Category: Baseball

Ryan Clifford

Week: 6 G, 24 AB, .286/.375/.762, 6 H, 1 2B, 0 3B, 3 HR, 3 BB, 6 K, 0/0 SB (Triple-A)

2026 Season: 55 G, 201 AB, .229/.307/.483, 46 H, 10 2B, 1 3B, 13 HR, 24 BB, 78 K, 4/6 SB, .292 BABIP (Triple-A)

That wraps up a productive May for Ryan Clifford. In 23 games, the slugger hit .233/.308/.534, adding 5 more doubles, 1 triple, and 8 homers to his ledger for the year. In total, he is now hitting .229/.307/.483 with 10 doubles, 1 triple, 13 homers, 4 stolen bases in 6 attempts, and 24 walks to 78 strikeouts.

Clifford has a solidly above-average 10.5% BB% at present, somewhat balancing his Brobdingnagian 34.2 K% rate, but even that is not enough to make him an above offensive contributor in the International League; believe it or not, Clifford has a 96 wRC+ with two months in the book. In 34 games last season, he was able to maintain a 15.5% BB% and 24.6% K%, which helped him produce a 102 wRC+ in Syracuse last season; Clifford is going to need to bump his walk rate up a bit while optimally shaving that strikeout rate a bit.

One way to do that would be swinging at fewer pitches out of the zone (revolutionary, I know!) Last season, Clifford had a 22.9% O-Swing rate and 43.3% O-Contact rate; this season, he has a 29.3% O-Swing rate and 53.3% O-Contact rate.

In a lot of cases, chasing pitches out of the zone is not necessarily a bad thing; if a pitch is drivable, it’s drivable, whether or not it’s in the strike zone or not. In Clifford’s case, it hasn’t been. Excluding clear waste pitches and mistakes that are nowhere close to the zone, nearly 64% of the pitches that he has seen during official plate appearances have been outside the zone, either in the shadow of the zone or in the chase zone. In total, he is hitting .178/.301/.381 against pitches outside of the zone with a 37.9% whiff rate, .194/.271/.441 against pitches in the shadow of the zone with a 33.3% whiff rate, and .120/.389/.160 in the chase zone with a 54.5% whiff rate.

He has done some damage against pitches in the shadow of the zone, hammering 3 doubles, 1 triple, and 6 home runs, but in the chase zone, all he has to show for his troubles is a measly double. Clifford needs to tighten up his internal visualization of the zone and just ignore pitches with trajectories past a certain point, whether or not they look like they are within his plate coverage ability (easy for me to say, of course!). Taking more pitches out of the zone will not only increase his walk rate over time, but will also force pitches to throw more pitches in the zone, giving him a better opportunity to put them in play with authority.

Also, a weird tidbit I noticed: Clifford is hitting .280/.354/.600 in 113 plate appearances at home, but .178/.261/.366 in 110 plate appearances on the road. Nobody else among the everyday Syracuse starting lineup had home/road splits as pronounced as that; Jackson Cluff came the closest with a .250-point OPS differential in favor of playing at home, but that still pales in comparison to Clifford’ .375-point differential.

I don’t like leaving my house either, I completely get it, but that said, I don’t know what up with that.

Jose Chirinos

Week: 1 G (1 GS), 6.0 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 9 K (Single-A)

2026 Season: 9 G (7 GS), 42.0 IP, 34 H, 16 R, 11 ER (2.36 ERA), 10 BB, 48 K, .292 BABIP (Single-A)

Of Chirinos’ nine strikeouts, two-thirds were swinging; In the bottom of the first, he struck out Sammy Stafura swinging on a curveball middle-away and then got Edgleen Perez looking on a sinker down-and-away. In the third, he struck out Josh Tate swinging with a slider almost middle-middle that he got away with. In the fourth, he struck out Eddie King Jr. with a cutter down-and-away and then struck out Luke Scherrer swinging with a sinker middle-and-low. In the fifth, Chirino struck out the side, first getting Richard Ramirez swinging on a curveball middle-and-low, then getting Dylan Palmer looking on a sinker up-and-away, and then Eddie Rynders on a sinker down-and-in. Finally, his last strikeout of the evening came in the sixth, when he got Jaden Kim to strike out on a foul tip on a changeup down-and-away.

Last season, the right-hander threw 56.1 innings with St. Lucie over 15 games, starting 10 of them, and posted a 3.20 ERA with 40 hits allowed, 30 walks, and 51 strikeouts. We are getting close to Chirinos matching the amount of innings he has pitched, with 42.0 innings this season over the course of 9 games, 7 of which have been starts. The right-hander is showing some real improvements in virtually every facet of his game as compared to last season’s innings in St. Lucie. His ERA is nearly a full run lower, his xERA is roughly 0.50 points lower, and his FIP and xFIP are both a full run lower. His strikeout rate, 28.4%, is up from 20.6%. His walk rate, 5.9%, is down from 12.1%.

The only point of trouble currently would be the fact that his flyball rate is up slightly, 39.2% from 34.4%, and he is giving up more home runs as a result- Chirinos currently has allowed 3 longballs, up from 1 not just with St. Lucie but in his 71.2 innings total with St. Lucie and the FCL Mets. Those three homers- a Jacob Friend homer to right center on a pitch down-and-away, a Johnathan Mejia homer to left on a change-up right down Broadway, and an Abranham Ramirez homer to right-center on a cutter down and in- don’t show any specific trends, like all being from breaking balls down-and-in that were pulled or fastballs up-and-away that were poked away, and as such, I don’t think the spike is of any real concern; allowing a single home run in 71.2 innings is more of an outlier, if you ask me.

By far, his slider has been his best pitch so far this season; throwing it 18.7% of the time so far this season, batters are hitting .174 /.208 /.217 against it with a 46.3% whiff rate. By comparison, they are hitting .233/.303/.267 against his sinker with a 26.2% whiff rate, .243 /.268 /.351 against his cutter with a 20% whiff rate, .280 /.357/.480 against his changeup with a 23.9% whiff rate, and .000/.000/.000 against his curveball in extremely limited usage with a 55.6% whiff rate. Over the last month, the pitch has averaged roughly 80 MPH, with above-average vertical drop and very little horizontal movement thanks to its lower velocity band and a spin rate hovering around 2000 RPM.

The last tall, lanky pitcher the Mets developed who had a head full of hair, wore 48, and threw a slider that struck a lot of batters out worked out pretty well. Jose Chirinos is almost half as old as that guy, but if Jose Chirinos developed half as good as that guy, I’d say that would be a pretty remarkable outcome.

