Jasson Domínguez #24 of the New York Yankees warms up prior to the game between the Texas Rangers and the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium on Thursday, May 7, 2026 in New York, New York.
The Martian is learning to inhabit a new planet.
Jasson Domínguez played right field Tuesday at Triple-A and was scheduled to do so again Wednesday, according to Yankees manager Aaron Boone.
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Dominguez has never played right field in the majors — and only done so once in his minor-league career — but could be preparing to take the injured Aaron Judge’s vacated spot.
“The good thing is reports [are] that he was very comfortable doing it,” Boone said before the series-sweeping 8-4 victory against the Guardians. “Seems like it went off without a hitch. His pregame [drill work] was apparently good, too. I think he was happy to do it to add to different ways he can help us.”
The Yankees could move versatile left fielder Cody Bellinger to right field to accommodate Domínguez, though Bellinger’s defense has been elite. And left field at Yankee Stadium is the more spacious ground.
Jasson Domínguez warms up before the Yankees’ win over the Rangers at the Stadium on May 7, 2026. MLB Photos via Getty Images
Of course, that thinking assumes Dominguez (shoulder) will be promoted to the majors once his rehab is complete, which is no guarantee as Boone lives in the “day-to-day” world and prospect Spencer Jones continues to hit well in his second promotion.
“We invested so much because we switched Jasson to left field before last year to help with the transition so we wanted him to really focus on that,” Boone said. “But to be able to have the versatility, I think, is important. Spencer has done a good job of getting some real reps in both corner spots as well as continuing to have center field in play. I think it just adds to their overall value a little bit.”
Jasson Domínguez looks on from the dugout during the Yankees’ loss to the Blue Jays on May 20, 2026 at the Stadium. Getty Images
Ryan Weathers, who will start Friday’s game on six days’ rest, was warming up in the fifth inning in case Carlos Rodón’s start was cut short.
He would’ve pitched an inning on regular rest to help a bullpen that threw 10 ²/₃ innings the previous two games.
“He was very much in play today — not just in an emergency situation, either — which is awesome in and of itself,” Boone said. “He was ready for whatever we needed. He could’ve factored in in a winning way.”
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If used, Weathers would’ve slotted back into the rotation on his next turn after off days.
“I think I’m glad we didn’t use him,” Boone quipped. “I was going to go to him in the sixth, but Carlos having a really efficient fifth and feeling like he was good to go back out for the sixth took [Weathers] out of it for at least the time being.”
The humidity that admittedly fatigued Gerrit Cole during Tuesday’s four-inning start, including a 29-pitch inning, was back (and worse) Wednesday afternoon.
Cole and Rodón both are working their way back after starting the season on the injured list.
“It’s definitely summer now,” Rodón said. “It was warm. It’s part of the gig. It’s what we do. There is a job to be done. Go out there and compete.”
Angel Chivilli (shoulder) began a rehab assignment at Triple-A. He pitched in two games for the Yankees earlier this season.
HOUSTON, TX - JUNE 05: Athletics starting pitcher Jack Perkins (50) throws a pitch in the bottom of the second inning during the MLB game between the Athletics and Houston Astros on June 5, 2026 at Daikin Park in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Leslie Plaza Johnson/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Tonight, the Athletics will take on the Brewers in the series finale of the first of two series at Las Vegas Ballpark this week. After dropping the opener 15-14 in the highest scoring game of the season so far, the A’s rebounded last night with a 7-5 victory, hitting five more home runs and getting strong relief outings from Elvis Alvarado and Mason Barnett.
Having launched 12 home runs through their first two games in Las Vegas, the A’s powerful offense looks well-positioned to keep the long-ball barrage going in another matchup that figures to produce plenty of runs.
Making his second start and 19th appearance of the season, A’s right-hander Jack Perkins brings a 2-3 record, 6.19 ERA, 1.28 WHIP, and 39 strikeouts in 32 innings into today’s matchup. The 26-year-old struggled in his first start against the Houston Astros, allowing five runs on five hits over four innings while taking the loss.
Like Ginn, Perkins is very familiar with this hitter-friendly ballpark. He made nine starts for Triple-A Las Vegas last season and three more appearances with the affiliate this year before earning his promotion to the majors. Perkins’ high-velocity arsenal gives him the ability to miss bats and limit damage, even in a venue that tends to favor hitters.
