Category: Baseball

The St. Louis Cardinals return to Busch Stadium Monday night as they’ll host the San Diego Padres. Dustin May will make the start for the Cardinals while the starter for the Padres is to be determined. First pitch is scheduled for 6:45pm at Busch Stadium and the TV broadcast will be available on Cardinals.tv.

Spencer Strider won't pick up a baseball for a month, and that is the good news for the Atlanta Braves.

Strider has been shut down from throwing for four weeks following a consultation with Dr. Keith Meister. He'll then have a follow-up MRI. A clean scan would clear him to start a throwing progression.

Given where this looked headed on Friday night, the Braves have to be relieved.

An MRI taken Saturday in Atlanta came back showing nothing but inflammation and no ligament damage. For Strider, it's a huge relief, because there isn't much natural ligament left to work with. He had Tommy John surgery at Clemson in 2019 and an internal brace put in the same elbow in 2024, the latter by Dr. Meister himself.

So the four weeks of rest beats the alternative everyone was bracing for.

When with Spencer Strider return?

When he might actually pitch is the harder question to answer. Strider is due for a follow-up MRI in mid-July, and a clean one would let him start throwing around the All-Star break. Realistically, after a four-week shut down, the best case scenario would have Strider back in late August. It's more likely he will return in September.

The window changes how Atlanta operates over the next seven weeks. It opens the door to a 60-day injured list move, and with the Aug. 3 trade deadline looming, it sharpens the case for going out and getting an arm. Maybe two.

Spencer Strider injury

Strider came out of Friday's 7-5 loss to the Mets after three-plus innings, charged with a season-high seven earned runs, his fastball sinking from 96 miles per hour to 88 mph by the fourth inning. He was placed on the IL Saturday.

He opened the season on the injured list with a left oblique strain and sits at 4-2 with a 5.31 ERA across eight starts. The dip in velocity has been a red flag all year. A four-seam fastball that averaged 97.2 mph in 2023 is down to 95.1, and the swings-and-misses have disappeared with the speed.

His absence further deteriorates a rotation that was already short. Neither Spencer Schwellenbach nor Hurston Waldrep has thrown a pitch for Atlanta this season. No.2 prospect JR Ritchie, who carries a 3.82 ERA over 30 2/3 inning with the club, will slot into Strider's spot.

Somehow it hasn't mattered in the standings. The Braves sit atop the National League East at 46-25, riding out injuries to Ronald Acuna Jr. as well as Schwellenbach and Strider, again.

Braves get Drake Baldwin back behind the plate

Atlanta reinstated catcher Drake Baldwin from the injured list Monday, returning one of their best bats to a lineup that had been getting next to nothing from the position. To clear the roster spot, Atlanta outrighted catcher Austin Wynns.

Baldwin strained his right oblique against the Marlins on May 18 and drew Grade 1 diagnosis the next day. Before the injury, Baldwin was the front-runner to start the All-Star Game at catcher for the National League. he was slashing .303/.389/.543 with 13 home runs and 38 RBIs. The NL Rookie of the Year gives the lineup a real lift.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Spencer Strider injury update on his elbow, surgery and Braves return

Fresh off a franchise-record win, a 23-9 victory over the A’s in Las Vegas, the Rockies will see if they can keep their red-hot offense in Chicago as they start a three-game series against the Cubs tonight.

The Rockies (27-45, 14-20 home, 13-25 road) set a franchise record with 23 runs on Sunday, which prevented a sweep from the A’s. Just before that, the Rockies won a series against the Cubs, 2-1, at Coors Field. The Cubs (37-35, 20-15 home, 17-20 road) rebounded from the Colorado series with a 2-1 series win against the Giants in San Francisco over the weekend.

Monday’s match-up will feature a repeat of the starters from when the Rockies and Cubs faced off on June 10 with Michael Lorenzen (2-8, 7.54 ERA) taking on LHP Shota Imanaga (4-6, 4.44 ERA). In that game, Lorenzen had one of his best starts of the season. The 34-year-old RHP struck out seven, giving up one run on two hits with two walks in five innings. While Lorenzen didn’t get the win, the Rockies scored two runs in the bottom of the ninth, capped off by a walk-off RBI single from Sterlin Thompson, for a 3-2 victory.

