SARASOTA, FLORIDA - FEBRUARY 18: Trey Gibson #88 of the Baltimore Orioles poses for a photo during Spring Training photo day at Ed Smith Stadium on February 18, 2026 in Sarasota, Florida. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images) | Getty Images
It is an understatement to say that things have not gone well for the Orioles in New York this weekend. They have been outplayed at every turn over the last two games and it’s hard to imagine things turning around today.
Top Orioles pitching prospect Trey Gibson is in New York to make his Major League debut, which is exciting. But this Yankees lineup has been relentless and he might be in for a rude welcome to the big leagues.
On top of that, Max Fried is scheduled to pitch for the Yankees. Not only is Fried an ace, he’s a lefty. He has a 2.09 ERA and 0.803 WHIP. He doesn’t give up many homers. Heck, he doesn’t give up many hits.
I try to remain optimistic on a game-by-game basis. Any given day yadda yadda. But it’s very tough to do in this instance. Here’s hoping they surprise us.
The Kansas City Royals will look for a road series sweep on Sunday when they face the Seattle Mariners.
Cal Raleigh is day-to-day after being scratched before Saturday’s game, but MLB odds still have them favored regardless of his status.
My Royals vs. Mariners predictions have MLB picks for the side and total for their game on Sunday, May 3.
Who will win Royals vs Mariners today: Royals moneyline (+105)
Seattle Mariners right-hander Luis Castillo has been getting rocked, ranking in the Bottom 10% in average exit velocity.
That’s going to happen when your sinker loses 1.4 inches of both vertical break and drop. Add in command issues, and opponents posting an xBA of .299 and a .423 xwOBAcon, and it's been ugly for the veteran hurler.
The Kansas City Royals rank eighth in ISO and fourth in wRC+ over the past two weeks. I expect them to get some early runs against Castillo.
Kris Bubic is doing a good job of avoiding hard contact (75th percentile) and will help the Royals win their seventh game in nine outings.
Royals vs Mariners Over/Under pick: Over 7.5 (-128)
Both teams are swinging with power, each ranking in the Top 10 in ISO over the past two weeks, and in the Top 5 in wRC+.
While yesterday’s pitching matchup was conducive to a lower score, this one isn’t.
Bubic isn’t immune to issues, given his 0.80 HR/9 rate and a barrel rate of 9.5%, which has led to a .408 xSLG.
As long as this number stays below a flat 8.0, I like the Over, which is 14-8 in Seattle’s last 22 home games.
Jason Ence's 2026 Transparency Record
ML/RL bets: 2-5, -3.5 units
Over/Under bets: 5-2, +2.91 units
Royals vs Mariners odds
Moneyline: Royals +108 | Mariners -113
Run line: Royals -1.5 (+186) | Mariners +1.5 (-194)
Over/Under: Over 7.5 (-117) | Under 7.5 (+108)
Royals vs Mariners trend
The Kansas City Royals have hit the Moneyline in 6 of their last 8 games (+4.35 Units / 50% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for Royals vs. Mariners.
How to watch Royals vs Mariners and game info
Location
T-Mobile Park, Seattle, WA
Date
Sunday, May 3, 2026
First pitch
4:10 p.m. ET
TV
Mariners.TV, Royals.TV
Royals starting pitcher
Kris Bubic (2-1, 3.74 ERA)
Mariners starting pitcher
Luis Castillo (0-2, 6.35 ERA)
Royals vs Mariners latest injuries
Royals vs Mariners weather
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
The No. 4 Texas Longhorns and No. 10 Mississippi State Bulldogs are heading for a decisive Sunday series finale at UFCU Disch-Falk Field after Brian O’Connor’s team took advantage of the Longhorns bullpen and Texas couldn’t come up with game-changing, two-out hits.
“We obviously left a ton of guys on base, but they were all with two outs — I don’t think we had a runner at third base with less than two outs, and so you’re counting on a timely hit. And the difference in the game was the swings they got with two outs,” Texas head coach Jim Schlossnagle said.
In an attempt to keep senior right-hander Ruger Riojas fresh for the postseason, Schlossnagle removed the UTSA transfer after five innings and 71 pitches even though Riojas was still throwing at a high level, allowing one run on three hits and commanding his pitches well enough to strike out seven batters without allowing a walk, hitting a batter, or throwing a wild pitch.
