Mets prospect A.J. Ewing showed off his blazing speed when he belted an RBI triple in the seventh inning of his major league debut on Tuesday night in Citi Field.
But it was the reaction of his joyous family that stole the show. His dad, Joe, and his other family members were pumping fists, high-fiving and going crazy after Ewing’s big hit in a Mets 10-2 win.
In the second inning, Joe talked to SNY’s Steve Gelbs after the rookie worked the first of his three walks, saying he was built for this moment.
But Joe admitted he was a “nervous wreck watching him.”
Joe, who said he was a high school pitcher who couldn’t hit, did say he was the one who started his son on the path to becoming a left-handed hitter at 3 years old.
Joe, who had six messages on his phone before finding out, was surprised his 21-year-old son was called up so soon.
“He’s definitely grown as a player,” Joe said. “I think when he first realized, ‘Hey, I have a shot to be a major league player,’ he went after that dream really, really hard.”
New York Mets center fielder A.J. Ewing (9) triples during the seventh inning when the New York Mets played the Detroit Tigers Tuesday, May 12, 2026 at Citi Field in Queens, NY. Robert Sabo for NY PostNew York Mets center fielder A.J. Ewing (9) triples during the seventh inning when the New York Mets played the Detroit Tigers Tuesday, May 12, 2026 at Citi Field in Queens, NY. Robert Sabo for NY Post
Joe said others saw more of his son’s potential than he originally did.
“I knew he was good baseball player, but I knew how hard it was to get to this level,” Joe said. “I think being his Dad, I … didn’t think he was as good as he really was, maybe.
“The first time I was having a conversation with an agent talking to me about my son, I remember I looked at him and said, ‘You think my kid is going to get drafted?’
“He stopped and he paused as calm as can be and said, ‘I know you’re kid is going to get drafted.’
“I said, ‘What!’ Then it kind of hit me, ‘Alright, here we go.’ ”
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - MAY 8: Robbie Ray #38 of the San Francisco Giants pitches at Oracle Park on May 8, 2026 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Andy Kuno/San Francisco Giants/Getty Images) | Getty Images
It’s Tuesday here at BCB After Dark: the grooviest gathering of night owls, early risers, new parents and Cubs fans abroad. Come on in and sit with us. There’s no cover charge. The dress code is casual. There are still a few tables available. The hostess will seat you now. Bring your own beverage.
BCB After Dark is the place for you to talk baseball, music, movies, or anything else you need to get off your chest, as long as it is within the rules of the site. The late-nighters are encouraged to get the party started, but everyone else is invited to join in as you wake up the next morning and into the afternoon.
Last night I asked you how big a role did you think Ryan Rolison would play on the 2026 Cubs. You’re mostly optimistic as 58 percent of you think he’ll be in the Cubs bullpen all (or almost all) season. Another 39 percent think he’ll be shuttling back and forth between Iowa and Chicago.
On Tuesdays I don’t do any movie stuff, but I’m sure I can find the time for some music for us.
Bless the great Ron Carter. The legendary bassist has a new album coming out next month at the age of 89. It’s called Duets, a collaboration with guitarist Yotam Silberstein.
This is a cut from the upcoming album entitled “Blues for Brother Malone,” a tribute to jazz guitarist Russell Malone who died in 2024 at the too-young age of 60. Malone was a friend to both Carter and Silberstein.
Welcome back to those of you who skip the music.
It’s no secret to anyone that the Cubs are searching for starting pitching after the injuries to Cade Horton and Matthew Boyd as well as the setbacks in the recovery of Justin Steele. I suspect that it will be a major topic of conversation around here until the end of July.
The one name that has been closely connected to the Cubs is Freddy Peralta, and we’ve already covered him here. Peralta played for manager Craig Counsell for six seasons in Milwaukee, so there is familiarity there. Peralta has made noise about wanting to stay in New York, but the Mets terrible start to the season and his upcoming free agency means that decision is likely out of his hands.
Still, there are other starting pitching options on the trade market for the Cubs to pursue. Patrick Mooney and Sahadev Sharma list ten of them in The Athletic (sub. req) and I want to examine two in particular that I want to consider tonight. The first is Peralta’s Mets teammate Clay Holmes and the other one is San Francisco Giants pitcher Robbie Ray.
Both Holmes and Ray are free agents at the end of 2026, so both of them would be pure rentals. Ray, according to Mooney and Sharma, is someone the Cubs have wanted for years and it’s not hard to understand why. The left-handers’ biggest weapon is his hard slider, which is his primary out-pitch. But his 93-94 mile per hour fastball also has good movement and in recent years he’s added a changeup, which is a real weapon against right-handed hitters.
Ray won the American League Cy Young in 2021 and while he’s suffered through injuries since then, he’s been healthy this year and last. Ray was an All-Star last season and he’s been just as good this year. With the Giants, he’s posted a 2.76 ERA and has struck out 47 batters in 42.1 innings. He is a bit of a flyball pitcher and he has benefitted from how hard it is to hit a home run at Oracle Park the past few seasons. But we should note that Wrigley Field has played as a pitchers park the past few seasons, even if most of us are conditioned to think of it as a home-run hitters paradise.
Holmes is a different type of pitcher without the same kind of track record as Ray (although he is a two-time All-Star from his time with the Yankees), but he’s arguably been the better pitcher this year. Holmes had made eight starts so far this year and has a 1.86 ERA over 48.1 innings. The right-handed Holmes almost never throws a traditional four-seam fastball, instead relying on a sinker/slider/change repertoire that induces a ton of ground balls. Holmes strikes out a lot fewer batters than Ray with a 19.3 percent strikeout rate as compared to Ray’s 26.3. But he also walks fewer (8.3 percent to 10) and boy, does he get the ground balls. His groundball rate is 57.2 percent, which is actually down from his career averages. Holmes seems like the kind of pitcher that you want in front of the Cubs stellar infield defense.
Now there’s no guarantee that either pitcher will be available in trade. The Mets have said they’re going to wait until June to see if they can snap out of their disappointing season before they decide whether or not they want to sell. The Giants are already making moves, sending catcher Patrick Bailey to the Guardians, but that was likely more a way of getting the black hole of Bailey’s bat out of the Giants offensively-challenged lineup than it was the start of a fire sale.