Players of the Week 2026

Week One/Two (March 27-April 5): Hayden Senger/Cam Tilly

Week Three (April 7-April 12): A.J. Ewing/Christian Scott

Week Four (April 14-April 18): Randy Guzman/Jose Chirinos

Week Five (April 21-April 26): A.J. Ewing/Channing Austin

Week Six (April 30-May 3): A.J. Ewing/Jonah Tong

Week Seven (May 5-May 10): Ryan Clifford/Jonathan Santucci

Week Eight: (May 12-May 17): Jacob Reimer/Zach Thornton

Week Nine: (May 19-May 24): Ryan Clifford/Channing Austin

Is the Red Sox (relatively) improved play of late late all down to Jarren Duran? Duran hit nine homers in the month of May — the most home runs he’s ever hit in one month in his career — and the Red Sox went 7-2 in those games. He also moved into second-place on the all-time Red Sox leadoff home run list with 11 career leadoff dongs, second to (who else) Mookie Betts’ 20. (Tim Healey, Boston Globe)

But not everyone digs the long ball. There are those among us who prefer the subtle art of bunting, and those people have found their champion in Nick Sogard, who had a key sacrifice bunt in last week’s win against the Braves. For Sogard, the bunting runs in the family. “It goes back to being taught how to bunt by his father, former Tufts baseball and football player Steve Sogard. ‘He was a similar player to me, not a ton of home runs, and he relied on his speed,” Nick said. ‘One of the first things I learned in baseball was bunting.” (Peter Abraham, Boston Globe)

The Sox might need to bunt even more, unfortunately. FanGraphs ZiPS model infamously didn’t project a single Red Sox hitter to hit 20 home runs at the start of the season. While both Duran and Willson Contreras are now more than halfway to that mark, the model has been updated and now has no Red Sox hitters reaching 25 homers, which, 2020 excluded, would be the first time the team failed to hit that mark since 2017. (Andrew Gould, NESN)

Thank god the pitching is holding up, even when Sonny Gray is getting chirped by opposing managers. (Henry Palattella, MLB.com)

There is some surprising power potential in the minors, though. Infielder Henry Godbout, who was heralded as an elite contact hitter when he was drafted last year, already has seven homers on the year down in Greenville. He has a pretty big fan in the Red Sox dugout: Connelly Early, who was teammates with Godbout at UVA. “Pretty cool to watch him succeed,” Early said. “I feel like last year, in his little short stint that he had, it was pretty amazing to watch as well. So obviously got off to the right foot, made a really good first impression.” (Christopher Smith, MassLive)

Godbout was not the Red Sox’ first pick in last year’s draft. That would be Kyson Witherspoon, who, at the time, was viewed as someone who could potentially climb up to the big leagues very quickly. Instead, Witherspoon has struggled as the Sox tinker with his mechanics. “One evaluator who saw him last month saw a pitcher whose execution looked like that of a middle reliever, rather than the projected mid-rotation starter viewed as the best college righthander in last year’s draft.” (Alex Speier, Boston Globe)

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The Milwaukee Brewers blew the San Francisco Giants out of the water in their series opener on Monday.

While a 14-run victory is unlikely to be replicated, my Giants vs. Brewers predictions are backing the home team to pick up another convincing win Tuesday night.

Let's dive deeper into my MLB picks for June 2.

Who will win Giants vs Brewers today: Milwaukee Brewers -1.5 (-110)

The Milwaukee Brewers are a miserable offense to deal with, especially at home. They rank third in batting average and ninth in walks against righties, and are scoring 5.42 runs per game in Milwaukee.

Their combination of patience and elite bat on ball skills makes them a very difficult team to slow down. 

Trevor McDonald is a promising pitcher, but he has allowed 11 runs over three starts against Top-10 teams in OBP, and the Brewers sit sixth.

Kyle Harrison should get enough run support to earn a multi-run win. Playable to -117. 

COVERS INTEL:Kyle Harrison ranks in the 95th percentile in Pitching Run Value.

Giants vs Brewers Over/Under pick: Over 7.0 (-120)

McDonald has not been nearly as tough on left-handed hitters, allowing a .283 average and .358 wOBA. That could spell trouble against the Brewers.

They have an abundance of lefties to throw at McDonald, including Christian Yelich, Brice Turang, Jake Bauers, Garrett Mitchell, and Sal Frelick.

The splits work in Milwaukee's favor, and they're one of the most prolific home offenses in baseball.

The Giants might only need a couple of runs to push this game Over the total, and they have been much more productive on the road this season (4.03 runs per game vs. 3.75 at home). Playable to -130.

Giants vs Brewers odds

• Moneyline: Giants +170 | Brewers -210
• Run line: Giants +1.5 (-130) | Brewers -1.5 (+110)
• Over/Under: Over 7.0 (-120) | Under 7.0 (+100)

Giants vs Brewers trend

Milwaukee has covered the run line in 28 of their last 45 home games (+16.0 units, 30% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for Giants vs. Brewers.

How to watch Giants vs Brewers and game info

Giants vs Brewers latest injuries

Giants vs Brewers weather

This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here and view our best betting sites or check out our top sportsbook promos.

Welcome to Tuesday everyone! Happy Lou Gehrig Day!

The A’s are set to begin their next new series, hitting the road to take on the Chicago Cubs in the first of three mid-week contests. The Athletics are coming off a terrible 1-5 homestand that saw them drop from first place in the AL West to third behind the Seattle Mariners and the Texas Rangers. The A’s are desperate for a win to start this road trip on a high note and they’re running into a Cubs squad that, like the A’s, began the year hot and in first place before going through a recent rough patch and falling in the standings. After the Cubs the A’s will head south to Texas for three games this weekend against the Houston Astros, the second time the two clubs will meet this season.

Tonight’s series begins with the Athletics’ young starter Gage Jump, who is set to get the ball for his second career start. The young lefty showed a lot of promise in his first big league outing but also had some expected struggles in a loss to the Mariners. He pitched five full frames, collecting five punchouts while only issuing one free pass. He did allow four runs on nine hits so he’ll be hoping to keep the contact down this evening against a Cubs offense that has never seen him before. How does Jump perform in his second start now that he’s got his debut nerves out of the way?

Jump will be opposed by a veteran of the game tonight in right-hander Jameson Taillon. The 34-year-old is now in his 10th big league season with his third team, and his fourth year in a Cubbies uniform. Coming off two strong seasons for Chicago Taillon has seen some regression this season as he’ll enter tonight’s game with a 5.37 ERA in his 11 starts. He’s especially gotten hit hard in recent outings as he’s allowed 16 runs across his past 14 2/3 innings of work spanning three starts. For his career Taillon has a 4.62 ERA in five career starts against the A’s, including a start last year where he pitched six innings of two-run ball in April.

Wednesday’s contest sees another left-hander on the mound for the road team as Jeffrey Springs gets the ball for the 13th time this year. After a hot start to his season Springs hit a rough patch and since then has been more hot and cold on the mound. He’s coming off a so-so start last time out after he allowed five runs but only two of those were earned. The defense has been an issue in recent weeks and it’s been hurting Springs especially hard. The 33-year-old will be hoping to get things back on track this evening against a Chicago club he has minimal experience against (4 games, 1 start, 5.68 ERA).

Springs will be opposed by righty Colin Rea. The 35-year-old has been around since 2015 but has had an up-and-down career overall but has found an extra gear as he enters the twilight of his career. He enters tonight with a 4.70 ERA as an innings eater at the back of the Chicago rotation. He’s put together back-to-back quality starts entering Wednesday’s contest and the A’s will be hoping to knock him back off his game early on. He’s pitched twice against the A’s, one start and one relief appearance spanning nine innings and allowing four runs.

The series wraps up on Thursday and while the A’s don’t have a named starter for the finale all signs point to rookie Kade Morris getting the ball for his major league debut. The right-hander is one of the Athletics’ top pitching prospects and has been pitching well at Triple-A this year. Obviously the Cubs wont have any experience facing him but it’ll also be his debut so it wouldn’t be a shock to see some rookie yips. The A’s need their young pitchers to step up though and it’s a great opportunity for both team and player to see what they have in Morris.

Whoever the Thursday pitcher is, they’ll be going up against Chicago right-hander Shota Imanaga. The Japanese product is in his third year atop the Chicago rotation but has taken a step back in each year in MLB. This season he’s posted a 4.37 ERA in 12 starts, though that doesn’t do his season justice. After getting tagged for four runs in his season debut, Imanaga posted a dominant month of April as he allowed only seven runs in five starts. May began in the same way but in his most recent three starts he’s gotten absolutely torched, allowing eight, seven, and five runs in his past three outings, respectively. The A’s may be running into Imanaga at the perfect time.

