Category: Baseball

Not a great night for our guys. The team fell this evening, losing to the Angels 7-0.

More to come

Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders: L, 6-3 at Columbus Clippers

2B Oswaldo Cabrera 2-5, HR, RBI, K, throwing error — second homer in as many days!
DH Marco Luciano 1-4, K
RF Yanquiel Fernández 2-4, 2B, HR, 2 RBI, K — 16th homer of the year for Yanquiel
LF Garrett Martin 1-4, K
3B Tyler Hardman 2-4, SB
1B Ernesto Martinez Jr. 0-3, 3 K
SS Jonathan Ornelas 0-4, 3 K
C Payton Henry 0-4, 2 K
CF Duke Ellis 1-4, K

Don Hamel 4.2 IP, 3 H, 5 R (1 ER), 5 BB, 4 K (loss)
Will Brian 2 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 0 BB, 2 K, 1 HR
Yerry De Los Santos 0.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K
Rafael Montero 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 K

Double-A Somerset Patriots: L, 7-6 at Portland Sea Dogs

LF Jackson Castillo 0-5, 3 K
RF Jace Avina 2-4, HR, RBI, K — 15th homer of the year
3B Kevin Verde 0-1
CF DJ Gladney 3-5, HR, RBI
1B-RF Nicholas Torres 2-5, 3 K, throwing error
3B-1B Coby Morales 3-4, 2B, RBI, K
C Miguel Palma 0-3, GIDP
DH Manuel Palencia 1-4
2B Connor McGinnis 1-3, 2B, RBI, BB
SS Owen Cobb 1-3, 2B, RBI, K, SAC, fielding error

Kyle Carr 5 IP, 6 H, 3 R, 2 BB, 7 K, 1 HR — after a rough April Carr has been pretty sharp
Chris Kean 1.1 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K (hold)
Ben Grable 0.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K (hold)
Matt Keating 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K (hold)
Hayden Merda 0 IP, 3 H, 4 R (3 ER), 0 BB, 0 K (loss, blown save) — entered with a 6-3 lead, exited with a 6-6 tie and zero outs, yikes
Tony Rossi 0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K — gave up the winning run on an error, leading to this strangely empty line

High-A Hudson Valley Renegades: W, 3-2 at Rome Emperors

SS Kaeden Kent 0-4, BB, K
3B Core Jackson 1-5, HR, RBI — homer in the first got HV ahead
C Eric Genther 5-5, 2 2B
1B Kyle West 2-5, 2B, HR, 2 RBI, 2 K — two-run shot was the difference in the game
LF Wilson Rodriguez 0-4, K
2B Roderick Arias 1-3, BB, K
DH Enmanuel Tejeda 1-4, K
CF Camden Troyer 1-4
RF Luis Durango 0-4, K, fielding error

Rory Fox 5.2 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 1 BB, 6 K, 1 HR (win)
Jack Sokol 1 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 0 K (hold)
Thomas Balboni Jr. 1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K (hold)
Wilmy Sanchez 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K (save)

Low-A Tampa Tarpons: L, 13-11 vs. Fort Myers Mighty Mussels

SS Jackson Lovich 0-4, RBI, BB, K
CF Brando Mayea 4-5, 3 RBI, K
LF Luis Puello 4-6, K
3B-1B Hans Montero 0-3, 2 BB, 2 K
RF Logan Maxwell 2-4, 2 RBI, BB
C Engelth Urena 1-6, K
DH David McCann 3-5, 2 RBI, K
1B Austin Green 3-5, 2 RBI, K
3B Bryce Martin-Grudzielanek 1-1, BB
2B Luis Escudero 2-3, 3 RBI, 2 BB

Tyler Boudreau 5 IP, 4 H, 5 R (4 ER), 2 BB, 5 K, 1 HR
Jose M. Rodriguez 1 IP, 1 H, 2 R, 2 BB, 2 K
Pedro Rodriguez 0.1 IP, 4 H, 5 R, 1 BB, 0 K
Matthew Tippie 1.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K
Jordarlin Mendoza 1 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 0 BB, 1 K, 1 HR

Florida Complex League Yankees: L, 3-2 (8) vs. FCL Blue Jays

3B Richard Matic 2-4, RBI, K, SB, throwing error
RF Wilberson De Pena 0-4, 3 K
C Queni Pineda 0-3, K
SS-2B Leni Done 0-3, K
CF Jose Castro 0-3, 2 K
LF Robbie Burnett 1-3, fielding error
DH Francisco Vilorio 0-2, BB
2B-SS Dexters Peralta 1-2, BB, K, SB
1B Justin Capellan 0-1, BB, K
1B Christofer Reyes 0-1

Sabier Marte 5 IP, 3 H, 1 R (0 ER), 0 BB, 5 K
Austin Breedlove 2 IP, 2 H, 2 R (0 ER), 1 BB, 3 K (loss, blown save)
Jorge Luna 0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K — came on with two on and allowed the ghost runner to score, but doesn’t actually get credited with the loss

Dominican Summer League Yankees: L, 8-5 vs. DSL Bombers — some Baby Bomber vs. Baby Bomber action

CF Isaias Castillo 3-3, RBI, 2 BB, SB — keeps the OPS at a tidy 1.289
SS Stiven Marinez 0-4, BB, 2 K
DH Yostin Pena 0-4, RBI, K, SF
2B Juan Torres 1-3, 2 BB, CS
RF Manuel Aguilar 1-3, 2 BB
3B Abrahan Pichardo 1-4, RBI, K
C Cesar Lopez 1-4, K
1B Jose Peralta 0-2, 2 BB, K
LF Kendry Diaz 1-2, 2 BB, fielding error

Jhon Beltre 1.1 IP, 3 H, 5 R, 4 BB, 2 K, 1 HR (loss)
Cesar Vivanco 0.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K
Freddy Lopez 2.2 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 3 BB, 2 K, 1 HR
Emanuel Vargas 1.2 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 3 BB, 2 K
Jose Vargas 3 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K

