Category: Baseball

The Orioles have played better baseball over the last few weeks, but they laid an egg tonight. Chris Bassitt labored through three innings before leaving with a possible injury, and the Red Sox broke the game open with a five-run fifth. Baltimore dropped the game 8-1 at Fenway Park.

This was the type of game that the Orioles should just flush and put behind them. The immediate attention will turn to Bassitt and any potential injury. The starter allowed a run on a single by Wilyer Abreu in the first inning, and would have allowed another if Taylor Ward hadn’t thrown out Abreu at the plate on a double by Wilson Contreras.

Bassitt retired the side in order in the second, but the Red Sox wore him out in the third. The 37-year-old picked up a pair of outs after a leadoff single, but Abreu pulled a two-run homer down the left field line. The Red Sox then proceeded to load the bases on a single and a pair of walks, but Bassitt got Isiah Kiner-Falefa to ground out to keep the deficit at three.

Bassitt had only thrown 56 pitches, but Albert Suárez entered in the fourth inning. Suárez struck out Abreu to leave runners on the corners, but he ran into some serious trouble in the fifth. Contreras got the rally started with a leadoff double, and Suárez walked Masataka Yoshida to place two on with nobody out.

Suárez generated what should have been a harmless fly ball for out number one, but Blaze Alexander never saw the ball in center field. The ball eventually found the grass, and both runners came around to score. Kiner-Falefa followed with a double off the green monster, and the game quickly fell out of reach. Boston added its seventh and eighth runs on a double by Caleb Durbin and a single by Ceddanne Rafaela.

Alexander has less than 10 major league starts in center field, but the Orioles felt comfortable sending him out to play a difficult center field at Fenway tonight. To be fair, Boston shortstop Marcelo Mayer lost a ball in the sky just one inning prior.

Suárez allowed five runs in two innings. We’ll now wait to see if the Orioles designate the veteran reliever for assignment for the umpteenth time. Suárez threw 53 pitches, but he could be saved if the Orioles place Bassitt on the injured list. Trey Gibson tossed 6.1 innings at Norfolk earlier today, so he would be on regular rest if the Orioles need him for Bassitt’s next turn in the rotation.

The Orioles wasted some early opportunities before the game was fully out of reach. Taylor Ward walked and Adley Rutschman singled in the first, but Rutschman was thrown out on a double steal attempt. Pete Alonso struck out swinging to end the inning with Ward at third base.

Jackson Holliday and Ward both singled in the third, but Gunnar Henderson and Rutschman came up short with runners in scoring position. Boston gave Baltimore an extra out when Mayer failed to catch a pop fly in the fourth, but Rutschman flew out to leave runners on second and third.

Rutschman eventually drove in Baltimore’s only run with a stand-up triple in the seventh.

Anthony Nunez tossed two scoreless innings and Grant Wolfram kept the Sox off the board in the eighth.

The Orioles fell to 29-33. They can still take the series with a win tomorrow afternoon when Trevor Rogers takes the mound. The Red Sox have yet to announce a starter for Game 3.

The Red Sox should really try to replicate this performance all the time at home to change their Fenway Park fate in 2026. 

Boston earned a long-desired 8-1 win at home and controlled the game from the jump to set up a matinee rubber match for the second consecutive series at Fenway. 

Here’s three takeaways from Wednesday’s win. 

TOLLE THRIVES

Payton Tolle continues to throw the ball exceptionally well.

The young Red Sox flamethrower tallied six shutout innings Wednesday night and had plenty of run support to work with. Tolle struck out five batters and set a career-high with 99 pitches. 

He had fun doing it. 

EVERYBODY HITS!

The entire starting lineup recorded a hit for the Red Sox in a satisfying offensive performance.

Boston exploded for a five-run fifth inning in cruise control as the Red Sox passed the baton with power. The lineup tallied seven extra-base hits on the night. 

