Category: Baseball

Game Recaps

Michael Soroka continues Diamondbacks’ dominant pitching in win over Rangers by Alex Weiner [Arizona Sports]

The Diamondbacks have won three straight games having scored eight total runs. They are back to .500 at 20-20.

Arizona has allowed 10 runs over its last seven games. The last time the D-backs had a seven-game stretch with that few runs allowed was back in 2011. Before then? 2001.

Soroka’s gem, Sewald’s save give D-backs a little World Series payback by Steve Gilbert [DBacks.com]

Here’s what you need to know about the game:

Michael Soroka was really good

Soroka allowed just three hits over 6 1/3 innings in the combined shutout on Monday and over his last two starts he’s given up just one run in 12 2/3 innings.

“We want to bang the baseball around and score a lot of runs,” manager Torey Lovullo said. “But when you’re in [a close situation] and the pitchers step up the way they did, it was a fantastic effort. It started with Soroka. He did a really nice job — low pitch count, temptation to leave him in the game, and I felt like the bullpen was ready for those matchups, and it worked out really well for us.”

Diamondbacks News

“I belong at the highest level”: The elite mindset of the D-backs Ryan Waldschmidt [Arizona Sports]

Diamondbacks add another Perdomo to their minor league system by Nick Piecoro [AZ Central]

Ten years ago, Geraldo Perdomo signed with the Diamondbacks for $70,000 as a 16-year-old amateur free agent out of the Dominican Republic. He was not a big prospect, but he showed enough promise to move steadily through the system and ultimately reach the majors.

Perdomo is hoping another family member can follow a similar path.

Last week, the Diamondbacks signed 17-year-old outfielder Nicola Perdomo for a bonus of $47,500. He has a good approach, raw power and a strong arm. He is Geraldo’s younger brother, and he likely will begin his professional career this year in the Dominican Summer League.

D-backs Closer Paul Sewald Says He Didn’t Hit Corey Seager On Purpose by Alex D’Agostino [SI]

“It was a total accident,” Sewald said earnestly. “Hopefully his foot’s okay. … it’s one of those things.”

Sewald did, also acknowledge the moment, the context, and the environment of the matchup. 

“It’s fine in the regular season, postseason, not so great, obviously, especially here,” he said with a bit of a laugh. “The biggest thing was that I got the first two guys to try to make it a little bit easier.”

Around the League

1st Rookie of the Year poll shows clear favorites, but plenty of competition by Jason Foster [MLB]

Others receiving votes: Foster Griffin (one first-place vote), Nationals; Carson Benge, Mets; Owen Caissie, Marlins; Bubba Chandler, Pirates; Joe Mack, Marlins; Jose Fernandez, D-backs; Nathan Church, Cardinals; TJ Rumfield, Rockies {Ed. Note: emphasis mine}

Five way-too-early 2026-27 free agency questions by Kiley McDaniel [ESPN]

How will the potential work stoppage affect free agency?

Though we don’t know for sure, we can use the last collective bargaining agreement negotiations and subsequent lockout as a guide. Teams looking to devote big money to making upgrades generally want to do so before the current CBA expires Dec. 1, both to avoid waiting for key additions and as a pre-negotiation signal of healthy spending on players. (The Texas Rangers splurging on Corey Seager and Marcus Semien for a combined $500 million just hours before the Dec. 1, 2021, deadline was notable from that pre-lockout period.)

The assumption is that a lockout will happen again. That naturally leads to two questions: Which teams are eager enough to spend to sign big-ticket players before Dec. 1? And which players are important enough to get the offers they’d want to sign before the CBA expires? Before his injury, Skubal was the top free agent, but now his market might be muddier, which could lead to his camp opting to wait a bit. There might not be another slam dunk nine-figure player, with Freddy Peralta and Jazz Chisholm Jr. having the strongest cases at the moment among the other pending free agents.

Giants Trade Patrick Bailey to Guardians as Buster Posey Shakes Things Up Again by Jay Jaffe [FanGraphs]

This is the second season in a row that president of baseball operations Buster Posey has shaken up San Francisco’s roster with an early-season trade; last year, it was the mid-June acquisition of slugger Rafael Devers in a blockbuster with Boston. You don’t have to squint too hard to accept that both trades were aimed at upgrading moribund offenses, but when the Giants dealt for Devers, they were 11 games above .500 (41-30), one game behind the Dodgers in the NL West. They felt they’d landed the offensive cornerstone that had eluded them after unsuccessful pursuits of Aaron Judge and Shohei Ohtani, a player who could help them return to the postseason for the first time since 2021. This time around, they entered the day of the trade 15-23, last in the division, and the move appears far more tilted toward the future, as Wilkinson has just gotten his feet wet in Double-A and the draft pick won’t make an immediate impact.

If this trade had occurred just prior to the deadline (August 3 this year), it might have been characterized as a white flag, part of a larger selloff. To these eyes, it’s a shakeup that at worst smacks of panic and at best places a lot of faith that Posey — a likely Hall of Fame catcher who has yet to show similar prowess as an executive — has found a diamond or two in the rough with his two recent catching acquisitions: Jesus Rodriguez, who came from the Yankees in last year’s Camilo Doval trade, and Daniel Susac, who was flipped by the Twins in December after being plucked from the A’s as a Rule 5 pick. Both are 24 years old and have fewer than 10 games of major league experience, with Susac, who turns 25 on May 14, currently on a rehab assignment after being sidelined by neuritis in his right elbow. Eric Haase, a 33-year-old backstop who hit his way out of a starting job in Detroit in 2023, started in Saturday’s 13-3 drubbing by the Pirates — San Francisco’s ninth loss in 11 games — while Rodriguez started Sunday’s 7-6 win, which lifted the team’s record to 16-24, still third worst in the NL.

Rangers Notes: Eovaldi, Latz, and Smith by Anthony Franco [MLB Trade Rumors]

he Rangers are sending Nathan Eovaldi for imaging after the veteran starter reported left side tightness, manager Skip Schumaker told reporters (including Kennedi Landry of MLB.com). Texas scratched Eovaldi from his scheduled start tonight in Arizona. Jakob Junis got the first couple innings of an impromptu bullpen game.

