May 6, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Phillies right fielder Adolis García (53) celebrates his home run with second baseman Edmundo Sosa (33) against the Athletics during the sixth inning at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images | Eric Hartline-Imagn Images
Edmundo Sosa is such a fascinating ballplayer. He was in swing at everything mode in the eighth inning, but he managed to foul off enough pitches well outside of the zone until he got one to hit and delivered the go ahead, two-run single. And because of it, the Phillies are now 1-10 in games started by a left handed starting pitcher.
A massive blow was dealt to the Astros yesterday, as they lost shortstop Carlos Correa for the rest of the season due to a torn tendon in his ankle that requires surgery.
Both Parker and Sabathia are worthy inductees for the Brewers Wall of Honor despite having only short stints in Milwaukee. Parker played one season in Milwaukee in 1990, where he was named to the All-Star team, earned MVP votes, and won the Silver Slugger award. The 1990 season was a fairly forgettable one in Brewers history, but how can you not have a Hall of Famer who was an All-Star for you in your Wall of Honor?
Sabathia had even less than a full season with Milwaukee, just three months, but it was arguably the greatest three-month stretch for any pitcher we have ever seen. Sabathia lifted the Brewers on his back and carried them into the playoffs, ending the franchise’s 26-year postseason drought. No one had more of an impact on this team and this city in such a short amount of time. Of his 17 starts, seven of them were complete games. Despite being in a contract year, Sabathia selflessly put his body on the line to get this franchise to the playoffs, and this city is forever grateful to him for that.
That offseason after 2008, Sabathia left and signed a massive contract with the New York Yankees.
He will be inducted on Friday night before the Brewers play against…the New York Yankees.
It is the absolute perfect night for the Brewers to bring Sabathia back to Milwaukee and honor him. The Yankees and their fans will have to watch one of their favorite players, one of their Hall of Famers, don Brewers gear, throw out a ceremonial first pitch, be inducted into the Brewers Wall of Honor, and be cheered and adored by Brewers fans, not Yankees fans.
It works out great for Sabathia as well to see two of his old clubs at the same time, but it’ll be on the Brewers home turf.
Sabathia’s contributions were so critical to Brewers culture, one could even argue he’d be worthy of induction into the Walk of Fame as well. Generally, the criteria for the Walk of Fame is a higher bar to clear, and since he didn’t have multiple years in Milwaukee, it would be difficult in the eyes of some voters to get there. But in terms of impact, no one did more for this franchise in a shorter amount of time.
Mike Trout has 11 home runs and 23 RBIs so far this season, but the Angels enter Thursday with one of the worst records in the majors. (Luke Hales / Getty Images)
I walked around a street fair in Irvine over the weekend, checking out the crowd while waiting for my daughter’s dance team to perform. We were a few short miles from Angel Stadium, but you wouldn’t have known it: lots of people wearing Dodgers caps, someone wearing a Shohei Ohtani cap, someone else wearing an Ohtani jersey, someone else wearing a Clayton Kershaw jersey, a dog wearing a Dodgers bandana, and people repping the Padres, Giants, Athletics and Yankees.
After 25 minutes, someone walked by in an Angels cap.
If the passion wanes, apathy can set in. I wondered if that is where the Angels might find themselves now, with a slice of their fan base finding a more enjoyable way to spend its summers than watching one losing season after another, and with the shadow of baseball’s best team extending ever more securely into Orange County.
Something else happened over the weekend that made me wonder. On the heels of a winless road trip, and on the day before the Angels would claim the worst record in the major leagues, Angels general manager Perry Minasian said this to reporters: “Our best baseball is in front of us. There’s no doubt about that.”
No doubt?
Angels general manager Perry Minasian declined to predict in the team would make the playoffs this season. (Elsa Garrison / Getty Images)
On the Angels’ broadcast the previous night, reporter Erica Weston presented play-by-play announcer Wayne Randazzo with a birthday gift: a figurine of Grogu, a character in the Star Wars family. Randazzo said he would keep Grogu in the broadcast booth, as a good luck charm for the Angels.
“We certainly could use one,” Randazzo said.
Minasian, the sixth-year general manager, has yet to deliver a team that finished better than 17 games out of first place. On Wednesday, I asked him to explain why he was so confident in saying he had “no doubt” the team’s best days were ahead.
“We’ve been very competitive,” Minasian said. “Our wins and losses aren’t where we want them to be, but we have lost a lot of one-run games, a lot of tough games.”
The Angels have lost six one-run games. So have the Yankees, the team with the best record in the American League.
The Angels’ run differential is minus-14. They are four games behind in the AL West, where the first-place Athletics have a .500 record and a minus-21 run differential. You never know.
So far, however, the Angels’ offense is all about the three true outcomes: They strike out the most of any major league team and rank among the top six in walks and home runs, but they do not rank among the top 10 in runs. Only five teams have given up more runs.
“Going to the bullpen has been a harbinger of danger for the Angels,” Randazzo told viewers. The Angels’ bullpen entered Wednesday with a 5.35 earned-run average, the highest in the AL.
Owner Arte Moreno cut payroll this year, amid the implosion of the FanDuel regional sports networks. Edwin Díaz was not walking through the bullpen door.
Angels owner Arte Moreno. (Ashley Landis / Associated Press)
But the Dodgers find solid bullpen arms in ways beyond buying them: Evan Phillips was cast off by the Baltimore Orioles during a 110-loss season; Alex Vesia was acquired from the Miami Marlins after putting up an 18.69 ERA in his first five major league games.
“We’ve had guys like that,” Minasian said.
He cited Brock Burke, a waiver claim who gave the Angels two solid seasons in middle relief. Minasian traded him last winter for outfielder Josh Lowe, and any general manager would trade a middle reliever for a middle-of-the-order bat. To this point, Lowe has a .198 on-base percentage and a .287 slugging percentage.
Lowe is but a data point in illustrating this primary point: Minasian’s margin for error is smaller than it otherwise would have been if Moreno had not withdrawn from the market for top-tier free agents or had approved trading Ohtani for elite prospects that would have accelerated rebuilding. Smaller, but other teams do more with less.
“We’ve got to be able to develop our own players,” Minasian said.
On the day Minasian said he had “no doubt” better days were ahead for his team, the Angels, their triple-A affiliate and their double-A affiliate all were in last place.
Analysts perennially rank the Angels’ farm system among baseball’s worst. Minasian said he’ll put his faith in four homegrown starters: José Soriano, Reid Detmers, Jack Kochanowicz and Walbert Ureña. Their combined ERA so far: 2.99.
“When you look at good teams and sustainable winners, they build rotations, whether that’s through trades or free agency or your own,” Minasian said. “We’re doing it with our own. You can’t microwave that overnight.”
You can’t make fans wait forever for October either. Angels fans have heard enough about building a competitive team and needing patience.
They have not seen their team in a playoff game in 12 years. When are they going to see that?
Angels pitcher Walbert Ureña delivers against the New York Mets at Angel Stadium on May 1. (Luke Hales / Getty Images)
“I’m not in the prediction business,” said Minasian, whose contract expires after this season. “They’re going to see a team that plays hard every day. They’re going to see young, talented players day in and day out.”
That’s fine, but when are they going to see a winning team?
“The proof will be in the pudding,” he said. “It doesn’t matter what I say. I could say all these things. At the end of the day, we’re going to go play 162 games. We’ll see where we end up and who’s done what, and we’ll go from there.”
