Category: Baseball

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)

Friday night baseball.

⚾️: 5:40pm CT
📺: @SpaceCityHN
🎙️: @SportsTalk790 | Spanish: 102.9 HD2#ChaseTheFight x @reliantenergypic.twitter.com/wQ64hT0yt1

— Houston Astros (@astros) June 26, 2026

Orange Friday 🍊

⚾️ 6:40 PM ET
📺 @WatchDSN
📻 @971theticketxyt
🏟️ Comerica Park pic.twitter.com/WhaIdZyslS

— Detroit Tigers (@tigers) June 26, 2026

Here are the lineups. For the Phillies:

Keep it rollin'#RingTheBellpic.twitter.com/FEbiGiHUSm

— Philadelphia Phillies (@Phillies) June 26, 2026

For the Mets:

Tonight's starters #LGMpic.twitter.com/I9lAtJ39kk

— New York Mets (@Mets) June 26, 2026

Let’s talk about it.

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.

Green was working in the Mets' front office when the organization decided to relieve Mendoza of his duties earlier in the day, so he has seen the connections and culture that Mendoza built firsthand.

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."

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.

1. Fernando Tatis Jr., 2B
2. Samad Taylor, RF
3. Manny Machado, 3B
4. Xander Bogaerts, SS
5. Jackson Merrill, CF
6. Gavin Sheets, LF
7. Ty France, 1B
8. Will Wagner, DH
9. 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.

Cincinnati Reds vs. Pittsburgh Pirates, June 26, 2026, 6:40 p.m. ET

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.

Friday notes…

• 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.

Cubs lineup:

Weekending in Wisconsin. pic.twitter.com/6pxLeRg6L1

— Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) June 26, 2026

Brewers lineup:

Rivalry weekend in MKE

📺: Apple TV
📻: WTMJ#ThisIsMyCrewpic.twitter.com/0GlD4GwJ15

— Milwaukee Brewers (@Brewers) June 26, 2026

Colin Rea, RHP vs. Jacob Misiorowski, RHP

Well, this looks like a mismatch.

Colin Rea did have a good start in his last outing, last Saturday vs. the Blue Jays, allowing no runs in 5.1 innings.

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.

That stretch includes six shutout innings vs. the Cubs May 20 at Wrigley Field.

Some Cubs have hit him okay, though. Seiya Suzuki is 3-for-9 with a home run. Nico Hoerner, 3-for-8. The Cubs did beat him last year in Milwaukee.

Doing that again will not be easy.

Today’s game is on Apple TV (how to watch). Announcers: Alex Faust (play-by-play), Ryan Spilborghs (analyst), and Tricia Whitaker (reporter).

Here is the complete MLB.com live streaming page for today.

MLB.com Gameday

Baseball-reference.com game preview

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.

Discuss amongst yourselves.

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.

Game Info

Game Date/Time: Friday, June 26, 10:15 p.m. EDT

Location: Oracle Park, San Francisco, CA

TV: BravesVision

Streaming: MLB.tv

Radio: 680 AM / 93.7 FM The Fan

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.

Atlanta has lost 10 of their last 13, and things have gone so poorly that the Giants nearly swept them last weekend, but for an act of rain that postponed the final game of the series to August. They’ve allowed 5 runs per game during this stretch while averaging just 3.2 runs scored. It’s probably not a staggering surprise despite Atlanta’s division-leading record and top 10 lineup because this is the sort of thing that befalls every team during the regular season. But, of course, they’re playing the 2026 San Francisco Giants, a team that offers every other team the opportunity to turn things around right away.

I am writing this preview far too late for anyone to read it, but as of this publication, the Giants still don’t have starters named for this series. Drew Cavanaugh is slated to be promoted to take the spot of the injured Daniel Susac. Heliot Ramos might also be activated. It’s hard to guess but, more importantly, maybe a little harder to care. The Giants aren’t a good baseball team and it’s a shame we can’t just fast forward to the end of the season like a baseball video game sim.