The move to freshman right-hander Brett Crossland worked well in the sixth inning when the 6’5, 255-pounder struck out the side. In the seventh, Crossland was able to work around hitting the leadoff batter by immediately inducing a double play, but hitting the next batter in an 0-2 count ultimately proved catastrophic for Texas when junior right-hander Thomas Burns came on and gave up an RBI single on a 1-2 pitch and then had a 1-1 fastball down and in to Drew Wyers launched over the left-field fence for a three-run home run.
— Mississippi State Baseball (@HailStateBB) May 2, 2026
The Bulldogs scored two more runs in the eighth inning, both credited to sophomore right-hander Jason Flores, who allowed a leadoff walk and a first-pitch single. After freshman right-hander Brody Walls entered the game, a wild pitch allowed both runners to advance, setting up an RBI groundout and a run-scoring double that put the Horns in a 7-1 hole.
Despite the struggles in the bullpen, Schlossnagle isn’t worried.
“If the bullpen has a bad day, does that make it a concern? I mean, it doesn’t to me, it may to you, but they’re not going to be perfect,” Schlossnagle said. “So, I mean, that’s our bullpen those guys. Burns has been awesome about four or five times in a row. I mean, yeah, it’s not a concern in any form, to me.”
When Texas threatened for the first time in the fourth, it was with two outs, so when junior designated hitter Ashton Larson grounded out to short on the first pitch he saw, it negated the two singles that preceded his at bat.
After a solo home run by junior first baseman Casey Borba in the fifth inning, Texas put runners on first and second in the sixth with one out, but Jayden Duplantier struck out pinch hitting for Larson and freshman center fielder Maddox Monsour grounded out to short after Borba drew a four-pitch walk to load the bases.
A similar situation unfolded in the seventh when the Longhorns loaded the bases with two outs with the help of an error and two full-count walks, but in a familiar trend, redshirt senior third baseman Temo Becerra hit a grounder to the shortstop that turned into a fielder’s choice.
In the eighth, Texas was unable to take advantage of three walks when freshman left fielder Anthony Pack Jr. took two strikes before flying out to left field.
The ninth inning saw the home team try to mount a furious comeback started by a solo home run by sophomore shortstop Adrian Rodriguez, who is still battling enough discomfort in his surgically-repaired left hand that he’s made the decision to only bat left handed for the remainder of the year.
It was only the second home run of the season for Rodriguez.
Texas was able to load the bases with one out after an infield single and two walks, but the momentum slowed when Monsour struck out swinging before junior catcher Aiden Robbins came through with a two-run single to narrow the deficit to 7-4.
When Tinney was hit by a pitch, the Horns loaded the bases once again, but Pack wasn’t able to take advantage, striking out swinging on a 2-2 pitch to end the game.
The seven baserunners left stranded by the freshman standout were among the 17 left on base by Texas on Saturday. But just like the bullpen, Schlossnagle didn’t come away concerned about the lack of timely hitting.
“As I always say, batters left on base never, ever, ever bother me, ever, unless they’re less than two outs with a runner on third. What bothers you is when you’re not getting on base. That’s really stinks, because then you have no chance to score,” Schlossnagle said.
So after making four Mississippi State relievers combine to throw 121 pitches on Saturday, Schlossnagle heads into Sunday’s matchup at 1 p.m. Central on ESPN with a high level of confidence in his team’s ability to win the series.
“Super confident. Super confident,” Schlossnagle said. “I mean, we’re facing a great team, but we’ve got Luke [Harrison] on the mound and they’ve got a good lefty going for their team, and I was glad to see us fight back.”
PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA - APRIL 28: Braxton Ashcraft #35 of the Pittsburgh Pirates pitches during the first inning against the St. Louis Cardinals at PNC Park on April 28, 2026 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Joe Sargent/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Pittsburgh Pirates are at home hosting the Cincinnati Reds this afternoon at beautiful PNC Park looking for a win.
