The Times' 2026 All-Star baseball team

A look at The Times’ All-Star baseball team:

Pitcher, Julian Garcia, St. John Bosco, Sr.: The Long Beach State commit threw a one-hit shutout with 14 strikeouts in the Southern Section Division 1 final and finished 9-1 with a 0.80 ERA.

Pitcher, Jordan Ayala, Norco, Jr.: Ayala was 8-2 with a 0.74 ERA, including a shutout of Orange Lutheran in the Division 1 quarterfinals.

Utility, Logan Schmidt, Ganesha, Sr.: In his only season playing high school baseball, the Louisiana State commit went 9-0 while allowing one earned run in 60 innings and batted over .500 in leading his team to a Division 2 title.

Catcher, Carson Sheffer, Oaks Christian, Sr.: The Oklahoma State commit batted .440 with 14 doubles and five home runs while also showing off strong defensive skills.

Infielder, James Tronstein, Harvard-Westlake, Sr.: The Vanderbilt commit had 52 hits, a .531 batting average and 10 home runs as the Mission League MVP.

Infielder, Dylan Seward, Norco, Jr.: The Tennessee commit batted .436 with 48 hits and 29 RBIs.

Infielder, Jack Champlin, St. John Bosco, Sr.: The UC Irvine commit and Trinity League MVP led the two-time Division 1 champions with a .390 batting average and 31 RBIs while repeatedly delivering clutch hits.

Infielder, Trey Ebel, Corona, Sr.: The Texas A&M commit got hot in the final month and finished with a .417 average, 45 hits and 47 RBIs.

Read more:Complete coverage: The Times' 2026 All-Star baseball and softball teams

Outfielder, Jared Grindlinger, Huntington Beach, Sr.: The expected first-round draft pick led the team with 42 hits, including 10 doubles, and also was an ace on the mound for the Sunset League champions and Division I regional champions.

Outfielder, Blake Bowen, JSerra, Sr.: The possible first-round MLB draft pick batted .360 with nine home runs and seven stolen bases.

Outfielder, Mattias Di Maggio, Dos Pueblos, Fr.: He set a school record with 11 home runs and struck out only once in 84 at-bats while batting .500 with 42 hits and nine doubles.

Sign up for the L.A. Times SoCal high school sports newsletter to get scores, stories and a behind-the-scenes look at what makes prep sports so popular.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

The Times' 2026 All-Star softball team

A look at the Los Angeles Times’ 2026 All-Star softball team:

Pitcher, Liliana Escobar, JSerra, Sr.: The Florida commit helped lead the Lions to their first Southern Section Division 1 title with a 1.25 ERA and 252 strikeouts in 146 innings.

Pitcher, Peyton May, Norco, Sr.: The Oklahoma State commit went 12-1 with 130 strikeouts in 83 innings.

Utility, Lily Hauser, Murrieta Mesa Sr.: The Arizona commit batted .542 with 52 hits and was 17-0 as a pitcher with a 0.25 ERA.

Catcher, Annabel Raftery, JSerra, So.: An A student and top defensive player, Raftery also hit .429 with 12 home runs for the Division 1 champions.

Infielder, Mia Camacho, Whittier Christian, Jr.: The Rutgers commit delivered clutch hits for the Division 2 champions, finishing with a .544 average, including 49 hits and 17 home runs.

Read more:Complete coverage: The Times' 2026 All-Star baseball and softball teams

Infielder, Kelsey Luderer, Sherman Oaks Notre Dame, So.: The Mission League MVP batted .514 with 40 RBIs.

Infielder, Savannah Gonzalez, Norco, Jr.: The Cal Baptist commit batted .493 with four home runs and 20 RBIs.

Infielder, Riley Hilliard, La Mirada, Jr. : The Oklahoma commit helped her team reach the Division 1 final, finishing with a .568 average, 33 RBIs, 14 doubles and 10 home runs.

Outfielder, Shea Gonzalez, Villa Park, Sr.: The Washington commit had 59 hits, 40 stolen bases and was the Freeway League player of the year.

Outfielder, Aubrey McLaughlin, Eastvale Roosevelt, Sr.: The UCLA commit and left-handed power hitter batted .494 with 14 home runs and was intentionally walked nine times.

Outfielder, Zoe Justman, Granada Hills, Sr.: The UC Santa Barbara commit batted .521 with 49 hits and 40 RBIs for the City Section Open Division runner-ups.

Sign up for the L.A. Times SoCal high school sports newsletter to get scores, stories and a behind-the-scenes look at what makes prep sports so popular.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

Guardians News and Notes: Bibee Gets off the Schneid

ARLINGTON, TEXAS - JUNE 06: Tanner Bibee #28 of the Cleveland Guardians pitches during the fourth inning of a game against the Texas Rangers at Globe Life Field on June 06, 2026 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by John E. Moore III/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Tanner Bibee finally got some run support and a win against the Rangers.

Zach has your recap here. The series rubber match today features Joey Cantillo vs. Jacob deGrom. Then, the Guardians come back home to play the Yankees again on Monday.

Michael Baumann has an interesting article for FanGraphs about how contracts formerly seen as immovable are probably no longer immovable.

AROUND MLB:

Josh Naylor has been doing silly things like throwing his sliding glove into the catcher and the Tigers responded by throwing a 97 mph fastball at his head.

That’s bush league. Hit him on the butt. Or, as the Guardians do, get him out.

The Tigers lost that game, the White Sox won, and the Royals beat the Twins.

Phillies news: Trea Turner, Jhoan Duran, Tarik Skubal

PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - JUNE 6: Andrew Painter #24 of the Philadelphia Phillies throws a pitch in the top of the first inning against the Chicago White Sox at Citizens Bank Park on June 6, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images) | Getty Images

That loss is the perfect embodiment of a loss. Everything kind of stunk, so they just move on.

On to the link.

Phillies news:

MLB news:

Detroit Tigers look to take rubber match vs Seattle Mariners on Sunday

All good things must come to an end, they say, and that applies to the Detroit Tigers as well. On Saturday afternoon, their four-game winning streak came to an end at the hands of the Seattle Mariners, who used some hard contact to hand Keider Montero and Co. a 4-0 loss at Comerica Park.

Never fear, the Motor City Kitties still have a chance to win their second-straight series on Sunday afternoon, but they will have to do it with right-hander Jack Flaherty on the mound. The good news is that the 30-year-old’s last start against the Tampa Bay Rays was a tidy one, shutting out his opponent over five innings, allowing five hits and two walks while striking out six for his first win of the season — an 8-0 triumph in St. Pete.

Flaherty’s last appearance against Seattle came in the ALDS Game 5 last September, in which he tossed a pair of scoreless, hitless frames during the 13th and 14th innings en route to a 3-2 team loss. He also started Game 3, but fared quite a bit worse, surrendering four runs (three earned) on four hits (one home run) and three walks while striking out six across 3 1/3 innings in an 8-4 loss.

For the Mariners, fellow righty Luis Castillo will take the mound for his 10th start of the season. Two of the 33-year-old’s last appearances have come in relief, including his most recent outing in which he earned a blown save and a win after giving up two runs (one earned) on two hits and two walks with three strikeouts over five frames against the Arizona Diamondbacks in Seattle.

Similarly to Flaherty, Castillo faced Detroit twice in the ALDS last fall — once as a starter and as a reliever. Across those two appearances, he held the Tigers to just one hit and four walks while striking out four over six scoreless frames, both resulting in team wins.

Here is how the two matchup in Sunday afternoon’s series finale.

Detroit Tigers (26-39) vs. Seattle Mariners (34-31)

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

Game 66: RHP Jack Flaherty (1-7, 5.31 ERA) vs. RHP Luis Castillo (2-5, 5.53 ERA)

PlayerGIPK%BB%GB%FIPfWAR
Flaherty1357.225.811.831.34.400.7
Castillo1255.122.48.836.64.180.6

FLAHERTY

CASTILLO

MLB Predictions and Moneyline Picks for Sunday, June 7

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Sunday’s 15-game MLB slate is filled with opportunity.

On today’s massive card, I’m targeting the sticks and bullpens in strong spots.

Find out more in my MLB picks for Sunday, June 7. 

