asia after your stint in the majors?
A: It was fun. I played with Ichiro. He was a rookie when I got there and had a 30-game hitting streak even in spring training that year. Believe it or not, some of the coaches didn’t think he was ready (laughs). He stayed there longer than he should’ve and even with that, (when he joined the Mariners) he still easily got over 200 hits that rookie season with Seattle.
May 3, 2026; West Sacramento, California, USA; Athletics first baseman Nick Kurtz (16), Athletics left fielder Tyler Soderstrom (21), and Athletics third baseman Darell Hernaiz (2) celebrate the Athletics victory over the Cleveland Guardians at Sutter Health Park. Mandatory Credit: Scott Marshall-Imagn Images | Scott Marshall-Imagn Images
Happy Wednesday Athletics fans!
After several consecutive losing seasons, the A’s entered 2026 with renewed expectations, aiming to finish above .500 and remain in playoff contention late in the season. Through nearly 50 games, the A’s have played like a .500 team, yet they still sit atop an underwhelming American League West in which no team has consistently separated itself from the pack. Even the Seattle Mariners, preseason favorites to win the division, entered play today below .500.
Mark Kotsay’s team has handled adversity better this season, avoiding extended losing streaks like the nine-game skid it suffered last May. The A’s have fluctuated between playing strong, winning baseball and enduring sloppy stretches marked by costly losses, but inconsistency is part of the grind of MLB’s 162-game season.
Currently, the A’s miss Jacob Wilson, who is on the injured list with a left shoulder subluxation and sprain. Wilson was heating up offensively before the injury, but his improved defense at shortstop may have been even more encouraging for the A’s. In the wake of Wilson joining fellow infielder Max Muncy on the injured list, Darell Hernáiz has received everyday playing time at shortstop. While Hernáiz can hold his own defensively, Wilson offers more consistency at the plate.
Like last season, the A’s offense was expected to lead the way this year. At the moment, however, the unit has struggled aside from outfielder Carlos Cortes, catcher Shea Langeliers and first baseman Nick Kurtz. Designated hitter Brent Rooker and outfielders Tyler Soderstrom and Lawrence Butler are all batting around the Mendoza Line, with the latter two left-handed hitters mired in prolonged slumps that kept them out of last night’s starting lineup against Angels left-hander Reid Detmers.
Kurtz has drawn 44 walks, the second-most in MLB, in large part due to his keen eye and strike-zone awareness, but also because opposing teams would rather avoid him and take their chances with the hitters behind him, including Rooker and Soderstrom. The A’s have also received limited offensive production from their backup catcher, a spot that was previously held by Austin Wynns and is now Jonah Heim’s.
Entering last night’s game, the Athletics ranked near the middle of the pack in runs scored and home runs, despite playing home games at hitter-friendly Sutter Health Park. They proceeded to tag the woeful Los Angeles Angels’ pitching staff for a season-high 14 runs. That will surely boost the team’s offensive confidence. Time will tell whether last night’s offensive explosion was a breakthrough or an anomaly.
The A’s need daily contributions from their offense to offset any pitching concerns if the team wants to remain competitive this season. Wilson and Muncy will return at some point and Soderstrom and Butler have too much talent to keep playing this poorly offensively. Down on the farm, shortstop Leo De Vries remains an intriguing late-season call-up possibility, while left-handers Jamie Arnold and Gage Jump could provide reinforcements for an Athletics’ pitching staff that has been respectable this year.
Here is the Athletics‘ updated minor league transaction log. Should outfielder Denzel Clarke remain at Triple-A after his rehab assignment or return to the big-league club?
OF D.Clarke to LV on rehab IF M.Stefanic elects free agency IF-OF M.Durrington off STK IL C T.Takayoshi to STK develop list RHP Chen Zhuang to LV IL IF Alika Williams to A’s from PIT for LAN RHP Kyle Robinson OF J.Perez to CWS for LHP Jackson Nove (to STK)https://t.co/joKXkyUAPy
— Bill Moriarity – A's Farm (@AthleticsFarm) May 19, 2026
Which player do you think has the best nickname in Minor League Baseball?
