Mets pull LHP A.J. Minter off rehab assignment with left hip discomfort

The Mets pulled left-handed reliever A.J. Minter off his rehab assignment on Wednesday after he reported experiencing left hip discomfort before Triple-A Syracuse’s game against the Rochester Red Wings.

Minter, recovering from lat surgery, was scheduled to pitch for Syracuse in Wednesday’s game as part of the first leg of a back-to-back that would’ve been the final step in his rehab process before re-joining the Mets. Now, that process has been put on pause.

“We’re not too concerned, but probably giving him a couple, few days there and then he’ll continue to throw,” manager Carlos Mendoza said. “But as of right now, we pulled him off.”

Neither Minter nor New York is too worried about the severity of the setback despite the hip discomfort being on the same side that he got surgery on in August 2024 to repair a torn labrum.

Still, it does set the lefty back a bit with the clock on his rehab restarting.

With a downtick in velocity in a few of Minter’s appearances this year, Mendoza was asked if he thinks the hip discomfort had any role to play in that.

“I don’t know because there were days where we saw the velo at 92, 93, couple of 94,” the skipper said. “But there were some ones where it was like 91. But I don’t know, I would have to talk to him personally. I will have to talk to the trainers, but I didn’t get that [sense] when I was talking to the trainers when they gave me the report today.”

Minter hasn’t pitched for the Mets since April 2025, when he suffered a lat strain that required season-ending surgery. He's pitched to a 1.17 ERA across three minor league levels during his rehab assignment.

Ted Turner, former Atlanta Braves owner, passes away at 87

ATLANTA, GA - OCTOBER 1995: Owner Ted Turner of the Atlanta Braves holds the World Series trophy after the Braves win the World Series against the Cleveland Indians on October 28, 1995 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Ronald C. Modra/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Media mogul, philanthropist and former Atlanta Braves owner Ted Turner passed away earlier today at the age of 87.

The bombastic businessman and cultural icon reshaped the media landscape in the latter half of the 20th century after taking over his father’s company, Turner Outdoor Advertising, in 1963.

A rebellious and ambitious entrepreneur, Turner began acquiring radio and television stations, including Atlanta’s WJRJ (channel 17), in the late 1960s and early 1970s. He renamed WJRJ to WTCG (for Turner Communications Group), and by the late 1970s began leveraging the emerging technologies of satellite and cable television to expand his media reach nationwide.

Driven by a need for content and profitability for his stations, Turner purchased the Atlanta Braves in 1976 – and the Atlanta Hawks the following year. Both franchises became central to the success of what became known as the Superstation WTBS, helping drive ratings and advertising revenue as Turner broadcast his teams’ games across the country.

Turner bought the Braves during a transitional period for the franchise. The team had moved to Atlanta only a decade earlier, and Braves legend and inner-circle Hall of Famer Henry Aaron had been traded to Milwaukee two years before Turner’s purchase. With future franchise cornerstone Dale Murphy still a young catcher trying to establish himself in the majors, the first four years of Turner’s ownership saw the Braves lose 90-or-more games including a 101-loss season in 1977.

While the team’s on-the-field performance was at a nadir, the team’s 162-game schedule provided a copious amount of content and that combined with Turner’s larger-than-life personality quickly became part of TBS’s identity. Turner famously branded the Braves as “America’s Team” as his station’s baseball broadcasts introduced the club to fans nationwide, making a superstar of Murphy as his back-to-back National League Most Valuable Player seasons came as cable and satellite service exploded across the country.

Turner’s hands-on approach with his MLB team occasionally crossed into controversy. In May 1977, during a 16-game losing streak, Turner briefly named himself interim manager, replacing Dave Bristol for one game before National League president Chub Feeney forced him to relinquish role. Turner appealed the decision, but commissioner Bowie Kuhn upheld the decision. The Braves lost their 17th consecutive game in Turner’s only turn as the team’s skipper.

In another instance, Turner had free agent signee pitcher Andy Messersmith, who wore the number 17 on his jersey, wear “Channel” as his nameplate until the league made Messersmith remove “Channel” from his jersey because of the blatant – albeit humorously ingenious – bit of advertising.

In 1978, Turner hired Bobby Cox as manager, beginning one of the most important relationships in franchise history. Cox managed the Braves until being fired after the 1981 season. In a press conference announcing the managerial change, when asked who he would ideally replace Cox with, Turner famously answered, “Bobby Cox”.