The Red Sox have hammered Chris Bassitt the last two times they faced him, scoring 11 earned runs in five innings. 

FINALLY!

The Red Sox were still the only team in baseball without 10 home victories on the season entering play Wednesday night. 

Start the party! That club is now empty in 2026.

The scorching days of summer still aren’t upon us, but for Carlos Mendoza, things were getting hot amid the Mets’ struggles early this season. 

The Amazin’s have won five of their last seven games, including a victory on Wednesday to prevent a Mariners sweep, but during a 12-game losing streak in April and as other MLB managers were being canned, Mendoza acknowledged his seat felt warm. 

“I understand the situation, I know where I’m at, I know my seat, especially when you’re managing a team with high expectations, big payroll, and not having the results,” he said during an appearance on “The Show” with Jon Heyman and Joel Sherman.

“I know questions like that, especially when you’re not playing well, as you mentioned a couple of weeks ago when the seat was hot and other teams are making managerial changes.”

Mendoza said that he understood that baseball is a business and that he has good relationships with Mets owners Steve and Alex Cohen and president of baseball operations David Stearns. 

“I spend all my energy day in and day out to be the best version of myself,” the Mets skipper said. “Whatever happens, that’s out of my hands, but I enjoy working for Steve and Alex. I enjoy working with David. I love managing the team. I love what I do, it, but I also understand that I have a responsibility here.

“Then questions like this are going to come up when the team is not playing well, and that’s part of it. You just got to embrace it, and you got to get results, that’s the bottom line.”

The Mets broke out of an offensive slump with Wednesday’s win, having scored just two runs in the previous two games, compared to the seven they scored on in the finale. Bo Bichette had arguably his best day as a Met by going 4-for-4 with sac fly.

Mendoza’s Mets are 14 ½ games back of the top of the National League East and six games back of a wild-card spot.

Shohei Ohtani faces Ryne Nelson as the Dodgers look to take two straight against the Arizona Diamondbacks.

WEDNESDAY GAME INFO

• Teams: Dodgers vs. Diamondbacks
• Stadium: Chase Field, Phoenix, AZ
• Time: 6:40 p.m. PT
• TV: SportsNet LA
• Radio: AM 570 (English), KTNQ 1020 (Spanish)

All legends come to an end. If the hero fulfills his task with dignity through the end, even his defeat has something beautiful and proud in it. If he surrenders to the vice of pride before his time is over, then his defeat is only a defeat. Hercules was killed by poison, yet ascended to Mt. Olympus in death. Jason lived long enough to anger the gods who had once seen his Argonauts through many dangers, and so was killed ignominiously by falling debris from the wreck of his own ship. Cristopher Sanchez’s streak is over. Even in losing it, he found a form of nobility. There is far more of Hercules than Jason in him.

But before we can discuss the end of the legend, we must discuss how we reached it. Cristopher Sánchez entered the game with his scoreless streak at 44.2 innings, and set himself to work against the visitors from San Diego.

First on the agenda: Fernando Tatis Jr. He struck out, swinging fruitlessly at a changeup. Then Miguel Andujar. He grounded up the middle; Bryson Stott displayed his full range in grabbing the ball and tossing it smoothly to first, where it arrived just in time to send Andujar back to his teammates. The Padres challenged, the call stood. The last barrier between Sánchez and the longest consecutive scoreless innings streak any southpaw has ever produced, at least in this era, was Manny Machado. He went down 0-2 (the Padres losing an ABS challenge along the way), grounded to Trea Turner, and Sánchez etched his name in the history books.

The Phillies half of these innings, it must be said, lacked the high drama of Sánchez’ chase. Still, they dutifully lined up against Walker Buehler, and tried to produce some excitement of their own. Bryce Harper walked, Marsh lined one to right for his fifth consecutive hit, and the Phillies had runners on the corners, with two away; it came to naught.

Speaking of naught, that’s what the next three San Diegos produced. So too, unfortunately, did the next three Phils.