However, inconsistency and occasional command issues have plagued him during his brief MLB career, which is not uncommon for a young pitcher. If Perkins can trust his stuff, pound the strike zone, and keep the ball on the ground, he should have success this evening. Otherwise, the Brewers’ lineup could capitalize on his mistakes the way the Astros did in his previous outing.
Here’s the Athletics’ lineup for this series-deciding contest:
This is an interesting lineup that A’s manager Mark Kotsay has put together for tonight’s game. Nick Kurtz and Tyler Soderstrom, the team’s two hottest hitters in this series, occupy the first two spots in the order. Meanwhile, Carlos Cortes is making his first start of the series as the designated hitter and is surprisingly slotted into the cleanup spot rather than leading off.
Given how well Kurtz has been swinging the bat, it would seem to make more sense to flip him and Cortes in the lineup to maximize Kurtz’s RBI opportunities with runners on base. Another notable development is Brent Rooker’s absence from the starting lineup for a second consecutive game. The A’s have not indicated any issues, but they can ill afford to lose one of their most dangerous hitters to another stint on the injured list.
Cortes is not the only A’s player making his first start in Vegas. He is joined by outfielder Lawrence Butler and second baseman Jeff McNeil, two players who have had their playing time drastically reduced lately due to major offensive slumps. Zack Gelof moves back to third base with Max Muncy getting the night off, while Alika Williams earns his third straight start at shortstop.
That starting nine will be facing Brewers right-hander Brandon Sproat, who was involved in one of the biggest trades of the offseason. The New York Mets sent Sproat and a minor league infield prospect to Milwaukee in exchange for Freddy Peralta.
The 25-year-old has gone 1-4 with a 6.17 ERA through his first 12 appearances with the Brewers, including ten starts. In his most recent outing against the Colorado Rockies, Sproat received a no-decision after allowing three runs on seven hits over five innings.
Only A’s backup catcher Jonah Heim, who is not in tonight’s lineup, has previously faced Sproat. While the element of unfamiliarity could work in the young right-hander’s favor against A’s hitters, the A’s may benefit from the fact that Sproat has likely never pitched in this ballpark before. If the hosts can repeat the approach and offensive execution they displayed over the first two games, they should have opportunities to score against this talented but inexperienced pitcher.
The Brewers’ lineup features most of their regulars, with the lone exception coming behind the plate, where Gary Sànchez gets the start in place of William Contreras. The top of Milwaukee’s order is especially dangerous now that Andrew Vaughn is back in the lineup after appearing as a pinch-hitter last night.
As a result, Perkins will need to be careful when attacking the strike zone and do his best to keep the ball in the ballpark, something his teammate J.T. Ginn handled well in yesterday’s outing.
Time to win the series and head into tomorrow’s off day with good vibes. Let’s go A’s!
WASHINGTON, DC - MAY 18: Mitchell Parker #70 of the Washington Nationals watches a hit ball during a baseball game against the New York Mets at Nationals Park on May 18, 2026 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Well that sucked. Just when it looked like the Nationals had a sweep in the bag, the bullpen completely melted down. The Giants rallied from 9-1 down to stun the Nats. DMV product Bryce Eldridge hit a walkoff grand slam to finish off a humiliating defeat for Blake Butera and the Nats.
What happens after this game will be telling. For a more traditional front office and coaching staff, heads would absolutely roll after this kind of loss. However, I am not sure whether this analytically minded front office will deviate from their plan. As we have seen this season, there is a long term vision in place and we are seeing that translate on the field.
After this one though, I think it is time for some old school behavior. Blake Butera and Paul Toboni need to send a message to the players and the fans that what happened this afternoon was not acceptable. The two primary culprits of this bullpen meltdown were Mitchell Parker and Paxton Schultz, and their places on the team need to be examined.
For Parker, I honestly have no idea what this braintrust sees in him. The results have not been there, his stuff is below average and he does not seem to have the mentality to be a high leverage arm. Despite all of this, Parker constantly gets thrown into big spots, rarely succeeding. In the past month, Parker has an ERA over 8, and has allowed 7 homers in 16 innings.
This is not a team that is in the gutter, and the front office needs to act that way. When guys aren’t producing, they should be let go. Parker has been consistently terrible for over a year now. Since May 1st of 2025, he has a 6.44 ERA in 159.1 innings. What more do you need to see from this guy? As the saying goes, insanity is trying the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.
I mean that has to be the last pitch Mitchell Parker throws in a Nationals uniform
Mitchell Parker pitching on this upcoming home stand would give fans a pretty good indication that this front office and coaching staff has no interest in winning this season. Going all in on 2026 is not logical either. This team is still in year one of a new era. However, we know what we have in Mitchell Parker. It is unfair to the fans and the pitchers in Rochester to keep trotting this guy out there.
