Category: Baseball

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There is no shortage of action today with 15 games on the MLB schedule.

To help you build your card, we’re breaking down our favorite moneyline locks and value plays for every matchup—headlined by a massive Saturday night showdown on FOX between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the red-hot Milwaukee Brewers.

Read on as I break down all of my top MLB picks for May 23.

MLB moneyline picks for May 23

Matchup	Pick
Cardinals vs Reds	+105
Rays vs Yankees	+119 (Postponed)
Astros vs Cubs	+129
Pirates vs Blue Jays	-142
Tigers vs Orioles	-112
Guardians vs Phillies	-183
White Sox vs Giants	+109
Mariners vs Royals	-126
Twins vs Red Sox	-112
Nationals vs Braves	-183
Mets vs Marlins	-107
Cardinals vs Reds	-103
Dodgers vs Brewers	-116
A's vs Padres	-107
Rangers vs Angels	-131
Rockies vs Diamondbacks	-168

Prices courtesy of Polymarket as of 5-23.

Expert MLB moneyline picks for May 23

Cardinals vs Reds: Cardinals (+105)

Cardinals win probability: 50%

The St. Louis Cardinals head into Cincinnati seeking an NL Central bounce-back series win, and they have the perfect weapon on the mound. Andre Pallante dominates the Reds historically, carrying a 6-4 record, a 2.49 ERA, and 49 strikeouts across 19 career appearances. Take the Cardinals moneyline to cash in Game 1 of the doubleheader.

Rays vs Yankees: Rays (+119) — POSTPONED

Rays win probability: 45%

Drew Rasmussen vs. the New York Yankees is a mismatch on paper — the righty is 4-1 with a 1.03 ERA and 51 punchouts in eight career games against New York. Coming off a thrilling comeback win on Friday, the division-leading Rays are primed to keep the foot on the gas behind their dynamic arm.

Astros vs Cubs: Astros (+129)

Astros win probability: 43%

After dropping the series opener to the Astros, the Cubs try to even the score on Saturday. They’ll have to do it against the teeth of Houston's rotation, starting with Kai-Wei Teng (2-3, 2.61 ERA). With Colin Rea taking the mound for Chicago amid a recent rough patch (4.98 ERA), the pitching matchup favors an otherwise banged-up Houston squad.

Pirates vs Blue Jays: Pirates (-142)

Pirates win probability: 57%

The Pittsburgh Pirates send ace Paul Skenes to the mound on Saturday afternoon looking to rebound from a series-opening loss. Facing a Toronto Blue Jays lineup hitting just .248 against righties this season, expect Skenes to control the tempo and help the Bucs bounce back.

Tigers vs Orioles: Orioles (-112)

Orioles win probability: 52%

The Baltimore Orioles have a prime opportunity to pick up a win on Saturday against Framber Valdez. The left-handed starter owns a mediocre 4.17 career ERA in seven outings against the Orioles, making him vulnerable to an O's lineup featuring Sam Huff, who leads the team with a blistering .400 batting average against southpaws this year.

Phillies win probability: 64%

Zack Wheeler is living up to his nickname, wheeling and dealing his way to a 1.99 ERA and a perfect 3-0 record for the Philadelphia Phillies. Up next are the Guardians, whose .222 team batting average against righties is bound to tank even further against Philadelphia's elite right-hander.

White Sox vs Giants: White Sox (+109)

White Sox win probability: 47%

Erick Fedde has a prime opportunity to hand the White Sox a road win today. He faces a San Francisco lineup hitting just .240 against righties with a sluggish .290 OBP. With Chicago boasting a significantly sharper .323 OBP to spark their own offense, backing the White Sox as road underdogs offers great value.

Mariners vs Royals: Mariners (-126)

Mariners win probability: 55%

This matchup features two middle-of-the-pack teams in their respective divisions, but the Seattle Mariners have a massive situational edge on the mound. George Kirby has been a certified cheat code against the Kansas City Royals, boasting a flawless 2-0 record, a 2.08 ERA, and 17 punchouts in four career games. Back the Mariners on the road to shut down the KC offense.

Twins vs Red Sox: Red Sox (-112)

Red Sox win probability: 52%

With Taj Bradley expected to show some rust in his first start back on the mound, the Boston Red Sox are in a prime bounce-back spot. After letting Friday night's game slip away late, the Boston offense should find plenty of success early against the right-hander.

Nationals vs Braves: Braves (-183)

Braves win probability: 64%

The red-hot Atlanta Braves look to continue their dominant run today, and a matchup against Jake Irvin gives them a massive upper hand. Irvin has struggled out of the gate this season with a bloated 5.79 ERA, and his lifetime numbers versus Atlanta — a 2-3 record and 3.98 ERA in eight games — aren't reassuring. Back the Braves moneyline to take care of business at home.

Mets vs Marlins: Marlins (-107)

Marlins win probability: 51%

Max Meyer has been delivering massive value for the Marlins, boasting a spotless record and a sharp 2.85 ERA. This afternoon, Miami looks to add to the Mets' divisional misery. Look for the Marlins to exploit a struggling New York team and cash as a lively home underdog.

Cardinals vs Reds: Reds (-103)

Reds win probability: 50%

Back on the mound against the team that ruined his big-league debut a year ago, Chase Petty is looking for ultimate redemption. With a full season of developmental adjustments under his belt, expect the Cincinnati Reds' prospect to bounce back with a much cleaner start and help salvage a split in today's doubleheader.

Dodgers vs Brewers: Dodgers (-116)

Dodgers win probability: 53%

Roki Sasaki is on the bump for the Los Angeles Dodgers as they look to rebound from a Game 1 loss to the Milwaukee Brewers in this series. His 5.09 ERA is a bit inflated, but his electric strikeout stuff means he can dominate any lineup when he's on. Expect a strong response from L.A. behind their young right-hander.

A's vs Padres: A's (-107)

Padres win probability: 51%

The San Diego Padres are tough at home, but J.T. Ginn gives the Athletics a serious edge to pull off Saturday's upset. The AL West-leading A's have a great weapon on the bump today, as Ginn brings a stellar 2.98 ERA and 44 strikeouts into this matchup. Grab the visitors to steal a big road win.

Rangers vs Angels: Rangers (-131)

Rangers win probability: 56%

Laying it with the Texas Rangers looks like an even sweeter deal on Saturday night thanks to their edge on the bump. Texas hands the ball to Nathan Eovaldi, who has absolutely owned the Los Angeles Angels throughout his career, boasting a 7-3 record, a 3.04 ERA, and 77 punchouts in 16 career outings against them.

Diamondbacks win probability: 62%

Zac Gallen has been an absolute cash machine when facing the Colorado Rockies. Over 18 career outings against the Rockies, the righty has pitched his way to a 9-1 record, a 3.41 ERA, and 121 strikeouts. Lock in the Arizona Diamondbacks tonight as Gallen looks to maintain his historical mastery over his division rivals.

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.

Kiley McDaniel at ESPN updated his top 50 prospects this week, with four Dodgers in the top 50.

Outfielder Josue De Paula is now 18th, up from 21st in January. River Ryan made the largest jump, now ranked 49th after No. 125 in the offseason, due to the fact that he’s now healthy after missing all of last season after Tommy John surgery, and is also back from a four-week stint on the Triple-A injured list with a hamstring strain.

Also updating their prospect rankings in the last few weeks were Baseball Americaand MLB Pipeline, with new top 100s for both.

New voice in the booth

Joe Davis and Orel Hershiser are calling Friday and Sunday’s games in Milwaukee on SportsNet LA, with Davis calling Saturday’s game for Fox. In the Dodgers radio booth this weekend is Tim Neverett and James Loney.

Rick Monday called the first 50 games of the season on radio, but he’s in Cooperstown this weekend, with the American flag he saved on April 25, 1976 at Dodger Stadium on display at the Hall of Fame from this weekend through Labor Day. Monday will also take part in the Hall of Fame Military Classic baseball game on Saturday at Doubleday Field in Cooperstown.

Monday will also be honored at the Hall of Fame during induction weekend on July 25.

Loney filled in last year for two games on radio, both at home, coincidentally also against the Brewers. These are his first time calling games on the road.

Good morning, baseball fans!

