WASHINGTON, DC - MAY 17: Gunnar Henderson #2 and Taylor Ward #3 of the Baltimore Orioles celebrate after winning a game against the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park on May 17, 2026 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Jess Rapfogel/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Back to Baltimore march the Orioles, but we can’t say it’s with anything like momentum. The team went 4-5 in a nine-game road series against Seattle and both Los Angeles teams, at least several of those winnable games. The Birds probably should have swept the Dodgers, crazy as it sounds, but Ryan Helsley was fresh off the injured list, and blew a two-run lead in the ninth. They’ve blown six late-game leads, give or take, in the last three weeks. If this team is still buyers at the trade deadline, confessedly some relief help wouldn’t hurt.
Anyway, as the team well knows, this next stretch before the All-Star Break is critical. There are fourteen games left to play, and the Birds are two games out of a Wild Card spot. Their next chance to generate momentum comes tonight against their local rivals, the Nationals. The Nats come into this series at exactly .500, three games outside of an NL playoff spot.
Trevor Rogers gets the assignment tonight. For a time this season, he was making us wonder whether his ace-like 2025 was just a mirage, with a 10.31 ERA in May, but June saw quite a turnaround, as the lefty went 2-1 with a 2.22 ERA in four starts. That includes a seven-inning shutout at Dodger Stadium. The Nationals lineup is very good, although not quite the same challenge.
Rogers doesn’t have much history against these hitters. He’s faced catcher Keibert Ruiz ten times, holding him to a .200 average. Jacob Young is 1-for-7. CJ Abrams has hit him up, though, 4-for-7 with a home run.
On the opposing side of the bump, metaphorically speaking, is a 27-year-old lefty named Andrew Alvarez, making just his tenth career start, and his first against Baltimore. A twelfth-rounder for Washington in 2021, Alvarez debuted last year as a spot starter and pitched to a nice 2.31 ERA in five games. He’s 1-0 with a 3.34 earned run average and 37 strikeouts in 32 innings this season.
The lefty is known for his curveball and slider, a challenging formula for this Orioles lineup. That said, they’ve gone righty-heavy today, with Coby Mayo in at DH and Tyler O’Neill getting the start in right.
WASHINGTON, DC - JUNE 24: Dylan Crews #3 of the Washington Nationals congratulates Curtis Mead #45 after Mead hit a two-run home run in the sixth inning against the Philadelphia Phillies at Nationals Park on June 24, 2026 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Jamie Sabau/Getty Images) | Getty Images
We all know how the last three games have gone, but it is time to turn the page and move on to the Orioles series. As has been mentioned at length, this Nats team has been resilient this season. However, this upcoming stretch is the biggest test yet. It is tough to drop three games in such brutal fashion in a row, but they managed to do it.
With a lefty on the mound, Andres Chaparro is in the lineup again over Luis Garcia. He will play first base in this one. CJ Abrams is back in the lineup after not starting yesterday. That moves Nasim Nunez to second and Jorbit Vivas out of the lineup. Daylen Lile will be the DH, and James Wood will move to right field. Andrew Alvarez will start, and hopefully he gives some length so we get as little of the bullpen as possible.
The O’s are missing Adley Rutschman, but they have a lot of firepower in their lineup. Pete Alonso has been red hot lately. Jackson Holliday missed the series in DC, but he is in the lineup today up in Baltimore. Samuel Basallo will catch with Rutschman out. Trevor Rogers is on the bump tonight.
As mentioned up top, this is a big test for the Nats. I am pretty confident that the offense will be resilient, but will the bullpen have their backs? We will find out soon enough. Follow along in the comments down below and let’s go Nats!
ST. PETERSBURG, FLORIDA - AUGUST 25: A general overall aerial view of Tropicana Field and stadium dome damage from Hurricane Milton on August 25, 2025 in St. Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by Kirby Lee/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Today’s Lineups
DIAMONDBACKS
RAYS
Ketel Marte – 2B
Yandy Diaz – DH
Geraldo Perdomo – SS
Jonathan Aranda – 1B
Corbin Carroll – RF
Junior Caminero – 3B
Gabriel Moreno – C
Richie Palacios – 2B
Nolan Arenado – 3B
Jonny DeLuca – RF
Max Kepler – LF
Cedric Mullins – CF
Lourdes Gurriel – DH
Victor Mesa – LF
Pavin Smith – 1B
Taylor Walls – SS
Tommy Troy – CF
Hunter Feduccia – C
Zac Gallen – RHP
Nick Martinez – RHP
Would it be too soon to call Tropicana Field the original home of the “Tarps off” movement? For it was in October 2024 that the Category 3 Hurricane Milton ripped through the Tampa area, and basically tore the roof off the place. Fortunately, nobody was hurt, but it meant that the Rays had to play all their home games last season at Steinbrenner Field, the spring training home of the Yankees. That explains the particularly light attendance for the team last year – though they still managed to outdraw the Athletics, similarly displaced out of a major league stadium, to one in Sacramento.