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STREAKING AT HOME: The Cubs have won 10 straight games at home. It is their 19th double-digit win streak of the Modern Era, which began in 1901, their 15th at Wrigley Field, their home since 1916. This is their first such streak since they won 14 in a row, May 18-June 22, 2008. A 13-game streak in 2001 and a 10-game streak in 1998 are their only others of the kind since 1970. Their record is 18 straight, Sept. 4-22, 1935, during a surge that lifted them to the pennant. The 2008 streak was one of five of 14 games. The 2001 streak was the only one of 13. They also had a lone streak of 12, in 1927, and of 11, in 1910. Eight of the streaks ended after 10 games. The most recent, May 29-June 15, 1998, was snapped when the Cubs were routed by the Brewers, 11-2. They then lost five of seven to wrap up a home stand. (Courtesy BCB’s JohnW53)
STREAKING EVERYWHERE: The Cubs had won 10 in a row everywhere last month. Yesterday’s win makes 2026 just the 13th of the 126 seasons starting in 1901 in which they have enjoyed double-digit streaks overall and at home. The previous season was 2001, when the Cubs won 12 in a row, the first seven at home, May 19-June 2. After a loss at Milwaukee, they won three at home, went 2-4 on the road and won three more at home. Then came a 2-2 road trip, followed by a return to Wrigley Field, where they lost to the Brewers, 2-1, snapping their home streak at 13 games. (Courtesy BCB’s JohnW53)
AGAINST ARIZONA: This is the Cubs’ 30th series at home against the Diamondbacks since Arizona began play in 1998. The Cubs have swept four of them, in 2005, 2008, 2012 and 2015. This is the 10th series at Wrigley Field since the last sweep. The Cubs won the first two games last year, then lost the third, as they had in 2011 and 2016. In 2014, they won the first two, then lost two. (Courtesy BCB’s JohnW53)
TODAY IN CUBS HISTORY: The Cubs trailed 2-1 going to the bottom of the ninth, with just two hits off the Mets’ Paul Wilson. Scott Bullett led off the ninth with a single and stole second. After two strikeouts, Mark Grace was intentionally walked. Sammy Sosa then hit a three-run walk-off homer and the Cubs won 4-2. It happened 30 years ago today, Friday, May 3, 1996. Here are the last few minutes of that game:
Matthew Boyd’s numbers aren’t good (7.00 ERA, 1.444 WHIP) but I can’t help thinking he’s pitched better than that record. For one thing, in his two bad starts a run scored in each after he left the game. If the bullpen had prevented those runs, that ERA drops by a full run.
Anyway.
Boyd has struck out a lot of hitters —26 in 18 innings — with only five walks. I can’t help thinking that eventually, he’ll break through with a really good outing. Hopefully, this afternoon.
Merrill Kelly was traded from the D-backs to the Rangers at last year’s deadline. He was one of the most in-demand pitchers at that deadline.
Kelly went to high school in the Phoenix area and attended Arizona State and makes his home there. He really wanted to come back to the D-backs in free agency and they wanted him back.
Maybe they were too hasty. Kelly’s return was delayed by a nerve injury. His first start this year was okay, the two since then have been terrible — 16 hits, 13 earned runs, four home runs in 9.1 innings (12.54 ERA). Oh, also, eight walks.
Kelly made two starts against the Cubs last year and posted a 1.64 ERA (two earned runs in 11 innings) with no home runs allowed.
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The 2026 game discussion procedure has been changed, so please take note.
You’ll find the game preview, like this one, posted separately on the front page two hours before game time (90 minutes for some early day games following night games).
At the same time, a StoryStream containing the preview will also post on the front page, titled “Cubs vs. (Team) (Day of week/date) game threads.” It will contain every post related to that particular game.
The Live! (formerly “First Pitch”) thread will still post at five minutes to game time. It will also post to the front page. That will be the only live game discussion thread. After the game, the recap and Heroes and Goats will also live on the front page as separate posts.
You will also be able to find the preview, Live! thread, recap and Heroes and Goats in this section link. The StoryStream for each game can also be found in that section.
Sunday Night Baseball returns for the first time in May as the Texas Rangers face the Detroit Tigers on Peacock at 7:20 pm ET.
I’m focusing on three hitters in the player prop market with my favorite Rangers vs. Tigers MLB picks for Sunday, May 3.