Another week of San Francisco Giants baseball is drawing to a close this weekend, which means it’s time to make our picks for Player of the Week!

This week, I’m going with Casey Schmitt! The man is on a streak that we love to see. As of the time this is being written, he’s got at least one hit in every game this week. He even had a four-hit game in last Saturday’s 6-4 win over the Athletics, which included two home runs.

Who is your pick for Player of the Week?

What time do the Giants play today?

The Giants continue this three-game series against the Chicago White Sox this afternoon at 1:05 p.m. PT.

Today’s Reflections

Pedro Ramirez has been called up to replace Matt Shaw, who is on the 10-day injured list with back soreness. Ramirez will fill in the super-sub role, but with Nicky Lopez who can fill the infield portion of the role, Ramirez would be free for the outfield (if ready). He could have been the one that was called up to give PCA a couple of days break (even with his home run on Friday). If it wasn’t Ramirez, it could have been ……

Kevin Alcántara, who Jake Misener wrote about below. I won’t rehash it, but maybe since Alcantara has already had some time in the majors, this was Ramirez’s time. Alcantara’s will have to wait.

I could write some more about runners LOB or RISP, but I believe Al addresses that in his recap.

Jameson Taillon will be needing to go to the IL before too long as his whiplash watching every fly ball go to (or beyond) the outfield wall is becoming as painful as watching them.

And the PCA links start with some rare good news these days.

*means autoplay on, (directions to remove for Firefox and Chrome). {$} means paywall. {$} means limited views. Italics are often used on this page as sarcasm font. The powers that be have enabled real sarcasm font in the comments.

Slump? What slump? I sure would like to hear some more about this supposed slump ……

• Vinnie Duber (Chicago Sun-Times): Another day, another dud for Cubs’ bats in sixth straight loss: Can nothing end teamwide drought?. “The Cubs scored two runs or fewer for the eighth time in 12 games as their team-wide slump deepened in a series-opening loss to the Astros.”
• Zack Sweet (MLB.com): Missed opportunities sink Cubs as skid reaches 6 games. The Cubs “finishing 0-for-9 with runners in scoring position and stranding 11 runners while dropping its sixth consecutive game.”
• Meghan Montemurro (Chicago Tribune {$}): Chicago baseball report: Rough stretch for Cubs’ Moisés Ballesteros. “Moisés Ballesteros wasn’t going to bat .400 the entire season.”
• Sahadev Sharma (The Athletic {$}): Cubs’ offense in a ‘funk’ as situation hitting suffers in recent stretch. ““We’re in a funk right now,” Chicago Cubs Manager Craig Counsell said. “It’s up to us to change it. We’re the ones who are going to change it.”“
• Tyler Courtney (Last Word On Sports): How the Cubs Slump Can Be Reversed Before May Ends. “To understand how to stop the slump, it is crucial to understand why it is happening.”
• Gordon Edes (Chicago Sun-Times): Cubs just might find cure for what ails them this weekend vs. Astros. “The Cubs have scored three runs or fewer in nine of the last 11 games and have been outscored 59-31. They’re batting a collective .182 and have been outhomered 20-7.”
• Field Level Media (Yardbarker): Cubs host Astros with both sides searching for a spark. “The Chicago Cubs hope a day off at home will allow them to reset mentally before they host the Houston Astros in the opener of a three-game series on Friday. The Cubs have lost five in a row and nine of 11 following a 27-12 start that had them atop the National League Central.”
• Tommy Erbe (OnTapSportsNet): Times Like These Are Why The Chicago Cubs Need Alex Bregman. “Alex Bregman was brought to the Chicago Cubs for times like these. In the face of adversity, he can lead them through.”
• Jake Misener (Cubbies Crib): Kevin Alcantara is sending a loud message that the Cubs can no longer ignore. “Kevin Alcantara could give 2 struggling Cubs outfielders chance to reset”

The angels are pensively singing:

• Jordan Campbell (Cubbies Crib): Craig Counsell finally caves with change Cubs fans have been begging for. “After the Cubs lost 4-2 on Friday to the Houston Astros, extending their losing streak to six games, Counsell confirmed there will be changes to the starting lineup for Saturday’s game. ….. Perhaps the door is open for Pedro Ramirez to get a start or two in the coming days, but right now, the correct lever to pull is making the change with the starting lineup.”
• Michael Cerami (Bleacher Report): At Long Last, Lineup Changes Are Coming for the Chicago Cubs. “After yet another day of offensive futility at Wrigley Field — complete with their patented ability to get a lot of guys on base and unique inability to drive literally any of them … in no matter the situation or who’s up (0-9 with RISP today + 11 runners left on base) — lineup changes are coming for the Chicago Cubs.”

The Daily PCA Report

• First, the good news:

• Dan Freedman (Forbes{$})): Pete Crow-Armstrong Is In A Mental Slump And Needs A Day Or Two Off. “Pete Crow-Armstrong of the Chicago Cubs needs a day; he needs a break, a breather. He needs to collect himself.”
• Michael Canter (Cubs Insider): The Rundown: PCA’s Unprecedented Funk Helps Brewers Broom Cubs, Early Exit for Cabrera, Ohtani Nearly Dealt to Rays in ’23. “The Cubs are a mess right now, none more than Pete Crow-Armstrong, and things aren’t going to change until they refocus and get back to …… dominating. …… Crow-Armstrong is the team’s worst offender and probably needs to put his interaction with a White Sox fan behind him.”
• Elias Shuster (Chicago Cubs On SI): Pete Crow-Armstrong Has Been a Problem for the Cubs – And He Knows It. “The Chicago Cubs’ star center fielder called his recent mistakes “genuinely laughable” following another loss on Wednesday.“
• Patrick Mooney (The Athletic {$}): Pete Crow-Armstrong’s errors adding up for Cubs, from taunting a fan to misplays on the field. “A mental reset, of sorts, is coming with Thursday’s off day, a well-timed break for a Cubs team that is currently flailing in all phases of the game. But this moment appears to be especially uncomfortable for Crow-Armstrong.”
• Jesse Rogers (ESPN): Pete Crow-Armstrong says recent errors ‘genuinely laughable’. “”One thing I can fall back on is it’s never a lack of focus but [instead] trying too hard and trying to make up for the lack of production that I have given this team and this city.””

• Matt Sullivan (Sporting News): Why Astros should follow 2021 Cubs blueprint with trade deadline sell-off. “ESPN’s David Schoenfield presented a blueprint for the Astros to follow, in the 2021 Chicago Cubs, that could lead to a successful sell-off this season while still keeping some key players for the near future.”
• Jesse Rogers (ESPN): Cubs put Matt Shaw on injured list, call up Pedro Ramirez. “Shaw, 24, first experienced soreness Tuesday, which did not subside after a couple of days of treatment. …… ””It’s probably going to be a shorter stint,” Counsell said of Ramirez.”
• Brandon Glick (Cubbies Crib): Rising Cubs’ prospect could soon become intriguing trade chip for Jed Hoyer. “Might as well cash in on a superfluous star in the making.”
• Brett Taylor (Bleacher Nation): Tarik Skubal Trade Chances “Are Rising” – Would You Want to See the Cubs Make a Go at Him? “If the Tigers decide they are out of the race, then there will be absolutely not reason for them not to capitalize and trade Tarik Skubal for the biggest price they can get.”
• Jake Misener (Cubbies Crib): This Cubs’ trade deadline prediction suddenly feels like the lifeline Jed Hoyer needs. “The rotation – and pitching staff, as a whole – is hanging by a thread.”
• Paranjoy Goswami (Total Pro Sports): What Happened To Edward Cabrera? A Deeper Look Into His Injury. “The Chicago Cubs removed Edward Cabrera from the mound midway through his start against the Milwaukee Brewers at Wrigley Field on Wednesday.
• Matt Sullivan (Sporting News): Cubs trade prediction for Marlins’ Sandy Alcantara makes sense for everyone involved. “While they’re in good shape to make the postseason, the Cubs desperately need to find a way to upgrade their team by the August 3rd trade deadline. Their top need is clearly starting pitching help.”
• Matt Snyder (CBS Sports): The Brewers just picked up control of NL Central again, but they need to drop underdog schtick. “The Brewers outscored the Cubs 19-5 in a three-game sweep in Wrigley this week, and their manager insists they’re still overlooked.”
• Bennedetto Vitale (Clutch Points): Cubs legend Anthony Rizzo details epic way Dexter Fowler helped him break slump. “In the latest episode of “Lovable Reunion,” Rizzo recalled a time he was struggling at the plate. He felt like he would go zero and forever during this brutal slump.”
• Anthony Franco (MLBTradeRumors): 2026-27 Club Options: NL Central. “In recent weeks, MLBTR has looked forward to next winter’s option classes. We’ll move now to the NL Central, where the Cubs have a number of low-cost options to weigh.”
• Matthew Trueblood (North Side Baseball): For Better and For Worse, the Cubs Are Locked In. “Last summer, the Cubs affirmed their faith in their existing front office. Over the offseason they proved they feel a sense of urgency to win now. This spring, they committed themselves to this core for a long time. Was all of that a huge mistake?”
• Jordan Campbell (Cubbies Crib): Jed Hoyer reveals what the Cubs need to see from Jordan Wicks. “It’s now or never.”
• Brett Taylor (Bleacher Nation): The Biggest Offensive Difference Between the Cubs and the Brewers. “This week’s series, combined with the earlier discussion of certain Cubs players’ woes with runners in scoring position this year, had me stepping back and looking at the Cubs and Brewers more generally.”