MLB moneyline picks for June 7

MatchupPick
Red SoxRed Sox
vs
YankeesYankees
Yankees
-150
White SoxWhite Sox
vs
PhilliesPhillies
White Sox
+163
PiratesPirates
vs
BravesBraves
Pirates
+127
OriolesOrioles
vs
Blue JaysBlue Jays
Orioles
+113
MarinersMariners
vs
TigersTigers
Mariners
-117
RaysRays
vs
MarlinsMarlins
Marlins
+104
AthleticsAthletics
vs
AstrosAstros
Astros
-117
RoyalsRoyals
vs
TwinsTwins
Twins
-104
RedsReds
vs
CardinalsCardinals
Cardinals
-127
GuardiansGuardians
vs
RangersRangers
Guardians
+104
BrewersBrewers
vs
RockiesRockies
Rockies
+144
NationalsNationals
vs
DiamondbacksDiamondbacks
Diamondbacks
-122
AngelsAngels
vs
DodgersDodgers
Angels
+150
MetsMets
vs
PadresPadres
Mets
+104
GiantsGiants
vs
CubsCubs
Cubs
-117

Prices courtesy of Polymarket as of 6-7.

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Expert MLB moneyline picks for June 7

Red Sox vs Yankees: Yankees (-150)

Yankees win probability: 60%

The Yankees are comfortable home chalk behind AL Cy Young contender Cam Schlittler.

While New York boasts a superior 125 wRC+ over the past 14 days, Boston's sharper bullpen (3.67 FIP over the past 14 days) looms.

Still, the Yankees' big sticks should secure the win.

White Sox vs Phillies: White Sox (+163)

White Sox win probability: 38%

Philadelphia is heavily favored, but its offense has completely cratered to a dead-last 71 wRC+ over the past 14 days.

David Sandlin faces a Phillies unit whose bullpen owns a 3.01 SIERA over the past 14 days, but Chicago’s hot bats (113 wRC+ over the past 14 days) are a premium road underdog value.

Pirates vs Braves: Pirates (+127)

Pirates win probability: 44.1%

Atlanta is the chalky favorite, but its offense has sported a measly 92 wRC+ over the past 14 days. 

Despite Bubba Chandler’s shortcomings, Pittsburgh’s scorching offense (128 wRC+ and an elite 10.8% walk rate over the past 14 days) can damage Bryce Elder early.

Orioles vs Blue Jays: Orioles (+113)

Orioles win probability: 46.9%

This features a tight underdog price for Baltimore.

Both offenses are neck-and-neck over the past 14 days, but Toronto's bullpen has unraveled to a messy 4.44 SIERA over the past 14 days. 

Take the plus-money side holding the safer late-game bullpen safety net (3.65 SIERA over the past 14 days).

Mariners vs Tigers: Mariners (-117)

Mariners win probability: 53.9%

With Luis Castillo on the mound and a stable 3.56 SIERA relief crew behind him over the past 14 days, the M's stand tall against a Detroit bullpen carrying a hazardous 5.49 FIP over the past two weeks.

Rays vs Marlins: Marlins (+104)

Marlins win probability: 49%

The market completely overlooks Miami here. Tampa Bay's bullpen is a certified fade zone, dragging a brutal 6.28 FIP over the past 14 days.

Sandy Alcantara stifles the Rays early while Miami's superior rolling 105 wRC+ offense over the past two weeks takes over.

Athletics vs Astros: Astros (-117)

Astros win probability: 53.9%

Houston targets a solid road win with hidden bullpen dominance.

Under the hood, Astro relievers flash an elite 3.61 SIERA and a stifling .163 opponent average over the past 14 days, giving them a massive mathematical advantage to shut down the Athletics' bats late.

Royals vs Twins: Twins (-104)

Twins win probability: 51%

A coin-flip matchup with Minnesota as the short favorite.

With both offenses stuck below a sub-90 wRC+ over the past 14 days, the decision is to run completely away from a melting Kansas City bullpen that has yielded a catastrophic 6.49 FIP over the same span.

Reds vs Cardinals: Cardinals (-127)

Cardinals win probability: 55.9%

St. Louis commands the edge against a reckless Cincinnati offense striking out at a league-worst 28.4% rate over the past 14 days.

The disciplined Cardinals bullpen features a stellar 3.19 SIERA over the past 14 days, allowing them to cruise.

Guardians vs Rangers: Guardians (+104)

Guardians win probability: 49%

Texas is favored behind Jacob deGrom, but the advanced metrics flip the script.

Joey Cantillo only needs to keep it close before handing over to Cleveland's MLB-best bullpen (2.92 SIERA and 20.5% K-BB% over the past 14 days) to steal a road win.

Brewers vs Rockies: Rockies (+144)

Rockies win probability: 41%

Milwaukee starter Shane Drohan is walking the world with an 8.10 BB/9 rate.

His volatile control faces a Rockies bullpen carrying a league-worst 5.04 xFIP over the past 14 days, but the altitude will punish Drohan first.

Nationals vs Diamondbacks: Diamondbacks (-122)

Diamondbacks win probability: 55%

Arizona holds a sound probability edge.

Washington's worn-down bullpen has completely hit a wall over the past 14 days (4.90 FIP and 4.49 SIERA), leaving the Diamondbacks' steadier bullpen (3.50 SIERA over the past 14 days) to lock it down.

Angels vs Dodgers: Angels (+150)

Angels win probability: 40%

The Dodgers sit as heavy favorites, but the prices are wrong.

Both lineups are raking over the past 14 days, yet both bullpens sport identical, bloated 4.89 FIPs. Grab the Angels at a plus-money shootout price.

Mets vs Padres: Mets (+104)

Mets win probability: 49%

With both offenses ice-cold and sitting bottom-five in wRC+ over the past 14 days, the edge belongs to the Mets' superior relief core, which boasts a high 26.0% strikeout rate and 3.47 SIERA over the past 14 days.

Giants vs Cubs: Cubs (-117)

Cubs win probability: 53.9%

The Cubs carry the advantage tonight.

Even with San Francisco's elite 142 wRC+ over the past 14 days, its bullpen is a toxic waste site (4.94 SIERA over the same span).

Jameson Taillon navigates early, allowing Chicago's steadier relievers to close.

Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change.
Not intended for use in MA.
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Orioles news: Bradish struggles, Basallo’s MRI clean

TORONTO, ON- JUNE 6 - Colton Cowser #17 of the Baltimore Orioles misses a Ernie Clement #22 of the Toronto Blue Jays triple in the fifth inning as the Toronto Blue Jays play the Baltimore Orioles at Rogers Centre in Toronto. June 6, 2026. Steve Russell/Toronto Star (Steve Russell/Toronto Star via Getty Images) | Toronto Star via Getty Images

Hello, friends.

Not as fun a day of Orioles baseball yesterday. The narrative of improvement for Kyle Bradish was put on pause, hopefully for just that one game. At times his defense didn’t do him favors, but even so, there’s only so much to blame others when the pitcher gives up nine hits and three walks in four innings. Friends, that’s a WHIP of 3. That is bad. The Orioles lost, 6-4. Check out Stacey’s recap of the game for more of the not-so-lovely totals.

If you are inclined to try to find silver linings in losses, you could feel a little bit better about a few things in the game. Colton Cowser homered. If he is improving, that’s a plus for the team’s fortunes. Pete Alonso hit a two-run homer against a current Birdland heel, Jeff Hoffman. That was fun. Gunnar Henderson had three hits. The Orioles need that guy to heat up. They need all of those guys to heat up. It’s nice to see them fight to make it closer after they fell behind, 6-1.

Still, a loss is a loss. The Orioles have already lost too many games this year to feel like they can take away moral victories out of losses. Although they have improved lately, they dug themselves a hole earlier. Not as deep of a hole as they dug last year, but still a hole. It’s not any less deep just because at the moment they are within a game of a wild card spot. Other teams are going to get hot eventually and if the Orioles do not keep pace, we’ll be looking back on their record through May 20 or so with regret.

As bad as yesterday’s game was, the Orioles have a chance to take this series in Toronto if they can put together a better game today. That would give them a 4-2 record across this little AL East road trip. It’s not enough to put them in a good place, but it would be good enough to feel good about.

