ATLANTA, GA - JUNE 16: Luis Arraez (1) of the San Francisco Giants bats in the heavy first inning rain during the Tuesday evening MLB game between the Atlanta Braves and the San Francisco Giants on June 16, 2026 at Truist Park in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by David J. Griffin/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Good morning, baseball fans!
Phase one of the 2026 MLB All Star voting ends later this week. If we want to see a San Francisco Giants player on the starting line-up, we have got to keep our push for Luis Arraez going! As of the last update, Arraez was in fifth place among National League second basemen. And he was (unsurprisingly) the only member of the team to appear in any of the races.
Fans can vote up to five times per day over here on the MLB website. You can vote up to five times per day, and Phase one runs through Thursday, June 25th.
So vote early, vote often, and vote Arraez!
What time do the Giants play today?
The Giants welcome the A’s to Oracle Park tonight to begin a three-game series at 6:45 p.m. PT.
With a rainout Sunday and a night game on Monday (which ended up getting rained out), PCA-Mania is continuing (not complaining!). Everybody has a slightly different take, but Brett Taylor’s article is a must-read.
Speaking of PCA-Mania — I’m quite aware that the All-Star Game has lost 98 percent of the allure it had when I was a kid. But I’m rather shocked as to the recent results of voting for PCA. I can only think that it is that bad weekend+ he had with fans and his reaction to it that is holding him back. And the overall malaise of the Cubs. But I thought it would shock some (smart) people into voting for the first time in a while, like myself, and make a difference. I’m hoping that when it comes time to pick the reserves or injury replacements, PCA will be the first outfielder taken. Read the story at the bottom of the PCA section and go vote.
Just like Ben Brown’s great pitching performance was overshadowed by the offensive onslaught Friday, Matt Shaw’s three-run homer was overshadowed by the bullpen’s collapse Saturday. So here’s shout-out to him. Also, when Seiya Suzuki got hurt, he was on an impressive defensive run in right field. Shaw took over the spot and there has been no drop-off. A cap-tip to him for that as well.
I’m sorry, but I don’t remember who asked what would it take to acquire Sonny Gray. A couple of options are listed below.
A very interesting Cub-take from Carson Kelly about the new catching style and its results. It was brought up last week by this article by the Athletic {$}.
I’ll let you get to reading, but remember — Go Vote!
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More PCA-Mania:
Brett Taylor (Bleacher Nation): My Favorite Bit of Context on Just How Blisteringly Good Pete Crow-Armstrong Has Been, “Given his unbelievable June, on the heels of what was quietly excellent performance at the plate going back to mid-April, it’s been unsurprising to see all manner of “holy crap did you see this!” about Pete Crow-Armstrong.
Garrett Kerman (Clutch Points): Cubs’ perfect trade offer for Red Sox’s Sonny Gray. “Discover the perfect trade proposal sending Boston Red Sox pitcher Sonny Gray to the Chicago Cubs for two high-upside prospects.”
Gorden Edes (Chicago Sun-Times): Cubs catcher Carson Kelly can’t mask his pain. “Many catchers have abandoned the crouch in favor of one knee down, but they are getting drilled by balls more often.”
Matthew Trueblood (North Side Baseball): Seiya Suzuki Has Turned a Quick Release into a Real Run-Stopping Outfield Arm. “When it comes to Seiya Suzuki’s arm, the question has never been whether he could throw hard enough. He’s learned to get rid of the ball faster, though, and that’s made a big difference.”
Mike McGraw (Daily Herald): So much for momentum: Cubs bullpen flubs 5-run lead. “In baseball, it’s often said, momentum is only as good as the next day’s starting pitcher. Sometimes the starting pitcher is very good, though, and the bullpen messes it up.”
Jack de Keyzer is a British-born Canadian blues guitarist, vocalist, songwriter and producer.[1] He has twice won the Juno Award, Canada’s highest musical honour and seven times received Maple Blues Awards, including for Blues Album of the Year in 2000 and the Lifetime Achievement Award in 2001. Real Blues Magazine crowned him Live Act of the Year in 2001 and named him Guitarist of the Year twice.
As a solo artist, he has released eleven CDs and one DVD and has appeared as a session guitarist on hundreds of recordings. As a session guitarist, he worked with Etta James, Otis Rush, John Hammond, Jr., Ronnie Hawkins, Duke Robillard, Robert Gordon, Willy Big Eyes Smith, Bo Diddley, and Blue Rodeo.
Please be reminded that Cub Tracks and Bleed Cubbie Blue do not necessarily endorse the content of articles, podcasts, or videos that are linked to in this series.
ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA - JUNE 22: Taylor Ward #3, Leody Tavares #30 and Tyler O'Neill #9 of the Baltimore Orioles celebrate after ninth inning of a 6-1 win over the Los Angeles Angels during a game at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on June 22, 2026 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Scott Strazzante/Getty Images) | Getty Images
If you didn’t know any better, if you hadn’t been watching the rest of the 2026 Orioles season, you could be tempted after a game like this one to conclude that things are definitely going to be okay with the Orioles. Maybe we are in the middle of where they’re finally doing it. Maybe. They certainly need games like this one to happen more often than they have been. Kyle Bradish had a masterful outing against his former organization, pitching eight shutout innings with nine strikeouts to help push the Orioles to a relatively easy 6-1 win over the Angels.
The Orioles led this game from their very first batter. Taylor Ward, who hit 36 home runs for the Angels a year ago, greeted his former team with a 419 foot home run over the center field fence. Ward, traded for Grayson Rodriguez over the offseason, has not been homering at such a mighty rate for the Orioles. This was just his fifth long ball of the season.
One run was nearly enough for Bradish to do the thing on its own. That’s not to say that it always looked that way. The Angels threatened to get the run right back in the bottom half of the first after a couple of one-out singles. We’ve seen many a game this year where the defense or the pitcher or both just collapse and give up the lead they just got.
On Monday night, Bradish did not do the collapse. He rocked. That first inning was the closest they ever got to scoring against him. He rolled through the next seven innings, never allowing more than one runner to reach in any other inning. The only time he let the leadoff batter reach base, he induced a ground ball double play immediately afterwards. And, crucially, he was fairly efficient with his pitches, the real thing that let him get through eight. In all, Bradish tossed 101 pitches. It wasn’t a complete game, but it was the kind of start the O’s have been sorely lacking from him and others this year.