Still, I strongly suspect that both the Giants and the Mets will be selling by the time trade season comes along. I have no idea how much either one will cost in terms of prospects, but I suspect that it will be roughly even. So whom the Cubs get might be dependent on whether the Giants or the Mets like the Cubs farm system more. And of course, there will be other pitchers available as well.
But if the Cubs were offered either Ray or Holmes for the same package, which one would you take? Which player would be the better “get” for the rest of the season? Which one would make you happier?
Thank you so very much for stopping by. We hope we made your night a little better. Please get home safely. Recycle any cans and bottles. Tip your waitstaff. And join us again tomorrow night for more BCB After Dark.
CINCINNATI, OHIO - MAY 12: James Wood #29 of the Washington Nationals high-fives third base coach Victor Estevez as he rounds the bases after hitting a home run during the fourth inning against the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park on May 12, 2026 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images) | Getty Images
After a couple tough losses in Miami, the Nats responded in a big way tonight. They overpowered the Reds in a 10-2 win where they homered 6 times. Luis Garcia Jr. and Daylen Lile both had multi-homer games in the blow out. The bullpen also did great work tonight, eating 5.2 innings in this one.
The Nats still made plenty of defensive mistakes, including 2 errors and a catcher’s interference. However, the offense was too good for that to matter. After not scoring in the first two innings, the Nats put a world of hurt on the Reds pitching staff.
James Wood started the scoring in the third with a homer. It was a classic James Wood home run, sailing majestically to the opposite field. Luis Garcia Jr. made it back to back jacks with a pull side bomb of his own. Garcia is red hot right now, and he is starting to hit for power. He only had one home run on the season entering this game, but he hit two tonight.
In the top of the 4th, Daylen Lile homered to make it a 3-0 game. However, Miles Mikolas would get into a sketchy situation in the 4th. He was on the ropes after allowing two singles and a walk to start the inning. With the bases loaded, Mikolas traded a run for an out on a ground ball. However, after walking another batter, his night was over after just 3.1 innings.
Brad Lord would come in to replace him, and the long reliever performed very well. His evening got off to a rough start, but it was not his fault. Lord got a much needed ground ball, but Brady House booted it. House has had a really rough season defensively at the hot corner. Heading into the year, his defense was seen as a strength, but it has been anything but that to start 2026. However, Lord would rebound quickly and get a double play ball to end the inning.
After that mess, the Nats knew they needed more runs. Luis Garcia Jr. would start the inning with his second homer of the night. A couple more batters would reach, and then Daylen Lile would come to the plate with 2 on and 1 out. Lile is from Louisville, which is right nearby, so his family was in attendance.
The Lile family saw their boy have his first career multi-homer game. Lile absolutely torched a 98 MPH sinker out of Great American Ball Park. It was a no doubt shot and his family went absolutely crazy in the stands. This was an amazing moment for the Lile family, and it also made the lead 7-2.
With the lead in a comfortable spot, Brad Lord went into cruise control. The right-hander gave the Nats 2.2 innings of scoreless baseball. Lord is such a valuable piece to this bullpen, and sometimes I think he may even be under-utilized.
The Nats were not done with their home run parade though. In the late innings, Brady House made up for his error and put a cherry on top of a blow out win. While he has a tough time hitting fastballs, House does not miss hanging breaking balls. Tony Santillan hung a breaking ball and House banged it out of the ball park.
This was one of the Nats bigger wins of the season. The offense, which is second in baseball in runs, flexed their muscles tonight. While Wood and Abrams both had good games, it was contributors from down the lineup that provided the biggest blows. Luis Garcia Jr. and Daylen Lile are starting to really heat up, and that makes the Nats lineup very dangerous.
If the Nats can get big time production from Lile and Garcia, this could be a truly deep lineup. It has been crazy to see what this offense has been able to do this year. We are deep enough into the season to say that this offense is no fluke. They are a fun and frisky unit. The pitching and defense needs work, but the Nats are really starting to build a foundation here.
May 12, 2026; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets left fielder Juan Soto (22) slaps hands with first base coach Gilbert Gomez (65) after hitting a single against the Detroit Tigers during the second inning at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: John Jones-Imagn Images | John Jones-Imagn Images
After limping out of Kansas City bruised and full of more question-marks than The Riddler, the Tigers went to New York City to face the Mets, who have been terrible so far. Well, the questions kept coming as fast as the Mets scored runs in this one, with the New Yorkers besting the Detroiters by a 10-2 score.
Opening the series on the mound for the visitors was Jack Flaherty, who had a better start in his last outing, against the Red Sox: he gave up four runs, sure, and he slipped a bit in an inning that was threatening to get completely out of control, but when he was on, he was absolutely locked-in. He struck out the first five and the last four batters he faced, which has got to be some sort of first. In a rotation full of chaos, the Tigers absolutely need Flaherty to give them solid innings. Sadly, tonight, he didn’t give too many.
Freddy Peralta faced Flaherty in Flushing; the righty is in his ninth year in the major leagues, and his first with the Mets after spending eight years in Milwaukee. He’s dependable: he’ll keep extra-base hits down (especially home runs), he’ll give you six solid innings, and while his strikeout rate is down a bit this season, it’s still about one per inning. His final three years with the Brewers were a really nice run: a 3.40 ERA, WHIP of 1.136, and 10.7 K/9 innings, making thirty or more starts each of those years.
The Tigers opened the scoring in the second with a Dillon Dingler dinger.
The Tigers kept the party going: Wenceel Pérez singled, Gage Workman doubled, and Spencer Torkelson hit a fly ball deep enough to plate Pérez for a 2-0 lead. With two outs Kevin McGonigle walked to put two runners back on base, but Matt Vierling flew out to end the inning and this party was about to have someone put something awful in the punch bowl.
The bottom of the second saw Flaherty get into trouble… and this is the kind of situation that has had the potential to spin out of control for him: a leadoff walk and a single, and some big misses of the strike zone against Marcus Semien. Semien harmlessly lined-out, but A.J. Ewing walked in his first-ever major-league plate appearance to load the bases with one out. A sharp grounder to shortstop saw the Tigers try to turn a double play, and despite a fantastic turn at second base by Zach McKinstry, the throw to first wasn’t in time and a run came in to score. A harmless fly ball to shallow centre limited the damage, but it was clear that Flaherty was nowhere near as dialed-in as he was in his previous start.
