Pirates 3, Rockies 1: Paul Skenes dominates

PHOENIX, ARIZONA - MAY 06: Starting pitcher Paul Skenes #30 of the Pittsburgh Pirates reacts after pitching out of the eighth inning of the MLB game against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field on May 06, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Pittsburgh’s PNC Park has never been a friendly stadium for the Colorado Rockies, and tonight was no exception, despite some late-game hits.

For the first six innings of the game, the Rockies went hitless in the face of Pittsburgh Pirates ace Paul Skenes.

Although they would not be no-hit, the Rockies would be unable to put together enough offense for a win, despite solid pitching from Michael Lorenzen. Instead, they lost 3-1.

Michael Lorenzen? Gave the Rockies a chance

After getting behind early in the first, Lorenzen settled in, and although he surrendered hits, the Pirates did not score again until the fifth.

Given Lorenzen’s struggles in New York, there were questions as to how he would hold up against the Pirates, but he relied on his changeup, held his own, and gave the Rockies a chance.

In five innings pitched, he gave up two runs (both earned) on five hits. Lorenzen struck out five and walked two.

He now has a 6.55 ERA.

“Mike was good for us. That’s what we expect of him,” Schaeffer said.

He left the game with the Rockies down 2-0, but the loss was on an offense unable to figure out Skenes, not Lorenzen’s pitching.

The Rockies offense? Unable to handle Skenes

Once again, the Rockies offense failed to rise to the occasion.

The Pirates got on the board first when Nick Gonzales hit an RBI single that brought home Oneil Cruz — who led off the game with a double.

After a rough first inning that left the Rockies in a 1-0 hole, Lorenzen did settled in and did not allow the Pirates to score again until the fifth inning. However, it didn’t matter.

The Rockies did not manage to put the ball in play until the third inning. Prior to that, the first six batters all struck out. After the second inning, the Rockies managed to put the ball in play but remained hitless.

That said, please take a moment to appreciate this very fine defensive work by Tyler Freeman.

The Pirates were out of challenges and ABS challenges before the third inning ended, but given that the Rockies did not score — or even threaten to — until the end of the game, the lack of challenges was never a factor.

In the fifth, the Rockies had their first base runner when Troy Johnston was hit by a pitch on a Skenes 2-1 changeup. However, he was promptly caught stealing (and it wasn’t even close), ending the inning.

In the bottom of the fifth, the Pirates notched their second run after Brandon Lowe brought home Cruz again. The fifth closed 2-0 Pirates.

Finally in the seventh inning, the Rockies got their first hit — a Mickey Moniak single. The Rockies were unable to capitalize, but at least they would not be no-hit!

Lorenzen left the game after the fifth inning, and turned the game over to the bullpen.

Skenes came back out for the eighth inning, and Johnston managed to hit a double with one out, but the Rockies again failed to score.

In the ninth, the Pirates turned to Gregory Soto, who had allowed just six hits in 20.1 IP prior. He retired Kyle Karros and Brenton Doyle, but Jordan Beck had different plans. After seeing 10 pitches, he hit a double.

Hunter Goodman followed up with his own double, which brought Beck home and scored the Rockies first run.

However, a TJ Rumfield ground ball ended the game.

The bullpen? Uneven

The Rockies used multiple relievers tonight, which seemed a bit unusual given their tendency to turn to long relievers.

Seth Halvorsen struck out three in the sixth and passed the baton to Victor Vodnik in the seventh, who struggled with his command. Vodnik gave up a walk and three singles, one of which scored a run.

However, Victor Vodnik struggled. On 26 pitches (13 for strikes), he allowed one run (earned) on three hits and a walk.

Jaden Hill’s appearance was fleeting. He entered the game with bases loaded and threw just two pitches to end the inning.

The eighth inning went to Jimmy Herget who did not allow any runs, but it was close. He allowed one hit — a leadoff double to Gonzales — one walk, and one strikeout on 22 pitches.

Paul Skenes? Still great

Paul Skenes has two NL Cy Young Awards at home on his mantle for a reason: He’s an exceptional pitcher. And the Rockies got to witness that for themselves tonight.

He tossed eight almost flawless innings, giving up no runs and just two hits on 98 pitches. He struck out 10 and walked one, allowing just one hard-hit ball.