Rangers vs Tigers props for May 3
Pick
Odds
Riley Greene Over 1.5 total bases
+132
Josh Jung Over 1.5 hits + runs + RBI
-135
Kerry Carpenter Over 0.5 doubles
+538
Rangers vs Tigers player prop picks
Riley Greene Over 1.5 total bases (+132)
Detroit Tigers star outfielder Riley Greene is swinging a hot stick, slashing .298/.397/.463 with a 143 wRC+. With very strong underlying metrics (91st percentile xSLG, 84th percentile barrel rate), he appears primed to continue doling out damage.
Throughout his career, he’s been particularly lethal against right-handed pitchers, sporting a .825 OPS and 130 wRC+ against them. That’s good news against starter Jack Leiter, who has a 5.80 FIP against left-handed bats while allowing them to hit .304.
Josh Jung Over 1.5 hits + runs + RBI (-165)
Texas Rangers third baseman Josh Jung was a man on fire in April with a 1.103 OPS while slashing .381/.448/.655. That hot streak has carried over to May, as he’s 4-for-9 through the first two games of this series.
He carries an 11-game hitting streak into the series finale, and he’s reached base safely in 22 of his last 23 games. There aren’t many hitters in finer form, so here’s looking to take advantage in the prop market during Sunday Night Baseball.
FanDuel lists his odds of recording Over 1.5 HRRBI at -165 against a Detroit team set up for a bullpen game. The former Texas Tech product has either plated a run or scored one himself in 16 of his last 20 contests.
Kerry Carpenter Over 0.5 doubles (+538)
Kerry Carpenter is a well-known righty-masher who has a career 136 wRC+ against them while hitting for a ton of power (.261 ISO).
Carpenter has had trouble hitting for average (.197 xBA, 33.3% K rate), but is dangerous when he does get a hold of something, ranking in the 93rd percentile for hard-hit rate and 88th percentile for average exit velocity.
Leiter throws one of his three fastball varieties 59% of the time against lefties. Carpenter demolishes all three and likes to sit on heaters with a 161 wRC+ against four-seamers, 186 against sinkers, and 211 against cutters, making it a strong matchup.
How to watch Rangers vs Tigers and game info
Location
Comerica Park, Detroit, MI
Date
Sunday, May 3, 2026
First pitch
7:20 p.m. ET
TV
Peacock
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
After the Phillies delivered a one-hit offensive outburst on Saturday, they’ll try to get the bats going on Sunday in game three of their four-game series in Miami.
Jesus Luzardo gets the ball for the Phillies. The former Marlin hasn’t had a great season so far, but he’s coming off a strong start of seven shutout innings.
MINNEAPOLIS, MN - APRIL 03: Fans of the Minnesota Twins look out over Target Field prior to the game between the Houston Astros and the Minnesota Twins on Thursday, April 3, 2025 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Matt Krohn/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Game four of four. A win would mean a series win. And a win would bring us back to .500 for the first time since April 4th. They are 6-2 over the last 8 games.
And it is a Trey Yesavage start. 5.1 shutout innings in his first start.
The Jays made some minor league news:
Nolan Perry moves from Dunedin to Vancouver.
Austin Cates moves from Vancouver to New Hampshire.
Arjun Nimmala moves from Vancouver to New Hampshire.
The Jays tell us that George Springer didn’t re-break his toe yesterday. He’s not in the lineup today, but they say it was a planned day off. I would think he’ll have a couple of days off, but that’s just guessing.
The lineup looks a little different today. Lips leads off and Okamoto bats second. Pinango is batting .500 in his first 10 at bats.
The Yankees have an importantAnthony Volpedecision to make on Sunday, but manager Aaron Boone didn’t give any clues ahead of Sunday’s game against the Baltimore Orioles.
Sunday marks Volpe’s 20th day on his rehab assignment, the maximum allowed by Major League Baseball. The Yankees must either activate Volpe, or option him to Triple-A Scranton Wilkes/Barre.
“We’ll get through today and talk through that,” Boone said. “Just wanting to do what’s best for the team, for Anthony, so we’ll have those conversations.”
Complicating matters for the Yankees is the fact that Jose Caballero, the primary starter while Volpe has been sidelined while recovering from offseason shoulder surgery, has filled in more than adequately.
In 32 games this season, Caballero has a .719 OPS with four home runs, 12 RBI, and 14 runs scored, playing solid defensively as well.