That’s the likely pitching matchup for this upcoming Cubs series, but we should all be on the lookout for some big roster changes this afternoon. Manager Mark Kotsay said a major shakeup was on the way after the most recent lackluster homestand. How far those changes go will be an interesting storyline this afternoon.

First pitch is at 5:05 everyone. Have a great day A’s fans.

A’s Coverage:

• Three Things To Watch For The Athletics In June
• The A’s Inability To Play Well At Home Is Embarrassing
• A’s Unravel in Series and Homestand Finale
• Road, sweet road? A’s ready for reset after rough homestand
• Ginn’s glow-up: A’s hurler coming into his own at right time
• Athletics Early MLB Draft Preview
• The A’s may have finally found their new leadoff hitter
• A’s drop the game and Series to the Mariners, fall into second place
• Wilson takes swings in next step toward return from IL

MLB News and Interest:

• Diamondbacks To Reinstate Pavin Smith From 60-Day IL
• More to celebrate! deGrom earns 100th career win on son’s 3rd birthday
• Rangers Place Chris Martin On IL With Shoulder Impingement
• Carlos Carrasco Elects Free Agency
• Red Sox great Ortiz says owner John Henry ‘worried’ about team
• MLBPA negotiator sees clear distance between 2 sides of CBA
• Pirates Trade Justin Lawrence To Twins
• Mariners’ Josh Naylor exits with back spasms after hitting HR
• Today in Baseball History

Best of X:

What changes are we expecting today?

How about a massive throwback?

This time a year ago, there was essentially no joy to be found in following the Orioles unless you were looking down to the farm. The 2026 Orioles have avoided reaching that point before the calendar turned to June and hopefully they will continue to do so. One reason I hope this is because I want them to win. The other is that there’s not a ton of joy going on in this farm system performance right now.

These weekly updates focus on the team’s top prospects, particularly those on Camden Chat’s composite top 20 Orioles prospect list from before the season. They also include other guys who interest me who might develop into prospects over time. I do not tend to spend much time on non-prospect journeymen.

Here’s how things went this week:

Triple-A Norfolk Tides

• Last week’s record: 2-3 vs. Durham (Rays)
• This week’s opponent: at Gwinnett (Braves)
• Season record: 22-35, last place (13 GB) in International League East

Depending on who is playing and who is resting on a given night, the Norfolk lineup can look awfully barren. Tommy Pham is on this team now, for crying out loud. He went 5-24 this week. I hope there’s no need to see him with the Orioles.

Not everything is sad. Catcher-ish prospect Creed Willems played in four of the five Tides games, homering twice and driving in nine runs across the rain-interrupted series. He’s got 47 games for Norfolk and is batting .272/.358/.488. I don’t know what would have to happen for him to end up on the major league roster this season, but that’s mighty interesting hitting. Willems has 11 homers. Only two MLB Orioles are in double digits, and the team leader, Gunnar Henderson, isn’t even hitting well in spite of the homers.

Heston Kjerstad is no longer a rehabbing big leaguer but instead something of an erstwhile one. Maybe more of a Once and Future Oriole, one of the lesser known T.H. White works. He went 6-17 across four games played, with three doubles. Let’s see some more and go from there.

The season began with a trio of pitching prospects worth following here. Trey Gibson spent time in Baltimore this week and didn’t pitch for Norfolk. Levi Wells is now on the injured list after needing core muscle surgery. That leaves Nestor German. He blanked the Bulls across six innings, allowing just a hit and two walks. As I just wrote for Kjerstad, let’s see some more and go from there.

Others of interest

• IF Payton Eeles – The 5’5” king had two hits in 9 AB, he’s still OPSing .883 in 28 games with the Tides
• LHP Andrew Magno – Two shutout innings this week, 0.81 ERA in 22.1 IP. I look at the sad parts of the Orioles bullpen and I wonder…
• RHP Yaqui Rivera – Kind of an overlooked guy because he’s only a reliever, but this 22-year-old tossed 3 scoreless innings for Norfolk this week and has done well between Chesapeake and Norfolk this year. Trading Tanner Scott and Cole Sulser to the Marlins may yet pay off for the Orioles.

Tides season-to-date stats.

Double-A Chesapeake Baysox

• Last week’s record: 3-2 at Erie (Tigers)
• This week’s opponent: vs. Akron (Guardians)
• Season record: 20-30, last place (14 GB) in Eastern League Southwest

All my returning readers, who are we looking at first here? That’s right, it’s my guy Aron Estrada! In this week’s instance, Estrada is a fun first guy to look at, because he smashed two dingers and hit three doubles as part of an 8-26 week at the plate. That’s a good series. It’s got his season OPS up to .751. I’d like to see a good June from him to get actually excited instead of just “for the bit” excited.

The Chesapeake lineup is now the home of two-thirds of the cursed top of the 2024 draft class. Ethan Anderson did not do very well this week, batting just 4-21. His OPS remains over .800, so hopefully it’s just one tough week. No-power prospect Griff O’Ferrall went 5-20, but he also drew four walks for a nice OBP for the week. O’Ferrall’s batting line of .179/.317/.305 is not good. If he found a way to bat like .250… but he probably won’t.

As you may recall, Chesapeake is now the home of early-season exciting pitching prospect Joseph Dzierwa. Now one level higher, Dzierwa is still racking up the strikeouts, grabbing nine in a 4.2 inning outing. I’d like to see these guys at least finishing five, but man, there’s something interesting going on there. He gave up two runs while allowing four hits and a walk.

Others of interest

• RHP Juaron Watts-Brown – My honorary hyphenated cousin was socked for nine runs in 7.1 innings across two starts this week. Between being injured and how he’s pitched since returning (8.41 ERA and 6.6 BB/9), 2026 could be going better.
• LHP Luis De León – He’s had some rough outings this year so while two runs (one earned) in 4.1 innings isn’t great, I’ll take it. Six strikeouts, four hits, two walks. He’s got to cut the 5.6 BB/9 over time.
• LHP Sebastian Gongora – I always have a soft spot for grinder non-prospects to maybe turn into something, and the 24-year-old Gongora (2 ER in 6.2 IP, 3.56 ERA in 10 starts) is moving in that direction.

Baysox season-to-date stats.

High-A Frederick Keys

• Last week’s record: 3-3 at Jersey Shore (Phillies)
• This week’s opponent: vs. Hudson Valley (Yankees)
• Season record: 31-17, second place (0.5 GB) in South Atlantic League North

Let’s go down the checklist. Can I say something about Vance Honeycutt other than that he struck out a bunch of times? No, he struck out seven times in 14 AB. Can I say something fun about Wehiwa Aloy? No, he went 2-19. Okay, then what about Ike Irish? 3-17 with no extra-base hits. Yeah, but what about Nate George? No, remember, he’s on the injured list with an undisclosed illness. (sweating) Early-season sensation Victor Figueroa? 2-17 with nine strikeouts. Fine, then Braylin Tavera? 4-18. Hey, at least he stole three bases, giving him 16 on the season.

That was a depressing paragraph. On the plus side, I can say some nicer things about pitchers here, starting with the big man, Boston Bateman, from last July’s Padres trade. He’s been on a solid run since battling some command problems in early outings, and this past week notched a five inning start with two runs (one earned), striking out seven while walking two and giving up two hits. Just in his age 20 season, this lefty with an 11.1 K/9 through nine games is worth remembering.