Technically, Tropicana Field is actually the sixth oldest ballpark in the majors – older than every NL stadium bar the Cubs and Dodgers. That’s because it actually opened eight years before the Rays moved in there. Construction began back in 1986, in the belief that a stadium needed to be in place to lure a major-league team to the area. St. Petersburg missed out in the first round of expansion franchises in 1993. But before that, of all teams, the San Francisco Giants nearly relocated there in 1992. The deal eventually fell one vote short of approval from the then fourteen National League teams. But as we know, Florida got its second team, with our expansion siblings in 1998.
Tonight’s game is the D-backs’ first return to the park since the storm, and it’s not one which has been a happy place for Arizona. Indeed, they have just one victory there since 2013. The last time the Diamondbacks visited Tropicana, in August 2024, they were swept. Though two of the defeats were by one run, including the series finale where defeat took twelve innings. That took place after the D-backs have come back from 6-0 down after six innings to force extras. Our last victory was also in extras, a 3-2 win in May 2019 which took thirteen frames. Ketel Marte is the only one of the 17 D-backs who took the field that day to still be with the team.
DETROIT, MICHIGAN - JUNE 21: Dillon Dingler #13 of the Detroit Tigers reacts after hitting a solo home run against the Chicago White Sox during the bottom of the eighth inning at Comerica Park on June 21, 2026 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Nic Antaya/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Detroit Tigers (34-46) vs. Houston Astros (40-43)
Time/Place: 6:40 p.m., Comerica Park SB Nation Site: The Crawfish Boxes Media: Detroit SportsNet, MLB.TV, Tigers Radio Network Pitching Matchup: RHP Keider Montero (3-5, 3.68 ERA) vs. RHP Spencer Arrighetti (7-3, 3.13 ERA)
Jun 8, 2026; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Simeon Woods Richardson pitches to the Philadelphia Phillies during the fifth inning at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images | John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images
We got a couple of Blue Jays roster moves this afternoon:
First, Simeon Woods Richardson was DFA’d to make room for Adam Macko. SWR made three appearances for the Jays after being reacquired from the Twins. He initially joined the Jays organization as part of the return from the Mets for Marcus Stroman, before being shipped out along with Austin Martin in the Jose Berrios trade. They brought him back from Minnesota in exchange for cash last month. He had a couple of decent seasons in Minnesota’s rotation in 2024 and 2025, but had lost the plot this season, posting a 7.74 ERA with just one more strikeout than walk. Since coming back to Toronto, he hasn’t allowed a run, but the underlying stats (7 walks against 5 strikeouts in 10.0 innings over three appearances) remain ugly. The Jays will no doubt hope he makes it through waivers so they can continue to try to help him rediscover his form in Buffalo.
Coming back up is Adam Macko. The Slovak-Canadian lefty has performed pretty well since converting full time to relief this season. In 12 appearances with the Blue Jays, he’s struck out 12 against 11 hits and two walks, allowing 2 runs over 12.0 innings pitched. He hasn’t been quite that strong in Buffalo, but his 25:10 K:BB ratio in 21 innings is still strong. He’ll inject a realtively fresh arm to a bullpen that’s been heavily taxed in the first half of this season.
The other move was also a surprise:
3B/1B Sean Keys is apparently with the Jays and is likely to be activated for tomorrow, presumably receiving SWR’s 40-man roster spot. Keys, 23, was a fourth round pick in 2024 out of Bucknell. He was our #17 prospect heading into the season, buoyed by strong underlying data that suggested his just OK results in A+ Vancouver last season were underselling his true offensive talent. Sure enough, he began 2026 at AA New Hampshire, forced his way up to AAA Buffalo, and has been one of the five or six best hitters in all of the upper minors. His combined .284/.409/.619 line is 64% above average. He brings easy plus power and a swing geared to lift and pull the ball to maximize his impact. He will swing and miss, but not excessively, and he has a strong approach. He’ll have to hit, as while he’s reportedly a hard worker he’s just not a great athlete and is a liability at third and not great at first either.
The corresponding move hasn’t been announced, but the speculation is that George Springer is likely to go on paternity leave, as his wife is expecting their third child any day now. If that’s the case, Keys’ cameo is likely to be brief for now. I suspect we’ll see him more of him at some point, though.
