DETROIT, MI - MAY 4: Roman Anthony #19 of the Boston Red Sox during an at-bat against the Detroit Tigers in the first inning at Comerica Park on May 4, 2026 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Duane Burleson/Getty Images) | Getty Images
This is going to be something we’ll be keeping an eye on all season, isn’t it? Yesterday, fourteen days after suffering what was hoped to be a minor wrist injury back on May 4, Roman Anthony once again swung a bat. It did not go well, and Anthony’s progression is going to be slowed down. “Obviously, you’re not going to have him swing through soreness and discomfort, so not as good news today,” said Chad Tracy. “But we’ll back off and see what happens after the off day with a few more days of rest.” A young phenom stymied by a wrist injury? If you lived through the Nomar Garciaparra era, you probably don’t want to see a sequel. (Alex Speier, Boston Globe)
As somnambulant as the Red Sox lineup has been, they can’t afford to lose Anthony for the long-term. As it is, the team’s underperformance is starting to weigh on a lot of the players, like Caleb Durbin. “It’s tougher honestly away from the field and pre-work. It’s all I think about. This is our life. For me, like I know what I’m capable of. And like coming into the year, I had really high expectations. Obviously as a team we did and still a lot of ball left, but obviously the games we’ve played up to this point matter a lot, too. Every game matters.” (Christopher Smith, MassLive)
There’s been a lot of fan debate about whether Durbin should be sent down to AAA while he tries to fight through his struggles. The team hasn’t spoken much about that, but he is going to get less playing time while Nick Sogard is up. “I don’t think it means it’s a permanent Sogie’s taking over at third,” Chad Tracy said. “I think you’ll still see Durbin. I just think that on given days, if we see a matchup we like and Sogie’s part of it, we’ll use him. But we’re searching for runs, trying to get runs.” (Christopher Smith, MassLive)
So the Caleb Durbin deal doesn’t look so hot right now. But Craig Breslow did nail two other offseason trades. As of now, the trades for Willson Contreras and Sonny Gray look like absolute steals. (Rob Bradford, WEEI)
And let’s give thanks for the trades not made, like any trade that would’ve sent Payton Tolle elsewhere. The Sox’s “cartoon character” is showing that he’s becoming a complete pitcher. (Ian Browne, MLB.com)
But a few nice offseason trades aren’t enough to shield Craig Breslow from the slings and arrows as this Red Sox team continues to flounder. And they’re not just coming from the fans, Jason Varitek’s wife is getting in on the action:
They have the “smartest man in baseball” running the show… they’ll be OK without Jason, that’s what they wanted. It’s what’s best for the team.🤗 https://t.co/NF5t06TaZx
— Catherine Varitek (@CatherinVaritek) May 18, 2026
When Jacob Reimer is on, he checks off a lot of offensive boxes: he hits for a solid average, walks a lot, keeps strikeouts to a minimum, and showcases a solid amount of power. When he is off, as he was for virtually all of April, he is a very diminished player. In 20 games in April, he hit .186/.329/.314.
I’m not sure what the correct term would be for it, but I am beginning to think that Reimer is a player who needs to always be optimized in order to be effective. When his upper body and lower body get out of sync, he has trouble with breaking balls and pitches thrown inside. When he is unable to effectively lift the ball, he is grounding into more than his fair share of groundballs. When he is unable to pull the ball, he is hitting for less power than you’d want a corner infielder to be hitting for. When he isn’t feeling confident, he is more passive at the plate.
If Reimer had standout secondary tools, like exceptional speed or sterling defense, it would be easy to look past the occasional prolonged offensive doldrums, because his floor would be higher. But because his speed is minimal and his defensive abilities are negligible, there is more pressure on his bat to come through. Thanks to his strong eye, even when he is struggling offensively at the plate, he isn’t necessarily a black hole and will still draw walks, but when Reimer’s hit tool starts struggling, he really isn’t going to be actively contributing.
Here’s hoping Steve Cohen starts financially supporting my plan to fuse Jacob Reimer and Ryan Clifford into Ryan Reimer sooner rather than later.
Zach Thornton
Week: 1 G (1 GS), 6.0 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 9 K (Triple-A)
Calling it a magical season might be a bit hyperbolic, but Zach Thornton had a 2025 that really put him on the map as a player- and got him out of the shadow of the former Pirates/Mets reliever Zach Thornton on the search engine hits. Making 14 starts for the High-A Brooklyn Cyclones and the Double-A Binghamton Rumble Ponies, the southpaw posted a combined 1.98 ERA in 72.2 innings, allowing 48 hits, walking 11, and striking out 78. Along with Jonah Tong and Jack Wenninger, he formed a fearsome threesome of pitchers that batters had to navigate past, a dangerous hydra that few hitters were capable of dealing with. Unfortunately for Thornton, an oblique injury in early July ended his season prematurely and suddenly- and just to highlight how strong the pitching was in the system that year, Jonathan Santucci and R.J. Gordon were promoted to Binghamton at roughly the same time, and the Rumble Ponies didn’t even feel the loss of the injury to the left-hander. When all was said and done, we ranked the left-hander the Mets’ 14 prospect coming into the 2026 season.
Thornton returned to the mound with Binghamton in early April, and while he did not pitch poorly at any point, he looked less crisp and more hittable as compared to 2025. In 25.0 innings over 5 starts, the southpaw posted a 3.60 ERA, allowing 10 earned runs, with 24 hits, 9 walks, and 27 strikeouts. Promoted to Triple-A Syracuse after almost exactly a month, Thornton has actually looked a bit better. Through a pair of starts now, the left-hander has allowed three runs over 12.0 innings, scattering 8 hits, walking 3, and striking out 13.
Thornton relies on a five-pitch mix, working with a four-seam fastball, two-seam fastball, changeup, slider, and curveball. In his last start, he threw 33 sliders (41%), 20 two-seam fastballs (25%), 16 curveballs (20%), 7 four-seam fastballs (9%), and 5 changeups(6%); in his other Triple-A start, he threw 28 sliders (33%), 21 two-seam fastballs (25%), 16 curveballs (19%), 16 four-seam fastballs (19%), and 3 changeups (4%). This tracks with past data from the 2025 season, where he used his slider and his fastball almost as much as each other.