While Bradish was dominating, the Orioles offense did not do that thing where they score early and then fall asleep. Well, mostly. Angels starting pitcher Sam Aldegheri did retire nine straight Orioles after giving up the leadoff homer to Ward. That streak came to an end as Gunnar Henderson drew a walk leading off the fourth inning. Pete Alonso muscled a soft liner that floated over the shortstop’s head into left field.
We’ve seen the Orioles blow plenty of “two on, none out” rallies this season. Coby Mayo ended any question about that happening by connecting on a bottom-of-the-zone changeup and driving it out into the seats in left field. It didn’t clear the fence by too much, but enough is enough. This would have been a home run in 28 stadiums, but not Camden Yards. On the road, count it as an Earl Weaver special, with the Orioles now holding a 4-0 lead.
The offense continued to add on for Bradish with a run apiece in the fifth and seventh innings, not that he needed it. In all, it was a strong, 11-hit effort. Henderson collected three of those hits, dragging his on-base percentage back over .300 for the first time since, if you can believe this, April 15. That’s another guy that the Orioles need to be able to have “back” if they’re going to sustain good things this season. Each of the top four hitters in the lineup scored at least one run and drove in at least one run.
Unfortunately, the win did not come without a cost, as there was an in-game injury that caused more than a little bit of chaos. Starting third baseman Blaze Alexander fouled a ball off of his knee on the way to striking out in the second inning. An inning later, Alexander was unable to take the field and the Orioles had to put in a sub for him.
Problem: With Jackson Holliday apparently not available due to groin tightness, with recent Orioles roster decisions leaving them bereft of any further bench infielders, and with Mayo already in as the designated hitter, that meant it was emergency substitute time. I’m talking Leody Taveras playing third base level of emergency, the first time Taveras has ever played anywhere on the infield in a professional career that spans back to 2016. Naturally, the very first ball in play after Taveras entered the game was a grounder to third. He fielded it and threw it to first. Alonso had to make a nice save to stop it from being an error, but still, the chance was completed.
After the game, manager Craig Albernaz said that Alexander suffered a contusion from the foul ball and it locked up on him an inning later. The Orioles don’t seem to be concerned about a long-term injury problem here, but unless Alexander and Holliday can play tonight, they might need to make a roster move for an infielder so they don’t have to get weird again. Taveras only got the one ground ball chance before the Orioles gave up the DH to shift Mayo to third in the eighth inning.
The Angels finally got on board in the ninth. Jorge Soler hit a leadoff homer against Rico Garcia. That continues a tough June for Garcia, as he’s allowed five earned runs in seven innings pitched. Even so, his ERA remains low at 1.95, and in Monday’s game that was the only guy he let on base, so the game never got too dramatic there towards the end.
This is the sixth time this season that the Orioles have won three straight games. They have failed to win a fourth straight the previous five times. Is this the time they can change that, facing the team with the worst record in the AL? Tuesday’s game will answer the question one way or the other. Shane Baz is set to start the 9:38 Eastern game for the Orioles, with the Angels sending Ryan Anderson to the mound. Anderson has a 12.83 ERA in five games. It’s time to finally do this thing, Orioles. It’s long past time.
**
It is the longtime tradition on Camden Chat to choose the Most Birdland Player after each victory. What is “Most Birdland”? It cannot be explained. You just have to feel it. Sometimes, this is the most valuable player of a game, and other times, it is not. Let us know your pick for this excellent victory in the comments below.
extremely rare evidence of Anthony Rendon playing baseball | Getty Images
After a rousing review of everyone’s favorite Mariners conspiracy theories last week, I decided to come back to a familiar topic: how much we, as Mariners fans, dislike the rest of the AL West. I asked everyone rank the other AL West teams from most hated to least hated in order to get the pulse of the general Mariners fan consensus these days, and the results had a few surprises!
I’ll throw some hot take rankings on the results using my patented and very scientific Mariners Hot Take Ranking System:
Okay, let’s get into it.
THE RESULTS:
Most votes for #1 most hated rival: the Houston Astros
Second most votes for #1 most hated rival: the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
Most votes for #2 most hated rival: the Texas Rangers
Least amount of votes for any of the top 3 most hated rival spots: the West Sacramento Athletics
ANALYSIS:
Gonna go ahead and give a BEAVAN to ranking the A’s as the least hated rival. We all could have guessed this. Most of us still feel bad for all the fans who had their team sold and moved on them, only to have to suffer the further injustice of seeing the A’s play in a minor league stadium for at least two seasons a few hours away from the Bay Area in Sacramento. It’s a lousy situation all around and the final scores at that lil’ bandbox stadium reflect that. Whatever is going on in West Sacramento right now is none of our business as Mariners fans, even when the Mariners play there. I hope A’s fans find peace.
The Texas Rangers got a lot of votes for number two most hated rival, inserting themselves between the Astros and Angels in some fashion for most. I feel like hatred for the Rangers has increased in last 8 years or so due to their World Series run and their continued refusal to not have a pride night (the only team in MLB!), among other dubious choices and political signaling which I will not be getting into further. In fact, I can’t say any of the other things I despise about the Rangers without inviting commentary that will break the site guideLLines and make Sweezo want to Albert Belle me at the next softbaLL game (details coming soon!). Anyways, I give this one an IWAKUMA.
Ultimately I figured the Astros would continue their legacy of being hated for the top-to-bottom shitbirds they are, but the currently 32-48 (!!!) Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim getting so many most hated votes surprised me a bit. Don’t get me wrong, I loathe them. They are a stain upon all that is good and just in the world of baseball. They are the last stop on countless players’ career journeys and have proven repeatedly to be extremely hazardous to pitcher health, even downright hostile. And that’s without even diving into the tragic death of Tyler Skaggs. Nevertheless, I thought that the Angel’s complete nosedive in irrelevancy (more so that usual even!) would have spared them some hatred, but nope! Mariners fans do not forget.
Speaking of not forgetting, ha ha oh yes the Astros. Boy, do we still hate the team that still fields players from the 2019 cheating scandal who were never actually punished. And we should because while MLB fined and suspended the owners, executives, and coaches, it’s still up to the court of public opinion to let these players know that a line was crossed and we still do not approve.
Giving these rankings of the Angels and Astros a BOSIO because to me there is nothing more workmanlike than clocking in to hate these bastards on any given day.
What did we miss? Any other personal pet peeves about the AL West rivals? Disagree with the rankings? Let’s hear it in the comments!