They will be going up against former Oriole Kevin Gausman as they attempt to take the series today. Gausman did not pitch in the series between these two teams in Baltimore. He’s doing great so far this season, with a 3.36 ERA and 2.95 FIP through 13 starts. The Jays have gotten a lot of value out of the five-year contract they signed him to ahead of the 2022 season.

One guy the Orioles actually did sign to a five-year contract is pitching for them today. Shane Baz has also been working on a narrative of improvement lately. He’s turned in four good starts in a row. It might take another four in a row for him to make up for his early season struggles. It’s been good to see him on the right track. Hopefully, unlike Bradish, he can stay on the right track in his outing against the Jays. The finale is set to begin at 1:37 Eastern.

Orioles stuff you might have missed

Samuel Basallo’s MRI clean after leaving Friday’s game with abdominal discomfort (The Baltimore Banner)
The best news from yesterday was that there wasn’t anything bad on Basallo’s MRI, particularly regarding a potential oblique problem. Still, if he needs to heal for a couple of days, I hope they give him the chance to do that.

Orioles add Huff and subtract Wilson before Saturday’s game (School of Roch)
One thing that’s going to enable the team to rest Basallo a little bit is the presence of a third catcher on the roster. Sam Huff is back. Perhaps not for long.

Wild card gives Orioles more chances to dream of October (Baltimore Baseball)
Orioles in October? With this offense, maybe. (The Baltimore Sun)
How Orioles climbed back into the AL playoff race behind a resurgent starting rotation (CBS Sports)
On some level, it is absurd to talk about the Orioles being in the playoff picture when they’re 31-34. But the reality is, they are in it. They were a game back after losing yesterday. If they can consistently sustain good play for the rest of June, they’ll probably be at least .500 and then it won’t feel as weird to talk about their wild card positions. They’ve gotta get the last few wins out of the way to get there, though.

Birthdays and Orioles anniversaries

In their 65th game last year, the Orioles lost to the Tigers, 5-3, falling to 26-39 on the season. Cade Povich took the loss after allowing five runs in 4.2 innings, while the offense combined for just six hits in a Tigers bullpen game. Six of the 14 O’s players who appeared in this game will be active today. The 2026 Orioles are currently five games better than that team was. It’s better than we feared a month ago, but more work remains to be done.

There are a few former Orioles who were born on this day. They are: 2000-02 first baseman/outfielder Chris Richard, 1999 reliever Heathcliff Slocumb, and 1968 pitcher Roger Nelson. Today is Nelson’s 82nd birthday, so an extra happy birthday to him.

Is today your birthday? Happy birthday to you! Your birthday buddies for today include: author Elizabeth Bowen (1899), Wienermobile designer Brooks Stevens (1911), actor Liam Neeson (1952), musician Prince (1958), and wilderness survival expert Bear Grylls (1974).

On this day in history…

In 1099, Crusaders initiated a siege of Jerusalem. The city was captured about a month later, leading to the founding of the Christian Kingdom of Jerusalem.

In 1776, Richard Henry Lee of Virginia presented a resolution to the Second Continental Congress declaring that “these United Colonies are, and of right ought to be, free and independent States.” The Lee Resolution is what ultimately led to the Declaration of Independence the next month.

In 1892, Mr. Homer Plessy was arrested in a “whites only” car on a train after refusing to leave his seat. The appeals case resulting from this arrest, Plessy v. Ferguson, shamefully enshrined the “separate but equal” doctrine for a long time afterwards.

In 1938, Chinese Nationalist forces destroyed a series of levees on the Yellow River to flood the area and halt the Japanese advance through the country. Somewhere between 500,000 and 1,000,000 civilians were killed as a result of this flooding.

In 1975, Sony debuted its Betamax product, the first video cassette recorder product. Betamax ultimately lost the “format wars” to the later-arriving VHS.

**

And that’s the way it is in Birdland on June 7. Have a safe Sunday. Go O’s!

Mets Daily Prospect Report, 6/7/26: Full-season sweep

Jonathan Santucci throws a pitch in a white Binghamton Rumble Ponies uniform with dark blue pinstripes and a dark blue hat
Jonathan Santucci | (Photo: Chris McShane)

Triple-A: Syracuse Mets (32-30)

SYRACUSE 5, SCRANTON/WILKES-BARRE 0 (BOX)

One night after getting no-hit, Syracuse blanked the RailRiders, with opener Nate Lavender, starter Jack Weisenburger, and Jonathan Pintaro combining to keep Scranton/Wilkes-Barre off the board, scattering seven hits and walking one. Ji Hwan Bae homered in the bottom of the first to give Binghamton the lead and they held it for the entirety of the ballgame. Ryan Clifford hit his 14th homer to drive in a pair, Cristian Pache doubled in a run, and Matt Rudick scored on a wild pitch.

·  RF Nick Morabito: 1-5, 2B, K

·  2B Ji Hwan Bae: 1-3, R, HR (3), RBI, BB, K, SB (20)

·  1B Christian Arroyo: 1-4, R, 2B, K

·  LF Ryan Clifford: 1-4, R, HR (14), 2 RBI, 2 K

·  3B Andy Ibáñez: 1-4, 2B, K

·  SS Yonny Hernández: 1-4, R, 2B

·  CF Cristian Pache: 2-4, 2B, RBI, K

·  C Kevin Parada: 1-4, K

·  DH Matt Rudick: 1-3, R, BB, SB (4)

·  LHP Nate Lavender: 1.2 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 4 K

·  RHP Jack Weisenburger: 5.1 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 4 K, W (1-2)

·  RHP Jonathan Pintaro: 2.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K

Double-A: Binghamton Rumble Ponies (22-34)

BINGHAMTON 4, READING 1 (BOX)

The red-hot Rumble Ponies won another one, their fourth in a row, this time powered by a strong performance by Jonathan Santucci. The left-hander got off to a somewhat slow start in April, but he’s since gotten back into the groove of things, allowing one run over 6.2 innings, his longest outing of the year. An Eli Serrano sac fly put Binghamton on the board in the bottom of the first and they held that lead for the entire game. Vincent Perozo added a run in the bottom of the second with a solo homer and Nick Lorusso chipped in with a two-run homer of his own.

·  DH Chris Suero: 1-4, R, 2B, BB, 2 K, SB (17)

·  CF Eli Serrano III: 1-3, R, RBI, BB

·  RF Jose Ramos: 0-4, K

·  3B Nick Lorusso: 3-4, R, HR (9), 2 RBI, K

·  C Vincent Perozo: 2-4, R, HR (3), RBI, K

·  LF Jaylen Palmer: 0-4, K

·  SS Wyatt Young: 3-4, 2B, SB (7)

·  1B TT Bowens: 0-4, 3 K

·  2B Kevin Villavicencio: 0-3, BB, K

·  LHP Jonathan Santucci: 6.2 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 5 K, WP, W (1-5)

·  RHP Saul Garcia: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 1 K, WP, H (4)

·  RH Guillo Zuñiga: 1.1 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K, WP, S (1)

High-A: Brooklyn Cyclones (21-34)

BROOKLYN 12, JERSEY SHORE 4 (BOX)

The Brooklyn bats brought fireworks to the Jersey Shore (big time asterisk Lakewood, but as a New Yorker, I cannot adjudicate whether Lakewood should rightly be called the Jersey Shore or not), tying a season-high by scoring 10 runs. Every hitter got on base at least once, with multiple Cyclones reaching base twice, with Mitch Voit and Ronald Hernandez both reaching base three times and Grae Kissinger five times. Cuban left-hander Daviel Hurtado looked solid in 5.1 innings of work, and while the bullpen was a little shaky after he left, Brooklyn’s lead was almost unsurmountable.

