SEDONA, AZ - OCTOBER 07, 2014 - Chapel of the Holy Cross built in the red rocks of Arizona in Sedona, October 07, 2014. (Photo by Ricardo DeAratanha/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
Today’s Lineups
NATIONALS
DIAMONDBACKS
James Wood – DH
Ketel Marte – 2B
Curtis Mead – 3B
Corbin Carroll – RF
Andres Chaparro – 1B
Gabriel Moreno – C
CJ Abrams – SS
Nolan Arenado – 3B
Dylan Crews – RF
Pavin Smith – DH
Daylen Lile – LF
Ryan Waldschmidt – CF
Jacob Young – CF
Geraldo Perdomo – SS
Nasim Nunez – 2B
LuJames Groover – 1B
Keibert Ruiz – C
Tommy Troy – LF
Zack Littell – RHP
E. Rodriguez – LHP
Roster moves
The Arizona Diamondbacks made the following roster moves. The D-backs’ 40-man roster is at 40.
Recalled from Triple-A Reno: RHP Drey Jameson
Optioned to Reno: RHP Kade Strowd (following last night’s game)
Strowd left the game with what Torey Lovullo called a “dead arm”, but the fact he’s not immediately going on the IL is, hopefully, good news. Lovullo said today that the pitcher is alright “so far,” but will continue to be evaluated. Given he threw 32 pitches, it’s likely he would have needed a day or two off anyway. Also, Taylor Clarke should be back tomorrow, and one imagines Abner will be going back down, especially after his terrible performance last night.
Anyway, the main topic is a question Chicharron asked in last night’s recap: “Are the D-Backs on their way to setting an MLB record for most innings pitched in a season by position players?” Of course, that kinda depends on your definition of “position players”. Does Shohei Ohtani count? I mean, he certainly is a position player. The list of teams with most position player appearances on the mound is dominated by two-way players. The top pair are the Brewers in 2003 and 2004, with 42 and 33 respectively. But all 75 of those were by Brooks Kieschnick, who appeared as an outfielder, DH and pinch-hitter for Milwaukee too. Rick Ankiel and Ohtani also appear in the top ten.
The “true” record since the D-backs entered the league probably belongs to the 2022 Tigers, who used a position player on twelve occasions to pitch twelve innings, Cody Clemens appearing seven times. The only other team to reach double digits might be a surprise: the 2022 Dodgers, who won 111 games. Hanser Alberto pitched 11 innings for them – but just two of those were in blowout losses, the others seeing him come in with at least an eight-run lead. The D-backs so far are at five appearances and 5.2 innings after Adrian Del Castillo’s outing. So the pace is there, but last night was the first such since April, when James McCann pitched in four games. Stay tuned, folks…
PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA - MAY 31: Braxton Ashcraft #35 of the Pittsburgh Pirates pitches in the first inning during the game against the Minnesota Twins at PNC Park on May 31, 2026 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Justin Berl/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Pittsburgh Pirates are on the road today against the Atlanta Braves looking to grab a win.
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MESA, ARIZONA - MARCH 22, 2026: Kade Morris #12 of the Athletics throws a pitch during the fourth inning of a spring training Spring Breakout game against the Milwaukee Brewers at Hohokam Stadium on March 22, 2026 in Mesa, Arizona. (Photo by Chris Bernacchi/Diamond Images via Getty Images) | Diamond Images/Getty Images
Game two in Houston is set to get going as the Athletics hope to get back in the win column against their division rivals. The squad fell last night in the series opener but the team can right the ship with a win in the second game of this weekend series in Houston.
We got an MLB debut today as right-hander Kade Morris will be getting the ball for the very first time in the big leagues. The A’s prospect finally got the call after steadily climbing the minors over the past couple of years. He’d had a solid season in the hitter-friendly PCL but now he’ll be tasked with taking on a major league lineup for the first time. The 23-year-old is a ground-ball machine and that should play up in the Astros’ ballpark.
The usual lineup full of the regulars today. Carlos Cortes is leading off, leaving Lawrence Butler on the bench. Against a right-handed pitcher. Take that for what you will.
As for the Astros, they’ll counter our rookie starting pitcher with their own “rookie” in Japanese right-hander Tatsuya Imai. The 28-year-old high-priced offseason acquisition had a tough start stateside plus a stint on the IL with arm fatigue but has returned and looked solid overall in four starts since being activated. He’s been sharp in his two most recent outings as well, pitching 12 innings and allowing just two runs. The A’s bats will need to figure it out against an unknown enemy if they want to get the win today.