"Well, one, Caballero's playing the heck out of the position and playing really well, so that complicates it,” Boone said, “Just deciding, what's the role that exists right away? Those are things we've got to continue to work through."
Boone said he does “love the idea” of Caballero playing a “kind of super-utility role because he's so good at it,” but reiterated that Caballero has played a great shortstop, and the manager must do what’s best for the ballclub.
“You also can't ignore that he's played so well defensively at shortstop, been a real spark for us offensively, especially after kind of getting off to a slow start probably the first 10 days, two weeks of the season,” Boone said. “He's really picked that up and been in the middle of us winning games.
“At the end of the day, we're going to try and do what's best for our team and then individual players that we care about too and know that are going to be important contributors to our team. We weigh all that."
McKinstry hit his bomb in the fourth with Max Burt on base. It was the only extra-base hit of the day, but the Mud Hens still notched six other hits. Most of them came without any follow-up. Toledo strung something together in the second, too, with Andrew Navigato driving in Eduardo Valencia with a sacrifice fly.
Max Clark’s lone hit of the day came in that frame, a base hit to shortstop that turned into a throwing error that moved everyone up a base.
Bryan Sammons got the start for the Mud Hens. He gave up three runs (two earned) on six hits and two walks over 4 2/3 innings. Most of the damage came in the second, when the Clippers notched three of their eight total hits. Maick Collado doubled off Sammons to tie the game up at one run apiece, and Juan Benamin gave Columbus the lead with an RBI single.
It wasn’t Sammons’ best outing, but his final line looks just fine. His fastball velocity was down a bit, and whiffs were under 20% overall. Still, he left the game tied after giving up a homer in the fifth. Konnor Pilkington was first out of the bullpen in relief. He took the loss after allowing the go-ahead run in the sixth — a sacrifice fly from Collado.
Tyler Mattison gave up a run on a homer in the seventh, and Tanner Rainey worked around a leadoff walk in the eighth.
It wasn’t a very exciting day in Triple-A, but it’s good to see McKinstry doing things at the plate and on the field, especially with injuries mounting in Detroit.
John Peck didn’t play today, so the home run-watch is on hold for now. Instead, it was Andrew Jenkins and Brett Callahan with the big flies for Erie in Saturday’s 5-4 win over the Chesapeake Baysox.
The SeaWolves led for most of the game, scoring a run in each of the first four innings. They were practically handed a run in the first after Chesapeake starter Juan Rojas walked the bases loaded and threw a wild pitch with just one out.
Joe Miller gave up a three-spot in the second inning, giving up back-to-back doubles and a single with no outs to set up a fielder’s choice and a sacrifice bunt. It was a short outing for Miller, who allowed seven baserunners to reach over three innings. On the bright side, Miller struck out five.
Jenkins’ homer came in the second, and Callahan’s came in the third — both of the leadoff variety.
A home run from Jenkins cuts down the deficit in the 2nd!
E.J. Exposito, Seth Stephenson and Peyton Graham all singled in the fourth to give Erie the lead for good. Jenkins had the only other Erie hit of the day in the eighth, a single that moved Chris Meyers over to third base. Exposito drove in the insurance run with a fielder’s choice right after.
Peyton Graham laces an RBI single to right to give the SeaWolves a 4-3 lead, but Seth Stephenson gets thrown out trying to score. pic.twitter.com/fGL9JTeGXb
The bullpen was very good for Erie. Dariel Fregio took over in the fourth and gave three innings of scoreless relief. He faced the minimum in each inning, getting some help from Thayron Liranzo, who caught a runner stealing to end the fifth and sixth.
Dariel Fregio gets the strikeout and Thayron Liranzo guns down another runner, with help from a great pick and tag by Peyton Graham. @BurgessLuke03 calls the action. pic.twitter.com/pJynhMrdq7
John Stankiewicz went 1-2-3 in the seventh, Tanner Kohlhepp stranded a pair in the eighth, striking out two batters, and Woo-Suk Go closed things despite some drama. Frederick Bencosme homered to open the ninth, but Go struck out the side after that.
Jenkins: 2-4, HR (4), R, RBI, K
Callahan: 1-3, HR (4), R, RBI, BB
Fregio (W, 1-1): 3.0 IP, H, 0 R, BB, 2 K
Coming Up Next: It’s a 1:35 p.m. ET start in Erie on Sunday with the SeaWolves up 4-1 in the series.