May 28, 2026; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Red Sox relief pitcher Tyron Guerrero (41) pitches against the Atlanta Braves during the fifth inning at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images | Eric Canha-Imagn Images
There’s no such thing as too much pitching. Pitchers inevitably get hurt. Relievers go on cold stretches. Starters tire down the stretch. The baseball season is a war of attrition, and pitchers are the main casualties. There’s a reason why teams hand out minor league deals to every pitcher with a pulse during Spring Training. For the Red Sox, one of those pitchers was Tyron Guerrero.
Coming into the season, Guerrero had last appeared in the Majors in 2019 when he posted an ERA over six with the Miami Marlins. Since then, he’s spent time in Japan, Mexico, and the minors. His numbers didn’t jump off the page in any of those stops, but if you watch him pitch for about three pitches, you’ll know why he was given a chance back in the States — he’s huge, and he throws really, really hard.
Guerrero’s sinker averages 99.9 miles per hour. Among pitchers with at least 150 pitches thrown (an arbitrary threshold to include Guerrero), that ranks 5th in all of baseball, behind names such as Jacob Misiorowski and Mason Miller. When you figure in his 7.1 feet of extension, the perceived velocity is 101.3 mph, 3rd among 507 qualifiers. That isn’t enough to make someone stick in a major league bullpen, but it’s enough to give them a chance.
Guerrero has taken that opportunity and run with it. He allowed 4 earned runs over his first 3 appearances, ballooning his ERA to 9.82. Since then, he’s been lights out, allowing just 1 earned run over his last 9 appearances (7.2 innings). He’s struck out almost 40% of the hitters he’s faced this season and walked just one (2.1%). Last time he was in the majors, he walked over 16% of hitters while striking out 19.9%. In Japan in 2025, he walked 8.5% and struck out 21%. We’re dealing with a small sample this season, but the improvement is clear. The question is: is it for real, or is it small sample luck?
With so few appearances under his belt, it’s hard to say if Guerrero is for real, although there are some encouraging signs. The biggest of which is that he’s in the zone. His sinker’s zone rate is over 60%, the highest mark of his career. I don’t have his rates from overseas, but I’d be willing to bet the current mark is above those marks as well. His slider – his most used secondary pitch – is also above 50%. Those two pitches have posted well above average strike rates, helping him limit the walks.
Each pitch also provides whiffs. The sinker’s swinging strike rate is over 15%, while the slider’s is almost 20%. At 100 mph with movement, that mark feels sustainable. The slider, as long as it’s near the zone, should also continue to return whiffs as hitters gear up for the fastball. Seriously, how do you hit this?
That’s really all there is to the arsenal. Throw one million miles per hour and dare people to hit it. Every now and then, pull the string and drop in a slider. It’s a formula that’s worked for a long time and will continue to work as long as Guerrero is in or around the zone.
That’s all fairly uninteresting, but the Red Sox do have an interesting choice to make with Guerrero. Given his age (35) and contract, he’ll likely never hit free agency (barring a significant chance to the CBA). According to Spotrac, the righty is still pre-arbitration, meaning he has several years of team control before he hits free agency.
As I mentioned in the open, contenders always need bullpen help. Adding strikeouts to a bullpen is always an attractive proposition. Guerrero, with his premium velocity, might become a name that teams are circling ahead of this year’s deadline. But, should the Red Sox trade him? Dan Secatore described the tightrope the Red Sox need to walk at this year’s deadline yesterday. The pitching is excellent, the offense is not, but they’re not that far off from competing in a top-heavy American League. Despite a disastrous season, they’re poised to turn things around in 2027 and compete again with a few shrewd moves to bolster the lineup. Adding prospects, either to flip for other pieces or to develop into major leaguers, is never a bad idea.
At the same time, the Red Sox have not developed relief pitchers over the past several years. Aroldis Chapman and Garrett Whitlock have been staples at the back of the bullpen for a few seasons now, but Chapman is all but certain to be traded. Justin Slaten has excellent stuff, but he’s struggled with injuries and hasn’t been dominant for a long stretch. Outside of those finds, the Red Sox haven’t had any late-inning arms to rely on. With that in mind, do you hold onto Guerrero and trust him to continue his dominance, slotting into the seventh or eighth inning for 2026, or trade him now while there is some value to be had? I lean towards the former, but could see the argument either way.
Don’t look now, but the Detroit Tigers have gotten hot again, having won four in a row after beating the New York Yankees at Comerica Park on Monday night, 5-3. Framber Valdez held the visitors to just one run over six innings while Riley Greene and Kevin McGonigle led the offense to victory.
The Motor City Kitties have a chance to clinch their fourth series win against a division-leading team on Tuesday night with right-hander Casey Mize on the mound. The 29-year-old is coming off a quality start against the Houston Astros, which saw him surrender three runs on six hits (one home run) and a walk while striking out three to earn his fourth loss of the 2026 campaign.
Opposite him is left-hander Carlos Rodón, whose season was stunted by offseason elbow surgery and then tightness in his right hamstring during spring training that delayed his debut. Since finally making his first start on May 10, the 33-year-old has produced mixed results — his first two starts were rough, but he followed that up with three games of sub-1 ERA before regressing a bit over his last two outings.
Take a look below at how the two match up on Tuesday.
Detroit Tigers (34-44) vs. New York Yankees (46-31)
Time (ET): 6:40 p.m. Place: Comerica Park, Detroit, Michigan SB Nation Site:Pinstripe Alley Media: Detroit SportsNet, MLB.TV, Tigers Radio Network
Game 79: RHP Casey Mize (2-4, 2.58 ERA) vs. LHP Carlos Rodón (3-2, 3.50 ERA)
ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA - JUNE 22: Taylor Ward #3 of the Baltimore Orioles is greeted in the dugout after hitting a solo home run against the Los Angeles Angels during the first inning of a game at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on June 22, 2026 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Scott Strazzante/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Good morning Birdland,
These Orioles are gonna make me believe in them again, aren’t they? Their 6-1 win on Monday night in Anaheim made it three in a row, and they did it in impressive fashion. Kyle Bradish tossed eight scoreless innings, Taylor Ward and Coby Mayo hit home runs, Gunnar Henderson had three hits, and it never really felt like the Angels had a shot. That final wild card spot in the AL remains just two games out of reach.
There was some bad news yesterday. Blaze Alexander had to leave the game with right knee discomfort. That sounds ominous. Jackson Holliday missed the game entirely with a groin issue. That forced Leody Taveras into action as the team’s third baseman for much of the game. He did alright, even making the very first play of the third inning after he was subbed in!