Atlanta did trade for Joey Bart after the Giants series, so add him to the list of former Giants who will be returning to Oracle Park. You’ve got Mauricio Dubon, Dominic Smith, and, of course, Mike Yastrzemski; but also, J.P. Martinez is Atlanta’s bullpen coach and Antoan Richardson is the first base coach. I wonder if these guys returning to San Francisco will feel a little bit like returning to one’s hometown long after graduating high school. “Wow, everything is exactly the same… for better or worse.”

The Giants are 5-5 since the anti-Pride Night protest, and are 10-11 on the month, meaning that this series gives them a shot to actually have a winning month this season, a feat that seemed impossible even a week ago. Despite all the crapitude in the bullpen, maybe this Band of Bigots really has bonded over sticking it a bunch of the team’s fans. It wouldn’t be the first time a team has played the “us against the world” card, and athletes thrive on underdog narratives. The Giants don’t seem like a particularly cohesive, intelligent, or talented enough group to flip a switch and be decent again, but one cannot predict baseball.

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Who: San Francisco Giants (33-47) vs. Atlanta Braves (48-31)
Where: Oracle Park | San Francisco, California
When: Friday at 7:15pm PT, Saturday at 6:05pm PT, Sunday at 1:05pm PT
National broadcasts: None

Projected starters
Friday: TBD vs. Reynaldo Lopez (RHP 3-1, 3.50 ERA)
Saturday: TBD vs. Bryce Elder (RHP 5-5, 3.71 ERA)
Sunday: TBD vs. Chris Sale (LHP 8-5, 2.14 ERA)

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Prediction time

Thank goodness for Max Muncy… seriously! In the last series preview, I predicted “An A will hit a home run,” and that’s exactly what happened. An A (Max Muncy) hit the lone home run of the series for West Sacramento. As to the second prediction, “The Giants will do something really dumb,” I think I was spot on there, too, given all that transpired off the field.

So, for this series I’ll just say that somebody in the pool of Joey Bart, Mauricio Dubon, Mike Yastrzemski, and Dom Smith will homer. I also predict that we will see Yaz throw out Jung Hoo Lee or vice versa.

Earlier today, Andy Green officially became the 25th manager in Mets history (26th if you count Carlos Beltrán’s ill-fated tenure) after the team fired Carlos Mendoza. We did learn via David Stearns’ press conference that Green will strictly serve as an interim manager and will return to his previous role of Senior Vice President for Player Development, which he’s held since 2024, when the season concludes.

Andrew Mulligan Green is not really a household name around these parts, though he’s hardly new to the Mets. Green was born in Lexington, Kentucky on July 7, 1977 (7-7-77, for those of you who love numbers) and is a former major league infielder who played parts of four seasons with the Diamondbacks and the Mets. He was picked in the 24th round of the 2000 MLB draft and ended up having a great minor league career, earning the Pacific Coast League MVP award in 2005. That success did not translate at the major league level with the Diamondbacks, as he hit .199/.280/.265 in 136 games from 2004-2006. During his time, he played a little bit of second, short, third, and even got some chances in the outfield.

After his stint with Arizona, he bounced around from Japan in 2007 with the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters to the Reds’ farm system in 2008. He briefly re-emerged in 2009, playing four games with the Mets and picking up one hit in four at-bats. The hit was enough to get his career batting average over .200 and give him one more hit as a Met than Jed Lowrie. He was invited to spring training in 2010 but was ultimately released by the Mets.

From there, he spent a lot of time in the dugout, managing the Missoula Osprey to the Pioneer League Championship in 2012, and leading the Mobile BayBears to first and second half division titles, which led to him being named the Southern League’s Manager of the Year in 2013. He served as the Diamondbacks’ third base coach in 2015, and used that to catapult himself to the managerial ranks in 2016 for the Padres. His tenure came during a rough patch for the Padres, who had averaged 74.8 wins between 2011 and 2015 and had not had made the playoffs since 2006.

He unfortunately failed to lead the Padres to glory, finishing with a 274-366 record as their manager. The club went 68-94 under his leadership in 2016, 71-91 in 2017, and 66-96 in 2018. Halfway through the 2017 season, he was extended through 2021, but he was ultimately fired in September 2019 with the team owning a 69–85  at the time of his dismissal. He joined the Cubs as a bench coach, where he stayed under manager David Ross until Craig Counsell was hired brought in his own staff.