Turner hired former Braves All-Star Joe Torre as the team’s next manager. Torre led the Braves to the playoffs in 1982 before being fired after the 1984 season after two middling but disappointing seasons based on the expectations created during their 1982 success.

Cox, who had become manager of the Toronto Blue Jays in 1982 and led the team to the ALCS in 1985, returned to Atlanta when Turner brought Cox back into the organization as general manager following the conclusion of the 1985 season.

After rebuilding the organization’s farm system, Cox returned to the dugout during the 1990 season as the team’s manager. With John Schuerholtz brought in the from the Kansas City Royals as new general manager, the Braves “Worst-to-First” 1991 season launched an unprecedented era of success that permanently transformed expectations for baseball in Atlanta.

Turner, who was at his peak of celebrity, and then-partner Jane Fonda became regular fixtures in the stands during the Braves’ postseason run in 1991 and throughout the1990s, culminating in the franchise’s 1995 World Series championship.

While Turner labeled is own tenure running the operations of the club a “disaster” his support of his organization’s leadership and financial backing took the Braves from a cellar-dwelling laughingstock in the late 1980’s to a National League juggernaut in five seasons.

Outside of his sports ownership, Turner built one of the most influential media empires in history. His portfolio included Atlanta-based CNN, TBS, TNT, and Turner Classic Movies. CNN, which launched in 1980, revolutionized television journalism as the first 24-hour-a-day news network.

At the zenith of his success in media, Turner’s eponymous Turner Broadcasting merged with Time Warner in 1996. Half-a-decade later, Timer Warner merged with America Online (AOL) in 2001, creating AOL Time Warner. Although Turner initially retained high-level leadership roles with Time Warner, his influence diminished significantly following the AOL merger despite remaining the company’s largest shareholder.

Turner’s accomplishments extended far beyond media and sports. Through Turner Enterprises, he became the second-largest private landowner in the United States. He founded the United Nations Foundation and the Nuclear Threat Initiative, among other philanthropic organizations. He also created the Goodwill Games as an alternative to the Olympics.

Among the honors Turner received are two lifetime achievement Emmy Awards, a Peabody Award in 1997, the Walter Cronkite Award for Excellence in Journalism in 1990, and Time magazine’s “Man of the Year” in 1991. He also has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

The wry-smiling and mustachioed Turner also left a lasting mark on professional wrestling. In 1988, he purchased Jim Crockett Promotions and rebranded it as World Championship Wrestling (WCW), using it as programming for his networks. His enthusiasm for wrestling helped fuel the “Monday Night Wars” of the 1990s, as WCW battled WWF/WWE for television ratings dominance bringing the entertainment product to a higher national profile.

Turner, who began competitive sailing while at Brown University, won the 1977 America’s Cup as the ship’s skipper and was inducted into the National Sailing Hall of Fame.

Turner’s impact on Atlanta sports extended beyond baseball. His ownership of the Hawks helped establish the franchise in the South, beginning with the hiring of coaches Hubie Brown and later Mike Fratello. The team would then acquire the draft rights to Dominique Wilkins in 1982, giving the team their biggest star since relocating to Atlanta. Although the Hawks did not win an NBA title under Turner, they remained consistently competitive for much of his ownership before the franchise was sold in 2004 to Atlanta Spirit, LLC.

Born in Cincinnati, OH, Turner moved to Savannah, GA, as a child and attended school in Chattanooga, TN. He studied at Brown and served in the Coast Guard Reserves. After his father’s suicide in 1963, Turner assumed control of his father’s advertising business, laying the foundation for the media empire.

For Braves fans, Turner’s impact remains immeasurable. His vision of using the Braves as nationally distributed programming created generations of fans across the country and gave the franchise the financial wherewithal to maintain one of the sport’s highest payrolls throughout most of his ownership.

Although his formal ties of ownership to the Braves ended Time Warner sold the franchise to Liberty Media in 2007, his association with the team was a contestant reminder through his namesake Turner Field, the team’s home until relocating to what is now-known as Truist Park in 2017.

Whatever missteps and controversy Turner made during his early years as owner has largely faded with time. Fifty years after purchasing the franchise, his legacy in Atlanta sports and media is undeniable.

Without Ted Turner, the Braves may never have fully established their roots in the Southeast and wouldn’t have become the brand they are today.

Turner was inducted into the Braves Hall of Fame in 2000.