I blame myself for Alexander’s injury. You can’t just praise a player like that and expect the baseball gods to let him stay healthy for a full 24 hours after it’s posted. Never again.
The fact that Holliday was unable to play in that situation is a bit worrisome. Perhaps it happened too early in the game, and Craig Albernaz just wanted to give him a bit more time on the bench. Whether he plays today will be a big tell, especially with a righty (Ryan Johnson) on the mound for the Angels. Alexander may need an IL stint. We don’t know much about his injury right now.
A roster move that already happened was that the team selected Chadwick Tromp and added him to the active roster. Michael Siani was DFA’d to make room. Tromp gives the Orioles three catchers on the roster, alongside Samuel Basallo and Sam Huff. Adley Rutschman will be on the concussion IL for at least a few more days. Hopefully the addition of Tromp is not an indication that Rutschman could still be a ways away.
What’s evolved with four Orioles | Roch Kubatko The Orioles that take the field right now look quite different from the team we expected back in February. Injuries have been to blame to some degree. Underperformance is another factor. And in some cases, it’s because guys have actually made the case for more playing time. Few expected Alexander and Brandon Young to make such an impact in 2026.
Orioles Select Chadwick Tromp | MLB Trade Rumors In case you missed it, Tromp is back with Baltimore. How much will he play? Hopefully not much, but clearly the Orioles felt like they wanted more flexibility in the catcher’s role for the next few days while Rutschman recovers.
Orioles birthdays
Is it your birthday? Happy birthday!
Jorge Mateo turns 31 today. The speedster was a waiver claim that turned into an extremely useful utility player for the Orioles from 2021 through ’25. His best season was 2022 when he became the Orioles everyday shortstop, led the league in stolen bases, and played terrific defense.
Mark Hendrickson is 52 years old. The 6-foot-9 lefty spent parts of nine seasons with the Orioles from 2009 through 2011 to wrapped up his decade in MLB.
The late Lorencito Fernández (b. 1939, d. 2020) was born on this day. His only MLB experience came in a 24-game stint with the Orioles in 1968.
This day in O’s history
1954 – The Orioles and Red Sox set a new AL record by playing a game that takes four hours and 58 minutes to complete. They also tie a major league record by combining to use 42 players in that game. The Orioles win the 17-inning affair 8-7.
1964 – O’s catcher Charley Lau ties a major league record by having two pinch hits in the same inning as the Orioles score seven runs in the eighth inning to beat the Yankees 9-8.
1973 – Orioles pitcher Jesse Jefferson throws 10 innings and allows one run in his major league debut, beating the Red Sox 2-1.
A week before Christmas, St. Louis and Dustin May agreed on a 1 year bounce back opportunity for the once highly touted right-hander. After a myriad of injuries that plagued his early 20’s and a freak esophageal tear that nearly cost May his life, he appears to be unlocking his big talent in the gateway to the west. The Cardinals entered 2026 hoping for health and consistency from May in the middle of their rotation, and after his first 2 starts, it looked like a potential flop.
Since April 10th, Dustin May has a 2.54 ERA and a 2.68 FIP across 74.1 IP. Striking out 23.5% of batters, limiting hitters to a .206 BAA, and a 0.98 WHIP. Over that time, May ranks 9th in ERA, 7th in FIP, 26th in K%, 14th in BAA, and 9th in WHIP. Really, really impressive stuff over that time.
The swing and miss in May’s profile is still improving, and some of the quality of contact numbers are still a little inflated from his truly disastrous first couple of starts of the season. The other element to note for Dustin May is that he has raised his arm angle 12 degrees from last year!
So, with this success, the Cardinals now find themselves in one of those good problems. What do they do? They can make the obvious decision to trade him and recoup assets that will help continue the rebuild, they can try to agree to an extension before the deadline and keep the good times rolling as he nears 30 years old, or they can ride it out through the season, and when he inevitably declines the mutual option, the Cardinals can provide a qualifying offer likely in the 23-24 million dollar range.
Consider this, since the April 10th marker, these are some of the other names expected to be available at this year’s trade deadline (minus Skubal, who will obviously be the top trade chip). I find FIP to be a more enlightening stat to help guide these types of conversations because you can say, “This is what player X does in a neutral environment.” Dustin May might be the 2nd most valuable rental arm available at the deadline, and when contenders are desperate for pitching reinforcements at the deadline, that will greatly improve the Cardinals’ chances at a really good return.
The next option could be to extend the big right-hander. The Cardinals might be tempted to offer a Sonny Gray-type deal for Dustin May at 3 yrs 75 million. That would minimize the long-term risk for the Cardinals and allow May to stay somewhere he’s healthy, happy, and contributing. I would be skeptical that May would settle for such a deal if his representation convinces him he could get over 100 million on the open market, assuming he maintains health and production through the conclusion of the season. The other element to consider here, is that if May IS traded midseason then he is not eligible for a qualifying offer and to be a high octane starting pitcher under the age of 30 with no draft pick compensation attached to him, he might be one of the top 2nd tier pitchers on the market this offseason outside of Skubal and that would land him a really nice payday and some fierce leage wide competetion for his services. He may look at all of those elements as a business decision and whats best for his family, and you can’t argue against that, and testing the open market.
Speaking of the qualifying offer, if the Cardinals can maintain their foothold in the WC standings come August 3rd, it wouldnt be out of the question for St. Louis to hold May and try to make a run with him at the top of the rotation, leading the way. Now, before you scoff at the notion of simply offering him a QO at season’s end. Consider these names to have been drafted using the comp pick over the last 8 years.
2025
Patrick Forbes (AZ) 50 FV
Caden Bodine (BAL) 50 FV
Wehiwa Aloy (BAL) 55 FV
Brady Ebel (MIL) 50 FV
2024
Kyle DeBarge (MIN) 50 FV
2023
none
2022
Sterlin Thompson (COL) 40 FV
Sal Stewart (CIN) 50 FV
2021
Jay Allen II (CIN) 50 FV
2020
none
2019
Brennan Malone (AZ) 55 FV
Drey Jameson (AZ) 50 FV
2018
Shane McClanahan (TB) 55 FV
Nick Schnell (TB) 50 FV
Jackson Kowar (KC) 55 FV
Daniel Lynch IV (KC) 50 FV
Ethan Hankins (CLE) 50 FV
The Cardinals would have the ability to draft a really high upside player still in the range of the recouped comp pick. It’s easy to blow off the idea of a comp pick when it’s framed as “a random draft pick.” It might change a few tunes when you start seeing the names McClanahan and Stewart. Those being the best case scenerios, sure. But, simply having the opportunity to bring in another 1st round quality prospect in whats expected to be a really strong draft in 2027 isn’t insignificant. If the Cardinals were to trade May, acquiring teams would have to at minimum surpass the value of a comp pick player. The Cardinals would also give themselves at least a fighting chance for a playoff spot when most of us assumed this was a 75-win team at best coming into the season, and still recoup assets as they try to capitalize on a surprise playoff bid.
