ARLINGTON, TEXAS - MAY 13: Corey Seager #5 of the Texas Rangers anticipates a pitch during the fourth inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Globe Life Field on May 13, 2026 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Texas Rangers shortstop Corey Seager has been placed on the 10 day injured list due to back spasms, the team announced today. To take his place on the active roster, the Rangers have recalled Michael Helman from AAA Round Rock.
Seager last played on Wednesday, and was 0 for his last 27. The Rangers were off on Thursday, and then Seager had a scheduled day off in Houston on Friday. He was out of the lineup Saturday and Sunday due to back spasms that reportedly cropped up after Friday, and president of baseball operations Chris Young said the team is choosing to be careful with Seager to avoid potential larger back problems down the road, as well as give Seager a “mental reset.”
With Helman up, the Rangers now have no position players on the 40 man roster who are not in the majors, be it on the active roster or on the injured list. Cody Freeman, who started the year on the injured list, is currently on a rehab assignment, and we could see Freeman come up at some point before too long.
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - AUGUST 24: Yoshinobu Yamamoto #18 of the Los Angeles Dodgers pitches during the first inning of a game against the San Diego Padres at Petco Park on August 24, 2025 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Finally, the Dodgers and Padres meet for the first time in 2026.
Noah Schultz will have to limit his walks in Seattle tonight. | Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images
Whew, baby! Exhale everyone, and take the remainder of this pregame to rest on the laurels of an electric Crosstown conclusion that was almost certainly the best such series from a South Side perspective since 2021’s roller coaster three-gamer at then-Guaranteed Rate Field. That one, you might remember, was also characterized by a lopsided win for each side and a dramatic, unlikely White Sox comeback to split the difference. There were also shades of 2019, when Eloy Jiménez’s ninth inning, game-winning bomb produced one of the iconic calls of Jason Benetti’s White Sox tenure and, just as importantly at the time, announced to baseball fans in Chicago that the Sox were once again worth paying attention to.
It remains to be seen what kind of trajectory the 2026 team will follow for the remainder of this summer, but while Benetti’s call might have been absent from Edgar Quero’s heroics yesterday, the image of pandemonium as he rounded the bases may similarly remain as a point of reference in the memory of this squad’s emergence from the abyss.
I’ve been calling it “Ricky’s Boys Don’t Quit: 2026 Version,” and it seems to keep holding true. That 2019 team was hovering around .500 as late as the All-Star Break before fading down the stretch to the tune of 89 losses. That 2019 team was also characterized by simultaneous, exciting and unlikely breakouts from Lucas Giolito, Yoán Moncada, and Tim Anderson, supplemented by Jiménez largely meeting expectations as a rookie, perhaps not dissimilar from what we’re witnessing out of Davis Martin, Colson Montgomery, Miguel Vargas, and Munetaka Murakami now.
What smells more promising this time around is that the major league roster in 2019 didn’t have a stream of incoming reinforcements anything near to what we’re expecting in 2026. Luis Robert Jr. and Nick Madrigal weren’t realistically expected to arrive until the following year, and Andrew Vaughn wasn’t even in the system until midway through the season. Dylan Cease and Zack Collins were the only prospects of note to graduate to the big leagues in 2019, and even if their meager contributions can’t be beat by whatever combination of Braden Montgomery, Jacob Gonzalez, Hagen Smith, Tanner McDougal, and perhaps even Rikuu Nishida makes it to Chicago this summer, there’s still the return of Kyle Teel to look forward to. I suspect the final fortunes of the 2019 team would have been better if they had been able to call upon Sam Antonacci early in the season instead of dedicated 400+ outfield plate appearances to Ryan Cordell and Charlie Tilson.
Tragically, that 2019 time never quite even made it above .500, peaking at 34-34 on June 18. Tonight, facing the Mariners for the second time in as many weeks, the Sox have a chance to make it three games above water, a feat they haven’t managed since Sept. 20, 2022. Here’s the lineup they’ll run out to try to get it done:
It’s probably fortunate that Noah Schultz missed Seattle when they came to town, because after averaging four walks per game over his last four starts, tonight might be the night that I start to worry about him just a little bit if he can’t show some progress at limiting the free passes.