Food For Thought:

According to Albert King, he was five when his father left the family and eight when he moved with his mother, Mary Blevins, and two sisters to the Forrest City, Arkansas, area. King said his family had also lived in Arcola, Mississippi, at one time. He made his first guitar out of a cigar box, a piece of a bush, and a strand of broom wire, and later bought a real guitar for $1.25. As a southpaw learning guitar on his own, he turned his guitar upside down. King picked cotton, drove a bulldozer, did construction, and worked other jobs until he was finally able to support himself as a musician.

John Mayall, the “Godfather of British Blues,” was a major influence on post-’60s rock & roll. His band the Bluesbreakers sired Eric Clapton, Mick Taylor, Peter Green and Fleetwood Mac’s rhythm section, among others. His version of blues incorporated rock elements, while keeping the core and the spirit authentically gritty and lowdown. Through his stewardship, the global audience for blues, and the palette for rock, expanded considerably.

Concrete-covered owl returns to the wild after feather surgery (the after-surgery is at 1:30)

A great horned owl found covered in concrete was released back into the wild after undergoing surgery to replace its damaged feathers. The owl underwent several days of care involving 20-minute baths to slowly remove the concrete. The process left the owl with damage to its feathers that prevented it from flying silently, a necessary feature for great horned owls to survive in the wild.

They ended up replacing 10 primary and one secondary feather on the owl’s right wing. The bird’s left wing did not require any replacement feathers. “The first few feathers were extremely nerve-wracking, but as we got into the groove, the imping became more comfortable, and everything went smoothly,” Richwalski said.

Please be reminded that Cub Tracks and Bleed Cubbie Blue do not necessarily endorse the content of articles, podcasts, or videos that are linked to in this series.

Matthew Liberatore has had an uninspiring start to his season. He has not been horrible, but many fans, myself included, were expecting him to improve or possibly ascend to a top-of-the-rotation type pitcher. Today I want to do a little meandering investigation into what has gone wrong with Libby and what we should expect moving forward.

Before we get to present-day Liberatore, it’s important to remember how he got here. On this date last year, he had also completed 10 starts but ranked 14th in baseball with a 1.7 fWAR. Through June, Liberatore was maintaining his impressive trajectory pitching to a 3.70 ERA and ranking in the top 20 in starting pitcher WAR in all of baseball. It is an easy narrative to follow. A former top prospect that has bounced between starting and relieving for a couple of years moves into the rotation in his age-25 season and pitches like an All-Star for the first half of the year. Then came July and August. Liberatore had a nine-start stretch where his velocity dropped, home run rate ballooned, and his ERA jumped close to 6. For his final act, Libby put together a solid September pitching to a 3.54 ERA with FIP and xFIP around 4. 

That brings us to 2026. Libby is the Opening Day starter and undisputed leader of the pitching staff… and things have just not gone well. His walk rate has jumped over one per nine to 3.48. While this isn’t an awful number, it is not good enough for a command-first pitcher. Libby’s home runs per nine have also jumped from an acceptable 1.13 to a bloated 1.57. I wanted to take a closer look at Liberatore and see if there were any glaring issues in his underlying metrics or reasons for optimism. 

Liberatore’s home run rate is elevated, but is that just because of his career-high 14.5% HR/FB ratio? We often talk about batters and their ability to pull the ball in the air to access power. Liberatore was solid at preventing this in 2025, allowing batters to pull only 15.4% of balls in the air. This season, that number has increased to 23.4%, one of the worst marks in the league, 12th worst out of 129 pitchers who have had at least 100 balls put in play against them. Liberatore’s velocity and underlying stuff metrics are similar to last season, if not a tick better, so what gives? With his elevated walk rate, could the home runs be up because he is falling behind more frequently and being forced to throw more pitches in hitters’ counts? To check this, I looked at the total percentage of pitches he has thrown in each count this year and last. 

There is nothing alarming here. If anything, Libby is actually getting into slightly more favorable counts than last season. So, where are the walks coming from? Last season, in three-ball counts, Liberatore threw pitches in the zone 65% of the time. This season, his zone rate is down to 53% in three-ball counts. While this is hurting his performance thus far, it is better than a pitcher who has just lost control of the zone. This strikes me as more of an execution problem or even just small-sample-size variance than some kind of systemic issue with his approach. 

Ok, I am satisfied that the increased walk-rate is a minor blip that is likely to even out as the season goes on. Unfortunately, I do not think count control is the culprit for Liberatore’s other issues, so we must forge ahead. Pitch mix has always been a hot topic when it comes to Liberatore because he has always had excellent breaking pitches and has had to navigate a pedestrian fastball. The narrative has been that if his fastball velocity dips at all, it won’t play at the major league level. Velocity has not been the problem, as both of Liberatore’s fastballs are up ~0.5 MPH. Perhaps his modest velocity increase has driven Libby mad with power and he is altering his pitch mix as a result? Here is the breakdown between 2025 and 2026. 

Liberatore has reduced his sinker usage by a couple of percentage points, but is throwing his four-seam fastball much more this year, up 5%. The results have been even worse this year. His xwOBA against on four-seamers has increased from a bad .370 to a downright horrific .455. Interestingly, most of the additional damage is coming from lefties. You can see in the chart above that Liberatore has increased his usage to lefties from 17% to 27%. The pitch has been battered to the tune of a .694 xwOBA. Lefties are basically better than peak Barry Bonds against Liberatore’s four-seam. Not to overly simplify things, but that really is the story of Liberatore’s year so far. He is throwing his worst pitch more frequently than ever and getting absolutely punished for it. On his offspeed and breaking pitches, his results have been right in line with last season. 

To look at this data from a more optimistic lens, Liberatore almost can’t do anything but get better. His fastball isn’t great, but it likely will not continue to get blasted around the yard at quite this rate, even if he doesn’t make any changes. With that said, it seems like the obvious answer is to dial back on the fastball usage a few notches while upping the breaking balls. Liberatore’s curveball and slider are both excellent pitches, both by pitch models and results. I don’t think it is as simple as throwing them 80% of the time, but he could bump them up from the 37% frequency with which he is now deploying them. 

There were some big positives in Libby’s nine-strikeout performance against the Pirates in his last start. Not only were the results better (until the fifth-inning blowup), but he seemed to have a better plan of attack. His curveball was his most frequently used pitch (23%) and his fastballs were only used 28% of the time. Not only did Liberatore throw his curveball more frequently, he threw it harder than he has the last two years, averaging 81 MPH with the pitch (up two MPH). He also had a two-year high in RPMs on the pitch with an average spin rate of 3,116 compared to a season average of 2,960. The extra sharpness helped Liberatore strike out five batters with the pitch while generating six swings and misses. In addition to the increased curves, Libby also threw nine cutters (12%). This utilization is closer to his 2025 mix and up from the 3% he has used it so far in 2026. 