Ultimately, Chaim Bloom is going to have a very difficult decision on his hands as to what he should do with a valuable asset like May by August 3rd, and the decision between now and then might fluctuate 7 or 8 different times as the ebbs and flows of a season remain a continuously fluid day-to-day evaluation.
(stats and graphs courtesy of Baseball Savant and Fangraphs, and FV values from MLB Pipeline)
Mar 5, 2025; Bradenton, Florida, USA; Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Jake Bloss (39) throws a pitch during the fourth inning against the Pittsburgh Pirates at LECOM Park. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images | Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images
Today’s subject is in kind of an unusual spot as regards his prospect status. Bloss actually debuted two years ago, and as he turns 25 today (Happy Birthday, Jake) he’s on the fringes of what’s typically considered prospect eligibility. He’s also coming back from Tommy John surgery, which has eaten up the last 14 months for him when he would normally have been breaking into the MLB rotation. All that means the excitement about him is a little muted for a former top 100 prospect on the cusp of the majors. We ranked him as the system’s #6 prospect coming into the season, and he’s undoubtedly a key part of the organization’s medium term hopes, but right at this minute the buzz is lacking. He’s back at AAA as of last week, though, and given the state of the back of the Jays’ rotation he might become a factor of the big league club soon if he looks up to the challenge.
His rehab outing Statcast data offers some immediate intrigue. Last time we saw Bloss for a full season, in 2024, his four seamer sat 92-95 and touched 96. It’s a small sample size, with only 95 heaters tracked (we only have public StatCast data for his three appearances with A Dunedin and one with AAA Buffalo), but since coming back he’s sitting 95.8mph and regularly cresting 97. His hardest single pitch in 2024 was equivalent to his average in 2026, and he hasn’t thrown a pitch classified as a four seamer this season as slow as his average from the earlier year. There were hints before he went down with the elbow injury last year that he was taking a step forward with his velocity, but what we’re seeing right now is a big leap. The pitch was already considered to be above average in spite of middling velocity because Bloss gets great extension and generates a lot of backspin and vertical carry. That’s all preserved, so if he maintains most of the velocity gain as he gets fully stretched out his fastball has improved from solid to an easy plus pitch.
His sinker appears to have made the same gains, going from 93.3mph to 95.0. He’s spinning both fastballs harder by about 80rpm, which has preserved their total movement in spite of the velocity bump (slower pitches break more because they have more time to accelerate in whatever direction their spin is taking them before reaching the plate).
He also seems to have made changes to his secondaries. His changeup has gotten harder, but by only 1.3mph (87.2 up to 88.5mph), and he’s actually gotten better at killing the spin on the pitch, reducing the rotation by 100rpm. The result is that it has more drop and a bigger velocity gap off the fastball. The slider, like the fastballs, has picked up about 2mph and about 100rpm, breaking harder to cover the same distance in less time. His curveball, interestingly, hasn’t seen the same gains in spin rate but is now almost 2.5mph harder, leading to less glove side break and a slightly more up and down shape.
There have been the hiccoughs with command that you’d expect from a guy coming back from surgery, and he’s still only partially stretched out. Bloss probably won’t be ready for the majors for a few weeks yet. The leap his stuff has taken during his rehab creates reason to be excited for him when he arrives, though.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - APRIL 03: Aaron Judge #99 of the New York Yankees celebrates his first inning three-run home run against the Arizona Diamondbacks with teammates Cody Bellinger #35 (C) and Ben Rice #22 at Yankee Stadium on April 03, 2025 in New York City. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images) | Getty Images
MLB.com | Brian Murphy and Shanthi Sepe-Chepuru: With Phase 1 of the All-Star Game voting process concluding on Thursday, several Yankees have a good chance of moving on to Phase 2. Ben Rice is the second-most-voted first baseman behind Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and should advance. The same can be said about Cody Bellinger and Aaron Judge (who won’t be able to play), who are fourth and first, respectively. Jazz Chisholm Jr. is fourth with 419,777 votes, and the second-ranked second baseman, Ezequiel Durán, has 531,182. As a reminder, the top two vote-getters in every position advance to the next phase, along with the top six outfielders.
NJ Advance Media | Randy Miller: The Yankees added right-hander Yerry de los Santos to their active roster on Monday. He was one of the hottest arms in Scranton, working 8.1 scoreless innings in seven June games. He occupies Elmer Rodríguez’s roster spot after he was sent down following his start on Sunday. De los Santos has a 1.69 ERA in 5.1 MLB innings this year and a 3.41 mark in Triple-A across 31.2 frames.
ESPN Press Room | Courtney Clawson: Former Yankees pitcher Jim Abbott, who tossed a no-hitter in pinstripes on September 4, 1993, will be honored in the 2026 edition of the ESPY Awards to be held in New York on July 15th. He will receive the Jimmy V Award for Perseverance at the ceremony. Abbott went on to have a highly successful career in MLB despite being born without a right hand.
In this week’s Injury Report, Francisco Lindor is due to return from his calf strain this week. Bobby Witt Jr. looks to avoid the injured list as he manages a Grade 1 MCL sprain. And we await an update on Jeremy Peña after he departed Monday’s game with a hamstring issue. All that and more as we recap all of the relevant injury news around baseball.
⚾️ Baseball is back! MLB returns to NBC and Peacock in 2026! In addition to becoming the exclusive home of Sunday Night Baseball, NBC Sports will broadcast MLB Sunday Leadoff, “Opening Day” and Labor Day primetime games, the first round of the MLB Draft, the entire Wild Card round of the postseason, and much more.
Corey Seager (concussion)
Seager has been sidelined since June 12 after experiencing concussion symptoms following a collision at the plate on June 11. After he was held out of the lineup for a few days, the team placed him on the 7-day concussion injured list. He took part in on-field baseball activities on Sunday and is scheduled to take live batting practice on Tuesday. He’ll be evaluated after to determine the next steps, but he can be considered day-to-day with a chance to return this week.