The other culprit of this meltdown requires a more nuanced conversation. Paxton Schultz has had a very strange season. He has been solid in 18 of his 20 outings. However, in the other two appearances, he has had some of the worst meltdowns you will ever see. He has shown the ability to be a quality arm, he has just been completely unable to stop the bleeding.
On the one hand, if you can’t be trusted to protect a 9-1 lead, you should not be on the roster. However, I think Schultz has some traits to be a fine reliever. In the heat of the moment, you would like to see a change, but I would understand if they stuck with Schultz. Today was absolutely dreadful, and he is arguably the biggest reason for the collapse, but you cannot be overly reactionary.
Paxton Schultz is so interesting because he has the best FIP and K-BB% on the team (not anymore undoubtedly), and yet I feel like I don’t trust him at all when he pitches https://t.co/N2UoF09sQP
What happens next will tell us a lot about this new regime. They have some very important decisions to make heading into this home stand. This team has a playoff caliber offense, but the bullpen can explode at any time. Will this front office send a message or will they continue to only look at whatever numbers are telling them Mitchell Parker is a major league caliber pitcher? The roster moves or lack thereof will tell Nationals a lot about Paul Toboni and Blake Butera.
The San Francisco Giants pulled off a major comeback, walk-off win against the Washington Nationals after being down eight runs in the final two innings on Wednesday.
Giants' young prospect Bryce Eldridge was the man of the hour, putting the nail in the coffin with a triumphant walk-off grand slam in the bottom ninth inning, giving San Francisco an 11-10 victory.
Eldridge finished the game with a stat line of 1-for-4, including two runs and 4 RBIs. The 21-year-old rising star was the organization's top prospect in 2025, and he's proving why he was worthy of the ranking.
During the 2026 MLB season, Eldridge has steamed up a batting average of .298 with four home runs and 12 RBIs. His OPS is .907 through 28 games played.
Bryce Eldridge is the youngest player in MLB history to hit a walk-off grand slam. The previous youngest was Roberto Clemente.
There hasn't been much magic in San Francisco. The Giants offense has highs and lows. In some spurts, they can look like one of the best groups in baseball, but then they'll turn around and have a letdown.
Against the Nationals, all signs were pointing towards another letdown. Then the eighth inning happened.
San Francisco trailed 9-1 as they took bat in the bottom eighth. All it took was one inning for the team to catch a rhythm and crawl their way back into the game.
The trek for a comeback started with a solo homer from Matt Chapman that went yard 409-feet over center field. It was Chapman's second home run of the day.
Rafael Devers, who had been an inconsistent hitter so far through 2026, smacked a solo home run right after Chapman. Devers' went 408 feet to center. Daniel Susac registered an RBI that brought Jung Hoo Lee in for a run. Drew Gilbert was next after Susac, registering an RBI on a sacrifice ground ball that took Eldridge home. Susac scored stealing home after a wild pitch.
The Giants trailed 9-6 going into the final inning. San Francisco loaded the bases after Devers was walked and Lee singled to right.
It was the perfect position for Eldridge to have a fairytale ending to their game with the Nationals. He took bat at the plate, swung and sent it back 326 feet to right field as he reeled in Chapman, Devers and Lee before he rounded the bases back home.
When Shohei Ohtani is pitching − as he is against the Pittsburgh Pirates Wednesday, June 10 − it's simply mano a mano, Ohtani vs. the batter, with Ohtani prevailing the vast majority of the time.
This time, though, the Dodgers are also letting him serve as designated hitter, which means Ohtani vs. the opposing pitcher – along with eight other defensive players.
And on this night one of them thwarted him.
Pirates left fielder Bryan Reynolds robbed Ohtani of his 12th home run, ranging to his right and hopping above the short left field wall to snag the ball before it could land among a group of sun-splashed patrons.
Ohtani drove a Jared Jones full-count 99 mph fastball the opposite way, 101.7 mph off the bat. According to Statcast, the 383-foot drive would have been a home run in 25 of 30 parks.
Well, probably 26 of 30, were it not for Reynolds’ well-coordinated leap to keep this game scoreless.
Ohtani did hit a two-run home run in the ninth, but it was not quite enough as the Dodgers lost 9-8.
ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA - JUNE 3: Michael Lorenzen #24 of the Colorado Rockies pitches against the Los Angeles Angels during the second inning of a game at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on June 3, 2026 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Scott Strazzante/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Colorado Rockies’ series opener victory against the Chicago Cubs was a resounding success. They got pitching and hitting, and played an overall great game to shake off the mess of the Milwaukee Brewers series. Granted, the Cubs are not in the best of places at the moment, but victories like that have hopefully set the stage for the Rockies to secure another series victory.
Michael Lorenzen (2-8, 8.01 ERA) continues his quest for answers in 2026 for the Rockies. Lorenzen once again struggled in his last outing against the Los Angeles Angels, as he allowed eight runs on 10 hits over 3.1 innings of work. The majority of damage came in the second inning, where he just couldn’t throw strikes, and the Angels were punishing mistakes over the plate. He has been left floundering, trying to tweak mechanics and get comfortable on the mound, but those answers have eluded him thus far. The key for Lorenzen seems to be finding a way to mitigate the “one bad inning” trope that has plagued many Rockies pitchers, and a great way to do that is by throwing quality strikes and establishing his command early.
Unfortunately, Lorenzen has a 9.67 ERA at home this year hanging over his head as well as a career 7.36 ERA against the Cubs. However, he Will tonight be a moment that Lorenzen can start to change the narrative of his season?
Meanwhile, the Cubs will send out Shota Imanaga (4-6, 4.74 ERA) to make the start. The Japanese veteran has been reliable since making his MLB debut with the Cubs in 2024, where me posted a 2.91 ERA. 2025 wasn’t as crisp, but he still managed a sub-4.00 ERA and decided to accept a qualifying offer from the Cubs for this season. His third big league season has been a little tougher, but Imanaga is still a quality pitcher not to be taken lightly. He has recorded six quality starts and will attack the zone with a current tally of 74 strikeouts against 19 walks. He’s more prone to give up the long ball, having allowed 17 this season after allowing 31 last year. He was roughed up by the Athletics at Wrigley Field in his last start, giving up six runs on six hits, including four home runs, over six innings.
In his lone career start against the Rockies, Imanaga fired six shutout innings, allowing just two hits. This will be his first start at Coors Field.
Former Atlanta Braves player John Smoltz stands in the dugout after the game against the Detroit Tigers at Turner Field on October 2, 2016 in Atlanta, Georgia.
Like many others in the baseball world, Hall of Famer John Smoltz is concerned about the possibility of an MLB lockout.
The current collective bargaining agreement between the league and the MLB Players Association will expire after the 2026 season, setting up a long-anticipated negotiating period, with the prospect of a work stoppage looming.
Smoltz said it won’t be a good look if things can’t be worked out between the two sides.
“We know that if they don’t get this worked out, baseball will suffer. They cannot afford to have a stoppage with all the good that has been done and all the great games that have been played lately with the World Series,” Smoltz told Fox News Digital.
Former Atlanta Braves player John Smoltz stands in the dugout after the game against the Detroit Tigers at Turner Field on October 2, 2016 in Atlanta, Georgia. Getty Images
MLB made clear it didn’t agree with the MLBPA’s first proposal, which did not call for any sort of spending cap.
“The MLBPA’s proposal would reduce the amount [of money] transferred to lower-revenue Clubs, weaken the Competitive Balance Tax, and lead to even more payroll disparity than exists today,” MLB said in a statement after it released its own proposal.
“For example, under the Union’s proposal, the Dodgers would pay less in luxury tax payments, giving them an additional $70 million to spend on payroll.”
Smoltz spoke to what he believes is a competitive balance issue across the league, which is a factor in these CBA negotiations.
“There’s a competition issue within baseball that some system is claiming that it’s going to fix. I question that big time,” Smoltz added. “Until you have teams and owners that want to put the best product they can on the field in their market, it’s hard for me to be able to tell somebody what they can and can’t spend in a free market world.”
Yankees manager Aaron Boone (17) speaks with Rob Manfred, the commissioner of the MLB, in March. Charles Wenzelberg/New York Post
Baseball has certainly achieved momentum in the American consciousness as of late. The league shared in early May that viewership is up 44 percent compared to the 2025 season for exclusive national games, the best number in the past nine seasons. The excitement brought on by the 2025 World Series certainly helped with that; Game 7 averaged a combined 51 million viewers across the United States, Canada and Japan.