If you’re noticing that Will Venable seems to have emptied the bench of lefties tonight, it’s because Seattle is set counter with Bryan Woo and his 100-point OPS platoon split.
Woo has been largely excellent this season, with only a two-start, 13-run aberration spiking his ERA to 3.91 on the aggregate. First pitch is a late one, of course, scheduled for 8:40 p.m. CT from T-Mobile Park. If you want to join us, broadcasts are available on CHSN (TV) and WMVP AM 1000 (radio) like always!
LOS ANGELES, CA - MAY 13: Robbie Ray #38 of the San Francisco Giants pitches during the game between the San Francisco Giants and the Los Angeles Dodgers at UNIQLO Field at Dodger Stadium on Wednesday, May 13, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Nicole Vasquez/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
The San Francisco Giants begin a three-game road series against the Arizona Diamondbacks tonight.
Taking the mound for the Giants will be left-hander Robbie Ray, who enters tonight’s game with a 3.04 ERA, 4.92 FIP, with 49 strikeouts to 20 walks in 50.1 innings pitched. His last start was in the Giants’ 4-0 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers last Wednesday, in which he allowed four runs (three earned) on seven hits with two strikeouts and two walks in four and two thirds innings.
He’ll be facing off against Diamondbacks right-hander Zac Gallen, who enters tonight’s game with a 5.02 ERA, 4.58 FIP, with 29 strikeouts to 14 walks in 43 innings pitched. His last start was in the Diamondbacks’ 7-4 loss to the Texas Rangers last Tuesday, in which he allowed seven runs (four earned) on six hits with four strikeouts and two walks in four and two thirds innings.
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - MAY 06: Manager Dan Wilson #6 pats Bryan Woo #22 of the Seattle Mariners on the back against the Atlanta Braves at T-Mobile Park on May 06, 2026 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Mariners played some dreadful baseball this weekend, getting swept by the Padres, and now have to face a Chicago White Sox team they just dropped a series to. My vibes, please, they are very sick.
Lineups:
Get called up, get to be in the lineup graphic.
News:
You’ve probably already seen the news about the Mariners calling up their top prospect Colt Emerson, but the team also made a slew of roster moves today, most notably optioning Leo Rivas to Tacoma and swapping him with infielder Patrick Wisdom. They also swapped a righty reliever in Domingo Gonzalez for a lefty, Robinson Ortiz. Finally, the Mariners added Brennan Davis to the 40-man roster. Davis had a clause in his contract where he was able to opt out if the Mariners didn’t put him on their 40-man by this weekend and sign with a different organization that would, but the Mariners wanted to keep the right-handed hitting outfielder in the organization.
As another note, today Dan Wilson confirmed that the Mariners will indeed be using a “piggyback start” with Bryce Miller and Luis Castillo. Miller will start, and Castillo will come in from the bullpen.
Today’s game information:
Game time: 6:40 PT
TV: Mariners.TV, with Aaron Goldsmith and Angie Mentink, with Ryan Rowland-Smith as field analyst (and Brad Adam is at least in the building. Vibes restored.)
Radio: 710 AM Seattle Sports, with Rick Rizzs and Gary Hill Jr.
May 13, 2026; Arlington, Texas, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks third baseman Nolan Arenado (28) celebrates after he hits a double and drives in the tying run against the Texas Rangers during the ninth inning at Globe Life Field. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images
I am a lifelong St. Louis Cardinals fan (now in my sixth decade, thank you very much), but I’m also a baseball fan. Thanks to the massive overhaul that President of Baseball Operations Chaim Bloom successfully kicked off during the offseason, there are many former St. Louis Cardinals on new teams and several of them have found renewed success. The baseball fan that I am makes me want to keep up with these guys as they move forward with their careers.
A quick disclaimer: I don’t want to be like a creepy ex who just can’t stop thinking about their former partner. I briefly did a check in on most of these players very early in the season and this is my last planned revisit to see how they’re doing. I mean this to be my “fare thee well” former St. Louis Cardinals check-in finale.