Apr 3, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Baltimore Orioles starting pitcher Kyle Bradish (38) delivers a pitch against the Pittsburgh Pirates during the first inning at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images | Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images
The Orioles have won 10 of their last 14 games and are just two games under .500. With their win last night, they have pulled ahead of the Blue Jays to take sole possession of third place in the American League East. They sit 1/2 game back of the third Wild Card spot. The team in the last spot, the Rangers, have the same number of wins as the Orioles.
It’s dangerous to have too much hope because this team has let us down many times before. But the longer this stretch of good play goes on, the easier it is to feel good. And with Kyle Bradish on the mound today, it’s even easier to think we could see another win.
After a clunker to kick off the month of May, Bradish kicked off a fantastic five-start run in which he pitched to a 1.72 ERA with 30 strikeouts in 31.1 innings. His last start of May came against these very Blue Jays, and he pitched seven innings with on unearned run allowed. On May 2nd, his ERA was 5.04; it is now 3.44. I am excited to say that Kyle Bradish is back.
The Orioles will face opener Brayd0n Fisher today, a righty relief pitcher with a 2.82 ERA and sub-1 WHIP. He’s pitched in 32 games this year but has made just two appearances as an opener. Against the Yankees, he pitched 1.1 innings. He faced five batters and struck out four. Against the Marlins, he pitched a scoreless first with one hit allowed.
If you’re wondering about the health of Samuel Basallo, you’re not alone. Basallo exited yesterday’s game early with abdominal soreness. Craig Albernaz told reporters today that Basallo is still being evaluated, but hopes to avoid a trip to the Injured List. In the meantime, Sam Huff has been activated from the taxi squad. Weston Wilson was DFA’s to make room.
Orioles lineup
Taylor Ward (R) DH Gunnar Henderson (L) SS Adley Rutschman (S) C Pete Alonso (R) 1B Coby Mayo (R) 3B Leody Taveras (S) CF Colton Cowser (L) RF Blaze Alexander (R) LF Jackson Holliday (L) 2B
Blue Jays lineup
George Springer (R) DH Nathan Lukes (L) RF Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (R) 1B Jesús Sánchez (L) LF Ernie Clement (R) 2B Brandon Valenzuela (S) C Kazuma Okamoto (R) 3B Andrés Giménez (L) SS Myles Straw (R) CF
Jun 5, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers left fielder Alex Call (12) dumps a cooler of ice water on first baseman Freddie Freeman (5) after hitting a walk-off home run Los Angeles Angels in the ninth inning at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
It was Freeman’s fifth walk-off hit with the Dodgers in the regular season, and his first home run. But you might remember that the first baseman has also authored two of the most famous World Serieswalk-off home runs in history as well. All told, Freeman has 20 career walk-off hits in the regular season and postseason, putting him in very rare company.
Baseball Reference has full play-by-play data dating back to 1910, and in the 117 seasons in the database the Dodgers have hit 224 walk-off home runs, a tad under two per year on average. Since moving to Los Angeles, they’ve averaged about 2.4 walk-off homers per regular season.
Only once did the Brooklyn Dodgers hit a walk-off home run in a 0-0 game. On May 2, 1955 at Ebbets Field, Carl Furillo took Gene Conley of the Milwaukee Braves deep in the 12th inning, but that was a two-run shot that also scored Jackie Robinson. Conley started that game for Milwaukee and went the whole way, as did winning pitcher Carl Erskine with his 12 scoreless frames. Furillo pushed Brooklyn’s record to 16-2, on their way to a 22-2 start and a runaway pennant on their way to the franchise’s first World Series championship.
Freeman’s 1-0 walk-off winner was the first by the team since Yasmani Grandal did in the Arizona Diamondbacks on May 3, 2015 in the 13th inning, the latest in the game any of these home runs were hit. The Russell Martin home run on August 13, 2006 finished off a classic 10-inning tilt on ESPN Sunday Night Baseball featuring Greg Maddux needing only 68 pitches in his eight scoreless innings in a duel with future Dodger Jason Schmidt when he still had intact shoulder ligaments.
Five of these nine 1-0 home runs came in extra innings.