On Wednesday, the Angels won a series for the first time since April 13. They’re 3-2 with Grogu in the broadcast booth.
The schedule gets more challenging: a trip to Toronto and Cleveland, then back to the Big A to play the Dodgers. The same distant Angel Stadium seat available on the resale market for Wednesday's game for $5 (fees included) is available for $103 for the opener of the Dodgers series.
Orange County loves a winner. There was a long line at that Irvine street fair to collect souvenirs from one booth — the one for the Anaheim Ducks.
Gage Workman’s eighth inning single walked Game 1 off for the Mud Hens as the first of a doubleheader after Tuesday night’s rainout.
Right-hander Dylan File was knocked around a bit, but hung in there to toss 5 1/3 innings of three-run ball while striking out six on the day.
A pair of singles in the top of the first were cashed in when File allowed a two-run double. New acquisition Paul DeJong doubled in the bottom half for his first Mud Hens at-bat, but was stranded. File gave up another run in the top of the third, but the Mud Hens kicked it into gear at that point.
Max Clark singled in Andrew Navigato in the third, and Eduardo Valencia cracked a solo shot in the fourth to make it a 3-2 Memphis lead. In the sixth, Corey Julks singled and Workman doubled him to third, where he eventually scored on a Navigato ground out. That was all they’d get, but it made it a 3-3 game while Drew Sommers took over from File successfully.
Tanner Rainey spun a scoreless eighth, an extra inning as this was scheduled for seven. DeJong started on second for the Hens, and was wild pitched to third. Workman stepped in and banged a ground ball through the right side for a walkoff single.
🚨Mud Hens Walk-Off Win🚨
Gage Workman singles through the drawn-in infield and Toledo wins game one of today’s doubleheader 4-3. pic.twitter.com/qJAwDpciT9
The Redbirds fought back in a low scoring Game 2. Lefty Carlos Peña, up from Erie to help out, gave up a run in two innings of work. Konnor Pilkington took over, allowing a two-run third inning. Scott Effross and Jack Little kept Memphis in check the rest of the way, but no comeback was forthcoming.
Luke Ritter tripled with one out in the bottom of the third, but was cut down at home on a Ben Malgeri ground ball. Finally in the sixth, Corey Julks led off with a walk, eventually scoring on a Tomás Nido double. Max Clark drew a two out walk in the bottom of the seventh, and Julks followed with a walk, but Workman’s magic was already used up on thsi day, and he grounded out to end it.
Nido: 1-2, RBI, 2B, BB
Clark: 1-3, BB
Julks: 1-3, R, BB
Pena: 2.0 IP, ER, H, 2 BB, 3 K
Coming Up Next: The series is even at a game apiece headed into a 6:35 p.m. ET start on Thursday.
The SeaWolves banged out 12 hits and drew six walks to overcome a shaky start from Lael Lockhart Jr. on Wednesday.
Lockhart allowed a pair of runs in the bottom of the first, but in the third the SeaWolves came back. Bennett Lee led off the third with a walk, and scored on a Peyton Graham triple to center field. John Peck reached on a soft single to third base, and Justice Bigbie doubled in Graham. An Andrew Jenkins sacrifice fly scored Peck and made it 3-2 SeaWolves.
Unfortunately, Lockhart allowed a run in the bottom half, and then another in the fifth before departing, leaving the game with it 4-3 Senators.
In the seventh the comeback arrived courtesy of RBI knocks from Peck and Bigbie to make it 6-4 SeaWolves. Dariel Fregio gave a run back in the bottom half, but in the eighth, Aaron Antonini led off with a walk, and Peyton Graham singled with one out. Peck pulled a ball to shortstop but Seaver King threw it away, scoring Antonini. Bigbie singled in Graham, and a Jenkins grounder to third allowed Peck to score ahead of the throw. Two walks followed, forcing in a run to make it 10-5.
Tanner Kohlhepp allowed a run in relief, but the SeaWolves weren’t done scoring yet either.
Graham was hit by a pitch in the top of the ninth, and Peck reached on another error. He and Graham pulled off a double steal, but it wasn’t required as Bigbie struck out, and then Jenkins blasted a three run homer, his fifth of the year, to cap the scoring.
Andrew Jenkins smashes a 3-run homer to left that puts Erie up 13-5 in the 9th. It’s his 5th home run of the year. pic.twitter.com/nwIiO5xwuo
The Whitecaps losing streak hit 10 games on Wednesday, and once again, they lost it in the ninth inning. It’s no consolation that this one was at home and so not a walkoff.
Left-hander Ben Jacobs, at least, continued to pitch very well in his second Midwest League outing. He punched out seven over four innings of work, allowing just a solo shot to Kien Vu in the first inning.
In the bottom of the first, Jackson Strong drew a leadoff walk, but was cut down trying to steal second. Ricardo Hurtado and Garrett Pennington followed with singles, and Bryce Rainer lined a single to left to score Hurtado. Pennington was cut down trying to go first to third, so that was all they’d get.
In the third, Strong tried again, walking and successfully stealing second. Pennington singled him home, and Rainer walked, but Samuel Gil and Cristian Santana struck out.
CJ Weins and then Thomas Bruss got the ‘Caps through the eighth still holding a 2-1 lead, and then Rainer rifled a line drive home run to left field for his first with the Whitecaps.
Bryce Rainer shoots a line drive home run over the left field wall. It’s his 1st at Hi-A, and his 2nd this year. Left his bat at 103 MPH and went 364 feet. @ThatDanHasty calls it. pic.twitter.com/sRoTaC7oFd
Things looked good, and after Logan Berrier closed out the eighth, he was back for the ninth. Unfortunately, he allowed a one out walk, a single, and then made an error on a comebacker. An error from Junior Tilien in left contributed as the Dragons scored three unearned runs to take the lead. The Whitecaps went 1-2-3 in the bottom half.
Rainer: 2-3, R, 2 RBI, HR, BB
Pennington: 2-5, RBI
Jacobs: 4.0 IP, ER, 3 H, BB, 7 K
Coming Up Next: It’s an 11:00 a.m. ET start on Thursday.
Rookie Cash Kuiper put together his best outing so far this year, and the Flying Tigers used a mix of power and speed on the bases to win on Wednesday.
Kuiper no-hit the Mets for 3 2/3 innings in this one. He walked two, and struck out six, giving his team every chance to build a lead.
They got started quickly, as Jesus Pinto led off the bottom of the first with a walk and quickly stole second base. Max Anderson grounded out to move him to third, but a comebacker from Jordan Yost was thrown away the Mets’ Joel Lara and Pinto scored.
They started to break it open in the third when Yost singled up the middle and Zach MacDonald hammered a triple to the wall in center field. Yost scored, and MacDonald rode home on Beau Ankeney’s second home run of the year. 4-0 Lakeland.
Beau Ankeney with a 2-run rocket to left center that puts the Flying Tigers up 4-0. This one left his bat at 110 MPH and traveled 414 feet. @AaronArnstein on the call. pic.twitter.com/v28i4I9eOC
Unfortunately, that wouldn’t be enough as a rehabbing Preston Howey got into trouble in the sixth and allowed a run and then a two-run shot that made it a 4-3 game.