·  2B Mitch Voit: 1-4, 2 R, HR (7), 2 RBI, BB, HBP, SB (17)

·  SS Grae Kessinger: 1-2, 3 R, 2B, 2 RBI, 3 BB, HBP, E (1)

·  C Ronald Hernandez: 1-4, R, 2B, RBI, 2 BB, K

·  1B Corey Collins: 1-5, R, 2B, 2 RBI, BB, 3 K

·  CF Yonatan Henriquez: 1-6, 2 K

·  RF John Bay: 1-4, R, BB, 2 K, SB (14)

·  3B Colin Houck: 1-4, R, BB, 2 K

·  LF Trace Willhoite: 2-4, 2 R, 2 2B, 2 RBI, K, HBP

·  DH Jamari Baylor: 1-4, R, 2B, 2 RBI, BB, K

·  LHP Daviel Hurtado: 5.1 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 5 K, W (1-0)

·  RHP Tanner Witt: 1.2 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 1 K, HBP

·  RHP Cristofer Gomez: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 1 K

·  LHP Gregori Louis: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 0 K

Single-A: St. Lucie Mets (24-27)

ST. LUCIE 5, CLEARWATER 1 (BOX)

It was one of those games where there weren’t any standout pitching or hitting performances, but St. Lucie got it done. The offense pounded out 5 runs on 9 hits and a pair of walks, while Joel Lara, Christian Rodriguez, and Luis Alvarez combined to throw eight scoreless innings, with Franyel Diaz giving up a run in the fifth in his lone inning of work.

·  SS Elian Peña: 1-3, 2 R, BB, K, SB (18)

·  2B Trey Snyder: 2-4, 2 R, 2 SB (1, 2)

·  DH Antonio Jimenez: 2-4, RBI, 2 K, 2 SB (5, 6)

·  LF Yohairo Cuevas: 1-3, 2B, RBI, BB, K, SB (1)

·  RF Simon Juan: 0-4, 3 K, E (4)

·  C Chase Meggers: 1-3, R, SB (2)

·  CF Branny De Oleo: 1-3, 2 K

·  3B Jeremy Rodriguez: 0-3, K

·  1B Jackson Hauge: 1-3

·  RHP Joel Lara: 4.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 3 BB, 4 K, HBP

·  RHP Franyel Diaz: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 2 K, W (1-0)

·  RHP Christian Rodriguez: 2.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K, H (3)

·  RHP Luis Alvarez: 2.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 3 K, S (1)

Rookie: FCL Mets (12-12)

FCL CARDINALS 12, FCL METS 8 (BOX)

·  RF Bohan Adderley: 2-4, R, HR (4), 2 RBI, BB, K

·  2B Vladi Gomez: 2-5, R, K, E (2)

·  CF Wyatt Vincent: 0-5, 2 K

·  C Josmir Reyes: 0-2, R, 3 BB, E (3)

·  SS Anthony Frobose: 3-4, 3 R, 2B, 3B, RBI, BB

·  DH Roybert Herrera: 3-4, R, 2B, HR (1), 3 RBI, BB, K

·  LF Heriberto Rincon: 1-5, 3 K

·  1B Yeider Mindiola: 0-4, K

·  3B Diover De Aza: 1-3, R, 2B, BB

·  RHP Joel Díaz: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 0 K

·  RHP Dillon Stiltner: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 3 K, E (3)

·  RHP Camden Lohman: 0.1 IP, 2 H, 6 R, 6 ER, 4 BB, 1 K, L (0-1)

·  RHP Omar Victorino: 1.1 IP, 3 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 4 BB, 1 K, WP

·  RHP Yoralbert Cadiz: 2.1 IP, 0 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 3 BB, 5 K, HBP

·  RHP Jean Brito: 2.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K

STAR OF THE NIGHT

Jonathan Santucci

GOAT OF THE NIGHT

Cam Lohman

The MLB trade deadline demands bravery. Go get Tarik Skubal like he's CC Sabathia.

Let’s see if we can get this straight.

The New York Mets, the National League’s greatest failure at 28-35 and going nowhere even after winning six of their last eight games, still have no interest in shopping Freddy Peralta or anyone else President of baseball operations David Stearns still has faith they can make a postseason run.

The Detroit Tigers, easily the American League’s biggest bust at 26-38, are telling teams that two-time Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal is off limits for now, and after winning four consecutive games against the first-place Tampa Bay Rays and Seattle Mariners, they may even decide to keep him in hopes of a miraculous comeback.

The San Francisco Giants just scored 30 runs in consecutive games against the Chicago Cubs and Milwaukee Brewers – their biggest output since 1944 – and tell you that a sell-off isn’t even whispered about in their front office.

CC Sabathia went 11-2 for the Brewers in 2008 after a July trade from Cleveland.

The Kansas City Royals and Minnesota Twins, two more teams going nowhere, say they aren’t ready to sell considering the AL absolutely stinks, and they are somehow still alive in the wild-card race.

Considering this delusional wave of optimism, they’ll soon have you believing that Rob Manfred and Bruce Meyer are about to enjoy a golf outing and a new collective bargaining agreement finalized over a candlelight dinner.

Seven weeks remain before the Aug. 3 trade deadline, and you have no further to look than the historic collapses by the Tigers and Mets last year, along with the miraculous run by the Cleveland Guardians, to know that wild and crazy things can happen in a pennant race.

Still, let’s have a little dose of reality, can we?

These teams aren’t going anywhere.

So why not at least pick up the phone, start engaging in preliminary trade talks, and see if there’s a potential match, you know, before the deadline?

Would that really be so nuts?

“I understand there are times to do value trades," longtime general manager Doug Melvin and now special assistant for the Brewers, tells USA TODAY Sports, “but sometimes, you’ve just got to go get guys and not worry about that. That’s what holds up some of trade deadline deals. Everyone is worrying about value trades instead of just getting the guys they need.

“Teams are just so afraid to engage early."

Maybe it’s time to take a page out of Melvin’s playbook, who played a vital role in making the Brewers who they are today.

Melvin pulled off one of the greatest deals in Brewers’ history, forever changing the franchise’s destiny in 2008, with a move that will live forever in MLB folklore.

Melvin didn’t worry about hoarding his top prospects. He didn’t freak out over the possibility that one of his prospects could become a future All-Star. He wasn’t panicking about how his move would be perceived by the media.

He just pulled the trigger on July 7, 2008, more than three weeks before the trade deadline, and traded four of his top prospects for impending free agent CC Sabathia of Cleveland.

It changed the course of history.

Sabathia, who was 6-8 with a 3.83 ERA, was acquired for the Brewers’ No. 1 prospect Matt LaPorta, their first-round draft pick a year earlier, along with left-handed pitcher Zach Jackson, right-hander Rob Bryson, and a player to be named later.

The only real hold-up, says Melvin, who began telephoning Cleveland a month earlier to express interest, was with GM Mark Shapiro and assistant Chris Antonetti trying to decide between outfield prospect Michel Brantley and prized infield prospect Taylor Greene as part of the package.

“They were torn, they wanted to see them a little more," Melvin said. “Both were really talented. So I finally said, 'Mark, how about we do this: If we don’t get to the playoffs, we pick the player. If we go to the playoffs, you get the choice and pick the player you want.'"

That player to be named turned out to be Brantley, who became a five-time All-Star and played 15 years in the big leagues.

“We were pretty clear defining what the market was and who we thought would be involved," said then-Cleveland GM Mark Shapiro, now president of baseball operations for the Toronto Blue Jays. “If you look back at the history of the deals, I did, I was definitely an early mover."

It was a deal the two teams liked at the time and would do all over again 18 years later.

“We liked this deal a lot," Shapiro said. “Matt LaPorta was the key guy, but getting Brantley made it an incredible trade."

Just like that, the Brewers’ destiny was dramatically altered.

“It showed our players and our fans," Melvin said, “that we're committed to winning, and winning now."

Sabathia, who cried after getting the news, was given the option to spend a few days with his family and join the Brewers late. He declined. He showed up two days later, walked into an elated Brewers clubhouse and beat the Colorado Rockies in his first game, 7-3, pitching six innings and allowing two earned runs in front of a sold-out crowd. Five days later, he pitched a complete game and homered in a 3-2 victory over the Cincinnati Reds. He threw another complete game and struck out 10 in his next start against the Giants. And in the next, a three-hit shutout against the St. Louis Cardinals.

He become one of the greatest trade deadline acquisitions in baseball history.

Sabathia went 11-2 with a 1.64 ERA with seven complete games in 17 starts. He ignored the advice of his agent and pitched on short rest in his last three starts of the season, throwing 335 pitches the final nine days. And he clinched the Brewers’ first playoff berth since 1982 on the final day of the season, a 3-1, four-hit complete game victory over the Cubs.

A legend was born.