Player
Date
Opponent
Pitcher
Inning
Tommy Davis
Jun 18, 1962
Cardinals
Bob Gibson
9th
Eric Karros
Sep 20, 2000
D-backs
Byung-Hyun Kim
9th
Gary Sheffield
May 12, 2001
Braves
Matt Whiteside
9th
Paul Lo Duca
Sep 27, 2002
Padres
Jeremy Fikac
10th
Russell Martin
Aug 13, 2006
Giants
Vinnie Chulk
10th
Matt Kemp
Jun 1, 2010
D-backs
JC. Gutiérrez
10th
Yasiel Puig
Jul 28, 2013
Reds
Curtis Partch
11th
Yasmani Grandal
May 3, 2015
D-backs
Evan Marshall
13th
Freddie Freeman
Jun 5, 2026
Angels
Kirby Yates
9th
The Dodgers’ last two games have been decided on walk-off home runs, with a loss on Thursday before Friday’s win. Los Angeles still has not played an extra-inning game this season, the only MLB team in 2026 who has yet to play beyond nine innings.
The Los Angeles Dodgers look to stay hot tonight when they host the Los Angeles Angels.
Yashinobu Yamamoto is having a strong season for the defending World Series champs, and my Angels vs. Dodgers predictions and MLB picks break down why his team is set to cruise as heavy favorites on Saturday, June 6.
Who will win Angels vs Dodgers tonight: Dodgers -2.5 (+104)
When Los Angeles Angels right-hander Jack Kochanowicz doesn’t have his sinker working, he reverts to a four-seam fastball that opponents are posting a .241 ISO and a 53.5% FB% against in 2026.
Kochanowicz’s strikeout rate, chase rate, and xERA all rank in the 16th percentile or worse. An inability to miss bats is simply inviting trouble from this patient Los Angeles Dodgers lineup, which has the highest hard-hit% and third-lowest GB% over the past two weeks.
I'd play this runline to -105.
COVERS INTEL:Opposing hitters registered a 26.6% soft contact rate vs. Yamamoto over the past month — the highest rate for any pitcher with at least 20 IP in that span.
Angels vs Dodgers Over/Under pick: Under 8.5 (+100)
Despite expecting Kochanowicz to get pummeled, I’m expecting the game flow to lead to a lower-scoring affair.
Dodgers ace Yoshinobu Yamamoto has thrived at avoiding contact this season, boasting a 29.9% whiff rate driven by his nasty fastball/splitter combo. His stellar command has also led to a 5.6% walk rate ranking in the 90th percentile.
The Angels have the eighth-highest K% vs. RHP over the past two weeks, and aside from Mike Trout, I don’t see many matchup advantages. The Dodgers will put up runs, but not enough to carry the total by themselves.
Take the Under to -110.
Jason Ence's 2026 Transparency Record
ML/RL bets: 9-14, -5.94 units
Over/Under bets: 14-9, +4.28 units
Angels vs Dodgers odds
Moneyline: Angels +290 | Dodgers -360
Run line: Angels +2.5 (-132) | Dodgers -2.5 (+104)
Over/Under: Over 8.5 (-120) | Under 8.5 (+100)
Angels vs Dodgers trend
The Angels have hit the game total Under in 10 of their last 15 road games (+4.50 Units / 27% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for Angels vs. Dodgers.
How to watch Angels vs Dodgers and game info
Location
Dodger Stadium, Los Angeles, CA
Date
Saturday, June 6, 2026
First pitch
10:10 p.m. ET
TV
ABTV, SportsNet LA
Angels starting pitcher
Jack Kochanowicz (2-4, 5.23 ERA)
Dodgers starting pitcher
Yoshinobu Yamamoto (5-4, 2.86 ERA)
Angels vs Dodgers latest injuries
Angels vs Dodgers 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 New York Mets will look to extend their winning streak to three games as they visit the San Diego Padres tonight.
Griffin Canning hasn't found his rhythm on the mound this season, and I'm backing New York to get the better of him once again in my Mets vs. Padres predictions.
Read on for my full breakdown and free MLB picks for Saturday, June 6.
Although New York Mets starter Nolan McLean (3-4, 4.21 ERA) has gone through a rough patch himself, his underlying numbers look good. The hard-throwing righty is striking out 10.4 batters per nine innings while holding opponents to a .291 xwOBA.
I expect the Mets to hit Canning hard and like them to win at -130 or better.