Dominican Summer League Bombers: W, 8-5 vs. DSL Yankees

SS Mani Cedeno 1-3, RBI, 2 BB, 1 K, SB, fielding error
DH Carlos Bello 2-3, 2 HR, 3 RBI, 2 BB, SB — doubled his season home-run total in the third and fourth innings
C Alessandro Rodriguez 1-2, 3 RBI, 2 BB
RF David Carrera 0-2, 2 BB, K
3B Germayhoni Beltre 1-5
CF Alfiery Matos 1-5
2B Adrian Feliz 1-4, BB, 2 K
1B John Rosillo 0-5, 3 K
LF Eddison Charles 0-3, BB, K

Brandy Luis 3 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 2 BB, 3 K
Sebastian Castillo 3.2 IP, 4 H, 3 R (2 ER), 3 BB, 4 K (win)
Diego Carrillo 1.1 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 2 BB, 0 K
Josue Silvestre 0.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 1 K (hold)
Ronald Tejada 0.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 K (save)

Triple-A: Syracuse Mets (37-37)

SYRACYSE 11, NORFOLK 10 (BOX)

Jonah Tong made another awful start, and his defense – which made three errors in total – did him no favors. Jonathan Pintaro was quite poor as well. The Mets chipped away, but seemed destined to lose. Then with one out out in the ninth, a Kevin Parada double put the tying run in scoring position. A triple from Sam Biller tied it. and finally, a sacrifice fly off the bat of Yonny Hernandez drove in the game winning run. Love a walkoff win.

• REHAB ALERT: SS Ronny Mauricio: 1-4, R, K, SB (6)
• 3B Yonny Hernández: 0-0, RBI, BB, SB (8)
• CF Nick Morabito: 1-4, 2 R, BB, K
• 2B Ji Hwan Bae: 0-4, R, BB, 4 K, SB (25), E (3)
• 1B Grae Kessinger: 1-1, R, 2 RBI, 3 BB
• C Ben Rortvedt: 2-2, 2 R, 2B, HR (5), 3 RBI, 3 BB, 2 E (5)
• RF Cristian Pache: 1-5, R, 2 RBI, 2 K, SB (12)
• 3B-SS Vidal Bruján: 2-5, R, 2B, RBI, K
• DH Kevin Parada: 3-5, R, 2B, RBI
• LF Sam Biller: 1-5, R, 3B, RBI, 2 K
• RHP Jonah Tong: 3.0 IP, 8 H, 7 R, 3 ER, 3 BB, 3 K
• RHP Joey Gerber: 2.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 3 K
• RHP Jonathan Pintaro: 3.1 IP, 6 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 3 K
• RHP Ben Simon: 0.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 0 K, W (2-2)

Double-A: Binghamton Rumble Ponies (27-41)

BINGHAMTON 10, NEW HAMPSHIRE 2 (BOX)

Binghamton trailed going into the late innings, then exploded. Three in the sixth, four in the seventh, two more in the eight, and a 10-2 win in the end. All three of Nick Lorusso, Jaylen Palmer, and Kevin Villavicencio went deep in the win.

• DH Chris Suero: 2-5, RBI, K
• RF Matt Rudick: 0-3, 2 BB, 2 K, SB (4)
• CF Jose Ramos: 1-5, R, 2B, K
• 1B Nick Lorusso: 1-4, 2 R, HR (11), 2 RBI, BB, K, SB (4)
• C Vincent Perozo: 0-3, R
• SS Wyatt Young: 1-4, 2 R, BB, 2 SB (13)
• LF Jaylen Palmer: 2-3, 2 R, 2B, HR (1), 4 RBI, BB, K
• 3B Kevin Villavicencio: 2-4, 2 R, HR (1), 2 RBI, K
• 2B Nick Lucky: 1-3, BB, SB (1)
• LHP Max Green: 5.2 IP, 7 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 2 K
• RHP Danis Correa: 1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K, W (1-1)
• RHP Garrett Stratton: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 3 K
• RHP Justin Armbruester: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K

High-A: Brooklyn Cyclones (25-42)

WILMINGTON 4, BROOKLYN 2 (BOX)

This Brooklyn team just doe snot have the juice this year. There’s not a ton of notable prospects, nor are there any minor league performers driving wins. Much like the major league side, feels like a very blah season.

• 2B Yonatan Henriquez: 1-4, K
• DH Ronald Hernandez: 1-4, K
• 1B Corey Collins: 2-3, 2B, BB
• C Daiverson Gutierrez: 0-4
• CF John Bay: 1-4, R, K, SB (17)
• RF JT Benson: 1-4, R, 2B, K
• SS Colin Houck: 0-4
• 3B Trace Willhoite: 0-2, RBI, BB
• LF Yohairo Cuevas: 0-3
• RHP Jose Chirinos: 5.0 IP, 9 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 1 BB, 3 K, L (1-2)
• LHP Joe Jacques: 0.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 2 K
• RHP Josh Blum: 1.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K
• RHP Cristofer Gomez: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K

Single-A: St. Lucie Mets (34-33)

POSTPONED (RAIN)

Rookie: FCL Mets (14-19)

FCL ASTROS 6, FCL METS 5 (BOX)

• CF Wyatt Vincent: 1-3, R, HR (3), 3 RBI
• RF Vladi Gomez: 0-3, RBI, 2 K
• SS Anthony Frobose: 1-3, 2 K, SB (9), CS (3)
• C Josmir Reyes: 0-2, BB
• DH Roybert Herrera: 0-2
• 2B Yorber Semprun: 2-3, SB (2)
• 3B Diover De Aza: 0-3, 2 K
• 1B Yeider Mindiola: 1-2, 2 R, HR (1), RBI, BB, E (6)
• LF Adolfo Miranda: 2-3, 2 R, K, SB (2)
• LHP Luis R. Rodriguez: 0.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 2 K
• RHP Omar Victorino: 0.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K
• RHP Dillon Stiltner: 2.0 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 3 K
• RHP Jean Brito: 2.0 IP, 0 H, 4 R, 1 ER, 3 BB, 2 K, L (2-1), BS (3), E (2)
• RHP Yoralbert Cadiz: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 1 K, E (1)
• RHP Jun-Seok Shim: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 0 K

STAR OF THE NIGHT

Randy Guzman

GOAT OF THE NIGHT

Jack Wenninger

Hello, friends.