“That was the jolt that we needed," Melvin said. “It meant so much to our players. When you see the players busting their balls and working so hard, the front office has to work harder themselves and see what we can do for them.’’

It also turned out to be a stroke of genius acquiring him early. The Brewers got an extra five starts out of Sabathia, who went 4-1 with a 1.82 in July, pitching three complete games and racking up 39.2 innings.

Sabathia departed after the season for a record seven-year, $161 million contract with the New York Yankees, winning the World Series the next year in 2009, but he left an indelible mark on the Brewers and was inducted into their Wall of Honor last month.

“That jump-started the entire organization," Melvin said.

The Brewers became the ultimate role model for small-market teams, drawing 3 million fans in three of four seasons, beginning with Sabathia’s arrival. They started winning and never stopped, coming within two games of the World Series in 2011, and have now produced nine consecutive winning seasons with seven playoffs berths and five division titles.

It was the single-most impactful trade in Brewers history.

And it was one of the biggest “what-if" misses in Los Angeles Dodgers history.

The Dodgers also were in on Sabathia. Ned Colletti, the former Dodgers GM, believed they were on the verge of reaching a potential deal with Cleveland that would have left the Brewers empty-handed.

The Dodgers offered catcher Carlos Santana, a future All-Star and Gold Glove first baseman; infielder Andy LaRoche; pitcher James McDonald; infielder Ivan DeJesus; and a fifth prospect. Cleveland was sending Sabathia, third baseman Casey Blake and utility man James Carroll to Los Angeles.

Colletti remembers getting a stamp of approval from manager Joe Torre that afternoon (“he was all fired up"), but when he approached owner Frank McCourt, he didn’t want to assume the $10 million in salary while also parting with prospects.

“A few weeks later, we still got Manny Ramirez with Boston paying his salary. And then we got [Greg] Maddux in August. Can you imagine if we had all three of those guys when we played Philly in the postseason?

“If we had gotten those guys, we might have had the guns to beat those guys."

The Dodgers had to wait another dozen years before they won the World Series.

Skubal could be the greatest pitcher to hit the trade block since Sabathia. Just like Sabathia, Skubal will be a rental too, set for the free agent market after the season where he’s expected to command $400 million. And just like Sabathia, Skubal is expected to make that kind of impact, yielding a 41-15 record and 2.41 ERA since 2024.

So, who has the guts like Melvin to pull off a deal for Skubal?

The Yankees? Dodgers? Padres? Cubs? Rays? How about those Brewers again?

“If I’m the Tigers," Melvin said, “I’d think about putting Skubal out there right now."

Skubal, who had arthroscopic elbow surgery five weeks ago, first must prove he is healthy. He’s pitching in a minor league rehab start Sunday, and if all goes well, could return to the Tigers rotation next weekend against Cleveland.

Rival executives believe that Skubal will need to make at least three starts to convince teams he’s healthy.

Perhaps even more important, the Tigers also have to convince themselves they have no chance to get back in the playoff race before moving him.

The trouble is that with expanded playoffs, and the AL being appallingly mediocre, every team believes they still have a chance. The Royals, Angels, Giants and Rockies were the only teams facing a deficit larger than six games entering Saturday.

And there are a bunch of clubs that share the same philosophy waiting until nearly the last possible moment to make deals.

“I think there’s a much more definitive valuation in players," Shapiro says. “Teams have the ability to precisely measure the expected return.

“Back then, we didn’t have the firm capability to determine the impact in value. A lot of it was intuitive. Now, you’re more cautious and more hesitant to move before understanding what the full market value might be.’’

The expanded postseason also decreases the value of making major moves to simply make the playoffs. If they are going to give up a significant part of their future, they want a legitimate chance to win a division title, and not a wild-card berth, to secure a first-round bye.

“Your World Series odds are probably going to be correlated to your odds of getting a bye,” Jed Hoyer, Cubs president of baseball operations, said in his Friday gathering with reporters. “Getting a bye is such a big deal. It’s effectively not only winning one round but also, by getting a bye. In theory, you’re playing an opponent that should be in a lesser state. … The bye is that important.

“If you want to look at it differently, I’d say a lot of the aggressiveness is based on the ability to get a bye.”

Then again, it could be a cop-out. The Dodgers didn’t have a first-round bye last season and still won their second consecutive postseason World Series championship. The Texas Rangers and Arizona Diamondbacks didn’t have byes as wild-card teams in 2023 and were playing one another in the World Series.

When the opportunity presents itself, you better be ready to pounce.

“When I was in San Francisco with Sabes [Giants GM Brian Sabean]," Colletti said, “we were always making rounds of calls in the middle of May, just in case. If you know who you want, there’s no reason to wait.

“I remember learning from my first boss, Dallas Green, and his philosophy: If you are sure who you want, and your team has a chance, don’t wait. These opportunities don’t come around too often.

“You better go for it."

Yes, just like 10 years ago, when Theo Epstein, the Cubs’ president of baseball operations, traded for Yankees All-Star closer Aroldis Chapman. The price was steep. It cost them their top prospect, infielder Gleyber Torres, with Epstein left answering why he was willing to sacrifice the Cubs’ future for the ultimate prize.

“If not now," Epstein said, “when?"

Three months later, Epstein was standing on stage hoisting the World Series trophy, the Cubs’ first championship in 108 years.

“There are times," Melvin says, “that you’ve just got to step up."

It’s beginning to be that time.

Around the basepaths

– If a team acquires New York Mets ace Freddy Peralta at the trade deadline and wants to keep him, they better be ready to pay up. Peralta will be seeking a free agent contract similar to Max Fried’s eight-year, $218 million deal, according to those familiar with Peralta’s expectations.

– MLB executives believe there will be a slow trickle of free agent signings before the CBA expires Dec. 1 but that most agents will prefer to wait to see if a lot more small- and mid-market teams will be involved in free agency when a CBA is finalized.

Boston Red Sox closer Aroldis Chapman is expected to join his eighth different team, and potentially be in the postseason with his sixth different team. He is the top reliever available on every contender’s target list, converting 28 consecutive saves dating back to last season, one shy of his career record.

– St. Louis Cardinals manager Oli Marmol, a candidate for the NL Manager of the Year award, has accepted Dave Roberts’ invitation to be on the National League coaching staff at the All-Star Game. Marmol and Phillies manager Don Mattingly will be the non-Dodger coaches with Roberts.

Minnesota Twins manager Derek Shelton will be on Blue Jays manager John Schneider’s All-Star staff.

– Just in case you wondered why Yankees star Aaron Judge is considered one of the greatest teammates in the game, all you have to know is his response when asked why he didn’t go on the injured list to have his ribs checked out on April 26 when he felt the injury instead of waiting until June.

“Big G [Giancarlo Stanton] is hurt," Judge said. “Max Fried’s hurt. We had a lot of guys banged up. You’ve got to be out there. That’s what they’re paying me to do, to go out there and play."

The Yankees entered Saturday with a .419 winning percentage when Judge doesn’t start since 2022, averaging 3.8 runs a game. They have a .592 winning percentage, averaging five runs a game, when he starts.

– Meanwhile, Diamondbacks second baseman Ketel Marte, who the D-backs tried to trade during the winter, continues to frustrate segments of the organization by opting to take days off. He sat last week when Shohei Ohtani the Los Angeles Dodgers pitched against the Diamondbacks, and then played the next day and hit a walk-off homer.

– There’s no hiding that the Chicago Cubs are desperate for another starter, with their rotation yielding a 6.35 ERA since their 10-game winning streak that ended May 10.

Their starting rotation:

  • Colin Rea: 4.59 ERA.
  • Shota Imanaga: 4.74 ERA.
  • Edward Cabrera: 4.99 ERA.
  • Jameson Taillon: 5.13 ERA.
  • Matthew Boyd: 6.00 ERA.

Still, Hoyer made it clear this week that it’s absurd for them to think about mortgaging the future for Skubal, Peralta or someone else unless they dramatically start playing better, losing 18 of their last 24 games.

“The trade deadline is the furthest thing from my mind right now …” Hoyer said. “Sitting here talking about the deadline, given how we played, seems like the wrong thing to talk about. We have to play better, and we have to put ourselves in a position to do that.’’