The American League West has arguably been the weakest division in MLB this season, which makes it even more disappointing that the A’s have been unable to separate themselves from their division rivals.
There’s been more than a few songs written about baseball. I wrote a more expansive piece several years ago, but for this essay, I’ll just concentrate on a few selections.
There are classics like “Take me out to the ballgame” which has been a 7th inning staple for decades. Some ballparks have taken to playing “God bless America” while the Red Sox have made “Sweet Caroline” their 8th inning staple.
Most players have a walk-up song, and many relievers have a walk-in song. My favorite was Trevor Hoffman entering a game to “Hells Bells”. I mean, who doesn’t love ACDC? I’m thinking about having my kids play this at my funeral. If they won’t, I’m getting up and walking out.
The mid-1980’s were a fruitful, and cringe worthy, time for baseball songs with John Fogerty’s 1985 hit “Centerfield” and Bruce Springsteen’s 1984 “Glory Days”. Peter Paul and Mary got into the act in 1986 with their song “Right Field”. I never cared for that trio of songs, but like anything else, someone, somewhere surely liked them. An old-timer once said to me, “Kid, there’s an ass for every seat”. Yes, there is. And there’s a song for every set of ears.
One baseball song I did like was Section 36’s 1980 regional hit, “Go Joe Charboneau” a paean to Cleveland’s irrepressible rookie star. Everyone liked Joe Charboneau. How could you not like him? The guy drank beer through his nose. He did his own dental work and fixed his broken nose with a pair of pliers. Before the 1980 season, a crazed Mexican fan stabbed him with a pen knife. The blow was stopped when it hit a rib. The assailant was arrested and fined 50 peso’s, to which Charboneau replied, “that’s $2.27 for stabbing a person”. He captivated Cleveland and the baseball world by hitting home runs and doing outrageous things. He was a runaway winner of the Rookie of The Year. Then injuries and hard living took hold and by 1983, he was out of baseball.
Those really were the days, back before the internet, cable TV and the 24/7 news cycle. A time when you had to rely on various sources of information, often outdated, to hear what the latest phenom was doing. That lack of information allowed players like Fernando Valenzuela, Charboneau and Mark Fidrych to develop reputations that whetted the appetite of baseball fans anxious to get a glimpse of said player. We relied on daily newspaper box scores, radio sports reports, The Sporting News and 30 second clips on the evening news to catch a glimpse of them. If we were lucky, you’d see them in the Baseball Game of the Week. Don’t get me wrong. It’s great today, to be able to watch any game, any time of the day. It’s great to have advanced stats at your fingertips, updated with each at-bat or pitch. But it does take away from some of the suspense and the myth building. We gained something and we’ve lost something.
Another baseball hit during the 1980’s was Terry Cashman’s “Talkin’ baseball”. Cashman is a prolific writer who had several modest hits prior to Talkin’ Baseball.
I didn’t care much for the song when it first came out. One of our local radio stations, probably KSAL, would play it a couple times a day that summer, but I wrote it off as a hokey novelty song. Plus, it didn’t fit my genre, which arced more towards deafening hard rock. ACDC, Molly Hatchett, The Outlaws, Led Zeppelin, Van Halen. You get the idea.
I stumbled back upon “Talkin’ Baseball” a few weeks ago, gave it another listen to, and you know what, it’s not bad. In fact, it’s a bit of a rhyming masterpiece, how Cashman gets all the names to fit together. Writing a song is a very special skill, getting the music and lyrics to fit. I admire those who have the ability to do that. Maybe it’s because I’m getting older, but I liked the song this time around.
The Royals are featured prominently in the song. George Brett gets a nice line, “and Brett is the greatest”. Dan Quisenberry gets a mention:
“I’m talkin’ baseball, like Reggie, Quisenberry
talkin’ baseball
Carew and Gaylord Perry”.