Schumaker’s bullpen should be well rested. The Rangers are coming off consecutive shutouts of what had been a hot Cubs lineup. They used three relievers after Jack Leiter on Saturday, but only Gavin Collyer tossed more than 13 pitches. Jacob Latz was their only reliever yesterday, tossing 20 pitches over two scoreless innings behind a masterful start from Jacob deGrom (seven scoreless with 10 strikeouts).

We are just past one-quarter of the way through the 2026 season.

And the Cubs are off to one of the best 41-game starts in franchise history. Since 1945 — an arbitrary cut-off, granted — only two other Cubs teams have gone 27-14 to start the season. Those were the 1969 and 1977 Cubs and, well, you know how those seasons ended.

From 1945 through this year, though, 56 other teams in that span have begun with a 27-14 record, including the 2026 Cubs. Here’s the complete list.

As you can see on that list, starting the season with a .659 winning percentage is somewhat predictive of success for that year. Of the 57 previous teams to do this, 26 made the postseason, 14 won league pennants and six were World Series champions. Thirty-four of the teams won at least 90 games and 10 won 100 or more.

Let’s look at the six World Series champions who went 27-14 to start the season, in chronological order.

1951 Yankees

The Yankees dominated MLB from 1947-64, winning 15 AL pennants and 10 World Series in that 18-year span. The 1951 club’s WS title was the third of five in a row. They went 98-56 and won the AL pennant by five games over Cleveland. They were second in their league in runs and runs allowed.

1960 Pirates

The team that won the World Series on Bill Mazeroski’s famous homer was a bit lucky during that Series — they lost three blowouts and won four close games and were outscored 55-27.

After their 27-14 start they were in first place by 1.5 games and kept winning. From Aug. 1 through the end of the season they went 38-20, eventually winning the NL pennant by seven games, with 95 wins.

1989 Athletics

This was the second of three straight AL pennants and World Series titles won by the A’s, though they had to wait through a 10-day earthquake delay before sweeping the Giants in the WS.

The race for the AL West title was close until September, when they won 11 of their last 14 to win the division by seven games, with 99 overall wins. Then they won the ALCS by four games over the Blue Jays and took the WS.

2015 Royals

The defending AL champions won their second straight league title, taking over first place in the AL Central for good in early June, eventually winning the division by 12 games with a 95-67 record. They won the last six games of the regular season, won a close division series (3-2) over the Astros, beat the Blue Jays 4-2 in the ALCS and won the World Series four games to one over the Mets.

2024 Dodgers

This Dodgers team went wire-to-wire in first place. At the time they were 27-14 they led the division by 6.5 games and eventually won it by five games, finishing 98-64.

They took the Padres three games to two in a division series, beat the Mets 4-2 in the NLCS and won the World Series over the Yankees four games to one.

2025 Dodgers

The supposed juggernaut Dodgers team from last year won the fewest games — 93 — of any of these six teams, taking the NL West by three games. Thus they were forced into a wild-card series against the Reds, which they won two games to none. They lost one game in a division series win over the Phillies, swept the Brewers in the NLCS, then won an extremely close World Series over the Blue Jays four games to three.

These six teams averaged 98 wins. Of all the 58 teams that started the season 27-14 since 1945, just two finished with losing records — the 2009 Blue Jays (75-87) and 1995 Phillies (69-75 in a strike-shortened 144-game season). Two others (1966 Indians, 1977 Cubs) finished exactly at .500.

While you can’t necessarily predict the result of a full season based on a 25 percent sample size, it would seem that the Cubs have a very good chance of at least a 90-win season, possibly a 100-win season, and that they are very likely to make the postseason. In addition to good baseball, the six teams that started 27-14 and won the World Series all had a little bit of luck involved.

Mostly, I just did this exercise for fun as we await the Cubs beginning their series in Atlanta. Where do you think the Cubs will finish 2026?

Good morning! A satisfying 3-1 win last night featured the Mariners’ eighth straight victory over the Houston Astros dating back to last season. A season-high seven strikeouts for starter George Kirby was supported by a few strong bullpen outings, and a solo home run from Julio Rodriguez highlighted the Mariners’ scoring.

Bryan Woo gets the start tonight against Astros RHP Tatsuya Imai at 5:10 PM.

In Mariners news…

• The Mariners have placed Jose A. Ferrer on the paternity list and recalled RHP Domingo Gonzalez in a corresponding move.
• A six-man rotation will be tested out this week as Bryce Miller returns from injury and will be slotted in behind Luis Castillo.
• Julio Rodriguez (briefly) scored some new footwear in a challenge with a fan during batting practice yesterday.

Around the league…

• The New York Mets are planning to call up No. 2 prospect A.J. Ewing in hopes of an offensive spark amid their recent struggles.
• Texas Rangers RHP Nathan Eovaldi was scratched from his start yesterday due to left side tightness and is considered day-to-day.
• The San Francisco Giants are faced with some difficult decisions as many of their players signed to long-term contracts are struggling at the plate this season.
• Toronto Blue Jays RHP Kevin Gausman has become the sixth active pitcher to record 2,000 strikeouts.
• Atlanta Braves shortstop Ha-Seong Kim has been activated from the injured list and will make his season debut today against the Chicago Cubs.
• New York Yankees shortstop Jose Caballero will undergo an MRI for a sore finger on his right hand after injuring it while diving back in to first base.
• San Francisco Giants veteran outfielder Harrison Bader is returning to the team’s starting lineup after missing 23 games with a left hamstring injury.

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 (17-21, 7.5 games back)

The Storm Chasers split their series against the Indianapolis Indians, including playing two doubleheaders. Mitch Spence had a really good start in Thursday’s contest, he went 6.2 innings, allowing 1 hit, 2 runs, 2 walks and striking out 4 batters. Spence has started in all four of his appearances in Omaha.

With Cole Ragans out, and Stephen Kolek already filling in for him, Spence would probably be the answer if you wanted Noah Cameron to go down and work on some mechanical things, during his sophomore slump for a fifth starter.

Aaron Sanchez looked good in his start, throwing 6 innings of 1 hit ball, striking out 8 batters. Bailey Falter, who’s still on rehab assignment threw 3.1 more scoreless innings, striking out 7 batters as well.