Nolan Arenado – Arizona Diamondbacks
Nolan Arenado has not suddenly become the 2022 version of himself that was third place in the MVP voting. However, he’s trending back to the positive offensive contributor that he still believes he can be. Here’s his 2026 stat line as of today:
Batting Average (AVG): .273 Home Runs (HR): 6 Runs Batted In (RBI): 21 On-Base Plus Slugging (OPS): .801 Games Played (G): 43
Nolan got off to a very slow start in Arizona as he was under the .200 mark for the first couple weeks of the season, but he reportedly made a pre-game adjustment to his routine and is now enjoying a mini-career renaissance. Over his last 100 plate appearances, he hit 6 home runs and posted a formidable .998 OPS. Nice. His defense has gone from being elite to just barely above average.
Willson Contreras – Boston Red Sox
Willson Contreras is his usual fiery self in Boston and his offensive numbers have been decent for the Red Sox. Here’s his 2026 stat line as of today:
Batting Average (AVG): .253 On-Base Percentage (OBP): .362 Slugging Percentage (SLG): .468 On-Base Plus Slugging (OPS): .830 Home Runs (HR): 9 Runs Batted In (RBI): 25
Willson’s first base defense now ranks among the 98th percentile which has been a big boost for a Red Sox team that badly needs it. Unfortunately, Willson took a 94 mph fastball to the hand in a game against the Tampa Bay Rays, but the Red Sox are hoping he’ll avoid the injured list since the x-rays came back negative.
Brendan Donovan – Seattle Mariners
Brendan Donovan got off to a spectacular start in Seattle. Unfortunately, he’s been dealing with injuries that have limited his playing time for the Mariners. Here’s his current stat line:
A few days ago, Brendan went back to the IL with a groin strain just 10 days after he was activated from a previous IL stint. He’s been the Brendan Donovan we enjoyed in St. Louis…when he’s healthy which has not consistently been the case so far in 2026.
Sonny Gray – Boston Red Sox
After a poor Spring Training, Sonny Gray is off to a solid start for the Boston Red Sox. Here’s his stat line for the 2026 season so far:
There’s good news and bad news for Sonny if you look at the recent numbers. He threw 5 scoreless innings against Kansas City with 8 strikeouts and prior to that tossed 6 innings against the Philadelphia Phillies only allowing 1 run. The advanced metrics seem to reveal that Sonny has benefitted from favorable luck and strong defensive support. Considering the fact that the Red Sox are currently in the cellar of the American League East, they’ll need the best version of Sonny they can get, luck or not.
Ryan Helsley – Baltimore Orioles
If you’d like to look at Ryan’s situation as a glass-half-full type of thing, Helsley’s time with the Orioles has been much better than the second half of last season with the New York Mets. Ryan’s stat line as of today is a 2.53 ERA, 0-2 win-loss record, and 7 saves in 12 appearances. Ryan has had an injury setback which landed him on the IL on May 1, but the word is he’s started playing catch and is making progress toward getting back in the Oriole’s bullpen.
Harrison Bader – San Francisco Giants
Harrison’s bats did not successfully make the trip with him to the Bay area as his current 2026 stat line is .147 with 3 home runs, 5 RBIs, and an OPS of .478. The good news is Harrison had a strong game yesterday against the Athletics as he belted a home run. In fact, he may be trending up as 3 of his 4 home runs this season have come since May 12.
Miles Mikolas – Washington Nationals
How is Miles Mikolas faring with the Washington Nationals? The numbers show that Miles has seen better days:
Games Started: 6 (total of 9 appearances) WHIP: 1.49 Strikeouts (K): 28 Innings Pitched (IP): 41.2
Miles has a 1-3 record with a 6.91 ERA and 28 strikeouts. His role has shifted to being an innings eater in the games he hasn’t started. I’ve seen reports that there’s been an increase to his fastball velocity recently. He tossed a season-high 5.2 innings of relief against the Baltimore Orioles about a week ago.