The structure of the song reminds me a bit of Dave Frishberg’s 1969 song, “Van Lingle Mungo”, in which Frishberg recites the names of various ballplayers in a rhyming fashion set to a Bossa Nova beat. Frishberg was a terrific jazz pianist whose name may ring a bell for some of you who had small children that watched Schoolhouse Rock. He wrote the children’s classic, “I’m just a bill”.
I can remember my father, a Brooklyn Dodgers fan, talking about Mungo. I thought he was pulling my leg with the name. Van Lingle Mungo?
Mungo was a flamethrowing, albeit wild, righthanded pitcher who won 120 games over a 14-year career that was worth almost 33 WAR. He was also a colorful character, who often clashed with his teammates, managers and a few disgruntled husbands.
Mungo and Frishberg appeared together on the Dick Cavett show, where Frishberg sang the song. Before the taping, Mungo asked Frishberg if there was any money in it for him. Frishberg replied with this zinger, “No, but you might make some money if you wrote a song called Dave Frishberg”. Roy Campanella is the only player mentioned in both songs.
Baseball remains a fertile ground for musicians. What are some of your favorites?
Cabral is 6-0 with a 2.06 ERA this season | Katie Goodale / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
When guessing who we thought the most consistent pitcher for any affiliate would be this season, few, if anyone, would have guess 18th round pick Aiven Cabral would anchor the Augusta pitching staff. Even as a reliever he has been the player they can rely on for consistent innings, and so far he has recorded the win in six of his seven starts this season. Augusta had a big offensive explosion led by two hits and five stolen bases from Tate Southisene, who has 12 stolen bases in his last eight games.
(26-20) Gwinnett Stripers 4, (23-23) Charlotte Knights 5
Austin Gomber, SP: 5 IP, 8 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 0 BB, 6 K, 9.00 ERA
Rolddy Munoz, RP: 2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K, 0.47 ERA
The Stripers trailed for most of this game, and Austin Gomber could not stop giving up home runs to the Charlotte Knights. A Jacob Gonzalez long ball off of the CoolRay Field berm opened up the scoring for the game in the second inning, and piece-by-piece the Knights kept putting up runs by putting balls over the wall. Gomber allowed the only non-home run run off of a Braden Montgomery double the next inning, then went right back to giving up nukes. The Knights went back-to-back off of Gomber in the next inning, the latter of those home runs full clearing the bullpen and sailing into the apartments. The fifth inning got started with another no doubt shot to right field, the fourth Knights home run of the game and a 5-0 lead that would seal the game in favor of Charlotte. The Gwinnett bullpen had loads more success than Gomber and split four scoreless frames between Javy Guerra and Rolddy Munoz, and Munoz had a strong day on the mound. He was able to throw tons of strikes and the Knights were having trouble with his slider, and though he only struck out one batter he got tons of weak contact and stayed ahead in the count.
The Stripers weren’t snoozing at the plate while Charlotte was going off, but without the aid of home runs they came up empty in the early innings. They didn’t have any extra base hits and had a couple of double play balls, so despite getting runners on base in every inning it took until the fifth for them to finally come up with some life. Luke Williams tripled to spark the first Gwinnett run of the game, and slowly they would start creeping back and play their way into the contest. Rowdy Tellez opened up in the sixth inning with a double and was advanced on a single from Brewer Hicklen, giving the Stripers their first inning with multiple hits and a big chance to rally with no outs. Brett Wisely chased the left fielder back to the warning track to give Tellez enough time to come and score on a sacrifice fly, but they failed the score further runs that inning. In the seventh they kept it rolling with doubles from Williams and Nacho Alvarez, and when Tellez snuck a single up the middle to score Alvarez from second base the Stripers found themselves with a huge chance to tie the game. An infield single would move Ben Gamel, pinch-running, up to second base with still only one out in the inning, but the rally fizzled out from there. Two fly outs failed to advance any runners further, but Gwinnett wasn’t out of time to score just yet. With two outs a single from Williams opened a glimmer of eighth inning hope, and when Jim Jarvis made an appearance and shot a double into the corner the chance grew bigger still. Alvarez was walked intentionally to load the bases, putting Gamel in the biggest spot of the game where he would strike out. In the ninth inning Aaron Schunk stood at second base after a Wisely hit, a force out, and a wild pitch, and with two outs Dashawn Keirsey Jr. was the final hope for Gwinnett. Keirsey was able to punch a line into shallow left field for a hit, but Jacob Gonzalez made a scoop off of the hop and fired home where Schunk was out by a mile on the throw to end the game.