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - JUNE 10: Fernando Tatis Jr. #23 of the San Diego Padres hits a walk-off solo home run against the Cincinnati Reds at Petco Park on June 10, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Orlando Ramirez/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Two of the big boppers on whom the Cincinnati Reds are depending with Elly De La Cruz sidelined stepped up late and did their parts in big, big ways, respectively. JJ Bleday, who deserves to be on the National League All Star team at this juncture, smashed a 391 foot solo homer off San Diego Padres starter Michael King in the Top of the 7th to give the Reds a 3-2 lead, and Eugenio Suarez followed with a 365 foot sand wedge into the seats beyond left field to give Cincinnati an insurance run at 4-2 in the Top of the 8th.
All that remained to be taken care of was holding on to a 2-run lead for the game’s final pair of innings. You know, the classic task asked of bullpen arms all over the sport.
Unfortunately, this is the Cincinnati Reds bullpen we are talking about, or at least what remains of it.
Caleb Ferguson was wholly unable to retire the left-handed bats the Padres sent up to face him in the Bottom of the 8th, and Tony Santillan couldn’t bail him out of the jame he’d created. That sent the game to the 9th with the game tied at 4, and though the Reds got a leadoff single from Matt McLain and a later walk from Sal Stewart, the Reds couldn’t find a way to score a run to take the lead.
Devoid of other fresh options, Terry Francona turned to the recently recalled Chase Petty, who was just brought back to the team after Zach McCambley was optioned on the back of his 30+ pitch outing earlier in the series. That’s Chase Petty the starter, who was tasked with pitching in an extremely high-leverage relief role that’s almost completely unheard of for him at this juncture of his career.
He looked mostly fine out there, to his credit. He pounded the zone. He threw strikes. The problem is, though, that despite the walk problems that have plagued the entire pitching staff over the course of this borderline-miserable season, this was an instance where he might well have been better off nibbling than humming balls right over the plate to some of San Diego’s best hitters.
One of those, of course, is Fernando Tatis, Jr. He’s found his swing again after a mammoth gap between homers, socking his first of the year earlier in the week and posting a 4-hit game earlier this series. So, when Petty spun an 89 mph slider right into the middle of the strike zone to the Padres star, it was hard to envision anything other than what happened.
That laser from Tatis just cleared the LF wall, and that was that. Cincinnati hemorrhaged yet another late lead, lost their fourth straight series, and sunk to just 32-35 on the season overall. They’ll have Thursday off to think about it while traveling back across the country to think about it, and on Friday they’ll welcome the Arizona Diamondbacks to Great American Ball Park.
What a brutal game. What a brutal month. What a brutal, brutal sport.
SAN FRANCISCO — The towering pop-up off Bryce Eldridge’s bat had no business leaving the ballpark, a fitting end to a game the Giants had no business winning.
He stood there, watching its trajectory, an absurd 44 degrees.
He waited until it barely crossed the plane of the brick wall in right field, only 326 feet in total.
The Giants rallied with 10 runs over the final two innings, highlighted by a walk-off grand slam from Bryce Eldridge to stun the Nationals 11-10 on Wednesday. Getty Images
And then he sent his bat airborne so high it practically caught the apex of the ball.
“I’m just walking, watching, hoping it’s gonna go out,” Eldridge said. “I’m just glad it did. I barely remember what happened after that.”
Here’s the gist: When the ball landed, the Giants had completed the unlikeliest of comebacks, down eight the previous inning, and Eldridge had become the youngest player in MLB history to end a game with a grand slam, just 21 years, 233 days.
Final score: Giants 11, Nationals 10.
“I was just screaming,” Eldridge said of his reaction as he rounded the bases behind Matt Chapman, Rafael Devers and Jung Hoo Lee, all of whom reached without making an out after Luis Arraez started the ninth-inning rally with a double down the right field line.
It was Chapman who started the improbable comeback an inning earlier, with the Giants trailing 9-1, with his second solo shot of the afternoon. Devers went back-to-back to cut the deficit to 9-3, and the Giants rallied for three more in the eighth off Paxton Schultz to make it 9-6.
Reiver Sanmartin, in his season debut, allowed a solo home run in the top of the ninth that gave the Giants another run they needed to make up and put himself in line for the win in the process.
Everything, it turned out, was just setting the table for what promises to be the first of many heroics in Eldridge’s promising young career.
“Man, what a crazy game,” mused Robbie Ray, who was bailed out of taking the loss by the grand slam after allowing five runs over 5 ⅔ innings in his deepest start since May 8.
“It kind of felt like he was going to do something like that.”