Thornton’s four-seam fastball has roughly average velocity for a left-hander, averaging 91 MPH and holding it throughout the ballgame. What stood out to me, looking at the data from his past two ballgames, is that he is getting more induced vertical break on the pitch now as compared to ever before. In his two starts with Syracuse, the pitch averaged 19 inches of IVB, an elite number; in the past, the highest IVB the left-hander had ever recorded was 16 inches, an above-average number to be sure but not elite like 19 is. While this is just a theory, the Triple-A ball may be enhancing the backspin that Thornton creates from his four-seam grip. The spin rate on his fastball is roughly average for a four-seam fastball, but the amount of activated spin that he is getting on the ball is enhancing it. Between his ability to locate the pitch and his ability to induce whiffs, Thornton’s four-seamer is currently sporting a 44% CStr+Whiff% in limited usage. His sinker, interestingly, has a higher spin rate than most sinkers. Most sinkers have spin rates between 2000 RPM and 2200 RPM, allowing the magnus effect to have less of an impact on the pitch, causing it to sink as gravity acts upon the ball. With a higher spin rate, Thornton’s fastball is able to resist the force of gravity longer, giving it late sink. Like his four-seam fastball, he currently has a 42% CStr+Whiff% with his sinker. Because of the lack of premium velocity, when batters make contact with the pitch, they are able to do damage.
His slider has always been his bread-and-butter, and the pitch is showing no ill effects from his return to the mound after a lengthy layup or his promotion to Triple-A. The mid-80s offering has so far averaged 35 inches of vertical drop and 5 inches of horizontal movement, resulting in a 34% CStr+Whiff% rate. When he wants to, he can throw it in the zone, and when he throws it outside of the zone, he can spot it there as well to entice batters. His curveball is much of the same, sitting in the high-70s, featuring 44 inches of vertical movement and 14 inches of horizontal break, with the ability to land in or outside of the zone depending on the situation.
Rounding out his arsenal, the left-hander’s changeup is little more than a change of pace offering at present. Its low spin rate gives the pitch a lot of downward drop, but most of its effectiveness comes from the randomness in terms of when it is thrown, not its nastiness.
There is risk in his profile because, as mentioned, his fastball does not have premium velocity and he is relying more on obstruction, sequencing, and finesse with it to prevent hitters from tattooing the pitch rather than pure brute velocity, but I am feeling bullish on Thornton at present and liking what I am seeing more than I did even last season.
Thornton’s transition to Triple-A so far has been seamless, and he has arguably better now than he was over the course of the last month in Binghamton. I wrote the following paragraph on Sunday afternoon, when I started looking up the data for this Player of the Week write-up: “If these trends continue, and Thornton continues putting up similar numbers over the rest of May, the southpaw might leapfrog Jonah Tong and Jack Wenninger on my preferred pitching prospect depth chart for the Mets to call-up; Tong has had issues acclimating to Triple-A, and while Wenninger has seen plenty of success like Thornton has, I am a bit unsure how his fastball-changeup combo will work at the MLB level as a right-hander with a decidedly middling fastball to set-up his change”. Prophetic words!
Apr 30, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Chase Shugart (55) throws a pitch during the ninth inning against the San Francisco Giants at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images | Bill Streicher-Imagn Images
Everyone loves to see the random reliever pop up and turn into something that is highly effective. From a fan’s point of view, the pitcher’s effectiveness can be turned into a weapon that may or may not be used in more leveraged situations to ride that hot streak as long as it will take him. For the team that is contending like the Phillies, they’re getting good work from a pitcher that is making the league minimum, letting them potentially cross something off their trade deadline wishlist.
Chase Shugart has become that pitcher so far this year, taking a minor league deal in spring training and performing well to a spot in the Phillies’ bullpen that includes a climbing trust from the coaching staff in tight spots (0.27 aLI in his first seven appearances, 0.87 aLI in his last six appearances). His name probably didn’t ring many bells when he was brought in this offseason, but there were some interesting things with his profile that gave him some allure to the Phillies, things that he has continued to do this season. The first thing you notice is that sparkling 1.72 ERA since that is the kind of number we like to see in a reliever. Low ERA in the old days meant limiting damage, but we’re enlightened. We know that there is a lot more to it than that, which is why we look at other things.
For me personally, there are two things I look at for relievers: is he allowing inherited runners to score, and is he leaving his outing with the team in a better spot than when he came in? The first question is an easy one to answer. He’s had five inherited runners during his appearances and has only allowed one of them to score. That seems like a good number and it is, but there is a bit more context to it. Managers often time tier their relievers in different ways, but one is which pitchers do they trust with a “dirty inning”, one where there is trouble on the basepaths and in the batter’s box. Seeing that over his 13 games he’s pitched in, he’s only entered with runners on five times, the team may be looking to avoid those dirtier situations with Shugart. They’re also bringing him in when they’re behind, with ten of his thirteen appearances coming when the team is behind.
That’s totally fine since teams need pitchers to do that. There has to be someone, or multiple someones, in a team’s bullpen that come in when the team is down so as not to use higher leverage arms all the time. Shugart thus far has done a nice job of making sure things don’t get out of hand, which brings us to our second question of does he leave the team in a better spot than when he left. This is a bit more difficult to ascertain, but we can look at two things.
One of my more favorite advanced stats is RE24, which can best be explained with Baseball Reference’s definition:
Given the bases occupied/out situation, how many runs did the pitcher save in the resulting play. Compared to average, so 0 is average, and above 0 is better than average.
When the pitcher came in, did he save the team a lot of runs? Shugart has excelled in that thus far, his 5.4 mark ranking 33rd among 200 relievers who qualify here. Another thing to look at are his situational wins, best described as WPA/LI (wins probability added divided by leverage index). Shugart’s 0.3 number for this doesn’t look so great, but considering the leader for the category is Rico Garcia (1.1), Shugart’s number looks a lot better, tied for 43rd out of over 350 pitchers. He’s done a good job of making sure things don’t get out of hand. He’s done with stuff that isn’t overwhelming, but gets the job done. He’s been good at making sure he’s throwing strikes with a good, not great, fastball, keeping the baseball on the ground (though with this defense, that’s a questionable strategy), yet still doing so without generating a ton of whiffs.
That’s where the temptation comes in. While Shugart has done a good job at limiting damage when he’s been in, his stuff doesn’t really show someone who should be a getting higher leverage spots with regularity. As I said before, teams need pitchers to take this middle innings when the game isn’t particularly in question. Shugart has done this with aplomb, performing his job to the best of his capabilities. His stuff that he is using does suggest that maybe he should just stay there in that spot, not really one that can get out of a jam based on his pure arsenal as it is. While it’s not bad, it’s built more pitching to contact as opposed to generating swings and misses. This is evidenced by his ranking in the 34th percentile for hitters chasing and the 17th percentile for hitters swinging and missing.
Shugart has been a good addition to the team, a cheap option to help with middle innings. Let’s just make sure that he stays in that spot.