Swing and Misses
Austin Gomber – 12
Javy Guerra – 6
Rolddy Munoz – 5
(19-20) Columbus Clingstones 1, (20-20) Pensacola Blue Wahoos 3
Jack Dashwood, SP: 4.1 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 3 BB, 3 K, 7.61 ERA
Luis Vargas, RP: 1.2 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 2 K, 4.44 ERA
It’s tough to find a whole lot to say about this one, where the Clingstones offense took the day off and the pitching staff even with a solid collective effort didn’t really run out any particularly interesting prospects. Columbus did hold a lead early in this game, and of course it was Lizandro Espinoza getting it done at the plate and on the bases which made that possible. Espinoza drew a walk and then stole his way around to third, putting him in position where a Luke Waddell double broke the seal with two outs in the top of the first inning. That was the high point of the game. Espinoza still had a good day, adding a hit and another stolen base in the third inning, but Columbus was stifled in the series opener and only had one hit after the third inning. In total the team struck out eight times in four innings against the Blue Wahoos bullpen, sealing a quiet loss.
After a stretch of rough outings Jack Dashwood was due for a good day on the mound, and even though he didn’t have great control he was able to fill innings effectively and keep Columbus in position to win the game. Unfortunately for him the offense had different plans, but Dashwood did his job well. Luis Vargas came in to replace Dashwood with a runner on base in the fifth inning, and a stroke of good fortune got his outing off on the right food. With a runner on second Vargas gave up a liner up the middle, but Cal Conley was shifted over made a terrific leaping play to snag the liner and save a run. Conley was able to turn that into an inning-ending unassisted double play, and Vargas found himself quickly out of a scoring chance. Vargas pitched quite well in his inning in the sixth inning. His stuff was sharp and he was locating fairly well, striking out two batters in the inning. Unfortunately for him a bloop single and an inside out grounder down the right field line turned into a run against him and charged him with a loss for the game.
Swing and Misses
Jack Dashwood – 5
Luis Vargas – 4
(22-18) Rome Emperors 0, (22-17) Hub City Spartanburgers
Colin Daniel, SP: 6.2 IP,7 H, 3 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 6 K, 4.66 ERA
The Emperors were flailing against Hickory starter Aidan Curry, swinging and missing 23 times and striking out nine times in six scoreless innings. Three walks drawn sort of salvaged some decency from the game, especially from Isaiah Drake and John Gil at the top of the order, but it was really not a great game at all. Drake struck out in all three of his non-walk plate appearances, and Eric Hartman added an 0-4 with two strikeouts. In addition Rome went 0-3 on stolen base attempts, capping off a lousy day. Gil did have a hit and a walk to give one of the big bats a good performance for the series opener, but Gil is still on a pretty ugly slump since his two home runs game. Gil is 3 for his last 24 with eight strikeouts, which is as bad a stretch as we’ve ever seen him have making contact.
For Colin Daniel, it had to be a frustrating day to pitch so well and not have any shot of winning. Daniel kept Hub City pounding the ball into the ground, and worked an efficient 6 2/3 innings in which he only allowed one earned run with no walks. Daniel did give up a long home run to Malcolm Moore in the sixth inning after matching Curry for the first five, but otherwise hard contact was hard for the Spartanburgers to come by. Unfortunately for Daniel an error in the seventh inning prolonged the frame long enough for Hub City to notch two more unearned runs, burying this game and settling that he would end up with a loss despite a good line. Leading into this game Riley Frey had been phenomenal out of the bullpen for Rome, posting a 1.42 ERA with one walk to 12 strikeouts and no home runs allowed. Those numbers took a major hit when he allowed four runs to Hub City in this one, pushing his ERA to 3.86 on the season.