Imanaga pitched well against the Rockies in his last outing, throwing five scoreless innings with seven strikeouts, two hits and two walks. Hunter Goodman singled and walked against Imanaga for the Rockies, while TJ Rumfield singled and Braxton Fulford drew a walk. Imagana, who is in his third MLB season at age 32 after a successful career in Japan, had struggled in his four starts leading up to facing the Rockies, giving up 26 runs on 27 hits, including 12 homers with six walks and three HBP in 21.2 innings.

Earlier on Monday, the Rockies made a roster move in the bullpen as Victor Vodnik has returned from the IL. Vodnik has been out since May 20 with right ulnar nerve inflammation. Since June 9, Vodnik has been on a rehab assignment with Triple-A Albuquerque where he threw two scoreless, hitless innings with four strikeouts and one walk in two appearances.

The Rockies announced today the following transactions:

– Reinstated RHP Victor Vodnik from the 15-day injured list
– Optioned RHP Eiberson Castellano to Triple-A Albuquerque

— Rockies Club Information (@RockiesClubInfo) June 15, 2026

First Pitch: 6:05 p.m. MDT

TV: Rockies.TV

Radio: 850 AM/94.1 FM KOA Rockies Radio Network; KNRV 1150 AM (Spanish)

Chicago Cubs SB Nation Site:Bleed Cubbie Blue

Lineups:

The roadtrip continues in the Windy City. pic.twitter.com/XBlDcmfJcC

— Purple Row (@PurpleRow) June 15, 2026

Back home tonight!

Watch the game live on @WatchMarquee. pic.twitter.com/KgKf35cJx0

— Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) June 15, 2026

---

---

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

Minnesota Twins @ Texas Rangers

Monday, June 15, 2026, 7:05 PM CDT (105.3 The Fan / Rangers Sports Network)

The Shed

RHP Mike Paredes vs. LHP MacKenzie Gore

Go Rangers!

The Texas Rangers have placed Corey Seager on the 7 day concussion injured list, retroactive to June 12, the team announced today. To take his place on the active roster, the Rangers have activated Josh Smith from the injured list.

We discussed this possibility earlier today, noting that Seager would be eligible to return as early as Friday, when the Rangers start their series against the Padres. It is noteworthy to me that Smith isn’t in the starting lineup today, despite being activated, with Cody Freeman and offensive catalyst Nicky Lopez manning the up-the-middle infield spots, and Ezequiel Duran joining Smith on the bench today.

The Mets plan to start Kodai Senga against the Reds tomorrow night, as the team needed a replacement for Christian Scott, who hit the injured list with a hip issue today. Senga hasn’t pitched in a major league game since April 26 himself, as he’s been on the injured list for just shy of two months.

Senga initially went on the IL because of lumbar spine inflammation, and at the time, he had just had three consecutive abysmal appearances. Having looked fantastic in his first two starts of the season, he had a 17.28 ERA over the course of the three bad starts, and in total, he has a 9.00 ERA and a 6.15 FIP in 20.0 innings of work with the Mets this season.

Senga’s rehab assignment didn’t go particularly well, either, as he was just so-so in his first three rehab starts, the first of which came with Single-A St. Lucie before he moved to Triple-A Syracuse for the second and third. Following the second starts for Syracuse, Senga missed a scheduled rehab start Double-A Binghamton on June 9. Two days later, however, he went six innings, struck out five, walked one, and gave up one run for Binghamton. That was easily his best appearance in a while, but the Reds are more formidable than the minor league hitters he faced a few days ago.

San Diego Padres (37-33) at St. Louis Cardinals (38-31), June 15, 2026, 4:45 a.m. PST

Watch: Padres.TV

Location: Busch Stadium – St. Louis, MO

Listen: 97.3 The Fan

---

Bird watching. pic.twitter.com/2NOTO1ZMdy

— San Diego Padres (@Padres) June 15, 2026

Working from home pic.twitter.com/rdO3DFWZqa

— St. Louis Cardinals (@Cardinals) June 15, 2026

---

Please remember our Game Day thread guidelines.

• Don’t troll in your comments; create conversation rather than destroying it
• Remember Gaslamp Ball is basically a non-profanity site
• Out of respect to broadcast partners who have paid to carry the game, no mentions of “alternative” (read: illegal) viewing methods are allowed in our threads

A rare occurrence comes to Dodger Stadium on Tuesday for the middle game between the Dodgers and Tampa Bay Rays. Justin Wrobleski starts the middle game of the series, just the second time this season a Dodgers pitcher will start on four days rest.