Jun 25, 2026; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; A Texas Rangers ball cap and glove lays in the dugout during a game against the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images | John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images
SEATTLE, UNITED STATES: Cleveland Indians baserunner Kenny Lofton (L) scores around the tag of Seattle Mariners pitcher Randy Johnson to score on a passed ball in the three-run eighth inning of game six of the American League Championship Series at the Kingdome in Seattle, Washington 17 October. The Indians won 4-0 and will face the Atlanta Braves in the World Series beginning 21 October. AFP PHOTO (Photo credit should read JEFF HAYNES/AFP via Getty Images) | AFP via Getty Images
The Mariners travel to the Mistake on the Lake to see if they can put some of their own recent follies behind them. They will have the luxury of playing a Guardians team that lacks its best player, as José Ramírez is still on the IL as a participant in the Year of the Hamate. And their second-best player, Steven Kwan, has been less than his usual self this season, as Davy Andrews recently broke down over at FanGraphs.
Luis Castillo will take the ball for the Mariners. Notwithstanding an unfortunate combination of batted-ball luck and sequencing luck in his last start, Castillo’s actually been a lot better recently. Since May 9, he’s posted a K%-BB% of 16.6% against a BAA of .210. Some of that is from limiting his exposure to a third time through the lineup, but the improvements have held in his non-piggyback starts.
Southpaw Joey Cantillo gets the start for Cleveland, so, you know, hold on to your butts.
Lineups
The Mariners have heard your clamoring, and Canzone not only gets a start against a lefty, but in the cleanup spot. Unfortunately, they have not heard your complaining, and Rob Refsnyder continues to see time.
I have no idea who’s in the Guardians lineup because all I can look at here is Joey Cantillo’s pitchface.
Game Info
First Pitch: 4:10 PDT TV: Mariners TV Radio: Old Reliable
HOUSTON, TEXAS - JUNE 20: Spencer Arrighetti #41 of the Houston Astros pitches in the second inning during a game against the Cleveland Guardians at Daikin Park on June 20, 2026 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Houston Astros/Getty Images) | Getty Images
TONIGHT’S GAME: The Houston Astros (40-43) and Detroit Tigers (34-47) will play the 2nd game of their 4-game set tonight at Comerica Park.
RHP Spencer Arrighetti (7-3, 3.13 ERA) will start for the Astros vs. Tigers RHP Keider Montero (3-5, 3.68 ERA). Tonight will be Arrighetti’s 3rd career start/app. vs. DET and his 2nd at Comerica Park.
ROAD TRIPPIN: Tonight is the 5th game (3-1 thus far) of a 7-game road trip for the Astros. They were 2-1 at TOR on the 1st stop of the trip.
Road Recovery: The Astros are 13-7 in their last 3 road trips combined. They have have posted a 19-13 record on the road since going 1-9 on their 1st road trip of the 2026 season.
Road Bats: The Astros are 2nd in the AL in road OPS (.737), T-2nd in road HR (57) and 3rd in road SLG (.414).
ASTROS-TIGERS: The Astros are 3-1 vs. DET this season, having won 2 of 3 games from the Tigers last week at Daikin Park (June 15-17). The 2 clubs will play all 7 of their scheduled games between June 15-28.
In 2025, the Astros and Tigers finished with identical 87-75 records, with the Tigers earning the final AL Wild Card spot due to winning the season series vs. HOU.
Recent Success: Since 2022, the Astros are 19-10 vs. DET with an 8-4 record here at Comerica Park.
SPENCER’S GIFTS: RHP Spencer Arrighetti is 7-3 in his 12 starts with a 3.13 ERA, leading the club in both categories. He currently ranks T-6th in the AL in wins and 6th in ERA (min. 65.0 IP).
Additionally, he has allowed just 51 hits in his 69.0 innings of work and just 6 HR in his 12 starts on the season.
Pitcher of the Month: Arrighetti was named AL Pitcher of the Month for May, posting a 4-1 record with a 0.93 ERA.
WINNING THE CLOSE CALLS: The Astros are now 9-4 in 1-run games and 16-10 in 2-run games (4-4 in extra innings).
SERIES-LY SPEAKING: The Astros have won 4 consecutive series for the 1st time in 2026, posting an 8-4 record in that span. The last time that the Astros won that many series in a row was when they won 5 straight, from June 20-July 6 of last season (went 12-3 in that stretch).
RECENT STROS: The Astros have won 4 of 5, 7 of 9 and 9 of their last 13 games.
THE SLOW TURNAROUND: After a slow start to the season, over the last month or so (May 21-June 25), the Astros are 20-12 (.625), which is the best record in the AL in that span.
Top Records since May 21 (AL)
1. HOU: 20-12 (.625)
2. NYY: 18-12 (.600)
STANDINGS UPDATE: The Astros currently occupy the final Wild Card position in the AL. HOU is also T-2nd in the AL West, 1.5 games behind SEA for the top spot in the division.