Swing and Misses
Colin Daniel – 8
Riley Frey – 3
(22-18) Augusta GreenJackets 8, (18-22) Columbia Fireflies 1
Logan Forsythe, SP: 1 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 3 BB, 1 K, 4.96 ERA
Aiven Cabral, RP: 6 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 8 K, 2.06 ERA
This is the game we have been waiting for, the matchup with by far the biggest intrigue out of Tuesday’s slate. Columbia and Augusta played a tight battle throughout that was marked by dominant pitching, until suddenly the GreenJackets broke out and lapped the Fireflies in the late innings. For the second straight week Logan Forsythe was chased from the game early due to poor command and an inflated pitch count, but he managed to escape the first inning with only a single run allowed and that is where the game would stay. Jaylen Paden pitched two scoreless innings of relief before turning the ball over to Aiven Cabral, who came into this outing having earned the win for each of his past five appearances on the season. All Cabral did was put up his best performance to date, carving through the Fireflies offense to the tune of six one-hit innings and eight strikeouts. Unfortunately for Cabral the offense couldn’t come up with anything major, so for the first half of his outing he still tended to a 1-0 deficit. However the bats woke up late, obviously, and Cabral once again was the pitcher of record taking his sixth win in a row. In this span Cabral has pitched all but one game in relief, but paired with the inconsistent Forsythe he has taken on a huge onus and responded. In these six wins he has 32 innings pitches and a 1.97 ERA to go along with 29 strikeouts and only seven walks.
Tate Southisene was the man to help lead the offense, and he took advantage each of the three times he reached base in this game. Southisene had two hits and a walk and everytime he got out there he ran wild, going 5-for-5 on stolen base attempts in the game and scoring two runs. Southisene has been efficient on the basepaths on his way to 32 stolen bases already this season, and in his past eight games he is 12-for-13 on stolen base attempts. With one out in the seventh inning Southisene struck out, but even when he made an out he was able to reach on the wild pitch then advance on a walk and steal third base. This allowed him to tie the game by scoring on a Luis Guanipa ground out, and Alex Lodise followed closely behind on a Juan Mateo single to give Augusta their first lead. In the next inning he got the rally started with a stinging two-out single into center field, then stole second and third base before scoring on a swinging bunt single from Lodise. Finally in the eighth inning Augusta officially broke the game open, with a Dallas Macias home run doing major damage and ballooning the lead to 6-1. Michael Martinez’s first hit as a GreenJacket went for two, scoring a runner on a line drive into the left field corner for the fourth run of the inning. Martinez would then score on an error, capping off the big inning for Augusta.
It’s heart attack hotel with this Yankees relief corps, but the bullpen managed to survive another ninth inning comeback attempt to secure consecutive one-run victories over the Blue Jays. It’s made all the more important that they managed to win on a day when Blue Jays ace Dylan Cease was starting, Ryan McMahon and Ben Rice supplying a pair of clutch home runs.
Tampa Bay Rays (32-15) 4, Baltimore Orioles (21-28) 1
It might have gone dormant for the last two seasons, but it looks like the Tampa Bay devil magic is back in the air at the Trop. For years lauded as one of the premier pitching factories in the league the Rays are back at it again producing impact starters out of nowhere. First, they transformed 35-year-old swingman Nick Martinez into a run suppressing beast. Now, they’ve gone and metamorphosed multi-inning relief ace Griffin Jax into their latest dominant starter. He held the Orioles to a run on three hits and a walk with six strikeouts in five innings, Jax now the owner of a shiny 1.42 ERA in his last five games — all starts after performing below replacement level in a relief role in his first 11 appearances. The lone damage came on the second pitch of the game, Taylor Ward leading off the contest with a home run before Jax went on to pitch five scoreless innings.