In the third, Sánchez faced Jackson Merrill (lined out to short), Jase Bowen (struck out swinging at a cambio), and Rodolfo Durán (walked), and Tatis Jr (grounded to short, ball tossed to second for the out). As the ball left Turner’s glove and entered Stott’s, the name “Sánchez” rose above that of Bob Gibson in the immortal ledger’s consecutive scoreless column.

In the fourth, Andujar made good contact on the first pitch he saw. A momentary chill ran through the hearts of those watching, but the ball found Justin Crawford’s glove, and all was well. Machado slapped one through the right side of the infield for a hit. But the next two Padres made outs, and the mood of the Phillies faithful resembled that of their pitcher: calm, unflappable.

He was back on the mound sooner than said fans would’ve liked. The Phillies went down in order in the fourth, with just a pair of baserunners to that point.

Ty France singled to open the fifth. No other Padre was able to follow his example in that frame.

The Phillies, playing a game of one-upmanship, opened their half of the fifth with a double from Bryson Stott. They really rubbed it in when he scored as Adolis García sent a sinker swiftly out to center. Kyle Schwarber was given the honor of an intentional walk (two nights in a row), but Turner couldn’t make them pay for it.

No Padres batter did anything productive in the sixth.

A streak is defined by an odd sort of dual inevitability: there is an ever-present sense that it will continue, must continue, and yet an ever-present sense that every sign of danger is the crack that must surely end it. In the seventh, France hit a ball up the third base line for his second hit of the night. It was a great hit, frustrating in its perfect placement, and it produced, at least in me, a dread that was greater that it ought to have been: something about the way it was hit, just inches away from being a harmless foul, made me think that something in the heavens had shifted. Shortly afterwards, Merrill received a sinker up in the zone, inside, and sent it past a diving Turner and into left. Marsh’s throw couldn’t beat France, and the streak was over. The number that will accompany Sanchez’ name through the decades was thus locked into place: 50.2.

The Phillies offense, unwilling to let Sanchez’ night be tainted by a loss, immediately went to work. Realmuto homered to left, and Schwarber homered to right, and the Phillies had a 3-1 lead.

Brad Keller replaced Sánchez. That would be a tough task on any night, and an especially unenviable one on this night. He ran into trouble, loading the bases via singles to Tatis Jr. and Andujar and a walk to Gavin Sheets. He plunked Xander Bogaerts to plate a run in particularly unpleasant fashion, but allowed no further damage.

Marsh singled to lead off the eighth, but the Phillies could not extend their lead. Jhoan Duran was thus asked to bring the night to a just conclusion: only a victory for the home club could be proper on this occasion. Let his flaming fastball light the pyre. And it did. Jhoan made Merrill line out, struck out pinch hitter Bryce Johnson, then punctuated the affair with a swinging strikeout of Samad Taylor.

Sánchez thus leaves tonight’s game without his streak, but with his bona fides as an ace, an All-Star, a conquering hero, more polished than ever. And with a win, too.

The Phillies are 32-29. They’ll conclude their series against the Padres on Thursday at 1:05.

PHOENIX — Orel Hershiser was getting ready to grab dinner before broadcasting the Los Angeles Dodgers’ game Wednesday night when he got the news that Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Cristopher Sanchez’s bid to break his all-time scoreless innings streak had ended.

Hershiser says he was privately rooting for Sanchez, but concedes that his family and friends were quite relieved his record 59-inning scoreless streak remains the standard. Sanchez’s streak was snapped at 50.2 innings on San Diego Padres center fielder Jack Merrill’s two-out single, scoring Ty France from second base.

“It’s a great accomplishment, it really is,’’ Hershiser told USA TODAY Sports. “It’s tremendous. I really believe you’re going to see more streaks this year. You’ve got guys like Shohei (Ohtani of the Dodgers). Miz (Jacob Misiorowski of the Milwaukee Brewers). I think with the way hitting is now, you’re going to see more of these streaks.