Others of interest

• LHP Caden Hunter – Sixth round pick in last year’s draft started at Delmarva and just got promoted here. 4.1 scoreless innings with nine strikeouts in his first start at the level.
• RHP Kiefer Lord – Continuing to have a rough go of it now that he’s finally healthy and pitching, three runs allowed on six hits and three walks in three innings here.

Keys season-to-date stats.

Low-A Delmarva Shorebirds

• Last week’s record: 1-5 vs. Fredericksburg (Nationals)
• This week’s opponent: at Augusta (Braves)
• Season record: 17-34, last place (20 GB) in Carolina League North

The records of the minor league affiliates don’t really matter, but I don’t enjoy how many times I type “last place” each time I do one of these weekly recaps. 75% of the full-season farm teams are in the cellar of their leagues.

Norfolk’s Enrique Bradfield Jr. was rehabbing with the Shorebirds this week. He would have fit right in with that bit about Frederick’s hitters: He went 1-13, though he did manage to walk six times and steal three bases.

The one player who is both of an age where it’s interesting if he performs well at this level and actually performing well is shortstop DJ Layton, whose five games saw him go 5-16 with a homer, triple, double, five walks, and three stolen bases. It’s an .826 OPS so far this season, which is excellent for an age 19 player at this level.

There was some preseason hype about Esteban Mejia, a hard-throwing 19-year-old. Mejia is, currently, the #6 prospect on MLB Pipeline’s rankings. I’m going to guess he will dive in midseason updates; this past week saw him walk five guys in less than an inning of work and he’s somehow managed to walk more guys than he’s struck out (39-37) over ten starts.

Shorebirds season-to-date stats.

**

Your choice last week in the minor league player of the week poll was Eeles, who narrowly edged out Dzierwa. The week before that, we had a tie. Margins are slim. Make your vote count! Our winners so far this season are Eeles, Tavera, Hunter, Irish, and Aloy. There has yet to be a repeat winner. This week will not change that, because none of the previous winners are on the poll.

Vote here:

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Nothing beats getting in and getting out of a bet, so I found a few quick hitters to get the evening rolling. There are a couple of games where I expect runs to come early, along with one matchup that has all the makings of a clean 1-2-3, 1-2-3 first inning.

Let's dive into my favorite YRFI and NRFI picks for Tuesday, June 2. 

Best NRFI/YRFI predictions today

Pick	Odds
/ - Pirates vs. Astros YRFI	-100
/ - Dodgers vs. Diamondbacks YRFI	-104
/ - White Sox vs. Twins NRFI	-108

Pirates vs. Astros: YRFI (-100)

We head down to Minute Maid Ballpark, where we only plan to stay for a few, as we're looking to get in and get out of this one.

The Houston Astros send out right-hander Mike Burrows, who has been one of the worst first-inning pitchers in baseball this season. Through 11 starts, he owns a 7.36 first-inning ERA, allowing 9 runs on 14 hits and 3 walks.

Opposing hitters are slashing .304/.373/.522 with an .894 OPS in the opening frame against the righty.

On the other side is Pittsburgh Pirates right-hander Bubba Chandler, who has struggled with walks all season, sporting a 16% walk rate on the road. He also hasn't been the most reliable first-inning arm, posting a 5.73 ERA while allowing 7 runs on 8 hits and 7 walks through 11 starts.

Opposing hitters have managed a .333 OBP against him during that stretch.

Luckily for us, both offenses rank inside the top 10 in first-inning scoring, with each averaging more than 0.66 runs per game in the opening frame.

Over on Batters-Box, this matchup features six bats carrying at least a Strong rating in the default ratings. In the Current Season Ratings, there are six Elite-rated bats combined. Hopefully, one of those sticks can get things rolling early.

For only a little bit of juice, we're getting two offenses capable of exploding at any moment against a pair of inconsistent arms. I think that's well worth a dabble.

• Time: 8:10 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: Space City Home Network, MLB.TV

Dodgers vs. Diamondbacks: YRFI (-104)

Big day to root for a run in the first inning as the Los Angeles Dodgers and Arizona Diamondbacks find themselves in a prime offensive spot tonight.

The Dodgers will send left-hander Eric Lauer to the mound. Through seven starts, Lauer owns a 6.43 first-inning ERA, allowing five runs, eight hits, and two walks. Opposing hitters have posted a .621 SLG and .943 OPS against the southpaw in the opening frame.

Overall, this season, he's allowed a 13.2% barrel rate, 40.4% hard-hit rate, and a 73.6% elevation rate (fly balls plus line drives).

On the other side, Michael Soroka gets the ball for the Snakes. Soroka carries a 6.55 first-inning ERA, surrendering eight runs, 11 hits, and seven walks across 11 starts. Opposing hitters own a .353 OBP, .455 SLG, and .887 OPS against him in the first inning.

Both offenses have been productive early this season. Arizona is averaging 0.63 first-inning runs at home, while Los Angeles is averaging just over half a run per game in the first inning on the road.

With six hitters carrying at least a Strong rating in the default Batters-Box ratings and eight earning a Strong rating in the current-season model, I think the YRFI is the play in this spot.

• Time: 9:40 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: DBACKS.TV, Sportsnet Los Angeles

White Sox vs. Twins: NRFI (-108)

I had to find at least one game I liked to go scoreless in the first inning, and I think this matchup between the Chicago White Sox and Minnesota Twins is the perfect 1-2-3, 1-2-3 spot to back the NRFI. Especially with Davis Martin taking the mound for the White Sox this evening.

The No. 1-rated pitcher in the current Batters-Box season ratings draws an elite matchup in terms of wOBA, ISO, and strikeout rate against a swing-happy Twins lineup. Martin owns a 1.64 ERA in the first inning, allowing just two runs through 11 starts.

Opposing hitters have posted a .195 batting average, .214 OBP, and .483 OPS against him in the opening frame.

On the other side, the Twins send left-hander Connor Prielipp to the hill. Some of his underlying numbers are what initially drew me to the NRFI. At home this season, opposing hitters own just a .167 xBA and a .287 xwOBA against him.

He does carry a 7.71 first-inning ERA, but his 36.7% strikeout rate over his last 30 hitters faced at home grabs my attention far more. The White Sox have the fourth-highest strikeout rate across their last 12 road games, and against left-handed pitching, they still own a 24.3% strikeout rate.

The top half of the first will be the bigger sweat given Prielipp's first-inning struggles, but with how dominant Martin has been this season, I think this is well worth getting a little sweaty over.

• Time: 7:40 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: Chicago Sports Network, Twins.TV

This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here and view our best betting sites or check out our top sportsbook promos.

The Nationals bullpen did a commendable job in the month of May. They do not have any big names in the ‘pen, but between guys like Richard Lovelady, Orlando Ribalta, Brad Lord and Gus Varland, they got the job done. However, over the past week or so, I have seen some cracks appear in the bullpen’s armor.

On paper, this should not be a good bullpen, and in April that was certainly the case. However, after a strong May, the unit has a not terrible 4.61 ERA as a unit. There have been a couple times this week where the bullpen has folded though, and I am getting a little worried.

One pitcher I am getting worried about is Richard Lovelady. In late April and most of May, Lovelady was nails for the Nats. He turned himself into a fan favorite with his high energy pitching style and emotion. However, he was always playing a dangerous game with all the base runners he allowed. The traffic Lovelady is allowing on the bases is starting to bite him. Last night, he gave away the lead, and has been shaky since pitching three straight days in Atlanta.