Since leaving the dugout, a move he said during today’s press conference he made intentionally to give him more time to spend with his family, he has entered the front office to serve as David Stearns’ Senior Vice President for Player Development. In this role, he oversees the club’s farm system and minor league operations. As Stearns made abundantly clear, this is a temporary role, and Green will ultimately go back to the front office following the season. Green also made it clear during his introductory press conference that he will not be handling anything related to his old job while he is managing.

The Andy Green era, which will last exactly 81 games barring anything unforeseen, begins tonight, with the Mets taking on the Phillies to begin a three-game series at Citi Field.

The first phase of the MLB proposal for the new Collective Bargaining Agreement to the MLB Players Association (MLBPA) included a hard salary cap and a hard salary floor. They also outlined multiple revenue-sharing proposals.

The MLBPA quickly rejected the concept, as they have in past negotiations. The debate between the two sides began in May and will continue intermittently until the current agreement expires on Dec. 1.

The second proposal from MLB to the union included changes to the draft, including the elimination of high school drafting and the institution of an international draft. In response to that proposal, the union requested the elimination of the Qualifying Offer from free agency and the shortening of time it takes for a player to reach free agency.

On Thursday, during their regular negotiation session, the MLB negotiators proposed a minimum salary increase from $780,000 to $1 million for pre-arbitration players with two years of service time.

Those with less than two years would receive $900,000 with a $100,000 bonus at the end of the year if they spend less than 50 percent of the season on the injured list and complete the season with the team.

They agreed to the MLBPA’s request to reduce the free-agent eligibility requirement to five years of service time from the current six years for players 30 and older. They accepted the request for the elimination of the qualifying offer.

The MLB then proposed that all free-agent contracts be capped at five years for players changing teams or six years for those staying with their current team. The maximum dollar amount would be capped based on payroll. The top would be 15 percent of total payroll with a five percent increase per contract year. (Example: six-year/ $265 million under 2025 numbers).

The proposal also included the elimination of deferred money contracts, such as the controversial contract Shohei Ohtani signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers.

The pre-arbitration pool would increase by 30 percent ($50 million to $65 million) and up to $75 million by the end of the agreement.

The MLB proposed expanding the Prospect Promotion Program with the eligible player yielding up to two draft picks if the player is in the top two or three in Rookie of the Year or four or five in Cy Young voting or MVP voting. The picks would be distributed one for each draft (domestic and international).

MLB released its statement in support of its proposals.

“The biggest issue baseball fans want solved to strengthen the game is fixing the payroll disparity that leaves too many fans without hope of their team competing for a World Series title,” MLB spokesperson Glen Caplin said. “Every other major U.S. sport has tackled this problem, and every year more small-market teams in those leagues have a chance to win. The salary cap and floor proposal levels the playing field, allowing us greater flexibility to address longstanding player priorities while sharing baseball revenue with the players 50/50.

“Today, in addition to proposing the largest-ever increase in the minimum salary, earned by over half of MLB players, we accepted two landmark changes to free agency that have been in place for 50 years. We agreed to both the MLBPA’s proposal to provide earlier access to free agency, and their proposal to eliminate the qualifying offer system, a provision players view as a drag on free agency. We also proposed to eliminate deferred compensation and to create a new ‘Cornerstone Player’ provision similar to the NBA’s ‘Bird rights’ to give every team a fair shot at retaining their fans’ favorite star players. We will continue working with the MLBPA during the bargaining process to improve the game for teams, players and fans.”

The MLBPA had a rapid response to the latest offer from the MLB negotiating team.

“After making a series of proposals to reduce player compensation by billions of dollars, eliminate fundamental rights with a salary cap, and destroy the amateur entry process, Major League Baseball and team owners are now attempting to distract from the true impact their plan would have on baseball,” a statement from the MLBPA said. “These misleading offers are designed to look like ‘improvements’ but are of little or no value, given they are expressly conditioned on agreement to the league’s cap system which eliminates the free market, and ensures gains for one player only come at the expense of another. The league also introduced a litany of additional restrictions on player rights — limiting salaries, contract length, performance, award, and signing bonuses. While MLB claims to be acting in the interest of fans, their proposals thus far are entirely consistent with owners’ long-held goals: suppressing player salaries and maximizing club profits.