This is a matchup between what might be the league’s two worst offenses. The Padres (.289) and Mets (.292) are at the bottom of the league in wOBA, take up the worst two spots in OPS, and both have a heavy lean to the Under this year.
The Padres are dead last in run production (3.79 per game) and struggle against McLean’s signature pitch, pulling just 9.7% of sinkers in the air. Even if the Mets fare better against Canning, the Under is the clear play for me, and I’d back it to -120.
Ed Scimia's 2026 Transparency Record
ML/RL bets: 11-15, -4.66 units
Over/Under bets: 8-16, -8.40 units
Mets vs Padres odds
Moneyline: Mets -124 | Padres +106
Run line: Mets -1.5 (+134) | Padres +1.5 (-162)
Over/Under: Over 7.5 (-110) | Under 7.5 (-110)
Mets vs Padres trend
San Diego is 0-5 SU in Canning’s last five starts. Find more MLB betting trends for Mets vs. Padres.
How to watch Mets vs Padres and game info
Location
Petco Park, San Diego, CA
Date
Saturday, June 6, 2026
First pitch
10:10 p.m. ET
TV
SNY, Padres.TV
Mets starting pitcher
Nolan McLean (3-4, 4.21 ERA)
Padres starting pitcher
Griffin Canning (0-4, 7.16 ERA)
Mets vs Padres latest injuries
Mets vs Padres 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.
Apr 19, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Detailed view of the batting helmet of Toronto Blue Jays first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. in the first inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
I’m putting this together early, cause I’m running off to get a scan on this foot that I did something to. It is feeling much better today, but the doctor wants to see what I did. It was the strangest thing
Spencer Miles is actually getting the start today. Simeon Woods Richardson will likely get his first action as a Blue Jay. Beyond that, the leverage arms all should be available.
I thought there might be a roster move before the game today, but not yet anyway.
Apparently Chris Bassitt appreciated the video tribute yesterday:
Caught up with former #BlueJays, Chris Bassitt, and asked him about his video tribute. Said he got choked up watching it:
“This whole place is too emotional for me… This place will always be the most special place for me… My son is Canadian!..there are so many different ties”
MILWAUKEE, WI - JUNE 01: Landen Roupp #65 of the San Francisco Giants pitches during the game between the San Francisco Giants and the Milwaukee Brewers at American Family Field on Monday, June 1, 2026 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by Kylie Bridenhagen/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
After an offensive explosion on Friday, the San Francisco Giants are back at it today, hoping to make it three straight games with a double-digit run total … and more importantly, four straight games with a win.
Taking the mound for San Francisco is right-hander Landen Roupp, who makes his 13th start of the season. The 27-year old is 5-6 on the year, with a 4.22 ERA, a 2.82 FIP, and 72 strikeouts to 27 walks in 64 innings. His last outing was his worst of the year, as he gave up eight runs in four innings against the Milwaukee Brewers. Roupp had back discomfort in the game and a notable dip in velocity, so it’s worth keeping an eye on him in this one.
For the Chicago Cubs, it’s right-hander Ben Brown. The 26-year old began the year as a reliever, but has transition into a starting role lately. In 17 appearances, he’s 2-2 with a 1.92 ERA, a 2.23 FIP, and and 53 strikeouts to 15 walks in 51.2 innings. In five starts, he’s been even better, going 1-1 with a 1.73 ERA, a 1.80 FIP, and 29 strikeouts against seven walks in 26 innings. He was excellent in his last start, holding the St. Louis Cardinals to just one run in seven innings.
ST LOUIS, MISSOURI - APRIL 13: Matthew Liberatore #32 of the St. Louis Cardinals delivers a pitch against the Cleveland Guardians at Busch Stadium on April 13, 2026 in St Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Dilip Vishwanat/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The St. Louis Cardinals and Cincinnati Reds will play the second game of the weekend series Saturday afternoon at Busch Stadium. For the Cardinals, it’s Matthew Liberatore on the mound as he’ll take on Reds starter Nick Lodolo. First pitch is scheduled for 1:15pm and the TV broadcast will be available on Cardinals.tv. Still no JJ Wetherholt in the starting 9.