Jax’s offense answered right back in the bottom half of the frame. Jonathan Aranda drew a two out walk and scored all the way from first on a Yandy Díaz bullet double to the wall just left of center to make it 1-1. It was all Rays from that point forward, though Orioles starter Kyle Bradish would hold them to just one further run over the next 4.1 innings. That run came in the sixth, Díaz striking again this time with a mammoth 439-foot solo shot to dead center on a center-cut hanging 1-0 slider (though Díaz would have to exit the game after getting hit on the hand by a 94 mph fastball in the eighth).
Tampa Bay wrapped up the scoring by plating a pair in the eighth. Carson Williams replaced Díaz after the hit-by-pitch and raced around to score on a Richie Palacios double. Palacios was then driven home on a bloop single from Jonny DeLuca. With the win, the Rays maintain their three game lead over the Yankees for first and go for the sweep of the Orioles tomorrow afternoon.
Other Games
Cleveland Guardians (28-22) 4, Detroit Tigers (20-29) 3
Parker Messick and Keider Montero had almost identical lines, both allowing three runs in five innings. Cleveland opened the scoring in the second, Kyle Manzardo singling to lead off, Travis Bazzana drawing a walk, Angel Martínez moving the pair into scoring position with a sac bunt and Steven Kwan plating Manzardo with a sac fly. Detroit responded in the bottom-half, Riley Greene drawing a one out walk to set up a two-run blast from Spencer Torkelson. Bazzana restored the Guardians’ lead with a two-run homer in the fourth after Manzardo drew a leadoff walk, the second home run in the MLB career of the first overall pick from 2024. Once again, the Tigers responded immediately, Greene and Hao-Yu Lee reaching on a pair of singles before an errant pickoff attempt at second from catcher Austin Hedges sailed into center allowing Greene to score the tying run. Kwan scored the go-ahead run in the seventh, leading off with a double before advancing to third on a sac bunt and scoring on a soft grounder. Detroit loaded the bases in the eighth and put a pair on in the ninth, but failed to score any either time.
Boston Red Sox (21-27) 7, Kansas City Royals (20-29) 1
This was actually a close game until the ninth when Royals reliever Eli Morgan imploded for four runs, seven of the Red Sox’s 15 hits coming in that frame alone. Ranger Suarez gave the Red Sox 4.1 innings of one-run ball whereas the Royals went with a bullpen game. Jarren Duran, Ceddanne Rafaela, Wilyer Abreu, Willson Contreras, and Isiah Kiner-Falefa all had multi-hit days for the Red Sox. Duran slugged a home run and drove in three, Contreras also drove in three, and IKF went 3-for-3.
Kumar Rocker authored easily the best outing of his big league career, though it is curious to note that it came as the bulk man after opener Tyler Alexander pitched a scoreless first. Rocker twirled 7.2 shutout innings allowing three hits and three walks against seven strikeouts, racking up 19 swings and misses including a gaudy 57-percent whiff rate on the slider. The Rockies also went with a bullpen game to the polar opposite outcome, opener Sammy Peralta and bulk guy Tanner Gordon combining to give up nine runs on 14 hits and three walks in seven innings. Joc Pederson pinch-hit for Andrew McCutchen in the second and went on to go 4-for-5. Brandon Nimmo went 3-for-4 with a home run and three RBI. Ezequiel Duran slugged a pair of doubles and drove in four.
Chicago White Sox (25-23) 2,Seattle Mariners (23-27) 1
Dan Wilson’s decision to demote Luis Castillo from the rotation and have him piggyback off of Bryce Miller’s abbreviated starts as the latter works his way back from an oblique strain backfired spectacularly. In his first ever game pitching out of the bullpen in the majors, Castillo spoiled Miller’s dominant start — 5.2 scoreless innings allowing a hit and a walk against seven strikeouts — by walking Munetaka Murakami followed by a Miguel Vargas HBP. This forced Wilson to call on closer Andrés Muñoz, who promptly yielded consecutive singles to the first two hitters he faced to turn Seattle’s 1-0 lead into a 2-1 deficit, the Mariners scoring their only run in the first on a Patrick Wisdom RBI ground out with the bases loaded.