At the dish, nobody had a good series for the Storm Chasers, Josh Rojas hit a pair of homers but was 3-for-15 overall at the plate. Drew Waters was 7-for-17, the only Storm Chaser with more than 5 hits during the series. Waters hit his 6th homer on the season.

The Storm Chasers are back home this week, as they take on the Toledo Mud Hens. The series runs Tuesday through Sunday.

Northwest Arkansas Naturals (18-14, 1.5 games back)

The Naturals won 3 of their 5 games against Frisco this last week. Sunday’s contest was cancelled due to inclement weather.

Felix Arronde had another good start this week, he went 6 innings, allowing 6 hits and 1 unearned run, while striking out 5. The 23-year-old right hander has had back-to-back good starts. Dennis Colleran, who had some Spring Training hype, but struggled out of the gates, posted a solid week, throwing 4 innings, allowing 1 run and striking out 5.

At the plate, Jorge Alfaro had a nice week, he went 4-for-11 at the plate, blasting 3 homers. Alfaro is a 32-year-old catcher and not a prospect, but he is important to helping mentor younger pitchers and catchers. Carson Roccaforte was just 4-for-25 at the plate this week, but he hit 3 more homers this week as well. Sam Kulasingam, a 24-year-old switch hitting third baseman was 7-for-19, with a double. Kulasingam, is a 13th round pick by the Royals in 2024 out of Air Force. He is hitting .313 this season, his first chance at being in Double-A as well.

The Naturals return home to take on the Arkansas Travelers; the series runs Tuesday through Sunday.

Quad Cities River Bandits (16-14, 2.5 games back)

The River Bandits lost 4 of 6 to Cedar Rapids this past week. David Shields had another good start, going 5.2 innings, allowing 3 hits and 1 run, while striking out 8. Shields lowered his season ERA to 2.70. 21-year-old right hander, Justin Lamkin went 5 innings, allowing 2 hits and no runs, while striking out 6. Lamkin, who was taken 71st overall last season by the Royals, out of Texas A&M, has been unreal this season. He has 6 starts, with a 1.27 ERA over 28.1 innings, while striking out 38.

At the plate, Ramon Ramirez, went 10-for-24, smacking 3 homers. The 20-year-old catcher is hitting .305 on the season, with 6 homers and 29 runs batted in. Tyriq Kemp was 4-for-20, which cools off the 23-year-old shortstop, who’s hitting .286 on the season. Kemp was a 6th round pick last summer by the Royals, taken out of Baylor.

The River Bandits hit the road to take on the Lansing Lugnuts. The series runs Tuesday through Sunday.

Columbia Fireflies (15-18, 5 games back)

The Fireflies dropped 4 of 6 to the Kannapolis Cannon Ballers. Blake Wolters went 5.2 innings, allowing 2 hits, 1 run, while striking out 9 batters. Wolters was then promoted to Quad Cities, so congratulations to Blake Wolters, who has dominated in Columbia this season!

Hiro Wyatt went 6 innings, allowing 4 hits, no runs, while striking out 6. Wyatt’s season ERA sits at 2.16 over 25 innings. Kendry Chourio went 4 innings, allowing 3 hits, 2 runs, while striking out 3 batters. Jordan Woods was the highlight of the week however, going 6 perfect innings, striking out 14 batters! Woods has a 1.73 ERA over 26 innings. Columbia has a pitching factory.

At the plate, Josh Hammond went just 5-for-23 on the week. Yandel Ricardo was 8-for-26, the 19-year-old shortstop is hitting .243 on the season. Ricardo hails from Cuba. Sean Gamble was just 3-for-21, as he continues to struggle, he is hitting just .111 on the season.

The Fireflies return home to take on the Hickory Crawdads, the series runs Tuesday through Sunday.

Today we unveil our 13th installment of the Legends Series, featuring pitcher Wade Miller.  Prior to tearing his rotator cuff, Wade was one of the brightest pitchers in the major leagues.    

Q:  There was that three-year stretch with the Astros in which you won 45 games, fueled at one point by a 12-game winning streak, but the number could’ve been higher.  Were you actually hurt in 2003 and just kept playing?  

A:  I wasn’t 100% but I don’t want to make excuses or anything.  I wasn’t hurt enough to not be out there pitching.   

Q:  You look back at all of those starts and your overall durability in that span, 91 starts over three years, that durability and taking the ball every fifth day.  That has to still mean something all these years later?

A:  That was one of the most important things, was to be out there.    Honestly, that’s why I was there.  When I was hurt, it hurt me not to be out there with the guys, that was the worst thing.  When healthy to take the ball every five days, that was a privilege.  

Q:  The backend of your Astros career, Roger Clemens came to town.  I think it’s an injustice that he has to wait until 2031 to reappear on the ballot.  What are your thoughts on Roger and the career he had?

A:  I don’t think he was doing anything in the early part of his career.  He was just amazing.  I don’t think there should be an asterisk or anything.  I think one day he will get into the Hall of Fame.  He was one of the very best that I ever played with and for him not to be in there, it’s a shame, it really is.    

Q:  Toughest hitter you ever faced?

A:  By far Barry Bonds, by a landslide (laughs) You couldn’t throw stuff over the plate to that guy.  I would always throw hard inside stuff to him and I did strike him out in my career, but he hit some balls off of me that are still going.

One time, I threw him a really good change up and he hit it off the end of his bat and I thought it would be a fly out to center field, but it wound up going ten rows into the seats.   

Q:  Favorite Jimi Williams story?

A:  Jimi was great!  One day, I’m in the dugout with Roy Oswalt and we’re flicking pumpkin seeds.  I couldn’t really flick seeds to save my life, but Roy is flicking these things and hitting the first base chalk over and over.    

Dave Mlicki is on the mound and is in a tough spot in the 6th inning with runners on base in a tight game.  He’s in a tough spot and he’s getting his pitch selection from the catcher and Roy flips one and it travels and lands literally right next to Dave’s foot on the mound.   

Mlicki sees it and steps up off the rubber.  Everyone in the dugout sees this, I’m like oh my god and Jimi looks over at me because Roy says, “Wade what did you do?”    (laughs)    

 I was caught in the crossfire between Roy and Jimi.  After the game, Jimi didn’t say anything to me about it but it was incredible because that seed easily traveled over 50 yards and it almost got my ass in trouble.