CINCINNATI, OHIO - JUNE 01: Luinder Avila #58 of the Kansas City Royals pitches in the first inning against the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park on June 01, 2026 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Royals dropped last night’s contest 5-3 to the Twins after a disastrous, 4-run bottom of the 6th inning. It evens the four-game series at a game apiece, with the Royals taking Thursday’s contest 8-6. On the season, the Royals are 3-2 against the Twins. They are 3-5 on the current 10-game road trip.
Luinder Avila takes the ball this afternoon to try and get the Royals back in the win column. Avila is coming off his best start as a major leaguer on Monday in Cincinnati. Avila went 5 innings, allowing 2 hits, 1 run, and walking 4, but striking out 5. In his career against the Twins, Avila has thrown 2 scoreless innings, striking out 4 batters.
It’ll be a different lineup than usual behind Avila, Salvador Perez, who has been struggling is out of the starting lineup, and Maikel Garcia, who has pinch hit the last two games after pulling his hamstring, will start as the designated hitter today and bat cleanup. Josh Rojas, Thursday’s hero, starts at 3rd today.
As for the Twins, Joe Ryan toes the slab today. Historically, he’s basically Nolan Ryan against the Royals, but the last two times the Royals have hit the ball really well against him. However, both of those games were in Kansas City. In his last start, Ryan gave up 4 runs over 6 innings to the White Sox but struck out 9 batters. Yesterday, Ryan turned 30 years old.
Royce Lewis was recalled this morning from Triple-A after a rough start with the club; however, he’s always mashed against the Royals, and he was mashing in the minors too. Outfielder James Outman, who started in centerfield on Thursday was designated for assignment as the corresponding move. Byron Buxton is not in the starting lineup this afternoon after leaving the game last night in the 3rd inning after crashing into the wall.
Here is the Twins full starting lineup behind Ryan.
Jun 1, 2026; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Kansas City Royals starting pitcher Luinder Avila (58) pitches against the Cincinnati Reds in the first inning at Great American Ball Park. Mandatory Credit: Katie Stratman-Imagn Images | Katie Stratman-Imagn Images
Something I wrote in last night’s recap keeps parading through my mind. This team was constructed to be a team with a high floor and enough talent to be play consistently above-average but without top-end potential outside Bobby Witt Jr. and Cole Ragans. The flaw with this build shows in games like the one last night but also in road trips like the one they’re currently on. They have played 8 games and they have gone 3-5. Ignoring sweeps and such, that’s not a terrible road trip. But because the floor has completely fallen out a couple of times, it’s simply not as good as they need to be to even pretend to get back in the hunt. They could win this afternoon and tomorrow and have a 5-5 road trip. That would be a successful road trip in a vacuum, but for a team that has endured the losing the Royals have, it simply wouldn’t be enough to help them dig out of the whole they’ve fallen into. And that’s in the best case scenario for today and tomorrow, far from any kind of certainty.
A lot of Royals fans have expressed that this season feels worse than many of the losing seasons we have endured. Part of that is the weight of expectations. But part of it is that it’s so hard to shift your mindset from wins not mattering to individual performances mattering. If the Royals lose today but Luinder Avila throws six shutout and Jac Caglianone crushes a couple extra-base hits, that’s a good day. Speaking of which.
Luinder Avila is coming off the best start of his big league career, five innings of one-run ball. He still walked 4, so control issues continue to plague him in his longer outings. But the Royals want to believe he could be a frontline starter. Most analysts, including yours truly, don’t see it. Still, in a lost season they might as well see if he can prove them right. Interestingly, his calling card is his curveball but it’s been an awful pitch for him this season. For what it’s worth, it was his most-used pitch and absolutely dominant last year. This year, though, he can’t get anyone to chase it or miss it, and they often hit it quite hard. His sinker and changeup have been quite effective, though, so if he can figure out what’s wrong with the curveball, he could have three plus pitches to draw on and maybe that could help him become the starter the Royals envision.
The Twins will be using Joe Ryan. Royals fans are likely familiar enough with him by now that we don’t need to go into great detail, but still, we’re here so we might as well summarize. He has a six-pitch mix but uses a splitter in place of the more common changeup. He throws his fastball more than 40% to great effect both in terms of chase and whiffs. Until last September, he had a history of never having lost to the Royals, but they’ve now gotten to him in back-to-back starts. Maybe they’ll be able to make it three straight today.
Lineups
Maikel Garcia is back in the lineup for the Royals. Salvador Perez gets his fourth day off of the year, meaning Jac Caglianone gets to still bat fifth. Josh Rojas gets his first start after his pinch-hit heroics on Thursday night. The Twins will be without Byron Buxton, at least for today. Hopefully the Royals score more runs than the Twins!