The Alex Verdugo experiment ended for the San Diego Padres last week when the former major leaguer underwent surgery on his injured shoulder and was released by the Friars. He had been in Arizona for extended Spring Training and then began playing with the ACL Padres. The announcement this past week indicates the end of the 2026 season for Verdugo and his attempt to resurrect his career.
Right-hander Triston McKenzie was sent to the developmental list from the El Paso Chihuahuas. McKenzie signed with the Padres in an attempt to revitalize his career, but his inability to command his pitches has led to a 14.95 ERA in 13.1 innings pitched. Left-hander Fernando Sanchez was promoted to El Paso to replace McKenzie on the roster. He had three starts for Double-A San Antonio and five relief appearances in 20 innings pitched with a 4.50 ERA.
Catcher Colton Vincent was sent from the Chihuahuas to the development list, and he was replaced by Victor Duarte, who was promoted from Lake Elsinore.
Catcher Ty Harvey was activated from his rehab with the ACL Padres and rejoined Low-A Lake Elsinore.
Outfielder Justin DeCriscio was promoted from Lake Elsinore to High-A Fort Wayne after consistently hitting over .300 with a .907 OPS. He hit 3 homers and had 18 RBI. DeCriscio was drafted in the 10th round of the 2025 draft and is 23 years old.
El Paso Chihuahuas (21-24 record, 3rd in Pacific Coast League, East)
The Chihuahuas lost their series against the Salt Lake Bees but didn’t drop in the standings.
OF/IF Nick Solak has been consistently good for El Paso this year. His .339 average leads the team, and his .442 OBP is also tops for the Chihuahuas. Outfielder Jase Bowen continues to lead in slug with a .588 average, and his 10 home runs are tops as well. Outfielder Samad Taylor has a .949 OPS with the most walks at 20 to go with a .319 average.
The newly promoted righty starter Fernando Sanchez has one start with a 2.25 ERA. RHP Evan Fitterer has eight starts in 10 game appearances with 33.1 innings pitched and a 2.43 ERA. Fitterer was a minor league free agent signed during the offseason after leaving the Marlins organization. He was originally drafted in 2019 and is 25 years old.
Right-handed reliever Ethan Routzahn has five saves for El Paso in 23 innings pitched and a 3.91 ERA. JP Sears, who had a difficult start to the season, has had two starts in May and 10 innings pitched with a 1.80 ERA. He has 13 strikeouts to six walks.
San Antonio Missions (14-25 record, last in Texas League, South)
The Missions split their series versus the Wichita Wind Surge. This team features Ethan Salas’ brother Jose, as their shortstop. This is their first time playing against each other professionally.
Infielder Carson Tucker, 24, has continued his career resurgence since joining the Padres organization. He leads the team in batting average at .352 with nine doubles and a triple. He has nine steals without being caught and boasts an .885 OPS. 1B/DH Leandro Cedeno has a .421 OBP with five doubles, a triple, four homers, and 14 RBI to give him a .528 slug and .949 OPS.
Catcher Ethan Salas has been consistent with his offense, hitting .297/.373/.508 and a .882 OPS. He has seven doubles, six homers, 21 RBI, and has nine stolen bases with one caught stealing. When not catching, Salas frequently acts as the DH for the Missions. With the newly released prospect ranking updates, Salas has moved into the top 100 at No. 52 in the MLB Pipeline list.
Right-handed pitcher Jhony Brito moved from the ACL Padres to the Missions to continue his rehab from last season’s UCL repair. He has started one game with four innings pitched and didn’t allow a run. Miguel Mendez has returned from the injured list after recovering from a neck strain and started May 12. He threw two innings with a hit and two strikeouts, no runs allowed. He has a 3.24 ERA overall in 16.2 innings pitched.
Righty Francis Peña has a 1.20 ERA in 15 innings pitched while Andrew Moore has a 1.98 ERA in 13.2 innings pitched for the Missions.
Fort Wayne TinCaps (19-20 record, 3rd in Midwest League, East)
The TinCaps split their series with the Cedar Rapids Kernels.