Giants teammates mob Bryce Eldridge after he smashed a walk-over grand slam Wednesday. AP Photo/Jed Jacobsohn
It might have felt that way because Eldridge has been one of the Giants’ most-hyped hitting prospects in recent memory who has looked like he belonged from his first big-league at-bat.
Or maybe, it’s because Eldridge had been envisioning an opportunity just like this.
“I always want to be the guy in that situation,” Eldridge said.
He had a chance to be the guy just two days earlier but struck out against Gus Varland to end the Giants’ 4-3 loss Monday. He represented the winning run but chased a fastball above the letters to end the game.
“The only thing I could think about the last two days was Monday and how I just wasn’t pleased with how I ended the game,” Eldridge said. “I was talking with a lot of people about that. I wanted that opportunity back. I don’t know if I’m going to get that opportunity again for a while. And then, like two days later, I got the same opportunity.”
As the Giants started to rally in the eighth, Eldridge began to do the math in the batting cage behind the dugout. He would get his chance at redemption. It looked like it would come against the same pitcher, too, until Varland failed to retire any of the first three batters of the ninth.
Instead, Eldridge was the second batter to step to the plate against Mitchell Parker. This time, he didn’t chase a fastball. He looked at two off-speeds out of the zone and before he got a slider he liked. The pitch broke at his belt and caught the inner-third of the plate.
Eldridge made sure it didn’t travel any farther in his direction.
In just his 38th game, he lived out the exact scenario he played out in his backyard growing up, even when he was still playing both ways through the end of his high school career.
“That was always what I wanted to do — I wanted to have the big home run,” Eldridge said. “That was something I thought about more than having the big strikeout.”
Chapman spoke it into existence when he got back to the dugout from his first home run trot that got the Giants on the board and made it 6-1 in the sixth.
“Chappy stated it as soon as he hit his first home run,” manager Tony Vitello said. “Stranger things have happened.”
But not much stranger.
Giants fans celebrate during the victory Wednesday. AP Photo/Jed Jacobsohn
What it means
The Giants had been 0-34 when trailing after the eighth inning this season, and they picked a heck of a way to earn their first ninth-inning comeback.
Only six teams since 1969 have come back to win when trailing by eight or more in the eighth inning or later, and just once before by a Giants team — in 1947.
It hadn’t been done by any team in the majors since Cleveland on May 25, 2009.
Who’s hot
Consider it the official arrival of the Eldridge era in San Francisco.
“I think about it every day,” Eldridge said. “That I’m just gonna keep working hard because I want to be the face of this franchise.”
Here he is, the face of the franchise: Over his past 13 games, dating back to the start of the Giants’ last road trip, Eldridge is batting .426 (20-for-47) with three homers, seven doubles and eight walks to only 10 strikeouts — good for a 1.266 OPS.
He was batting .170 with a .541 OPS when the Giants hit the road May 29. His average is up to .296, and his OPS has crossed .900.
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Ray took advantage of an aggressive Nationals lineup to not issue a walk for only the third time in 14 starts this season. He had walked 22 total, at least two per outing, over his past six starts.
But the comeback was almost too far out of reach by the time it began thanks to a relief corps that allowed the Nats to score both of Ray’s runners it inherited with two outs in the sixth, plus four more before the Giants came to the plate for the final time.
Up next
The Giants enjoy their first day off since May 28 before regrouping to host the Cubs for three games to finish a brief homestand. San Francisco hopes to have shortstop Willy Adames back in the lineup to begin the series Friday after getting him his second day off this season Wednesday to nurse discomfort in his upper leg.
CHICAGO, IL - JUNE 09: Matt Olson #28 of the Atlanta Braves rounds the bases after hitting a two run home run in the first inning during the game between the Atlanta Braves and the Chicago White Sox at Rate Field on Tuesday, June 9, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Kyle Sheridan/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
The Dugout Radar is not looking fantastic for tonight’s start time of 7:40 pm ET… we’ve dealt with so much weather lately.
Jun 9, 2026; Summerlin, Nevada, USA; Milwaukee Brewers second baseman Brice Turang (2) throws to first during the eighth inning of the game against the Athletics at Las Vegas Ballpark. Mandatory Credit: Jeffery Bennett-Imagn Images | Jeffery Bennett-Imagn Images
After a late-night/early-morning victory on Monday night, the Brewers lost the second game of their series against the Athletics in Las Vegas on Tuesday, meaning Wednesday night’s game is a rubber match.