Before the season Paul Toboni was very active on the waiver wire. With the Nats having plenty of roster spots up for grabs, the front office decided to take chances on players. We wrote about the Nats heavy use of the waiver wire this winter. Now that we are about a month and a half into the season, I wanted to look at how these waiver claims have been doing.

Between January and March, there were a bunch of roster churn at the back of the 40 man roster. It seemed like the Nats were claiming a new player every day. Sometimes they would DFA guys just days after claiming them. However, I can count 8 guys on the 40-man roster who were part of this waiver/small trade frenzy. 

Andre Granillo, Richard Lovelady, Paxton Schultz, Gus Varland, Ken Waldichuk, Curtis Mead, Jorbit Vivas and Joey Wiemer have provided mixed returns, but a few of these guys have been valuable pieces for the Nats. Before the season, I actually picked out 3 players that would hit. My picks were Granillo, Schultz and Varland. I would say I am 2 for 3 on those picks.

In my opinion, the hits have been Lovelady, Schultz, Varland, Mead and Wiemer. All five of those guys have provided real value to this roster. I want to break down these five and talk about their futures on the roster. Also, I want to explore some of the guys who have not performed so far and examine why they have missed.

The first player I want to discuss is Curtis Mead because I think he could be the best long term piece. Technically Mead was not a true waiver claim, but he came to the Nats through the waiver process. Mead was DFA’d by the White Sox in late March, but the Nats decided to swing a trade to make sure they got him. They traded 2025 6th rounder Boston Smith to Chicago to cut the line and get Mead.

A big reason why they wanted Mead is because the organization was familiar with the player. While Mead was in the lower minors in the Rays organization, he was managed by Blake Butera. Whenever he has been asked about Mead, Butera always speaks about the Aussie in glowing terms.

Mead was a fun reclamation project for the Nats. At one point, he was a top 50 prospect in baseball, known for his pure hitting ability. However, he struggled to translate his ability to hit in the minors into big league production. Eventually, the Rays gave up on him and so did the White Sox.

However, Mead has been really hitting this season. In 31 games, Mead has a .780 OPS and a 121 wRC+. This is despite running into some very bad batted ball luck, as you can see with his .227 BABIP. Mead is showing a lot more power this year and almost has as many walks as strikeouts. 

Mead has not been great defensively at first base, but he is fairly new to the position. He is decent with his scoops, but there are times where he needs to sharpen up his instincts at the position. Mead can play a little bit at second and third base which adds value as well. I think the Nats found a really quality hitter in Curtis Mead, which is why he is the biggest hit so far.

There have also been a trio of waiver wire relievers who have done well for the Nats. Before his blowup against the Marlins, Gus Varland’s ERA was sitting at 3.07 and he was the Nats closer. I still like Varland’s stuff and mentality, which is why I have written a lot about him this season. In my opinion, that Marlins game was just a bad day at the office for him.

Paxton Schultz has not been in as many high leverage situations as Varland, but he has done well in the innings he has pitched. He has a 2.63 ERA in 13.2 innings this season. Schultz does a great job pounding the zone, walking just 3.4% of hitters this season. For the season, Schultz only has 2 walks. 

He also does a good job putting hitters away when he gets to two strikes. While Schultz does not have elite velocity, his fastball has been a great put away pitch. Of Schultz’s 13 strikeouts, 11 have come on the heater despite the fact he only throws his fastball 30.4% of the time. He lulls batters to sleep with his cutter and changeup, then he can blow his 93-95 MPH heater by hitters.

Richard Lovelady is the other reliever who has been a big hit for the Nats. They have actually claimed him twice. The first time was in the winter, but at the end of Spring Training, he was DFA’d again and picked up by his old club the Mets. After pitching in 6 games with the Mets, Lovelady was DFA’d again. The Nats came calling again, and acquired him for cash.

Since November of 2024, Lovelady has been DFA’d 8 times. However, it seems like he has found a home in DC. In his 9 outings with the Nats, Lovelady has a 0.93 ERA. He has issued a lot of walks, but some of those have been intentional. However, when he is in the zone, Lovelady is tough to hit due to his funky mechanics and nasty sweeper. He is also an electric mound presence, who gets fired up after getting big outs.

He has been a really fun find for the Nats and has been a big part of stabilizing the bullpen. There will be nights where the walks will come back to bite him, but Lovelady looks like a quality reliever. He also seems like a fun guy to have around in the clubhouse.

The last claim I would call a win is Joey Wiemer. His insane March where he went 8/13 is doing a lot of heavy lifting here, but he did single-handedly win the Nats a couple games. Predictably, Wiemer has cooled off. However, if he can even be a .685 OPS bat like he was in April, that is a nice fourth outfielder.

Wiemer is a tremendous athlete, but he does not make a ton of contact. I am not sure how long he will be around with all the outfielders in AAA. However, that insane stretch where he quite literally could not get out makes him a win in my books.

As you would expect with waiver claims, it has not been all good. The biggest loss has been the Andre Granillo pickup, a move I actually liked at the time. Like the Mead deal, it was technically not a waiver claim, but it is connected. The Nats acquired Granillo from the Cardinals in a move that sent George Soriano to St. Louis.

Soriano was a waiver claim by the Nats, but they DFA’d him again. However, the Cardinals wanted to cut the line and gave the Nats Granillo, who was coming off a nice 2025 season. On paper, it looked like a win. Granillo was dominant in the minors last year and held his own in the MLB. Meanwhile, Soriano posted an ERA over 8 in 2025.

However, Soriano had the better stuff and the deeper arsenal. The early returns on this move have been bad. Granillo has posted an ERA over 9 in both the big leagues and the minors. His slider, which he relies on heavily, just has not been fooling anyone this season. On the other hand, Soriano has a 3.18 ERA in 18 outings with the Cardinals. Sometimes, you need to just bet on the stuff. Soriano averages 97 MPH and has five pitches, while Granillo is a two pitch guy with an average fastball and a slower slider.