Sheehan made his start on four days rest on May 19 in San Diego, and allowed four runs in four innings to the Padres. Like this Wrobleski start, both Dodgers starts on four days rest this season were to accommodate moving Shohei Ohtani to pitching on a Wednesday before a scheduled team off day, to limit the times he bats with next-day fatigue after pitching whenever possible.

Wrobleski left his start in the fifth inning last Thursday with a right hamstring contusion after getting hit by a comebacker, but after the game and since both he and the team has maintained the left-hander will be fine to make his next start.

Drew Rasmussen starts for Tampa Bay.

Tuesday game info

• Teams: Dodgers vs. Rays
• Ballpark: Dodger Stadium
• Time: 7:10 p.m.
• TV: SportsNet LA
• Radio: AM 570 (English), KTNQ 1020 AM (Spanish)

Here are the lineups. For the Phillies:

Rollin' with Wheels#RingTheBellpic.twitter.com/pIdef9Rgs0

— Philadelphia Phillies (@Phillies) June 15, 2026

For the Marlins:

📍Philadelphia

📺: https://t.co/6SPbeLqH20
👂: @MarlinsRadio, @radiomambi710, @1043wqam
⏰: 6:40 PM ET#FightinFishpic.twitter.com/6k2DG1fXyd

— Miami Marlins (@Marlins) June 15, 2026

Let’s talk about it.

The Milwaukee Brewers became the first team since August 2024 to have a pair of teammates named as co-Players of the Week on Monday, as outfielder Jackson Chourio and right-hander Jacob Misiorowski both took home the NL Player of the Week Award.

Chourio, 22, earns his first such award, while this marks the second career award for Misiorowski, 24, who earned his first in the final week of May earlier this year.

Chourio batted 13-for-29 with five homers, 10 RBIs, and eight runs scored across the Brewers’ six games this week, as he hit safely and drove in at least one run in each of those games.

Not to be outdone, Misiorowski put together one of the best pitching performances we’ve witnessed, perhaps ever. In a complete game shutout against the Phillies on Friday night, Misiorowski allowed just one hit and no walks, striking out 15 on 95 pitches (58 of which came in at 100-plus mph) while facing the minimum thanks to a fourth-inning double play.

Chourio and Miz both seem like solid bets to make the All-Star Game in Philadelphia next month, even with Chourio having missed the first month-plus of the season.

Across 35 games this year, Chourio is hitting .322/.370/.572 with nine homers, 11 doubles, 26 RBIs, 27 runs, and five steals, totaling 2.0 bWAR, which nearly matches the 2.2 bWAR he put up across 131 games in 2025.

Misiorowski, who currently seems like the favorite to win the NL Cy Young Award, has made 14 starts and leads the majors in ERA (1.34), strikeouts (131), FIP (1.69), and WHIP (0.736), among other stats. He’s also compiled 3.9 bWAR over 87 innings.

Minnesota’s Byron Buxton took home the AL Player of the Week Award, while Cleveland’s Brayan Rocchio won Play of the Week.

The Nats were able to put the San Francisco meltdown behind them, and now have another chance to go 3 games over .500 for the first time since 2019. A 29-43 Royals team will stand in their way. This season has been a major disappointment for the Royals, who had so many stars at the WBC. The Nats still can’t take them lightly.

Blake Butera is making a couple tweaks to his lineup. Curtis Mead will be back at third base after not playing yesterday. The outfield will consist of Daylen Lile in left, Jacob Young in center and Dylan Crews in right. James Wood will be the DH. Nasim Nunez is the preferred option at second and Keibert Ruiz is back behind the plate. Andrew Alvarez will look to bounce back from a walk filled outing last time out.

👑

→ https://t.co/iUBDqlACVspic.twitter.com/qRKlNOJ5iA

— Washington Nationals (@Nationals) June 15, 2026

This Royals offense has struggled this season, but there are still some big names. Old pal Lane Thomas will be leading off against the left handed Alvarez. Star shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. will follow him. Familiar faces like Starling Marte and Salvador Perez will be in the lineup, though Perez is at first and not behind the plate. Mitch Spence got lit up in his lone MLB outing this year, but gets the start tonight.