I do not think Lovelady pitching three straight days is the reason for his downturn though. His WHIP on the season is 1.75, with his lowest mark of the season being 1.54. That is not good, and you cannot consistently maintain a low ERA while allowing that many baserunners. Lovelady loves the big moment, and has a flair for the dramatic, but he was not going to be able to get out of every jam forever.

Getting Lovelady back on track would be big for this team, and he is a guy I have a soft spot for. However, there is a reason he has bounced around as much as he has. Lovelady has unique release traits and the intangibles of a high leverage reliever. On the other hand, his stuff is not anything special and the command is not great.

There are a few other relievers that are also turning into weak links here as well. Gus Varland was the Nats best reliever at the start of the season, but he has not been throwing many strikes lately. He has also been allowing a lot of base runners with a 1.55 WHIP. 

Cole Henry was supposed to be a big part of this Nats bullpen entering the season after a solid 2025. However, he has not looked like a big league caliber arm this season. Henry faded in the second half of last season, but most fans just blamed that on fatigue. That has carried over into this season though. He got absolutely lit up last night, giving up a pair of homers.

With the way Henry is pitching, he may not be long for the MLB level. His stuff is good, but not great. He has to be locating his pitches to have success, but he has had too many uncompetitive misses and pitches thrown right down the heart of the plate. I would not be surprised to see Henry in Rochester soon.

Mitchell Parker is another guy who has struggled after a solid start. Parker is still doing some things well, but he is allowing way too many home runs. He leans a lot on his slider, which is a great pitch when it is located well. However, when it is up in the zone, it just floats right into hitters barrels. 

Despite the doom and gloom of this piece, the Nats bullpen is not all bad. Brad Lord, Orlando Ribalta and Clayton Beeter are all guys I trust right now. I think Lord needs to be used in more high leverage spots though. He is such a solid long man, and has been borderline All-Star caliber in that role. Lord posted a 1.17 ERA in May, and his WHIP for the season is just 1.00, which is elite. 

I love the way Lord is always on the attack mode. Not every pitcher can get away with pounding the zone as much as Lord does, but the Nats righty has a good combination of stuff and funk. He is usually not over the heart of the plate as well.

Orlando Ribalta is the one inning reliever I trust the most right now. The big Cuban has a history of control issues, but has been throwing way more strikes this year. Ribalta has always had very good stuff, so as long as he is throwing quality strikes, his stuff will play. While Ribalta is not striking out a ton of hitters, the average exit velocity against him is just over 80 MPH. That is why his .214 BABIP is not just good luck.

Clayton Beeter outings are always a bit stressful because you never quite know when he will totally lose the strike zone. However, Beeter has premium stuff and is incredibly hard to square up. He is getting a ton of ground balls this year, and is another guy who’s low BABIP has a lot to do with the kind of contact he is generating.

The Nats bullpen is not the dumpster fire it was at the beginning of the year, or during last season. However, they are beginning to show more weak spots. There was a time in mid to late May where you were starting to feel comfortable with a lead. However, that comfort is going away for me. This bullpen is starting to show the lack of star power again. They have three reliable options, but outside of that, you really have to hold your breath.

Last week was the busiest week of the season for Dodgers minor league players getting honored, with four different players on Monday named either player of the week or pitcher of the week for their leagues, one at all four affiliate levels.

James Tibbs III was named Pacific Coast League player of the week in Triple-A, Josue De Paula did the same in Double-A in the Texas League, and Ontario outfielder Jaron Elkins won California League player of the week in Class-A. Joining them is pitcher Alex Makarewich, taking home Midwest League pitcher of the week for High-A Great Lakes.

Tibbs put on a power show last week in Sugar Land, Texas, with six home runs and 16 RBI in six games. The Oklahoma City designated hitter had nine hits in 26 at-bats plus two walks, hitting .346/.414/1.038, highlighted by two home runs and six RBI on Thursday night.

Tibbs on the season is hitting .322/.426/.659, and leads the PCL in home runs (17), RBI (51), runs scored (55), slugging percentage, OPS (1.085), extra-base hits (35), and total bases (139).

De Paula had the best power-hitting month of his career and will likely win Texas League player of the month later this week. But for now the Tulsa right fielder can celebrate his weekly honors, after going 12 for 24 in six games against Northwest Arkansas, hitting .500/.538/1.000 with six doubles, two home runs, 11 runs scored, and six RBI.

He had career highs with four hits, two home runs, and four runs scored on Sunday.

It’s rare for a reliever to win pitcher of the week, but Makarewich stood out in his two relief appearances for Great Lakes last week. He totaled three scoreless, hitless innings, allowing only a walk, and struck out eight of his 10 batters faced.

Elkins only played in four games last week for Ontario after missing two weeks on the injured list, but made them count, including a home run in each of his last three games. The outfielder had eight hits in 19 at-bats last week, hitting .421/.476/1.105 with eight RBI, seven runs scored, and two total bases.

Elkins’ best game of the week was the game in which he didn’t homer. On Wednesday he had four hits, including two doubles and a triple, with three runs batted in.

The Yankees were on the couch on Monday, alongside most of the league, but there were still a couple of notable teams on the docket for them to scoreboard watch. Their biggest challenger for the AL East in the Rays were one of those two, and boy did they get into a barn burner of a game.

Detroit Tigers (23-38) 10, Tampa Bay Rays (36-21) 9

The Tigers have been unequivocably the biggest disappointment of the league in 2026, falling off of a cliff the moment that Tarik Skubal went down with an injury, but they played up to their competition against Tampa. They started out with a bang in the first inning, getting two singles ahead of Riley Greene’s double to bring them both home for a 2-0 lead, and they tripled that advantage in the third when Dillon Dingler, Kerry Carpenter, and Greene went back-to-back-to-back off of Griffin Jax. Jax lasted until the fourth, and his ERA spiked by over a run after getting hammered in this one.

The Rays had plenty of fight in them still though, and they started clawing back in the fourth inning when Junior Caminero launched a two-run shot to get them on the board. The Tigers tacked on two additional runs in the fifth and sixth via solo homers from Dingler and Hao-Yu Lee, but Tampa answered back with three more in the bottom of the sixth. Brenan Hanifee was brought in to start the frame, but issued back-to-back walks to lead off and then coughed up a slider over the middle to Ryan Vilade who crushed a three-run blast.

Two more pitchers would enter before Detroit got out of that inning, but they came away without any more damage to hold onto an 8-5 lead. After the seventh saw minimal action from both sides for once, Detroit was back at it in the eighth with RBI doubles from Dingler and Carpenter to push the lead back to five. Even here the Rays had an answer, working the bases loaded on three walks in the bottom of the eighth before Nick Fortes doubled home two and Ben Williamson drove home another two on a single — all with just one out. They were then gifted another baserunner with an error on a fielder’s choice, but Jonathan Aranda and Richie Palacios couldn’t come up with the game tying hit.

After rallying this far to pull within a single run, the Rays ran out of gas right near the finish line. Caminero grounded out to start the ninth, and then two straight strikeouts closed the game out. The Tigers walked away with a wild win, and the Yankees moved to within a game of Tampa in the process.

Other Games

Seattle Mariners (32-29) 3, New York Mets (26-34) 2 (10 innings)

Due to the light schedule, the Mariners are our only other team that we care about with a game on Monday, so why not give them the full-game treatment? The Mariners and Mets treated us to the polar opposite of the Tigers-Rays game, featuring low scoring and some quality pitching performances.

The Mets rolled out an opener in Austin Warren to start the game and he got through his first inning swimmingly, but after hitting the first batter of the second passed the baton over to bulk pitcher Sean Manaea. Manaea needed a double play to get out of the second, and Colt Emerson smashed a solo shot in the third inning to put Seattle ahead early, but Manaea settled down from there to give New York five innings of work with just the one long ball blemishing his line.