Another move that was not really a part of the waiver process but I will include is the Jorbit Vivas deal. While Vivas was not on the wire, the out of options infielder was likely to be DFA’d by the Yankees. The Nats liked Vivas’ approach and decided to trade prospect Sean Paul Linan for him. That move seemed weird at the time, and has not really worked out.

Vivas was red hot to start the season, but his bat has gone cold. His wRC+ is down to 81 right now. He does have 0.2 fWAR due to his solid glove, but his lack of athletic tools really limits him. Meanwhile, Linan has a 3.47 ERA and over 12 strikeouts per 9 in High-A. This always felt like an unnecessary move by the Nats, but if Vivas’ bat can heat up again, he can be a solid utility infielder. 

As we have discussed, the waiver wire has provided mixed results for the Nats. That should not come as any surprise. After all, there is a reason that these guys are on waivers. Sometimes you can find gems, but you are not going to bat 1.000.

Between some of the relievers and Mead, I think there has been more good than bad on the wire. I am interested to see how active Paul Toboni is throughout the season when it comes to waiver claims. He picked up Zak Kent the other day, and I wonder if more claims are coming. This will be something for fans to follow as we continue through this 2026 season.

Want to get more Covers content? Add us as a preferred source on your Google account here.

The injury-plagued Houston Astros have dropped three consecutive games by multiple runs, and five of the last seven overall.

My Mariners vs. Astros predictions expect their struggles to continue in the second game of this AL West matchup.

Let's break down my MLB picks for Tuesday, May 12.

Who will win Mariners vs Astros today: Seattle Mariners (-150)

The Houston Astros have hit righties well this season... but they have not hit them well of late. They're dealing with injuries to key bats like Jeremy Pena, Carlos Correa, and Yainer Diaz — and they're really showing up.

Houston sits 19th in weighted on-base average (wOBA) against right-handed pitching in May, miles below their seasonal rank of third. They've struck out at a league-high 28.6% clip and have also hit grounders at the 11th-highest rate.

That doesn't set them up for success against Bryan Woo, who owns a strong 16% K-BB rate and has not allowed a homer in six of eight starts.

COVERS INTEL: Woo's soft contact rate of 21.6% is the best of his career.

Mariners vs Astros Over/Under pick: Under 8.5 (+100)

The Astros are struggling to score runs. They have plated just two in their last three games and have scored three or fewer in seven of their last eight. Manufacturing offense is extremely challenging with so much firepower missing from the lineup.

Although the Seattle Mariners should have an easier time against Tatsuya Imai and a subpar bullpen, they rank 25th in runs, 26th in average, and All-Star catcher Cal Raleigh doesn't have a hit this month. They're not exactly a dynamic offense likely to put forth a ceiling game.

Mariners vs Astros odds

• Moneyline: Mariners -150 | Astros +130
• Run line: Mariners -1.5 (+110) | Astros +1.5 (-130)
• Over/Under: Over 8.5 (-115) | Under 8.5 (-105)

Mariners vs Astros trend

The Seattle Mariners have hit the moneyline in seven of their past 10 away games (+3.05 units, 22% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for Mariners vs. Astros.

How to watch Mariners vs Astros and game info

Mariners vs Astros latest injuries

Mariners vs Astros weather

This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here and view our best betting sites or check out our top sportsbook promos.

Want to get more Covers content? Add us as a preferred source on your Google account here.

We're fading pitchers with our MLB picks for today, finding value in betting against a handful of struggling starters to continue being stuck in their rough patches.

Read on to see why our baseball experts are picking on Brayan Bello, Grant Holmes, Zac Gallen... and both pitchers in Miami/Minnesota.

MLB expert picks for today

Pick	Odds
Josh Inglis: MIA/MIN o9.5	+122
Jon Metler: PHI ML	-138
Neil Parker: CHC ML	+117
Joe Osborne: TEX ML	-122

Prices courtesy of Polymarket.

Josh Inglis' expert pick: Marlins/Twins Over 9.5

Price: 46¢ (+122) at Polymarket

Mother Nature should help generate some runs in Minnesota today with 19-mph winds screaming out to center field. Eury Pérez has been giving up home runs on fly balls, while Bailey Ober owns a groundball rate that ranks in the bottom half of MLB starters (in fact, both pitchers carry groundball rates below 37%). Add in a Minnesota Twins bullpen sporting a 6.93 ERA over the last two weeks, and the runs could keep coming all game long. THE BAT is projecting 10.32 total runs.

Jon Metler's expert pick: Phillies moneyline

Price: 58¢ (-138) at Polymarket

When you can get value on a team with a true ace on the mound, it’s hard not to back the Philadelphia Phillies in this spot. Zack Wheeler gives Philadelphia a major advantage because he can work deep into games — and help them avoid the weaker middle relief portion of their bullpen. The Phillies are currently trading around 58 cents, but I make them closer to a 63-cent (-170) favorite, which leaves a solid edge on the number. The matchup also sets up well offensively for Philadelphia: Brayan Bello has struggled badly against left-handed hitters this season, allowing a .366 batting average and a 1.143 OPS. Even if Jovani Moran opens the game from the left side, Bello will still eventually have to face dangerous left-handed bats like Kyle Schwarber and Bryce Harper.

Neil Parker's expert pick: Cubs moneyline

Price: 46¢ (+117) at Polymarket

Atlanta righty Grant Holmes had his most recent turn in the rotation skipped after an ineffective four-start stretch that went to the tune of a 5.95 ERA while allowing a healthy 53.8% hard-hit rate, so I'm expecting the Chicago bats to pick up the tempo after being blanked in consecutive games against Texas this weekend. The Chicago Cubs also have a splash of statistical correction coming at the dish with their third-ranked .346 xwOBA well above their actual .325 wOBA over the past 12 games, and also considering Chicago has the second-highest walk rate and third-lowest strikeout percentage during that stretch.

Joe Osborne's expert pick: Rangers moneyline

Price: 55¢ (-122) at Polymarket

The Texas Rangers look like the right side tonight with both starting pitchers showing extreme home/road splits and Arizona being ice-cold at the plate. Zac Gallen has been strong in Arizona but owns a 7.13 ERA on the road, while Texas starter MacKenzie Gore has been far more effective at home. Add that the D-backs have scored two runs or fewer in five of their last six games, and it’s hard to trust them tonight — especially since the Rangers' bullpen has also arguably been the best in baseball over the last month.