“Owners’ attempts to pit players against players are nothing new, but they’ve failed in the past and will fail again now, because PA members remain unified. We are committed to achieving a fair deal that protects the rights of all players, promotes competition, and leaves our game better for future generations.”

The two sides are expected to meet again before the All-Star break in July. There seems to be very little current space for agreement with the initial proposal as the basis for all subsequent proposals by both sides.

With the players staunchly refusing to consider that suggestion, nothing else can be achieved until they find some common ground on the competitive balance issue.

Jacob Misiorowski is having among the most dominant pitching seasons we’ve ever seen. What does he need to do to get it up there with the all-time greats?

In a recent piece I did about the greatest single season pitching seasons, I quickly mentioned in the intro that Misiorowski was on pace for an all-time season if he kept up his current pace before launching into verbose soliloquies about 2018 Jacob deGrom and 1985 Dwight Gooden. But the blueprint was there; if we have some sense of what makes the best pitching seasons, surely we can get The Miz to that level.

Two factors consistently colored my ranking: dominance relative to other pitchers in the same time (why steroid-era Pedro Martinez in 1999-2000 was the greatest pitcher ever) and statistical outliers extended over a full season. Misiorowski needs a true mathematical trump card that will be visible and obvious to everyone for the rest of time. For Misiorowski, that’s currently his ERA: 1.45, the best ever save for 1968 Bob Gibson (number three on my other list) and his patently absurd 1.12 ERA in over 300 innings pitched. That figure is so good it needs additional context, namely that the strike zone was much larger than it is today in 1968, and Gibson’s dominance — along with Sandy Koufax and Don Drysdale — led to rule changes that fixed that. Misiorowski would, for all intents and purposes, pass 1985 Dwight Gooden for the best non-“juiced zone” ERA ever.*

(*whenever I say “ever” in this piece, I generally mean since 1945, since I think post-World War II is a good starting point for pitching legacy conversations given many players returned from military service, integration began soon after and pitchers stopped pitching 19 billion innings per year. It just wasn’t the same sport for pitchers before.)

But ERA is a flawed statistic, and not necessarily great at capturing true pitcher performance. I also like ERA estimators like FIP and SIERA, basically ERA-scale stats that try to correct for things pitchers can’t control like defense and balls in play. I only have SIERA data going back to 2002, but Misiorowski would be third all-time in the SIERA club behind 2014 Clayton Kershaw (fourth on my list) and 2002 Curt Schilling (by .01). As for FIP, or fielding independent pitching, good at telling you which pitchers prevent runs by themselves rather than with defensive help, Misiorowski is in hallowed ground. Since 1945, he trails only 2021 Corbin Burnes (FIP god for some reason) and 1999 Pedro Martinez — number one on my list and the undisputed king of pitching seasons.

You may be thinking “what do I care about FIP? I’ve never even heard of that until now!” But I assure you, FIP is a powerful thing, and Misiorowski being a FIP and ERA god is good for other historical markers, namely Wins Above Replacement (WAR), calculated by two websites differently. “bWAR” from Baseball-References relies more on runs allowed, while “fWAR” from FanGraphs is FIP-based. Misiorowski is insane at both, meaning if he keeps this up, his WAR number could go down as an all-timer — he’s already on pace for about 10 WAR right now, a bonkers achievement for a starting pitcher in the age of the reliever. 

But Misiorowski’s greatness goes beyond this numerical soups I’ve just concocted. He’s also super cool because he throws super hard and refuses to throw slower. He threw 47 pitches above 101 mphin a loss to Atlanta, which is the record for a starter. He threw a pitch to strikeout Kyle Schwarber that clocked in at 105 mph, the fastest ever from a starter. In 2026, he ratcheted up his four-seam fastball usage up almost 10 percent from 2025 to a ridiculous 64 percent, the highest in the majors by a lot and the second highest in the Statcast era (since 2015) behind only 2017 Kevin Gausman. MLB has moved away from a lot of fastballs and towards fewer-but-better fastballs, but Misiorowski pulled up to the club and said “nah, I’ll just throw more, better fastballs.”