I will be following Liberatore’s pitch mix closely the next couple of starts to see if he is making a concerted effort to minimize his fastball usage and rely more on the breakers, or if the Pittsburgh game was just a one-off day where he was spinning the ball particularly well. 

After looking a bit more closely at Liberatore’s pitch data, I am convinced he will at minimum return to the solid version of him we saw in 2025. It seems he is just not getting away with any mistakes thus far and has failed to execute at his normal level in three-ball counts. The problem is, fairly or not, the Cardinals really need Liberatore to be better than he was last year if they plan to keep pace with the rest of the NL Central. To do this, Libby needs to find a way to steer clear of his fastballs as much as possible. He has abandoned the splitter that he worked on over the offseason after throwing only seven of them (all in the month of April). The pitch grades well from a movement profile, so hopefully he is still working on it in the background.

Going forward, I would like to see Liberatore increase his curveball usage to above 20% and stop relying so much on his four-seam fastball, especially when behind in the count. If he can find a third pitch, whether it is the cutter, the splitter, or the changeup, to give hitters something else to think about, he could be the catalyst that keeps this Cardinals train on the tracks a little longer. 

The Colorado Rockies’ roster needs churn, and the trade deadline on Monday, August 3, 2026, is the first real chance to create it. 

They are in a better place than they were last year. A more functional front office and coaching staff, a more coherent roster, and a few useful veteran additions have moved them away from historically bad and closer to ordinary bad. That is progress.

It also should not be treated like something too precious to disturb. 

The Chicago White Sox are a useful reference point here. They were bad, churned the roster, found some useful players, and now look much more functional. The Rockies are not the White Sox, and their path will not look exactly the same. But the basic idea still applies: Bad rosters do not improve by standing still. 

Given their place in the standings, the Rockies should be thinking like sellers. That does not mean trading everyone. It does not mean moving useful players just to get younger. It means identifying which current players have more value to another club than they do to Colorado’s next competitive roster. 

The Rockies need more talent, more options, and more information. Some of that can come through promotions and waiver claims, and the MLB Draft is upcoming on July 11-12, 2026.

The most immediate path, though, is trading from the parts of the roster that actually have value. 

With that in mind, here is a way-too-early look at the trade board. 

Obvious value

Antonio Senzatela is the premium trade chip at the moment, and that is not just local speculation. Bob Nightengale of USA Today recently reported that rival executives see Senzatela as one of the potential hot commodities of the deadline, which tracks with both the results and the shape of the profile.

His move to the bullpen has worked: 1.19 ERA, 0.824 WHIP, 2.61 FIP, 26 strikeouts, eight walks, and 1.9 WAR through 30.1 innings. His guaranteed deal expires after this season, with a 2027 club option attached. That should create a real market.

The underlying numbers make the case even stronger. Senzatela is in the 86th percentile in fastball velocity at 96.9 mph, the 72nd percentile in walk rate, and he is not allowing much hard contact.

That does not make him risk-free, but it suggests the new role and the success are real enough for contenders to take seriously. If he keeps pitching this way, the Rockies should be looking for a premium return.

Mickey Moniak is the clearest position-player trade chip. He has a 148 OPS+, a .280/.335/.607 line, 12 home runs, and 0.9 WAR in 164 plate appearances. The overall line is boosted by Coors, but he also has a .772 OPS, a 115 wRC+ away from home — one of the better road offensive lines on the roster.

The underlying quality of contact supports a lot of the breakout, too: 80th-percentile expected slugging, 82nd-percentile barrel rate, and 74th-percentile bat speed. There is still approach risk, especially with the strikeouts and chase, but the damage is real.

The question is how other teams value the shape of the profile. Maybe he is not a .942 OPS superstar. Maybe he is not an everyday starter against righties. But a left-handed outfielder with real power, improving fielding metrics, and road production that holds up is still a useful trade chip. The Rockies do not need to move him just because he has value, but if another team buys the damage, he should bring back a strong return.

Hunter Goodman is the bolder position-player question. He has an extreme profile — a power bat who can stay behind the plate, and elite ABS skill at a position where that could matter more over time. The production is not theoretical, either. Since the start of 2025, Goodman has 42 home runs and a .500-plus slugging percentage, including 11 homers and a .472 slugging percentage this season.

That could bring back a pretty decent return, especially because catchers with that kind of power are hard to find. But Goodman is also only 26 and will not reach free agency until 2030, so this is not a player the Rockies need to move.

Skill-set and role value

Jake McCarthy, Troy Johnston, and Willi Castro also offer value, but probably in smaller, skill-based deals. McCarthy brings 98th-percentile sprint speed, a .277 expected batting average, playable defense, and enough offense to fit a bench role. Johnston is batting .367/.429/.525 against lefties, which gives him a clearer bench-bat case. Castro brings experience, switch-hitting, and the ability to cover multiple spots. Those players can help contenders, but the returns are more likely to be modest than headline-grabbing.

José Quintana and Tomoyuki Sugano fit the veteran innings bucket. Neither is likely to bring back a major piece, but back-end starters still move in July. If a contender needs rotation depth, the Rockies should be willing to turn short-term innings into future inventory.

The bullpen is the wild card. Relievers are volatile, but Senzatela is not the only Rockies arm who could have a market. Victor Vodnik, Juan Mejia, and Seth Halvorsen are all in the 90th percentile or higher for fastball velocity, giving the Rockies a few more arms with traits another club might want to buy.

No value — right now 

Edouard Julien is moving toward more of a roster decision than a trade-value situation. He has a 67 OPS+, a .216/.310/.304 line, and -0.7 WAR in 142 plate appearances. The plate discipline was the point of the acquisition, but the rest of the profile has to support it. Right now, the defense gives him very little margin for error. If the offense keeps slipping, he becomes harder to carry. There may still be a team interested in the approach, but the value is limited unless the bat rebounds. 

Michael Lorenzen is the clearest example of a player whose contract and timeline say trade candidate, but whose performance limits the market. He has a 7.03 ERA, 1.911 WHIP, 5.26 FIP, and -1.0 WAR in 48.2 innings. If another team sees a fix or just needs depth, the Rockies can listen, but right now he is closer to a money-clearing move or flyer return than a meaningful trade chip. 

Ezequiel Tovar, Jordan Beck, and Brenton Doyle all have traits another team might like, but the current value is not there. Tovar has a solid glove, contract control, and plays a premium position, but the offense has been terrible. Beck still has power and athleticism, but the offense has not shown enough in sparse playing time. Doyle is an elite defender with good speed, but without the bat, the trade return probably would not match the talent. 

Getting worse to get better

That is the trade board in broad strokes, at least for now. 

The Rockies do have some actual value to move. Senzatela and Moniak could bring real returns. Goodman could bring a strong one if the Rockies want to get bold. Castro, McCarthy, Johnston, Quintana, Sugano, and maybe another reliever are more modest trade pieces, but they still serve a purpose.  

The caveat is that selling will not automatically clear space for a finished wave of prospects. The realistic post-deadline evaluation group is still narrow — Adael Amador, Ryan Ritter, maybe Zac Veen (No. 9 PuRP) or Sterlin Thompson (No. 13 PuRP) — and the top of the system is not knocking down the major-league door yet. 

So yes, the Rockies might get worse than ordinary bad if they move the value they actually have. A Senzatela trade makes the bullpen thinner. A Quintana or Sugano trade makes the rotation less stable. Moving Moniak, Castro, Goodman, or McCarthy takes real production, depth, or flexibility out of the lineup. 

That is still okay. 

This is a way-too-early look. The names will change. The value will change. But given where the Rockies are in the rebuild, and given how much parity there is around the league, it is worth watching early. 

The Rockies do not need to force it yet. But this roster needs churn, and the deadline is the first real place to find it. 

So who should the Rockies be looking to move, and for what?

On the Farm

Triple-A: Albuquerque Isotopes 7, Las Vegas Aviators 2

The Albuquerque Isotopes improved to 27-22 with a 7-2 win over the Las Vegas Aviators, jumping out to a 7-0 lead by the third inning and holding it from there. Zac Veen (No. 9 PuRP) drove in three runs, going 1-for-3 with a walk and lifting his OPS to .817, while Nic Kent added the big swing with a two-run homer, his third of the season. Andrew Knizner went 2-for-4 with an RBI double and an .825 OPS. On the mound, Domingo Acevedo earned the win with five scoreless innings, allowing three hits and one walk while striking out nine.