The Cubs have now dropped seven of nine after opening their recent trip with their 10th straight win. We are allowed, even at a crummy time to pull the camera back and say that the team has won 22 of 32 and that remains an incredible stretch of baseball. And without any parsing of numbers, the team is 29-19. That’s an excellent stretch of baseball. The kind that if prolonged over a whole season leads to division titles frequently. Even right now, the Cubs sit in first place, even if only by an eyelash.
Have I quoted lyrics from Tom Petty in this space before? Because this team is certainly free fallin’. I’m going to go out on a limb with “no” because I’m not much of a Petty fan. But that’s what this team feels like right now. Staring down Brewers phenom the Mis and another excellent opposing pitcher the next day, this is a tough spot. Of course, you look around and there aren’t a lot of NL teams circling the drain. There are just three NL teams with a winning percentage below .450. The Cubs have played just one of those teams and A) the Cubs did take advantage of that matchup and B) that team is 21-23 when not playing the Cubs.
I think we have to focus on part A of that last thought. This team did pounce on teams like the Mets and Phillies while they were playing poorly. They will get back to catching teams more favorably and they will groove again. Right now, everything is a slog and they just have to weather this storm. Again, both parts of that thought are true. They pounced when things were there for them, but they are presently struggling. None of this is permanent and be comforted that they built a real cushion. It’s way too early to fixate on it, but the Cubs have a three-game lead on the Phillies for the last playoff spot. Even if the Brewers leave town in first place, there is still cushion and still a whole lot of baseball to be played.
One of these days, we’ll have a lot more to talk about in this space. But, right now the Cubs rotation is off. The bullpen is erratic. The offense is struggling. They did manage seven hits and three walks and turned that into three runs. But all in all, it just wasn’t good enough. None of it is good enough right now. On this night, the Cubs two hitter, their five hitter and their seven hitter all had good games. But they got almost no contribution from the hitters around those guys. And on a night when the Brewers were pounding Shōta Imanaga, the game was almost entirely non-competitive.
Three Positives:
Michael Busch had a pair of doubles, drew a walk and was hit by a pitch. He drove in a run. Busch, relatively quietly, has raised his OPS to .750.
Dansby Swanson had a long two-run homer for the only real interesting moment in the game for the Cubs.
Ty Blach threw three scoreless innings. It saved the rest of the pen and kept alive whatever nominal hope there might have been for a miracle comeback.
Game 48, May 18: Brewers 9, Cubs 3 (29-19)
Reminder: Heroes and Goats are determined by WPA scores and are in no way subjective.
THREE HEROES:
Superhero: Michael Busch (.113). 2-2, 2 2B, BB, HBP, RBI
Hero: Nico Hoerner (.020). 0-3, 2 BB, R
Sidekick: Ty Blach (.005). 3 IP, 9 BF, H, 2 K
THREE GOATS:
Billy Goat: Shōta Imanaga (-.301). 4.1 IP, 24 BF, 9 H, 3 BB, 8 ER, 2 K (L 4-4)
Goat: Ian Happ (-.099). 0-4
Kid: Alex Bregman (-.077). 0-4
WPA Play of the Game: With runners on first and third with two outs in the fourth inning, the Brewers up two, Sal Frelick doubled and two runs scored. (.141)
Cubs Play of the Game: With a runner on first and no outs in the bottom of the first, Michael Busch walked. (.054)
Cubs Player of the Game:
Game 47 Winner: Michael Conforto received 151 of 158 votes.
Rizzo Award Standings: (Top 5/Bottom 5)
The award is named for Anthony Rizzo, who finished first in this category three of the first four years it was in existence and four times overall. He also recorded the highest season total ever at +65.5. The point scale is three points for a Superhero down to negative three points for a Billy Goat.
Michael Busch +16
Michael Conforto +15
Shōta Imanaga +10
Alex Bregman +7.5
Nico Hoerner +6.5
Ryan Rolison -8
Phil Maton -9
Matt Shaw -10
Dansby Swanson -11
Seiya Suzuki -18
Current Win Pace: 97.88 wins
Up Next: Game two of the three-game series with the Brewers. Ben Brown (1-1, 1.60, 33.2 IP) makes his third start of the season as the Cubs continue to try to stretch him out as a starter. In his two prior starts, he’s thrown eight innings, allowed one hit, two walks and struck out 10. Both of those starts were on the road, so this will be his first Chicago start of the season.
24-year-old Brewers ace Jacob Misiorowski (3-2, 2.12, 51 IP) will make his 10th start of the season. He has an amazing 80 strikeouts in those 51 innings. The former second round pick (#63 overall) is coming off of a no decision in his last start against the Padres. That despite allowing only four hits and no walks in seven innings. He struck out 10. This is as big a challenge as the Cubs will face.
Brett Squires of the Omaha Storm Chasers | Minda Haas Kuhlmann
This Week in the Minors is our weekly look at notable performances from all over the system, from big-name prospects and less-heralded guys alike. The mission is to answer this simple question: “Who had a good week?”
Triple-A Omaha Storm Chasers (21-23, 5.5 games back)
It was a good week for the Storm Chasers; they took 4 of 6 from the Toledo Mud Hens. At the dish, the big story of the week was Brett Squires, who just recently got promoted from Northwest Arkansas to Omaha. Squires, who can play both corner infield spots, mashed the ball all week. He was 7-for-23, with 3 homers, 2 doubles and 8 runs batted in. In his first ever week in Triple-A, Squires was up to the task. Across the two levels, Squires is slashing .296/.377/.577. Elsewhere, John Rave was 8-for-22 on the week, with a homer and 2 doubles.
On the hill, Eli Morgan, who just got called up for Kris Bubic, appeared three times, tossing 3.1 scoreless innings and striking out 4 batters. At Omaha this season, Morgan hasn’t allowed a run in 11.1 innings. Mason Black tossed 3.1 scoreless innings as well. With the starting pitching injuries adding up, Mitch Spence would probably be the best guess at making a spot start if needed. Spence threw 6 innings of 3 run ball this week against the Mud Hens. On the season, he has made 5 starts for the Storm Chasers, going 26 innings, with a 4.85 ERA, allowing just one homer, walking 10 and striking out 16. Right hander Ben Sears made two appearances, including one start, he totaled 5 innings, allowing one hit and striking out seven.
— Omaha Storm Chasers (@OMAStormChasers) May 17, 2026
The Storm Chasers will travel to take on the St. Paul Saints this week. The series runs Tuesday through Sunday.