The Detroit Tigers, per @erie_seawolves notes have made the following roster move:
5/3 – RHP Eric Silva transferred to Triple-A Toledo
Cedar Rapids Kernels 11, West Michigan Whitecaps 6 (box)
West Michigan’s losing streak hit seven games on Saturday despite the Whitecaps putting up six runs.
This loss is the result of a disastrous nine-run seventh inning, but West Michigan briefly led before that after scoring five runs in the fifth.
The Whitecaps didn’t get a baserunner until the fourth, though, when Ricardo Hurtado walked. He moved to third on an error and scored on a groundout later in the inning. Cristian Santana broke up the no-hitter in the fifth with a one-out single. Juan Hernandez tripled him in right after.
Juan Hernández drives an RBI triple to the gap and Cristian Santana comes around to score to give West Michigan a 2-1 lead. pic.twitter.com/9s8E1FmhxB
A two-out rally led to four more runs crossing. Andrew Sojka singled, Hurtado doubled, Garrett Pennington was hit by a pitch and Bryce Rainer reached on an error before Kernels starter Nick Trabacchi left the game with the score at 4-1.
The Whitecaps go up 3-1 on this RBI double down the line from Ricardo Hurtado. pic.twitter.com/SdWqCjHhwt
Samuel Gil drove in Hurtado and Pennington with a single for runs No. 5 and 6. Rainer and Gil executed a double steal, but both were left in scoring position.
Samuel Gil puts a pretty line drive swing on this to bring home two more runs and make it a 6-1 Whitecaps lead. pic.twitter.com/cx66a2JqaN
Troy Watson got the start for West Michigan. Things went well for him, allowing just one run on two hits and a walk with four strikeouts. Both of those hits came in the second, when the Kernels scored the first run of the game.
Gabriel Reyes relieved him in the fifth. Cedar Rapids got to Reyes for a run on a couple of singles and a walk, and he got through the sixth without giving anything up. Then came the big inning.
Cedar Rapids went single, two-run homer, single, single, flyout, single, walk to make it 6-5, and Reyes left the game responsible for the tying and go-ahead run. Both of those runners scored as soon as Ethan Sloan took over on a single and a passed ball. Lovely. A wild-pitch ball four made it 8-6, and a three-run homer brought us to the 11-6 final.
Jalen Evans worked around two hits in the eighth, while the offense did diddly-squat.
Rainer: 0-4, RBI, 2 K
Gil: 1-4, 2 RBI
Hurtado: 1-4, 2B (4), 2 R, RBI, BB, K
Watson: 4.0 IP, 2 H, R, ER, BB, 4 K
Coming Up Next: It’s a 2:05 p.m. ET start on Sunday as the Whitecaps try to avoid a sweep.
Lakeland gave up a crooked number to Bradenton in four of eight innings on Saturday as the Marauders clinched a series win, 13-4.
Things started okay. Beau Ankeney singled in Jordan Yost to give Lakeland an early lead, but Max Alba gave up a two-run homer in the bottom half of the first.
Beau Ankeney bounces an RBI single through the infield and Lakeland takes a 1-0 lead in the 1st. pic.twitter.com/SHDFtQY6v8
Alba was fine after that, working around four hits over the next 2 1/3 innings. He left with two men on base in the fourth, but Jose Guzman struck out the first batter he faced, and the defense came up with a 2-6-2 out to get the runner breaking for home.
Jose Guzman gets the strikeout and then Sergio Tapia and Jordan Yost do a great job of cutting down the running trying to steal home. pic.twitter.com/0xeEl4pi7i
That jump-started the offense going into the fifth. The Flying Tigers scored three runs, starting on a Jesus Pinto triple and a Yost RBI single. Max Anderson walked, and he and Yost executed a double steal that turned into a run thanks to a bad throw by the catcher. Beau Ankeney singled in Anderson right after.
That’s when the bullpen started to melt down. Caleb Leys got the sixth and promptly allowed a game-tying, two-run homer. Leys gave up the lead in the sixth on a leadoff triple and one-out single. A botched throwing error, walk and balk made it 6-4. One more walk forced Lakeland to make another pitching change.