Double-A: Hartford Yard Goats 8, New Hampshire Fisher Cats 1

The Hartford Yard Goats improved to 22-20 with an 8-1 win over the New Hampshire Fisher Cats, using a three-run fifth and a three-run sixth to pull away. Roc Riggio (No. 14 PuRP) led the offense, going 1-for-2 with a three-run homer, a sacrifice fly, four RBI, and two walks; he now has a .908 OPS on the season. Aidan Longwell added a two-run double, his 14th of the season, and now has a .772 OPS. On the mound, Connor Staine earned the win after allowing one run on one hit and four walks over five innings, striking out four and lowering his ERA to 4.46. The bullpen handled the rest, with Davison Palermo striking out six over three scoreless innings and Fidel Ulloa finishing the ninth with two strikeouts.

High-A: Vancouver Canadians 15, Spokane Indians 0

The Canadians (18-25) routed the Indians (17-26) 15–0, breaking the game open early and never letting Spokane get back in. Vancouver scored in four of the first five innings, including four-run rallies in the fourth and fifth, then added two more in the eighth. Daniel Guerrero got the win, while Spokane’s staff struggled with command and defense behind it, issuing 10 walks and committing four errors. The big swing came from Alexis Hernandez, who hit a grand slam in the third and finished with five RBI.

Single-A: Rancho Cucamonga Quakes 12, Fresno Grizzlies 7

Fresno (24-19) had enough offense to make this competitive, but Rancho Cucamonga’s (24-19) six-run second inning set the tone in a 12–7 Quakes win. The Grizzlies answered with three runs in the second and kept chipping away, including a sixth-inning homer from Clayton Gray. Jesus Freitez had Fresno’s biggest run-producing night, driving in three. Fresno finished with nine hits and seven walks, but the Grizzlies struck out 11 times, left eight on base, and committed three errors. Rancho made the most of its chances, scoring in four different innings and adding a four-run bottom of the sixth to pull away for good.

Agnos thrilled — and dialed in — during 1st start since high school | MLB.com

Over at MLB.com, Thomas Harding highlights one of the Rockies’ recent silver linings: Zach Agnos stepped into his first true start since high school and delivered five scoreless innings — a sharp, composed outing wasted in a 2–1 walk-off loss.

The Free Agency Signing the Rockies Should Be Quietly Celebrating | SI.com

Miguel Mike Medina from Sports Illustrated spotlights a Rockies move that may not grab headlines, but deserves attention: Tomoyuki Sugano has quietly been one of Colorado’s steadier offseason additions.

Rockies place OF Mickey Moniak on IL, recall Sterlin Thompson | purplerow.com

Here on Purple Row, Evan breaks down the Rockies’ newest roster moves: Moniak heads to the IL, Thompson gets the call back to the show, and the club makes a minor trade to keep reshuffling its depth.

Please keep in mind our Purple Row Community Guidelines when you’re commenting. Thanks! 

Good morning Birdland,

Those of you that have Apple TV+ were treated to quite the game on Friday night. The Orioles beat the Tigers 7-4 thanks to several exciting performances from throughout the roster.

Jackson Holliday had his first two hits of the season, including an important home run that just squeaked over the shortest part of the left field wall. Pete Alonso also went deep as part of a four-RBI night. Gunnar Henderson was the spark plug with three hits, a double, two runs scored, and constant pressure on the Detroit defense. And all six pitchers that were used basically did their job, though Keegan Akin did allow a solo home run on the very first pitch of the game.

It was the kind of game that gives you some sliver of hope that this team can claw their way back into contention. They demonstrated exactly what they are capable of on a baseball field. Of course, it came against a Tigers team that has been even more disappointing, but you can only play the teams on your schedule.

Speaking of, the Orioles desperately need to make the most of this lengthy homestand that began on Friday. After these Tigers, they play three against the Rays and four with the Blue Jays. Labeling anything as “must win” in May feels silly, but the team has dug themselves such a hole that wiggle room is limited.

Weather in the area looks dicey today. The worst of the storm is to our north, but it’s going to be chilly all day with a chance of rain throughout. Will the O’s and Tigers actually play the second game of their series today? Maybe. It seemed unlikely they would play all nine innings on Friday, and yet they made it through. Both teams will want to do all they can to avoid playing a double-header on a Sunday.

Links

Eflin: “I didn’t expect to feel this good so quickly after surgery” | Roch Kubatko
It’s nice to hear from Zach Eflin. It would have been even better to get more innings from him. But that’s the life of a big league pitcher. His time pitching for the Orioles is likely over, unless he and the team can agree to a much lower salary in 2027 than the $25 million on his mutual option. That kind of money just isn’t going to happen after two consecutive season-ending injuries.

With Nolan Arenado’s help — kind of — Orioles’ Jackson Holliday adapts to third base | The Baltimore Banner
This story is not as interesting as the headline would suggest. Holliday has a glove from Arenado, which makes sense since his dad, Matt, is a Rockies legend. It doesn’t sound like Holliday plans to actually use the mitt in game, but maybe it gives off some good vibes.

What has contributed to the Orioles’ latest May swoon? | Orioles.com
Um, everyone has been terrible? That’s not totally fair, but it’s also not really wrong. Almost the entire roster has underperformed their expectations. When that happens, you lose games. It gets even worse when some of the guys that were actually playing well falter. Maybe some positive regression is due to hit the Orioles now.

Orioles birthdays

Is it your birthday? Happy birthday!

• Logan Allen turns 29 today. The southpaw appeared in three games for the Orioles in 2022. He is currently in the Dodgers organization.
• Mike González is 48 years old. He was brought in to be the team’s closer in 2010, but early struggles followed by an injury put an end to that. He stuck around through 2011, compiling a 4.18 ERA over 78 total appearances for the Birds in those two seasons.

This day in O’s history

1999 – The Orioles beat the Rangers 15-6. Brady Anderson sets an American League record and ties an MLB record by being hit by a pitch twice in the first inning. Only two other batters in MLB history have ever “achieved” that outcome.

2000 – Despite Rickey Henderson drawing his 2,000th career walk, the Orioles beat the Mariners 4-2

2006 – O’s catcher Ramón Hernandez leads the Orioles to a 14-4 win over the M’s by going 3-for-5 with two home runs, one being a three-run bomb and the other a grand slam.

2015 – Brian Matusz is ejected for having a foreign substance on him, becoming the second player in the league to be accused of breaking the rules that week. The Brewers’ Will Smith had been ejected from a different game a few days earlier. Matusz receives an eight-game suspension.

Meet the Mets

In the series opener against the Marlins, the Mets got some fairly strong pitching performances from the trio of Tobias Myers, Sean Manaea, and Jonah Tong (who tossed three scoreless innings in his first major league outing of 2026). Unfortunately, aside from a very impressive solo homer from Juan Soto in the first, the bats couldn’t get anything working against the Miami pitching staff, leading to a 2-1 loss.

Choose your recap: Amazin’ Avenue, NY Post, Daily News, MLB.com

Tong’s return meant that another pitcher had to get cut from the active roster, and it was veteran Craig Kimbrel who ended up getting the boot.

Carlos Mendoza expressed admiration for Kimbrel following the decision, but his lengthy track record was not enough to save him.

The loss was disappointing, but Tong’s outing was nevertheless encouraging.

After last night’s game, The Athletic reported that Tong would be getting another outing for the Mets, and that they would also be calling up reliever Jonathan Pintaro shortly.

Kodai Senga made a rehab outing last night as he seeks to return to the major league pitching staff.

The Baby Mets continue to get opportunities, as all three of the team’s rookie outfielders started last night.

While the team may have lost last night, they may also be beginning to find their identity.

Howie Rose got to accomplish one of his dreams. No, not calling a Mets World Series victory, but meeting Paul McCartney.

Around the National League East

The Braves and Nationals went eleven innings before a two-out walk-off single from Chadwick Tromp gave Atlanta a 5-4 victory.

Christoper Sánchez continued his impressive run with eight scoreless innings, but the Phillies bats could not score, and a solo homer from Kyle Manzardo doomed Philadelphia to a 1-0 loss against the Guardians.