Happy Father’s Day to all the dads of Birdland.

This article is being written before the result of Saturday’s game against the Dodgers is settled, though of course you’ll know what happened by the time you read these words. They were winning and Trevor Rogers was looking great at the time I set this to publish. I sure hope that continued!

As is unfortunately typical for the Orioles this season, there was some bad news even before the game began on Saturday. The team has placed catcher Adley Rutschman on the concussion injured list, following his being hit in the head by an errant throw while running to first base in Thursday’s loss to the Mariners.

It is rotten luck to lose one of the better hitters on the team so far this season to a freak injury like that. Hopefully he is able to bounce back from the concussion symptoms quickly. The team certainly needs him. Though I also hope the Orioles don’t rush him back in desperation. That won’t help anyone in the short term or the long term.

Since the Orioles already had third catcher Sam Huff on the roster, the corresponding move to the Rutschman injury was to add an outfielder, Michael Siani. If you are not an Orioles 40-man roster sicko, you have not had much occasion to note him since his arrival by waivers about a month ago. Siani was OPSing .659 for the Dodgers Triple-A team when he was claimed and has put up a .109/.208/.217 batting line for Norfolk. Maybe he will be a better late-inning defensive replacement than Tyler O’Neill. If he ends up being more, things have probably gotten weird, and probably not the fun kind of weird.

Without the benefit of knowing what happens on Saturday, I am thinking about some glum math. Winning on Saturday only would do so much to change the math. One of the things about this season up to this point is the general weakness of the AL Wild Card field. That combined with Rob Manfred’s ongoing quest to reward mediocrity with more playoff teams has had below-.500 teams in wild card spots up to this point. I still think that will change eventually, though maybe something like 83 wins will let a team slip in.

The Orioles brought a 35-42 record into Saturday. Getting to 83 wins would mean they need to go 48-37 from that point onward. Do they have that kind of stretch in them? For almost two full years now, they haven’t! This year, they have yet to win more than three games in a row. It’s hard to stack up wins without a big streak.

Something is going to change for them to make this thing happen. We have all in our own ways spent the last two months, two years, or whatever, trying to bargain this into existence. It continues to not happen. The Orioles are not good enough, no matter how much I want them to be!

Orioles stuff you might have missed

Some pregame notes ahead of Saturday’s game (School of Roch)
Roch ran down who all was on the taxi squad before yesterday’s game, because it was more than just Siani.

Two years since peak, Orioles approaching a pivotal crossroads (The Baltimore Sun)
I might even say the peak was clinching the AL East in 2023, even farther back, but they’re definitely at a crossroads here.

The Frederick Keys are the first half division champions (Steve on Baseball)
Steve Melewski with some recent coverage of the one Orioles affiliate that’s been playing well so far this season. They’ve been playing very well, in fact!

Trey Mancini’s MLB comeback was all about who was in the stands to see it (The Baltimore Banner)
Diligent Bird Droppings readers will note that you saw this one already yesterday. I’m including it again because Trey is my wife’s favorite recent Oriole.

Birthdays and Orioles anniversaries

The most recent Orioles victory on June 21 happened over a decade ago. The 2015 team beat the Blue Jays, 13-9, to improve to 36-33 on the season. Chris Tillman was staked a 7-0 lead after the top of the second inning and gave up six runs while failing to finish the bottom of the second. Jimmy Paredes and Ryan Flaherty each drove in three runs on the way to a victory. The only player in the organization now who was in the organization that day was Ryan Mountcastle, who signed his pro contract five days prior.

There are a few former Orioles who were born on this day. They are: 2006 pitcher Sendy Rleal, 2000 pitcher Luis Rivera, 1992-93 pitcher Rick Sutcliffe, and 1955 pitcher Eddie Lopat.

Is today your birthday? Happy birthday to you! Your birthday buddies for today include: author Ian McEwen (1948), author Andrzej Sapkowski (1948), actor Chris Pratt (1979), golfer Scottie Scheffler (1996), and singer-songwriter Rebecca Black (1997).

On this day in history…

In 217 BC, Carthaginian general Hannibal won one of his great victories, pulling off an army-level ambush of a Roman force in the Battle of Lake Trasimene, which led to Carthage controlling much of modern-day Southern Italy for some time afterwards.

In 1582 AD, one of Japan’s historic legendary daimyo, Oda Nobunaga, was forced to commit suicide by a rebelling general.

In 1791, French king Louis XVI attempted to flee the captivity of revolutionaries along with his family. The royal family was captured during the flight, and the king and queen were eventually sent to the guillotine.

In 1898, the United States captured Guam from Spain during the opening of the Spanish-American War, with the Spanish defenders not yet knowing about the war having begun.

**

And that’s the way it is in Birdland on June 21. Have a safe Sunday. Go O’s!

The Detroit Tigers took the second of this weekend’s three-game series against the Chicago White Sox with a 4-1 victory at Comerica Park on Saturday afternoon. Troy Melton bounced back from a leadoff home run to settle in for six innings of one-run ball while Dillon Dinlger led the way on offense with a 2-for-4 effort that included a home run and a pair of RBIs.

On Sunday, the Motor City Kitties have a chance to sweep the South Siders for their third series win against a first-place team this month. Justin Verlander had been scheduled to return from the injured list for his second start of the season, but was scratched on Friday with a hamstring injury, which may have accelerated his retirement plans.

Instead, right-hander Keider Montero, who was relegated to the bullpen after Verlander’s return was initially announced earlier in the week, will toe the rubber for the Olde English D looking to complete the sweep of ChiSox. The 25-year-old’s most recent outing was his only relief appearance of the year — a lackluster one at that — in which he tossed 1 1/3 innings, surrendering two runs (one earned) on two hits and no walks while striking out two Houston Astros to earn his fifth loss of 2026 in a 4-2 final.