“Someone will break the record.’’

Just not now, with Hershiser’s 1988 record still standing after 38 years and counting.

“I was rooting for him because I know how special it is in your life,’’ Hershiser said. “He’s having a great year. He’s got to be the front-runner for the Cy Young. He’s got ridiculous stuff. And he’s a strikeout pitcher, much more of a strikeout pitcher than I was.’’

I think it’s safe to say, most Diamondbacks’ fans are going into this game, more in hope than genuine expectation of winning. Shohei Ohtani has made nine starts this year, all but one going at least six innings. And just once has he allowed more than a single earned run. Opposing batters are hitting just .147, and of the 213 batters to have faced Ohtani this year, only two have homered. He has a 0.82 ERA. Kinda remarkable he is not 9-0. But Shohei has “only” got five wins. He lost 2-1 to both the Astros and Marlins, and also has a pair of no-decisions. Both of those came in Los Angeles defeats, but he didn’t allow an earned run in either game.

On the other hand, we have Zac Gallen. He has allowed fewer than two earned runs in only three of his eleven starts – and one of those was a curtailed three-inning outing. He has precisely two quality starts all year. They came against the Tigers and Giants, the 26th and 27th-ranked teams in the majors this year, by runs per game. Tonight, he’s facing the second-ranked Dodgers, who have scored an average of 5.26 runs per game [Somewhat fun fact: #1 are the next visitors to Chase Field, the Washington Nationals, at 5.32 R/G] Gallen’s ERA has increased after five of his last six starts.

Of course, much of the above is written in the spirit of a reverse jinx. One of the great things about baseball is, any team can win on any given day. We’ve seen this often enough before. Why not tonight? At least we should be safe from any “Why are we making this scrub look like Cy Young?” comments in the GDT! It would be nice if they end up posting those over on True Blue LA instead. As mentioned in Snake Bytes, three of our four losses to the Dodgers have been by one run. Be nice if the gods of regression smile on the Diamondbacks tonight, and give us our first one-run win over the Evil Empire. Especially on a day where we got the bad news about the return of our former staff ace.

The Colorado Rockies have certainly enjoyed the series against the Los Angeles Angels. After a wacky win to kick off the series on Monday, the boys in purple enjoyed a convincing win on Tuesday to win the series. Now, they look to complete the sweep on the road before heading home for the weekend.

Michael Lorenzen (2-7, 7.22 ERA) takes the hill against his former club, looking to right the ship. May was not a kind month to Lorenzen as he posted an 8.87 ERA over five starts, throwing 23.1 innings. He allowed five or more runs in three starts and allowed at least five hits in all of his starts. The major issue for Lorenzen has been a lack of command and consistency in his starts. It has seemed that he is typically good for one or two innings in a start that can come before or after things fall apart. The second time through the order has proven the most troublesome, as he has allowed 22 runs and issued 12 walks. The numbers, a third time through the order, haven’t proven much better. If he can attack the zone and find his spots, Lorenzen can be quite effective, but that consistency has eluded him.

In his career, he has made 11 appearances, including seven starts, against the Angels and has a 3.80 ERA. In 13 appearances at Angel Stadium, he sports a 3.47 ERA.

The Angels will send out the 22-year-old right-hander Walbert Ureña (2-4, 2.44 ERA). The rookie Ureña has done well to start his big league career, recording four quality starts in eight starts. His first two appearances of the year came out of the bullpen before he was moved to the rotation, where he has thrived. In May, he posted a 1.64 ERA over 33 innings. He went at least five innings in each outing, going six innings in three of them. He allowed more than one run just once and has done well limiting contact. However, he can struggle with command, allowing at least three walks in four of six starts last month. He can get strikeouts, but if the Rockies can work deep counts, they may be able to knock him out early since his season high pitch count is 93 pitches and he hasn’t worked past the sixth inning.