Federal Baseball examined three young pitchers with team-control that could be options for the Nationals to acquire to improve their pitching staff.

Around Major League Baseball

Major League Baseball revealed their plans for celebrating Memorial Day, including a National Moment of Remembrance and a special patch on uniforms.

Gerrit Cole pitched six scoreless innings in his return from Tommy John surgery.

Red Sox shortstop Trevor Story underwent surgery for a sports hernia and will be out for an extended period.

As if the Dodgers don’t have enough fortunes to boast over other teams, their farm system also has more outfield talent than anybody else.

While many April surprises tend to fade as the season goes on, several players and teams that turned heads in the beginning of the season are continuing along the same path.

Tired: ballpark proposals. Wired: ballpark weddings. Inspired: nine weddings in nine innings at a Durham Bulls game.

Bradford William Davis examined Major League Baseball’s attempts to investigate players accused of domestic violence, going back to their investigation of José Reyes in 2016.

Yesterday at Amazin’ Avenue

Vasilis Drimalitis previewed the weekend series in Miami, AKA the place where the Mets got eliminated last year.

Chris McShane reminded us all how good Huascar Brazobán has been for the Mets this year.

Joe Sokolowski provided the latest edition of This Week in Knicks Mets Quotes.

This Date in Mets History

Mike Piazza suited up for the Mets for the very first time on this date in 1998 (oh, and Al Leiter threw a four-hit shutout, by the way).

1911
Shano Collins hit the first three-run homer in Comiskey Park history — almost a year after the park opened! While that fact is fluky enough, Collins’ blow didn’t even leave the park: It was an inside-the-park smash to the deep center field of the park.

Collins’ milestone homer came at the expense of the New York Highlanders, and put Chicago up, 3-1, in the bottom of the fourth inning. However, the visitors rallied to tie with two runs in the top of the seventh, and won the game with a run-scoring single with two outs in the top of the 12th.

Ed Walsh went all 12 innings for the White Sox, taking the hard-luck loss. He walked seven, struck out seven — and picked off three runners in the game!

1928
One day after White Sox center fielder Johnny Mostil tied an AL record with 12 chances in a 4-3 win over Cleveland at Comiskey Park, the White Sox won again, 4-3. And in this game, there were more defensive heroics — but this time, by Cleveland.

The end of the game was positively crazy. In the bottom of the ninth, the White Sox rallied with an error, single and walk to load the bases, whereupon Mostil walked to tie the game, 3-3. But with the bases full and nobody out, first baseman Bud Clancy popped out to left field, and Cleveland’s Charlie Jamieson threw out Johnny Mann at home plate for a double play. Cleveland catcher Luke Sewell then threw to second base and caught Ray Schalk in a pickle, to be thrown out at third for a triple play.

Schalk was benched for the boner, and White Sox ace Ted Lyons came on to pitch the 10th inning. He ended up vulturing a win, as the White Sox rallied in the 10th: Bill Hunnefield walked, beat the throw to second base on Bill Barrett’s sacrifice bunt, moved to third on a walk to Alex Metzler, and scored on a Willie Kamm single.

Just two weeks later, on June 9, Jamieson initiated another triple play, against the Yankees.

1954
The White Sox quest to find a competent third baseman appeared to be at an end, as GM Frank Lane sent infielder Grady Hatton and $100,000 to Boston for All-Star George Kell. It was the first time the Red Sox had sold a player outright since the Babe Ruth transaction more than 25 years earlier. 

Kell’s best year for the White Sox was 1955, when he hit .312 with 81 RBIs. However, he had a bad back, which limited his playing time, and he was traded to the Orioles early in 1956 as part of a six-player deal.

2003
The Kannapolis Intimidators, in just their third season as a White Sox Low-A affiliate, were witness to a bizarre ejection during a road game against the Lakewood BlueClaws. With the BlueClaws up, 3-0, in the seventh, a huge storm begins and Lakewood groundskeeper Bill Butler rushed onto the field to prep it for the tarp. However, umpires Brandon Cooney and Steve Cummings hadn’t actually announced a game delay yet, and ejected Butler from the contest. It was believed to be the first-ever baseball ejection of a groundskeeper.

The game was unable to resume, and Kannapolis lost, 3-0. Among the future White Sox on the Intimidators roster in 2003 was pitcher Ehren Wasserman.

2024
Over the decades when the White Sox faced the Orioles you could almost count on something strange, bizarre or unusual taking place at some point, with the result usually costing the Sox an opportunity to win.

On this night at Guaranteed Rate Field, the Sox had scored four runs in the ninth inning and had the tying runs on base, trailing 8-6 … when the game ended in one of the strangest ways possible.

Andrew Benintendi hit a pop-up in the infield. As Orioles shortstop Gunnar Henderson drifted over to make the play base runner Andrew Vaughn was called for interference, even though Henderson had plenty of time to make the catch.

That ended the game, as Henderson was credited with an unassisted double play!

Will the Detroit Tigers ever win again? This is a question many fans were asking themselves on Friday night as they watched the offense finally score more than three runs for the first time in seven games, only to see another game lost by Jack Flaherty and the defense. The result was a 7-4 defeat to open the three-game series against the Orioles at Camden Yards.

Over the last nine games before this one, that four-run effort would have won five, tied two and lost two. This team is beyond out of sync at this point and collapsing into pure chaos.

Perhaps left-hander Framber Valdez can turn the tide for the Motor City Kitties. He will be taking the mound on Saturday afternoon looking to improve on his previous outing — a five-inning, four-run effort that saw him surrender five hits and four walks while striking out three Cleveland Guardians for his third loss of the season.

The last time the 32-year-old saw the Orioles was last year with the Houston Astros on Aug. 18, when he threw 6 2/3 frames of four-run (three earned) ball on nine hits (one home run) and a walk while striking out six to take the loss.

Up against Valdez will be right-hander Brandon Young, who has been exceptionally mediocre in his second major league season. The 27-year-old has one quality start to his credit, but that was his lone six-plus innings effort. He only made it through 3 1/3 frames last time out against the Washington Nationals and has allowed at least two runs in five of his six appearances.

Young has faced the Tigers once before in his second major league game last year on April 26. He allowed three runs on four hits and five walks while striking out six over 4 2/3 innings for his first big league loss.

Take a look at how the two match up below.

Detroit Tigers (20-32) vs. Baltimore Orioles (22-29)

Time (ET): 4:05 p.m.
Place: Camden Yards, Baltimore, Maryland
SB Nation Site:Camden Chat
Media: Detroit SportsNet, MLB.TV, Tigers Radio Network

Game 53: LHP Framber Valdez (2-3, 4.58 ERA) vs. RHP Brandon Young (3-1, 4.25 ERA)

VALDEZ

YOUNG

Few saw this coming from the Tampa Bay Rays. They haven’t just given the Yankees a run for the money, but they sit atop the AL East standings, as well as the overall American League standings, as these two clubs square off for a weekend matchup in late May. Though both teams have gotten off to both starts, they’ve taken very different routes to get there. You’ll find elite talent on both sides, with the likes of Junior Caminero and Aaron Judge, but what we’re interested in is what makes each club stand out above the rest.

We begin on the offensive side of the ball, where the Yankees are fourth, and the Rays are eighth in runs scored. Both teams hover around the best offenses in the American League, but they go about it in opposite directions. While the Yankees heavily rely on power, leading baseball with 73 home runs, the Rays’ 41 have them ranked 27th out of 30 MLB teams.

Some version of a dropoff in power from last season was always expected from Tampa, making the move back from George Steinbrenner Field to the Trop. In Caminero, the Rays have a star bat whose 13 home runs put him close to the best in the American League, but what generates this staggering difference between the Rays and Yankees is in how they complement their stars offense.

While Tampa has to look for bats with alternative skill sets to surround the likes of Caminero and Yandy Diaz, such as Chandler Simpson and Richie Palacios, the Yankees can afford to stack on power. It’s actually scary to think that their offensive numbers are what they are, despite Jazz Chisholm Jr. and Trent Grisham vastly underwhelming and Giancarlo Stanton sidelined. On the flip side, even with so many fewer home runs, the Rays don’t sit far apart from the Yankees on the run-scoring table with the third-highest average and OBP in baseball—New York is at 22nd and 8th, respectively. Just because power is king doesn’t mean you can’t thrive by putting the ball in play, particularly if you get on base enough.