However, the last time Montero saw Chicago earlier this season on the final day of May, he gave Detroit six frames of shutout ball on two hits and no walks while striking out four in a game his team eventually lost on the road, 2-1.

The White Sox will send fellow righty Davis Martin to the mound looking to salvage the final game of the series in what has been a breakout campaign for him so far. However, June has been rough for the 29-year-old, with a six-run effort over 4 2/3 innings and a nine-run thumping in just 3 1/3 frames bookending six innings of shutout ball in between.

Davis did not face the Tigers when they met earlier this season. Take a look below at how the two Sunday starters match up.

Detroit Tigers (32-44) vs. Chicago White Sox (39-36)

Time (ET): 1:40 p.m.
Place: Comerica Park, Detroit, Michigan
SB Nation Site:South Side Sox
Media: Detroit SportsNet, MLB.TV, Tigers Radio Network

Game 77: RHP Keider Montero (3-5, 3.67 ER) vs. RHP Davis Martin (9-3, 3.31 ERA)

MONTERO

MARTIN

LAS VEGAS — The Milwaukee Brewers’ Jake Bauers would wake up in the middle of the night in a cold sweat, grab a baseball bat, walk over to the mirror and just start swinging.

Over and over again, hours at a time, until exhaustion set in.

He would wake up, pore over videotape of his swing, trying to detect any possible little thing that could end all of his struggles.

It was relentless, night after night, day after day, the anguish and anxiety slowly eroding his soul, wondering how long he could do this.

“It was a 24/7 thing," Bauers tells USA TODAY Sports. “I couldn’t turn it off. I was killing myself."

Here he was, 29 years old with a wife and two young children, playing in his seventh different organization, wondering if his career was over before it ever really started.

“It wasn't necessarily killing me like in life," Bauers said, “but it sucked as a baseball player. You call yourself a baseball player, you're getting paid to play baseball, and you don't feel like you're very good at it."

It was near the end of the season last year, the Brewers were in Pittsburgh for a three-game series the first weekend of September, and Bauers knew his career was on life support. He was hitting .188 with a .315 on-base percentage and .333 slugging percentage.

Bauers, in the starting lineup batting seventh as the Brewers’ DH on Sept. 5, popped up to the shortstop on a 78-mph curveball by Johan Oviedo in his first at-bat. Then, he struck out on an 86.3-mph slider his next.

That’s when he completely lost it.

“I remember going down in the tunnel by myself," Bauers says, “and screaming:

“What is this?’

“Are we going to keep doing this?

“Can I even play?

“Do I have what it takes?

“Is this it?

“I remember looking up at the scoreboard and it says .180," Bauer says. “Then, just saying, “[Expletive] it. I’m just going to go up there, not thing about anything, and just swing. Whatever happens, happens. I really don’t care anymore."

Bauers stepped to the plate in the sixth inning, and with two outs and runners on second and third, slapped a two-run single to right field off reliever Carmen Miodzinski’s 97.3-mph fastball for a 3-2 Brewers lead. He came up again in the eighth inning, and this time, smoked a single to center field with an exit velocity of 104.4 mph. He even stole second base.

Bauers’ confidence, which had completely vanished, came rushing back into his body.

The next day, he went 2-for-3 with two RBI, hitting his first homer in three months.

The next, 2-for-4 with a double and two more RBI.

Bauers stepped aside mentally, cleared his mind, and let his natural talents took over.

“That’s when I realized," Bauers says, “I just needed to get out of the way."

The Yankees have won a few blowouts this week, and quite a few this year, so perhaps they were due to be on the receiving end of a rout. A close game early morphed into a laugher yesterday, with some shaky defense leading to a crushing three-run homer off the bat of Spencer Steer. It’s not what you want to see, but thanks to a dominant win on Friday night, the Yankees are still in position to win another series today. We had a doozy of a matchup lined up, but the Yankees pushed back Gerrit Cole, meaning we’ll see Elmer Rodríguez against Reds ace Chase Burns. That one will go off at 1:35 p.m. EST.

On the site today, Maximo will look at the Yankees schedule, and highlight how a soft stretch on it has given the Yankees a good opportunity to whether their recent rash of injuries, while Andrew looks back on last night’s American League action, and Matt celebrates “Steady Eddie” Lopat for today’s Yankees Birthday post. And after the game, John provides a very hectic Yankees social media roundup.

Today’s Matchup

New York Yankees vs. Cincinnati Reds

Time: 1:35 p.m. EST

TV: YES Network, Reds.tv

Venue: Yankee Stadium, Bronx, NY

Questions/Prompts:

1. What do you expect from Elmer Rodríguez today?

2. Looking across town, do you think the Mets are fried after last night’s embarrassing loss to the Phillies? Or, much like 2024, do they have a run in them yet?

New York Post | Dan Martin: After missing the past couple of weeks with cervical headaches, Austin Wells is expected to be recalled for Sunday’s game. Manager Aaron Boone said he would “likely” be in the starting lineup his first game back. It’s been a lost season so far for the Yankees backstop, whose .533 OPS ranked fourth-worst among all regulars before he landed on the shelf.

In a corresponding move, the Yankees sent down J.C. Escarra, another catcher who’s struggled to get it going offensively, including while given an expanded role during Wells’ absence. That leaves the right-handed Ali Sánchez, a journeyman who has appeared in eight games since the left-handed Wells went down, to serve as his backup. Even with their catching corps at full health, the Yankees are expected to seek help at the position in advance of next month’s trade deadline.

The Athletic | Brendan Kuty: ($) After Saturday’s loss, the Yankees announced that Elmer Rodríguez would be called up to start Sunday’s series closer against Cincinnati. Gerrit Cole, who was slated to start that game, will be bumped back along with the rest of the regular rotation. The move was made to build in some extra rest during a stretch that will see the Yankees play 16 games in 16 days.