Andre Granillo – Washington Nationals
I decided to include Andre in this roundup although few of us Cardinals fans ever really got to know him to compare how that George Soriano trade worked out. Here are Andre’s stats for Washington so far. He has a 0-0 record with a 9.64 ERA across 8 relief appearances and has recorded 3 strikeouts, allowed 9 hits, and has a 2.25 WHIP. When you compare that to George Soriano’s 1-0 record and a 3.66 ERA across 19.2 innings pitched and a WHIP of 1.27, feeling pretty good about one of Chaim’s smaller offseason moves.
I look at many of these former St. Louis Cardinals having good fresh starts with their new teams as a win-win. The Cardinals have been able to kick the youth movement into high gear and many of the players we cheered for while wearing birds on the bat have themselves in good career situations moving forward. I wish them all well except when they’re playing us.
In the bottom of the second inning, Brewers catcher William Contreras challenged a ball call on a pitch to Cubs designated hitter Michael Conforto from starting pitcher Brandon Sproat. Viewers on television saw the familiar ABS graphic confirming that the Brewers' challenge was successful. However, inside Wrigley Field, the ABS system appeared to freeze on the "MLB ABS" logo. Due to the in-stadium system malfunction, the pitch was ruled a ball and the Brewers retained their challenge.
Conforto struck out swinging as the Cubs went down 1-2-3 in a scoreless second inning.
ABS confirmed in #Brewers at #Cubs (Bot 2). Milwaukee Brewers challenged the ball call on Brandon Sproat's pitch to Michael Conforto. Ball confirmed. HP: Derek Thomas | Upheld 76.3% (29/38). Later: Michael Conforto strikes out swinging. pic.twitter.com/PtTX0ebIMa
The ABS lapse meant little to the competitive phase of the game. The Brewers cruised to a 9-3 win, thanks to home runs by Christian Yelich — his second in as many days — and Jake Bauers.
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - MAY 17: Miguel Andujar #41 of the San Diego Padres celebrates his double during the sixth inning against the Seattle Mariners at T-Mobile Park on May 17, 2026 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Jack Compton/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Los Angeles Dodgers (29-18) at San Diego Padres (28-18), May 18, 2026, 6:40 p.m. PST
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May 13, 2026; West Sacramento, California, USA; Athletics pitcher J.T. Ginn (35) throws a pitch against the St. Louis Cardinals during the first inning at Sutter Health Park. Mandatory Credit: Ed Szczepanski-Imagn Images | Ed Szczepanski-Imagn Images
Coming off a disappointing home stand in which the Athletics lost series against the St. Louis Cardinals and San Francisco Giants, the “Green and Gold” are back on the road, set to begin a four-game series against the Los Angeles Angels this evening. Leaving Sacramento may be a good thing as the A’s have played much better on the road than at home so far this season.
The A’s are on a two-game skid heading into today’s series opener against the Angels, who have lost six straight, meaning something has to give. The Angels seem destined to waste another year of future Hall of Famer Mike Trout’s career as their record (16-31) is the worst in MLB. First-year manager Kurt Suzuki, who played catcher for the Athletics from 2007 to 2013, faces a massive challenge to turn the Angels’ season around and prove he deserves another year at the helm.
Right-handed pitcher J.T. Ginn will start for the A’s, looking to continue his stellar recent run of form and get his team off to a strong start on its Southern California road swing. He enters his eighth start of 2026 with a 2-1 record, a 3.12 ERA and 34 strikeouts in 43.1 innings pitched. Ginn has pitched well in his previous two starts, picking up wins in each outing. Tonight, the 26-year-old sinkersballer looks to make it three straight winning starts against an Angels’ offense that ranks near the bottom third of the league in most offensive categories.
A’s manager Mark Kotsay is slightly changing his team’s lineup tonight. Right fielder Carlos Cortes will bat first, hoping to get on base to set the table for the dynamic duo of catcher Shea Langeliers and first baseman Nick Kurtz. Speaking of Kurtz, the reigning American League Rookie of the Year has a chance to extend his league-best on-base streak to an incredible 41 consecutive games. Additionally, he is the only left-handed hitter in MLB history with at least 40 home runs, 40 RBIs and 100 walks in his first 162 career games.