The Phillies have the best record in baseball (33-16) since Don Mattingly took over as manager.
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Francisco Lindor (calf)
The Mets will get Lindor back as soon as Wednesday after a two-month absence with a left calf strain. The 32-year-old star shortstop is on a rehab assignment with Triple-A Syracuse and will get at least one more game in on Tuesday after going 0-for-4 in his first rehab game on Sunday. Lindor’s return this week will move Bo Bichette back to third base and squeeze Brett Baty and MJ Melendez out of playing time, though neither has done much to take advantage of their opportunity and could be dropped in most formats.
Bobby Witt Jr. (knee)
Witt was removed from Thursday’s game against the Cardinals with right knee discomfort after landing awkwardly in the fourth inning while fielding a ball. It was the second instance of knee discomfort this month. An MRI revealed a Grade 1 MCL sprain. The team has not placed him on the injured list, instead holding out hope that he’ll be ready to join the lineup in the next couple of days. Of course, we can’t rule out a trip to the injured list if he doesn’t bounce back as quickly as we hope. But rushing back, given that it’s the second time he was pulled with knee soreness, could also be counterproductive if he’s at risk for a setback. Still, the team is encouraged by his workout prior to Monday’s game against the Rays.
Noah Schultz (knee)
Schultz made his second rehab start with Triple-A Charlotte on Sunday, striking out four with one walk over 2 2/3 scoreless innings. He got up to 57 pitches in the outing, tossing 38 for strikes. It seems like the next goal will be to get to 70 pitches in his next start, after which he could possibly return to the White Sox rotation. At most, we’re looking at another two starts on his rehab assignment, putting him back in Chicago in the next two weeks.
Munetaka Murakami (hamstring)
In the first update since early June, White Sox manager Will Venable stated that Murakami was “getting up to 80 percent in his running” and increasing the intensity of his hitting. Venable also said the 26-year-old slugger would head out on a rehab assignment as soon as he feels 100 percent. It sounds like we could still be at least a couple of weeks away from getting Murakami back in the White Sox lineup.
Jared Jones (elbow)
Jones was forced to depart in the third inning against the Rockies on Sunday after taking a comebacker off the back of his pitching elbow. X-rays came back negative, but we should know more after further evaluation. He’s considered day-to-day and hopefully won’t have to miss his next start scheduled for Saturday against the Reds.
Jack Leiter (ankle)
Leiter was placed on the 15-day injured list, retroactive to June 19, with a right ankle impingement. The injury apparently stems all the way back to a start in Texas against the Pirates on April 22, when Leiter slipped on the on-deck circle while fielding a play. He’s been pitching through the issue since, and it’s played a role in his mechanics. The 26-year-old right-hander had given up 15 runs over his last three starts and holds a 5.29 ERA, 1.44 WHIP, and 83 strikeouts over 80 innings. Leiter has flashed some skills, but has been terribly inconsistent, especially as the injury has gotten worse. Hopefully, a couple of weeks off can get him right and ready for a better second half.
Ryne Nelson (elbow)
Jordan Lawlar (hamstring)
Nelson was another breakout hopeful who has struggled this season. He was placed on the 15-day injured list with a strained right elbow. It was reported that Nelson is dealing with a partially torn forearm flexor. This is likely an injury that will end his season, or at least keep him out until well into the second half. Either way, the 28-year-old right-hander could be dropped in all formats, with a 4.97 ERA, 1.24 WHIP, and 62 strikeouts over 83 1/3 innings. The Diamondbacks also lost outfielder Jordan Lawlar to the 10-day injured list with a right hamstring strain. The injury comes after just six games back following his recovery from a fractured wrist. Manager Torey Lovullo indicated that Lawlar could miss 4-6 weeks.
Will Smith (neck)
Teoscar Hernández (hamstring)
Kyle Tucker (back)
Smith has been on the 10-day injured list with neck inflammation for the last two weeks. He received a cortisone shot in his neck to address the issue, and manager Dave Roberts indicated optimism that Smith could return in early July. Meanwhile, Hernández is close to returning from a left hamstring strain that’s kept him on the shelf since May 30. He’s set to begin a rehab assignment with Triple-A Oklahoma City on Tuesday. While Smith and Hernández are on their way back, Tucker was removed from Monday’s series opener against the Twins with lower back spasms. Roberts downplayed the concern following the game. It doesn’t seem like Tucker is in danger of missing much time, but he could be on the bench for a day or two.
Jeremy Peña (hamstring)
Peña fouled off a pitch in the sixth inning against the Blue Jays on Monday and was unable to finish his at-bat, instead departing to the locker room with a trainer. After the game, Astros manager Joe Espada told reporters that Peña was dealing with a right hamstring cramp. While that sounds like he might’ve dodged a bullet, he’ll undergo further evaluation on Tuesday to determine the severity of the issue. Peña had already missed five weeks earlier this season with a hamstring strain.
Jun 22, 2026; San Diego, California, USA; Atlanta Braves first baseman Matt Olson (28) hits a single during the sixth inning against the San Diego Padres at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: Denis Poroy-Imagn Images | Denis Poroy-Imagn Images
The Braves offense was lifeless against Michael King and the San Diego bullpen on Monday night, losing 1-0 to drop their second game in a row.
It was more of the same for Grant Holmes, who labored through 4 2/3 innings. He hung a slider to struggling Manny Machado in the fourth inning that was rocketed over the center field wall for San Diego’s lone early run. Holmes issued five walks and struck out four, including back-to-back walks in the fifth that prompted Walt Weiss to remove him from the game. Credit to Weiss and Didier Fuentes, who entered the game and promptly struck out Gavin Sheets to keep the deficit at 1-0.
Holmes ought be in the bullpen. I’m just not sure what other options the Braves have given the current state of things.
The Braves had the leadoff runner on a handful of innings against King and Co., but they were unable to get a run across despite numerous opportunities. There was a hack-at-everything approach on Monday night, which obviously did not work. They also hit a half-dozen rockets at center fielder Jackson Merrill, who caught them all.
The series will continue tomorrow night from Petco Park with JR Ritchie hoping to right the ship after a rough start against the Giants last week. Ritchie will be opposed by To Be Announced, a daunting opponent. First pitch will be half an hour earlier at 9:40 p.m. ET and will be carried by BravesVision.