Jan Caraballo intentionally walked the first batter he faced (or didn’t face?), gave up a run on a sacrifice fly, and allowed another run to cross on a double. Rough four-inning frame to break the tie and crush any hopes of a Flying Tigers win. Lakeland struck out three times in the next half inning.
Caraballo gave up a leadoff home run in the seventh, and Andrew Pogue gave up four runs trying to get the last three outs of the eighth—absolutely brutal stuff.
Yost: 1-5, 2 R, RBI, 2 K
Pinto: 2-4, 3B (2), R, BB, K
Ankeney: 2-4, 2 RBI, K
Alba: 3.1 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 3 K
Coming Up Next: It’s a noon ET start on Sunday with Bradenton leading the series 4-1.
The Baltimore Orioles (15-18) face the AL East-leading New York Yankees (22-11). The Yankees won the series’ first two games by a combined score of 16-6. Scheduled starting pitchers are Trey Gibson for Baltimore, making his MLB debut, and Max Fried for New York, with a 2.09 ERA.
How to watch Baltimore Orioles vs. New York Yankees
Vidal Bruján | (Photo by Peter Joneleit/Getty Images)
The Mets are set to call up infielder Vidal Bruján to replace Ronny Mauricio on their active roster, according to Mike Puma. Mauricio is heading to the injured list with a left thumb fracture that he suffered in the Mets’ loss to the Angels last night.
Mauricio himself was called up on April 23 to replace Francisco Lindor on the Mets’ active roster, as Lindor suffered a calf injury that doesn’t yet have a specific timetable for return. In 32 plate appearances in the big leagues this year, Mauricio has hit .219/.219/.313 with a 46 wRC+, and he’s had a rather absurd 53.6 percent chase rate.
Bruján was a consensus top-100 prospect in the sport in ahead of the 2019 through 2022 seasons as he worked his way up through the Rays’ minor league system. But that promise has never really materialized, as he’s hit just .199/.267/.276 and been worth -2.0 fWAR in 262 major league games. He’s been claimed on waivers four times since last summer: by the Orioles from the Cubs, the Braves from the Orioles, the Twins from the Braves, and the Mets from the Twins.
We’ll see whether the Mets give Bruján significant playing time at shortstop, the position where he’s spent the vast majority of both the 2026 season with Syracuse and his professional career. The team could opt to play Bo Bichette at short, Brett Baty at third, and Mark Vientos at first on an everyday basis instead while keeping Bruján on the roster as a defensive replacement.
HOUSTON, TEXAS - JULY 28: Shohei Ohtani #17 of the Los Angeles Dodgers steals second as Jose Altuve #27 of the Houston Astros fields the throw in the ninth inning at Minute Maid Park on July 28, 2024 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Dodgers continue their road trip on Monday night against the Houston Astros at Daikin Park.
Yoshinobu Yamamoto is coming off his shortest start of the season, with five innings and four runs (three earned) allowed against the Miami Marlins at Dodger Stadium. He lasted at least six innings in his previous eight straight starts and 15 out of 17 dating back to 2025.
The Dodgers’ last trip to Houston was in 2024, when they lost two of three games from July 26-28. They were also swept by the Astros at Dodger Stadium last July 4-6, and have lost six of their last seven games against Houston, dating back to 2023.
Los Angeles is 4-3 on the road against the Astros dating back to 2020.
The Atlanta Braves' charmed ride to start the 2026 season - their 24-10 record is the best in the major leagues - finally hit a pothole as they placed All-Star outfielder Ronald Acuña Jr. on the injured list Sunday, May 3, with a strained left hamstring.
Yet the club also got positive injury news, as right-hander Spencer Strider was activated from the IL and will make his season debut against the Colorado Rockies on Sunday after missing the first five weeks with a left oblique strain.
Acuña was injured Saturday running out a grounder in the second inning at Coors Field and was removed from the game. The five-time All-Star has been dogged by injuries the past five seasons, as he tore the ACL in his right and left knees in that span. He was off to a decent start this season, with a .252/.362/.378 line and two home runs.
The majority of his plate appearances figure to be consumed by outfielders Eli White and Mike Yastrzemski, while Mauricio Dubón will get more reps in left field, leaving shortstop duties to Jorge Mateo before the return of the injured Ha Seong Kim.