The Cubs, who had two 10-game winning streaks, went 37 consecutive days without losing a single game at Wrigley Field. It took them 28 days to win another game at Wrigley this week.

– The Athletics have shown interest in Royals starter Kris Bubic to help out their struggling rotation.

– The free-falling San Diego Padres don’t need Skubal as much as they need someone who can hit.

They are batting .216, which not only is the lowest in MLB, but the lowest in franchise history after 60 games.

Thy also are last in on-base percentage (.291), last in OPS (.651) and second-to-last in slugging (.360).

They are the only team in baseball not to have a single regular with an OPS+ of at least 100, meaning they don’t have even one average hitter on the team.

“The game’s evolving, man," All-Star third baseman Manny Machado, who’s having his worst season, .175 with a .617 OPS, told reporters. “It’s definitely getting harder to play. It’s definitely getting more strategic. I just wish we can get the analytics out of the way. I think there’s too many stats out there. Too many stats, way too many numbers."

– Pitchers are echoing the complaints of Twins pitcher Bailey Ober, who filed a formal complaint with MLB about the quality of baseballs, believing it was the cause of his recent pitching injury, according to the Minnesota Star-Tribune.

– While there has been speculation that San Francisco Giants manager Tony Vitello is so frustrated in his new job and could return to the college ranks after the season, he insists that he’s still happy he took the job, paying him $3.5 million a year, a record salary for first-year managers.

– The Chicago White Sox and St. Louis Cardinals have been two of the biggest surprises in baseball the first half, but please, they’re not about to trade prospects at the deadline to go all-in.

The Cardinals, in fact, are expected to trade reliever JoJo Romero and starter Dustin May at the trade deadline, providing they slip further back in the wild-card race.

A year from now, it may be a completely different story.

– Former Dodgers GM Ned Colletti conveyed a story to Hall of Famer CC Sabathia at the World Baseball Classic that had him laughing.

Colletti, who was the assistant GM with the San Francisco Giants at the time, drove with Giants GM Brian Sabean to Vallejo, California, Sabathia’s hometown, in between games of a doubleheader at Candlestick Park to watch Sabathia pitch as a high school player before the 1998 draft.

“He hit a towering home run to center field," Colletti said. “He was like a man playing with kids. As soon as he hit the homer, we got into the car and went back to Candlestick. Sabes says, 'He’s not falling to us.' And went home."

Well, it turns out they actually did, and missed out.

The Giants, with the 19th pick overall, drafted third baseman Anthony Torcato of Woodland, Hills, California. Cleveland drafted Sabathia with the 20th pick.

Torcato’s big-league career lasted just 47 at-bats. Sabathia pitched 19 seasons, won 251 games, and went to the Hall of Fame.

– The Boston Red Sox are an absolute mess and are 10-21 at Fenway Park. They are on pace to go 26-55 at home. The last time they played a full season and won fewer than 30 home games was in 1932 when they finished the season with a 43-111 record.

The Red Sox, who slashed their scouting department to add more analytics, may want to take a hard look at the Tampa Bay Rays, Los Angeles Dodgers, New York Yankees, Philadelphia Phillies and San Diego Padres.

They have the most pro scouts in MLB and still have a robust analytic department.

– The Cleveland Guardians are the only team that has started only five pitchers this season, while 12 teams have already used 10 or more starters, led by the Houston Astros with 13.

– The Phillies are 29-0 when leading after eight innings this year and are an MLB-best 14-5 in one-run games.

Take a bow, closer Jhoan Duran, who’s 15-for-15 in save opportunities, retiring 21 of the last 23 batters he’s faced.

Follow Nightengale on X: @Bnightengale

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Tarik Skubal trade will require major MLB deadline bravery amid rumors

Today on Pinstripe Alley – 6/7/26

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JUNE 05: Aaron Judge #99 of the New York Yankees looks on from the dugout during the eighth inning against the Boston Red Sox at Yankee Stadium on June 05, 2026 in New York City. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images) | Getty Images

The weather decided not to cooperate with the Yankees last night, as the rain would’ve had the team waiting around until well after 10 p.m. to start Saturday’s scheduled game. With a matinee on deck today, that timeline was deemed too brutal to wait things out, and thus we have another two-game set with a division rival on deck that the Yankees are looking to split.

Today will be a slow morning while we wait for the Yankees to take the field again, with just a couple things of note. Andrew has the Rivalry Roundup featuring the Rays giving back a half-game with the Yankees inactive, Nick honors the legacy of Thurman Munson on what would’ve been his 76th birthday, and John has the weekly social media spotlight. After the game, Scott will be on hand with a look at the history of Scranton’s no-hitters after they penned their latest one this weekend.

Today’s Matchup:

New York Yankees vs. Boston Red Sox

Time: 1:35 p.m. EST

TV: YES Network, NESN

Venue: Yankee Stadium, Bronx, NY

Questions/Prompts:

1. Will we see Cam Schlittler have continued velo problems or will he have his fastball back to form?

2. Are we witnessing an all-time Stanley Cup Finals after the third straight wild finish in Game 3?

Hao-Yu Lee homers twice as Hens split doubleheader, Brett Callahan homers again for Erie

Iowa Cubs 7, Toledo Mud Hens 5 (Gm1)(F/7)(box)

The Hens swung the bats well in Game 1 but Dylan File took a beating from the Cubs. The right-hander gave up seven runs, six earned on 10 hits and a walk, with five strikeouts.

Hao-Yu Lee opened the scoring in the top of the first with a two-run shot with Gage Workman aboard. The Cubs tied it up against File in the bottom of the first. Tyler Gentry’s solo shot in the second inning made it 3-2 Hens, but the Cubs tied it back up in the bottom half.

File lost it a bit in the bottom of the third, and the Cubs racked up four more runs to take a commanding lead. Eduardo Valencia launched a solo shot, his 12th homer, in the fourth to make it 7-3 Cubs. In the fifth, Workman doubled and scored on a Lee single to make it 7-5, but they couldn’t complete a comeback.

Lee: 2-4, R, 3 RBI, HR, 2 K

Anderson: 2-4

File (L, 4-2): 6.0 IP, 7 R, 6 ER, 10 H, BB, 5 K

Toledo Mud Hens 8, Iowa Cubs 1 (Gm2)(F/7)(box)

Excellent outings from Carl Edwards Jr. and Tyler Mattison locked down the Cubs, and the Hens built a lead and then erupted late to take Game 2 on Saturday.

Ricky Vanasco was the opener, but he allowed a run in the first inning. Edwards Jr. took over, and after several pretty grim outings since the Tigers picked him up, the veteran right-hander blanked the Cubs for 3.1 innings, striking out seven without a walk allowed.

Edwards Jr. got whiffs on fastballs and curveballs, and particularly with a mid-80’s offering that was registering on Statcast as a fourseamer, but looked like a nascient cutter in development. Tyler Mattison took over to close out the fifth and then handled the sixth, striking out four with one hit allowed.

The Hens tied the game in the second inning when Hao-Yu Lee walked and scored on a Jace Jung double. In the fourth, Lee was hit by a pitch to start the inning, and both pitcher Vince Velasquez and Cubs’ manager Denver Dangerfield were ejected in a lengthy row. A batter’s interference call on Tyler Gentry to end the inning led to more frustration from the coaching staffs, and Hens’ manager Gary Jones was tossed out of the game on that one. Pitching coach Doug Bochtler took over the argument, and he got tossed out there as well. On a long hot day for the doubleheader, tensions were running high.

Back to baseball, as Cal Stevenson led off the fifth with a triple. Max Clark singled him in, and then in the top of the sixth, Workman and Lee both hit solo shots to make it 4-1 Hens. Three batters later, Gentry hit a homer with Jace Jung aboard, and Tomás Nido capped a big inning with a solo shot as the Hens batted around. 7-1 Hens. Gage Workman doubled, took second on a Lee single, and scored on a Trei Cruz sacrifice fly.

Lee: 2-2, 2 R, RBI, HR, BB

Workman: 2-4, 2 R, RBI, 2B, HR, K

Jung: 1-3, R, RBI, 2B, BB, K

Edwards Jr. (W, 2-4): 3.1 IP, 0 R, 3 H, 0 BB, 7 K

Coming Up Next: The Hens lead the series 4-1 heading into a 2:08 p.m. ET matchup on Sunday.