On the mound for the series finale is Brandon Sproat, who continues to struggle to put together multiple consistent innings. Sproat, 25, is now 16 appearances (14 starts) into his MLB career, and he sports a 5.79 ERA, 4.85 FIP, 71 strikeouts, and 11 homers allowed over 74 2/3 innings. He’s allowed at least three runs in five consecutive appearances, allowing a homer in four of those five games. He went five innings against the Rockies on Friday night, allowing three runs on seven hits and two walks, striking out two in a no-decision as the Brewers came back to win in extras.
Opposite Sproat is 26-year-old righty Jack Perkins, a fifth-round pick out of Indiana in 2022. Perkins, in his second major league season, made his first 17 appearances this season out of the bullpen, but is coming off his first start of the year. Across those 18 appearances, he has a 6.19 ERA but a 2.88 FIP, as he’s struck out 39 over 32 innings. In his lone start, which came on Friday in Houston, he allowed five runs on five hits and two walks, striking out six over four innings in a 5-1 loss.
With those two guys on the mound, I’d expect another high-scoring, homer-filled night — the current over/under in this game is a whopping 14.5 runs.
Christian Yelich leads off for Milwaukee as today’s DH, followed by Jackson Chourio, Brice Turang, and Andrew Vaughn. Jake Bauers bats fifth and starts in left, with Gary Sánchez batting sixth and starting behind the plate. Sal Frelick, David Hamilton, and Joey Ortiz round out the bottom third of the order.
While no major league roster moves were made today, the Brewers did make a minor league trade, as they sent right-handed pitcher Jacob Waguespack to the Tigers for cash considerations. Waguespack, who appeared in major league camp this spring, has spent the entire 2026 season with Triple-A Nashville.
Correction: The Brewers traded Triple-A right-hander Jacob Waguespack to the Tigers for cash. He was in big league camp and had a 1.66 ERA for Nashville in 16 relief appearances.
Additionally, Brandon Woodruff is expected to rejoin the team this weekend in Milwaukee, with a potential return in next week’s series against the Guardians.
Brandon Woodruff is rejoining the Brewers in Milwaukee later this week. Nothing set in stone, but it sounds like he could be a candidate to start next week against the Guardians.
SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA - MAY 12: Andre Pallante #53 of the St. Louis Cardinals pitches against the Athletics at Sutter Health Park on May 12, 2026 in Sacramento, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The St. Louis Cardinals will try to win the series against the New York Mets Wednesday night as Andre Pallante takes the mound for St. Louis. The Mets will ask Christian Scott to try and stop the Cardinals. Good luck with that, Mr. Scott. You’ll need it. First pitch is set for 6:10pm central time as the game broadcast will be handled by Cardinals.tv.
CHICAGO, IL - MAY 13: Kansas City Royals pitcher Seth Lugo (67) pitches against the Chicago White Sox in the first inning of an MLB game on May 13, 2026, at Rate Field in Chicago, IL. (Photo by Patrick Gorski/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Kansas City has a chance to win three series in a row for the first time this season. All they need to do is win tonight or tomorrow to keep the ball rolling. Texas is not a great team, which is something that can be said about basically all the teams in baseball this year, so take care of your home field.
It is going to be Seth Lugo versus MacKenzie Gore today. Lugo got beat up a bit in Minnesota, but he handled this Rangers lineup well back at the end of May. Gore is an interesting player with high prospect pedigree who at times looked like he might become the ace that everyone thought he could be. Last season he was a Cy Young contender through the first couple months of the season before falling off to have another fine, if unspectacular, season. That level of okay has continued into 2026. However, he is left-handed and lefties have been the bane of the Royals’ offensive existence.
KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI - JUNE 09: Wyatt Langford #36 of the Texas Rangers celebrates with teammates after scoring in the second inning at Kauffman Stadium on June 09, 2026 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Ed Zurga/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Dalton Rushing is slowly becoming baseball's biggest villain. And he's only in his second MLB season.
For one to take such a role, a few things need to be in order. Said players have to stir up a little controversy, have to be pretty dang good and on at least a really good team.
Rushing checks all those boxes. The Dodgers are back-to-back World Series champions. Although the 25-year-old Rushing made his debut with the Dodgers in 2025, he's already swiftly becoming recognized as one of the better backup catchers in baseball. He might be starting if the Dodgers didn't already have Will Smith committed to a long-term deal.
Now, on to the controversy that makes Rushing appear to be disliked across the league. Whether intentional or not, he has an awareness issue when it comes to base sliding. It was on display during the Dodgers' blowout, 12-3, victory against the Pittsburgh Pirates on June 9.