Outfielder Jake Cunningham has the best batting average on the team at .304, and he also leads with a .933 OPS. Newly arrived Justin DeCriscio has a .417 OBP in his five games played and is followed closely by outfielder Kasen Wells at .414. Outfielder Alex McCoy continues to slug at a high rate, even after a down May. His .563 slugging percentage is only slightly better than Cunningham at .559. McCoy still leads with seven homers and 22 RBI, and his 12 doubles are also tops on the TinCaps.
Closer Clay Edmondson has eight saves in 14 game appearances and 17 innings pitched with a 0.53 ERA. He has struck out 24 to four walks. Drafted last year in the 14th round, Edmondson made a handful of appearances after being drafted last year, but has dominated so far this season.
Righty starter Carson Montgomery has impressed in his first full season as a prospect. He was drafted in the 11th round of the 2023 draft but had Tommy John surgery and missed all of last season until a quick cameo in the Fall League. So far, he has six starts and 27 innings pitched with a 1.33 ERA and 22 strikeouts to 11 walks.
Lefty starter Kash Mayfield has a 1.52 ERA in 7 starts and 29.2 innings pitched with 35 strikeouts to 13 walks. Mayfield features a devastating changeup to complement his mid-90’s fastball. He also throws a slider but it is mostly a show pitch at this point.
Reliever Javier Chacon was promoted to Fort Wayne from Lake Elsinore and has pitched in three games and four innings with a 2.25 ERA.
Lake Elsinore Storm (23-16 record, 1st in California League, South)
The Storm went 4-2 in their series against the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes and keep a strong hold on their first place status.
Outfielder Ryan Wideman has a .322/.405/.521 stat line with a .925 OPS to start the season. He leads in slug and is second in OPS for qualifying players. His 29 stolen bases in 35 attempts are tops in all of pro ball. He is tops with three homers and 29 RBI for the Storm.
Infielder Luke Cantwell leads the team in average at .325, OBP at .481, and OPS at .931 among qualifying players. Undrafted free agents Bradley Frye and Connor Westenburg have cooled off slightly but are both still hitting over .300 and have 21 and 18 RBI, respectively.
Right-handed starter Winyer Chourio has started six games in his seven appearances with 26 innings pitched and a 2.42 ERA. He has 42 strikeouts to 12 walks. The 22-year-old features a 95-mph fastball and has a .185 average against this season.
Righty Ethan Long has three saves and a 1.35 ERA in 6.2 innings as a reliever. He has assumed closer duties from Will Koger, who has a 3.60 ERA. Righty Nick Falter has a 1.82 ERA in 24.2 innings pitched in his 13 appearances with 23 strikeouts and seven walks.
ACL Padres (5-7 record, 3rd in Arizona Complex League, West)
C/1B Jhojan Downer has played in nine games and 27 at-bats with a .389 average, .593 OBP, and .444 slug. His OPS sits at 1.037. Infielder Yimy Tovar has played in 12 games with a .325/.404/.575 line and .979 OPS. IF/DH Santiago Vargas has 8 RBI with two doubles, a triple, and a home run.
Reliever Ty Adcock and lefty reliever Adler Cecil are on rehab assignments with Arizona. Cecil, 21, was drafted in 2023 in the 19th round and had Tommy John surgery during spring training of 2025. This is the start of his rehab. Adcock injured his oblique during the start of spring training after signing as a free agent during the offseason.
Padres Taiwanese pitching prospect Lan-Hong Su had his first professional start on May 16, going two innings with four strikeouts and two walks without allowing a run. Su, 19, features a mid-90’s fastball, a plus slider, a changeup, and has a new splitter in his repertoire. He started the season with blisters on his pitching hand (per MadFriars.com)
Padres prospect Michael Salina has made two starts with Arizona for 1.1 innings. He will be brought back slowly in his return from Tommy John surgery. He had four strikeouts and two walks while allowing four earned runs in those two starts.
COVERS INTEL: The Guardians are 