Luke Hoskins gave up a run in the seventh that tied it up. In the bottom of the seventh, Javier Osorio drew a walk and stole second base. Pinto walked and Osorio stole third as well. A Max Anderson sacrifice fly was enough to score the go ahead run. Pinto then stole second, but a rocket from Yost to right was caught, and MacDonald struck out.
So it was up to Yendy Gomez to lock this one down. He started poorly in the eighth, walking the leadoff hitter, but Gomez has good stuff, up to 98 mph with his sinker, and he bounced back. A strikeout and a pop-up followed, and then Gomez picked off the runner at first to end it. Gomez got in a little trouble in the ninth as well, but was able to wriggle out of a jam to collect the save.
Ankeney: 1-3, R, 2 RBI, HR, 2 K
MacDonald: 1-4, R, RBI, 3B, 3 K
Kuiper: 3.2 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 2 BB, 6 K
Coming Up Next: It’s a 6:30 p.m. ET start in Lakeland on Thursday with the series tied up 1-1.
The Mets did not let the absurdly cold conditions impede them tonight during their 10-5 win against the Rockies. Freddy Peralta and Michael Lorenzen faced off for the second time in two weeks but, unlike their first meeting, this time the Mets’ bats were wide awake.
Juan Soto started things off quickly with his first career leadoff home run. After a Bo Bichette ground out, MJ Melendez tripled on a line drive to right field. The first inning ended with no more runs scored, but the tone was set for the evening.
In the fourth, Brett Baty drew a leadoff walk, followed by a double by Marcus Semien, sending Baty to third. Carson Benge continued his offensive hot streak by hitting a line drive into right field for a two-RBI single. Francisco Alvarez kept the inning going with a single that sent Benge to third and, after Luis Torrens grounded out, Alvarez’s good base running confused the Rockies’ infielders enough that he was able to avoid the tag, returning to first base safely, and allowing Benge to score, putting the Mets up 4-0.
Peralta was able to keep things quiet on the Rockies’ side through five innings, though his pitch count remained inefficient, throwing 91 pitches over five innings. The Rockies threatened on a couple occasions, putting two men on in the second, third, and fourth innings, but Peralta left the Rockies 0-6 with runners in scoring position.
In the top of the sixth inning, the Mets’ lineup let loose again, starting with a single from Semien on a ground ball to right field. Benge hit a double to send Semien to third base, followed an RBI single by Alvarez, driving in Benge and moving Semien to third.
That would be it for Lorenzen, who was relieved by Zach Agnos. Agnos promptly hit Torrens with a pitch, and the inning unfolded from there. Soto hit a sacrifice fly to score Benge and Bichette hit an RBI single to score Alvarez. Tyrone Taylor (who pinch ran for MJ Melendez in the fifth) grounded into what should’ve been a double play, but a throwing error by Edouard Julien, allowed him to move to second base and Torrens to score. The Mets were up 8-0 when Tobias Myers replaced Peralta in the bottom of the sixth.
In two thirds of an inning, Myers gave up a home run to TJ Rumfield, doubles to Tyler Freeman and Troy Johnston, a home run to Jake McCarthy, and a single to Julien, good for four runs, and the Mets’ lead was cut in half. Brooks Raley and Luke Weaver calmed things down and combined for two and a third scoreless after Myers, but things got dicey again in the ninth.
Thankfully, the Mets got some insurance in the top of the ninth, when Semien hit a line-drive home run, scoring Benge and putting the Mets up 10-4.
Sean Manaea took the ball in the ninth, and it was not good. Manaea allowed three singles in a row to Mickey Moniak, Hunter Goodman, and Rumfield before hitting Freeman and forcing in a run. In what should not have been a save situation, Devin Williams had to come in. He looked strong, striking out the final two batters and ensuring the Mets’ win.
The final game in the series will be played tomorrow at 3:10 PM EDT, after weather delays postponed yesterday’s game and pushed back today’s game. With any luck, the temperature will be warmer, as promised, and the Mets can maintain some momentum when Christian Scott takes on old friend Jose Quintana.
The St. Louis Cardinals (21-15) travel to Petco Park for a three-game set versus the Padres (22-14) in San Diego. St. Louis is one of the hottest teams in the league at 7-2 over the past nine games, while San Diego is 3-1 in the last four after suffering a four-game losing streak.
St. Louis ranks ninth in batting average (.261) over the last week, while the pitching staff is 14th in ERA (3.50). The Cardinals are an impressive 11-5 on the road this season, but haven't posted the most spectacle numbers. St. Louis' team ERA drops to 4.72 (20th) and the offense dips too with a .233 batting average (20th).
San Diego has won the last two games and three of the past four to break their cold streak. The Padres offense is hitting .223 over the last six games (24th), but has 15 runs scored in the last two contests off 20 combined hits. The Padres are 1-4 in the last five at home and scored four or fewer runs in all five. We will see what offense we get from San Diego tonight.
Let’s dive into the matchup and find a sweat or two.
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Game details & how to watch Cardinals at Padres
Date: Thursday, May 7, 2026
Time: 10:00 PM EST
Site: Petco Park
City: San Diego, CA
Network/Streaming: ESPN
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Odds for the Cardinals at the Padres
The latest odds as of Thursday:
Moneyline: San Diego Padres (-175), St. Louis Cardinals (+144)
Spread: Cardinals +1.5 (-143), Padres -1.5 (+119)
Total: 8.0
Probable starting pitchers for Cardinals at Padres
Thursday's pitching matchup (May 7): Michael King vs. Matthew Liberatore
The Cardinals’ Jordan Walker is hitting .303 with 40 hits and 76 total bases over 132 at-bats
The Cardinals’ Nolan Gorman is hitting .227 with 27 hits and 37 strikeouts over 119 at-bats
The Padres’ Xander Bogaerts is hitting .276 with 35 hits and 58 total bases over 127 at-bats
The Padres’ Jake Croneworth is hitting .144 with 14 hits and 23 strikeouts over 97 at-bats
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Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Cardinals at Padres
The Cardinals are 22-14 ATS this season
The Padres are 21-15 ATS this season
The Cardinals are 19-15-2 to the Over this season
The Padres are 16-19-1 to the Over this season
If you’re looking for more key trends and stats around the spread, moneyline and total for every single game on the schedule today, check out our MLB Top Trends tool on NBC Sports!
Expert picks & predictions for tonight’s game between the Cardinals and the Padres
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Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the MLB calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, ballpark information and weather forecasts.
Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.
Here are the best bets our model is projecting for Thursday's game two between the Cardinals and the Padres:
Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Padres on the Moneyline.
Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Padres at -1.5.
Total: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Under on the Game Total of 8.0
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PHOENIX, ARIZONA - MAY 05: Bryan Reynolds #10 of the Pittsburgh Pirates gets ready in the batters box against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field on May 05, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Norm Hall/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Pittsburgh Pirates defeated the Arizona Diamondbacks last night 1-0 in a Paul Skenes gem, but it was Pirates outfielder Bryan Reynolds that made the history.
Reynolds went-2-for-4 in the game, giving him 1,000 hits for his career. It also makes him just the fifth Bucco to go for 1,000 hits, 200 doubles and 140 homers, joining Andrew McCutchen, Willie Stargell, Dave Parker and Roberto Clemente. Elite company indeed.