Granted, the Rockies offense is not good, but Skenes is a great pitcher, and tonight, his stuff was working. He now has a 1.98 ERA.

“He was really good,” manager Warren Schaeffer said.

Reader, Paul Skenes is really, really good.

Up Next

The Rockies will meet the Pirates for Game 2 tomorrow at 4:40 pm when José Quintana will face Mitch Keller.

See you then!


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Dodgers will honor Glenn Burke & Billy Bean on Pride Night June 5

Jun 16, 2023; Los Angeles, California, USA; The Los Angeles Dodgers logo in rainbow colors on the the outfield wall during LGBTQ+ Pride Night at Dodger Stadium at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

LOS ANGELES — The Dodgers on Tuesday announced the details of their annual LGBTQ+ Pride Night, which will be held on Friday, June 5 for the opener of a weekend series against the Angels. Among the highlights is the unveiling a permanent display in the center field plaza at Dodger Stadium for Glenn Burke and Billy Bean, both of whom played for the team.

From the Dodgers:

This year, the Dodgers will be installing a tribute to LGBTQ+ trailblazers Billy Bean and Glenn Burke, who both played for L.A. and were among the first professional athletes to identify as gay. The permanent display will be housed in the Centerfield plaza and feature pictures and memorabilia from their careers and text explaining the duo’s contributions to Major League Baseball and professional sports.

Bean played in six major league seasons from 1987-95, including part of 1989 with the Dodgers, playing all three outfield spots.

Bean worked for Major League Baseball from 2014 until his death in 2024 of acute myeloid leukemia at age 60, working as senior vice president for diversity, equity & inclusion and special assistant to the commissioner. Since 2025, MLB no longer includes the word “diversity” on its careers or inclusion pages.

Burke played the first two-plus seasons of his four-year career with the Dodgers and among other things, Burke is widely credited with inventing the high-five in 1977 with teammate Dusty Baker. The Dodgers traded Burke to the A’s in his hometown of Oakland in 1978 after learning he was gay, described by Andrew Maraniss, author of ‘Singled Out: The True Story of Glenn Burke,’ in an interview with Steve Dittmore of True Blue LA in 2022:

During the offseason after the 1977 World Series, Al Campanis paid a visit to Glenn in the Bay Area. Glenn thought it was to talk about his role on the team in ‘78. Instead, Campanis offered Glenn a bribe to get married. Glenn asked, “To a woman?” When Campanis said yes, Glenn knew management was on to his sexuality, and he refused to go along with the plan. At that point, he knew his days with the Dodgers were numbered. Tommy Lasorda’s son, Spunky, was gay and Lasorda wasn’t happy that he and Glenn were friends. One of the things I found most interesting while researching the book is how hard Glenn’s teammates took his trade to the A’s. Sportswriters noticed players sitting at their lockers crying when they heard the news. That shows you what a presence Glenn had on that team, how much his teammates liked and respected him, even though he wasn’t a starter. And these guys knew he was gay. Some people contend, even today, that a gay player would be a “distraction” on a team. Glenn was anything but a distraction; he was one of the most popular players on the entire team.”

The Dodgers first meaningful acknowledgement of Burke came in 2022 during their Pride Night, when several of his family members in attendance and part of the ceremonies at Dodger Stadium, 27 years after his death.

Bean was a part of several previous Dodgers Pride Nights, including in 2014, 2015, 2017, 2019, and 2022. This new display in center field will be a more permanent way to honor Burke and Bean at Dodger Stadium.

Also as part of this year’s Pride Night ceremonies, 99-year-old Maybelle Blair, a former pitcher in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League, will throw out the ceremonial first pitch. She was also part of Pride Night festivities in 2022.

More details on Pride Night here.

Yankees spoil Rogers’ return, O’s struggle with runners on base, lose 6-2

May 12, 2026; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Baltimore Orioles pitcher Trevor Rogers (28) throws during the first inning against the New York Yankees at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Kucin Jr.-Imagn Images | Daniel Kucin Jr.-Imagn Images

Trevor Rogers was ambushed in his return to the mound Tuesday night, giving up six runs in his first start in more than two weeks. That spelled disaster for the Orioles, who fell 6-2 in game of the series with the Yankees at Camden Yards.