More MLB best bets for today

This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here and view our best betting sites or check out our top sportsbook promos.

The San Diego Padres took a happy flight from San Diego to Milwaukee after splitting a four-game series at Petco Park with the St. Louis Cardinals. The Padres would have liked to win the series, but after a poor offensive showing over the four games at home, they will take winning two of the four games. San Diego scored a total of eight runs in four games, but on a positive note the pitching only allowed 12 runs. The current lack of offensive production cannot continue for much longer. If it does, the Padres’ luck may soon run out and the come-from-behind wins may become less likely due to player fatigue from constantly being held to one hit until the seventh inning when the San Diego offense wakes up and does just enough to get by – often in the final two or three innings of the game. The Brewers are coming off a sweep of the New York Yankees and are once again fighting for the National League Central Division crown. San Diego and Milwaukee faceoff today at 4:40 p.m. for the first of three games.

Padres News:

• Everyone wants to diagnose and “fix” Fernando Tatis Jr. He does not have a home run this season but he has been able to contribute to Padres wins. The lack of power is newsworthy, but it is not like Tatis Jr. is just sitting on the bench collecting a paycheck.

• Padres players explain why playing first base is more difficult than people realize and what they do to make the transition and preparation a little easier.

• Tom Krasovic of the San Diego Union-Tribunebelieves the bullpen has been the reason the Padres have been able to stockpile wins as the stars of team work through their early season struggles.

• Walker Buehler and the other starting pitchers for the Padres, not named Michael King or Randy Vasquez, have been a surprise to this point in the season, but their tightrope walk could become strained and will not be enough going forward if the offense cannot score.

Baseball News:

• The Baltimore Orioles were no-hit by the Yankees for much of their game, but a three-run home run by Coby Mayo was all they would need to get a 3-2 win.

• The Tampa Bay Rays are off to one of their best starts in team history and are leading the American League East with a record of 27-13.

• The New York Mets are looking for a spark, and they are hoping to get one from their No. 2 prospect A.J. Ewing who is being called up to make his MLB debut.

• Big nights from Willy Adames and Rafael Devers led the San Francisco Giants over the Los Angeles Dodgers, 9-3. On a positive note for the Dodgers, Mookie Betts returned from the IL.

• The Arizona Diamondbacks scored one run in the top of the first inning and Michael Soroka dominated on the mound to lead the Diamondbacks past the Texas Rangers, 1-0.

• Kevin Gausman became the sixth active player to reach 2,000 strikeouts, but it came in an 8-5 loss to the Rays.

The Mets open a three-game series against the Tigers at Citi Field on Tuesday at 7:10 p.m. on SNY.

Mets Notes

• A.J. Ewing will make his big league debut. Ewing slashed .339/.447/.514 in 30 games across Double-A Binghamton and Triple-A Syracuse before being promoted
• Carson Benge is hitting .300/.352/.500 with two homers and four doubles in 54 plate appearances over his last 16 games
• Freddy Peralta tossed five scoreless innings on May 6 against the Rockies in Colorado. In 43.1 innings over eight starts this season, Peralta has a 3.12 ERA and 1.20 WHIP

Today's Lineups

What channel is SNY?

Check your TV or streaming provider's website or channel finder to find your local listings.

How can I stream the game?

The way to stream SNY games is via the MLB App or MLB.tv.

In order to stream games in SNY’s regional territory, you will need to have SNY as part of your TV package (cable or streaming), or you can now purchase an in-market SNY subscription package via MLB or Amazon. Both ways will allow fans to watch the Mets on their computer, tablet or mobile phone.

How can I watch the game on my computer via MLB?

To get started on your computer, click here and then follow these steps:

• Log in using your provider credentials. If you are unsure of your provider credentials, please contact your provider.

• Link your provider credentials with a new or existing MLB.com account.

• Log in using your MLB.com credentials to watch Mets games on SNY.

• Select the SNY Mets game you wish to view from the Multimedia Center.

How can I watch the game on the MLB App?

MLB App access is included for FREE with SNY. To access SNY on your favorite supported Apple or Android mobile device, please follow the steps below.

• Download the free MLB App.

• Open “MLB” and tap on “Subscriber Login” for Apple Devices or “Sign in with MLB.com” for Android Devices.

• Type in your MLB.com credentials and tap “Log In.” 

• To access live or on-demand content, tap on the "Watch" tab from the bottom navigation bar. Select the "Games" sub-tab to see a listing of available games. You can scroll to previous dates using the left and right arrows. Tap on a game to select from the game feeds available. 

For more information on how to stream Mets games on SNY, please click here.