It also bumped Reynolds up to a .260 average on the season. He also has 4 homers and and 22 RBIS, as well as an .OBP on the year of .402, which is good for 11th in all of Major League Baseball. 30 walks in 37 games will do that to you. He’s also slugging .420 and has an .OPS of .822, which is third best on the team behind Brandon Lowe and Ryan O’Hearn.
The other news from last night is that the Pirates are finally out of the basement of the NL Central. The Bucs are tied with the Cincinnati Reds with a 20-17 record, but the Bucs are techincally above the Reds due to owning the season series thus far. The Milwaukee Brewers are an identical 5 games back as well, but they have slightly higher winning percentage than the Bucs and Reds, so they are techincally in third place. The St. Louis Cardinals are in second, 3.5 games back of the division leading Chicago Cubs. It is still very much anyone’s division.
And lastly, I think we need Jamain calling for more Paul Skenes innings more often. Just a couple days after he asked for more Skenes, we got an eight-inning gem out of the Pirates’ ace. Skenes also dropped his ERA to a more Skenes-like 2.36 and now stands with a 5-2 record on the season. Nicely done.
The Bucs are back in action this afternoon with another one versus the D’Backs.
Pittsburgh evened up the season series with Arizona after a 1-0 win on Wednesday night. Arizona was shutout for the third time this season and two in the past week. It was the ninth game of the year that Pittsburgh has been involved in a shutout.
Arizona dropped its fifth game in the last six contests to put the Diamondbacks in the midst of its worst stretch of the season. In that six-game span, Arizona is 24th with a 5.22 team ERA, and the offense is ranked last with a .201 batting average. Zac Gallen gets the start for Arizona. At one point, the Diamondbacks won three of four with Gallen on the mound, but they've lost the last two.
Pittsburgh has won four of the last five games and posted their second shutout in that span on Wednesday night. The Pirates have also allowed 9 and 7 earned runs in that five game stretch. Pittsburgh will turn to Mitch Keller after Paul Skenes' dominant 8.0 inning showing. The Pirates have won three straight with Keller on the bump.
Let’s dive into the matchup and find a sweat or two.
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Game details & how to watch Pirates at Diamondbacks
Date: Thursday, May 7, 2026
Time: 3:40 PM EST
Site: Chase Field
City: Phoenix, AZ
Network/Streaming: MLB TV
Never miss a second of the action and stay up-to-date with all the latest team stats and player news. Check out our day-by-day MLB schedule page, along with detailed matchup pages that update live in-game with every out.
The Pirates’ Nick Gonzales is hitting .309 with 38 hits and 43 total bases over 123 at-bats
The Pirates’ Marcell Ozuna is hitting .186 with 22 hits and 33 strikeouts over 118 at-bats
The Diamondbacks’ Ildemaro Vargas is hitting .364 with 40 hits and 69 total bases over 110 at-bats
The Diamondbacks’ Ketel Marte is hitting .215 with 29 hits and 28 strikeouts over 135 at-bats
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Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Padres at Giants
The Pirates are 20-17 ATS this season
The Diamondbacks are 23-12 ATS this season, ranking second-best
The Diamondbacks are 20-13-2 to the Over this season
The Pirates are 20-16-1 to the Over this season
If you’re looking for more key trends and stats around the spread, moneyline and total for every single game on the schedule today, check out our MLB Top Trends tool on NBC Sports!
Expert picks & predictions for tonight’s game between the Pirates and the Diamondbacks
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Please bet responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700.
Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the MLB calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, ballpark information and weather forecasts.
Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.
Here are the best bets our model is projecting for Thursday's game two between the Pirates and the Diamondbacks:
Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Pirates on the Moneyline.
Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Pirates at -1.5.
Total: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Over on the Game Total of 9.0
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PHOENIX — Pittsburgh Pirates Cy Young winner Paul Skenes, already producing the greatest start to a career of any pitcher in MLB history, came oh, so close Wednesday to carving out a page in the record book.
Skenes, in one of the finest starts of his brilliant career, came oh, so close to pitching a no-hitter.
Really, he came oh, so close to pitching a perfect game.
“I’d be lying,’’ Pirates manager Don Kelly said, “if I said it didn’t go through my mind.’’
Skenes instead had to settle for a brilliant eight-inning gem, allowing just two baserunners in the Pirates’ 1-0 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field.
“I don’t know what else to say,’’ Kelly said, “but he was unbelievable.’’
Skenes was blowing his 98-mph four-seam fastball past the D-backs. He had them swinging at air on his changeup. He had them diving at his sinker. They flailed away at his sweeper.
Everything was working, generating 13 swings-and-misses, with seven strikeouts on three different pitches.
He threw 97 pitches, 65 for strikes.
He retired 13 Diamondback hitters on three or fewer pitches.
He never threw more than 17 pitches in a single inning, and threw nine pitches or fewer in three innings.
He barley broke a sweat.
“I thought there were times that every pitch was working,’’ Skenes said, “but they weren’t at the same time, unfortunately. I was happy with it. We were executing our pitches.’’
Skenes set down the first 15 Diamondbacks hitters he faced with such ease that only three balls were even hit to the outfield, and no one had to make more than a routine play.
He retired the last 10 batters he faced, striking out the side in his final innings.
It was just those two batters with two outs in the sixth inning, with Lourdes Gurriel Jr. hitting a ball that traveled just 50.8 mph off his bat, trickling to the right of Skenes, and winding up with an infield hit when Skenes’ throw to first baseman Spencer Horwitz was wide of the bag. And Nolan Arenado, who attended the same high school as Skenes in Lake Forest, California, followed on the next pitch with a sharp single to left field.
Other than that, Skenes was perfect in his eight shutout innings, one out less than his career high.
No walks.
No more hits.
And no runs.
“I’m not going to go out there and tell him he’s got to throw no-hitters every single time he goes out there,’’ said Pirates second baseman Brandon Lowe, who produced the only run with his first-inning homer, “but it’s a lot of fun to be behind when he’s rolling like he was tonight.’’
Sure, Skenes (5-2, 2.36 ERA) may have looked human at times this year. He gave up five runs in his season-opener without getting out of the first inning, and five runs (three earned) in his last start against the St. Louis Cardinals.
Otherwise, he's been nothing short of spectacular.
He is 5-0 with a 0.74 ERA in his six other starts, yielding just 12 hits and three runs in 28.1 innings, showing the baseball world why he’s the finest pitcher in the game.
Skenes, the defending Cy Young Award winner, continues to put together a resume that no one has ever accomplished. He now has a career 2.01 ERA, the lowest ERA by any pitcher through his first 63 starts since at least 1920. He has made 22 scoreless starts, which are the most by any pitcher through 63 starts since at least 1901.
The only thing missing in his glossy resume is a shutout, or a nine-inning complete game.
Yet, after striking out the side in the eighth, but reaching three-ball counts on the final two batters to do so, Kelly thought he was showing fatigue after 97 pitches. He summoned left-handed reliever Gregory Soto to close out the game.
“I was thinking about it,’’ Kelly said, “and it just looked like in the eighth inning his command wasn’t as good. His velo ticked down a hair. He was getting ahead so early (in the game), but in the last inning, he just didn’t look like the command was as sharp.’’
Skenes, who said he was unaware of his pitch count, didn’t balk at the decision, saying he had confidence Soto would finish it out for a combined shutout.
“I wasn’t worrying about it too much,’’ Skenes said. “So, hopefully this year.’’