GAME THREAD: Guardians vs. Royals, game 38 of 162

CLEVELAND, OHIO - APRIL 28: Angel Martínez #1 of the Cleveland Guardians celebrates after reaching second on a fly ball to right field in the ninth inning against the Tampa Bay Rays at Progressive Field on April 28, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Russell Lee Verlinger/Cleveland Guardians/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Here’s the Guardians lineup:

Here’s the Royals lineup:

Let’s go, Guardians!

How sweep it is: Rays 2, Blue Jays 0

Is this hell?

No, this is Tropicana Field. 

That might be what the Toronto Blue Jays think of The Trop. 

Since 2021, the Jays have a .655 OPS and a 10-22 record under the tilted roof at One Tropicana Drive, and losers of 10 of the last 12. 

Even the Blue Jays, biggest podcast, Gate 14, has paid their respects to try and reverse the jinx.

Let’s get to the action. The Rays’ six game win streak, and streak of 13 straight games of allowing three runs or less to opponents, has by and large been the byproduct of the Flappy Boys’ use of leather. 

Taylor Walls made a stellar play from shortstop to end the first inning and keep Kazuma Okomoto’s first inning double from scoring.

Things remained quiet through the third inning, with Patrick Corbin getting two double plays and finishing three frames with more balls than strikes. 

Shane McClanahan would go on to match and supplant his fellow southpaw’s goose eggs, going 5 2/3 innings of two hit, one walk, and four strikeout ball, all while earning the win. 

Over his last three starts, ‘Sugar Shane’ is sporting a 16 2/3 scoreless inning streak.

Jonny DeLuca drove in Jonathan Aranda from first base with an RBI double in the fourth. 

Chandler Simpson would pick up his eighth RBI of the season, driving in DeLuca with a two out single in the same frame. 2-0 Tampa Bay. 

Two would be all the Rays would need, as the bullpen shut the door on Canada’s Team with Kevin Kelly, Garrett Cleavinger, and Brian Baker each earning saves, and Ian Seymour earning his first career save. 

Undefeated against the AL East (6-0) the Rays are Shipping up to Boston to take on the Red Sox in a four game set from Fenway Park starting on Thursday.

Second-inning spiral sinks White Sox in 7-2 loss to Angels

SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - MAY 3: Chase Meidroth #10 of the Chicago White Sox looks on in the dugout before the game against the San Diego Padres at Petco Park on May 3, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Meg McLaughlin/Getty Images)
Chase Meidroth and the Sox couldn’t recover after a chaotic second inning, but he did eventually put on sunglasses. | (Meg McLaughlin/Getty Images)

For a minute there in the top of the second when the Good Guys got on the board first, it felt like they might actually take the series. Then the bottom of the second inning happened, and poof, the vibes from the past couple of weeks packed up and left the building.

Chicago dropped the rubber match in a game that unraveled early and never really gave the Sox a chance to get back into it. For a team that has started to look watchable, this one felt like a throwback to the bad old days. By the end of the second frame, it had that all-too-familiar “this is over already” energy.

Rookie Noah Schultz simply didn’t have it. The southpaw hurled his ugliest outing of the season, lasting just 3 2/3 innings while allowing seven runs on seven hits, four walks, and three strikeouts. The command issues highlighted in the Game Thread were immediately evident, and the Angels made him pay.

After working around a leadoff walk in the first — with Drew Romo cutting down Zach Neto trying to steal — things fell apart in the second. A potential inning-ending double play fizzled when Colson Montgomery bobbled the ball before the turn, and then the wheels fell off. Travis d’Arnaud crushed a three-run bomb, Bryce Teodosio doubled, Neto tripled him home, and even a routine pop-up to Chase Meidroth turned into a run when he lost it in the sky. Five runs later, the game had that unmistakable 2024 White Sox feel.

It didn’t get much better from there. Osvaldo Bido came on in the fourth with the bases loaded and immediately plunked back-to-back batters to plate a pair. No sign of the Mike Vasil magic wand here.

Offensively, there just wasn’t enough. The Sox mustered only four hits, went 1-for-7 with runners in scoring position, and struck out ten times. They did scratch across that run in the second, which was sparked by a Montgomery double and a bloop single from Meidroth, then driven in on a sac fly by Andrew Benintendi. However, even that inning ended with the bases loaded and nothing more to show for it.

They tried to make a little noise in the seventh. Meidroth singled, Benintendi walked, and after a couple of quick outs, Romo drew a walk to load them up. Sam Antonacci wore a pitch to force in a run, but that was it. Munetaka Murakami watched strike three, and the last gasp went with him.