The trouble followed Flaherty and his shaky fastball into the third, with a pair of singles to put runners on the corners. Another single plated the tying run, and after a pair of hard-hit outfield outs, a wild pitch pushed Juan Soto up a base to put runners on the corners. But a Semien grounder to shortstop saw McGonigle make a nice play and throw for the third out.
Again, in the bottom of the fourth, traffic on the basepaths produced a run: a one-out double-single combination pushed the Mets ahead 3-2. He stuck around to strike out Bo Bichette, and departed in favour of Tyler Holton to face the lefty Soto. Holton did the job, getting Soto to not-quite check his swing at a low-and-away sweeper for strike three. Thus, Flaherty’s final line: 3 2/3 IP, 6 H, 3 R, 3 BB, 2 K. That’s… not great.
You know what else wasn’t great? Colt Keith on the basepaths in the top of the fifth. He singled with two out, and he went first-to-third on a Riley Greene single to right-fielder Carson Benge. Benge’s throw skipped a bit past the third baseman; Keith took off for home, forgetting that Peralta was (quite correctly) backing-up third base, but he also managed to run into the third base umpire inexplicably standing on the base path, which also didn’t help. Keith had to show the ump out of the way just to get up to speed and probably should’ve shut it down at that point. He was easily cut down trying to score.
Shoot, it looks like Keith also took a pretty good forearm to the left side of his jaw, too.
Holton carried on and had a 1-2-3 fifth; Burch Smith took over in the sixth and struck out Semien, but walked the next two batters and an infield single loaded the bases. A ground ball found Workman at third; he threw to second to start what probably would’ve been an inning-ending double play, but he rushed it with the baserunner right in his throwing lane and sailed the throw 20 feet wide of second base and into right field, two runs scored, and Smith departed a 5-2 game. That was really the play that put the game ultimately out of reach for the Tigers. Enmanuel De Jesus took over, a grounder to first got another out but allowed another run to score; a sharp liner to Vierling in centre ended the inning with the Tigers in a 6-2 hole.
They started the seventh against a new pitcher, Brooks Raley, and suddenly showed signs of life: with one out Hao-Yu Lee singled, and McGonigle followed with a double to put two runners in scoring position. Alas, a popup to second base and a strikeout ended the inning with those two runners staying right where they were.
In the bottom of the seventh the Mets tacked-on: with two out and a runner on first, Ewing — who’d already walked twice in his debut — tripled to the right-field corner as Wenceel Pérez fumbled the ball against the wall to make it 7-2 and chase De Jesus. Ricky Vanasco was brought in to stop any further damage, which he did not, as he surrendered a single, scoring Ewing for an 8-2 tally.
They scored even more runs in the eighth in ways I’d rather not describe, with an error from Vanasco contributing to the disastrous defensive work on the night. At least Jake Rogers got to pitch in this one, getting the final out in the bottom of the eighth. He touched a cool 80 mph on his fastball, but sadly we didn’t get to see his sterling knuckleball.
In the second inning, Kevin McGonigle walked. That was his 24th walk in the year, against 21 strikeouts. That is an impressive stat, and doubly so for a rookie. I can’t wait to see what he’s capable of in the years to come.
Colt Keith came into tonight’s game with a .304 batting average. If you’re not into some more advanced stats, though, here’s how they can be useful: his Batting Average on Balls in Play (BAbip) is .386. A normal value of that these days is around .285, which means he’s getting lucky. He’s also not getting too many extra-base hits, which isn’t great, but his hard-hit percentage is 46.0% (average is 40.0%), which is good.
Towards the end of this miserable contest, on the radio broadcast Dan Dickerson read off the standard “without written consent” blurb, which I have always found puzzling. (Isn’t this an “account or description” of such a game?) Anyway, Dickerson mused that, if you wanted to get written consent from MLB to do whatever it is people do that need this legal disclaimer, you’d be better off picking a game other than this one.
ATLANTA, GA - MAY 12: Mike Yastrzemski #18 of the Atlanta Braves rounds the bases during the game between the Chicago Cubs and the Atlanta Braves at Truist Park on Tuesday, May 12, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kathryn Skeean/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
The Atlanta Braves were riding high after a road trip out west that saw them win a series with the Dodgers. They were faced with a new test when the Chicago Cubs came to town. It just so happens that MLB ranked the Cubs as number one in the power rankings over the Braves even though the Braves just beat the Dodgers.
Power rankings don’t mean anything, but it was a fun coincidence.
The biggest question mark was if Grant Holmes was going to be able to bounce back after his five earned runs appearance his last start. Holmes did just that. He did not pitch a perfect game, but we saw a huge improvement. Holmes sat down the first five hitters he faced before finally giving up a walk to Michael Busch, but then quickly ended the second inning. Holmes then sat down five in a row again, but then Bregman, who was only one of two Cubs to face him before took him deep. That is when things got shaky. Holmes has struggled with walks all year and tonight was no different. He walked three hitters in a row to load the bases. He was able to induce a groundout, but a run score to give the Cubs a two to one lead and then he struck out old friend Dansby Swanson.
Walt Weiss made the wise decision to replace Holmes in the fifth with Didier Fuentes. Holmes finished the night going 4.0 innings with only the HR to Bregman as his lone hit, but gave up four walks which was enough to end his night. The rest of the night was all bullpen. Fuentes, Lee, and Iglesias combined for 5.0 innings of no hit ball allowing zero walks and accumulating four strikeouts. Fuentes was the MVP for the pitching side of things tonight with three of those innings.
On the offensive side of things, Mike Yastremski finally came through. With Dominic Smith on second in the third inning, Yastrzemski knocked him in to give the Braves a 1-0 lead. After the Cubs took a 2-1 lead in the fourth, Austin Riley continued his much needed surge with a solo shot to tie the game in the fifth.
Not to be outdone, Yastrzemski decided he wanted to get hot too, and once again knocked in Smith, but this time it was a two run show to give the Braves a 4-2 lead. The scoring did not stop in the fifth inning. Matt Olson had a bit of fortune when a ball he hit was deflected by Busch, albeit hit very hard to put the Braves up 5-2, which would be the final score.