First Pitch: 7:38 pm MDT

TV: Rockies TV

Radio: KOA 850 AM/94.1 FM; KNRV 1150 (Spanish)

Lineups:

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The waiting game continued Wednesday evening, the story looming over anything that happened on the field for the Yankees. 

With so much uncertainty swirling about the status of Aaron Judge, a bone bruise near his right rib cage that’s impacting his swing and how much time the Yankees’ superstar could miss, the only thing that’d become certain by first pitch was that he wasn’t in the lineup for a second consecutive night.

Judge, who last played Sunday, underwent imaging on the team’s day off Monday, met with team physician Dr. Christopher Ahmad on Tuesday and saw a specialist Wednesday.

When manager Aaron Boone met with reporters before the game, the specialist was still reviewing the images, preventing Boone from getting an answer he’d hoped to have at that point. 

Judge was left to work out in the weight room, get treatment and await his fate — whether this was a best-case scenario that didn’t involve the injured list, a short stint on the IL or something more long term that could threaten to derail the Yankees’ strong start.

And the Yankees were left to tweak their lineup, with José Caballero in right field and Ben Rice as their lineup’s power source. 

Asked how long the Yankees would go without Judge being an option before making a transaction, Boone said he didn’t know.

“It kind of depends on probably this diagnosis with the doctors and seeing where he’s at [Wednesday] and [Thursday],” Boone said.

So the Yankees needed to pivot again. They needed to start Caballero in right field again, a spot the utilityman — who Boone said the Yankees “trust in a lot of places” — hadn’t played since September before opening the game there Monday. 

They needed to rely on Rice, in just his second full MLB season, as their lineup’s anchor, banking on the lefty slugger’s ability to adapt if pitchers approach him differently without Judge lurking in the on-deck circle. Rice entered Wednesday’s game with a six-game streak of reaching base multiple times — his second tear of that length this season — and had hit .500 with 11 RBIs across that stretch, adding to his 17 homers and 44 RBIs this season.

“I don’t think he’s stepping into anything,” Boone said of Rice. “Nothing changes. He’s been one of the best players in the league. There’s not a requirement to now do more. It’s not a, ‘He’s gotta go to another level.’ I don’t know where you go.”

Boone and the Yankees hoped initially that Judge, someone they’ve struggled without in recent seasons, could miss only a few days and that they avoided anything serious.

His last stint on the IL occurred in July 2025 — and caused him to miss 10 games — due to a flexor strain in his right elbow. He also missed more than a month in 2023 with a torn ligament in his big right toe. 

It forced the Yankees to find ways to cobble together production to replace the three-time American League MVP, who also won the AL batting title last year (.331 average) and has collected another 17 homers to start 2026.

Recently, though, Judge struggled, going just 17-for-82 (.207) across his 22 games prior to Tuesday with 26 strikeouts. His average dipped to .248. He collected just six extra-base hits across that stretch and launched just one homer since May 11.

Judge went a career-worst 11 games without an RBI last month, too. 

It was a concerning stretch, even for one of the sport’s best hitters. Boone admitted Wednesday that “I think there is some correlation” between the nagging injury that gradually worsened and the slump.

“He’s learned how to play through things really well, which is a skill and it requires a skill and a toughness and just a know-how to kind of go through the day and what you need to do to be ready and things like that,” Boone said when asked if Judge’s durability and desire to play every game is a bit of a throwback.

“I think he takes a lot of pride in that durability. He had some injuries earlier in his career that derailed him a number of games, so it’s important that he goes to the post and is available and he’s done a great job of that.”

Boone thought the Yankees were better equipped to handle a Judge absence than they were in past seasons. They failed in their first glimpse of life without Judge. Wednesday gave them another glimpse of how they could initially attempt to survive, regardless of his absence’s length.

It hasn’t been an easy first year with the Mets for Bo Bichette.

After signing a lucrative three-year, $126 million deal in the offseason to be a big part of the offense and help replace some of the production lost in free agency, Bichette hasn’t lived up to expectations.