Jun 22, 2026; Denver, Colorado, USA; Colorado Rockies outfielder Jake McCarthy (31) is dumped by infielder TJ Rumfield (7) and outfielder Tyler Freeman (2) after hitting a game-winning triple in the ninth inning against the Boston Red Sox at Coors Field. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-Imagn Images | Christopher Hanewinckel-Imagn Images
Two pitches after Jake McCarthy’s walk-up Led Zeppelin song rang through the speakers at Coors Field, the Rockies outfielder drilled a triple down the third base line to empty the formerly loaded bases and walk-off the Red Sox on Monday night.
The hit erased the embarassing baserunning blunders in the eighth inning and the nine strikeouts at the hands of Boston rookie Jake Bennett in the first six innings to give Colorado an unbelievable win.
Ryan Feltner kept it close by throwing a quality start and only surrendering two runs in six innings, Brennan Bernardino threw a scoreless seventh and Victor Vodnik earned the win with two scoreless innings to close out the game.
The last hit of the game was McCarthy’s only hit of the night, and he made it count.
“Jake is awesome. He’s the best. He gets on base. He uses his legs, he’s never out of it,” Rockies manager Warren Schaeffer said. “You want him at the plate at all times. He can get on base with bunts. He doesn’t strike out. I could go on and on about Jake.”
Eight hits in a row to end it
If someone asked you if it’s possible to have eight hits in a row over two innings, you might not think it can be done. But the Rockies proved it can be and used the rally to pull off a remarkable win.
The Rockies offense, absent for seven innings, finaly showed up in the eighth inning when a Colorado strung together four straight singles in a rally that should have at least put the Rockies on the board, if not tied the game. Instead, the Rockies managed the unthinkable — not scoring.
With runners on first and second with one out, third base coach Andy González sent Edouard Julien home on a Willi Castro shallow single, only to see Julien thrown out by what felt like a mile. Tyler Freeman tried to bail the Rockies out with his third single of the night, only to have Castro get caught between second and third when Mickey Moniak wiselyy stopped at third.
Schaeffer, who went 2-for-3 on pinch hitters getting hits in the eighth, didn’t question his coaching staff, instead crediting a great throw from center fielder Ceddanne Rafaela and admitting the Rockies runners need to have their heads up better in those situations.
A promising rally was quickly erased and the Rockies remained behind, 2-0, entering the ninth inning. After Vodnik put up a goose egg, the Rockies didn’t let their mistakes change their never-say-die attitude.
“I don’t ever think they are out of it. I don’t care what happens the inning before. These guys fight until the end,” Schaeffer said. “You always know there is going to be fight in the next inning. You just know it’s coming, even if in the eighth, the base running was a little deflating, but we keep going. They are professionals.”
With four hits in a row, which doubled the amount before the eighth inning, the Rockies picked right back up where the left off. After combining to go 0-for-6 going into the ninth, TJ Rumfield and Hunter Goodman led of the ninth with back-to-back singles.
Cole Carrigg then came to the plate and attempted to bunt the runners over. Instead, his bunt was too good and his speed too fast for Boston, as the bunt turned into a base-loading single. Then came McCarthy for the cooler-dumping three-bagger.
“That was incredible. Eight straight hits to end the ball game there against two world-class pitchers — [Garrett] Whitlock and [Aroldis] Champman,” Shaeffer said. “They don’t quite. We’ve been saying it all year. We fight until the end and tonight we got rewarded for it. Hats off to all of them.
“Goodman tough night at the plate and then a big knock. Rumfield tough night at the plate and then a big knock. It doesn’t effect them. They just keep going,” Schaeffer continued. “Carrigg huge bunt, Jake obviously the big one. Eddie [Julien], Mick [Moniak] good to see him back off the bench. Just good stuff for the last two innings. It was awesome.”
Feltner’s performance sets table for win
Feltner’s night started out rough, got so much better, and ended on a tough note again. When Feltner walked two Red Sox in the first inning, it seemed like a bad sign. He was able to bounce back, however, with help from a double play and was able to escape the inning without any damage.
In the second, Caleb Durbin doubled and Masataka Yoshida walked to put runners on first and second with one out, but Feltner’s luck continued as he was able to again get out of the inning without allowing Boston to cross the plate.
Then Feltner found his groove. From the last two outs in the third to the first two outs in the sixth, Feltner retired 13 straight Red Sox, tying a career-high number from last season. He only notched two strikeouts, but forced seven ground outs to make the innings fly by scoreless.
“When you start off the game and you don’t really have what you want and it doesn’t feel right, it can go one of two ways: you can completely shut down and be done, or you can keep going and fighting and get through it for your team and save the bullpen. He did more than that,” Schaeffer said of his starter. “He was outstanding through six innings to only give up the two runs in the sixth. He settled in, started pounding the strike zone. It was great.”
But with two outs in the sixth, things went south for Feltner. Wilyer Abreu reached on an swinging bunt and Willson Contreras doubled to put the Red Sox up 1-0. Feltner then walked Jarren Duran before giving up an RBI single to Durbin. It could have been worse, but Yoshida ended the inning by lining out.
In six innings, Feltner gave up two runs on four hits with four walks and two strikeouts. He only needed 59 pitches to get through the first five innings, but then used up 34 in the sixth to end his night.
Other notes
Moniak returned to the lineup after missing a month due to an ankle injury and singled on the first pitch he saw in his only at-bat, a pinch hit appearance in the eighth inning.
The Rockies issued six walks to the Red Sox, while drawing none of their own.
Colorado out-hit Boston 12-5.
Every Rockie in the starting lineup got a hit except for Ezequiel Tovar.
Vodnik issued leadoff walks in both the eighth and ninth innings, but was saved by a double play and three ground outs.
The win marked the Rockies third walk-off win of the season, after winning their first on May 29th.
Up next
The Rockies and Red Sox will be back in action on Tuesday night. Sean Sullivan (0-1, 10.29 ERA) will be on the mound for the Rockies, making his third career start. Veteran righty and three-time All-Star Sonny Gray (8-1, 3.12 ERA) will get the start for Boston.
Things started really well for the Good Guys, denting the scoreboard in the second inning with a two-out rally: Chase Meidroth singled, and Braden Montgomery followed up with a double that sent Meidroth racing home.