All in all the Braves won in demanding fashion. Not only did the pitching only allow five baserunners, but the Braves had eleven hits of their own to go along with two walks.
Yastrzemski was the star with three RBI tonight, in a time when we were wondering if he would ever hit again. However, the unsung hero was Dominic Smith. In a game that he may not have gotten the start if Murphy had not been injured, Smith went 4-4 and showed he very much is worth staying in the DH rotation.
Ha-Seong Kim made his return, but he will have to wait for his first hit of the season, although he did have a walk.
The Braves proved yet again tonight that they are for real. They have now won a series against the Dodgers and took game one against a Cubs team that has two separate ten game win streaks all within a week.
The Braves look to win this series tomorrow night at the same time and same place.
Alex McCoy OF/DH/1B won April Player of the Month for the Fort Wayne TinCaps. In 22 games, he hit .354/.386/.683 with 10 doubles and five home runs. For the season, McCoy has a .284/.344/.885 line with 15 RBI. His vital stats state he is 6-5 and 260, but in a recent interview with MadFriars.com, McCoy gave his updated size as 6-6 and 277. He stated he spent the offseason getting a little bigger and working on his swing to improve his swing-and-miss.
Reliever Logan Gillaspie won Pitcher of the Week for the El Paso Chihuahuas in the Pacific Coast League. In 5.1 innings pitched, Gillaspie allowed no hits, no runs with one walk and three strikeouts. For the season, he has a 4.44 ERA in 24.1 innings pitched with 25 strikeouts. Like many of the El Paso pitchers, the beginning of the season was not kind to Gillaspie.
Lake Elsinore lost its series against Inland Empire 2-4 but remained atop the California League South division with a 19-14 record. Starter Tyler Schmitt won California League Pitcher of the Week with six innings pitched with no earned runs, five strikeouts and one hit in his latest start. Fort Wayne went 4-2 for the week, San Antonio had a 4-2 record and El Paso copied with their own 4-2 record.
El Paso Chihuahuas (19-20 record, 3rd in Pacific Coast League East)
IF/OF Samad Taylor continues his hot tear through Triple-A, hitting .331/.403/.978 with seven homers and 22 RBI. He plays all three outfield spots, has played second base and can DH. Infielder Pablo Reyes has a .439 OBP with 20 walks and a .320 average. OF Jase Bowen has a .948 OPS with 10 home runs and 21 RBI. He is excellent defensively, runs well and has power. The only thing holding him back from a job with a major league team is his 40 strikeouts in 130 at-bats.
RHP Evan Fitterer has a 2.63 ERA in 27.1 innings pitched and seven starts. He has 24 strikeouts and 14 walks. LHP Jackson Wolf works with a low 90’s fastball but has a lot of extension with his 6-7 frame. He has 32 strikeouts in 29 innings pitched with five starts and 10 appearances overall.
Reliever Ethan Routzahn has a 3.00 ERA in 15 games and 18 innings pitched with 11 strikeouts. Reliever Alek Jacob, who has 17.2 innings pitched for El Paso, has 18 strikeouts and two saves.
San Antonio Missions (11-22 record, last in the Texas League South)
IF Carson Tucker continues to impress in his first season back in affiliated baseball after resetting in the Pioneer League. He has a .352 average with nine doubles, a triple and six RBI in 22 games. 1B/DH Leandro Cedeño leads in just about every other offensive category. His average sits at .325 with a .435 OBP and 1.006 OPS. He has four homers and 12 RBI. Catcher Ethan Salas continues his impressive 2026 season with five homers, seven doubles and 18 RBI with eight stolen bases.
RHP Eric Yost has a 3.21 ERA over four starts and seven games total and 28 innings pitched with 33 strikeouts. He has a mid-90’s fastball but it is the curve/slider/sweeper combo that gives him his swing and miss ability. Reliever Francis Peña had a difficult second half in 2025 and started off with the same issues this season. Struggling to command his sinker/slider combo, he fell down the prospect ranks at the end of last season. In nine games and 13 innings pitched, the 25-year-old has a 1.38 ERA with 16 strikeouts but still has too many walks at 14. Reliever Johan Moreno has excelled with a 1.62 ERA in 16.2 innings pitched and 18 strikeouts to six walks.
Fort Wayne TinCaps (16-17 record, 3rd in Midwest League East)
Outfielder Jake Cunningham, 23, signed a minor league contract with the Padres in January before the start of the season. He was originally drafted by the Baltimore Orioles in the fifth round of the 2023 draft and released in January. He struggled with injuries and consistency in his two full seasons in the Orioles organization.
Since joining Fort Wayne, Cunningham is hitting .323 and has a .591 slug with six home runs and 18 RBI, all of which lead the TinCaps. He plays all the outfield positions, can DH and has played first base with the Orioles. C/1B Lamar King Jr. has a .409 OBP, leading Fort Wayne, with 19 walks and eight stolen bases in 29 games.
RHP Carson Montgomery, playing his first full season since returning from Tommy John, has started five games and 22 innings pitched with a 1.64ERA and 18 strikeouts to eight walks. LHP Kash Mayfield continues to dominate with a 1.82 ERA in six games started and 24.2 innings pitched. He has 26 strikeouts to 13 walks. Closer Clay Edmondson, 22, was drafted last year in the 14th round and has done nothing but impress since the start of the season. In 12 appearances and 14.1 innings pitched he has a 0.63 ERA with 21 strikeouts and four walks. He has K’d 38.2% of the hitters he has faced with his sidearm/submarine-type delivery.
Lake Elsinore Storm (19-14 record, 1st in California League South)
First baseman Luke Cantwell was drafted in the 20th round of the last draft and has started quickly for the Storm. He is hitting .352/.477/.493 with seven doubles, a homer and 17 RBI. He leads the team in average and on base with shortstop Justin DeCriscio leading in slug with .544 (three homers and 18 RBI). Centerfielder Ryan Wideman spent the offseason re-working his swing and has broken out this early part of the season. He is hitting .328/.420/.541 with nine doubles, four triples, three homers and 26 RBI. He has stolen 27/31 bases. That is the best stolen base number in all of baseball, not just the minor leagues. He was a legitimate four-tool player when drafted with only a question about his contact ability due to the big swing he had when drafted. He seems to be answering that question quickly.