Northwest Arkansas Naturals (19-19, 4.5 games back)
The Naturals had a very rough week, losing 5 of 6 at home to the Arkansas Travelers. On the mound, Justin Lamkin, who was just promoted from Quad Cities, made his first Double-A start. The 21-year-old lefty went 5.1 innings, allowing 7 hits, 4 runs, walked 3 and struck out 7. It was a mixed bag result for the 2025 draft pick out of Texas A&M. Frank Mozzicato made two starts, giving up 8 hits and 8 runs over 7 total innings, walking 6 and striking out 9. The seventh overall pick in 2021 has had a tough time in Double-A so far this season, with a 7.86 ERA over 26.1 innings pitched. Hunter Patteson threw 4.1 scoreless innings, striking out 4.
At the plate, Carson Roccaforte was 6-for-24 with another homer, he also struck out 11 times, however. Roccaforte is slashing .242/.350/.517 this season. He has struck out 59 times in 149 at bats. Jack Pineda was 9-for-16 on the week. Pineda is a 26-year-old middle infielder, out of Baylor in 2022. He is slashing .349/,397/.508 in 63 at bats this season. Colton Becker hit .429 this week, with a pair of doubles and walks. The utility man was named the Naturals standout of the week at the plate.
— Northwest Arkansas Naturals (@nwanaturals) May 16, 2026
The Naturals are on the road this week, taking on the Amarillo Sod Poodles. The series runs Tuesday through Sunday.
Quad Cities River Bandits (17-19, 3.5 games back)
The River Bandits had a tough week, losing 5 of 6 to the Lansing Lugnuts. On the mound, Blake Wolters made his first High-A start after being promoted from Columbia last week. The 21-year-old right hander went 3 innings, allowing 3 hits, 4 runs (all unearned), walked 1 and struck out 4. 22-year-old Emmanuel Reyes, a right hander, threw 6 innings of 1 run ball, striking out 8. Reyes was signed out of the Dominican Republic. On the season, Reyes has a 2.18 ERA over 7 starts, amassing 33 innings. He has struck out 29 hitters.
At the plate, infielder Derlin Figueroa was named the standout of the week for the River Bandits after hitting .500 on the week, with two doubles, three homers and 10 runs batted in. On the season, Figueroa is slashing .321/.398/.616. Blake Mitchell had a good week as well, going 7-f0r-23 at the plate with a homer, 4 doubles, 4 walks, and a stolen base. His 8th on the season.
Derlin Figueroa absolutely launches this heater up in the zone. It’s his 7th home run on the season and his first hit against LHP in 2026. pic.twitter.com/kzCl8UeW0p
The River Bandits are back home this week for the Beloit Sky Carp. The series runs Tuesday through Sunday.
Columbia Fireflies (18-21, 4 games back)
The Fireflies split their 6-game series against the Hickory Crawdads. Kendry Chourio went 4.1 innings in his one start, allowing 1 run on 4 hits, striking out 4 batters. The 18-year-old out of Venezuela kept his season ERA under 2. Jordan Woods, who threw 6 perfect innings last week, threw 4 innings of 1 run ball this week, striking out 3. 22-year-old righty, Jose Gutierrez threw 5 scoreless innings, in his start, striking out 5 batters. On the season, Gutierrez has a 3.52 ERA over 30.2 innings pitched.
At the plate, 21-year-old catcher Brooks Bryan slashed .462/.563/.615 on the week, including a pair of doubles. The 8th round pick in last year’s draft out of Troy is hitting .308 on the season. Josh Hammond was 6-for-22 at the plate this week, with a homer and a stolen base. Sean Gamble was 3-for-20 with a pair of runs batted in and a walk.
Josh Hammond goes oppo taco for his third home run of the season.
The Yankees (28-20) and the Blue Jays (21-26) continue their four-game series tonight at Yankee Stadium.
New York rallied late and then held on to take Game 1 of the series last night, 7-6. Trailing 5-3 heading to the bottom of the seventh inning, Cody Bellinger and Jazz Chisholm Jr. each belted two-run homers to put the Yankees in front 7-5. Jesus Sanchez doubled home Ernie Clement in the top of the ninth off of closer David Bednar but was stranded there as New York celebrated the win.
Tonight’s matchup features a couple of right-handers who have enjoyed consistent success this season. Toronto sends Dylan Cease, who enters the game with a 3–1 record, 2.41 ERA, and 75 strikeouts. New York counters with Will Warren, who has quietly put together a strong start of his own. Warren comes in at 5–1 with a 3.42 ERA and 59 strikeouts.
The pitching matchup sets the tone for what should be a fun game. Cease’s high‑octane fastball and sharp breaking pitches give him the ability to dominate any lineup, but the Yankees have several hitters who have handled him well in small samples—most notably Aaron Judge, who owns a .308 average and 1.104 OPS against him. On the other side, Warren’s challenge will be navigating Toronto’s right‑handed power, including Vladimir Guerrero Jr., who has started the season hitting .500 in limited at‑bats against him.
The New York offense averages 5.09 runs per game while the Jays’ bats produce one run less per outing (4.09 runs/gm.).
Lets dive into tonight’s matchup and find a sweat or two.
We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on the how to catch first pitch, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.
Follow Rotoworld Player News for the latest fantasy and betting player news and analysis all season long.
Game Details and How to Watch: Yankees vs. Blue Jays
Never miss a second of the action and stay up-to-date with all the latest team stats and player news. Check out our day-by-day MLB schedule page, along with detailed matchup pages that update live in-game with every out.
The Latest Odds: Yankees vs. Blue Jays
The latest odds as of Tuesday courtesy of DraftKings:
Moneyline: New York Yankees (-137), Toronto Blue Jays (+114)
Spread: Yankees -1.5 (+144), Blue Jays +1.5 (-175)
Total: 9.0 runs
Probable Starting Pitchers: Yankees vs. Blue Jays
Pitching matchup for May 19:
Yankees: Will Warren Season Totals: 47.1 IP, 5-1, 3.42 ERA, 1.16 WHIP, 59K, 12 BB
Blue Jays: Dylan Cease Season Totals: 52.1 IP, 3-1, 2.41 ERA, 1.18 WHIP, 75K, 21 BB
Who’s Hot? Who’s Not! Yankees vs. Blue Jays
Anthony Volpe is 4-7 with 3 RBIs and 2 runs scored in his last 2 games
Trent Grisham is 3-30 over his last 10 games
Austin Wells is hitting .125 in May (5-40) without an extra base hit or an RBI
Aaron Judge has not gone yard in 8 games
George Springer picked up a couple hits last night but is still just 8-47 (.170) in May
Kazuma Okamoto has struck out 6 times in his last 12 plate appearances
Rotoworld still has you covered with all the latest MLB player news for all 30 teams. Check out the feed page right here on NBC Sports for headlines, injuries and transactions where you can filter by league, team, positions and news type!