“It’s something we’ve been kicking around the last few days,” said Boone, who emphasized that the move was not due to any issue with the 35-year-old Cole. “(We) want to be pretty mindful of this as we go through the summer with a long stretch here.” Reliever Jake Bird was the odd man out, getting demoted to Triple-A to clear room on the active roster for Rodríguez.

MLB.com | Bryan Hoch: The Yankees took their largest loss of the year Saturday, a 10-2 drubbing at the hands of the Reds. Will Warren, who’s been as reliable as they come all year in the rotation, allowed six runs in 5.2 innings, though four were unearned. Those runs came courtesy of an error at first by Ben Rice, who failed to secure a low but catchable throw from Anthony Volpe to help kick off a big inning. A man who’s evolved from role player to veteran leader was circumspect in his analysis. “Let’s move on and be ready to go tomorrow,” said Paul Goldschmidt. “They played better than us. They beat us today. We’ll be ready to go tomorrow.”

MLB.com | Bryan Hoch: Cam Schlittler tossed six scoreless innings Friday while punching out a career-high 13, dropping his ERA to 1.71 while strengthening his case as a All-Star hopeful. “I think he should actually start the All-Star Game,” said his teammate, Jazz Chisholm Jr. While Chisholm is prone to bombast, he may be on the money here, with Boone agreeing that the phenom may be “the best pitcher in the American League right now.”

Schlittler got some love from one of the current kings of New York, a member of the champion Knicks squad. “Schlitty is the Cy Young winner hands down,” posted Josh Hart during Friday’s game. For his part, Schlittler is not putting the cart before the horse. “It’s early. I’ve got a lot to work on,” he said. “The most I can do is go out there, stay healthy and consistent, and try to win this team some games.”

PHILADELPHIA — Christian Scott took a positive step Saturday toward potentially returning to the Mets as soon as his required 15 days on the injured list pass.

The right-hander threw a bullpen session before the Mets’ 15-3 loss to the Phillies and reported feeling “good.” Scott was placed on the IL on Monday (retroactive to June 12) with a right hip impingement.

“Full bullpen, high intensity, so we have just got to wait,” manager Carlos Mendoza said.

The next step for Scott could be facing hitters in live batting practice. Mendoza didn’t rule out the possibility that Scott could avoid a minor league rehab stint before rejoining the club.

Scott has pitched to a 3.10 ERA in nine starts for the Mets this season.

Francisco Lindor will play Sunday for Triple-A Syracuse before a decision is reached on whether the shortstop needs further at-bats on his minor league rehab assignment or will rejoin the Mets.

Lindor was off Saturday after playing for Double-A Binghamton a day earlier. Tyrone Taylor and Ronny Mauricio will join Lindor in playing Sunday for Syracuse on rehab stints.

• CHECK OUT THE LATEST MLB STANDINGS AND METS STATS

David Peterson is the scheduled starter for Sunday night’s series finale.

Tobias Myers received the start as an opener in this rotation spot last Monday and struggled.

But the lefty Peterson has disappointed, pitching to a 5.91 ERA this season, bouncing between the rotation and bullpen. Peterson allowed three earned runs over three innings Monday in relief.

“We have been going with a lot of bullpen games, openers,” Mendoza said. “The lineup we’re facing here with a lot of lefties, a lineup that is familiar, he’s had success before. We’re going to need these guys, whether it’s Peterson or Sean Manaea or Kodai Senga. And [Sunday] Peterson is going to get another opportunity and we’re counting on him.”

Mendoza said he had an “unbelievable” experience Friday night watching Brazil play Haiti in a World Cup match across the street at Lincoln Financial Field.

“Growing up in Venezuela, I always cheer for Brazil,” Mendoza said, noting that his native country doesn’t participate in the event. “It’s fun that for the first time I got to watch a World Cup [match] and it’s Brazil playing. The atmosphere is unreal. It was unbelievable.”

They almost did it again.

The Dodgers nearly produced their second miracle in as many nights, their 3-2 loss to the Baltimore Orioles on Saturday night ending with the tying run on third base.

In their series-opening walk-off win the previous night, the Dodgers scored three runs in the ninth inning to reverse a two-run deficit.

The two-run surge on Saturday night was started by Shohei Ohtani, who returned to the lineup after a one-day absence for the birth of his second child.

Ohtani led off the ninth inning by running into a down-the-middle fastball by Andrew Kittredge and sending it over the center field wall to reduce his team’s deficit to 3-1.

Freddie Freeman drew a one-out walk, leading the Orioles to replace Kittredge with Yannier Cano. 

But Mookie Betts reached base on an infield single and Freeman scored on right fielder Leony Tavares’ error on a line drive by Tommy Edman. Betts advanced to third base on the play, only for Kyle Tucker to end the game with a strikeout.

The Dodgers spent most of the game frustrated by Orioles left-hander Trevor Rogers, who held them to one hit over the first seven innings of the game.

The runner-up for the National League rookie of the year award in 2021 with the Miami Marlins, Rogers has endured several injuries over his up-and-down seven-year career.

Rogers was spectacular last season, posting a 9-3 record and 1.81 earned-run average in 18 starts. His ERA established a new single-season Orioles record for pitchers with 100 or more innings.

The performance led to Rogers being named the Orioles’ opening-day starter this year, but the former first-round draft pick entered his start against the Dodgers with a 5.86 ERA.

He’d also lost seven of his previous eight decisions.

But the Dodgers couldn’t figure him out.

The Dodgers got their first and only hit against Rogers with two outs in the fifth inning, a bloop single to center field by Tommy Edman.

Only two others reached base against Rogers, and they both did so on walks.

What it means

A day after his wife gave birth to their second child, Ohtani was back hitting leadoff for the Dodgers.

Ohtani homered in the ninth inning but didn’t have much luck against Rogers. He popped up in his first at-bat, struck out in his second and grounded out in his third.