RHP Winyer Chourio, 22, an international sign out of Venezuela, has a 2.14 ERA in six games/five games started with 21 innings pitched and 32 strikeouts to 12 walks. That gives him a 13.71 K/9 while allowing no home runs. LHP Javier Chacon, 23, an international sign from Cuba, has pitched in eight games and 12 innings with a 1.59 ERA and has 24 strikeouts to seven walks. RHP Ethan Long has three saves and a 1.35 ERA in six games and 6.2 innings pitched.
LHP Kruz Schoolcraft had a miserable start to his Storm career but has worked his way back to a respectable start on May 8. He went four innings while allowing three hits and no earned runs with two strikeouts and two walks. He had seven whiffs with his fastball returning to the normal 95-98 mph.
ACL Padres (3-3 record in the ACL West)
Shortstop Yimy Tovar has played in six games with a .316/.381/.632 line with three RBI and three stolen bases. Third baseman Luis De Leon is hitting .313/.421/.500 to begin the season.
RHP Jordan Valenzuela has 4.2 innings pitched with a 3.86 ERA as the best reliever on the team. RHP Erick Batista has started one game with four innings pitched with a 2.25 ERA.
Injury and rehab
Both Ty Adcock (oblique) and Jhony Brito (elbow surgery) have begun their rehab with the ACL Padres. Brito has three innings in his first start with a 3.00 ERA. Adcock has one inning pitched, struck out one and walked none.
Padres prospect Michael Salina, the fourth-round pick in 2025 that required Tommy John surgery before the draft, has begun his rehab in Arizona with the ACL Padres. He made one start for 0.2 innings with two strikeouts but allowed two runs and a walk.
In a chaotic play in the top of the fifth inning at Citi Field on Tuesday night, the third base umpire got in the middle of the fray and might have even helped the Mets stop the Tigers from scoring a game-tying run.
It all started when Mets starter Freddy Peralta yielded a two-out single to right to the Tigers’ Riley Greene, and Colt Keith, who started the play on first base, made it all the way to third safely when Carson Benge’s low, hard throw could not be handled by third baseman Brett Baty.
As the ball bounced around near the boundary of the visitor’s dugout, Keith darted home but hit into an expected wall — Drake.
Chaos at Citi Field!
Colt Keith goes to third, the throw gets away and Keith is thrown out at home
Detroit Tigers third baseman Colt Keith (33) is tagged out by New York Mets catcher Francisco Alvarez (4) while trying to score a run during the fifth inning at Citi Field on May 12, 2026. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Drake had been in position to make the call at third, but when Keith made his dash to the dish, the umpire could not move out of the way before Keith slammed into him.
As Drake fell to the grass, Keith threw off his helmet and stayed on his feet, but was thrown out at home by Peralta, who was in the right position backing up the play.
Had Keith b\scored, the ballgame would have been tied. Instead, he was the final out of the frame. The Mets added three more runs in the bottom of the sixth to extend their edge. They added two more in the seventh, one of which came on rookie A.J. Ewing’s first big league hit, an RBI triple.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - APRIL 26: Ezequiel Tovar #14 of the Colorado Rockies strikes out during the third inning of game one of a doubleheader against the New York Mets at Citi Field on April 26, 2026 in the Queens borough of New York City. (Photo by Heather Khalifa/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Some teams need to be more productive with runners in scoring position, have more leadoff production or more base stealing, have a more consistent bullpen and more. Every team has things to improve — some more than others.
MLB.com’s Thomas Harding identified better hitting against right-handed pitching, specifically from Ezequiel Tovar, Brenton Doyle, Jordan Beck and Hunter Goodman. With Warren Schaeffer’s preference to focus on match-up specific lineups, Doyle’s and Beck’s struggles have relegated them to the bench more often than not.
If I could pick one thing, it would be to lower the strikeouts. The Rockies lead MLB with 401 total strikeouts and an average of 9.78 Ks per nine innings. I know this is a massive change to ask for, but just reducing those strikeouts by one per game would be a great start. My wishlist would be to finish around 20th in team strikeouts by the end of the season.
Your turn.
Realistic: What is one thing the Rockies can improve on the rest of the way?
Wishlist: What is the one thing you wish the Rockies could improve on the rest of the way?
May 12, 2026; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Zack Wheeler (45) throws a pitch against the Boston Red Sox in the first inning at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-Imagn Images | David Butler II-Imagn Images
It’s hard to believe that Zack Wheeler was a major question mark less than a month ago. At least for now, he looked like the Zack Wheeler of old as he went 7.1 innings against the Red Sox while allowing one run on just 87 pitches in a 2-1 win. Kyle Schwarber tied the Phillies franchise record with a home run in his fifth straight game in the first inning and Bryson Stott added an RBI double in the second to give Wheeler all the offense he needed.
Boston started a left-handed opener in Jovani Morán and Schwarber promptly greeted him with his seventh first inning home run of the year. Schwarber became the eighth Phillies hitter to homer in five consecutive games and the first since Trea Turner in 2023.
Bryan Bello entered the game in the second for Boston to serve as the bulk pitcher, and Brandon Marsh quickly greeted him with single to right field on the first pitch that extended Marsh’s hitting streak to 13 games. J.T. Realmuto then grounded out to the pitcher but was able to move Marsh into scoring position. That proved to be important when Bryson Stott laced a cutter down the right field line at 109 MPH that hopped over the short Fenway wall for a ground rule double that scored Marsh and gave the Phillies a 2-0 lead.
But that was all the offense the team would muster, as they would have only three baserunners the rest of the game. Luckily for the Phillies, that was all they needed with Zack Wheeler on the mound.
Wheeler needed only six pitches in each of the first two innings to retire the side and needed just four to get through the third, as the Red Sox were swinging early and often and grounded into two double plays in just the first three innings. Wheeler did not throw more than two pitches to any hitter until facing Jarren Duran in the fourth, who ultimately went down on six pitches with a strikeout.
Zack Wheeler needed just 16 pitches to complete the first 3 innings tonight.