The rest was mostly procedural. Chase Silseth struck out the side in the eighth, and the Angels tacked on another run in the bottom half against Grant Taylor.

So, no series win. Just a gentle reminder that while things have looked better lately, there’s still plenty of work to be done. Especially when it comes to avoiding those innings that spiral out of control.

The Sox head back to Chicago now with an off-day before welcoming the Seattle Mariners in for a three-game set.

How Mike Trout used Pokémon cards to help break Zach Neto out of slump

Zach Neto broke out of an extended cold spell with a go-ahead solo home run in the fifth inning of the Los Angeles Angels' 4-3 win over the Chicago White Sox in Anaheim on Tuesday night. As he walked back to the dugout, Mike Trout gave Neto a hug and said to him, "Hey, I told you that case had homers."

According to MLB.com's Rhett Bollinger, Trout had sent Neto a text earlier that day inviting the 25-year-old shortstop to help open a large box of Pokémon cards pregame. Neto, looking to get his mind off of his 0-for-23 slump, obliged — and ended up pulling a rare Charizard card.

"He said, ‘This case, when we rip it, it's going to have homers in it,’" Neto told reporters.

Those words would end up foreshadowing a big day for both Angels stars as Trout connected on a sweeper at the knees from White Sox starter Erick Fedde and drove it just over the top of the short wall in left field to get the Halos on the board in the bottom of the first inning. Jorge Soler would also homer later in the frame, and Neto singled in the third to snap his hitless streak that dated back to April 28 ... but was promptly picked off at first base.

He made up for it two innings later when he got a sweeper up and on the outer part of the plate from Fedde and crushed it 410 feet into the bullpen for his first long ball since April 10. That solo shot broke a 2-2 tie and eventually proved to be the difference in the game.

"It felt amazing,” Neto told reporters. “I was in my biggest slump ever in my career and just the sound of the bat again, it reminded me of a lot of good things. It’s just one of those things where it just takes one swing to get back into the mix of things."

Neto finished the game 2-for-4 with an RBI, his first multi-hit game since April 26. His momentum carried into Wednesday's series finale, where he went 2-for-2 with a triple, two RBIs and two walks in the Halos' 8-2 win to secure their first series win since they took two of three games against the Cincinnati Reds from April 10-12.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Mike Trout, Zach Neto homer after pulling rare Pokémon card

Padres shut down Giants in 5-1 victory

SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - MAY 06: Rafael Devers #16 of the San Francisco Giants hits a home run against the San Diego Padres in the fifth inning at Oracle Park on May 06, 2026 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Wednesday was Career Day at Oracle Park, a day where students could “learn about careers in sports and media with an exclusive Q&A with San Francisco Giants Front Office executives.” They got to see the Giants lose their second straight to the San Diego Padres, 5-1, a game where the team and the organization were left with far more Q’s than A’s.

Some of those questions included:

  • “Have you guys considered getting more than three hits in a game?
  • “How long is that Willy Adames contract again?”
  • “What’s Tony Vitello’s favorite show coming to the Curran Theatre this year?”
  • “Why are you obsessed with playing catchers in the outfield?”
  • “I am a sports psychologist. Can you give Ryan Walker my business card?

The Giants got two hits from rookie Jesus Rodriguez and a 5th-inning home run from Rafael Devers, but that was the entirety of their offense Wednesday. Perhaps they were confused by opener Bradgley Rodriguez, specifically by the arrangement of consonants in his first name, and his befuddgling sinkerball dgelivery that let him retire the Giants on seven pitches.

Matt Waldron (1-1) took over in the second inning, sporting a 9.88 ERA. Five innings, seven strikeouts and one Devers bomb later, he exited with a 2-1 lead and a 7.71 ERA. Yes, facing the Giants offense is like prescribing Ozempic for your ERA.

It was the first time Devers had gone deep since April 18 and it tied up the game at 1-1. He hit the dinger to lead off the the 5th inning, but the Giants only managed a single baserunner the rest of the way off a Padres bullpen that’s quite good — but not that good.

Adrian Houser (0-4) was the hard-luck loser for the Giants, giving up three hits and two runs in 6+ innings. Gavin Sheets began the scoring by blasting a ball into McCovey Cove the 4th inning and is now slugging .538 against the Giants for his career.