Top Betting Trends & Insights: Yankees vs. Blue Jays
The Blue Jays are 8-15 on the road this season
The Yankees are 15-6 at home this season
The Yankees are 25-23 on the Run Line this season
The Jays are 20-27 on the Run Line this season
The OVER has cashed 22 times in Toronto games this season (22-23-2)
The OVER has cashed 21 times for the Yankees this season (21-24-3)
If you’re looking for more key trends and stats around the spread, moneyline and total for every single game on the schedule today, check out our MLB Top Trends tool on NBC Sports!
Expert picks & predictions: Yankees vs. Blue Jays
Rotoworld Bet Best Bet
Please bet responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700.
Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the MLB calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, ballpark information and weather forecasts.
Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.
Here are the best bets our model is projecting for today’s game between the Yankees and the Blue Jays:
Moneyline: Rotoworld Bet is leaning towards a play on the Yankees on the Moneyline.
Spread: Rotoworld Bet is recommending a play on the Yankees on the Run Line
Total: Rotoworld Bet is leaning towards a play on the Game Total UNDER 9.0
Follow our experts on socials to keep up with all the latest content from the staff:
PHOENIX, AZ - MARCH 21: Emil Morales #96 of the Los Angeles Dodgers stands in defensive position in the third inning during the game between the Chicago White Sox and the Los Angeles Dodgers at Camelback Ranch on Saturday, March 21, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Rob Leiter/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
— Great Lakes Loons (@greatlakesloons) May 19, 2026
Morales, who turns 20 in September, joins fellow top-100 prospects Josue De Paula (start of 2025) and Eduardo Quintero (last July) as Dodgers teenagers getting promoted to Great Lakes.
Morales hit .323/.385/.570 with a 134 wRC+ and 24 extra-base hits in 36 games for Class-A Ontario, and counting his time with Rancho Cucamonga last season hit .330/.401/.560 with 26 doubles, 11 home runs, and three triples in 66 games in Class-A.
He hit home runs on both Saturday and Sunday, his final two games with the Tower Buzzers.
— Ontario Tower Buzzers (@towerbuzzers) May 17, 2026
With Ontario, Morales played 23 games at shortstop and nine at third base this season, with Joendry Vargas splitting time between shortstop and second base. Kellon Lindsey, another shortstop and the Dodgers first-round draft pick in 2024, returned from the injured list last week and played his three games at second base. This frees up time at shortstop in Class-A. Jose Izarra and Eduardo Guerrero covered the innings at shortstop for Great Lakes before Morales’ arrival.
Amid a sea of talented outfielders, Morales stands as the Dodgers’ best infielder. After early struggles last year in the Arizona Complex League, he righted the ship and continued his success at Low-A before the close of the season. That success has extended into 2026, which has seen him hit for both average and power. He might not stick at shortstop, but his bat should profile easily at any position on the diamond.
MIAMI, FLORIDA - MAY 8: Curtis Mead #45 of the Washington Nationals celebrates with teammates in the dugout after scoring a run in the first inning against the Miami Marlins at loanDepot park on May 8, 2026 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Leonardo Fernandez/Getty Images) | Getty Images
So far this season, Curtis Mead has been the Nats most underrated hitter. The Aussie infielder has put up really impressive numbers to start the season. Mead has an .815 OPS, a 133 wRC+ and has more walks than strikeouts. Entering the season, this was seen as Mead’s last chance to prove himself, and he is taking advantage of the opportunity.
There was a time where Curtis Mead was a big time prospect. Entering 2023, he was the 33rd ranked prospect in all of baseball with a 65 grade hit tool. However, he struggled to translate his minor league production into big league success for the Rays. Eventually, Tampa traded him to the White Sox, who DFA’d Mead and traded him to the Nats for Boston Smith.
Trade summary:
Nationals get – Curtis Mead White Sox get – Boston Smith
At this point, Curtis Mead knew he had to make changes before time ran out. Mead told Federal Baseball that he attributes his early success this season to, “controlling the zone and trying to swing the bat when I think I can do damage”. The numbers bear this out as well. Last season, Mead had a 27.8% chase rate, but has dropped that to 23.2% this season. Mead’s walk rate has also gone from 5.7% to a crazy 15.8%.
For hitters with great bat to ball skills, they can sometimes fall into the trap of swinging at pitches just because they are able to hit it. As Mead is maturing as a hitter, he is learning to key in on pitches he can drive. He also told me that he thinks he is doing a better job digging into opposing pitcher scouting reports and looking at what pitch types are the ones they want hitters to chase.
By finding better pitches to hit, Mead is tapping into his power. His four home runs are already a career high. As a prospect, Mead was seen as having at least average power, but it had not translated because he was not swinging at the right pitches. Now he is, and Mead has hit some clutch home runs, most notably a two run blast against the Giants.
Last season, Mead had just 14 extra base hits in 240 at bats. This year, he has 12 in just 94 AB’s. This has been a crazy breakout, and it is really cool for the Aussie. Over the past couple years, he has been known as the guy that got traded for Cristopher Sanchez. For a while, it looked like the Rays were going to win that swap, but Sanchez blossomed into the best left handed pitcher in the National League, while Mead struggled.
Now, Mead is also having big league success. Part of the reason for that is that there is not as much pressure on him now that he has pretty much been written off. He told me that “It has been nice to just play my game and not worry about my situation as much”.
Part of that is having less pressure on him, but he also has a defined role now. Mead starts just about every game against left handed pitching, and usually comes off the bench when a lefty reliever comes in. While he has been used as a lefty killer, his splits are actually pretty similar, with his OPS being slightly higher against righties.
We saw Mead come up with a huge hit against a right handed pitcher last night. The 25 year old hit a game tying double against Tobias Myers in the 8th inning. It was a great piece of hitting, with the Aussie shooting a line drive into the right-center gap. That is the type of thing scouts expected Mead to be doing all the time when he was coming up through the minors.
It has taken a while, but it really does seem like Mead has found his footing. There are not many guys that can walk more than they strike out in the modern game, but that is exactly what Curtis Mead is doing. Playing for his former minor league manager, Blake Butera, Curtis Mead is coming into his own.
UNDATED: Rick Cerone of the Toronto Blue Jays poses for an action portrait. Rick Cerone played for the Toronto Blue Jays from 1977-1979. (Photo by Louis Requena/MLB via Getty Images) | MLB via Getty Images
Rick Cerone celebrates his 72nd birthday today.