On the other end, Emerson Hancock got the start for Seattle and was cutting right through the Mets for the first four innings. Not a single Met managed to get on base, but his perfect game bid came to a close in the fifth as Jared Young launched a home run to lead off. Hancock rebounded to strike out the next two batters and get a flyout to end the inning, but he must’ve felt déjà vu in the sixth as Marcus Semien greeted him with another leadoff blast. That made it 2-1 New York, and despite rounding out his night well with three straight outs those two mistake pitches had Hancock on the line for a loss all of a sudden.

The Mariners went to work bailing out their starter though, with Josh Naylor adding to the leadoff damage with a solo shot in the seventh inning. Neither side could get any momentum for a rally in the eighth or ninth, leading us to extra innings. Gabe Speier took the ball with the Manfred runner on board and proceeded to strike out Juan Soto and Mark Vientos to put the pressure on A.J. Ewing to do something. Ewing couldn’t get the job done, popping up to short and giving Seattle the chance to walk this thing off with ease. Patrick Wisdom struck out to make it a little more difficult, but Cole Young lined a single out to left to bring the runner in and start the celebration in T-Mobile Park.

This Week in the Minors is our weekly look at notable performances from all over the system, from big-name prospects and less-heralded guys alike. The mission is to answer this simple question: “Who had a good week?”

Triple-A Omaha Storm Chasers (26-30, 8.5 games back)

The Storm Chasers lost 5 of 6 at home to the Memphis Redbirds. On the mound, Mitch Spence had a very rough two starts. In total, he went 8.2 innings, allowing 22 hits, 15 runs, 4 homers, walking 1 and striking out 7. On the positive side of things, Ryan Ramsey had a quality start. The 25-year-old lefty, and 2022 13th round pick by the Royals, went 6.1 innings, allowing 5 hits, 2 runs, walking 2 and striking out 6.

At the plate, Brett Squires, who has been a name of discussion the last couple of weeks, went 5-for-20 with two more homers and a double. Kameron Misner was 7-for-22 with a homer and four walks. Abraham Toro went 9-for-17 with three doubles.

The Storm Chasers hit the road this week to take on the Columbus Clippers. The series runs Tuesday through Sunday.

Northwest Arkansas Naturals (22-28, 9.5 games back)

The Naturals got swept in their 6-game series in Tulsa, against the Drillers. At the plate, it was a tough week for all the hitters. Spencer Nivens was 5-for-13, Colton Becker was 4-for-15 with a homer and a double.

On the bump, Ethan Bosacker had a good start, he went 5 innings, allowing 6 hits, 1 run, and a pair of strikeouts. Caden Monke threw 3.1 scoreless innings in two appearances. Justin Lamkin didn’t appear this week, no word on if it was an injury or managing his innings. Hopefully we will know soon, as he is moving quickly through the organization.

The Naturals are back home this week for the Midland RockHounds, the series runs Tuesday through Sunday.

Quad Cities River Bandits (22-26, 8.5 games back)

The River Bandits split their 6-game series against Cedar Rapids. Jordan Woods and Max Martin were both promoted from Columbia last week. Martin threw a scoreless inning and a third in his only appearance of the week, striking out 3 batters, he also took the win. Woods, went 4 innings, allowing 7 hits, 3 runs in his one start of the week. Both pitchers were dominating in Low-A ball. David Shields threw 5 innings of 2 run ball in his only start of the week. Josh Hansell threw 4 scoreless innings over 2 appearances with 4 strikeouts.

At the plate, Blake Mitchell was 5-for-20 on the week, with a double and two homers. On the season, Mitchell is slashing .201/.424/439. Tyriq Kemp was 4-for-21 with 5 stolen bases. Outfielder Nolan Sailors hit a pair of doubles and triples and stole 5 bases as well.

The River Bandits play a seven-game series at home against the South Bend Cubs, with a doubleheader on Friday because of an earlier season rain out.

Columbia Fireflies (23-28, 6 games back)

The Fireflies split their 6-game series against the Charleston RiverDogs. Right hander Luis Valdez got promoted last week. The 21-year-old from Nizao, Dominican Republic came up from rookie ball in Arizona. In his one appearance last week, he allowed 2 hits and 2 runs in just 2/3 of an inning. Kendry Chourio went 5 innings, allowing 1 run and 6 hits, while striking out 3 in his lone start of the week. Michael Lombardi threw 3 scoreless innings as well.

Yandel Ricardo was smashing the ball all week, hitting .471, with two doubles and a homer, while stealing 4 bases. Sean Gamble continues to heat up, going 4-for-16 on the week, with a homer and triple. After a brutal start to the season, the 19-year-old outfielder is starting to find a rhythm the last two weeks. Josh Hammond went 6-for-22 with a double.

The Fireflies are on the road this week, playing the Fayetteville Woodpeckers, the series runs Tuesday through Sunday.

Game Recaps

Diamondbacks Stifle Dodgers For Massive Series Opening Win by Alex D’Agostino [SI]

It was not an easy day at the office for Eduardo Rodriguez, but you’d never be able to tell that by his pitching line. The left-hander labored heavily in the early going, fending off base traffic, allowing an earned run in the third inning and scraping his way through with the help of some quality infield defense.

“We made some nice defensive plays behind [Rodriguez], but he pounded the zone. He set his tone with his fastball and then went to work and started pitching from there,” Lovullo said. “Overall, this day was set up by E-Rod and finished by some really heady, smart baseball plays.”

Rodriguez buckled down to throw his seventh Quality Start of the season. He allowed just the one earned run over the course of six innings, striking out three against one walk and five base hits. Two doubles in that troublesome third inning were the only blemish.

D-backs get contributions across the board to top red-hot Dodgers by Jesse Borek [DBacks.com]

If the win showed anything, it was that the current iteration of the club is one that will rely on its veterans, upstart youngsters and stars equally. Eduardo Rodriguez, in his 11th MLB campaign, tossed six innings of one-run ball to stymie a scorching-hot Dodgers offense, but he was backed by third-year outfielder Jorge Barrosa, who made a pair of running grabs that saw him lay out on the center-field turf. Homers from the 24-year-old Tommy Troy (the first career blast from Arizona’s No. 4 prospect), the 35-year-old Nolan Arenado and the 32-year-old Ketel Marte first tied the game, then gave the D-backs the lead and then iced it, respectively.

Once the bullpen door swung open, Taylor Clarke, Brandyn Garcia and Paul Sewald all delivered scoreless frames.

Diamondbacks News

Corbin Carroll says mom took care of Seattle homecoming; has caught up with Alek Thomas by Payne Moses [Arizona Sports]

With the Dodgers in town for a four-game series and top of mind, it will mark the first time the clubs meet since former D-backs outfielder Alek Thomas was shipped to L.A.

Carroll and Thomas made their respective MLB debuts within four months of each other in the 2022 season, and the former said he’s had a few conversations with the latter since the May 12 trade.

“Just kind of asked him how he was liking what he was working on, when he was doing his swing stuff. And yeah, he was complimentary. He said he liked what (the Dodgers’ coaching staff) were working on and saw he got into maybe an ACL game the other day, maybe trending towards getting back to really competing,” Carroll said. “I always wish a guy like that you’ve played so long with and had so much, just so many experiences with, you wish him all the best.”