And the Sox didn’t stop. Luisangel Acuña started the bottom of the third with a single and distracted Gavin Williams quite a bit by stealing second and taunting Cleveland. Sam Antonacci battled, earning himself a nine-pitch walk after Cleveland lost an ABS challenge. Miguel Vargas singled, and Acuña was waved home but called out. The White Sox challenged the tag and a blocking interference, but lost.
I sat and pondered if I knew anything about baseball after that call, because it was a clear block. Alas. Thankfully, Andrew Benintendi knocked Antonacci in, making it 2-0.
Kay continued to keep Cleveland off the board, but as his tank was emptying in the sixth, he gave up his second walk of the game with two outs, prompting the bullpen to get Grant Taylor warmed up. Kay dug deep for a career-high 101 pitches, but also got the much-needed, inning-ending punch out of Gabriel Arias. Kay tied his career high with his eighth K, and Arias was on his way to a platinum sombrero.
Tim Herrin replaced starter Gavin Williams for the Guardians, which prompted a Randal Grichuk pinch-hitting appearance. It would prove to be a great call by Will Venable, as Grichuk homered, again, against a lefty. That would be it for the frame, but the White Sox were now up, 3-0. Taylor, who entered the game for the seventh, struggled with his command early. He gave up a leadoff walk to Steven Kwan, a hit to Daniel Schneemann, and a wild pitch that would advance both. Another walk loaded the bases, and trouble surfaced when Kahlil Watson singled, sending two runners home. Ryhs Hoskins sent a ball up the middle to tie the ballgame and prompted a the hook for Taylor. Bryan Hudson ended the inning with a strikeout, but the lead was long gone.
Braden Montgomery led off the seventh with a double. With a broken bat, Antonacci snuck a hit past first base, sending Montgomery home to regain the lead. Antonacci promptly stole second, and then third on a wild pitch. Unfortunately, Miguel Vargas struck out to end the inning.
With the Sox still up, 4-3, Seranthony Domínguez came in for the ninth and promptly walked the leadoff batter. A stolen base and wild pitch got Travis Bazzana to third, putting the tying run 90 feet away with nobody out. Patrick Bailey singled, tying the game and giving Domínguez yet another blown save.
But it got worse, as Brayan Rocchio doubled to put ducks on the pond, and Domínguez lucked into a strikeout before being booed and yanked off the mound. A shallow fly ball to center would send the runner home after a successful challenge from the Guardians, putting them up, 5-4. But, with a runner on third and two outs, Arias waved at a third strike for his fifth K of the game.
Braden Montgomery started a ninth-inning rally with one out by picking up a walk, and Tristan Peters made up for an awful throw in the previous frame with a stand-up double that shouldn’t have even been a hit. After a strikeout by pinch-hitter Jacob Gonzalez, the White Sox were down to their last out, one batter away from dropping two games behind Cleveland in the AL Central.
But we had a guy there, my favorite guy, Antonacci, who stepped up and smacked a first-pitch fastball at his eyes for a single past matador-shortstop Brayan Rocchio, sending both runners home. The Guardians challenged the tag play with on Peters for the winning run, but the call was upheld — SAFE!
The Good Guys stormed the field, ripping Antonacci’s jersey off and baptizing him in Gatorade after his first career walk-off, as he took it all in while wearing the best shit-eating grin I’ve seen in my life.
The White Sox and Guardians are back to being tied for first place, with the White Sox technically ahead by .04 percentage points.
How big a spectacle? Well, the Marlins have played five Monday games this season, and averaged 8,404 fans. Yet on Monday, June 22, with Scottish fans needing to kill a couple nights before the big Brazil match, 20,008 kilt-wearing, lager-swilling, chant-crazy fans made the ballpark thump.
They were treated to a great game, the Rangers and Marlins going back and forth before the Rangers' two-run eighth-inning rally proved decisive for a 4-3 victory.
The action beyond the field was anything but typical, however.
"It was a really fun environment," Marlins manager Clayton McCullough said in his postgame press conference. "That was a very raucous environment, especially the chants. We were proud to have been hosts for a real incredible evening.
"A chance for the fans to see some American baseball and some good action, so it was real fun."
Without the stress they'll have to endure trying to secure at least one point against Brazil, the Scots saw a home run from the Rangers' Ezequiel Duran and Miami's Xavier Edwards nearly leg out an inside-the-park home run before getting cut down at the plate by a perfect Rangers relay. And then there were the chants: They hit a crescendo before Marlins starter Tyler Phillips could even throw a pitch.
It had slipped Phillips' mind that the Scots were in town and then, on his drive to Marlins Park, "I saw all the kilts walking around everywhere. I was a little confused."
Soon, after bagpipers took to the field in a pregame ceremony, Phillips converted that activity into energy.
"Scotland, the Tartan Army – if it was up to me, I’d have us be paying those people to show up to the games. That was unbelievable," says Phillips, who gave up just two runs in six innings. "From the second I walked out the dugout, I felt it in my chest. They were unbelievable fans.
"I didn’t know they were going to show out like that. That was electric. If I’m driving around tonight and someone in a kilt is in trouble, I might stop and help them."
It's been quite a run through the USA for the Scots, who made their presence heavily felt at Boston's Fenway Park when they filled the yard for a nationally televised Sunday night game and sang and chanted along to "I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles)" and "Dancing Queen" and "Sweet Caroline" and so many others.
Yet the former Marlins Park provided an entirely different opportunity: A blank canvas.
While Fenway Park isn't the sellout machine it used to be, the Marlins' Little Havana ballyard plays more like a mausoleum on many weeknights. The largest crowd they got on a Monday last year was 15,000 for the defending champion Dodgers.
This year, the five Monday dates have ranged from 6,515 against the Chicago White Sox to 10,934 for a Passover at the Park promotion against Cincinnati on April 6.
For the Rangers, it was a welcome sight. They were the opponents for the Red Sox that night at Fenway and since, slugger Jake Burger told MLB.com, "I don't think we've stopped playing 'No Scotland, No Party," he said of the team's unofficial anthem for the '26 Cup.
"Even just warming up, they were so friendly," says Rangers pitcher Kumar Rocker, who pitched five innings Monday "It was so much good energy. They were in good spirits. It was cool."
And by the time they counted them all, the Tartan Army brought a 138% increase at the gate for a typical Monday in Miami.
"That’s something I’d like to have," says Phillips, "every single outing."
Well, the Scots do have one more night to kill before Wednesday's match. The Marlins host the Rangers on Tuesday, June 23 at 6:40 p.m. ET.
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