D-Backs 1, Rangers 0

• Surprisingly, this was just the second time this season the Rangers have been shut out.
• They have been held to just one run seven times, though. So it feels like they’ve been shut out more than twice.
• On the one hand, once Nathan Eovaldi was scratched from his scheduled start on Monday, one wasn’t going to be flush with optimism about the Rangers’ chances.
• On the other hand, the bullpen game worked out well for the Rangers, holding the D-Backs to just one run on six hits and two walks, one of which was intentional.
• Well, kind of intentional? Cole Winn allowed a Ketel Marte double with one out, went 3-0 on Corbin Carroll, then Carroll was put on intentionally.
• Winn seemed to be pretty clearly pitching around him, but if you throw more unintentional balls, even if they were kind of intentional, instead of intentional balls, is it really an intentional walk?
• The one run in the game came on back-to-back one out first inning doubles by Corbin Carroll and Geraldo Perdomo off of Jakob Junis, who gave the Rangers 2.2 innings as the starter.
• The Rangers have now allowed 30 runs in the first inning of games this season, and 123 runs in all the other innings combined.
• Here’s something interesting…the Rangers have allowed no unearned runs in the first three innings of games this season. They’ve allowed three unearned runs in innings 4 through 6, and six unearned runs in innings 7 through 9.
• Maybe the fielders are just getting tired as the game goes on.
• Anyway, tip of the cap to Jakob Junis, Jalen Beeks, Peyton Gray, Cole Winn and Tyler Alexander, who did very fine work.
• Too bad the offense did nothing.
• Mike Soroka shut the Rangers down for 6.1 innings. He’s a fascinating story…he had a 6.0 bWAR season for Atlanta as a 21 year old in 2019. He finished second in the Rookie of the Year voting, behind Pete Alonso, and sixth in the Cy Young voting. Jacob deGrom finished first, and Max Scherzer finished third.
• Its still weird to think to myself, oh, yeah, Max Scherzer is a former Ranger. And not just any former Ranger…he won a ring for the Rangers!
• Anyway, three games into the 2020 season Soroka tore his Achilles tendon, which required surgery. He missed all of 2021 and 2022 due to two more Achilles tendon surgeries. He split 2023 between AAA and the majors, and wasn’t good when he was in the majors. After the 2023 season he was sent to the White Sox in that weird trade when the ChiSox took on five guys the Braves were going to non-tender in exchange for Aaron Bummer.
• Soroka wasn’t particularly good in 2024, signed with the Nationals for 2025, was underwhelming in their rotation, was traded to the Cubs at the deadline, and made one start and five relief appearances for them.
• Arizona signed Soroka to a one year, $7.5 million deal this offseason, and he’s been pretty good for them. He had one disaster outing — an 8 run, three inning start against Milwaukee — but has a 3.53 ERA and 3.19 FIP overall.
• And Soroka is still just 28 years old, which seems weird, because he’s seemingly been around forever. Someone who was getting Cy Young votes pre-pandemic shouldn’t be only 28 years old.
• Anyway, the Rangers offense did a whole bunch of nothing against Soroka for 6.1 innings. After recording 19 outs, D-Backs manager Torey Lovullo went to lefty Brandyn Garcia with Evan Carter due up next.
• We know what was going to happen next. If the Rangers are trailing and the opposition brings in a lefty to face Carter, Skip Schumaker is going to pinch hit for Carter. Schumaker went with Justin Foscue, who struck out. Andrew McCutchen then hit for Joc Pederson, and flew out.
• Look, Evan Carter can’t hit lefties. We know that. You don’t want him to face a lefty.
• But pulling him from the game with one out in the seventh, no one on base, so that Justin Foscue can hit? How much does that really increase your odds of winning?
• And then, in the eighth, the Rangers had Foscue play second base, moved Ezequiel Duran from second base to left field, and Alejandro Osuna from left field to center field, meaning that the Rangers weakened themselves defensively at three position after that move.
• The Marte double that Winn gave up was a screamer to left center that Osuna tried, and failed, to make a play on. There was some carping that Carter makes that play, but Statcast had it as a 5% catch probability, so Carter most likely doesn’t make that play. Still, the immediate reaction — my immediate reaction — when that happened was, man, I wish Carter was still in center field.
• In the eighth, Osuna led off the inning with a single, then Jake Burger hit into a fielder’s choice. Sam Haggerty pinch ran for Burger. Haggerty promptly got picked off, which is how things went on Monday for the Rangers.
• In the ninth, Brandon Nimmo and Ezequiel Duran were retired by Paul Sewald, and then Corey Seager was hit by a pitch, bringing up Josh Jung. Jung flew out to end the game. Had Jung gotten a hit other than a homer, though, you know would have been due up?
• Justin Foscue. Against a righthanded reliever.
• I’ve not been terribly impressed with Skip Schumaker as an in-game manager thusfar this season, and the late inning events from Monday kind of illustrate that. If the Rangers are trailing and a lefty reliever comes into the game, Evan Carter is being pinch hit for, because that’s what you do, even if its the seventh inning, no one is on base, you’re going to weaken yourself defensively in multiple positions as a result of the move, and it sets you up to have disadvantageous matchups later in the game.
• Josh Jung had a 110.1 mph ground out. Brandon Nimmo had a 105.0 mph fly out.
• Jakob Junis touched 93.3 mph with his fastball. Jalen Beeks reached 94.7 mph with his fastball. Peyton Gray maxed out at 92.7 mph with his fastball. Cole Winn’s fastball reached 95.9 mph. Tyler Alexander topped out at 91.9 mph with his fastball.
• Let’s see if the Rangers can score a run on Tuesday.

Want to get more Covers content? Add us as a preferred source on your Google account here.

The Philadelphia Phillies and Boston Red Sox can swap stories of early-season gloom when they meet at Fenway Park tonight – but only one of these teams has been able to halt the spiral.

While Boston slips further from the .500 mark, Philadelphia is looking dangerous at last, and my Phillies vs. Red Sox predictions lean towards the visitors in this clash of marquee ballclubs.

Get the lowdown on this Tuesday, May 12, matchup with my free MLB picks.

Who will win Phillies vs Red Sox today: Phillies (-138)

What a difference a few weeks can make. Just when the obituaries were being written, the Philadelphia Phillies have climbed off the mat to win 10 of their last 13 contests, and I like Bryce Harper and Co. in this spot against the Boston Red Sox.

It also helps that the Phillies are handing the ball to Zack Wheeler tonight. He’s posted a 3.18 ERA so far this year, and Philadelphia has won all three of his starts.

After an eyebrow-raising sweep of the Tigers, the Red Sox came back to earth with a weekend series loss, and they’re just 7-12 at Fenway this season.

COVERS INTEL: Despite a late start to his season, Wheeler hasn't missed a beat, ranking in the 93rd percentile in xERA, xBA, and chase percentage.

Phillies vs Red Sox Over/Under pick: Over 8.5 (+101)

With the Phillies heating up at the plate, I’m taking the Over tonight. It’s 7-3 in the visitors’ past 10 outings, and they scored 22 runs in the weekend series against the Rockies. That included four homers from Kyle Schwarber, with Alec Bohm and Harper also joining the party.

Philadelphia has also finished with 9+ hits in five of its last six games, so watch for solid production here, with Boston expected to use an opener before turning things over to Brayan Bello.

The Red Sox offense is the biggest cause for pause here, but the possible return of Willson Contreras would give the lineup a boost.

Phillies vs Red Sox odds

• Moneyline: Phillies -133 | Red Sox +127
• Run line: Phillies -1.5 (+122) | Red Sox +1.5 (-127)
• Over/Under: Over 8.5 (+108) | Under 8.5 (-113)

Phillies vs Red Sox trend

The Red Sox have lost nine of their last 12 home games. Find more MLB betting trends for Phillies vs. Red Sox.