Houser got tagged with an extra run and the loss through very little fault of his own and a great deal of fault to the Giants defense. He faced one batter in the 7th, Fernando Tatis, Jr., who reached on a Matt Chapman error. Keaton Winn issued a walk and retired two hitters, then Vitello went to lefty Matt Gage when Ty France pinch-hit for Sung-Mun Song. France lined a ball to right field that went off Rodriguez’s glove for a two-run triple.

Vitello acknowledged that Rodriguez hadn’t played much right field, with most of his outfield experience coming in left, but thought the catcher had done well for the most part and “showed no fear…just didn’t catch that ball, which would have been an outstanding play.”

It’s a tough right field and it would have been a tough play for most players, but it’s reasonable to ask if a non-catcher would have had an easier time. However, Rodriguez was also the only Giant to get a hit after the Padres took the lead, and with two outs, France would have driven in both runs with a single anyway.

In the top of the 8th, the Padres put the game out of reach against Walker, who walked Manny Machado, threw a wild pitch, and then gave up a two-run shot to Xander Bogaerts, who went deep for the second straight game.

Padres manager Craig Stammen really pushed the right buttons Wednesday. Not only did he get a big pinch-hit from France, but he brought in Bogaerts for Sheets after France stayed in to play first base.

It didn’t end up mattering, as Adrian Morejon struck out four in two innings of relief work before Mason Miller struck out two more in the 9th. Miller now has 34 strikeouts in 17.1 innings this season, an even better K rate than Henry Rowengartner.

So the Giants dropped the series, but never fear! There was a College Fair after the game, where aspirants for a career in sports business can look for jobs and, we assume, try out for entry-level jobs as corner outfielders and middle relievers. As for the 2026 Giants, their playoff résumé is looking worse by the day.

Braves finally lose series after flat offensive performance in Mariners rubber match

May 6, 2026; Seattle, Washington, USA; Atlanta Braves infielder Matt Olson (28) is short on the tag at first during the second inning against the Seattle Mariners at T-Mobile Park. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Ng-Imagn Images | Kevin Ng-Imagn Images

All good things must come to an end.

This finally applies to the Braves’ series winning streak to start the 2026 season, which came to an end Wednesday in Seattle.

After blowing a lead in Monday’s loss and winning Tuesday on Matt Olson’s ninth-inning homer, Atlanta’s bats fell flat in a 3-1 loss in the series finale vs. the Mariners. After winning 10 of their first 11 series and splitting a four-game set in the other, the streak finally ended in the middle series of the longest road trip of the Braves’ season.

It would appear the Braves (26-12) just missed the ideal time to face Seattle (18-20) right-hander Bryan Woo. After he had allowed 13 runs on 16 hits — including six home runs — in his last two starts, Woo (2-2) allowed just three baserunners (one hit, two walks) through six innings against the Braves’ potent lineup on Wednesday, striking out nine.

The Braves’ only hit off Woo was Mauricio Dubon’s two-out single in the fourth inning. That prevented them from being held hitless through four innings for the first time this season, but they were largely stifled by the Seattle starter.

The only saving grace was the Braves fouled off enough pitches that they drove Woo’s pitch count and chased him after six innings.

Martín Pérez (2-2) did well to keep the game tight and give the offense a chance to wake up throughout his start. His day ended on a somewhat sour note when he hung a 3-1 changeup which Julio Rodriguez smashed out of the park to center field. But it wasn’t a bad day by any means for Pérez, who allowed two runs on five hits over 5 2/3 innings, striking out five and walking one.

The Braves finally broke onto the scoreboard into the eighth against Eduard Bazardo, putting runners on the corners with no outs on back-to-back singles and plating their first run on a Dominic Smith sacrifice fly.

A brutal pickoff from pinch runner Jorge Mateo, who represented the tying run, derailed the rally attempt. A bad mistake was made that much worse when Drake Baldwin followed with a single which would have put Mateo in scoring position with one out and the strong part of the Atlanta lineup coming up.

Seattle tacked on an insurance run in the ninth off Didier Fuentes, who struck out four and allowed one run on two hits over two relief innings. That wound up being unnecessary when the heart of the Braves order was retired in order in the ninth.

The Braves finished with just four hits and two walks while striking out 12 times. That included two strikeouts each by Baldwin, Olson, Dubon and Austin Riley. Jim Jarvis, called up Wednesday morning for his major league debut, was 0-for-2 with a strikeout before Smith pinch hit for him in the eighth.