Before the game even began, the Orioles got some bad news. Grant Wolfram, who has gone unused in the bullpen since May 6, was placed on the IL with a lower back strain. Shortly after that, the team had to scratch Dylan Beavers from the starting lineup due to right oblique discomfort. Obliques are notorious for nagging, so who knows what the outlook is for the rookie.

All of this would be a harbinger of the terrible things to come in the game ahead.

Orioles’ Opening Day starter Trevor Rogers made his highly-anticipated return from the IL in this one. He was greeted with a 402-foot home run off the bat of Paul Goldschmidt on the very first pitch of the game. Not ideal.

But it was in the third inning where the outing fell apart. Rogers loaded the bases with one out on a single and two walks. Then, Cody Bellinger drove in the Yankees’ second run of the day on a liner up the middle that Gunnar Henderson fielded and tried to turn into two outs, but could only nab the force out at second. Amed Rosario followed with an infield single that came on a bouncing ball down the third base line. Coby Mayo fielded it and made a running throw, but it was too late to retire Rosario. Judged scored on the play to make it a 3-0 game. Next up was Trent Grisham, who came through with a line drive to deep right-center for a three-run shot, extending the visitors’ lead to 6-0.

Rogers stuck around for the fourth inning to give the bullpen a little bit of help, but it didn’t make up for what was a poor showing overall. In those four innings, the lefty allowed six runs on six hits, three walks, three strikeouts, and two home runs. His season ERA is up to 5.77.

Stuff was not the problem for Rogers. In fact, his velocity and spin rates were both up compared to his season averages, and he had a whiff rate of 29% on the day. But when the Yankees did make contact it was very, very hard. Rogers gave up six balls in play at 103 mph or harder. Two of them were home runs. That is not good!

The Orioles offense created enough chances to get back into the game. They just didn’t make the most of them. That was never more true than in the bottom of the third inning, They managed to load the bases on a walk and a pair or fielders choices gone wrong for the Yankees. But all three runners would be stranded after Taylor Ward flew out and Adley Rutschman grounded into a double play to leave the O’s with no runs scored on the day.

In the bottom of the sixth, the Orioles finally got on the board against Yankees starter Will Warren. Ward led off with a double, and then came in to score on a Samuel Basallo single. Tyler O’Neill then forced Basallo to run the 270 feet between first base and home plate by hitting his first double of the season and driving in the O’s second run of the day. That narrowed the deficit to just four runs, the Orioles now trailing 6-2.

Another good chance to score came in the eighth inning. Ward got it going with a single. Pete Alonso singled as well to put two runners on with one out. The prompted a pitching change for the Yankees, which proved a wise decision. Tim Hill came on and got both Basallo and O’Neill to ground out and end the threat.

That would be the last real opportunity for the Orioles to mount a comeback. They went down in order in the ninth inning to lose the second game of the series by that 6-2 scoreline.

Ultimately, the difference in this game came down to the Orioles inability to hit with runners in scoring position. They went 1-for-12 in such situations and left seven runners on base. Of course, this is not a new development. The team has struggled with this all year.

Gunnar Henderson went 0-for-4. He and his .660 OPS hitting lead-off with any sort of regularity right now does not make sense, though it’s not as if the Orioles are rich with options anyway.

The bottom third of the lineup (Colton Cowser, Mayo, and Jeremiah Jackson) went 0-for-11 with four strikeouts and one walk. It’s a problem that won’t be solved by just one player, like Jackson Holliday, getting healthy. The team needs a miracle.

On the bright side, the bullpen was very good! Josh Walker worked two scoreless innings and struck out three in his Orioles debut. Yennier Cano, Andrew Kittredge, and Tyler Wells followed with one shutout inning each. They kept the team in the game and gave the O’s a chance. That’s really all you can ask for.

Rutschman had a mixed game on defense. He threw out two stolen base attempts, an area where he has really improved in 2026. He also dropped a foul ball pop-up in the ninth inning that fortunately did not come back to bite the team.

Basallo and Ward had two hits each. As has often been the case, they were the lone source of offense for an Orioles lineup that is really struggling.