Strider posted a 4.45 ERA last season in his return from a second Tommy John surgery. The Braves rotation has performed admirably despite a litany of injuries to stars like Strider and Spencer Schwellenbach, posting a 3.08 ERA - third in the major leagues - without them.
LAKELAND, FL - MARCH 12: Bradley Hanner #93 of the New York Yankees pitches during the spring training game against the Detroit Tigers at Publix Field at Joker Marchant Stadium on March 12, 2026 in Lakeland, Florida. The Yankees defeated the Tigers 4-3. (Photo by Mark Cunningham/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
One of the strengths of the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders this season is their bullpen.
Entering Saturday, the Yankees’ Triple-A club ranked second in the International League in bullpen ERA at 3.40 and paced Triple-A in fewest walks with 57. Thanks to the bullpen’s efforts, the RailRiders have nine wins in games where they were trailing at some point.
“The bullpen’s done great, we’ve relied on each other,” reliever Bradley Hanner said. “We’re a tight-knit group down there. It’s been fun to kind of piggy-back off each other. One guy does good, you want to keep the train moving. It’s been great so far and hopefully we can keep doing that.”
Hanner has been one of the key contributors. In his last six outings, covering 9.1 innings, the 27-year-old right-hander from Virginia has not allowed a run with six hits, one walk and 12 strikeouts. His most recent appearance Thursday against the Buffalo Bisons, he threw 2.2 perfect innings with four strikeouts. Overall, Hanner is 1-0 with a 1.26 ERA in nine games. He has allowed three runs (two earned) on 10 hits with six walks and 18 strikeouts in 14.1 innings.
One reason for Hanner’s success so far this season has been the work he has done on his four-seamer.
“Coming in with the Yankees, that was one of the bigger things – to kind of clean up to orientation of the four-seam,” Hanner said. “So far we’ve kind of nailed it. It’s been good. I don’t know the numbers and stuff to back it up, but I think they’re all in the positive. Everything is trending with the four-seam, I feel more and more comfortable with it as we go on. That’s been the biggest key.”
Drafted by the Minnesota Twins in the 21st round in 2019, he spent three seasons in that organization before before being claimed off waivers by the Cleveland Guardians organization in December 2022.
Hanner spent the 2023 campaign in Double-A with the Akron Rubber Ducks. He split time in 2024 with Akron and the Triple-A Columbus Clippers. Last season with Columbus, Hanner appeared in 42 games in relief and was 4-4 with two saves, three holds, a 4.74 ERA and 62 strikeouts in 49.1 innings. The Yankees signed him as a free agent in December.
Coming to the RailRiders, Hanner had a familiar face with bullpen coach Pete Larson. “I had him in Low-A when I was with the Twins,” Hanner said. “It’s been fun to reunite with him.”
Other than Larson and fellow reliever Brent Headrick, Hanner didn’t know many players here. Still, he said it has been a smooth transition coming to the Yankees organization.
“Everybody’s been really welcoming, accommodating. Everything you need, they’ve got everything you could ever imagine to help you get better,” Hanner said. “It’s been great.”
The Yankees are signing RHP Bradley Hanner to a minor league deal with an invite to spring training, per @Joelsherman1
Hanner has a 4.91 ERA in his minor league career, including a 4.74 ERA last season for the Guardians' Triple-A affiliate pic.twitter.com/FWu5gvKdYi
All that remains is for Hanner to one day get that call to the major league. He admits he thinks about it at times, but knows it is out of his control.
“All I can do is show up every day, work hard and pitch to the best of my abilities,” he said. “I’d be lying if I said I haven’t thought about it at times. But I’m not losing sleep over getting the call. If it happens, it happens and I’ll be super-grateful for that. Obviously it’s what everybody dreams of.”
If and when that call comes, Hanner believes he is ready.
“I feel very good about where I’m at right now. I don’t know what else I would need to do,” Hanner said. “Keep putting up zeroes, keep pounding the zone. I don’t think that there’s an outlier that I need. I don’t think it’s anything like that. I think it’s just time and place and pitching well. Not getting lucky, just right-man, right-spot situation.”
COVERS INTEL: Castillo is 
Riley Greene Over 1.5 total bases
Josh Jung Over 1.5 hits + runs + RBI