Moving over to the pitching side of things, the Yankees and Rays sit fourth and fifth, respectively, in ERA+, although there happens to be a rather sizeable gap between them, the Yankees at 128 and the Rays at 117. Much as it is the case offensively, the Rays manage to make it a closer battle than it should be for the staff with the third-fewest strikeouts, while the Yankees are number three in the American League with 449 K’s. The same goes for home run prevention, where, in particular, the Yankees’ rotation has thrived, number one in the sport. Tampa’s bullpen has had difficulties keeping the ball in the yard, and outside of the two-headed monster of Griffin Jax and Bryan Baker, their unit has lacked the depth to truly dominate opposing batters.

Virtually operating with a four-man rotation up to this point, the Rays lack the depth to sustain potential injuries, something the Yankees have done incredibly well up to this point. And that’s not to mention Nick Martínez’s likely unsustainable production with a 1.51 ERA in nine starts.

The number one lesson to take away from all of this is that the general assumption that the Yankees remain favorites to win the AL East isn’t without merit. They have a far sturdier foundation in the key aspects of a big league club: ability to hit for power, strikeout prowess—it all favors the Yankees. Their depth has been tested so far and survived, while the Rays could be headed for a bout of regression at some point. That being said, we know not to fully underestimate the Rays by now. The games they’ve won can’t be taken away, and they’ve built a lead in the AL East. Even if the Yankees have a better roster on paper, they have plenty of work to do if they want to reclaim the top spot in the division.

Triple-A: Syracuse Mets (26-22)

BUFFALO 4, SYRACUSE 2 (BOX)

Daniel Duarte, fresh off his major league cameo, gave up two runs on two hits and two walks in one inning pitched against the former Mets’ affiliate. Jared Young went 2-4 with a double on his way (hopefully) back to Queens.

• 2B Christian Arroyo: 1-5, K
• LF-1B Jared Young: 2-4, R, 2B
• DH Eric Wagaman: 1-3, BB
• 1B-LF Ryan Clifford: 0-3, RBI, 2 K
• 3B Andy Ibáñez: 1-4, K
• RF Ji Hwan Bae: 1-4, R, K
• CF Cristian Pache: 0-3, BB
• C Kevin Parada: 2-4
• SS Yonny Hernández: 0-2, RBI, BB, SB
• P Daniel Duarte: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 2 K
• P Ben Simon: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 0 K
• P Zach Peek: 2.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 2 K
• P Ofreidy Gómez: 2.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K
• P Cionel Pérez: 1.2 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 3 K
• P Alex Carrillo: 1.1 IP, 0 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 1 K

Double-A: Binghamton Rumble Ponies (15-28)

RICHMOND 10, BINGHAMTON 5 (BOX)

Wyatt Young had the distinction of driving in a run and giving up two as he pitched the eighth inning for the Rumble Ponies in a trouncing by the Flying Squirrels. Nick Lorusso picked up a pair of hits, including a home run, in the team’s only real offensive performance of the game.

• DH-SS Marco Vargas: 0-5, K
• C Chris Suero: 0-4, BB, K
• 3B Jacob Reimer: 0-2, R, 3 BB
• LF Eli Serrano III: 1-5, 2B, 3 K
• CF Jose Ramos: 1-2, 2 R, RBI, 3 BB, E
• 2B Nick Lorusso: 2-5, 2 R, HR, 2 RBI, K, SB
• RF Jaylen Palmer: 0-2, BB, K, SB
• 1B TT Bowens: 0-4, RBI, 2 K, E
• SS-P Wyatt Young: 2-3, RBI
• P Jordan Geber: 3.0 IP, 2 H, 3 R, 1 ER, 3 BB, 2 K
• P Gabriel Rodriguez: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 0 K
• P Carlos Guzman: 1.0 IP, 4 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 0 BB, 1 K
• P Jefry Yan: 2.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 4 K
• P Wyatt Young: 1.0 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 0 K

High-A: Brooklyn Cyclones (12-31)

BROOKLYN 10, HUDSON VALLEY 3 (BOX)

Joe Jacques is on rehab assignment in Brooklyn and scattered three hits and two strikeouts over an inning of work. Otherwise, Brooklyn had a very weird offensive night, where they managed to have three players drive in four collective runs without a hit.

• SS Mitch Voit: 0-2, R, RBI, BB, K, SB
• CF John Bay: 2-5, 2 R, RBI, K, SB
• 1B Corey Collins: 0-2, R, RBI, 3 BB, K
• C Daiverson Gutierrez: 0-4, 2 RBI, BB
• 3B Yonatan Henriquez: 3-5, R, 2B, RBI, 2 K
• RF JT Benson: 1-5, R, 2B, 3 K
• LF Sam Biller: 0-3, R, 2 K
• DH Nick Roselli: 0-3, 2 R, BB, 2 K
• 2B Diego Mosquera: 0-1, R, 3 BB, K
• P Frank Camarillo: 6.0 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 3 K
• P Adbert Alzolay: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 0 K
• P Joe Jacques: 1.0 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 2 K
• P Garrett Stratton: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 1 K

Single-A: St. Lucie Mets (18-25)

ST LUCIE 7, PALM BEACH 6 (BOX)

Kodai Senga made a rehab start for St. Lucie and went three and a third innings, allowing four hits on a two runs, along with a walk and two strikeouts. It’s a start. Branny De Oleo, Chase Meggers, and Jamari Baylor all hit dingers in the dub.

• SS Elian Peña: 2-4, RBI, K, E
• 3B Jeremy Rodriguez: 0-3, RBI, K
• 1B Randy Guzman: 2-3, R, K
• CF Yohairo Cuevas: 0-2, R, BB, K
• DH Julio Zayas: 0-4, K
• RF AJ Salgado: 0-2, 2 BB, K, SB
• LF Branny De Oleo: 1-4, R, HR, RBI, 2 K
• C Chase Meggers: 3-4, 3 R, 2 2B, HR, RBI, K, E
• 2B Jamari Baylor: 1-3, R, HR, RBI
• P Kodai Senga: 3.1 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 2 K
• P Jose Chirinos: 5.1 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 3 BB, 10 K
• P Miguel Mejias: 0.1 IP, 2 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, 0 K

Rookie: FCL Mets (6-8)

FCL METS 7, FCL NATIONALS 4 (BOX)

• 3B Bohan Adderley: 1-4, R, HR, 2 RBI, K
• CF Trey Snyder: 1-2, BB
• 1B Josmir Reyes: 0-1, R
• 2B Anthony Frobose: 1-4, K, E
• C Yovanny Rodriguez: 1-3, R, RBI
• DH Yeider Mindiola: 1-2, 2 R, 2 BB, K, SB
• RF-CF Heriberto Rincon: 1-4, R, HR, 3 RBI, K
• SS Diover De Aza: 1-2, BB, SB
• 1B-RF Justin Ramirez: 1-2, R, BB, K
• LF Adolfo Miranda: 0-3, K
• P Julio Gonzalez: 5.0 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 3 K
• P Eris Albino: 3.0 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 1 K

STAR OF THE NIGHT

Chase Meggers

GOAT OF THE NIGHT

Daniel Duarte

There is almost no chance that today or Sunday’s games get played, right? The forecast for these games is beyond poor, so methinks this gets made up as a doubleheader on some random August day.

On to the links.

Phillies news:

• J.T. Realmuto and Aaron Nola, two of the mainstays from this era, are still looking for answers to their rough seasons ($).
• Rhys Hoskins returned with the Guardians. His injury with the Phillies is something that still bothers Bryce Harper.
• Five individually packed thoughts about the Phillies, including worries about the offense when Kyle Schwarber isn’t in the lineup.

MLB news:

• This trade deadline will be an interesting one to watch, so here are some of the X-factors that could change things up a bit.
• Another day, another top pitching prospect going down to Tommy John surgery. This time, it’s Robby Snelling in Miami.

Losses by 6-0. 15-2. 10-1. How do you want to spin the Angels now, GM Perry Minasian? Are things still grand in Arteville?

Humiliations galore!