With Ohtani throwing in the outfield before the game, manager Dave Roberts said he expected the two-way player to make his scheduled start as a pitcher on Wednesday in Minnesota.

When Ohtani’s first child was born last year, Roberts gifted the family a miniature pink Porsche for the girl.

Reminded of that, Roberts said, “I gotta give a baby gift. Good point. I gotta figure something out.” 

Who’s hot

Spending nearly the entire season up to this point rehabilitating his surgically-repaired right ankle, Edman was activated this week from the 60-day injured list.

This game counted as his third start since his return.

The early indications are that his ankle is holding up well. A day after collecting three hits in the series opener on Friday night, Edman had another multi-hit game. He followed up his single against Rogers in the fifth inning with another single in the eighth, this one off right-hander Rico Garcia.

Who’s not

In his start since his almost-perfect game against the Chicago White Sox, Yoshinobu Yamamoto was considerably more human.

He gave up hits to the first two batters of the second inning and repeated the mistake in the fourth. 

That cost him.

Leony Tavares scored the first run of the game in the second inning when Coby Mayo grounded into a fielder’s choice.

A double down the third-base line by Blaze Alexander drove in two runs in the fourth inning, at the end of which Yamamoto’s pitch count reached 70.

Yamamoto managed to complete six innings. He was charged with three runs, six hits and two walks. He struck out six.

Yamamoto’s record dropped to 7-5 and his ERA went up to 2.65.

Up next

The Dodgers and Orioles will conclude their three-game series on Sunday. Emmet Sheehan (3-4, 4.67 ERA) will start for the Dodgers, opposite right-hander Brandon Young (3-1, 3.67) of the Orioles.

Today’s loss to the Red Sox left much to be desired, but it started out promisingly enough. Emerson Hancock was clean the first time through the order, picking up four strikeouts, three of which came because a Red Sox hitter left the bat on his shoulder.

The rearranged left side of the infield even made a couple very nice plays. J.P. Crawford, who some had left for dead, gets today’s Sun Hat Award for shoveling the ball from his glove up to Colt Emerson on a 5-6-3 double play and later snatching a hot shot out of the air.

The Mariners even grabbed an early 1-0 lead thanks to a Crawford walk and line drives into left-center from Cal Raleigh and Josh Naylor.

But things quickly took a left turn. The Sox led off the fourth with their first hit when a ground ball split the left side. Despite Hancock striking out the next batter, he then left a cutter over the heart of the plate that Wilyer Abreu sent nearly to the batter’s eye to give Boston a 2-1 lead. The fifth inning saw another hit and an embarrassing error from tonight’s left fielder, Connor Joe, who got his glove to the ball pretty easily but then just refused to actually catch it.

By the sixth inning, Hancock was left holding the bag for an offense that couldn’t get anything going against Connelly Early. A single and a walk looked like it was setting off a retro Hancock spiral, of the type it seemed like he’d left in Arkansas. But another four-pitch walk loaded the bases, Dan came out, and Elvis left the building.

With leverage lefty Jose A. Ferrer and his 50% groundball rate coming out in relief, it seemed like the Mariners might get out of it. And indeed, Ferrer got not one, not two, but three easy groundballs, but for the second night in a row, the BABIP monster left a bad taste in my mouth. The score had bubbled up to 5-1 by the time the Mariners finally left the field.

It wouldn’t have mattered so much if the Mariners offense could hit a left-handed pitcher. And they had a bunch of chances against Early, who pitched the game with two left feet, hitting three batters and nearly a couple more. But the Mariners bats’ futility against south paws hardly comes out of left field at this point. They couldn’t get a single hit after the first inning, and left five runners on base.

Left to your imagination, this is a dominant roster, but they find themselves about halfway through the season back at .500 and leading the division only thanks to their rivals’ incompetence. It’ll probably be fine in the end, but if they don’t want to get left at the postseason altar, they’re going to have to get right.

There were some worrying moments at the end, but ultimately the Orioles were able to ride a terrific start from Trevor Rogers and a clutch double off Blaze Alexander’s bat to a 3-2 win on Saturday night in Los Angeles.

It is games like this where we must ask the question “Is Trevor Rogers all the way back?” The lefty put forth his best start since Opening Day, tossing seven scoreless innings and giving up just three baserunners (one hit, two walks) while striking out six. That dropped his season ERA for the fifth straight start from 6.96 on May 24 to just 5.30 on June 20.

At no point were the Dodgers particularly close to scoring on Rogers. The three base runners he did allow were scattered; one in the first inning, another in the fifth, and one more in the seventh. It was as low stress of a start as we are going to get around these parts.

Rogers had the best version of each of his offerings. His fastball was up nearly 1.5 mph on the gun, and he had a 27% whiff rate overall, which is a slight improvement over his season number. On top of that, he limited the free passes and the hard contact. It sounds simple, but that is when Rogers has success: pitch in the zone and keep the ball in the park.

On the other side of the game, Orioles lineup made Yoshinobu Yamamoto work in this one. He needed 102 pitches to get through six innings, and he allowed three runs in the process. That was the most runs he as allowed in a start since May 12. So while the final line is still one of a quality start, the O’s hitters do deserve credit for their patience and effort at the plate.

The Orioles got on the board in the top of the second inning. With runners on first and third, Coby Mayo grounded into a force out as the first baseman Freddie Freeman fielded the bouncer and fed to Mookie Betts covering second base. That allowed Leody Taveras, the runner at the third to begin the play, to score and make it 1-0.

Their other two runs crossed the plate in the fourth inning. With the bases loaded, Blaze Alexander yanked a pitch down the third base line, scoring Taveras and Colton Cowser, and giving the O’s a 3-0 advantage.

That hit from Alexander would be the team’s only knock with runners in scoring position. They went 1-for-5 in such situations in this game, as those key moments continue to be difficult for them. It would have been nice to see at least one of those eight runners stranded on base make it home.

The Orioles were unable to extend their lead against the Dodgers bullpen. But the Dodgers would cause plenty of stress for the O’s relief group in the ninth inning.