Jun 5, 2026; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Twins manager Derek Shelton (8) watches play against the Kansas City Royals in the sixth inning at Target Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Blewett-Imagn Images | Matt Blewett-Imagn Images
First Pitch: 1:10 pm CDT
TV: Twins.TV
Radio: TIBN / WCCO 830 / The Wolf 102.9 FM / Audacy
Avila. Ryan. Titans of the game.
With the series split, the Twins will try to grab the inside track towards a weekend victory, and close the gap on their 30-35 record as they attempt to keep .500 within fighting distance.
They’ll do so with Royce Lewis returned to the roster after an inarguable tear at Triple-A St. Paul. He is finally the player to bump James Outman off the roster, and will get the start at second base in what might be the beginning of his last chance as a Twin.
ATLANTA, GA - JUNE 4: Austin Wynns #16 of the Atlanta Braves looks on in the third inning during the game against the Toronto Blue Jays at Truist Park on June 4, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Matthew Grimes Jr.Atlanta Braves/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Atlanta Braves and their offense kept rolling last night as they defeated the Pittsburgh Pirates. They will attempt to do it again as Spencer Strider takes on Braxton Ashcraft. The one area that was concerning is that Michael Harris was removed near the end of the game last night with it being in question if he will play today.
It looked like he was slated to play today, but we did not know until the lineup was officially announced.
Braves manager Walt Weiss said Michael Harris has some minor back tightness. Weiss added he’s pretty confident Harris will be back in the lineup Saturday.
The last two days Walt Weiss had a lineup that was almost the same but just flipped a few spots, so today it was interesting to see if he would take the same approach, or possibly have Harris DH to give him a little extra rest to be safe. In the case of Harris DHing or not starting at all, we could assume that Eli White would possibly get the nod for CF. In a bit of sad news, Harris was not getting the start today after all.
One thing is for certain, Mauricio Dubón needed to stay in the lineup with his clutch hitting. So far this season he is hitting .358/.414/.623 with runners in scoring position. Prior to seeing the lineup card we could assume that if Harris was the DH or not in the lineup at all, where Dubón plays would be in the air. CF was on the table with White struggling, and that is the route that Weiss went to allow Yastrzemski to get the start.
Austin Wynns will be making his first start as a Brave today which makes sense since Kim is getting the start at SS and Harris is out. The Braves will need the offensive boost.
The Pirates and their offense have been surprising to say the least. They have scored the fourth most runs in MLB. To put that in perspective, they have scored ten more runs than the fifth best Yankees. The offense has been heavily aided by offseason pickups Brandon Lowe and Ryan O’Hearn. Lowe has fifteen HRs and an OPS of .864 while O’Hearn has nine HRs and an OPS of .852.
Oneil Cruz is also having his best year offensively as well with fourteen HRs and an OPS of .818.
(Original Caption) 9/10/1941-Bill Dickey, first string catcher for the New York Yankees, who will see service for the American League champions in the coming World Series, is seen squatting in the catching position.
By any measure, Bill Dickey is an all-time great in both Yankees’ and baseball history. He was an 11-time All-Star, helping the Yankees to eight World Series titles, and was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame. However, he doesn’t quite get the recognition that you might expect someone with those accolades to get.
That’s probably because during his time with the Yankees, he was teammates with the likes of Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig at the beginning of his career, and then the likes of Joe DiMaggio at the end. Also, while he deservedly has his number retired by the team, he’s not even the most famous Yankee catcher to wear No. 8, as protégé Yogi Berra also wore that number before the team retired it for both of them.
However, today is a day for him, as Dickey was born 119 years ago today. In honor of that, let’s look back at the life and times of “The Man Nobody Knows,” who we once named the ninth-best Yankee in franchise history.
William Malcom “Bill” Dickey Born: June 6, 1907 (Bastrop, AL) Died: November 12, 1993 (Little Rock, AR) Yankees Tenure: 1928-43 (player), 1946 (player/manager)
One of seven children of John and Laura Dickey, William Dickey was born in Louisiana in 1906. However, he primarily grew up in Arkansas, where the family moved to so John could work as a railroad brakeman.