Perhaps it’s not a question worth pondering. After all, much of the joy watching Shohei Ohtani play baseball is wondering what he might do next, and if a ceiling even exists for the greatest player in the game’s history.
Yet with every passing game accompanied by quiet at-bats, with his hard-hit ball rate slipping below 50%, and with his every-six-days “hobby” of pitching absorbing more of his energy, it’s fair to at least wonder.
Has Shohei Ohtani plateaued?
Yeah, it seems like sacrilege. No player in the history of the game has ever thrown fastballs 100 mph and hit them 400 feet with regularity. Has produced 50 homers and 50 steals in a season. Nor put together arguably the greatest game in baseball history to clinch his team’s place in the World Series.
Pondering his peak wastes precious headspace contextualizing whatever facet of the game he’s currently dominating (Right now, it’s locking down opposing hitters). And besides, Ohtani doesn’t ebb and flow so much as he shape-shifts.
Watch Ohtani long enough and you realize he gives us what he can at a given time. Can’t pitch in 2024 due to Tommy John surgery recuperation?
Fine, Ohtani simply stole 59 bases – more than twice his previous career best – and hit 54 home runs to produce the first 50-50 season in major league history, capped by his first World Series title.
Fully stretched out as a pitcher, and possessing the freshest arm after the Dodgers played all the way into November to claim a second consecutive championship?
OK, then, Ohtani will simply not hit on days he pitches, pour more into his mound work and put up a major league-leading 0.97 ERA in his first seven starts this season.
It’s amazing stuff. Yet as Ohtani’s 32nd birthday approaches in July, it’s also fair to wonder if we may have seen his best work as a hitter and true two-way player.
Let’s examine:
Ohtani the hitter: Underlying changes?
If Ohtani’s career were an art gallery, aficionados would stop in their tracks at his 2023 and 2024 offensive seasons. Which one was finer?
Either way, one of those can certainly be identified as Ohtani’s hitting apex. In 2023, Ohtani set career highs in on-base percentage, slugging and OPS (.412, .654, 1.056) and weighted runs created plus (185), all while pitching.
A year later, while recovering from elbow surgery, he established career highs with 54 homers, 130 RBI, 411 total bases and 187 adjusted OPS, while equaling his 185 wRC+ (and stealing 59 bases).
Last year? Well, this is where Ohtani’s production looks an awful lot like Apple stock in the same timeframe – it may fluctuate a bit, but it never dips too far.
Ohtani underwent offseason surgery on his left shoulder following a World Series injury suffered on a steal attempt. That didn’t slow him: Ohtani hit one more home run than 2024 finish with a career-best 55, once again led the majors in total bases (380) and his OPS stayed in the four-figure range (1.014). With pitching gradually entering the mix, his stolen bases dropped to 20.
And that brings us to the first quarter of this year.
Ohtani’s .442 slugging percentage would be his lowest in his eight full seasons, and his six home runs put him on pace for his first sub-30 full season since 2019. He snapped an 0-for-18 skid - second-longest of his career - with a double Wednesday, May 6 against the Houston Astros.
Certainly, it’s early. Yet Ohtani’s underlying metrics show a gradual slippage since his ’23-’24 apex.
Both his average exit velocity (95.8 mph) and hard-hit percentage (60.1%) peaked in 2024; in 2026, they’re at 93.6 and 48.4. His wRC+ and adjusted OPS have taken more dramatic tumbles, to 125 and 131 respectively – once again, his lowest full-season totals since 2019.
All the while, his bat speed has been ticking downward, from 77.4 mph in 2023 to 74.8 this season, dropping him to the 83rd percentile.
It’s perhaps little wonder, then, that the Dodgers have been sitting him on days he pitches. But that’s where we get to the good news portion of the program.
Ohtani the pitcher: More efficient, more effective
We’re closing in on the three-year anniversary of Ohtani’s finest hour on the mound, and perhaps as a two-way player: His one-hitter against Detroit on July 27, 2023. The Angels improved to 53-49 that day, added at the trade deadline. Life was good in Orange County.
Less than a month later, Ohtani’s elbow would give. The Angels faded badly. Ohtani became a Dodger.
And the gradual build-back to pitching is paying its biggest dividends right now.
So this Ohtani won’t blow you away like his former self, the guy who led the AL with 11.9 strikeouts per nine innings in 2022. This Ohtani is punching guys out at a 10.2/nine clip – but leading the majors in ERA (0.97) and WHIP (0.81).
This Ohtani is throwing his four-seam fastball harder (98 mph) and with more frequency (a career-high 44.5%). Consequently, he’s a bit less reliant on a sweeper that he probably fell a little too in love with just before his second elbow reconstruction in 2023.
His sweeper usage peaked at 37.4% in 2022. He now throws it a quarter of the time and it’s perhaps more devastating, as Jose Altuve recently found out.
After a pair of BABIP hits, Ohtani went 101 MPH twice in a row to Altuve, and then got this swing as he tried to cheat on the fastball. pic.twitter.com/pHeu2UX1wd
Ohtani worked seven innings in that game, his longest outing since that 2023 one-hitter, and needed just 89 pitches to do so. Perhaps Ohtani won’t cross the 200-strikeout threshold again, as he did in 2022.
Yet he might be an even more effective pitcher, anyway, fulfilling his dreams of adding a Cy Young Award to his four MVPs.
Ohtani the two-way threat: Priorities, priorities
You’ve heard on more than one occasion that Ohtani is putting up “video game numbers” on the field, and that’s not a bad way to look at his output.
Hitting and pitching take their toll, and Ohtani seems to have mastered the art of keeping his energy bar right where he needs it.
Nobody recommends undergoing a pair of reconstructive elbow surgeries, but rehabbing both injuries allowed him to fully concentrate on pitching. He reached the apex of two-way greatness in 2022 and ’23, an almost robotic dispersal of his skills even as the distribution flipped:
2022: 3.4 batting WAR, 6.3 pitching WAR, 9.7 total.
2023: 6.1 batting WAR, 3.8 pitching WAR, 9.9 total.
Freed from pitching in 2024, he went 50-50 and still racked up 9.0 WAR – and the first of two World Series titles. The next year saw the Dodgers wisely slow play his pitching ramp-up, totaling 7.7 WAR and another title.
The postseason can’t be discounted: Ohtani beat both the Phillies and Brewers in the playoffs, holding Milwaukee to two hits and 10 strikeouts in a pennant-clinching win. A good use of his time and energy, for certain.
This year? Well, it’s impossible to say whether there’s a correlation between Ohtani’s pinpoint pitching (and the energy expended to get to that level) and his suboptimal, for him, offensive production. Ah, well: Ohtani’s merely on track for roughly 8.0 WAR.
Future Ohtani
Even if he doesn’t approach 50 home runs this season, Ohtani’s pitching excellence maintains the wondrous illusion that he can simply do anything his heart desires on a baseball field.
What form will that take as the Dodgers roster evolves, and Ohtani heads into his mid-30s?
This is very much a marathon: Ohtani is under contract through 2033, with only Yoshinobu Yamamoto guaranteed to be around longer. Naturally, the biggest X factor will continue to be arm health.
Could modern medicine save Ohtani’s elbow from a third disruption? Can his upper body withstand all the torque his upper body absorbs both hitting and pitching?
So long as it does, a frontline starter will always be a rarity, and a relative bargain when the Dodgers get two players for the price of one.