Outfielder Henry Bolte is back in the lineup in place of slumping Lawrence Butler. Third baseman Zack Gelof has been contributing offensively, but his limited defensive experience at the position hurt the A’s badly yesterday. His second defensive error of the game jumpstarted the Giants’ eight run eighth inning that secured their series-clinching victory. Beyond Gelof, the entire A’s defense needs to tighten up in the wake of an error-filled home stand.
These A’s hitters will be facing Angels top-20 prospect Walbert Ureña. The 22-year-old right-hander has not been fazed in his first taste of the Major Leagues. Ureña brings a 1-4 record and a 3.29 ERA into his eighth appearance and sixth start of the season. He has accumulated three straight quality starts, limiting the Cleveland Guardians to two runs on three hits over five innings in his last outing. Ureña has a 70-grade fastball, but poor control, as he has walked 17 batters in his first 27 MLB innings pitched. As a result, A’s hitters must remain patient, work counts, and pounce on any mistakes from Los Angeles’ hard-throwing rookie pitcher.
Josh Lowe and Adam Frazier are the only new faces in the Angels’ lineup this season, joining a largely unchanged core. Even with the lineup scuffling, they are still capable of punishing mistakes. That means Ginn and fellow A’s pitchers cannot afford to miss spots against Trout, shortstop Zach Neto or right fielder Jo Adell.
If the Athletics want to remain in first place in the American League West, they cannot afford to lose games to last-place teams with losing records. The team needs to keep playing like road warriors and take as many games as possible in Anaheim before traveling further south to face Mason Miller and the San Diego Padres in the second leg of this road trip.
Mar 12, 2026; Clearwater, Florida, USA; Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Jonathan Hernandez (72) throws a pitch against the Toronto Blue Jays in the eighth inning during spring training at BayCare Ballpark. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images | Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images
The Dodgers pitching turnover the last two weeks has been quite heavy, continuing Monday with the signing of right-hander Jonathan Hernández to a major league deal ahead of their series against the San Diego Padres.
Hernández had a 4.80 ERA in 13 games for Triple-A Lehigh Valley with 22 strikeouts and five walks in 15 innings before opting out of his minor league contract with the Phillies and was released on Sunday. The 29-year-old has pitched parts of five years in the majors (2019-24) with the Texas Rangers and Seattle Mariners, with a 4.29 ERA and 4.45 FIP in 127 career games and 153 innings, with 150 strikeouts and 81 walks.
Last year Hernández was on a minor league deal with the Tampa Bay Rays but did not pitch in the majors. He had a 2.25 ERA in 12 games and 12 innings for Triple-A Durham, but missed nearly five months on the minor league injured list.
Chayce McDermott was optioned to Triple-A Oklahoma City to make room on the active roster for Hernández. McDermott pitched the ninth inning of Sunday’s blowout win after getting called up earlier in the day to replace left-hander Charlie Barnes, who was called up Friday and pitched both days in which he was active.
To make 40-man roster room for Hernández, the Dodgers transferred Ben Casparius to the 60-day injured list. Casparius has been sidelined since April 13 with right shoulder inflammation, and this move ensures his earliest possible return date is June 12.
On the last homestand, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said Casparius was on a throwing program at Camelback Ranch in Arizona, but with no real timetable just yet.
“I don’t know when it is, but he’s on a longer timetable,” Roberts said on May 8. “Once he starts facing hitters and goes on a rehab, then it’ll be more of a conversation.”
Hernández has four years, 96 days of major league service time and his out of options, having used minor league options in 2018, 2019, and 2023 while with the Rangers. He will wear uniform number 29 with the Dodgers.
HOUSTON, TEXAS - MAY 04: Carlos Correa #1 of the Houston Astros looks on against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Daikin Park on May 04, 2026 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Houston Astros/Getty Images) | Getty Images
After fracturing his ankle in batting practice, Carlos Correa does not make his big return, but he’ll be felt in spirit. We’ll have to settle for Christian Vazquez instead.