MVP-CALIBER: Yordan Alvarez has had a torrid 1st half to his season, currently leading all of baseball with a 1.055 OPS. Additionally, he leads the AL in SLG (.625), OBP (.430), TB (185), is T-1st in HR (25), 2nd in batting avg. (.318) and T-3rd in RBI (56). Alvarez, who was the AL Player of the Month for May, is hitting .363 (29×80) in June with 5 HR and 17 RBI with a 1.069 OPS (.469 OBP/.600 SLG).
ALL-STAR UPDATE: Per MLB’s update yesterday, Yordan Alvarez’ 2,911,655 fan votes were tops among all DH’s and the 2nd-most overall in the AL. The second phase of fan voting begins Monday, June 29th and features the top two vote-getters at each position. Phase 2 voting concludes at 12:00 p.m. (ET) on Thursday, July 2nd.
Alvarez has been an All-Star 3 times thus far in his career. Since 2017, the Astros 37 All-Star selections are tops in the AL in that span.
PEN PALS: Since May 15, the Astros bullpen has been one of the best in the AL, posting a 2.76 clip (42ER/137P) in that span. The Astros are 23-15 since May 15.
OKERT’S 0’s:LHP Steven Okert has not allowed a run in his last 17.0 innings, which is the longest scoreless streak by an Astros hurler this season and the 3rd-longest by a reliever in the Majors this season. In his current streak, which spans 14 appearances, and began on May 23 at CHC, Okert has allowed just 8 hits in those 17.0 innings pitched.
Longest 2026 Scoreless Streaks – Relievers
1. Luke Weaver: 22.1 IP (active)
2. Chad Patrick: 18.1 IP
3. Steven Okert: 17.0 IP (active)*
*Okert’s streak is the longest by a LH reliever in ‘26
HADERADE: In his 10 appearances since coming of the IL on June 3, opponents are just 2×32 off LHP Josh Hader. Hader has posted a 0.90 ERA (1ER/10IP) and is 6-for-6 in save opportunities (.063 opp. avg., .040 WHIP).
ON THE DEFENSIVE: The Astros are T-1st in the AL in fielding pct. with a .989 clip. Their 31 errors are the 2nd-fewest in the AL.
TODAY IN ASTROS HISTORY: 1988 – Rookie catcher and future Hall of Famer Craig Biggio makes his Major League debut in a 6-0 win over the Giants. Biggio, batting 8th in the lineup, draws a walk and scores his 1st Major League run. He would go on to tally 3,060 hits in his career, en route to becoming the 1st player to go into the Hall of Fame in Cooperstown as an Astro in 2015.
Game Info
Game Date/Time: Friday, June 25, 5:40 p.m. CT
Location: Comerica Park, Detroit, MI
TV: SCHN
Radio: KBME 790 AM & 94.5 FM HD2; TUDN 102.9 FM HD2 (Spanish)
WASHINGTON, DC - JUNE 25: Bryce Harper #3 of the Philadelphia Phillies hits a two-run home run in the ninth inning against the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park on June 25, 2026 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Jamie Sabau/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Andy Green era as Mets manager begins Friday. And while it will only last until the end of the 2026 season, the former San Diego Padres skipper is ready for the challenge of taking over for Carlos Mendoza.
And while he won't try and replicate what Mendoza did in his two-plus seasons as Mets manager, Green believes this team is capable of more and that he will try to get the best out of them.
“We’re in a situation where we have an incredibly talented group of baseball players that haven’t come together to perform at a level we all expect and they expect," Green said in his introductory news conference before the team's series opener with the Phillies. "This isn’t a strategy problem; what it comes down to is the best thing we can do is recognize what keeps most people from performing is the burden they carry with them to work every day. And that burden is from caring too much."
Green said that his management style is rooted in authenticity, being collaborative and adaptable, and wants to cultivate an environment where the players can play freely and with joy. Green believes the players were pressing this season after a slow start to try and succeed for the sake of Mendoza, and that the managerial change can be beneficial.
"Often, what happens is you care too much," Green continued. "When you get to these types of moments where a manager change occurs, you eliminate a measure of the burden in a way that nobody wants to. Those guys are trying to come together for Mendy because they care about Mendy, and when you get to the finality of this moment, then it’s passed. And sometimes you see guys play with a greater measure of freedom and that’s the best thing I can do for this group."
Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns announced Green would return to his previous position in the front office after the 2026 season and a new managerial search will commence in the offseason.
Green was asked why he was stepping into the manager's role and the former player was candid. He said he liked his position as Mets VP for player development and the flexibility it gave him to spend time with his family. But when he was approached about taking over for Mendoza, Green accepted, knowing he could help the organization in the short-term.
"This felt like a responsibility, more than an opportunity," Green explained. "Once it was made known to me that nothing was going to change, once I learned that, I genuinely believe, given my life experience, I was in the best position to help over the next three months and see what we can get done as a group."