Andrew Kittredge came on for the save. It seemed Craig Albernaz was trying to avoid the recently activated Ryan Helsley in back-to-back nights, especially since the series opener did not go well for him. His replacements (plus some atrocious (Orioles defnese) almost let the same thing happen again.

Shohei Ohtani led off the inning with a solo home run to make it a 3-1 game. After getting Andy Pages to line out and then walking Freddie Freeman, Kittredge was lifted in favor of ground ball machine Yennier Cano.

The first batter Cano faced, Betts, hit a bouncer to third base, which could have been a game-ending double play. Instead, Mayo flubbed it, gathered it, and was late on his throw to try and get Betts at first. Cano retired the next batter before Tommy Edman hit a hard liner to right field that hit Taveras in the glove. He dropped it anyway, the second run of the inning scored, and it started to feel like a repeat of Friday. Kudos to Cano for taking matters into his own hands and just striking out Kyle Tucker after all of that to lock down the save.

The Orioles defense has been a problem all season, but it has really reared it’s head this weekend in Los Angeles. In part, it did cost them the game on Friday, and it nearly did the same on Saturday. Seems like something that needs to be fixed!

There is plenty of time to be negative about this team. Stick with the positives for now. Chief among them, Rogers was great. It was the sort of start the Orioles needed, and they got it. Alexander continues to swing a nice stick. Taveras and Basallo had two hits each. There are aspects of this squad that works as expected. They just rarely all click together.

Hopefully they can get it figured out in time for tomrrow’s series finale. Brandon Young (5-2, 3.18 ERA) will be on the bump to face Emmet Sheehan (3-4, 4.76 ERA), First pitch is set for 4:10 on the east coast.

Who was the Most Birdland Player for June 20, 2025?

Here are some nominees for your consideration, or tell us someone else entirely in the comments

• Trevor Rogers (win, seven shutout innings)
• Yennier Cano (cleaned up ninth inning mess, dealt with defensive chaos)
• Blaze Alexander (double, two RBI)

One game after a magical walk-off against the Baltimore Orioles, the Dodgers couldn’t get the job done again on Saturday as they fell 3-2.

After both teams could muster just one walk in the first inning, Baltimore began the top of the second against Yoshinobu Yamamoto with a pair of singles from Leody Taveras and Colton Cowser to put runners at the corners with nobody out. Taveras came home on a fielder’s choice from Coby Mayo, but Yamamoto recovered with a pair of strikeouts to end the threat.

Yamamoto retired the side in order in the third inning, but once again allowed a pair of singles to lead off the fourth inning to Samuel Basallo and Taveras. A failed sacrifice bunt from Cowser got the lead runner at third, but Yamamoto walked Mayo to load the bases with just one out. Yamamoto got a crucial strikeouts of Jackson Holliday for the second out, but Blaze Alexander made Yamamoto pay with a two-out, two-run double to give Baltimore a three-run lead.

Yamamoto was able to allow just one baserunner over his final two innings, giving him another quality start. After five consecutive starts of allowing one run at most, Yamamoto allowed at least three runs for the first time since allowing five on May 12 against the San Francisco Giants.

As for the Dodgers offense behind Yamamoto, they fell back into their old habits of failing to provide any run support, as left-hander Trevor Rogers’ only blemish over his first four innings was a walk to Andy Pages in the bottom of the first. He faced the minimum over his first 14 hitters until Tommy Edman broke up the no-hit bid in the bottom of the fifth inning. Saturday was Rogers’ first scoreless outing since his 2026 debut— where he also had seven scoreless innings— and it was the first time he struck out six since April 14.

Edman supplied the Dodgers’ second hit of the game against Rico Garcia to lead off the bottom of the eighth inning, but the Dodgers would go down quietly in order.

In his first game back from the paternity list, Shohei Ohtani displayed some new “dad strength” with a home run against Andrew Kittredge leading off the bottom of the ninth, thwarting the shutout and putting the Dodgers on the board.

Taylor Ward made a diving catch to rob Pages of extra bases, but Kittredge walked Freddie Freeman to bring up the potential tying run in Mookie Betts. Against Yennier Cano, Betts hit a ground ball to third that was knocked down by Mayo at third and was initially called safe at first, and an unsuccessful challenge from Baltimore officially put the tying run on base.

Alex Freeland came in to pinch hit for Miguel Rojas, but flew out to left for a crucial second out. Edman lined a ball to right that would’ve ended the game, but Taveras bobbled the catch, leading to Freeman scoring to make it a one-run game with the tying run at third base. The Dodgers couldn’t complete the comeback, as Cano struck out Kyle Tucker to end the night.

Game particulars

• Home runs— Shohei Ohtani (16)
• WP— Trevor Rogers (4-7): 7 IP, 1 hit, 0 runs, 2 walk, 6 strikeouts
• LP— Yoshinobu Yamamoto (7-5): 6 IP, 6 hits, 3 earned runs, 2 walks, 6 strikeouts
• SV— Yennier Cano (1): 2/3 IP, 1 hit, 0 runs, 0 walks, 1 strikeout

Up next

The Dodgers look to end their homestand with a 5-1 record as they wrap things up against the Baltimore Orioles on Sunday (1:10 p.m. PT). Emmet Sheehan faces Brandon Young.

Red Sox 5, Mariners 1

Even Steven: Alex Hoppe, +0.0o WPA

Game Thread Comment of the Day

With how Friday night shook out and with how the Colorado Rockies battled the Pittsburgh Pirates in their first meeting with Paul Skenes, tonight’s game had all the makings of another close one. Tomoyuki Sugano (菅野 智之) put together one of his best performances of 2026, if not the best. As expected, Skenes did Skenes things, too.

Maybe less expected were the inside-the-park home run to keep the Rockies in the game early, the consistent pressure from the Rockies offense, and a twist ending to a bases loaded jam in the bottom of the ninth. While not your typical Coors Field game, the Rockies put together a fun win in front of a raucous crowd for win number 30.