That's the fewest pitches thrown by a starter through the first 3 innings of a game since at least 2000! pic.twitter.com/3Z6rYuMhFs
However, the seventh inning proved to be troublesome for Wheeler who had cruised through the previous six. Mickey Gasper led off with a single before Wilyer Abreu and Masataka Yoshida were both retired on fly outs, with Abreu’s landing in Adolis Garcia’s glove just steps from the short bullpen fence. But Trevor Story singled with two outs to put runners on the corners with two outs before Ceddanne Rafaela fought off a sinker on the hands and blooped it into shallow right for an RBI base hit.
Wheeler then got ahead 0-2 to Marcelo Mayer who scalded a 106 MPH grounder up the middle, but Trea Turner was able to make a nice play to field it cleanly and throw Mayer out to end the threat. Wheeler then went back out for the eighth and allowed a leadoff single to Carlos Narváez before getting Caleb Durbin to fly out to end his night. José Alvarado was then tasked with preserving the lead. He was able to do just that with a strikeout to end the inning after obtaining the second out on a replay review that overturned a safe call when Turner bobbled a 104 MPH grounder from Jarren Duran before running to tag second base. Wheeler meanwhile ended his night with six hits allowed, no walks, one hit by pitch, and four strikeouts on just 87 pitches. He generated seven total whiffs, and his fastball averaged 94.8 MPH, a slight uptick from his 94.5 average so far this season.
Jhoan Duran then entered in the ninth for his first save opportunity since April 11th. He quickly got Wilyer Abreu to strike out on a foul tip before Yoshida followed with a single. Isiah Kiner-Falefa entered as a pinch runner and stole second base after a replay review overturned an out call. Duran then walked Story to put the winning run on first with one out before getting a strikeout of Rafaela on a 99 MPH fastball way up and out of the zone. Mayer then sharply grounded out to second to allow Duran to escape the jam and seal the win for the Phillies.
Tomorrow’s matchup
Andrew Painter (1-4, 6.89) will look to rebound from his brutal last start against Sonny Gray (3-1, 3.54) of the Red Sox. First pitch is scheduled for 6:45.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Giants center fielder Harrison Bader said when The California Post posed a question about the only hip thrusts viewed this many times on the safe-for-work corner of the internet.
Mum’s the word on the most viral celebration in baseball this season. NBC Sports Bay Area“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Giants center fielder Harrison Bader said when The California Post. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Nothing out of the ordinary. Then their lower bodies got involved.
Following the Giants’ 9-3 win over their archrivals Monday night, Bader and his fellow outfielders, Jung Hoo Lee and Drew Gilbert, locked arms in a group hug. AP
The outfielders appeared to mimic a sexual act not once, not twice, not three or four times, but brought their pelvic sections together five times. All of it was captured on camera.
The clip was shared far and wide on social media, getting mixed reactions. Some fans appreciated the show of levity and personality, while others were concerned about children imitating the NSFW celebration.
A day later, the Giants didn’t seem to want to draw any additional attention to it.
“They’re a close-knit group,” manager Tony Vitello said. “Let’s put it that way.”
Bader declined further comment, Gilbert wasn’t interested in getting too deep into the weeds, and Lee didn’t make an appearance in the clubhouse during the time it was open to the media.
But the Post was able to get to the bottom of who was responsible for initiating the celebration.
“They’re a close-knit group,” manager Tony Vitello said. “Let’s put it that way.” NBC Sports Bay Area
“Bader’s spontaneous,” said Gilbert, who was known for expressing himself in creative ways on the ballfield when he played for Vitello at the University of Tennessee.
It doesn’t sound like there will be a repeat performance.
“We’ll change it up, come up with something different,” Gilbert said. “Hopefully keep the vibes going here. Just trying to win some ballgames.”
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The team preferred to deflect attention onto what preceded the unofficial Hingle McCringleberry homage, handing the Dodgers their biggest defeat of the season and winning consecutive games for the first time since April 25-26. Fair enough.
Between Willy Adames’ gatorade baths after every home win and the latest display by their outfielders, the Giants are drawing eyeballs as much for the way they celebrate their wins as they are for the wins themselves, which so far have been few and far between.
Gilbert and Bader both played coy when asked if they were aware of their newfound virality.
Between Willy Adames’ gatorade baths after every home win and the latest display by their outfielders, the Giants are drawing eyeballs as much for the way they celebrate their wins AP
“If we win games, it’s cool,” Gilbert said. “Everything kind of goes for me off wins and losses. If it’s spreading because we lost, well we lost, who cares? If we win, then cool. If it helps us win, we’ll keep doing stuff like that.”
It was the first time Bader and Gilbert had a chance to show off their personalities in tandem, or share an outfield. Bader had every reason to be enthusiastic, having played his first game since he went on the injured list April 15 with a strained left hamstring.
Vitello’s teams at Tennessee earned a reputation for their over-the-top exhibits of emotion, and Gilbert brought a similar energy to the Giants’ dugout when he was called up late last season.
Vitello acknowledged this spring that his college teams at times “crossed the line” but said he merely permitted his players to express themselves.
It would seem his big leaguers are following suit.
“It’s kind of a fun collage of personalities and skillsets,” Vitello said of the Giants’ outfielders. “The one common theme is they’re all very energetic in their personalities. It makes it fun. If you look back on it, a lot of the winning teams, their personality kind of comes out. Those guys are doing that. They all pull it out of each other.”
HOUSTON, TEXAS - MAY 05: Yoshinobu Yamamoto #18 of the Los Angeles Dodgers looks on from the dugout during the second inning of the game against the Houston Astros at Daikin Park on May 05, 2026 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Kenneth Richmond/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Yoshinobu Yamamoto on the mound, trying to stop a Dodgers losing streak.
PHOENIX, ARIZONA - MAY 06: Starting pitcher Paul Skenes #30 of the Pittsburgh Pirates reacts after pitching out of the eighth inning of the MLB game against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field on May 06, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Pittsburgh’s PNC Park has never been a friendly stadium for the Colorado Rockies, and tonight was no exception, despite some late-game hits.
For the first six innings of the game, the Rockies went hitless in the face of Pittsburgh Pirates ace Paul Skenes.
Although they would not be no-hit, the Rockies would be unable to put together enough offense for a win, despite solid pitching from Michael Lorenzen. Instead, they lost 3-1.