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - JUNE 24: Ty France #25 of the San Diego Padres celebrates a solo home run against the Atlanta Braves at Petco Park on June 24, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Mike Nowak/Getty Images) | Getty Images
For the first time in 2026, the Atlanta Braves were swept. For most of the season, they’ve been the unquestioned best team in baseball. The Los Angeles Dodgers now hold sole possession of that title. But, of all teams, the San Diego Padres were the first (and only) to do it. They beat them handily, outdueling them at every turn and playing good baseball for the first time in what’s felt like a while.
Starter JP Sears did exactly what he needed to do: save the bullpen. The ‘pen had been taxed after Griffin Canning couldn’t finish a single inning in Tuesday night’s matchup. Thankfully, Sears was able to work into the sixth inning in his first start of the season against a Braves lineup that has not been kind to most.
The Friars need all the help they can get facing Los Angeles. Their momentum certainly helps as the two rivals clash for the second time this season on Friday night. Winning the series opener would be huge for San Diego. They’ll need to keep their foot on the gas in order to do so.
Taking the mound
Roki Sasaki (LAD) v. Walker Buehler (SD)
Sasaki has started to come into his own a bit this year. After struggling in 2025 as a starter, the righty was moved to the bullpen where he dominated in the postseason. Now, he’s back in the rotation and has worked through his struggles.
That said, despite flashing elite stuff, he still doesn’t look like the pitcher he was in Japan. Sasaki owns a 4.76 ERA and 1.29 WHIP through 68 innings pitched. His last few starts have been marginally better, but he just gave up seven runs to the Chicago White Sox. The Padres’ lineup has looked good lately. It will be interesting to see how much Sasaki can limit the damage.
Buehler will make his scheduled start, with Randy Vásquez moving to Lucas Giolito’s spot after the latter was moved to the 15-day IL. He’s surged as of late, pitching to a 2.72 ERA across his last seven starts. He’s given up just one run apiece in each of his last four starts.
The longtime Dodger will face his former team for the first time as a member of the rival Padres. Buehler has had success facing his former teammates before, but San Diego will need him to keep it going in order to make up ground in the divisional race.
Batter up!
Tonight’s game actually marks the first time that the Friars will face Sasaki. That tends to be an advantage for the pitcher, but that hasn’t been the case for the righty in the past. San Diego just scored 13 runs off of a very good Atlanta pitching staff, and they’ll need their lineup to keep it up.
Fernando Tatis Jr., 2B
Samad Taylor, RF
Manny Machado, 3B
Xander Bogaerts, SS
Jackson Merrill, CF
Gavin Sheets, LF
Ty France, 1B
Will Wagner, DH
Freddy Fermin, C
After his homer in Wednesday’s series finale, France figures to start at first base. That seems to suggest that Taylor shifts over to right field to make room for Sheets in the outfield. That said, Sheets could DH and Tatis could start in right field. He’s played a lot of second base this season, but the Padres have used him in the outfield more in the last few games.
Relief corps
Like I said, Sears did exactly what the Friars needed him to do. San Diego only needed three arms to finish out the game (though why they didn’t use Ron Marinaccio instead of David Morgan remains to be seen). The latter had pitched in the previous game where the former hasn’t thrown since Sunday. Either way, it was a successful first outing for Sears.
Morgan finished out the sixth and seventh innings before Wandy Peralta covered the eighth. He set up Jason Adam, who slammed the door shut on Atlanta to sweep the series. With the off day on Thursday, the bullpen will get some much-needed (and much-deserved) rest. Everyone will be available, but, barring any moves, Kyle Hart, Ron Marinaccio, Yuki Matsui, Mason Miller and Adrian Morejon will be options after not pitching in the series finale.
DENVER, COLORADO - JUNE 20: Paul Skenes #30 of the Pittsburgh Pirates pitches in the second inning against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field on June 20, 2026 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Dustin Bradford/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Pittsburgh Pirates are hoping to keep their winning streak alive as they begin a series with the Cincinnati Reds. After winning two of three against the Mariners earlier in the week, the Pirates welcome the Reds to town for a divisional series that could dictate how the NL Central wraps up later in the year.
Paul Skenes is on the mound for the Pirates, but that hasn’t boded well for the Buccos over his last seven starts. The last time the Pirates won a game in which Skenes started came back on May 12 against the Colorado Rockies. Since then, the Pirates have not been able to win with Skenes on the mound. In five of those seven games, Skenes has picked up the loss, including in each of his last two appearances.
The Reds will counter with Andrew Abbott, who has pitched at least five innings in each of his last 10 starts. Abbott is coming off a win against the New York Yankees in his last start on June 20, when he gave up five hits and one earned run in a 10-2 victory at Yankee Stadium.