Diamondbacks option Tim Tawa, make room for Pavin Smith’s return by Wendy Lopez [Burn City Sports]

After going 11-2 across four series against the Colorado Rockies and San Francisco Giants, the Snakes couldn’t carry that momentum into their series against the Seattle Mariners. They suffered a three-game sweep, marking the club’s struggles against teams above .500, as they are 8-19 against such opponents.

Facing the defending champions, who are currently 38-21, the challenge only gets tougher.

The first baseman does have strong numbers against Los Angeles, however, hitting .364 with a .409 slugging percentage over seven games (22 at-bats) against the Dodgers last year. Having Smith back could help spark an offense that needs to break out of its slump following the Seattle series.

Shohei Ohtani Creates a Massive Challenge for Diamondbacks by Jack Sommers [SI]

Shohei Ohtani is making a serious run at winning the NL Cy Young award. Ohtani threw six hitless innings against the Rockies May 27. He has the lowest ERA of any pitcher with 50 innings or more pitched (0.82). He’s allowed one earned run in his last 18 innings and given up seven hits,

D-backs No. 11 prospect Mena set to undergo shoulder surgery by Jesse Borek [MLB]

Before his 2026 season could ever really get out of the starting blocks, Cristian Mena has seen it likely come to a close. The D-backs’ No. 11 prospect is set to undergo shoulder surgery in the coming days, a procedure that manager Torey Lovullo admitted is likely to knock him out for the rest of the year.

It’s been an arduous road back to the mound for one of the D-backs’ prized pitching prospects. Mena last appeared in game action last June 6, working an inning out of the club’s bullpen, before landing on the injured list with a right shoulder strain the following day. Five days prior — one year ago to the day — he picked up his first Major League win after tossing a pair of scoreless innings against the Nationals.

Around the League

10 big questions as Trade Deadline season approaches by Mark Feinsand [MLB]

Which teams are likely to be sellers?

The Giants and Rockies were the only teams more than seven games out of a playoff spot entering the week, and given the National League’s performance this season — 11 of 15 teams have winning records — it seems unlikely that either San Francisco or Colorado will climb back into the race.

MLBPA negotiator sees clear distance between 2 sides of CBA by Alden Gonzalez [ESPN]

Said Meyer: “We do not accept the premise that there’s some existential crisis going on.”

Even if he did, the MLBPA is adamant that a salary cap won’t fix it. The league is adamant that it would. A middle ground is elusive, and where the two sides go from here is hard to determine. In his statement, Caplin said the league is “ready to listen if the MLBPA wants to counter our proposal at the bargaining table.” Meyer said no meeting is scheduled but would be “in the near future,” adding that the two sides can still bargain on several non-economic issues.

He believes players will remain united against a cap.

“Our union has never been broken and never will be,” Meyer said. “Our players have what they have, including being the only sport that doesn’t have this ultimate restriction, the salary cap, because our players have always been the most unified. And that’s gonna continue.”

The Tigers Have Collapsed, but Not Because of Their Rotation by Jay Jaffe [FanGraphs]

Jansen and company certainly share a lot of responsibility for the team’s struggles in one-run games, but Detroit’s biggest problem has been an increasingly decrepit offense that’s scoring a major league-low 3.72 runs per game, with a very respectable March and April followed by an abysmal May: 

In their last 19 games, the Tigers have averaged just 2.52 runs, scoring more than four just once; they haven’t scored more than six runs in a game since May 3. While left fielder Riley Greene (.301/.391/.426, 134 wRC+), shortstop/third baseman Kevin McGonigle (.286/.390/.410, 130 wRC+), and catcher Dillon Dingler(.226/.313/.458, 115 wRC+) have been quite effective overall, Greene and Dingler were the team’s only two regulars with a wRC+ of 100 or better in May; everybody else besides McGonigle had a wRC+ of 82 or lower. First baseman Spencer Torkelson (.214/.317/.403, 104 wRC+ overall) has cooled off after a strong start, going from a 123 wRC+ and a 28.3% strikeout rate in March and April to an 82 wRC+ with a 36.3% strikeout rate in May. Third baseman/designated hitter Colt Keith is in the midst of a power outage, batting .280/.324/.342 (88 wRC+) without a homer this season; he sank from a 114 wRC+ in March and April to 57 in May. Beyond that, injuries to Torres, Parker Meadows, Zach McKinstry, Javier Báez, and Kerry Carpenter have been a significant part of the story, costing the team depth in both the infield and outfield.

2026-27 Club Options: NL West by Anthony Franco [MLB Trade Rumors]

Michael Soroka, RHP: $10MM mutual option ($1MM buyout)

Arizona added Soroka on a $7.5MM free agent deal. He’s playing on a $6.5MM salary and will collect a $1MM buyout at season’s end. Soroka has already added another $500K in incentives by making 10+ starts and could get up to $2MM in bonuses if he reaches 25 starts.

Soroka has been a surprisingly key piece of Torey Lovullo’s rotation. He carries a 3.25 ERA with a 23.5% strikeout rate against a tidy 5.5% walk percentage over 61 innings. Durability is an ever present question with the Canadian-born righty, who hasn’t reached 100 frames in a season since 2019. If Soroka can hold anything close to this level over the full schedule, his side will easily pass on the option. He should command at least two years and would have a case for three if he stays healthy, as he’s one of the youngest pitchers (29 in August) in what looks like a bad free agent class.

Good morning! The Mariners secured their seventh win in a row and second-straight walk-off last night, this time with Cole Young as the hero as his single sent Randy Arozarena home from third. Emerson Hancock held the New York Mets to just two hits off two home runs, and a lights out bullpen night helped the Mariners get the win.

Logan Gilbert takes the mound tonight at 6:40 PM for game two against the Mets.

In Mariners news…

• Don’t miss out on the cutest bobblehead of the season: Andrés Muñoz and his cat, Matilda. The special giveaway benefits Seattle Area Feline Rescue and will be available for the July 21st Mariners game.
• The Mariners are finally playing up to their lofty expectations thanks to their seven game win streak.
• Despite Cal Raleigh’s absence, the Mariners have used power and pitching to take over first place in the AL West.

Around the league…

• Minnesota Twins RHP Bailey Ober has been placed on the 15-day IL with right elbow inflammation, adding another challenge to an already-depleted Twins rotation.
• The Arizona Diamondbacks have activated first baseman Pavin Smith from the 60-day IL after completing his recovery from left elbow inflammation.
• Los Angeles Dodgers reliever Brusdar Graterol has undergone back surgery and could be out for the remainder of the season.
• The Cincinnati Reds have officially placed shortstop Elly De La Cruz on the 10-day IL with a strained right hamstring. Top infield prospect (and former Mariners prospect) Edwin Arroyo has been recalled in a corresponding move and will make his MLB debut.
• The Chicago White Sox have announced their 2026 Alumni Home Run Derby participants, which include fan favorites Jose Canseco, Alexei Ramirez, Gordon Beckham, Leury Garcia, Scott Podsednik and Daniel Palka.
• The recent struggles of the Detroit Tigers are a result of their major-league low 3.72 runs per game.
• Chicago Cubs RHP Ben Brown has perfected a new pitch that is fueling his breakout season.
• The Pittsburgh Pirates have traded reliever Justin Lawrence to the Minnesota Twins in exchange for cash considerations.

Last week, in our most recent edition of Rangers Reacts, we asked a simple question: have you given up on the 2026 season?

Over half of you — 53%, to be exact — said yes, you have given up already.

I will note that the timing of when this question went out probably had an impact — the Rangers had just gotten swept in Anaheim, and were losing three of four at home to the Astros, including being no hit.