Entering Wednesday’s game against the Seattle Mariners, Bichette was hitting .213 with a .570 OPS and was stuck in an 0-for-16 slump over the last handful of games. As if that wasn’t bad enough, Bichette, known as a great hitter throughout his career with runners in scoring position, was hitting .196 in those situations this season.

However, not only did Bichette snap his hitless streak in the series finale with a 4-for-4 day, he also came through in a big spot in the fourth inning when he singled in two runs with the bases loaded to break a 1-1 tie.

“Really good day for him,” manager Carlos Mendoza said. “That first at-bat he hits that bullet to right field and then it’s just kind of a typical game from Bo when he’s going well. He’s gonna spread the ball around, he’s gonna hit line drives. Runner at third with the infield in he gets a sac fly. A very good day for him offensively.”

Despite Bichette’s struggles for the majority of the season, Mendoza hasn’t moved him lower in the order, keeping him near the top of the lineup in hopes that he gets things going. That strategy paid off for him on Wednesday.

Mendoza also believes Bichette has run into some tough luck this season, saying he’s hit the ball hard but doesn’t have the results to show for it.

“They’re human. When you look up and the numbers aren’t what they’re supposed to be at, [and] everybody keeps telling you after a good swing, after a bullet, it gets tiring at times,” the skipper said. “They wanna see results. Hopefully now he continues to get results and he gets going here, but I feel like this guy has been very unlucky, I hate to say it. He’s a good hitter.”

For what it’s worth, the stats back up Mendoza’s claims. Bichette’s xBA is .276 – a full 50 points higher than his .226 batting average and much closer to his career .288 number – which ranks in the 79th percentile, per Baseball Savant. 

Bichette’s average exit velocity (90.9 mph), hard-hit percentage (45.5 percent) and squared-up percentage (28 percent) all also rank highly around the league. Still, at the end of the day, results are what matter the most.

“I’m not gonna sit here and say I’ve been at my best,” Bichette said after admitting his latest performance felt good. “There’s been probably a lot of at-bats that could be better so just trying to focus on being more consistent.”

Bichette will have a chance at finding that consistency after an off day on Thursday. The Mets are back in action on Friday night against the San Diego Padres.

So what can he take from the success he found on Wednesday and implement it into the rest of the season?

“Just staying in the moment,” Bichette said. “There’s no secret recipe. Staying in the moment, getting good pitches to hit, competing. Whatever happens, happens and move on.”

PHOENIX — The Arizona Diamondbacks, who would be back in the National League playoffs if the season ended today, were dealt a blow to their postseason hopes when ace Corbin Burnes was shut down in his throwing recovery program from Tommy John surgery, likely sidelining him at least until September.

Burnes, who signed a six-year, $210 million free-agent contract a year ago, the largest in franchise history, was expected to return to the Diamondbacks around the All-Star Game to provide the D-backs a huge lift in the second half.

Instead, Burnes was diagnosed with a teres major strain after throwing about 18 pitches in his first outing against hitters a few days ago, and will have to re-start another throwing program, perhaps in July.

“It’s a blow, and it’s something that we’re going to have to deal with,’’ Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo said. “It’s what we do in this game, and we’ve got very qualified players in that clubhouse that are going to get some opportunities. We’ve got five really good starting pitchers right now and they’re doing a really good job. I want that to continue.’’

Burnes underwent an MRI Monday that showed no further damage, but the Diamondbacks still don’t know what caused his setback.

“There’s no real defined answer,’’ Lovullo said. “He felt it after his last outing. He felt like the next day something was just a little tight. He threw a little bit, and it just amplified a little bit. …

“We’ll just remain hopeful. We want him to get healthy once he gets there.’’

TONIGHT’S GAME: The Houston Astros (27-35), who are 6-4 in their last 10 games, will continue their nine-game homestand tonight as they play the second game of a three-game series against their former divisional opponent, the Pittsburgh Pirates (33-28).