This is Abbott’s second start against the Pirates this season. In his last start against the Pirates on April 1, he pitched 5.2 innings, giving up five hits and four earned runs in an 8-3 victory for Pittsburgh.
Location: PNC Park, Pittsburgh, PA
Broadcast: KDKA AM/FM, Sportsnet Pittsburgh
Pitching Matchup: Andrew Abbott (5-4, 3.83 ERA) vs. Paul Skenes (6-7, 2.86 ERA)
BD community, chime off in the comments section below.
ABOUT LAST NIGHT: With the Cubs’ win last night and the Cardinals’ rainout, the Cubs are in sole possession of second place in the division, at 44-37 to the Cards’ 42-36. The Cubs had not been second alone since May 30, following a 6-1 win at St. Louis that made them 32-27 to the Cards’ 30-26. (Courtesy BCB’s JohnW53)
PLAYING THE WINNING TEAMS: Tonight’s game will be the first the Cubs have played against the opponent that started the game with a winning record since May 31, when they lost at St. Louis, 5-1. They are 12-9 since then. The Cubs are 18-18 vs. teams with more wins than losses and 26-19 vs. those at .500 or below. (Courtesy BCB’s JohnW53)
SCORING LOTS OF RUNS: In their last seven games, the Cubs have outscored their opponents, 63-33. They batted .355 (33 for 93) with runners in scoring position, raising their average for the year by 17 points, from a season-low .217 to .234, its highest since it was .238 on May 17. They have played 33 games since then. (Courtesy BCB’s JohnW53)
TODAY IN CUBS HISTORY: Ron Santo’s three-run homer off Bob Gibson in the seventh helped lead the Cubs to a 5-1 win over the Cardinals at St. Louis. It happened 55 years ago today, Saturday, June 26, 1971.
He has not faced the Brewers this year. Current Brewers are batting .316 (18-for-57) against Rea with one home run (Andrew Vaughn).
Good luck, Colin.
You all know about Jacob Misiorowski’s amazing run over his last nine starts: 0.45 ERA, 0.564 WHIP. Over that span he’s struck out 87 of 216 batters faced and thrown a metric buttload of pitches over 100 miles per hour.
Please visit our SB Nation Brewers site Brew Crew Ball. If you do go there to interact with Brewers fans, please be respectful, abide by their individual site rules and serve as a good representation of Cub fans in general and BCB in particular.
The 2026 game discussion procedure has been changed, so please take note.
You’ll find the game preview, like this one, posted separately on the front page two hours before game time (90 minutes for some early day games following night games).
At the same time, a StoryStream containing the preview will also post on the front page, titled “Cubs vs. (Team) (Day of week/date) game threads.” It will contain every post related to that particular game.
The Live! (formerly “First Pitch”) thread will still post at five minutes to game time. It will also post to the front page. That will be the only live game discussion thread. After the game, the recap and Heroes and Goats will also live on the front page as separate posts.
You will also be able to find the preview, Live! thread, recap and Heroes and Goats in this section link. The StoryStream for each game can also be found in that section.
ATLANTA, GA - JUNE 17: Atlanta pitcher Reynaldo Lopez (40) covers first base during the MLB game between the San Francisco Giants and the Atlanta Braves on June 17th, 2026 at Truist Park in Atlanta, GA. (Photo by Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Alright, it’s Friday, this game preview is going up in the mid-afternoon because this game is happening very late if you are on East Coast time, and I’m going to take a quick detour because I’m not sure how many people even read game previews in general, much less read game previews that will go up at 5 pm ET on a Friday for a game that starts after 10 ET.
Over the past few years, I’ve had this recurring thought: what if stuff just worked out? I don’t mean, in the end, after a bunch of detours and elbow grease and serendipitous solutions to cropping-up problems. I mean, just… from the jump. What if you wanted or needed to do something, and it was easy, and your first idea worked out fine? The reason I think about this, of course, is because it feels like stuff doesn’t just work out. Here’s an example: we got a car to replace the one that was totaled a few years ago. A minor “want” in the replacement car we got was finally having a car new enough to plug your phone into the USB port and get stuff like Google Maps shown on the infotainment display. It isn’t that we erred in this regard, it was just… I hopped into it to set this up for my wife before she took the car to work this morning, and come on, seriously? It wasn’t a plug-and-play. First the phone wouldn’t pair (even though it was plugged in via USB), then it paired via USB but apparently also needed Bluetooth to actually connect, and the Bluetooth couldn’t find the car or vice versa on my wife’s phone but could on my phone, so after clearing every cache (including the car’s, which wasn’t straightforward), and finally realizing that you had to do a specific order of operations that involved first connecting and syncing via USB and the re-syncing via Bluetooth while it was connected via USB, would you finally get the car’s system to actually be able to use Android Auto rather than just saying the phone was connected but Android Auto crashing with no error message. So that was not a great use of an hour or so.