Rushing drew a walk in the top of the fifth inning as the Pirates held a narrow 2-1 lead. The ensuing batter, Alex Freeland, hit a ground ball to Pittsburgh second baseman Brandon Lowe, who grabbed it and spun, making a throw to Jared Triolo, who made a late throw to first. Freeland was deemed safe, but Rushing was called for runner's interference.
He attempted a slide to make it safe at second base, except he was feet away from the bag and collided with Triolo. The rule, according to MLB, states that fielders have a right to occupy any space needed to catch or field a batted ball and also must not be hindered while attempting to field a thrown ball. Additionally, runners have to make a reasonable attempt to touch the bag and avoid the fielder.
Dalton Rushing "villainous" timeline: Building a 'bad boy' reputation in MLB
If the June 9 fiasco with the Pirates was a one-off incident, then maybe folks would turn the other cheek — but Rushing has been making it a habit to agitate opponents. Here's a timeline of events that have contributed to Rushing being deemed the MLB 'bad boy.'
April 18
Rushing caused a stir after a 4-3 loss to the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field on April 18. After the game, Rushing criticized the Rockies' hitters, saying their approach was "fishy," a statement that manager Dave Roberts shot down.
“I think it’s odd that some of those hitters that do what they do, they go up there and they’re on the first pitch that was thrown,” Rushing said. “It’s a little fishy but I’ll wear it."
Roberts responded to those comments in April, shutting down any notion that Rushing hinted at.
“I saw some bad breaking balls," Roberts said. "So I don’t think there was anything fishy behind it. I think there were some bad pitches.”
April 21
Another incident occurred during baseball's hottest rivalry: Dodgers-Giants. San Francisco's Jung Hoo Lee made an attempt to score from first base after a single to center field on April 21. Lee was quickly getting around the bases, but was thrown out at home by Rushing for the third out.
Lee seemed to be upset or in pain after the play and as Rushing walked back to the dugout, he looked back at Lee on the dirt and seemingly mouthed "F--- him".
The next game in the series on April 22, Rushing was hit with a pitch from Giants ace Logan Webb in retaliation. Rushing was intentionally walked. Hyeseong Kim was up to bat next and hit a grounder to right field as second baseman Luis Arraez scooped it and made the play to shortstop Willy Adames, who had to brace for Rushing sliding right at him.
Dalton Rushing got plunked and then slid hard into Willy Adames at second base
This came after it looked like he said "fuck 'em" when Jung Hoo Lee got hurt from sliding into Rushing on Tuesday pic.twitter.com/s9rHWJV8fg
Rushing was caught body shaming his opponent. Chicago Cubs catcher Miguel Amaya stole second base after Rushing wasn't able to deliver the ball in time. A frustrated Rushing could be seen mouthing "fat f---" geared towards Amaya. A few days later, Cubs teammate Nico Hoerner confirmed that's what Rushing said.
""I wish I had confronted him," Hoerner said during a radio appearance on 104.3FM The Score. "I was pretty taken aback. ... At the end of the day, you just wanna have your teammates back."
Rushing was irate when he was given a third strike during an April 28 matchup with the Miami Marlins after he requested a timeout, but the umpire allegedly never heard him. Rushing struck out due to a pitch clock infraction.
Dalton Rushing asked for timeout by saying “timeout please” to the home plate umpire. The umpire didn’t hear and he struck out on a pitch clock violation that ended the inning. Rushing was not happy at all 😬 pic.twitter.com/yzn09jfcYq
Rushing attempted damage control in an interview with The Athletic where he said that he does not buy into the villain role that people are looking to cast on him, but will continue to play the way he does.
"I think guys have started to like, give me the label of (villain)," Rushing told The Athletic. "I just think that's me competing at the highest level and not allowing any outside source to kind of get in my way."
He added: "I don't want guys to look at me as a bad guy on and off the field," Rushing said. "But at the same time, I'm not going to change my game. I'm going to play the same way that I have. I'm going to control the things that are said."
June 9
Rushing's collision June 9 with Triolo was the icing on the cake. It even sparked a reaction from Shohei Ohtani, who could only look around and ask, "what happened?"
The Dodgers play-by-play commentators also couldn't believe what they saw:
"That's tough right there. He doesn't get to the bag. What a mistake that was. It's not a ball that you'd normally turn two on. I always kind of whine about the fact that nobody tries to break up a double-play anymore. Well, one time you don't want to try to break up a double play is on that ball. He's nowhere close. That's tough right there ... that's a Hal McCrae imitation back in the 70s right there."