Still, after a pair of middling seasons, its understandable to see what the Rangers have done so far in 2026 and assume it is more of the same.

On the national front, the question was posed as to who the best healthy pitcher in baseball is right now.

Jacob Misiorowski captured almost a third of the vote, with Paul Skenes second.

On the question of which team has been the biggest disappointment, the Mets were the clear “winner,” getting almost half the vote.

And finally, as to the team that has been the most pleasant surprise, the Rays and the ChiSox were the top picks.

Welcome back to A Pod of Their Own, an all-women led Home Run Applesauce podcast where we talk all things Mets, social justice issues in baseball, and normalize female voices in the sports podcasting space. 

This week, we begin by discussing the Mets’ up and down month of May, which at least ended on a positive note. We talk about whether the Mets can turn things around in June despite their tough schedule with help from the returning injured players. We also chat about the shifting sands of the rotation and congratulate Lee Mazzilli and Bobby Valentine for being inducted into the Mets Hall of Fame.

In our baseball segment this week, we cover the opening bouts of the CBA fight, Trevor Williams suddenly becoming every conservative’s favorite baseball player, more degenerate gamblers threatening players’ families, and a very sleazy TMZ article implying that Adrián Beltré and Pedro Martinez believe Wander Franco should get a second chance (though their actual quotes are a bit more nuanced than that). 

Finally, we wrap things up with Walk-off Wins, where each of us talks about what’s making us happy this week, baseball-related or otherwise. 

You can listen or subscribe to all of our wonderful Home Run Applesauce podcasts through Apple Podcasts, where we encourage you to leave a review if you enjoy the show. It really helps! And you can find us on the Stitcher app, Spotify, or listen wherever you get podcasts. You can also support our work by subscribing to our Patreon, which will get you bonus episodes, access to our Discord server, livestream experiences, an exclusive monthly playlist, and more!

You can follow A Pod of Their Own on Twitter, Instagram, and Bluesky (@apodoftheirown) and you can follow Home Run Applesauce on Twitter and Instagram (@HRApplesauce). You can also follow our co-hosts on Twitter and Bluesky: Allison McCague (@PetitePhD), Maggie Wiggin (@maggie162), and LindaSurovich (@LindaSurovich). You can also email the show at aa.apodoftheirown@gmail.com. 

Look for A Pod of Their Own in your feeds every week and don’t forget: there’s no crying in podcasting!

Competitive baseball—what a thought! It’s been a beautiful stretch for the O’s, who, after getting swept by the AL East-leading Rays the week before, returned the favor in emphatic fashion, then pulled off a series split against the Blue Jays. They started May by losing five of six series and ended it with a 7-3 homestand. They’ll look to carry that energy to Boston, where the opposition is in considerably worse shape.

The Boston Red Sox enter this series at 25-33, last in the American League East. The 2026 Red Sox offense has been called by longtime observers the worst they can remember in nearly 50 years of following the team, with serious concerns about the lack of power production up and down the lineup. The rotation, heavily upgraded over the offseason with the additions of Ranger Suárez and Sonny Gray, has been a relative bright spot — meaning the O’s will need to be sharp at the plate to take advantage of Boston’s overall mediocrity.

Adding to the notes of organizational chaos, the Red Sox fired manager Alex Cora on April 25, after a 10-17 start to the season, replacing him with Worcester Red Sox skipper Chad Tracy on an interim basis. The vibes are not immaculate in Boston these days, which is totally fine by me.

Game 1: Tuesday, June 3, 6:45 PM
RHP Shane Baz (2-5, 4.48 ERA, 57 SO) vs. LHP Connelly Early (5-2, 2.95 ERA, 57 SO)

Through his first eight starts, Baz carried a 5.48 ERA and a 1-5 record while failing to locate his offspeed pitches and giving up tons of contact. But like the team in general, something has changed for him over the last three weeks. In those three starts, he’s allowed just five runs in 20 innings with 19 strikeouts. His best start of the bunch came against his former employer: a season-high nine strikeouts with just one run allowed over seven innings against the Rays, to bring his ERA down to 4.48. Baz, who signed a five-year, $68 million extension before throwing a pitch for Baltimore, looks like he may finally be settling in.

Connelly Early had a remarkable rookie debut in 2025: four dominant regular-season starts and a crackling postseason appearance against the Yankees, raising him up to another planet in terms of visibility. In 2026, the nice surface ERA of 2.95 masks some messier underlying numbers: his FIP has risen to 4.46, his strikeout rate is way down (from 13.5 to 8.4 per nine), his walk rate is up, and he’s allowed nine home runs in 60-plus innings. Early was a fifth-round pick for Boston out of the University of Virginia in 2023. Like his name suggests, the Orioles will want to test him early (heh) before he settles in.

Game 2: Wednesday, June 4, 6:45 PM
RHP Chris Bassitt (4-3, 5.06 ERA, 36 SO) vs. LHP Payton Tolle (2-2, 2.61 ERA, 46 SO)

Chris Bassitt’s struggles were another recurring theme in the first two months of this season, but there’s reason for optimism: the Orioles gave him six days of rest last time out, and he showed glimpses of his old self with six innings of one-run ball against Toronto. His upward trend is not as clear as Baz’s, though: over his last five, he’s interspersed two starts of one run or less with three or three runs allowed or more. Which version of Bassitt shows up against a Boston team desperate for a win could be of the more interesting questions of this series.

Another Red Sox starter in his second year of pro ball, the expertly mustachioed Payton Tolle is a product of Stillwater, OK, just like the Orioles’ second baseman Jackson Holliday. I couldn’t find proof that the two know each other, but I’d be surprised if they didn’t. Tolle electrified Fenway in his 2026 season debut against the Yankees, striking out the first five batters he faced and finishing with 11 K’s over six innings. The 23-year-old was a second-round pick by the Red Sox in the 2024 draft out of TCU, where he was named Big 12 Pitcher of the Year. Statcast loves him: his xBA allowed sits at .183 and his barrel rate against is just 5.8%—e.g., he’s not just getting lucky. This is the kind of matchup that could get uncomfortable quickly for the Orioles offense if they fall behind early.

Game 3: Thursday, June 5, 6:45 PM
LHP Trevor Rogers (2-6, 6.84 ERA) vs. TBD (probably RHP Brayan Bello (2-5, 5.62 ERA, 40 SO))

It’s mysterious and frustrating that the guy who lit pitching on fire last season with a franchise record 1.81 ERA in 18 starts now has an ERA above six. But after an Opening Day seven-inning shutout against Minnesota, Trevor Rogers has just stunk, allowing four runs or more in six of ten appearances. Is it health? Is it pitch tipping? Bad luck? None of the above? It’s great to have Baz and Kyle Bradish back in the fold, but a competitive Orioles run will take more than this from their once and presumptive ace.

Brayan Bello is a tale of two seasons. In games he’s started, he has a 9.68 ERA; coming in behind an opener, he has a 0.71 ERA in 25 1/3 innings. It’s unclear what’s going on, and whether Boston will use an opener ahead of him here, but overall, his numbers work out to hittable. His xBA against is a concerning (for Boston, appealing for Baltimore) .307 and his hard-hit rate is 42%. He’s not striking out many hitters, either, especially in his starter version: just 18 in 30 2/3 innings. The Orioles need to take advantage.

There’s the matchups. The Orioles have a chance to keep stacking wins here against a club in genuine disarray. Boston’s pitching can keep them in games, but their hitters ain’t helping. If Baltimore keeps swinging the bats the way they did against Tampa Bay and Toronto, this is a very winnable series.

How many games do you think the O’s take? Let us know in the comments.