But that’s just one example. There are so many that occur every week that — even if this doesn’t happen to you directly — you can see why I fixate on “what if stuff just worked out?” Here’s a fun one: I am supposed to get a payout from the insurer. They have an electronic payment thing. It requires 2FA to be able to log in and direct the payment. For some reason, the insurer has the 2FA number listed as my office number… which would be fine, except that during the pandemic we switched to a fully-electronic switchboard (no more receptionist), but the insurer won’t change the number on file, saying that they’ll just send me a check once the five-day limit on receiving electronic payment lapses. Why didn’t they use my cell for the 2FA number? Because stuff doesn’t just work out. There are a billion similar enshittification-related examples from daily life, but hopefully you get the idea, even if you don’t personally experience this. And, if you don’t, I am personally delighted for you.
(I hired a guy to do some mild landscape/lawn work because I don’t have time. My hiring process was explicitly oriented around “I want someone that will just do it and not bug me” because if I had the time to be bugged about it I’d just do it myself. He said he’d start two weeks ago. He has not. Hopefully he’s still alive. The lawn is… how it was before I hired him. | I signed my older kid up for summer camp months ago. It starts in a couple of weeks. No communication from the camp about logistics or anything, even though it was the same camp and they had clear, timely communication last year. Now I have to reach out to them. Oy. It goes on and on like this.)
Why do I bring this up? Because it’s so wholly relevant to the Braves. 2023 was the last year of “stuff just works out” (something I feel relatively mirrored in my life; I think stuff got harder in 2024). 2024 was an epic inputs underperformance that lasted for months, along with injuries. Even though it was successful, it wasn’t easy and there was no “just” in it working out. 2025, well, it didn’t work out at all, but it also featured a lot of teeth-pulling while it was failing. Injuries, an unforced error of a changed offensive approach, and more injuries.
And then we get to 2026, and it’s whiplash-inducing in a way. The first two months of 2026? It was glorious. It was “stuff just works out” with a vengeance. The Braves have to use a roster fill-in in a key role? Dominic Smith comes through, again and again, and posts some pretty insane outputs and inputs considering his career arc. The Braves don’t have a north star offensive approach with a spare parts lineup? No worries, they all hit the ball hard early in the count and post great outputs and inputs. Austin Riley has no idea what’s going on at the plate? No worries, Drake Baldwin and Matt Olson are two of MLB’s best bats in the early going to more than make up for it. The rotation is suspect? No sweat, the defense will play so well that the team barely gives up runs. The Braves could do no wrong… for a while. Michael Harris II was day-to-day and not in the lineup, but had a game-winning pinch-hit double that cleared the bases and was the only source of the Braves’ runs in a game against the Pirates that secured a sweep.
And then, just like that, it all came crashing down into “it just doesn’t work out” territory. The Braves were aggressive with pitching decisions to some extent, but have given the ball to Carlos Carrasco, in all his roster barnacle-ness, in two games in the past two weeks, each of which turned a lead into a loss. There have been a number of other foibles, but these are perhaps all overshadowed by how all the stuff regarding run-scoring that worked so well over two months just cratered. The fill-ins are playing like fill-ins, the non-fill-ins are playing like fill-ins, Drake Baldwin was rushed back to reduce the reliance on no-hit backup catchers and started hitting like one himself… I’m not going to detail all of it, but basically, things went from immaculate vibes and smooth sailing to the baseball equivalent of all those paragraphs about my personal first world problem-esque travails above.
So, how are the Braves responding to this? By… pushing Chris Sale back two more days (his normal rest pitch day would’ve been yesterday) and giving the ball to Reynaldo Lopez. Yes, the Reynaldo Lopez that was yoinked out of the rotation after five starts, and has been pitching nondescript mop-up relief since.
Lopez’ first five starts of the season were, commensurate with his whole 2026 saga, just really weird. His first two were really gross peripherals-wise, but because everything was working out easily, the only run charged to him came on a solo homer in each. His third had better peripherals, but ended after a bout of fisticuffs with Jorge Soler. His fourth kept up the good peripherals, but the Marlins BABIPed him. His fifth and final was a disaster that got him banished from the rotation. In aggregate, it was an 89/130/118 line (ERA-/FIP-/xFIP-) in five starts — okay only if you look at the ERA, and honestly, pretty brutal otherwise. So, Lopez went to the bullpen. Banished to the bullpen, more like. He’s pitched very intermittently (13 outings in about seven weeks), and has largely pitched in garbage time (no high-leverage outings, four medium-leverage but on the very low end of medium leverage). His relief performance has been better but not good considering his usage: 78/95/104, which is basically what you’d expect from a decent mop-up guy.