How to watch Phillies vs Red Sox and game info

Phillies vs Red Sox latest injuries

Phillies vs Red Sox weather

This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here and view our best betting sites or check out our top sportsbook promos.

Good morning.

Shawn McFarland writes about a rip-roaring, scintillating 1-0 loss from the Texas Rangers at The Shed last evening.

Jeff Wilson writes that Nathan Eovaldi was scratched pregame to set up last night’s humiliation ritual for the Texas lineup.

Kennedi Landy writes that, even with the bats flailing and failing, the bullpen turned in an excellent performance on short notice.

McFarland notes that while relievers Chris Martin and Robert Garcia are working their way back, Josh Smith — on the IL for a glute strain — has a new pain in his ass with wrist inflammation.

Evan Grant holds a Q&A to discuss Kumar Rocker and Kumar Rocker adjacent topics.

And, Layten Praytor of D Magazine writes about Eric Nadel turning his birthday into an annual fundraiser to benefit mental health.

Have a nice day!

This post is, I suppose, only really relevant to the subset of you that has MLB.tv and has interest in watching non-Braves games. If that’s you, how do you decide what non-Braves game to watch?

My answer is Stream Finder, which was once called Game Changer and was created by folks associated with Baseball Gauge, before it was acquired by Baseball-Reference. It kind of works less well now than it did before (not much ongoing support, if any), but the idea of being able to flip through games automatically based not only on in-game leverage, but the relevance of the teams, continues to be amazing.

If you’re not using that, what are you using? Do you just have a secondary team to watch, or do you just watch the other NL East teams and hope they lose?

The overwhelming sentiment surrounding the Orioles’ lineup right now is one of frustration—a frustration primarily aimed at young Orioles who aren’t making the grade. Gunnar Henderson is currently enduring one of the worst cold streaks of his career. Colton Cowser and Coby Mayo both can’t get above the Mendoza line and often look lost at the plate. Dylan Beavers is doing slightly better, but is still struggling to perform at a league-average level. 

All of the turmoil and despair surrounding this lineup is what makes the evolution of Samuel Basallo so thrilling. Back on April 13th, Basallo went 0-for-4 with a strikeout in an Orioles win vs. the Diamondbacks. At that point, the 21-year-old backstop was slashing .136/.240/.273 with 15 strikeouts in 44 AB’s. Since then, Big Samuel has been a big problem for opposing pitchers.

In the 21 games since, the rookie catcher is hitting .352 with hits in 13 of his last 15 games. Basallo isn’t sacrificing power to maintain a better average, either. Throughout his hot streak, the 21-year-old is slugging .592 with six doubles, three homers and his first career triple.

It’s not shocking that Basallo is producing at the major league level. You need immense talent to be a Top 10 prospect in all of baseball and make your major league debut four days after your 21st birthday. However, what is suprising is how quickly he’s made adjustments that seasoned big league hitters often struggle to make.

Basallo’s profile—a towering power hitter with a willingness to chase pitches—is often one that takes time to adjust to the big leagues. They’re the type of bats that are used to clobbering fastballs against minor league pitchers, and often can’t lay off good changeups and breaking balls or handle the higher velocities that comes from big league pitchers. Cowser has been a victim of the former pitfall, and he was supposed to have a better hit tool as a prospect than Basallo.

And that’s what Basallo was through the first 150 AB’s of his MLB career. Dating back to his debut last August, the catcher started his career hitting .157 with a near 30% strikeout rate. Sure there were the occassional fireworks—like his walk-off homer agains the Dodgers—but every time he stepped to plate, it felt like a young hitter going through real struggles for the first time in his proffesional career.

Now, Samuel Basall0 at-bats feel like hope. The changes in his approach are so evident that it not only feels like the sky is the limit for the young Dominican, but that other Orioles hitters can make similarly meaningul adjustments. Watch him hit and it becomes clear that he’s no longer trying to hit home runs on every pitch he sees. From April to May, his line-drive rate has jumped from 24.1% to 36%, while his fly ball rate has dipped from 27.6% to 20%. That increase in qualify of contact has seen his average exit velocity for the season jump to 932 mph, 16th-best in all of baseball.

The Orioles’ backstop has also become increasingly patient. His pitches per plate appearance has jumped from 3.54 throughout the first month of the season, to 3.94 since the beginning of May. His chase rate against breaking balls and off-speed pitches have all dropped significantly, from about 41% to begin the season to down to 32% the past couple weeks.

However, it’s one thing to look at his Baseball Savant page and see a bunch of graphs trending in the right direction. It’s another to see him attack a perfectly-executed back door slider and shoot it 106 mph the other way for a double. Please, watch it and then watch it again. You know you want to.

The leaps we’ve seen from Basallo has ramifications for the right now and the long term roster construction for the Orioles. Basallo’s big leap has helped this offsense stay afloat through the unexpected struggles of Henderson and the inability to get any consistent production from the bottom third of the lineup.

The rate at which he’s risen to a prominent position in the lineup also means the Orioles don’t have chase power bats as they continue to try and build a winner in Baltimore. With recent additions such as Tyler O’Neill, Taylor Ward and Peter Alsono, the O’s have made it clear how badly they wanted to add power to this batting order. With Basallo entrenching himself in the 3-4-5 part of the order, it should empower the front office to pursue players who can help raise the team’s on-base percentage instead.

It’s also not purely coincidental that Basallo’s rise has come along side the best baseball of Adley Rutschman’s career. Pairing Basallo with Rutschman allows Rutschman to assume his best role as table-setter and offensive-catalyst rather than primary run producer. It also allows the O’s to keep Rutschman well-rested without having to worry about a decline in production behind the plate. And while Basallo is not the threat to Adley’s futuer with the O’s that many assume, it still undoubtedly provides Adley a push that keeps him locked it in.

There are still players on the O’s playing at a similar level as the young catcher. Ward has exceed every expectation even while under-performing in the powere department. Rutschman and Pete Alonso are both living up to their talent levels. But this is an Orioles team that needs proof of concept that things can go wrong and turn around. Samuel Basallo is that hope.