And why not? Using Baseball Savant’s glorious new swing timing + miss distance data, we can see that 2026 Jacob Misiorowski’s fastball is among the most unhittable pitches since they started tracking in 2023. I would go so far as to say it is the single least hittable pitch since it is a fastball producing a 44 percent whiff rate. That is not something you are supposed to be able to do, and Misiorowski’s fastball is straight-up the best swing-and-miss fastball in the Majors since at least 2023 (probably longer) among both starters and relievers. 

I don’t know if my profuse use of italics is underscoring how impossibly impossible it is that Misiorowski is putting up these kinds of numbers, but even if you don’t like numbers, we also have historical intrigue: Misiorowski is on pace for one of the greatest seasons ever, but he’s actually not the most on pace anyone has ever been. 

That title goes to 2021 Jacob deGrom, who was, if you can believe it, a wildly superior version of 2026 Misiorowski through basically the exact same number of innings pitched. He has a 1.08 ERA (would be the best ever) a 1.24 FIP (would be the best ever) and struck out 14.28 per nine innings (would be the best ever). And that’s where it stands today; deGrom got injured and missed the rest of the season, meaning he pitched by far the greatest half-season ever. This is what Misiorowski needs to avoid.

He throws hard, we all know that, and while it’s commonly debated whether velocity is the real culprit for UCL injuries and tears, it’s obviously a concern that Misiorowski may not be able to sustain this pitching output that’s like he’s the Winter Soldier with a vibranium arm. But I don’t speculate about injuries; I speculate if this is sustainable for the rest of the season.

Looking at expected statistics, Misiorowski is overperforming based on his contact quality, but so is every pitcher who’s ever had a great season in the history of ever. And he’s not actually overperforming by that much — most of his expected numbers are within small enough margins not to take much stock in them, and the discrepancy is mostly because it is not supposed to be possible to create this kind of swing-and-miss with a fastball as a starter. It’s legitimately unprecedented stuff. 

Maybe that will regress, and maybe Misiorowski will start getting barreled later in the year. But I could see a world where we look back on 2026 Misiorowski and think of one of the greatest pitching seasons in the history of baseball. So I suggest we all drink it in while we’ve got it.

After parting ways with manager Carlos Mendoza on Friday morning, the Mets made a flurry of smaller roster moves. Tyrone Taylor has been activated from the injured list and left-handed-pitcher Zach Thornton has been recalled from Triple-A, while MJ Melendez and right-hander Daniel Duarte were optioned to Triple-A.

Taylor spent exactly one month on the IL with a right hip flexor strain. In four rehab games with Double-A Binghamton and Triple-A Syracuse over the past week, Taylor went 7-for-15 with two homers and six runs batted in. He was slashing .186/.210/.320 before getting injured, and notably posting defensive metrics well below his career norms (-1 Outs Above Average and -1 Arm Value).

A fifth-round pick in the 2023 Draft, and Amazin’ Avenue’s No. 14 preseason prospect, Thornton made his big-league debut at Nationals Park on May 20 – allowing four earned runs in 4.1 innings of work. The 24-year-old holds a 4.25 ERA in 55.0 IP this season between Binghamton and Syracuse.

Duarte has made three appearances with the Mets this year, most recently on June 14 against the Braves. He’s been awfully effective, allowing no runs, one hit, and one walk while striking out three in five innings of work. The 29-year-old was promoted to the Major League roster on Thursday, and spent one day with the team before being sent back to Syracuse.

Melendez started hot for the Mets, posting a 1.024 OPS through his first 16 games after being promoted on April 15. But he’s been mired in a slump since then, batting just .123 with a .495 OPS.

The Mets will look to find a spark with their new roster pieces (and their new interim manager, Andy Green) during a three-game set with the Phillies this weekend at Citi Field. The series opener is Friday night at 7:10 p.m. ET, with the ever-fearsome Zack Wheeler on the mound for Philadelphia.