As for hitting? Well, it’s not out of the question that Ohtani has yet to tap into some of his Dad Strength, if you will. Age may rob him of certain athletic attributes. Hitting tape-measure shots probably won’t be one of them.
The Ohtani-Babe Ruth comp will always be a little inapt, given the disparate eras. But The Babe was a home run champ at 36. It’s easy to see Ohtani replicating that.
And even if the very, very best of Ohtani is behind him, there’s still an awful lot to look forward to – and no shortage of surprises he may provide us year after year.
May 2, 2026; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Yankees pitcher Ryan Weathers (40) hands the ball to manager Aaron Boone (17) after being relieved during the sixth inning against the Baltimore Orioles at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images
SNY | Phillip Martinez: Some news broke late last night, with the Yankees scratching Ryan Weathers from this scheduled start this afternoon. Weathers was apparently dealing with a nasty stomach virus. “I pitched, then went home and pretty much threw my guts out for several hours,” the starter said. “I thought I just had food poisoning, but woke up the next day and was running a 102 [degree] temp.”
Aaron Boone said Weathers should be good to be reinserted into the rotation next Monday. Paul Blackburn is slated to get the spot start against the Rangers today.
New York Post | Greg Joyce: Giancarlo Stanton is now eligible to return from the 10-day IL, but it doesn’t seem like the slugger’s return is imminent just yet. “He’s doing OK, and he’s hit some. [It’s lingering] a little bit. It still feels minor, but not ready to push it yet,” said Boone on Tuesday. Stanton’s injury has been described as a low-grade calf strain. It’s the kind of soft-tissue problem that’s become synonymous with Stanton at this point, but it sounds like he shouldn’t be out too much longer.
CBS Sports | Matt Snyder: On the other side of the ledger, we know that Carlos Rodón is nearing his return, and it’s sounding like Sunday’s game against the Brewers will be his season debut. “I think he’s felt ready to go now the last couple of times,” said Boone. “But to get him up over 80 pitches this time out, we wanted to do, and give him a third game. We feel like he’s ready to go.” The Yankees have four starters on the roster at the moment and will need a starter on Sunday, so as long as Rodón’s arm feels good, it seems likely he’ll be the choice.
New York Daily News | Gary Phillips: It’s one thing that the Yankees’ pitching has been league-best all season, and that their offense has been flat-out dominant for the last three weeks as the team ripped off a 15-2 stretch. It’s another thing altogether that they’ve done this without two of their top arms. The Yankees are firing on all cylinders and are about to get reinforcements in the form of Rodón and Gerrit Cole, a scary thought for their competitors. “We can’t wait,” Jazz Chisholm Jr. said after Tuesday night’s win. “Those guys are what makes us who we are, especially when it comes to the playoffs, too. So right now, we’re just hoping they stay healthy and come back as soon as possible.”
MLB.com | Jason Catania: Not only are the Yankees dominating without some of their top pitchers, they’ve also posted elite offensive numbers without much help from a crucial spot: the leadoff spot. Trent Grisham has been their primary leadoff hitter in 2026, and though he’s probably been dealt some bad luck, Grisham’s .148 batting average out of the leadoff slot hasn’t helped put Ben Rice and Aaron Judge in position to do maximum damage. On the whole, Yankee lead off hitters have hit just .160, about 40 points lower than the next worst team. In a way, it’s actually encouraging that the Yankees are scoring heaps of runs even while getting little from their leadoff hitters. How much better could they get if Grisham starts to get some hits to fall?
And one last piece of news: the Yankees optioned Yerry de Los Santos after last night’s game. Tough draw for de Los Santos, who helped give the Yankee bullpen a breather last night, soaking up 3.1 scoreless innings against the Rangers in relief of an ineffective Will Warren. The job of a Scranton Shuttle Rider isn’t an easy one, and we salute those who work it.
After missing all of spring training with an oblique injury, Bryce Miller’s month of rehab likely wrapped up tonight in Everett. So far, Miller has made four starts on his rehab assignment:
4/18 (AAA): 1.2 innings, 10 batters faced, three runs on four hits with a walk and two strikeouts; 33 pitches (21 strikes)
4/24 (A+): 3 innings, 11 batters faced, no runs on a hit with a walk and six strikeouts; 47 pitches (35 strikes)
4/30: (AAA): 4 innings, 15 batters faced, no runs on two hits with two walks and four strikeouts, 53 pitches (36 strikes)
5/6 (A+): 5 innings, 19 batters faced, no runs on two hits with three walks and two strikeouts, 61 pitches (38 strikes)
Miller was maybe too efficient tonight against eager High-A hitters excited to swing against the big-leaguer, keeping him from increasing his pitch count significantly—he had to finish out his outing in the AquaSox bullpen to get in his required pitches—but all the indicators were there: he held his fastball velocity well, still hitting 96-98 into the later innings of his outing, and mixed in all his secondaries. Postgame, Miller joked about how quickly he got through his five innings in typical Bryce-style:
Miller on his rehab start: "They had a lot of quick at-bats today. A lot of ground balls. I felt like 2026 George Kirby." https://t.co/vd7xPjWvPc
If you’re a little concerned about the walks on Miller’s ledger, that’s fair, but also, Miller was adamant about wanting to work in all of his pitches during his rehab starts, so take the walks with a grain of salt. The one thing to maybe be aware of is how often his fastball seemed to exhibit extreme downward movement to land for balls, which is something that felt like a consistent issue during his rehab assignments. But the bigger benchmarks were working at a consistent fastball velocity, throwing all his pitches and throwing strikes or near-strikes, and getting through his projected innings, and Miller hit all those targets with flying colors.
Miller didn’t face much adversity from the low minors hitters of the Diamondbacks system, but he did have to work around some traffic in the first after giving up a BABIP double and then walking the next hitter he saw on four pitches. He got out of the jam when the next hitter went after the first pitch he saw for a GIDP. Miller continued on like that, playing with his food a bit; he walked a hitter with two outs in the second, trying to get the feel for his splitter, only to come back for an easy 4-3 groundout. In the third, he issued a walk with two outs (boo! hiss!) but got his first strikeout of the day on the very next batter:
Miller’s second strikeout of the day, against Brady Counsell (yes son of Craig) to close up a very quick nine-pitch one-two-three third, was on a fastball that popped up on the gun at Funko Field at 98 mph.
Miller got through one more clean inning, thanks partially to a great sliding catch by Mariners prospect Jonny Farmelo, who continued to show he can hold down center field after the ACL tear that cost him significant time last season:
What a catch by Jonny Farmelo. Great to see him healthy & running well again. pic.twitter.com/6qxXhtoGNd
It was a big night for Farmelo and the AquaSox offense, who showed out in support of their big-league rehabber. That fifth inning almost-hit for Miller, saved by Farmelo, came after a long layoff where the AquaSox were busy scoring five runs, in addition to the three they’d already scored in the third, and the two in the first. Ten runs after four innings, cue the Mariners rotation/“I used to pray for times like this” meme.
The 2-3-4 trio of Jonny Farmelo – Felnin Celesten – Luke Stevenson ganged up for seven combined hits, six RBI, two doubles, a triple, and a homer, and since it’s hard to see any of the three of them spending much more time in Everett – Farmelo’s been there a while, Celesten has been on a heater lately, and Stevenson looks too advanced for the level – if you’re local, get up and see them while you can.