Today was originally Simeon Woods Richardson’s turn through the rotation, but after a disastrous start to the season, manager Derek Shelton will go with rookie Kendry Rojas on the mound and then “we’ll see” after that, which will likely include some amount of SWR. This rotation slot is likely a placeholder until Taj Bradley makes his return later this week.
Byron Buxton, meanwhile, misses his fourth straight game with a hip issue though he is reportedly “very close” to returning. I would complain about not just putting him the IL to have another bench player, but with Alan Roden, Emmanuel Rodriguez, and Walker Jenkins all hurt and Matt Wallner just demoted, the St. Paul depth is pretty thin for the time being.
Lineups!
Twins
Astros
SP: Kendry Rojas (LHP)
SP: Tatsuya Imai
1. Austin Martin, RF
1. Jeremy Peña, SS
2. Trevor Larnach, LF
2. Isaac Paredes, 3B
3. Ryan Jeffers, C
3. Yordan Alvarez, DH
4. Kody Clemens, 1B
4. Christian Walker, 1B
5. Josh Bell, DH
5. Zach Dezenzo, LF
6. Luke Keaschall, 2B
6. Braden Shewmake, 2B
7. Brooks Lee, SS
7. Brice Matthews, CF
8. Tristan Gray, 3B
8. Cam Smith, RF
9. James Outman, CF
9. Christian Vazquez, C
Edit: sorry for the late thread everyone! Got my timezones mixed up.
WASHINGTON, DC - SEPTEMBER 17: Dylan Crews #3 of the Washington Nationals runs the bases against the Atlanta Braves at Nationals Park on September 17, 2025 in Washington, DC. (Photo by G Fiume/Getty Images) | Getty Images
It was a shock when Dylan Crews was demoted at the end of Spring Training, but we knew he would be back. Just over a month and a half into the season, Dylan Crews is back and has a huge opportunity to prove himself. Crews got off to a shaky start in AAA but has been rounding into form lately.
The Nationals are expected to recall Dylan Crews from Triple-A Rochester on Tuesday, according to a source familiar with the decision.https://t.co/Cs3uNcFsCp
This is obviously a big moment in Crews’ career. The former second overall pick’s career has not gone according to plan so far. He has a .634 career OPS in 412 MLB at bats. When Crews was at LSU, he was seen as one of the safest draft prospects in some time. His combination of athleticism, hitting ability and power was rare.
However, that hit tool has not translated as expected. He still has fantastic tools elsewhere though. Even last season we saw some of Crews’ power and athleticism. He is a good fielder and a great base runner. The bat has lagged behind so far though.
In AAA, Crews has done what he did in previous spots at that level. He has put up good, but not great numbers. Crews has a .258 average and .777 OPS in the minors this season. However, he has really been punishing baseballs in May. His exit velocities are sky high and his strikeout rate has been going down.
Dylan Crews in May: .370 wOBA (.423 xwOBA) 98th percentile average exit velocity 98th percentile barrel rate 58th percentile Z-Contact rate Strikeout rate down 7% from April
I am not sure if this will actually be Dylan Crews’ last chance, but it is certainly one of his last shots to prove himself in DC. If he is going to be anything close to the player that was expected, he is going to have to start performing now. There are flashes of that outstanding talent, but it has not been consistent enough.
Crews’ pro career really has been an enigma. When you watch him play, he looks the part and exudes confidence. His energy and passion for the game can also be contagious at times. None of that matters much when you cannot hit though.
That is going to be the big question with Crews. Can he hit enough to make it work? He hits the ball as hard as anyone, but that has not translated into success yet. Crews has whiffed too much and hit too many ground balls.
Dylan Crews first 5 weeks of the season versus his last 2 weeks? What do you notice? pic.twitter.com/VOQW1XAZ9b
Improving those two things have been key points of emphasis for him in Rochester. It is not perfect yet, but we are seeing signs of promise. During Spring Training, Crews looked completely broken and the Nats have been trying to rebuild his swing.