Richmond Flying Squirrels 8, Erie SeaWolves 7 (box)

The Seawolves had this one in the bag until Wandisson Charles melted down late to blow a big lead.

Erie jumped all over the Squirrels in this one. Seth Stephenson led off the game with a walk and Peyton Graham drew a walk. John Peck doubled in Stephenson, and Brett Callahan drilled an opposite field, three-run shot to make it 4-0. Callahan’s 9th homer took him to a .n .877 OPS on the year. They weren’t done either, as Justice Bigbie singled and was wild pitched to second and then to third, scoring on a wild pickoff attempt. 5-0 SeaWolves.

On a bullpen day after Joe Miller left due to what looked like an arm injury after an inning, Johan Simon allowed a run in the second and then the third, but in the fourth, Stephenson led off with a single and stole second and third, scoring on a Peyton Graham single. 6-2 Erie.

Tyler Owens tossed two scoreless innings of relief, and Luke Taggart and Trevin Michael gave them an inning of scoreless relief as well. In the eighth, Graham walked with two outs and scored on Peck single.

So it was 7-2 heading into the bottom of the ninth. Wandisson Charles then melted down to allow five runs. Infielder Andrew Jenkins took over with the SeaWolves out of arms, and he allowed a walk off double to Onil Perez to lose it.

Callahan: 3-5, R, 3 RBI, 2B, HR

Peck: 2-4, R, 2 RBI, 2B, BB

Graham: 1-3, 2 R, RBI, 2 BB

Charles: 1.2 IP, 5 ER, 5 H, 0 BB, 2 K

Coming Up Next: The SeaWolves need to bounce back and win on Sunday to split the series. First pitch is at 5:05 p.m. ET on Sunday.

West Michigan Whitecaps 11, Dayton Dragons 3 (box)

The Whitecaps got a nice outing from Rayner Castillo and a nice offensive performance to win on Saturday to take a 3-2 lead in the series.

Castillo fired 4.2 innings of one-run ball, walking two against four strikeouts. He allowed a run in the second inning and then really settled in. It’s been a frustrating season so far for the young right-hander, so hopefully he can build on this one.

The offense got going early as Jackson Strong and Ricardo Hurtado singled in the first inning. Bryce Rainer lofted a sacrifice fly to score Strong for a 1-0 lead. Luke Shliger cracked a two-run shot with Clayton Campbell aboard for a 3-1 lead in the second inning.

In the third, Hurtado walked, and Bryce Rainer singled him to third, then stole second base. Campbell was hit by a pitch, and Junior Tilien cleared the bases with a three-run double. 6-1 Whitecaps. Rainer singled in Strong in the fourth to make it 7-1.

In the fifth, they kept pouring it on. Shliger singled in Woody Hadeen, and later in the inning Strong cracked a three-run shot, his fourth of the year, to make it 11-1.

Jalen Evans allowed two late runs, but this one was in the bag already.

Rainer: 2-4, R, 2 RBI, 2 K, SB

Strong: 2-4, 3 R, 3 RBI, HR, BB, 2 K

Tilien: 2-5, R, 3 RBI, 2B, K

Castillo: 4.2 IP, ER, 4 H, 2 BB, 4 K

Coming Up Next: It’s a 2:00 p.m. ET matchup in Comstock Park with Tarik Skubal starting in his first rehab outing for the Whitecaps. One would think they’ll have a good chance to win the series. We’ll see how many pitches Skubal is allowed to throw.

Fort Myers Mighty Mussels, 5, Lakeland Flying Tigers 0 (box)

Caleb Leys was knocked around a bit, while the offense struggled to get anything going on Saturday.

The southpaw allowed a run in the first, then two more in the fourth. He wasn’t hit that hard, but a pair of walks and a two-run shot allowed didn’t help his cause.

Eliseo Mota allowed a pair of runs in the sixth.

The offense managed just five hits in this one, and then couldn’t capitalize on its few opportunties.

Ankeney: 1-3, 2B, BB, K

Yost: 1-4

Leys (L, 0-3): 4.0 IP, 3 ER, 5 H, 2 BB, 3 K

Coming Up Next: The Mussels are up 4-1 in the series, which concludes on Sunday at 12:00 p.m. ET.

FCL Yankees 8, FCL Tigers 1 (box)

Owen Hall was charged with six runs in this one, but it wasn’t as bad as the statline. Hall was rocked in the first. He gave up a single, two doubles, and two walks before he was lifted due to pitch count per inning restrictions. Gabriel Rosado came on and immediately allowed a grand slam. Hall came back out to pitch the second, third, and first out of the fourth, allowing just one hit, while striking out three the rest of the way. Cris Rodriguez and Steven Madero each had a hit but it was a rough game for the Tigers’ offense.

Yankees news: Benny Backstop? Don’t count on it

BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - SEPTEMBER 20: Ben Rice #22 of the New York Yankees looks on from his defensive position at catcher in the seventh inning during a game against the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on September 20, 2025 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Brandon Sloter/IOS/Getty Images) | Getty Images

ESPN | Jorge Castillo: Perhaps unsurprisingly, one of the first questions to arise in the wake of Austin Wells’ surprise IL trip pertained to whether the Yankees’ best healthy hitter could help take up some slack at catcher. While Aaron Boone did not shut the door on Ben Rice donning the tools of ignorance, he mentioned “It’s not on the board right now.” Elaborating, Boone discussed the concern that regular time behind the dish could impact Rice’s torrid bat.

“Do we want to do that with what he means to, obviously, the middle of our lineup?” Boone said. “So we’ll continue to evaluate that and ultimately decide if the risk is worth that, or if we think it’s worth it.”

Back to Wells for a second though, there was some curiosity about the timing of his IL placement, which saw J.C. Escarra return to the team almost immediately after being demoted during Friday’s postgame. It seems that the situation developed quickly. Here’s what Boone had to say:

MLB | Rob Terranova: While the Yankees were busy losing to the Red Sox in the Bronx Friday night, the Yanks’ Triple-A affiliate was much more successful. 2021 second round pick Brendan Beck tossed seven no-hit innings against Syracuse, the Mets’ Triple-A club. After Beck left, having thrown 93 pitches, reliever Carson Coleman entered and proved up to the task he’d inherited. Two hitless frames letter, Scranton/Wilkes-Barre had itself a no-hitter, the RailRiders’ first in five years. It continued a strong start to the season at Triple-A for Beck, who made his MLB debut versus Texas in early May.

MLB | Bryan Hoch: Spencer Jones finds himself back in New York for the second time this season, called up to replace Aaron Judge on the 26-man roster. On his way back to the bigs, Jones found himself on the receiving end of some advice from Oswaldo Cabrera, currently toiling in the minors. “New York doesn’t need any heroes. They just need you,” Oswaldo told Jones, who admittedly struggled in his initial experience against major league pitching. For what it’s worth, Jones went 3-for-3 with an RBI double Friday night. Hopefully, he can provide some thump to the Yankee lineup this time around.

The Athletic | Brendan Kuty ($): By this point, it’s part of Cam Schlittler Lore that the flamethrower grew up in New England, Massachusetts specifically. Less well known perhaps (I certainly hadn’t heard it prior to this) is that Schlittler was named for a Boston sports hero, namely Cam Neely. The NHL Hall of Famer played 10 of his 13 seasons in Beantown. Schlittler’s father was a big fan of Neely and in a nice coincidence, Mrs. Schlittler liked the name Cam as well. Et voila. Now a team president for the Bruins, Neely remarked that he’ll be following the Yankee fireballer’s career with interest. Hopefully Neely can watch his namesake win a World Series or three in his time as a Yankee.

Jacob Misiorowski hits Tyler Freeman in helmet with pitch

Milwaukee Brewers fireballer Jacob Misiorowski was dealing once again Saturday night.

And while he mowed down the Colorado Rockies − including firing a starter record 103.7 mph pitch − he was also responsible for a scary moment in the sixth inning.

A 98 mph offering from Misiorowski got away from him, hitting the Rockies' Tyler Freeman flush in the helmet. Both players seemed shaken by the incident and Freeman exited the game after being attended to by trainers.

Freeman did walk off the field under his own power.

His manager, Warren Schaeffer, painted a positive outlook for Freeman after the game.