18-20: Chart

SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - MAY 06: Julio Rodríguez #44 of the Seattle Mariners celebrates his home run during the sixth inning against the Atlanta Braves at T-Mobile Park on May 06, 2026 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Mariners 3 Braves 1

Seeing José Ferrer once every three business days: Bryan Woo, .35 WPA

José Ferrer every day: Cal Raleigh, -.11 WPA

Game thread comment of the day:

Royals vs. Guardians game 37 thread

ATLANTA, GEORGIA - MARCH 27: Cole Ragans #55 of the Kansas City Royals pitches against the Atlanta Braves in the second inning of the home opener at Truist Park on March 27, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Winners of their last five games and ten of the last thirteen, the Royals are looking to continue erasing the early struggles and get to the top of the AL Central. Today will be the third game of the Cleveland series that is going to be at worst a split for the boys in blue. A victory today would put Kansas City above the Guardians in the standings and a win over the series over the weekend could also catapult them past the now Skubaless Tigers.

Thoday’s lineup is an interesting one. Vinnie Pasquantino is in the fifth slot and Lane Thomas is batting third. Both Caglianone and Jensen will be taking the day off, at least until possible pinch hitting situations later in the game.

The big question of the day is which Cole Ragans will the team see today. His early exit after Jose Ramirez lined one off of is hand the last time he faced Cleveland has set Ragans on an odd trajectory in 2026. For two starts after that, Ragans walked a lot of batters and struggled to get his typical strike outs, both on the road. Then he came back to Kauffman and dominated the Angels with 11 Ks only to go back on the road last start and look a little uncomfortable again. Dominant or command issues, which will it be?

Opposite Cole will be Joey Cantillo who gave the Royals a very hard time in early April. He has struggled a little with walks all year but has been mostly effective. Kansas City’s offense has been much better in the last couple of weeks relative to when they saw Joey before, so hopefully they can get to the big lefty this time.

Game #36: A’s at Phillies Game Thread

MESA, ARIZONA - MARCH 04, 2026: Jeffrey Springs #59 of the Athletics throws a pitch during the first inning of a spring training game against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Hohokam Stadium on March 04, 2026 in Mesa, Arizona. (Photo by David Durochik/Diamond Images via Getty Images) | Diamond Images/Getty Images

The A’s got smacked last night in the first game of the series last night. They now get another chance to get a win in Philadelphia and set up a potential series-deciding contest for Thursday evening.

It’ll be left-handed Jeffrey Springs on the mound tonight. He recently got through a rough patch that included a shorted start due to a hip issue but it seems he’s been able to put that in the near view mirror. Let’s hope we get early-season Springs this evening.

Here’s the Athletics’ lineup for this evening:

An interesting bottom third of the lineup tonight. New catcher Jonah Heinz gets his first start with the team catching Springs this evening. And we’ll get a Zack Gelof sighting at third base as well. Most of the rest of the lineup is in their usual spots.

It’s Zack Wheeler going for the Phillies tonight. He’s only just returned from his injury but has looked like his old dominant self through his first two starts. Let’s hope the A’s can handle him in his third outing of the year.

And the Philly lineup tonight for the middle game:

Gotta get the win tonight. Let’s go A’s!

Yankees vs Rangers: Will Warren vs Nathan Eovaldi

Apr 18, 2026; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Yankees starting pitcher Will Warren (29) follows through on a pitch against the Kansas City Royals during the first inning at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images | Brad Penner-Imagn Images

One night after taking down the Rangers and two-time Cy Young Award winner Jacob deGrom, the Yanks are at it again in the Bronx, with the chance to win their sixth consecutive series. It’s been a torrid start to the 2026 season, driven in large part by outstanding starting pitching. One of the hurlers who’s led the way takes the ball in the Boogie Down Bronx tonight.

Will Warren had a perfectly cromulent campaign for New York in ’25, but I don’t think anyone expected him to make the early leap he has thus far. Through 37.2 innings, his ERA is a sparkling 2.39, as he strikes out well over a batter per inning (10.99 K/9) and limits traffic on the bases behind him (1.062 WHIP). He’s mainly a three-pitch pitcher, with his four-seam fastball, sinker, and sweeper. But against lefties, he also features a curve and a change that have proven effective – hitters have ah combined two hits against the offerings, none for extra bases.