Michael Lorenzen? Gave the Rockies a chance
After getting behind early in the first, Lorenzen settled in, and although he surrendered hits, the Pirates did not score again until the fifth.
Given Lorenzen’s struggles in New York, there were questions as to how he would hold up against the Pirates, but he relied on his changeup, held his own, and gave the Rockies a chance.
In five innings pitched, he gave up two runs (both earned) on five hits. Lorenzen struck out five and walked two.
“Mike was good for us. That’s what we expect of him,” Schaeffer said.
He left the game with the Rockies down 2-0, but the loss was on an offense unable to figure out Skenes, not Lorenzen’s pitching.
The Rockies offense? Unable to handle Skenes
Once again, the Rockies offense failed to rise to the occasion.
The Pirates got on the board first when Nick Gonzales hit an RBI single that brought home Oneil Cruz — who led off the game with a double.
After a rough first inning that left the Rockies in a 1-0 hole, Lorenzen did settled in and did not allow the Pirates to score again until the fifth inning. However, it didn’t matter.
The Rockies did not manage to put the ball in play until the third inning. Prior to that, the first six batters all struck out. After the second inning, the Rockies managed to put the ball in play but remained hitless.
That said, please take a moment to appreciate this very fine defensive work by Tyler Freeman.
The Pirates were out of challenges and ABS challenges before the third inning ended, but given that the Rockies did not score — or even threaten to — until the end of the game, the lack of challenges was never a factor.
In the fifth, the Rockies had their first base runner when Troy Johnston was hit by a pitch on a Skenes 2-1 changeup. However, he was promptly caught stealing (and it wasn’t even close), ending the inning.
In the bottom of the fifth, the Pirates notched their second run after Brandon Lowe brought home Cruz again. The fifth closed 2-0 Pirates.
Finally in the seventh inning, the Rockies got their first hit — a Mickey Moniak single. The Rockies were unable to capitalize, but at least they would not be no-hit!
Lorenzen left the game after the fifth inning, and turned the game over to the bullpen.
Skenes came back out for the eighth inning, and Johnston managed to hit a double with one out, but the Rockies again failed to score.
In the ninth, the Pirates turned to Gregory Soto, who had allowed just six hits in 20.1 IP prior. He retired Kyle Karros and Brenton Doyle, but Jordan Beck had different plans. After seeing 10 pitches, he hit a double.
Hunter Goodman followed up with his own double, which brought Beck home and scored the Rockies first run.
However, a TJ Rumfield ground ball ended the game.
The bullpen? Uneven
The Rockies used multiple relievers tonight, which seemed a bit unusual given their tendency to turn to long relievers.
Seth Halvorsen struck out three in the sixth and passed the baton to Victor Vodnik in the seventh, who struggled with his command. Vodnik gave up a walk and three singles, one of which scored a run.
However, Victor Vodnik struggled. On 26 pitches (13 for strikes), he allowed one run (earned) on three hits and a walk.
Jaden Hill’s appearance was fleeting. He entered the game with bases loaded and threw just two pitches to end the inning.
The eighth inning went to Jimmy Herget who did not allow any runs, but it was close. He allowed one hit — a leadoff double to Gonzales — one walk, and one strikeout on 22 pitches.
Paul Skenes? Still great
Paul Skenes has two NL Cy Young Awards at home on his mantle for a reason: He’s an exceptional pitcher. And the Rockies got to witness that for themselves tonight.
He tossed eight almost flawless innings, giving up no runs and just two hits on 98 pitches. He struck out 10 and walked one, allowing just one hard-hit ball.
Jun 16, 2023; Los Angeles, California, USA; The Los Angeles Dodgers logo in rainbow colors on the the outfield wall during LGBTQ+ Pride Night at Dodger Stadium at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
LOS ANGELES — The Dodgers on Tuesday announced the details of their annual LGBTQ+ Pride Night, which will be held on Friday, June 5 for the opener of a weekend series against the Angels. Among the highlights is the unveiling a permanent display in the center field plaza at Dodger Stadium for Glenn Burke and Billy Bean, both of whom played for the team.
From the Dodgers:
This year, the Dodgers will be installing a tribute to LGBTQ+ trailblazers Billy Bean and Glenn Burke, who both played for L.A. and were among the first professional athletes to identify as gay. The permanent display will be housed in the Centerfield plaza and feature pictures and memorabilia from their careers and text explaining the duo’s contributions to Major League Baseball and professional sports.
Bean played in six major league seasons from 1987-95, including part of 1989 with the Dodgers, playing all three outfield spots.
Bean worked for Major League Baseball from 2014 until his death in 2024 of acute myeloid leukemia at age 60, working as senior vice president for diversity, equity & inclusion and special assistant to the commissioner. Since 2025, MLB no longer includes the word “diversity” on its careers or inclusion pages.
Burke played the first two-plus seasons of his four-year career with the Dodgers and among other things, Burke is widely credited with inventing the high-five in 1977 with teammate Dusty Baker. The Dodgers traded Burke to the A’s in his hometown of Oakland in 1978 after learning he was gay, described by Andrew Maraniss, author of ‘Singled Out: The True Story of Glenn Burke,’ in an interview with Steve Dittmore of True Blue LA in 2022:
During the offseason after the 1977 World Series, Al Campanis paid a visit to Glenn in the Bay Area. Glenn thought it was to talk about his role on the team in ‘78. Instead, Campanis offered Glenn a bribe to get married. Glenn asked, “To a woman?” When Campanis said yes, Glenn knew management was on to his sexuality, and he refused to go along with the plan. At that point, he knew his days with the Dodgers were numbered. Tommy Lasorda’s son, Spunky, was gay and Lasorda wasn’t happy that he and Glenn were friends. One of the things I found most interesting while researching the book is how hard Glenn’s teammates took his trade to the A’s. Sportswriters noticed players sitting at their lockers crying when they heard the news. That shows you what a presence Glenn had on that team, how much his teammates liked and respected him, even though he wasn’t a starter. And these guys knew he was gay. Some people contend, even today, that a gay player would be a “distraction” on a team. Glenn was anything but a distraction; he was one of the most popular players on the entire team.”
The Dodgers first meaningful acknowledgement of Burke came in 2022 during their Pride Night, when several of his family members in attendance and part of the ceremonies at Dodger Stadium, 27 years after his death.