Opening up the series in DC. pic.twitter.com/I81tBhURmw

— Kansas City Royals (@Royals) June 15, 2026

Game Info:

Stadium: Nationals Park

Time: 6:45 PM EST

TV: Nationals.TV

Radio: 106.7 The Fan

After the big series win against the Mariners, the Nats have a chance to keep the momentum rolling. While the Royals have one of the best players in the league, the team as a whole has struggled. On paper, this should be another series win for the Nats, but the games are played on the field. Follow along in the comments down below and let’s go Nats.

On a busy day of roster moves, manager Carlos Mendoza, who announced Kodai Senga would come off the IL to start on Tuesday, provided injury updates on several Mets players ahead of Monday's series opener against the Cincinnati Reds...

---

Francisco Lindor plays another simulated game

Lindor, who has been out since April 22 with a calf strain, played in another simulated game on Monday, Mendoza said.

"I haven't had the latest report because it was this afternoon," the manager admitted, but added, "he was scheduled to go three innings."

"Pretty much getting at-bats, playing defense, running the bases," Mendoza said. "I think he'll get the whole week of doing that, and then we'll revisit after that."

As far as Lindor needing a rehab assignment, Mendoza said the Mets "haven't discussed that" as of right now.

The All-Star shortstop took at-bats against pitchers from High-A Brooklyn and played two innings in the field during a simulated game Friday.

In 24 games this year before the injury, Lindor got off to a slow start with 21 hits in 93 at-bats (.226) and posted a .669 OPS (88 OPS+, 93 wRC+).

Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns said Friday that he expects Lindor to get back into big-league games this month.

Tyrone Taylor, Ronny Mauricio progressing

The centerfielder is currently doing "baseball activities," Menodza said.

"He's running, hitting – I think he got up to like 90 percent sprinting-wise," he continued. "He's progressing."

Taylor was placed on the injured list in late May with a right hip flexor strain. He posted a .186 average (18-for-97) with a .530 OPS (47 OPS+, 45 wRC+) across 43 games before the injury.

Much like Taylor, the infielder is "feeling a lot better" as he continues to progress.

"Doing a lot of baseball activity, hopefully he's playing – I want to say at [Port St. Luice] towards the end of this week if everything goes well, he's gonna start playing rehab games for us," Mendoza said. 

Mauricio, who landed on the IL with a right thumb fracture in early May and was expected to miss six to eight weeks, appeared in 10 games with the Mets and posted a .531 OPS in 32 at-bats. In 15 games at Triple-A, the 25-year-old posted a .293 average and a .987 OPS with six home runs and 13 RBI.

Jorge Polanco day-to-day, despite IL move

Polanco was transferred to the 60-day IL in a flurry of roster moves on Monday that saw right-handerChristian Scott land on the 10-day IL with right hip impingement, Tobias Myers and Jonathan Pintaro called up, righty reliever Daniel Duarte optioned to Triple-A Syracuse, and infielder Zack Short claimed off waivers.

However, Mendoza said there was "nothing new" to report about Polanco on the injury front.

"I heard he had a good day today, as far as like swinging the bat and all that," the manager said. "This is a day-to-day type deal."

The manager said it is "still on the table" that Polanco could return for a rehab assignment this week, but "we'll see."

The move for Polanco to the 60-day IL, as he hasn't played since April 14, makes this more of a paper move than anything else. 

Polanco made 14 appearances with the Mets this season, with 10 hits in 56 at-bats (.179) and a .532 OPS.

Mets lineup

Carson Benge – RF
Bo Bichette – SS
Juan Soto – LF
Jared Young – 1B
A.J. Ewing – CF
Marcus Semien – 2B
Brett Baty – 3B
MJ Melendez – DH
Francisco Alvarez – C

Tobias Myers – RHP

Reds lineup

Blake Dunn – CF
JJ Bleday – LF
Sal Stewart – DH
Spencer Steer – 1B
Eugenio Suarez – 3B
Noelvi Marte – RF
Matt McLain – SS
Tyler Stephenson – C
Edwin Arroyo – 2B

Chase Burns – RHP

Broadcast info

First pitch: 7:10 PM EDT
TV: SNY
Radio: Audacy Mets Radio WHSQ 880AM, Audacy App, 92.3 HD2

Today’s Cubs transaction: The team acquired right-handed reliever Yosver Zulueta from the Mariners for cash considerations and optioned him to Triple-A Iowa. Zulueta pitched in 19 games for the Reds in 2024 and 2025 but had been at Triple-A Tacoma this year. To make room for Zulueta on the 40-man roster, left-hander Doug Nikhazy was designated for assignment.