The end of this series will come a bit sooner than originally planned. Due to expected weather in the area, the Orioles and Yankees moved up the start time for Wednesday’s game. First pitch will now be 1:05 from Camden Yards. Max Fried will go for the Yankees, and we do not yet know who Craig Albernaz plans to throw in the rubber match. Kyle Bradish would be on regular rest.

Francisco Alvarez leaves Mets’ game against Tigers early with knee injury

Mets catcher Francisco Alvarez walks off the field with training staff and manager Carlos Mendoza

Mets catcher Francisco Alvarez left the team’s game against the Tigers in the bottom of the sixth inning this evening after tweaking his right knee while taking a swing. The Mets’ training staff and manager Carlos Mendoza came out to talk to Alvarez after seeing him in discomfort following the swing, and following a brief conversation, Mendoza signaled that he was taking Alvarez out of the game.

The 24-year-old has struggled with injuries since making his major league debut in 2022, but he looked very good at the plate last season after returning to the big leagues following an injury and a stint in Triple-A Syracuse. He wound up finishing the 2025 season with a .256/.339/.447 line, 11 home runs, and a 124 wRC+ in 277 major league plate appearances.

So far this year, Alvarez has hit .236/.315/.382 with four home runs and a 105 wRC+ in 128 plate appearances. If he were to miss any time, the Mets would presumably be looking at calling up one of Hayden Senger or Ben Rortvedt from Syracuse. Of the two, Senger is the one who’s already on the Mets’ 40-man roster, which is currently full.

Yankees snap four-game skid as offense awakes from slumber in win over Orioles

An image collage containing 3 images, Image 1 shows Trent Grisham (right) accepts congratulations from Cody Bellinger after belting a three-run homer in the third inning of the Yankees' 6-2 win over the Orioles on May 12, 2026 at Camden Yards. , Image 2 shows Paul Goldschmidt rounds the bases after hitting a solo home run to lead off the game in the Yankees' win over the Orioles, Image 3 shows Will Warren, who pitched into the sixth inning, held the Orioles to two runs and picked up his fifth win of the season

BALTIMORE — Over the course of one inning Tuesday night, the Yankees touched home plate more times than they had in any single nine- or 10-inning contest during their four-game losing streak.

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And that is how they snapped out of it.

An offense that had gone missing through the start of this road trip was resuscitated in a five-run third inning as the Yankees finally got back in the win column with a 6-2 victory over the Orioles at Camden Yards.

Trent Grisham’s three-run homer capped off the five-run rally — after the Yankees (27-16) had scored a combined eight runs over their last four games — which was enough support for Will Warren, who turned in another strong start across 5 ²/₃ innings before his bullpen shut the door.

“We know this game has a lot of ups and downs, so I think the mindset is just show up every day prepared and work hard and enjoy this game,” said Paul Goldschmidt, who set the tone with a home run on the first pitch of the game. “It’s called a game for a reason. We know there’s tough losses. It doesn’t take away any of the hard work or competitiveness, which is at an all-time high for myself and this team.”

A night after Ryan Weathers made his case for staying in the rotation when Gerrit Cole returns from the injured list in a few weeks, Warren did the same, and this time the Yankees did not waste it.

Trent Grisham (right) accepts congratulations from Cody Bellinger after belting a three-run homer in the third inning of the Yankees’ 6-2 win over the Orioles on May 12, 2026 at Camden Yards. Getty Images

The right-hander, whose pitch count got driven up by a shaky defense behind him, gave up just two runs on four hits and a walk while striking out six.

The Orioles (19-24) did not score those runs until the sixth inning, at which point they merely cut into the Yankees’ 6-0 lead.

For the second time on the trip, the veteran Goldschmidt led off the game with a home run against a lefty, this time taking Trevor Rogers deep to left field for the 1-0 lead.

The Yankees then put together a rally in the third inning, which was set up by a single from a struggling Austin Wells and back-to-back one-out walks by Aaron Judge and Ben Rice to load the bases.

Cody Bellinger kept the inning alive by busting it down the line to beat out a double play — which Aaron Boone described as “massive” — driving in a run in the process to make it 2-0.

Will Warren, who pitched into the sixth inning, held the Orioles to two runs and picked up his fifth win of the season. Daniel Kucin Jr.-Imagn Images

“To have that big inning, it could have been [over] right there and the game could have went either way,” Goldschmidt said. “I think it just shows the kind of player Belli is, the hustle there and how one pitch, one little play can break open a game, good for us, or the other way if it doesn’t happen.”