And now, he’s going back into the rotation. The Braves don’t expect him to go more than a few innings, but since nothing is easy, this could mean they have to cover eight or nine frames with the non-Lopez bullpen if things go awry. On the flip side, if the Giants blow Lopez up on relatively few pitches, the bullpen will still have to work a lot. It’s an odd strategy for a team desperate to save the bullpen — as someone noted in the comments, you can’t actually rest both the starters (i.e., Sale) and the bullpen, but the Braves are somehow attempting to thread that needle right now while also not collapsing out of the division lead altogether. It’s a very tall order.
The Giants haven’t announced a starter. It’s nominally Trevor McDonald’s turn in the rotation; McDonald has a 121/103/94 line in nine starts, but has gotten blown up each of his last two tries, not making it out of the fourth in either try. Maybe that means the starter is unannounced because the Giants will use one of their numerous lefty relievers as an opener ahead of the right-handed McDonald, or maybe something else will happen. In any case, this isn’t a marquee matchup, and the Braves need to figure out how to win games like this in the effortless manner they managed in April and May. But if they don’t, well, maybe they can spend some time calling that lawn guy or my kid’s camp instead.
May 5, 2026; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; A catchers mask and glove are seen in the dugout before a game between the Cleveland Guardians and Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Peter Aiken-Imagn Images | Peter Aiken-Imagn Images
First off, I think in 15 years of draft previews that’s the first time I’ve ever typed C/SS. It’s an odd positional combo, but is a sign of some unusual athleticism for the guy squatting behind the plate. Brick was not on my radar to review, but Kiley McDaniel of ESPN mocked him to the Phillies last week. Since all my previews feel like they’ve been of Catchers and Shortstops, why not go for the combo here?
Brick is a 6’2″, 195 lbs 18 year old who reclassified from the 2027 Draft last Fall. He currently attends Christian Brothers High School in Memphis, TN. As noted above he’s played both Catcher and Shortstop at a high level, but is expected to be able to stick behind the dish. He has a College commitment to Mississippi State and is currently Baseball America’s 62nd ranked prospect. He’s a right handed batter and while you should never draft for need, the system is short on RHB and potential future starting Catchers. If you think a group of players are roughly equal, it’s fine to use need as a tie-breaker and perhaps that could be the case here.
To talk some skills, Brick has a double plus arm and consistently puts up sub 1.9 second pop times (he’s even thrown runners out at 2nd from his knees). His lateral agility is excellent and he shows a lot of promise being able to block pitches in the dirt and get to off target throws (he’s a bit of a, ahem, Brick wall, one might say). He’s a prep Catcher, so the receiving isn’t perfect and will need some work, but the tools are all there and he’s already very advanced for his age. His speed is below average, but better than you may expect from a Catcher. He won’t be stealing many bases, but he’s not slow enough to clog the basepaths either (this could change as he adds muscle and grows fully into his frame, but it’s still a better starting point).
Hitting is a mixed bag for Will. He makes a lot of contact and seems to have a good feel for a prep bat, though spin can be an issue. His swing is a good starting point, but I expect changes will be made. He shows good, above average power potential in batting practice sessions, but in game his approach is more line drive gap power oriented. His bat has not impressed as hoped this spring. He can have a passive approach at the plate and some in zone swing and miss. Additionally he hasn’t shown any growth in over the fence power. These have dropped his stock from a possible late first round pick to more of a mid-second rounder. As you can see in the below video he has a small leg kick and stride with decent balance. I could see a team asking for a bigger kick and more lift in the swing. That said he tops a lot of balls in this BP clip, it may help if his stance was less upright as he currently has his eye level a bit all over the place throughout the swing. Some of the better power he shows in the clip are on higher pitches where he keeps his eyes more level.
In game hitting video was really tough to come by. so I apologize for the below video which is a lot of skippable content. You’re looking at #2 in white/purple. The first few minutes you can watch him catching. To see him hit you have to jump to 2:18 (bloop single), 6:10 (a gap bloop he managed to stretch into a Triple, rather inadvisably probably), and the 10:05 mark when he moonshots one over the Left Field wall, thus accounting for pretty much the entirety of his team’s scoring. It’s not the best angle to analyze a swing from, but his stride seems much shorter with just a toe tap instead of a kick, except on the Homer where he gets more of a leg kick in. It’s also the lone high pitch in the video he sees.
I’d be thrilled with Brick as a Second or Third Round pick, but the rawness of the bat would make me a bit nervous, though not upset, if he was the pick at 36. There is a potentially special ceiling here, but the risks feel commensurate with a later pick.
Partially off topic, this week is the draft combine, so next week I may do a bit of an update summary on how the players I’ve profiled so far performed and if it changes anything I wrote. Also, if you watch any of the coverage and somebody really gets your radar buzzing, feel free to comment on it and I’ll add them to my list of possible write-ups.