Cerone was one of the original Blue Jays. Four months and one day before their inaugural game, Toronto traded for Rick and John Lowenstein, sending Rico Carty to Cleveland. The Jays had selected Carty from Cleveland in the expansion draft and reacquired him in March 1978.
Cerone appeared in the Blue Jays’ first-ever game, going 2-for-4 with a double in a snowy victory over the White Sox. He played four games that first week before being sent to AAA. Cerone returned for a game in May and rejoined the team for good in mid-August, finishing the season with a .200/.245/.270 line in 31 games.
In 1978, Cerone played 88 games, hitting .223/.284/.298 with 3 home runs while sharing catching duties with Alan Ashby. After the season, Toronto traded Ashby to the Astros, making Cerone the full-time catcher in 1979.
Cerone improved at the plate in 1979, hitting .239/.294/.358 with 7 home runs over 136 games.
Following the 1979 season, Cerone, along with Tom Underwood and Ted Wilborn, was traded to the Yankees for Chris Chambliss, Damaso Garcia, and Paul Mirabella. The Jays then sent Chambliss to the Braves for Barry Bonnell, Joey McLaughlin, and Pat Rockett. Damaso Garcia went on to play seven seasons with Toronto. Both trades proved beneficial for the Blue Jays.
Yankees catcher Thurman Munson tragically died during the 1979 season when he crashed his plane while taking flying lessons.
Cerone had an outstanding 1980 season, hitting .277/.321/.432 with 14 home runs—by far his best offensive performance—while helping the Yankees finish first in the AL East. He finished 7th in MVP voting. Rick would go on to play five seasons with the Yankees, reaching the World Series once, where they lost to the Dodgers in 1981.
After his time with the Yankees, Cerone played for the Braves, Brewers, Yankees again, Red Sox, Yankees yet again, Mets, and finally the Expos, where he became the backup to my favourite player, Gary Carter.
Cerone enjoyed an 18-year MLB career, hitting .245/.301/.343 with 59 home runs in 1,329 games. While he was never a great hitter—he had only two seasons with an OPS+ over 100—he embodied the hard-nosed catcher. Cerone was sound defensively, possessed a strong arm, and excelled at blocking the plate. My lasting memory of him is his perpetually dirty uniform.
Of all the Blue Jays who played in the team’s first game, Cerone had, by far, the best career.
After retiring, Cerone worked in broadcasting for a few years. It would be fascinating to hear his thoughts on the early days of the Blue Jays and his reaction to the trade to the Yankees. I imagine he was thrilled to join a contending team.
He has started four games against teams ranking in the Top-10 in OBP and Top-16 in walk rate. Liberatore allowed four earned runs in three of them.
The Pittsburgh Pirates are in a good spot to score, and it'll be difficult for the St. Louis Cardinals to keep up. Mitch Keller has allowed two runs or fewer in five of six starts against teams outside of the Top 10 in OBP.
COVERS INTEL: The Pirates rank eighth in line drive rate against left-handed pitching this month.
Pirates vs Cardinals Over/Under pick: Over 8.0 (-115)
Keller has performed much worse against left-handed hitters, and the Cardinals are expected to start five, headlined by JJ Wetherholt and Alec Burleson.
This total should be half a run higher.
Todd Cordell's 2026 Transparency Record
ML/RL bets: 18-14, -0.78 units
Over/Under bets: 15-16-1, -3.46 units
Pirates vs Cardinals odds
Moneyline: Pirates -110 | Cardinals -110
Run line: Pirates -1.5 (+150) | Cardinals +1.5 (-175)
Over/Under: Over 8.0 (-115) | Under 8.0 (-115)
Pirates vs Cardinals trend
Pittsburgh has hit the moneyline in 16 of the last 30 away games (+4.3 units, 13% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for Pirates vs. Cardinals.
How to watch Pirates vs Cardinals and game info
Location
Busch Stadium, St. Louis, MO
Date
Tuesday, May 19, 2026
First pitch
7:45 p.m. ET
TV
SNP, Cardinals.TV
Pirates starting pitcher
Mitch Keller (4-2, 3.59 ERA)
Cardinals starting pitcher
Matthew Liberatore (2-2, 4.40 ERA)
Pirates vs Cardinals latest injuries
Pirates vs Cardinals weather
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
Coming off a 12-0 thumping, their worst loss of the year, the MLB-leading Atlanta Braves look to get back in the win column as they continue their series with the Miami Marlins.
While the books have Atlanta as the road favorite today at loanDepot Park, they’re getting just -133 moneyline odds.
That makes my Braves vs. Marlins prediction and free MLB picks pretty easy: back the visitors on Tuesday, May 19.
Who will win Braves vs Marlins today: Braves moneyline (-133)
The Atlanta Braves have just two losing streaks all year (of two and three games, respectively), so I expect them to bounce back large behind Martin Perez.
In five starts, he’s got a cool 2.25 ERA and 0.94 WHIP across 36 innings, striking out 28.
Shut out for the first time all year, baseball’s second-highest scoring team should tee off on Miami Marlins starter Braxton Garrett.
Against lefties, the Braves rank first in total hits and RBI and lead the NL in homers (20).
Moreover, when you get such a low price for the best team in baseball to win straight up against an opponent it typically handles with ease, I'll take the Atlanta moneyline every time. That's as valuable as any in-game stat to convince me to take the visitors.
Braves vs Marlins Over/Under pick: Over 8.5 (+102)
The Over has been thriving in the recent matchups, going 6-0-1 over the last seven head-to-head meetings.
Miami has seen the Over cash in six straight games, while Atlanta has gone Over the total in back-to-back contests.
Atlanta is baseball’s second-best scoring team on the road, while Miami ranks in the Top 10 at home.
The Marlins also don’t know what they’ll get out of Garrett. In his lone start this season, he was chased after just 1 1/3 innings, giving up four hits and five earned runs, while walking five. That's not a recipe for Unders, especially with baseball's best lineup looming.
Eric Rosales's 2026 Transparency Record
ML/RL bets: 6-6, -0.03 units
Over/Under bets: 9-2, +6.66 units
Braves vs Marlins odds
Moneyline: Braves -133 | Marlins +127
Run line: Braves -1.5 (+127) | Marlins +1.5 (-138)
Over/Under: Over 8.5 (+104) | Under 8.5 (-108)
Braves vs Marlins trend
Atlanta has won each of their last seven games against the Marlins following a loss. Find more MLB betting trends for Braves vs. Marlins.