Leadoff hitters shape the game early

The Pirates leadoff hitter, Spencer Horowitz, was almost the casualty of a one-pitch out. He popped up to third base, but Willi Castro lost track of the traveling ball in foul territory and couldn’t make the out. Horowitz made the most of his second chance and hammered a no-doubter to right field to give the Bucs an early 1-0 lead. Sugano has been susceptible to solo homers this season, but he also has a track record of bouncing right back. He did just that and worked out of the rest of the inning.

The Rockies responded in kind with some leadoff magic of their own. Jake McCarthy smacked a ball to deep center field that Jake Mangum tried to make a diving grab on. The ball got past Mangum and rolled to the wall, prompting McCarthy to turn on the jets. He ditched his batting helmet after rounding second for maximum speed and aerodynamics, then sped his way home for a thrilling inside-the-park home run to even the game at one all.

Cole Carrigg led off the bottom of the second and almost kept the momentum going, before running (literally) into a learning moment. He started the inning off with a speedy double — the first of his career. Edouard Julien flied out to deep center, but unfortunately Carrigg made a bad baserunning read and failed to tag up. Stuck at second, he then looked to make up for it with a steal but made things worse by getting picked off. Ezequiel Tovar struck out next to end the inning.

A classic Coors Field pitchers’ duel

The middle innings were a battle between two pitchers who refused to blink. Despite some occasional traffic, runs were hard to come by and the game remained tight.

In a refereshing change of pace from their last outing against him, the Rockies were able to chip away at Skenes and generate consistent pressure throughout the early innings. While they weren’t able to capitalize enough to do much damage, they made the ace work for it.

Following the inside-the-park homer in the first, the Rockies basepaths were active in the third and fourth. McCarthy struck again in the bottom of the third with a one out double. Two batters later, TJ Rumfield hit a line drive deep enough to bring McCarthy home and give the Rockies the 2-1 lead.

Colorado had another prime opportunity in the fourth, but it slipped away. After walking Troy Johnston to start the inning and hitting Carrigg with a pitch to put runners on first and second with no outs, Skenes recovered. Julien lined out to left, too shallow to move Johnston up. Tovar’s rough night at the plate continued, grounding into a double play to end the inning.

Fortunately, Sugano did more than his fair share. After giving up a single to Horowitz to start the third, Sugano retired the next 12 batters straight and looked smooth doing it. He struck out three of those 12 hitters and tallied up a large handful of easy fly outs and grounders along the way.

Still neck-and-neck heading into the bullpen innings

Both teams got their bullpen up and working around the same time after the starters worked through six innings.

Tomoyuki Sugano pitched six innings, giving up just the one run on the early homer, allowing only four hits, and notching five strikeouts. He relied on a fairly balanced mix of four pitches: splitter (24%), slider (24%), four-seam fastball (19%), and cutter (16%). The slider and splitter were the most dominant, with 40% and 36% whiff rates, respectively. Sugano finished his day after 85 pitches, with Jimmy Herget entering in relief.

Carmen Mlodinzski started the bottom of the seventh with Skenes ending his day after climbing to 104 pitches, making it seven straight games without a victory. He finished with two runs on four hits, along with eight strikeouts and two walks. As has been the case for Skenes across this recent stretch, he minimized run damage despite allowing baserunners and hit his usual amount of K’s.

Herget and Mlodzinski made it through the seventh unscathed, with the former only giving up a walk and the latter giving up a single. Herget got the first out of the eighth before Warren Schaeffer turned to Brennan Bernardino. Bernardino got the next two outs, keeping the bullpen’s clean sheet going.

Another night of nerves in the ninth

It wouldn’t be a Rockies game if you weren’t just excruciatingly uncomfortable at some point. The Rockies bullpen ensured that box got checked tonight.

Brandon Lowe logged a double to start the top of the ninth. Bryan Reynolds followed that with a single to put runners on the corners. Bernardino responded with a clutch strikeout before being pulled for Jaden Hill.

Hill would ride a similar roller-coaster, starting with some downs before finding the ups. He hit the first batter faced, Nick Gonzales, to load the bases. But, in the theme of the night, the Rockies pitchers always responded. Hill went in his bag and put together a great showdown with Tyler Callihan, striking him out after six pitches with a 97 MPH fastball.

The game-deciding out was not without controversy. Mangum grounded to Kyle Karros who came up without making a force out throw. Karros threw up his hands in frustration, claiming that Billy Cook’s foot struck his glove. Both squad’s managers made their case as the umpires called runner’s interference for the out.

Final Thoughts

This felt like a fun, gritty win emblematic of these 2026 Rockies. They held their own against a dominant pitcher with an unreal starting performance of their own. The bullpen bent but didn’t break. While Tovar, Castro, and Hunter Goodman struggled at the plate, McCarthy and the offense did just enough to get the job done.

Schaeffer applauded a “vintage Tomo” performance from Sugano, noting the mix of pitches he used. “He competed like crazy and it was a professional outing from him.” On that mix of pitches, Sugano noted post-game that “the slider was the pitch” tonight. He felt like “they were waiting on the fastball in general, so I mixed in the off-speed stuff, while not forgetting the fastball too. It was a good mix.”

Schaeffer also celebrated how well the Rockies attacked Skenes. While acknowledging that they left some runs on the table, he highlighted that “we made him work. I thought we took good at bats and our plan was good.”

Up Next

The Rockies and Pirates will face off one last time in 2026 with a Father’s Day series finale on Sunday afternoon.

Jared Jones takes the mound for the visiting Pirates, bringing in a 1-1 record through four starts, with a 6.23 ERA. The Rockies are projected to send out Michael Lorenzen, who is 2-8 across 15 starts, with a 7.13 ERA. The ERAs suggest a different kind of game than the two low-scoring, tight matchups that started the series. That said, Lorenzen looked great in his last two starts, giving up just one run in each. Jones gave up five in his last start.

With the series in hand, the Rockies will try for a sweep. First pitch is set for 1:10 MDT.

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