Bean was a part of several previous Dodgers Pride Nights, including in 2014, 2015, 2017, 2019, and 2022. This new display in center field will be a more permanent way to honor Burke and Bean at Dodger Stadium.
Also as part of this year’s Pride Night ceremonies, 99-year-old Maybelle Blair, a former pitcher in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League, will throw out the ceremonial first pitch. She was also part of Pride Night festivities in 2022.
May 12, 2026; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Baltimore Orioles pitcher Trevor Rogers (28) throws during the first inning against the New York Yankees at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Kucin Jr.-Imagn Images | Daniel Kucin Jr.-Imagn Images
Trevor Rogers was ambushed in his return to the mound Tuesday night, giving up six runs in his first start in more than two weeks. That spelled disaster for the Orioles, who fell 6-2 in game of the series with the Yankees at Camden Yards.
Before the game even began, the Orioles got some bad news. Grant Wolfram, who has gone unused in the bullpen since May 6, was placed on the IL with a lower back strain. Shortly after that, the team had to scratch Dylan Beavers from the starting lineup due to right oblique discomfort. Obliques are notorious for nagging, so who knows what the outlook is for the rookie.
All of this would be a harbinger of the terrible things to come in the game ahead.
Orioles’ Opening Day starter Trevor Rogers made his highly-anticipated return from the IL in this one. He was greeted with a 402-foot home run off the bat of Paul Goldschmidt on the very first pitch of the game. Not ideal.
But it was in the third inning where the outing fell apart. Rogers loaded the bases with one out on a single and two walks. Then, Cody Bellinger drove in the Yankees’ second run of the day on a liner up the middle that Gunnar Henderson fielded and tried to turn into two outs, but could only nab the force out at second. Amed Rosario followed with an infield single that came on a bouncing ball down the third base line. Coby Mayo fielded it and made a running throw, but it was too late to retire Rosario. Judged scored on the play to make it a 3-0 game. Next up was Trent Grisham, who came through with a line drive to deep right-center for a three-run shot, extending the visitors’ lead to 6-0.
Rogers stuck around for the fourth inning to give the bullpen a little bit of help, but it didn’t make up for what was a poor showing overall. In those four innings, the lefty allowed six runs on six hits, three walks, three strikeouts, and two home runs. His season ERA is up to 5.77.
Stuff was not the problem for Rogers. In fact, his velocity and spin rates were both up compared to his season averages, and he had a whiff rate of 29% on the day. But when the Yankees did make contact it was very, very hard. Rogers gave up six balls in play at 103 mph or harder. Two of them were home runs. That is not good!
The Orioles offense created enough chances to get back into the game. They just didn’t make the most of them. That was never more true than in the bottom of the third inning, They managed to load the bases on a walk and a pair or fielders choices gone wrong for the Yankees. But all three runners would be stranded after Taylor Ward flew out and Adley Rutschman grounded into a double play to leave the O’s with no runs scored on the day.
In the bottom of the sixth, the Orioles finally got on the board against Yankees starter Will Warren. Ward led off with a double, and then came in to score on a Samuel Basallo single. Tyler O’Neill then forced Basallo to run the 270 feet between first base and home plate by hitting his first double of the season and driving in the O’s second run of the day. That narrowed the deficit to just four runs, the Orioles now trailing 6-2.
Another good chance to score came in the eighth inning. Ward got it going with a single. Pete Alonso singled as well to put two runners on with one out. The prompted a pitching change for the Yankees, which proved a wise decision. Tim Hill came on and got both Basallo and O’Neill to ground out and end the threat.
That would be the last real opportunity for the Orioles to mount a comeback. They went down in order in the ninth inning to lose the second game of the series by that 6-2 scoreline.
Ultimately, the difference in this game came down to the Orioles inability to hit with runners in scoring position. They went 1-for-12 in such situations and left seven runners on base. Of course, this is not a new development. The team has struggled with this all year.
Gunnar Henderson went 0-for-4. He and his .660 OPS hitting lead-off with any sort of regularity right now does not make sense, though it’s not as if the Orioles are rich with options anyway.
The bottom third of the lineup (Colton Cowser, Mayo, and Jeremiah Jackson) went 0-for-11 with four strikeouts and one walk. It’s a problem that won’t be solved by just one player, like Jackson Holliday, getting healthy. The team needs a miracle.
On the bright side, the bullpen was very good! Josh Walker worked two scoreless innings and struck out three in his Orioles debut. Yennier Cano, Andrew Kittredge, and Tyler Wells followed with one shutout inning each. They kept the team in the game and gave the O’s a chance. That’s really all you can ask for.
Rutschman had a mixed game on defense. He threw out two stolen base attempts, an area where he has really improved in 2026. He also dropped a foul ball pop-up in the ninth inning that fortunately did not come back to bite the team.
Basallo and Ward had two hits each. As has often been the case, they were the lone source of offense for an Orioles lineup that is really struggling.
The end of this series will come a bit sooner than originally planned. Due to expected weather in the area, the Orioles and Yankees moved up the start time for Wednesday’s game. First pitch will now be 1:05 from Camden Yards. Max Fried will go for the Yankees, and we do not yet know who Craig Albernaz plans to throw in the rubber match. Kyle Bradish would be on regular rest.
Mets catcher Francisco Alvarez left the team’s game against the Tigers in the bottom of the sixth inning this evening after tweaking his right knee while taking a swing. The Mets’ training staff and manager Carlos Mendoza came out to talk to Alvarez after seeing him in discomfort following the swing, and following a brief conversation, Mendoza signaled that he was taking Alvarez out of the game.
The 24-year-old has struggled with injuries since making his major league debut in 2022, but he looked very good at the plate last season after returning to the big leagues following an injury and a stint in Triple-A Syracuse. He wound up finishing the 2025 season with a .256/.339/.447 line, 11 home runs, and a 124 wRC+ in 277 major league plate appearances.
So far this year, Alvarez has hit .236/.315/.382 with four home runs and a 105 wRC+ in 128 plate appearances. If he were to miss any time, the Mets would presumably be looking at calling up one of Hayden Senger or Ben Rortvedt from Syracuse. Of the two, Senger is the one who’s already on the Mets’ 40-man roster, which is currently full.
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