How to watch Braves vs Marlins and game info
Location
LoanDepot Park, Miami, FL
Date
Tuesday, May 19, 2026
First pitch
4:10 p.m. ET
TV
BravesVision, Marlins.TV
Braves starting pitcher
Martin Perez (2-2, 2.25 ERA)
Marlins starting pitcher
Braxton Garrett (0-1, 33.75 ERA)
Braves vs Marlins latest injuries
Braves vs Marlins weather
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
LOS ANGELES, CA - MAY 10: Alex Freeland #76 of the Los Angeles Dodgers bats during the game between the Atlanta Braves and the Los Angeles Dodgers at UNIQLO Field at Dodger Stadium on Sunday, May 10, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jessie Alcheh/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Last Monday, Alex Freeland was the odd man out in the Dodgers infield when Mookie Betts was activated off the injured list. Freeland was optioned to Triple-A, but made the most of things with Oklahoma City, winning Pacific Coast League player of the week in his first week back in the minors.
The switch-hitting Freeland hit .400/.464/.920 with three home runs — one hit right-handed, two left-handed — and two triples, with three walks, eight runs scored, and 11 runs batted in in five games on the road against the Albuquerque Isotopes, a Colorado Rockies affiliate.
A shortstop by trade, Freeland has played second base and third base in his major league time with the Dodgers last year and this year. Back with Oklahoma City last week, he started three times at third base and twice at second base.
Freeland was not the only Dodgers minor leaguer to capture an award on Monday. Class-A Ontario Tower Buzzers right-hander Isaac Ayon took home California League pitcher of the week after his 10 strikeouts in five scoreless innings last Wednesday at home, allowing only one single and no walks to the San Jose Giants.
— Ontario Tower Buzzers (@towerbuzzers) May 14, 2026
Ayon, drafted out of Oregon in the 18th round in 2024, has a 2.96 ERA in seven games, including five starts for Ontario this season, with 35 strikeouts against only five walks in his 27 1/3 innings. Among all Dodgers minor league pitchers with at least 20 innings in 2026, Ayon’s 28-percent strikeout-minus-walk rate ranks third, trailing only Christian Zazueta (33 percent) for High-A Great Lakes and Ayon’s Ontario teammate Brady Smith (29.9 percent).
ST PETERSBURG, FLORIDA - MAY 18: Junior Caminero #13 of the Tampa Bay Rays celebrates with teammate Richie Palacios #1 after hitting a three-run home run in the fifth inning against the Baltimore Orioles at Tropicana Field on May 18, 2026 in St Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images) | Getty Images
You can’t really call a game in mid-May with the team still in comfortable playoff position and only two games behind the leaders a “must win,” but for vibes reasons, the Yankees sure could’ve used a victory on Monday. They got one, but it was quite the nerve-wracker.
For one, they had to come from behind, taking a lead on a Jazz Chisholm Jr. home run off the foul pole. Then after Sunday’s adventure, they still called on David Bednar for the save, but he made things as stressful as possible before getting Vladmir Guerrero Jr. — of all people — to ground out to end the game.
With the Yankees at least halting their woes for the day, let’s see if the win allowed them to gain any ground anywhere, as it’s time for today’s Rivalry Roundup.
Tampa Bay Rays (31-15) 16, Baltimore Orioles (21-27) 6
Unfortunately for the Yankees, the Rays stayed hot, as they scored early and often to crush the Orioles.
Tampa Bay took an initial lead on Ryan Vilade’s sac fly in the first inning, but they fully broke things open in the second. The Rays batted around, recording five runs on six hits and a walk. The biggest blow came on a two-run double from Johnny DeLuca, which took the lead from four to six.
Baltimore got on the board themselves after that, but the Rays, answered and then kept the offense coming. They cracked double digits by the fifth inning and ended up with 16 runs on 18 hits for the game. Both Yandy Díaz and Junior Caminero had four-RBI days, with Díaz going 4-for-5, while only one Tampa Bay starter failed to reach base at least once.
On the mound, Shane McClanahan wasn’t even particularly good, allowing four runs in five innings. The Orioles’ six runs on 12 hits would be enough to win plenty of games, it just didn’t come particularly close in this one.
Other Games
Cleveland Guardians (27-22) 8, Detroit Tigers (20-28) 2: While the Tigers struck first, the Guardians slowly and surely pulled away to gain more breathing room in the AL Central. José Ramírez was, well, José Ramírez, going 3-for-4 with a walk and three RBI, including a late home run to put the game away. The Guardians also got 7.1 good innings from Slade Cecconi, who allowed only two runs on five hits.
Boston Red Sox (20-27) 3, Kansas City Royals (20-28) 1: Willson Contreras’ two-run homer led the way for Boston as they won a low-scoring game over the Royals. Sonny Gray was also solid on the mound for the Red Sox, allowing just one run in six innings, while striking out nine.
Colorado Rockies (19-29) 7, Texas Rangers (22-25) 6: The Rangers made a charge late, but they ended up falling one run short against the Rockies. Led by Ezequiel Tovar and Brenton Doyle, the Rockies jumped out to a 7-3 lead through six innings. Texas chipped away at that deficit in the eighth, getting within one run, and putting the go-ahead run in scoring position, but were unable to complete the comeback.
Seattle Mariners (23-26) 6, Chicago White Sox (24-23): The Mariners cooled off the hot White Sox thanks to a strong outing from Bryan Woo. The Seattle starter allowed no runs on three hits in six innings, while a three-RBI game from recent call-up Colt Emerson, including his first major league hit/home run, allowed the M’s to win without much trouble.
SACRAMENTO, CA - MAY 13: J.T. Ginn #35 of the Athletics throws the ball to first base during the game between the St. Louis Cardinals and the Athletics at Sutter Health Park on Wednesday, May 13, 2026 in Sacramento, California. (Photo by Don Collier/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Welcome to Tuesday everyone!
We were treated to some grade-A pitching last night from young right-hander J.T. Ginn. For eight innings the 26-year-old only allowed one walk while taking a no-hitter into the ninth. We’re going to ignore what happened in the final inning from last night’s game because we can.
That performance dropped Ginn’s season ERA to a nice 2.98 through 11 games. That number alone is good for ninth-best in the American League but his dominance goes deeper than that. One must remember that Ginn didn’t even begin the season in the starting rotation, instead acting as a long man out of the bullpen for the first couple turns through the rotation. If we’re only looking at his starting appearances that number drops to 2.64 in eight starts.
Not a lot of people expected Ginn to take off quite like he has this year. In his first cup of coffee in 2024 he showed glimpses of what had the A’s so high on him. He had some bumps and bruises in his first extended action last year though, going from starter to reliever and back to starter again as a rookie. Not an easy situation for anyone to deal with, especially someone who is still trying to find their footing in the big leagues. Add on top of that Ginn allowing 17 runs in 16 innings of work this spring and no one would blame you for being caught off guard by Ginn’s ascent.