Meanwhile, old friend Nathan Eovaldi makes the start for Texas. If it feels like you just saw him, it’s because you did. His last start was against New York in Arlington, when he spun seven innings of shutout ball en route to victory, which also happens to be the Yankees’ last loss. Throw out his season numbers because the more pertinent information might be how well he pitches against New York. Eovaldi has a career 3.91 ERA but in 132.2 innings versus the Yankees, he’s pitched to a 3.05 mark. He’s allowed one run across his last 21 innings against New York, dating back to the start of 2025. Be prepared to be frustrated tonight.

The Yankee lineup tonight is about what you’d expect to see with no Giancarlo Stanton or Ben Rice, with Jasson Domínguez and Paul Goldschmidt filling in for them. Everyone in the lineup tonight has faced Eovaldi before, so they should have a reasonable idea of what to look for. Keep an eye on Aaron Judge. He’s historically hit Eovaldi well (.864 career OPS in 40 at-bats) and is on one of those Judgian tears at the plate – hitting .308/.459/.712 with 12 homers and 27 walks in his last 30 games.

Win tonight and clinch the series with the finale tomorrow afternoon. After that, the Yankees leave the friendly confines of the Bronx to head on the road. Let’s do it with momentum.

How to Watch:

Location: Yankee Stadium — Bronx, NY

First Pitch: 7:05 pm EDT

TV broadcast: Amazon Prime Video, Rangers Sports Network, MLB Network

Radio broadcast: WFAN 660/101.9 FM, WADO 1280 / 105.3 The Fan, KFLC 1270

Online stream: MLB Network (out-of-market-only)

For updates, follow us on BlueSky, Twitter, and Instagram, and like us on Facebook.

Join the conversation!

Sign up for a user account and get:

  • Fewer ads
  • Create community posts
  • Comment on articles, community posts
  • Rec comments, community posts
  • New, improved notifications system!

GameThread: Tigers vs. Red Sox, 6:40 p.m.

May 3, 2026; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Detroit Tigers designated hitter Kerry Carpenter (30) celebrates in the dugout after scoring a run against the Texas Rangers in the seventh inning at Comerica Park. Mandatory Credit: Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images | Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images

Detroit Tigers (18-19) vs. Boston Red Sox (14-21)

Time/Place: 6:40 p.m., Comerica Park
SB Nation Site: Over the Monster
Media: Detroit SportsNet, MLB.TV, Tigers Radio Network
Pitching Matchup: Game 38: RHP Jack Flaherty (0-2, 5.90 ERA) vs. RHP Sonny Gray (2-1, 4.30 ERA)

PlayerGIPK%BB%GB%FIPfWAR
Flaherty729.022.717.731.26.18-0.1
Gray523.013.15.153.84.490.2

Lineups

RED SOXTIGERS
Jarren Duran – LFKevin McGonigle – SS
Willson Contreras – 1BMatt Vierling – CF
Wilyer Abreu – RFColt Keith – 3B
Trevor Story – SSRiley Greene – LF
Masataka Yoshida – DHDillon Dingler – C
Ceddanne Rafaela – CFKerry Carpenter – RF
Marcelo Mayer – 2BZach McKinstry – 2B
Carlos Narvaez – CSpencer Torkelson – 1B
Caleb Durbin – 3BJace Jung – DH

Join the conversation!

Sign up for a user account and get:

  • Fewer ads
  • Create community posts
  • Comment on articles, community posts
  • Rec comments, community posts
  • New, improved notifications system!

Cubs’ Matthew Boyd needs meniscus surgery after sitting down with his kids

Chicago Cubs pitcher Matthew Boyd (16) pitches against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the first inning at Wrigley Field.
Chicago Cubs pitcher Matthew Boyd (16) pitches against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the first inning at Wrigley Field on May 3, 2026.

Matthew Boyd is going to be on the shelf for the foreseeable future.

But this time it had nothing to do with any on-field injury.

The Cubs left-hander is set to undergo meniscus surgery on his left knee, manager Craig Counsell told reporters Wednesday. The skipper said Boyd suffered the injury Wednesday while sitting down to play with his children. Boyd then underwent an MRI that revealed the meniscus injury.

Chicago Cubs pitcher Matthew Boyd (16) pitches against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the first inning at Wrigley Field on May 3, 2026. Patrick Gorski-Imagn Images

As of now, there is no exact timetable for Boyd’s return to the field. According to the Cleveland Clinic, recovery from meniscus surgery can range from a few weeks to a few months.