Jim Fredrick
Manhattan Beach

Really? The Angels cannot hit, cannot pitch and certainly cannot field. Their hitting coach, pitching coach and manager Kurt Suzuki‘s terrible management are much higher on the list of what’s wrong with this miserable team this year. So sad.

Michael Reuben
Anaheim Hills

The recent emergence of shirt-waving fans at Angel Stadium urging ownership to “sell the team” is an opportunity for reflection. With the long ago departure of the controversial former Clippers owner Donald Sterling, is Arte Moreno now truly the worst owner in sports? Sterling was truly detestable in his time, but at least he fielded a highly competitive and exciting Lob City squad led by legendary coach Doc Rivers. For the 2026 Angels, the dog days have already begun — before Memorial Day weekend.

Rob Fleishman
Placentia

Going into Memorial Day weekend, the Dodgers are in first place and the Angels are in last place. Plus the Angels’ shirtless fans in the stands are screaming at owner Arte Moreno to “Sell The Team!” The more things change, the more they stay the same. Ho hum.

Chris Sorce
Fountain Valley

True sportsmen

“Rai clinches historic PGA title” and “Son makes ailing mother proud on, off the field.”

Both L.A. Times articles filled me with joy and prompted this letter.

Aaron Rai and Kaden Tennyson are champions of the highest order.

The essence of sports is good sportsmanship, which stems from good character and a respect for the game. What stood out to me while reading both articles is that both sportsmen are righteous, grateful people who honor their parents in meaningful ways. Aaron pays respect to his father by protecting his golf clubs with covers. No doubt his appreciation goes far beyond how he keeps his clubs. Kaden puts his service to his mother above all else in his life. He’s mindful of her delicate condition (a notion with which I am keenly familiar). Kaden’s care for his mother is paramount.

Just reading the many well-wishes heaped upon Aaron from his fellow pros affirms he is a well-loved, well-respected man. Kaden makes his mother proud; her heart surely swells with immeasurable joy from the comfort he gives her day in and day out.

Thank you, Kaden and Aaron, and congratulations for being such accomplished athletes and even more so, for being great human beings.

David Griffin
Westwood

Nobody knew?

So my Dodgers are paying injured Edwin Díaz $69 million over three seasons and he’s involved with cockfighting. While he’s out perhaps the club should re-sign Trevor Bauer.

Better vetting please.

Fred Wallin
Westlake Village

Wrong kind of homers

Re: “Sour Grapes from the Big Apple.” While there, regrettably, will never be another sportscaster with Vin Scully’s intellectual elan and gift for turning the pedestrian into something remarkable, he seldom if ever rooted for the home team, choosing instead to root for the game itself. The same cannot be said for Joe Davis and his cohorts, who make their favoritism no secret and who have never met a silence they didn’t feel compelled to fill.

Bill Waxman
Simi Valley

Sports nirvana

If you’re a true sports fan, this time of year is seventh heaven. You have playoff basketball and hockey, which are both great, especially this year. And you have the Dodgers. We have about one more month of this nirvana and then the summer lull will set in until football. So to all of us hardcore sports fans, let’s sit back and enjoy!!

Doug Vikser
Manhattan Beach

The Los Angeles Times welcomes expressions of all views. Letters should be brief and become the property of The Times. They may be edited and republished in any format. Each must include a valid mailing address and telephone number. Pseudonyms will not be used.

Email: sports@latimes.com

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

Indianapolis Indians 7, Toledo Mud Hens 3 (box)

The Tigers moved reliever Zack Lee up from West Michigan with Brenan Hanifee headed to Baltimore to fill in for an injured Burch Smith, and it did not go well.

Troy Watson got the start, and despite minimal whiffs, navigated five scoreless frames. The Hens gave him a quick lead when Ben Malgeri was hit to start the bottom of the first. Max Clark pulled a hard ground ball down the first base line for an RBI triple, and it was 1-0 Hens.

Both teams were otherwise quiet until the sixth. Max Burt and Malgeri singled, and after Clark struck out, a balk advanced both runners. Max Anderson struck out as well, but Antwone Kelly walked Eduardo Valencia to load the bases. Isaac Mattson took over and Jace Jung pulled a two-run double to right field for a 3-0 lead.

Unfortunately, the first four batter reached against Lee, the last of which was a single that plated two runs with the help of a Jung error at second base on the relay. Lee walked the next hitter before getting a pop-out, and Tyler Mattison took over. Mattison didn’t do a whole lot better, allowing two more runs before getting out of the inning and it was 5-3 Indy. Mattison gave up two more in the eighth and that was that.

Malgeri: 2-3, 2 R, K

Clark: 1-4, RBI, 3B, K

Watson: 5.0 IP, 0 R, 2 H, BB, 2 K

Coming Up Next: It’s a 7:05 p.m. ET start on Saturday with the series tied up.

Erie SeaWolves at Altoona Curve (postponed)

They’ll play two on Saturday in Altoona with the Curve up 2-1 in the series.

South Bend Cubs 5, West Michigan Whitecaps 4 (box)

Andrew Sears made another rehab outing in this one, looking reasonably close to full strength, but as it’s gone for the past five weeks, the Whitecaps bullpen is terrible and did terribly.

Sears worked three innings of one-run ball, allowing two hits and a walk. He struck out three, and his velocity looked just about back to normal. He should be back with Erie the next time out. Carlos Marcano took over and allowed a run in the fifth.

The Whitecaps scored first when singles from Luke Shliger and Garrett Pennington set up a sacrifice fly from Clayton Campbell in the bottom of the first. It was 2-1 Cubs after the top of the fifth, but the Whitecaps fought back in the bottom half.

Junior Tilien got them started with a leadoff single, and Juan Hernandez doubled him to third. A Shliger automatic doubled plated both runs to take a 3-2 lead. Three walks pushed across another run to make it 4-2.

Ryan Harvey allowed three runs in the seventh, with the help of a Hernandez throwing error, to blow it.

Shliger: 2-5, 2 R, 2 RBI, 2B, K

Hernandez: 2-4, R, 2B, K, CS

Sears: 3.0 IP, ER, 2 H, BB, 3 K

Coming Up Next: It’s a 7:05 p.m. ET start for the 14-29 Whitecaps.

Lakeland Flying Tigers 3, Bradenton Marauders 2 (box)

The Tigers are still being quite careful with Kelvis Salcedo as he builds up to full strength, but considering the plague of injuries it’s hard to argue with. The right-hander fired three scoreless frames, and the Flying Tigers rallied in the bottom of the ninth to walk off the Marauders on Friday.

Salcedo struck out three in those three innings, allowing just two hits and no walks. He averaged a bit over 95 mph with his fastballs and the cutter was sharp. Jatnk Diaz succeeded him, allowing a run in the fifth.

The Flying Tigers tied it up in the seventh. Zach MacDonald was plunked to lead off the inning and stole his 11th base on the year. Edian Espinal singled to right, but Javier Osorio grounded to third where the Marauders got MacDonald as the lead runner. Fortunately, Anibal Salas lined an RBI single to center field and just off the Marauders’ outfielder’s glove. Osorio was cut down trying to go first to third, but it was a 1-1 game.

Pedro Garcia allowed a solo shot in the eighth as the Marauders took a 2-1 lead.

However, in the top of the ninth, Yendy Gomez worked out of a jam to hold the game at one run. In the bottom of the ninth, MacDonald reached on an error with one out. Espinal drilled a double to center field to score MacDonald and tie the game. Osorio reached on an infield single that was deflected by reliever Draven Zeigler. Osorio took second base, but it was unnecessary as Jack Goodman lifted a fly ball to right field, and Espinal tagged and scored the game winner.

Espinal: 2-3, 2 R, RBI, 2B, BB

MacDonald: 0-2, R, BB, K, 2 SB

Salcedo: 3.0 IP, 0 R, 2 H, 0 BB, 3 K

Coming Up Next: The Flying Tigers will look to lock up a series victory at 6:00 p.m. ET on Saturday.

FCL Tigers 5, FCL Blue Jays 0 (box)

Luis Aguilera: 2-3, 2 R, RBI

Josueth Quinonez: 2-3, 2 RBI

Santiago Pinto: 1-3, R, BB

Aleiman Cruz: 2.2 IP, 0 R, H, 3 BB, 3 K