"He took it about as good as I think anybody can take 101 (miles per hour) off the helmet," Schaeffer said, per the Denver Post. "Obviously, it didn’t feel good, but he seems fine."

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Brewers' Jacob Misiorowski hits Tyler Freeman in helmet with pitch

Domincan Summer League preview

The San Diego Padres organization again has two teams in the Domincan Summer League (DSL). The players live and train on the campus of their Domincan Academies and play their games on the grounds of the the team-operated training sites and academies.

Padres Gold and Padres Brown began playing on June 1 with several top international prospects on the roster(s). Padres scouts and executives have signed dozens of players during the international signing period that began on Jan. 15. If you check the Padres transactions in the roster section of the website, you will see many more have been signed over past months.

All of these players fall within the criteria of at least 16 years old and turn 17 before Sept. 1 of the signing year. They come from everywhere outside of the U.S., Canada and Puerto Rico and the DSL is the location where most begin their professional careers.

The Padres have a $5.94 million bonus pool for this signing class that runs until Dec. 15. Three of the top 100 international prospects as ranked by MLB Pipeline signed with the Padres. They are all currently on the roster in the DSL. There are also three other prospects playing this year that are considered high reward players. One is a holdover from the 2025 class that also featured three other players currently ranked on the Padres top 100 prospects list.

2025 class prospects to watch

SS/3B Deivid Coronil, No. 25, is an 18-year-old from Venezuela who played in the DSL last year and is currently not active on any team. He is most likely still in Arizona in a development program.

SS/2B Jhoan De La Cruz, No. 21, is an 18-year-old from the Dominican Republic (DR) and played last year in the DSL. He is currently playing for the ACL Padres at shortstop, second base and DH.

RHP Lan-Hong- Su, No. 16, is a 19-year-old from Taiwan who is with the ACL Padres after not playing in 2025 (he signed in Oct. 2025). He has already made a splash by skipping the DSL and has started three games for the ACL team with a 1.29 ERA in seven innings.

LHP Carlos Alvarez, is not a top 30 prospect after struggling in his DSL debut last year. At 6-foot-5 and 200 pounds, Alvarez is still only 18 years old. Command and control are the big issues for him, and he still has plenty of time to work through them and develop.

2026 top prospects in the DSL

The Padres signed 17-year-old Cuban shortstop Joniel Hernandez, the No. 13 rated international prospect on MLB Pipeline, for a $1.4 million bonus. At 6-1 and 180 pounds, the potential for a five-tool player is there. If he grows out of his shortstop position, he could be moved to center field. He is currently on the DSL Gold roster.

LHP Diego Serna, 17, is the No. 20 prospect for the Padres and is from Mexico. He has international experience after pitching for Mexico in the 2024 U-15 World Cup. He is considered the best lefty prospect in the international class. At 6-3 and 205, Serna still has time to grow and currently has a low-90’s fastball with a slider and changeup. Serna is pitching for DSL Gold.

SS/3B Timothy Mogen, 17, is from Curacao and stands 6-4 and 170 pounds. He was noted by Baseball America as one of the top athletes outside of the top rankings that should be watched. He has speed, a plus-arm and power potential. He is currently on the DSL Gold roster.

RHP Yoel Duarte is out of Venezuela and recently changed from the shortstop position to pitching. He was clocked to have a mid-90’s fastball from the go and tops out at 98 mph. At 6-3 and 185 pounds, the 17-year-old still has projectible development and is still learning. He is on the DSL Brown roster.

Catcher Jhonneiker Leon is a 17-year-old out of Venezuela. He is 6-1 and 210 with a plus-arm and already possesses plus-power with his bat. He is on the DSL Gold roster.

RHP Jordan Perez is a Cuban 17-year-old that has a low-90’s fastball, a curveball and a developing third pitch. He is 6-1 and 175 pounds and is more polished that many of the other inexperienced pitchers around him. He is on the DSL Gold roster.

The DSL season typically runs a 72-game schedule and ends in August. The Padres DSL Gold team won the championship last year and will fight to keep the DSL Cup. Updates will be included in the weekly minor league updates on Gaslamp Ball.

Shohei Ohtani’s 11th homer caps Dodgers’ nine-run first inning during rout of Angels

An image collage containing 3 images, Image 1 shows Shohei Ohtani (17) of the Los Angeles Dodgers high-fives a teammate as he runs after hitting a two-run home run, Image 2 shows Shohei Ohtani (17) rounds the bases after hitting a two-run home run, Image 3 shows Angels pitcher Jack Kochanowicz wearing a red uniform stands on the field looking to the side
Shohei Ohtani's 11th homer caps Dodgers' nine-run first inning during rout of Angels

Batting practice on Saturday extended into the game for the Dodgers.

A two-run home run by Shohei Ohtani punctuated a nine-run first inning for the two-time defending champions, who went on to claim a 9-2 victory over the Angels at Uniqlo Field.

This wasn’t a baseball game.

This was a pride of lions mauling a defenseless warthog.

Shohei Ohtani (17) hits a two-run home during the Dodgers’ June 6 game. Wally Skalij for CA Post

The prey in this scenario was Angels starter Jack Kochanowicz, who was removed from the game after retiring only one of the eight batters he faced.

Kochanowicz’s replacement ended the on-field massacre but not before serving up a down-the-middle sinker that Ohtani blasted over the wall in left-center field for his 11th home run of the season.

Shohei Ohtani rounds the bases after hitting a two-run home run. Wally Skalij for CA Post

The inning was the Dodgers’ most productive in almost five years. The last time the Dodgers scored nine runs in an inning was in the seventh inning of a 10-5 win over the Nationals on July 2, 2021.

So much for the one-run advantage the Angels gained on a run-scoring triple by Oswald Peraza in the top of the inning.

Andy Pages (44) hits a two-run home run. Wally Skalij for CA Post

Ohtani led off the Dodgers’ assault with an infield hit, which was followed by a home run by Andy Pages. Consecutive singles by Freddie Freeman, Mookie Betts and Max Muncy loaded the bases, with Freeman and Betts scoring on a double by 28-year-old rookie Ryan Ward.

Kochanowicz struck out Alex Call but walked Dalton Rushing in the very next at-bat to reload the bases, prompting manager Kurt Suzuki to remove him. 

In came Suter, who got Alex Freeland to hit a grounder to short, only to see Zach Neto chuck the ball into right field. Three runs scored.

Two more scored on Ohtani’s homer.

The game was over.

Alex Freeland (76) showers Andy Pages (44) with sunflower seeds after his two-run home run. Wally Skalij for CA Post

What it means

The Dodgers might as well place an order for the champagne they will open when they win the National League West. They maintained an eight-game lead over the Padres, who beat the Mets, 3-2. And they’re now 8 ½ games ahead of the Diamondbacks, who lost to the Nationals, 6-1.

Jack Kochanowicz gets pulled during the Angels’ loss to the Dodgers on June 6. Wally Skalij for CA Post

Who’s hot

If not for another first-inning misstep, Yoshinobu Yamamoto would have triggered a no-hitter alert.

Wade Meckler reached base on a two-out bunt single in the first inning and scored on Peraza’s triple, but Yamamoto didn’t give up any runs or hits over the next seven frames.

Dalton Rushing (68) scores a run against the Los Angeles Angels in the first inning. Wally Skalij for CA Post

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Yamamoto completed eight innings to extend his personal winning streak to three starts. The Japanese right-hander has posted a 0.66 earned-run average over his last four starts.

Who’s not

The league-worst record of the Angels doesn’t reflect how bad they are. They looked helpless at the plate on Friday against Roki Sasaki and looked even more so on Saturday against Yamamoto. They can’t play defense, with an errant throw by Donovan Walton in the second inning counting as their second error of the game.

Center fielder Andy Pages (44) can’t make the catch on a triple by Los Angeles Angels Oswald Peraza in the first inning. Wally Skalij for CA Post

Up next

The Dodgers’ three-game series against the Angels will conclude on Sunday with Emmet Sheehan (3-2, 4.50 ERA) taking on Angels right-hander Jose Soriano (6-4, 2.72).

Los Angeles Rams linebacker Myles Garrett threw out the first pitch before a game. Wally Skalij for CA Post