We have seen some real strides from him this month. In May, he is hitting .291 with an .866 OPS. However, tomorrow is when the real challenge begins for Dylan Crews. He will be back in the majors and facing Mets ace Nolan McLean assuming he is in the lineup. It is time to see what Dylan Crews has got and if he is still a part of the Nats plans going forward.
Zach Thornton will be that roster addition on Wednesday, when he is scheduled for his major league debut, either as the starting pitcher or in a bulk relief role, according to manager Carlos Mendoza.
Thornton, a 24-year-old lefty, has pitched to a 3.16 ERA in seven minor league starts this season.
He last pitched on Friday, throwing six shutout innings for Triple-A Syracuse.
Holmes led the Mets rotation with a 2.39 ERA over nine starts this season.
Zach Thornton throws a pitch during a March 9 spring training game for the Mets. Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Several options were considered for Holmes’ spot — Jack Wenninger and Jonah Tong were other possibilities at Syracuse, along with Tobias Myers and Sean Manaea, both of whom have been working in long relief.
“[Thornton] earned it by the way he’s been throwing the ball, especially at the Triple-A level,” Mendoza said before the Mets opened a four-game series against the Nationals. “We like, as a lefty against this lineup, his ability to throw strikes, his pitchability. There were a lot of names, but we decided to go with Zach.”
But it’s not a given that Thornton will receive an extended run with the team, according to Mendoza, as bullpen needs might arise after his Wednesday appearance that force a roster move.
Thornton, a fifth-round selection in the 2023 draft, had two strong starts for the Mets in spring training, will need to be added to the 40-man roster.
Organizational officials are high on Thornton for his fearlessness in attacking hitters and his makeup.
“He’s unfazed, whether he struck out the side or gave up a couple of doubles and a homer,” a Mets evaluator said. “I think that is a big separator for him — his resiliency. I think the New York fans will embrace this type of personality. He just gets after it and is really impressive. He’s been outstanding this year.”
Clay Holmes gets pulled from his May 15 start for the Mets. AP Photo
Thornton throws a low 90s fastball as part of an arsenal that also includes a cutter, slider, changeup, sweeper, curveball and two-seam fastball.
He’s considered to have one of the most complete repertoires in the Mets system.
“He came up and made a couple of starts for us [in spring training], and that’s kind of what we were getting from player development: a guy that is going to move the ball around. He’s going to throw strikes and he’s going to continue to do that, so he’s going to get that opportunity.”
Tong has pitched to a 5.68 ERA in nine starts for Syracuse, but organizational officials remain encouraged by other factors, including his 55 strikeouts in 38 innings.
Zach Thornton throws a pitch during his spring training appearance for the Mets on March 9. Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
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Tong pitched for the Mets last season, posting a 7.71 ERA in five starts.
Wenninger has pitched to a 1.51 ERA in eight starts for Syracuse, but his 22 walks in 35 ²/₃ innings are somewhat of a concern.
Myers has filled various roles for the Mets, but moving him into the rotation would potentially weaken the bullpen.
Myers has opened, closed, and worked in long relief for the Mets this season.
Manaea has mostly struggled in a long relief.
He owns a 6.26 ERA following his four-inning stint against the Yankees on Sunday, during which he surrendered two earned runs.
MIAMI (AP) — The Atlanta Braves activated Ronald Acuña Jr. from the 10-day injured list ahead of Monday’s series opener against the Miami Marlins, clearing the way for the right fielder to return after being sidelined since May 2 with a strained left hamstring.
Manager Walt Weiss was noncommittal on whether Acuña would play during Atlanta’s four-game series against the Marlins, saying the turf at Miami’s loanDepot Park would be a factor.
“The turf is a little bit tougher on soft tissue,” Weiss said before Monday’s game. “Hamstrings, quads, groins — that type of thing. It’s a factor. It’s not the factor, but it’s part of the equation when you’re talking about activating somebody.”
Mike Yastrzemski was the right fielder for Monday’s game.
Acuña left in the second inning against the Rockies on May 2 with hamstring tightness before an MRI revealed the strain. He was attempting to run out a ground ball before he pulled up about halfway down the base path and grabbed at his hamstring.