Former Florida State catcher Hunter Carns has committed to transfer to Georgia, according to College Baseball Central’s Andrew Riedell. The 6-foot, 200-pound sophomore will have at least two years of eligibility remaining in Athens.

Carns had a .289 batting average, six home runs, 11 doubles, one triple, 38 RBI, and 48 runs scored while appearing in 51 games during the 2026 season, including 49 combined starts at both catcher and designated hitter.

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Carns is considered a physical right-handed hitter with plus-power at the plate while also showing rare athleticism behind the plate. He presents a similar profile to the player he’ll likely replace in the Bulldogs’ lineup: Daniel Jackson, who won the SEC’s triple crown with a conference-best .379 average, 32 home runs and 87 RBIs. He joined Mississippi State‘s Brent Rooker and Rafael Palmeiro as the only other SEC players to achieve such a feat.

Jackson, who also became the sixth Division I college baseball player to hit at least 25 home runs and still at least 25 bases, raked in multiple awards in 2026 — the Dick Howser Trophy, the Buster Posey Catcher of the Year Award, the Bobby Bragan Slugger Award, and the D1 National Position Player of the Year by the American Baseball Coaches Association and Rawlings Sporting Goods. Jackson is widely expected to be a first-round pick in the upcoming 2026 MLB Draft next month.

Carns was originally drafted in the 20th round of the 2024 MLB Draft by the Arizona Diamondbacks, but chose to attend FSU instead. The Jacksonville, Fla. native hit .384 with 28 hits, seven doubles, 27 runs scored, 16 RBI and seven home runs as a senior from First Coast (Jacksonville, Fla.) High.

As a freshman at Florida State, Carns hit .286 with eight doubles, six home runs and 15 RBI in 40 games during the 2025 season, including 39 starts.

Carns becomes Georgia’s sixth transfer addition this offseason joining outfielder Mikey Bell (Gonzaga), shortstop Matthew Farner (North Florida) and right-handed pitchers Cooper Wells (Florida), Christopher Cespedes (Maryland), and Luke Howe (Long Beach State), according to On3’s Baseball Transfer Portal tracker.

Good afternoon everyone, it’s time to dive back into the mailbag and answer some of your questions. Remember to send in your questions for our weekly call by e-mail to pinstripealleyblog [at] gmail [dot] com.

Michael R. asks:What’s going on with Dax Kilby? Is he in a witness protection program? Last I heard it was a hamstring injury. Was there an amputation needed? Surely, if it was just a hamstring issue he should be back by now.

Hamstrings are finnicky muscles, and tweaking them can easily set back a rehabbing player’s progress — look no further than Giancarlo Stanton for a prime example of how long it can take if things go poorly. Kilby did manage to get into a rehab game at the end of May, but reaggravated the injury during the game and has been out again since. We don’t know the full extent to how bad the hamstring was after that game, but the team is going to be cautious with any soft tissue injury like this especially after the rehab attempt went poorly. If we don’t have an update around mid-July then there’d be some valid concern, but for now Kilby is simply going to be on the shelf for a bit longer.

jws85 asks:Why do writers keep talking starting pitchers? I would think the hot topic would be Josh Jung and Higgy from Texas.

It’s not so much that starting pitching is a need as it is the singular face of the trade market this deadline appears to be Tarik Skubal — and when the reigning two-time Cy Young winner is available, you have to at least consider being the one to make a move for him. Any other starter wouldn’t make sense for the Yankees to pursue when they have one of the strongest rotations in baseball and have some clear holes elsewhere, but Skubal could push them all-in on being perhaps the most dangerous team in the field even with the reigning champion Dodgers looking every bit as strong as they have been the last two years.