Monday notes…

• TRY TO WIN THE FIRST ONE, PLEASE: The Cubs are 5-6 in first games of series at home. Last season, they finished 19-8. They are 9-14 in first games of all series and just 1-8 in first games after having lost last games of previous series. They are 1-3 at home following losses. (Courtesy BCB’s JohnW53)
• AND BEAT THE GUYS WHO AREN’T WINNING: The Cubs’ last 12 games have been against teams that were below .500 going into each game. The Cubs won six and lost six. Their next 10 games will be against teams with losing records as of Sunday. (Courtesy BCB’s JohnW53)
• RUNS SCORED AND ALLOWED: In their 37 wins, the Cubs have scored 242 runs and allowed 104, for an average score of 6.5 to 2.8. In their 35 losses, they have allowed 211 and scored 86, for an average score of to 6.0 to 2.5. (Courtesy BCB’s JohnW53)
• TODAY IN CUBS HISTORY: Steve Lake’s RBI single in the 11th inning gave the Cubs a 4-3 walk-off win over the Cardinals. Leon Durham and Shawon Dunston had homered in the eighth to tie the game and both teams scored in the 10th before Lake’s hit. It happened 40 years ago today, Sunday, June 15, 1986.

Cubs lineup:

Back home tonight!

Watch the game live on @WatchMarquee. pic.twitter.com/KgKf35cJx0

— Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) June 15, 2026

Rockies lineup:

📍Chicago pic.twitter.com/6KJpHGSbxM

— Colorado Rockies (@Rockies) June 15, 2026

Shōta Imanaga, LHP vs. Michael Lorenzen, RHP

This is a pitching rematch of the game last Wednesday at Coors Field. Shōta Imanaga threw well, allowing no runs in five innings, striking out seven. Michael Lorenzen, who came into that game with an 8.01 ERA, allowed only one Cubs run in five innings. The Cubs wound up losing in a walk-off.

Hopefully, this one will be better.

Here is the weather forecast for the area around Wrigley Field.

Today’s game is on Marquee Sports Network.

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

MLB.com Gameday

Baseball-reference.com game preview

Please visit our SB Nation Rockies site Purple Row. If you do go there to interact with Rockies 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.

With Christian Scott heading to the 15-day injured list due to a right hip impingement, the Mets needed to figure out who would start Tuesday's game against the Reds in Cincinnati. 

Carlos Mendoza told reporters ahead of Monday's game that the club will turn to Kodai Senga, who has been out since the end of April with lumbar spine inflammation and, also, ulnar nerve irritation.

"Kodai Senga is going to start for us tomorrow, and is going to be followed by Nolan McLean on Wednesday," Mendoza said. 

Senga last pitched in the big leagues on April 26 against the Colorado Rockies, but struggled mightily while on the active roster, going 0-4 with a 9.00 ERA over five starts.

The 33-year-old has since made four rehab starts across all three levels of the minors, including six strong innings with five strikeouts on June 11 for Double-A Binghamton. 

"We've been saying that we wanted to see results, which we had with his last outing," Mendoza said. "But with him, not only the result, just how he feels after he pitches. While we were waiting for him to throw his bullpen yesterday, he was scheduled to throw his bullpen yesterday in Citi Field, which he ended up throwing it. Felt good today and then we decided to go with him. 

"He's ready to go. He's telling us that he feels 100 percent. He was on board with, 'Hey, if you guys want me to go in the minor leagues and pitch again, I'll do it, but I'm ready to compete at the big league level.' For him to be very vocal about it is a good sign."

Overall, during his rehab assignment, Senga went 0-1 with 17 strikeouts, a 4.00 ERA, and a 1.17 WHIP over 18.0 innings.

Senga returning and being a productive arm would be a huge boost for New York, as the starting rotation has been in flux over the last month. Clay Holmes went down with a fractured fibula on May 15, Sean Manaea and David Peterson have recently swapped bullpen and opener roles, and Tobias Myers is back up from a brief stint in the minors to start Monday night's game vs. the Reds.

Carlos Mendoza says Kodai Senga will return to the Mets and start tomorrow's game in Cincinnati

"He's ready to go. He's telling us he feels 100%. For him to be very vocal about it is a really good sign" pic.twitter.com/c80CwM9cjE

— SNY (@SNYtv) June 15, 2026