The Mariners have yet to announce if Miller will make another start or rejoin the club on this road trip, and have definitely not said what their plans are going forward, especially with Emerson Hancock, Miller’s de facto replacement, pitching as one of the top pitchers in Seattle’s rotation. But what seems clear from tonight’s outing is Miller has completed his rehab assignment, insofar as the assignment was “have a spring training”; he’s made five total starts now, including the one he did this spring before landing on the injured list, and he’s hit his pitch count benchmarks every time. Whatever the decision is, it’s coming soon.
In this week's Closer Report, Raisel Iglesias returned and got to work right away with game action in his first day back. Devin Williams seems to be turning things around. And Rico Garcia is stepping in for the injured Ryan Helsley in Baltimore. All that and more as we break down the last week in saves around baseball.
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Mason Miller - San Diego Padres
Cade Smith - Cleveland Guardians
Andrés Muñoz - Seattle Mariners
Jhoan Duran - Philadelphia Phillies
Aroldis Chapman - Boston Red Sox
Miller struck out the side against the White Sox on Sunday for his 11th save of the season, then collected two more strikeouts in a non-save situation against the Giants on Wednesday. He sports a 1.04 ERA, 0.58 WHIP, and an incredible 34/3 K/BB ratio across 17 1/3 innings.
Smith worked a clean four-out save against the Athletics on Friday, then struck out the side for his ninth save on Wednesday against the Royals. He's allowed one run over his last ten appearances. He holds a 3.31 ERA, 1.29 WHIP, and 21 strikeouts across 16 1/3 innings.
After Muñoz put together a couple of clean outings, he blew a save against the Royals on Saturday. He recovered with a scoreless inning and two strikeouts on Monday for a save, then took the loss on Tuesday after giving up a solo homer in a tie game. The 27-year-old right-hander continues to collect strikeouts in bunches. And his underlying numbers suggest he's still one of the top closers to roster over the rest of the season.
Duran was activated from the injured list on Tuesday and made an appearance against the Athletics with a nine-run lead to shake off some rust. He allowed one run on three walks and a hit while striking out two. The extended outing made him unavailable for the save chance on Wednesday against the A's, with Brad Keller picking up his third save. But expect Keller to take a back seat for regular closing duties now that Duran is back.
Chapman continues to do his thing. He locked down a pair of saves this week against the Astros and Tigers. The 38-year-old left-hander is up to seven saves with a 0.77 ERA, 0.86 WHIP, and 14 strikeouts across 11 2/3 innings.
▶ Tier 2
Raisel Iglesias- Atlanta Braves
Riley O'Brien - St. Louis Cardinals
Daniel Palencia - Chicago Cubs
David Bednar - New York Yankees
Tanner Scott - Los Angeles Dodgers
Bryan Baker - Tampa Bay Rays
Paul Sewald - Arizona Diamondbacks
The Braves put Iglesias right back on the mound for a save situation on Tuesday after coming off the injured list. He struck out two in a scoreless frame to convert his sixth save and has yet to allow an earned run over 9 2/3 innings. His return shifts Robert Suarez back into a setup role. Suarez picked up a win with a scoreless eighth inning on Tuesday.
O'Brien surrendered two runs but held on to convert a save against the Dodgers on Saturday. He then needed just three pitches to record the final two outs on Monday against the Brewers for his tenth save to go with a 2.12 ERA, 0.94 WHIP, and a 19/1 K/BB ratio across 17 innings.
Palencia made his return from the injured list this week. He made his first appearance back on Tuesday in the ninth inning of a tie game against the Reds, holding them scoreless before the game went to extras. Meanwhile, Bednar pitched a scoreless inning against the Orioles on Sunday, then converted a five-out save against the Rangers on Tuesday while giving up one run. He's not walking batters or giving up home runs. It's a .383 BABIP that's the culprit of any troubles for Bednar.
Scott struck out two in a clean inning against the Cardinals on Sunday for his second save, then worked a perfect frame against the Astros in a non-save situation on Wednesday. He should continue to see most save situations for an extended time with Edwin Díaz out for a few months. Alex Vesia has also been incredibly effective, but also throws from the left side.
Baker has turned into one of the better closers so far this season. He locked down two more saves for the Rays this week, giving him nine with a 2.45 ERA, 0.82 WHIP, and 16 strikeouts across 14 2/3 innings. The Rays will still play the matchup game when it suits them best, such as Wednesday, with Baker pitching the eighth and the left-handed Ian Seymour getting the ninth for the save. But Baker has solidified himself as the go-to option to close out games.
Sewald made one appearance in a non-save situation this week, striking out the only two batters he faced. The 35-year-old right-hander remains at seven saves with a 3.86 ERA, 0.77 WHIP, and 15 strikeouts across 11 2/3 innings.
▶ Tier 3
Devin Williams - New York Mets
Louis Varland - Toronto Blue Jays
Kenley Jansen - Detroit Tigers
Seranthony Domínguez - Chicago White Sox
Abner Uribe - Milwaukee Brewers
Lucas Erceg - Kansas City Royals
Rico Garcia - Baltimore Orioles
It's a better stretch for Williams now as he's put together a couple of good weeks on the mound. He made four scoreless appearances, including three clean saves. He's now up to five with a 6.17 ERA, 1.80 WHIP, and 20 strikeouts across 11 2/3 innings.
Varland made three appearances in non-save situations as the Blue Jays saw no save chances. He remains in line for saves ahead of Jeff Hoffman, who continues to work primarily in the seventh inning. Varland has posted a 0.48 ERA, 1.13 WHIP, and 29 strikeouts across 18 2/3 innings.
Jansen was held out for a few games as he was dealing with some groin soreness. He returned on Monday with a scoreless inning against the Red Sox. Kyle Finnegan had converted his first save in place of Jansen. Meanwhile, Will Vest landed on the 15-day injured list with right forearm inflammation.
Domínguez made one appearance this week, stepping in for the final two outs against the Padres on Saturday for his eighth save. In Milwaukee, Uribe worked a scoreless inning against the Nationals on Saturday for his third save. He then gave up one run in a non-save situation against the Cardinals on Wednesday. Meanwhile, Trevor Megill continues to work in a setup role. He pitched a clean inning behind Uribe on Saturday, then gave up a run on Wednesday.
Erceg had a big week on the mound, collecting three saves for the Royals to give him ten on the season. He's made seven straight scoreless outings, striking out nine in that span. Erceg's role got a bit more secure on Wednesday as Carlos Estévez departed his rehab outing with shoulder discomfort.
Garcia is having an incredible season so far. The one hit he's allowed also represents the only earned run he's given up, a solo homer on April 21. He'll be filling in as closer in Ryan Helsley's absence. Helsley landed on the 15-day injured list last week with right elbow inflammation. He could begin a throwing program later this week, but there's no clear timetable for a return. Garcia should be added across all leagues for those looking for saves. Andrew Kittredge has struggled over his last couple of outings, likely taking him out of the running for saves.
▶ Tier 4
Jacob Latz - Texas Rangers
Gregory Soto/Dennis Santana - Pittsburgh Pirates
Gus Varland - Washington Nationals
Jack Perkins - Athletics
Tyler Phillips - Miami Marlins
Tony Santillan/Graham Ashcraft - Cincinnati Reds
Bryan King - Houston Astros
Latz has settled in as the Rangers' closer. He picked up his third save with a clean inning against the Tigers on Friday, then pitched the ninth with a five-run lead on Wednesday against the Yankees. The 30-year-old left-hander now has a 0.96 ERA, 0.48 WHIP, and 16 strikeouts across 18 2/3 innings.