From a young age, Bill was involved in baseball. His father had played semi-professional baseball, as did his older brother, Gus. Bill wouldn’t even be the only major leaguer to come out of his family, as a younger brother, George, would play six MLB seasons for the Red Sox and White Sox.
Dickey played second base and pitched in his youth, but his big break came when a friend suggested he fill in at catcher for a semipro team in Hot Springs, Arkansas. Despite some initial hesitancy, Dickey quickly took to it, and soon caught the eye of the minor league Little Rock Travelers, who inked a deal with the 18-year-old in 1925. He worked his way to the Jackson Generals in 1927. Despite having a good year there, Jackson waived their rights to Dickey after that season, which would up being very fortuitous for the Yankees. The Generals had an affiliation with the White Sox, but Jackson’s declining Jackson allowed Yankee scout Johnny Nee to swoop in. Nee told GM Ed Barrow that he would “quit scouting if (Dickey) did not make good.”
That review led the Yankees making that bet and signing the catcher for $12,000.
After starting the 1928 season back in Little Rock, the Yankees moved Dickey to a brief pit stop with the Buffalo Bisons before calling him up in August. He made his MLB debut as a late-inning replacement for Benny Bengough, going 0-for-2. He stayed in a bench role for the remainder of that season, recording his first hit on August 24th against the St. Louis Browns. While he didn’t appear in the Yankees’ sweep of the Cardinals in the 1928 World Series, Dickey was on the roster for the first of his many championships.
While he started the 1929 season in a reserve role, the catching job for the Yankees was there for the taking, and Dickey took it and didn’t let it go for a very long time. His first full saw in ‘29 saw Dickey post a 117 OPS+, but those totals would only keep rising from there. Over 11 years from 1929-39, Dickey hit .320/.386/.510 (131 OPS+), with 178 home runs and over 1,500 hits. In 1936 in particular, Dickey hit .362, which stood for 73 years as a record batting average for catchers until fellow Hall of Famer Joe Mauer surpassed him during his MVP-winning 2009 with the Twins. Those are some remarkable hitting figures considering Dickey was also a catcher, and a pretty good one at that.
In a lot of those seasons, Dickey was the third-best Yankee position player behind Ruth and Gehrig, and then later behind Gehrig and DiMaggio. Besides that, the Yankees added another five World Series titles in that period, including four in a row from 1936-39. Dickey had a particularly good moment in the last one, when he walked off the Reds in Game 1 en route to a sweep.
As the years turned to the 1940s, the wear and tear of catching all those games started to catch up to Dickey. While he still had a couple good hitting seasons after the turn of the decade, he began to split playing time with his backups more and more. Even after that, he still helped the Yankees to two more championships in 1941 and ‘43. In the latter of those, his two-run home run ended up providing the only offense in a series-clinching Game 5 victory over the Cardinals.
Following the victory in ‘43, Dickey was drafted into the military and spent the next two seasons away from the Yankees. He returned for 1946 and resumed his role behind the plate. However, 35 games into the season, Joe McCarthy left and resigned from the team after continued quarrels with the front office. The team decided to elevate Dickey into a player-manager role. He led the team to a 57-48 record and a third-place finish, but he gave up the role after the team wouldn’t guarantee that Dickey would continue on as manager. Instead, Bucky Harris got the job and was the man behind the dugout for the 1947 championship team that bore a strong resemblance to Dickey’s 1946 squad.
Dickey hung up his playing spikes after 1946, eventually earning Cooperstown enshrinement in 1954.
After some time coaching and managing in the minors, Dickey eventually returned to the Yankees as a coach on Casey Stengel’s staff. One of his duties over the years was mentoring the team’s up-and-coming young catchers, and a couple of them — Yogi Berra and Elston Howard — ended up becoming quite good themselves. Both catchers gave a lot of credit for their successful careers to the tutelage of Dickey; Yogi of course had his own way of saying it: “He learned me all his experience.”
Dickey also passed down the No. 8 to Berra, and the team would later jointly retire the number for the both of them in 1972; they were also awarded plaques in Monument Park 16 years later. Following his long life in baseball, Dickey returned to his native Arkansas, where he resided until he passed away in 1993 at age 86. He was survived by his wife and three children.
When you’re naming the all-time greats in Yankee history, Dickey might be a name forgotten about by the more casual fans. However if you know ball, you know that he was a crucial part of the most successful era in franchise history.
See more of the “Yankees Birthday of the Day” series here.
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