Make no mistake though: it would be an all-in move, and it would be costly. Even though the team that lands him would only guarantee Skubal’s services for the remainder of this season, the Tigers can demand a king’s ransom for him and have a number of suitors willing to pony up. Skubal did sit out for a month with an elbow injury that might raise concerns, but he’s recovered in admirable time and the Yankees just got a front-row seat to see how sharp he looks already so I doubt there would be a major discount on account of his arm. Any trade on the Yankees’ ends would start with top prospect George Lombard Jr. and likely include several other top prospects within the organization’s top 10, probably even their top five given their rankings fall off quick from there. That’s going to mortgage the future fairly significantly, but if they don’t push those chips into the pot the Dodgers can definitely outbid them (and possibly still can even if the Yankees leave no one off the table).

Sounds like an awful lot to index everything into a rotation that is already one of the best, and leaves little room to make other upgrades when some are definitely warranted. So why should the Yankees consider this? Well, there’s the opportunity cost of passing on Skubal to consider — if they don’t go and get him, someone else will and the Yankees will likely have to face him on their road to a World Series title, making him a major obstacle instead of a piece of the puzzle. Could anyone compete with the Dodgers if Skubal dons an LA cap this postseason? Will the Yankees’ hopes of walking through a weak American League remain high if say, Seattle doesn’t want to fall just short of making the Fall Classic at long last and throws their arsenal of top 100 prospects at Detroit? Leaving it up to chance that Skubal won’t become the next version of Texas Cliff Lee or Houston Gerrit Cole isn’t ideal for a team whose core is getting dangerously close to old.

Age is the other factor — the Yankees have, outside of their push in 2024 with Juan Soto, danced around the idea of ever going all-in. Now they have a roster with superstars exiting their primes, with Aaron Judge already in his age-34 season and Cole approaching his 36th birthday in September. Both players have now faced mounting injuries in the last few years, and while I’m highly confident in both of them performing in October this year, how many more years will they be able to carry the weight of a title run on their shoulders? The team has gotten a much-needed injection of youth with Ben Rice and Cam Schlittler excelling this year, but they’re facing Father Time down with the contracts still on the books for their superstars. A rental starter would’ve been ideal in past seasons but isn’t this time around, but you could argue that getting picky about which pieces were available to them and at what prices got them into this position in the first place. Now they need to decide if pushing for a championship with their captain is more important than always being in the mix, and act accordingly.

With all this said I truly don’t know if they can even get Skubal or should pursue him if they could, but they have to do their due diligence in considering it. I like Lombard a lot, and he can potentially be the answer to a position that has given the Yankees a lot of headaches over the years. It would take a lot to move him, but the circumstances are undeniably there. We’ll see if they determine it’s worth pulling the trigger or not.

The idiot that said, “Harper is coming” asks:Clarke Schmidt? He’s going to face live batters any day now, so his return this season seems inevitable. What do the Yankees do with him? Do they just ride out the season and if he’s healthy and available keep him in the minors, or bring him up and force him into a bullpen role? Does he have any trade value? How does he rank among Yankee starters for 2027?

Schmidt is in a strange spot, with the rotation blossoming in his absence and nearly all the candidates to hold down a spot ahead of him being under control long-term. Schmidt, meanwhile, will be a free agent after next season and still has a minor league option remaining to toy with, giving the team flexibility now with how they handle his return but forcing the issue next year if they did keep him down. I doubt they would stash him in the minors, to be honest — when healthy he was one of the better starters the Yankees had, pacing out to about three fWAR per season had he played all of 2024 and 2025. The reality is he hasn’t pitched over 100 innings since 2023 though, so easing him back in a multi-inning relief role would be the ideal scenario if he stays and the rotation remains healthy in front of him.

A trade to shake things up in this equation is very much on the table though, as the Yankees have needs around the roster and for once have an extreme excess of starting pitching. Schmidt’s injuries might prevent him from recouping significant value, but he could also serve as a solid fallback option if Will Warren or one of the prospects like Elmer Rodriguez or Brendan Beck gets packaged in a deal. That could allow Schmidt to build back up his arm with a handful of starts this year and then slide back into the rotation as the fifth starter for 2027 should he beat out Ryan Weathers in spring. The only concern is that you truly can’t have too much pitching, and it would be the height of folly to act as if the team had too much pitching in July only to run on empty in October, but if they seriously pursued the Skubal angle perhaps that’s how they could hedge on building a super rotation for this season and still have depth for next year and beyond.