Soto recorded four clean outs with two strikeouts on Sunday against the Reds to fall in line for a win, then closed out Wednesday's game with a one-run lead against the Diamondbacks for his second save of the season. This came one day after Santana surrendered two runs to Arizona. Soto has been the better of the two, posting a 1.50 ERA, 0.72 WHIP, and 24 strikeouts over 18 innings.
Varland picked up a save against the Mets last Thursday, then gave up a run on Sunday before Richard Lovelady stepped in for the final two outs against the Brewers. Varland remains the only reliever worth rostering if chasing saves on the Nationals. He holds a 3.38 ERA, 1.35 WHIP, and 14 strikeouts over 13 1/3 innings.
Perkins has been the best reliever in the Athletics' bullpen and seemed to be settling in as the team's closer until pitching the seventh and giving up four runs, two earned, to get charged with a blown save on Wednesday. He had converted his third save against the Royals last Thursday. Still, he's probably the reliever to roster in Sacramento. Perkins owns a 3.68 ERA, 1.16 WHIP, and 29 strikeouts across 14 2/3 innings.
No save chances for the Marlins this week, but Phillips was used for three scoreless innings against the Phillies on Sunday. There's still no timetable for a return for Pete Fairbanks.
Emilio Pagán was carted off with a severe hamstring injury on Tuesday against the Cubs. He suffered a Grade 2 left hamstring strain that is going to sideline him anywhere from 4-8 weeks. Ashcraft got the first save chance in his absence on Wednesday and blew a two-run lead to Chicago. Santillan was unavailable after pitching in two of the last three days. Santillan hasn't been quite as effective as he's been over the last couple of years, displaying diminished velocity and a higher walk rate. Expect him and Ashcraft to be in the mix for save chances.
▶ Tier 5
Kaleb Killian/Ryan Walker/Keaton Winn - San Francisco Giants
Victor Vodnik - Colorado Rockies
Eric Orze/Justin Topa - Minnesota Twins
Sam Bachman/Ryan Zeferjahn - Los Angeles Angels
The Giants' situation is nearing untouchable territory. Walker was charged with two blown saves this week, then gave up two more runs on Wednesday against the Padres. It was Kilian who converted the team's only save this week and probably the only reliever worth speculating on in San Francisco. And in Anaheim, the Angels activated Kirby Yates on Monday, but held him out of Tuesday's game with a one-run lead and Wednesday's game with a six-run lead. It seems they are waiting to give him some lower-leverage work before giving him a chance to work into save situations.
Juan Soto may have gotten the Mets on the board first with his leadoff home run to start the game against the Colorado Rockies, but it was Marcus Semien who had the best night offensively for New York.
Finishing 4-for-5, including a double and home run of his own (just his second of the season), Semien’s most productive game at the plate this season helped the Mets beat the Rockies, 10-5, and give them their third win in a row.
Semien’s big night came after he began the road trip 2-for-15 and in the middle of a rough start to his first season in New York after getting traded from the Texas Rangers during the offseason.
So, not only was his performance important for the Mets, it served as a reminder of what kind of player Semien can be when he’s at his best.
“Just trying to stay locked in. Keep it simple, really,” Semien said. “If they throw the ball down the middle, keep it simple and just keep working on what I’m working on in the cage to get my swing going.”
Up until this point, Semien’s swing hadn’t been doing much for New York. In fact, he entered Wednesday’s game with a paltry .208/.259/.272 slash line and was constantly hitting the ball on the ground. So seeing the 14-year veteran get balls in the air again and swing the bat with authority is certainly a sight for sore eyes.
Manager Carlos Mendoza has seen Semien play for a long time and knows when he’s hitting the ball like he did on Wednesday, he’s locking in.
“He was aggressive early in the zone,” Mendoza said. “He was short to the ball, he was able to use the whole field, he drove the ball, especially that homer to the pull side the last at-bat. That’s a really good sign.
“I’ve seen this guy play for a long time and when he’s going well he’s doing that. He’s an aggressive hitter, he’s going to attack pitches and like I said it was just good to see him have results.”
The four-hit night raised Semien’s batting average more than 20 points, from .208 to .231. His OPS also took a big jump, going from .531 to .602.
There’s still a lot of work to be done to restore Semien’s first season in Queens and get him back to his career OPS of .753, but what better place to get it going than Coors Field where the Mets play one more game before leaving town.
“You want to have good games in this ballpark,” Semien said. “It’s a good place to hit, it’s a big outfield and the ball carries.”
Sure, it might be harder than ever for Semien to recapture his former glory days after two full seasons with an OPS below .700 with the Rangers, but hard work doesn’t scare Semien.
“It’s been a tough stretch for him but the guy is as consistent as anyone in there,” Mendoza said. “He works extremely hard and I’m glad that he finally got a really good game for us.”
"Great player, great hitter," Soto said about Semien. "I feel like he’s getting his rhythm back so I can’t wait to keep seeing him doing that."
PHOENIX, ARIZONA - MAY 06: Starting pitcher Paul Skenes #30 of the Pittsburgh Pirates pitches against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the second inning of the MLB game at Chase Field on May 06, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Baseball is undoubtedly a team sport. In fact, I would argue it is the most intensely team-based sport among the major North American sports. Unlike leagues like the NFL or NBA, collecting a few stars on a baseball team can only make a marginal difference. If you have any doubt, baseball history is replete with examples of teams that include multiple Hall of Famers and fail to even make a World Series let alone win one. But tonight, Paul Skenes looked as if he didn’t even need a team behind him. He started the night with 4.2 of no-hit innings that were only broken on a swinging bunt from Lourdes Gurriel Jr and a screaming single to left from Nolan Arenado. Outside of that one threat, the D-Backs failed to muster even a nominal challenge to Skenes’ dominance, swinging early and freely. For Michael Soroka, it was an incredibly tough luck loss. His only fatal mistake came on the fourth pitch of the game when Brandon Lowe took a hanging changeup on the outside edge of the plate right to the centerfield camera well for the only run of the game.
After Lowe’s homer, the Pirates followed up with a Bryan Reynolds single and a Ryan O’Hearn walk and I started to get a sinking deja vu feeling of that nightmarish first inning in Milwaukee last Thursday. Instead, the D-Backs performed the first of many defensive gems all over Chase Field that kept the game as close as it was. In the first, Arenado took away a hit from Nick Gonzales on a hot shot down the line and nearly turned it into a double play. There was the diving catch at the warning track by Alek Thomas to take away a double from Spencer Horwitz, and there were multiple plays at the plate – including an inexplicably bad baserunning blunder that ended the second inning.
Maybe it’s a little unfair to call a 2.91 ERA and 0.824 WHIP season as up and down, but that’s exactly what happens when you set the bar as high as Skenes has with a Rookie of the Year award and then follow it up with a unanimous Cy Young award. It’s also probably a little unfair to be upset about losing to a pitcher like that when nearly every pitch offering seems to be working. Thankfully, the D-Backs will have a chance to take the series tomorrow against Mitch Keller while Zac Gallen will look for another bounceback performance after yet another blowup against the Cubs on Friday.