RHP Spencer Arrighetti (7-1, 1.34 ERA), who was acquired from the Pirates this offseason, will open the series against his former club tonight opposite defending Cy Young winner RHP Paul Skenes (6-5, 2.89 ERA).

ABOUT Arrighetti: Arrighetti is fresh off of winning the AL Pitcher of the Month award following a month that saw him go 5-1 in six starts.

VS. THE PIRATES: The Astros are hosting the Pirates in Houston for their first series in the Bayou City since July of 2024.

Since the Astros moved to the AL in 2013, the Astros and Pirates have nearly split their 19 matchups evenly with the Pirates owning a 10-9 record. Historically, these teams have played each other 718 times, with the Astros going 348-371.

YOR-GONE!: DH Yordan Alvarez has hit 191 career regular season home runs, which ties him for sixth in Astros history along with 3B Alex Bregman.

HOME RUNS IN ASTROS HISTORY (REG. SEASON):

1. Jeff Bagwell: 449 
2. Lance Berkman: 326          
3. Craig Biggio: 291 
4. Jose Altuve: 259
5. Jimmy Wynn: 223

T6.  Alex Bregman: 191

T6.  Yordan Alvarez: 191

TODAY’S AVAILABILITIES: The Astros clubhouse will be open to approved media at Daikin Park until 4 p.m. CT…Astros Manager Joe Espada will be made available in the Astros dugout at approx. 4 p.m.

Game Info

Game Date/Time: Wednesday, June 3, 7:10 p.m. CT

Location: Daikin Park, Houston, TX

TV: Space City Home Network, SCHN2 (Spanish)

Streaming: SCHN+

Radio: KTRH 740 AM, KBME 790 AM & 94.5 FM HD2; TUDN 102.9 FM HD2 (Spanish)

Astros

SS Jeremy Pena

DH Yordan Alvarez

1B Christian Walker

3B Isaac Paredes

RF Cam Smith

CF Jake Meyers

LF Zach Dezenzo

2B Nick Allen

C Christian Vazquez

Pirates

1B Spencer Horwitz

2B Brandon Lowe

LF Bryan Reynolds

3B Nick Gonzales

CF O’neill Cruz

DH Marcell Ozuna

RF Jhostynxon Garcia

SS Jared Triolo

C Henry Davis

The Mets tried to pull off a double steal with Carson Benge on third earlier this season. 

Benge hesitated slightly, and ended up being gunned down at the plate. 

The rookie learned from the mistake, and was sure to make up for it the next time the play was called. 

That came on Wednesday afternoon in Seattle. 

Jared Young stepped to the plate with Juan Soto on first and Benge on third as the Mets pieced together a rally against Seattle right-hander George Kirby in the top of the third. 

Soto came into the day with just five stolen bases on the season, but he got a terrific read on Kirby and took off on just the second pitch of the at-bat. 

Seattle’s catcher Jhonny Pereda still decided to make the throw through to second, which immediately prompted Benge to start busting down the line towards home. 

The rookie came in easily, standing up for the Mets' third run of the inning. 

“That’s just part of his game,” Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said. “When him or A.J. [Ewing] are on-base, they are going to put pressure on the defense, they are going to try to create runs -- it’s good we were able to execute today.”

New York ended up tacking on another run just a few pitches later, and then held on for a  much-needed 7-1 victory to close out the series against the red-hot Mariners. 

For Benge, he says it was his first steal of home at any level. 

For the Mets, it was the franchise's first since Francisco Lindor executed that same play in Aug. 2023. 

The speedy 23-year-old is now 10-for-12 on stolen base attempts during his rookie campaign, pushing him into a tie for the eighth-most in the National League. 

The Mets execute the double steal to perfection to plate another run! pic.twitter.com/JVyjopvcUw

— SNY (@SNYtv) June 3, 2026