Boyd previously spent time on the injured list this season with a left biceps strain. He’s been limited to five starts, posting a 6.00 ERA and 1.29 WHIP. He did look better in his last start on Sunday, however, allowing two runs across a season-high six innings.

But between the injuries and downturn in his stats, 2026 has been something of a disappointment for Boyd after he was a National League All-Star for the first time last season. It helped him earn a spot on Team USA’s World Baseball Classic roster this spring.

Chicago Cubs pitcher Matthew Boyd (16) prepares to pitch prior to the first inning against the Philadelphia Phillies at Wrigley Field on April 22. Patrick Gorski-Imagn Images

The Cubs, even with Boyd’s struggles and time off the field, have been one of the better teams in baseball with a 24-12 record and are three games ahead of the Cardinals for first place in the National League Central.

To take Boyd’s roster spot, the Cubs called up reliever Trent Thornton.

Giants fall furthest below .500 since 2019 after series loss to Padres

An image collage containing 3 images, Image 1 shows Baseball player Jesus Rodrigue slides on the ground attempting to catch a baseball, Image 2 shows San Francisco Giants player wearing a helmet and uniform, Image 3 shows Mason Miller and Freddy Fermin embracing on the field

SAN FRANCISCO — Jesus Rodriguez’s first six innings in right field as a major leaguer had gone off without a hitch. So, of course, with the score tied and two on and two out in the seventh, the ball came his way.

The multipositional 24-year-old playing his third career game gave chase to the fly ball from Ty France cutting toward the right field foul line. He dove, outstretched his glove but couldn’t make the play.

The ball glanced off his glove and rolled to the wall as France chugged into third base and the two go-ahead runs scored in the Giants 5-1 loss to the Padres on Wednesday.

The Giants’ Jesus Rodriguez dives for a fly ball in the seventh inning Wednesday against the Padres. AP

Rafael Devers supplied the Giants’ only offense with a solo shot to left off Matt Waldron in the fifth. Devers’ third homer of the year tied the score at 1 after Gavin Sheets opened the scoring in the fourth with a Splash Hit — San Diego’s only damage off Giants starter Adrian Houser.

Houser turned in his best outing with the Giants but came away with nothing to show for it. He held the Padres to three hits over six-plus innings in his longest start of the season.

The seventh inning started in the same way the Giants’ fate was sealed: With a misplay in the field. The first batter of the inning, Fernando Tatis Jr., reached when Matt Chapman couldn’t handle his hard chopper to third and scored when Rodriguez wasn’t able to corral France’s fly ball.

Not for nothing: Rodriguez contributed the only two hits the Giants’ got besides Devers’ home run. They struck out 13 times as a team and failed to draw a walk for the second straight game.


Download The California Post App, follow us on social, and subscribe to our newsletters

California Post News: Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, X, YouTube, WhatsApp, LinkedIn
California Post SportsFacebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, X
California Post Opinion
California Post Newsletters: Sign up here!
California Post App: Download here!
Home delivery: Sign up here!Page Six Hollywood: Sign up here!


What it means

San Francisco dropped two of three to the Padres to fall to 14-23, the furthest below .500 the franchise has been since it was 39-48 on July 5, 2019. 

After winning the first game of the series and pulling ahead 4-1 early Tuesday, the Giants were outscored 14-2 over the final 15 innings of the series.

The Giants’ Rafael Devers rounds the bases after hitting a home run Wednesday. Scott Marshall-Imagn Images

Who’s hot

Devers far from squared up an outside fastball from Waldron, but the high fly ball carried just far enough to clear the wall in left field for his first home run since April 8. He’s hit safely in his past seven games, batting .318 with an .833 OPS over one of his most productive stretches this year.

The Padres’ Mason Miller and Freddy Fermin celebrate their victory over the host Giants on Wednesday. AP

Who’s not

Luis Arraez was held out of the lineup for a second straight game with soreness in his left thumb. The Giants are hopeful he’ll be back Friday after the team’s day off.

Chapman’s hitless streak extended another three chances to his past 24 at-bats, while Jung Hoo Lee went 0-for-3 to drop his OPS below .700 for the first time since April 23.

Called on in a lower-leverage situation, onetime closer Ryan Walker served up a two-run homer to Xander Bogaerts that extended the Padres’ lead to 5-1 in the eighth, raising his ERA to 5.52.

Up next

The Giants are off Thursday before they host the Pirates for three games. They at least catch a break and won’t see Pittsburgh ace Paul Skenes or its No. 2, Mitch Keller.