The five-time All-Star and 2023 National League MVP is batting .252 with two homers, nine RBIs, 17 runs and a team-high seven steals. He had played in the first 34 games this year after a torn ACL he suffered in May 2024 limited him to a combined 144 games over the past two seasons.
The major league-best Braves beat Boston 8-1 on Sunday, taking two of three from the Red Sox for their 13th win in 15 series. They have only one series loss, along with the split of a four-game set.
Atlanta also placed infielder Kyle Farmer on the 10-day injured list, retroactive to May 16, with a strained right forearm.
Dinger #15 was the best of them all. | (Photo by Geoff Stellfox/MLB Photos via Getty Images)
We are now in the second half of May, and the White Sox are two games better than .500. No, you did not read that wrong. No, you are not dreaming. This is real life.
The South Siders have been on a journey to .500 the last few weeks, and they finally accomplished the goal on Wednesday. This is the first time since 2022 that they have been even this late in the season.
But why stop there? The White Sox had the same thought, and with a complete of the sweep on Thursday of the Kansas City Royals took their winning percentage past .500.
Which brings us to the weekend and the Crosstown Classic, where there were not high expectations for this young core. Instead, the Good Guys came out of the weekend with a series win against a North Side team that has already strung together two 10-game winning streaks and are atop the NL Central. Wherever the expectations for the season may have been, this was a tone-setter: The 2026 White Sox can compete.
How are they competing? Stellar defense. Solid pitching. A lot of home runs. This week alone, 11 different White Sox hit a total of 15 long balls:
#1 Drew Romo hit his fourth homer of the season in the bottom of the fifth inning during the Kansas City opener on Tuesday.
#3 Derek Hill hit a go-ahead home run in the bottom of the eighth inning of Tuesday’s series opener against the Royals. This lifted the White Sox to a 6-5 win.
#4 Colson Montgomery ripped a ball to right field in the bottom of the seventh in Wednesday’s game. His solo shot was the winning RBI in another 6-5 win.
#5 Randal Grichuk got the party going in the bottom of the first inning on Thursday with a two-run shot. Four more runs scored during the White Sox’s path to a 6-2 victory, but none were as fun as a home run.
#8 Jarred Kelenic felt left out of the long-ball fun and hit an inconsequential home run in the bottom of the ninth inning of Friday’s loss to the Cubs. Instead of losing by six, the Pale Hose lost by a nickel.
#10 Munetaka Murakami broke his week-long home run drought with a solo shot just over the glove of Pete Crow-Armstrong to put the Good Guys up, 4-0, on Saturday.
#12 Murakami recorded his first multihomer game in the majors. His second dinger on Saturday came off the bat at 109 mph and scored Sam Antonacci to make it 7-0.
#14 Tristan Peters hit his first career home run in the bottom of the eighth inning in yesterday’s series finale against the Cubs. It broke the 4-4 tie and put the South Siders in a position to win the ballgame and the series.
It is not just Murakami who has power. The whole team is showing up for the big moments on offense. Also showing up on defense are these three outfielders, and their highlight-reel catches:
If you have made it past all of the videos, you now get to read about the not-so-great pitching performances of the week.
First and foremost, Davis Martin can do no wrong. He started Saturday’s game after the bullpen imploded on Friday night and absolutely shut down the Cubs offense. The ace went six innings, giving up just one earned run, walking no one, and striking out seven. His 1.61 ERA ranks him third in MLB just behind Tampa’s Nick Martinez (1.51) and Cam Schlittler (1.35) of the Yankees.
Overall, the pitching staff did not perform this week. They had a team ERA of 5.07, recorded six wild pitches, averaged just shy of 4.5 BB/9, and gave up seven home runs. In total, there were five save opportunities presented to White Sox pitchers this week, and only three of those were converted to saves.
There are going to be weeks when you do not hit 15 home runs over six games. Those are the weeks that pitching is going to have to come through. If Zach Bove and his pitching staff cannot get themselves under control (beyond Martin), the upcoming West Coast trip against Seattle and San Francisco is going to be a lot less fun than this nine-game homestand was.
For now, we will bask in the glory that is beating the Chicago Cubs.