Since getting his shot he’s done what tons of pitchers in this league try and fail to accomplish: take advantage of their opportunity. Ginn could have very easily been a spot-starter had he struggled, with someone like Mason Barnett waiting in the wings for his own chance. Instead he’s relied on terrific command while keeping the ball in the ballpark. The strikeouts aren’t the name of his game as he’s instead relying on that heavy sinker to get the ground balls he wants. That’s especially useful in a hitter’s park like Sutter Health Park.
Going forward it’s good to be hopeful that Ginn has truly unlocked something and this isn’t just a hot streak. Every A’s fan was perfectly happy to let Ginn go for history tonight, pitch count be damned. That said, it may be prudent to keep a handle on his innings count going forward. Acquired in the trade that sent Chris Bassitt to New York, Ginn already has a Tommy John surgery on his ledger and he pitched a career-high 112 1/3 frames last year. He’s already departed one game earlier this year with “arm soreness”.
How high is the limit for Ginn? Scouts always believes he would, at best, settle in as a backend 4th/5th starter type but he’s making everyone rethink that calculus. And if he keeps this up he’s going to be in the rotation long-term, waiting for guys like Gage Jump and Jamie Arnold to hurry up and join him in the big league rotation.
Same time same place for tonight’s game. Have a great day A’s fans.
A’s injuries: – Denzel Clarke will continue rehab with Triple-A Las Vegas tomorrow – Jacob Wilson continues to strenghten and stabilize his shoulder. No timetable for return – Max Muncy has begun a swing progression. Still no timetable – Gunnar Hoglund shut down from throwing
Baseball America's updated top 10 A's prospects list: 1) SS Leo De Vries, 2) LHP Jamie Arnold, 3) LHP Gage Jump, 4) LHP Wei-En Lin, 5) SS Johenssy Colome, 6) OF Henry Bolte, 7) RHP Braden Nett, 8) SS Edgar Montero, 9) SS Joshua Kuroda-Grauer, 10) OF Devin Taylor
— Bill Moriarity – A's Farm (@AthleticsFarm) May 18, 2026
Stefanic heading down to Triple-A:
Michael Stefanic has been outrighted to Triple-A Las Vegas.
Nov 9, 2022; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Atlanta Braves general manager Alex Anthopoulos answers questions from the media during the MLB GM Meetings at The Conrad Las Vegas. Mandatory Credit: Lucas Peltier-Imagn Images
Back on October 9th of last year, an announcement came from the Atlanta Braves that may not have raised a ton of eyebrows at the time. However the effects of that move are being felt right now in a very noticeable way in the team’s farm system.
That move in question is the Braves parting ways with Paul Davis, who had been the team’s director of pitching development since 2020. Davis was there for the rise of pitchers like Spencer Strider, Spencer Schwellenbach, AJ Smith-Shawver, and Hurston Waldrep among others who have already established themselves in the big leagues, and the likes of JR Ritchie, Didier Fuentes, Jhancarlos Lara, and Owen Murphy who are now right there or just on the doorstep.
How big of an impact is this move having? Well let’s take a look at the ERA’s of the Braves full season affiliates for this year against the last few years to give you a better idea. Note that the FCL isn’t being mentioned due to the small sample size, and the DSL is yet to begin their season.
Gwinnett Stripers (Triple-A)
2021 was a team 3.72 ERA, 2022 was a 4.37 ERA, 2023 was 4.95, 2024 was 4.33, and 2025 was 4.07. Through 45 games the ERA is 4.33 this year. Note this is probably the level least effected, as a lot of these guys are more veterans than true prospects.
Columbus Clingstones (Double-A)
2025 had a 3.92 ERA, and is as far as we will go back here as the team was in Mississippi before 2025, and different park factors are at play. This year the ERA is 5.60 through 38 games, or almost 2 full runs higher than last year.
Rome Emperors (High-A)
2021 was a 3.97 ERA, as was 2022. In 2023 it was 4.09, followed by 3.47 in 2024. Last year it was 3.72. Through 39 games it is 4.82 this year, more than a full run higher than two of the five previous years and almost a full run higher than two more.
Augusta GreenJackets (Low-A)
2021 had a 5.11 ERA, which went down to 4.52 in 2022. In 2023 it was 4.41, then 4.04 in 2024. Last year it was at 3.70. Through 39 games it is 4.65 this year, which is quite a bit higher than four of the five years we have looked at.
It’s not just the affiliates that have struggled this year. In fact multiple Braves pitching prospects have seen their results go backwards as well, without many making the big leap in their development.
Jhancarlos Lara is pitching to a 9.28 ERA in Double-A and walking nearly two guys per inning through 10.2 innings. Fellow Columbus reliever Elison Joseph has also seen the walks skyrocket, while dropping nearly four off his K/9 total from the same level last year, and hasn’t looked to have the same stuff.
While it’s not an apples to apples comparison since he spent last year in Low-A and is in High-A this year, Cam Caminiti has also seemed to regress a bit. Cam is missing less bats, while giving up nearly 10 hits per nine innings pitched. Fellow top prospect Owen Murphy is in a similar boat, facing better competition this year and struggling more with his command than we had ever seen from him.
The examples there could go on and on, like Lucas Braun missing less bats. After making his big league debut last year following complete domination across the minors, Hayden Harris is walking guys at a career high rate and has 1.64 WHIP in 17.2 innings. Sixth round pick Landon Beidelschies is giving up almost two hits per inning in Low-A. Even Garrett Baumann is having more issues with his command than we’ve previously ever seen from him, leading to more hits and walks allowed than we’ve ever seen from him.
Conclusion
It may or may not have been the right call to move on from Davis after last season ended, as the pitching injuries had been an issue for the past couple of seasons for young Braves pitchers. However the changes they have made have had the opposite effect to date, and the Braves are going to need to take a really close look at this as soon as possible, in order to do something to right the ship and not cost all of these pitching prospects a year of lost development.
Note that I initially wrote this article last week, and over the last four to five games, things have gone slightly better overall. Team ERA’s have actually dropped by a little, while some of the individual pitchers have actually improved their numbers a bit – Lara, Baumann, and Cade Kuehler in particular. Still to this point, we have seen far more pitchers take a step backwards this year than forwards – really only Ethan Bagwell seems to have taken a step forward, and some of that is simply on the fact he is now healthy again after dealing with injury last season.
COVERS INTEL: The Pirates rank eighth in line drive rate against left-handed pitching this month.