Amed Rosario followed with an infield single on a chopper down the third base line for the 3-0 lead.

Grisham, who has often hit the ball hard but not been rewarded for it, came up next and belted a three-run home run to center field off Rogers — his sixth of the year, second off a lefty — to make it a 6-0 game.

It was the kind of big blow the Yankees had been missing in key spots during this trip, but Grisham delivered it Tuesday to let everyone in a Yankees uniform breathe a little easier.

Paul Goldschmidt rounds the bases after hitting a solo home run to lead off the game in the Yankees’ win over the Orioles. AP


“I thought we had some good at-bats, we were patient with Rogers, made him work, couple good walks to set things up, Belli beating that out and then a big swing there by Grish,” Boone said.

The other big swing came in the bottom of the third, after the Orioles loaded the bases on a walk and two ground balls that the Yankees misplayed for no outs — a wild flip from shortstop Max Schuemann and a throw from third baseman Ryan McMahon, after making a sliding play, to a well-off-the-bag Rosario.

But Warren buckled down, getting a fly ball to right field that the Orioles did not test Judge on, and then a grounder to second that was finally executed for an inning-ending double play.

“I think it’s a mentality thing,” Warren said. “I’m doing everything I can to throw strikes and stuff like that. You have to go in with the mindset that they’re going to make those plays. If they don’t, rarely, then you have to keep pitching and find a way out of it.”

Big-Inning Bombers bounce back to beat Birds in Baltimore

May 12, 2026; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; New York Yankees center fielder Trent Grisham (12) hits a home run during the third inning against the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Kucin Jr.-Imagn Images | Daniel Kucin Jr.-Imagn Images

The 2026 Yankees have been masters of the crooked number. The fun comes in bunches this year, and that theme continued in Baltimore on Tuesday night as the Yankees plated five in the third inning en route to a 6-2 series-evening win. Paul Goldschmidt hit a leadoff homer on the game’s first pitch, and Trent Grisham’s three-run shot in the third was the coup de grace as the Yanks snapped a four-game skid. Will Warren worked around poor defense to turn in a strong winning start, opening the door for a potential series win tomorrow at Camden Yards.

Let’s not waste any time—the Yankees sure didn’t. With a recent spate of injuries testing New York’s depth, it was comforting to see Goldschmidt set the tone from the words “play ball” by taking Trevor Rogers’ first delivery into the left field stands for a leadoff home run. Goldy’s fourth homer of the year overall—which zipped over our own lead editor Andrew Mearns’ head—got the Bombers off to a strong start.

Warren pitched around an automatic double in the home second to make that lead stand up. In the top of the third, just as Rogers was finding his rhythm, the Yankees got him to stagger off the beat. A leadoff hit from Austin Wells was quickly followed by consecutive walks to Aaron Judge and Ben Rice, loading the bags for Cody Bellinger. Cody successfully put the ball in play, hitting a shot up the middle and beating out a would-be double play turn from Gunnar Henderson to earn an RBI fielder’s choice.

From there, the Yankees’ two-out success they’ve enjoyed for most of the year returned from its brief absence. Amed Rosario plated Judge on a bouncing infield hit to third base which continued Rogers’ own early-season troubles with the big inning. It only got worse for the southpaw when Grisham stepped into the box.

Ever the cool customer, Grisham worked the count full on the laboring Oriole starter before finding a pitch he liked middle-in. He corked a payoff fastball into the right-center gap which continued to carry to the gap. Trent knew he got it, but I’m not sure too many folks in attendance (Andrew included?) expected that ball to clear the fence for a backbreaking three-run homer.

Grisham’s sixth homer gave him 26 RBI in ‘26, and made it 6-0 Yankees. If this sounds vaguely familiar, well, recall the six-run sixth inning the Big Sleep starred last week to cement six straight series wins. The pattern-recognition brain recognizes patterns, though there’s certainly no reason to this rhyme.

The rest of Warren’s day on the mound was eventful, to say the least. Back-to-back misplays from the Yankee infield loaded the bases with nobody out, compelling the Mississippian to make his way through the top of Baltimore’s order. He did splendidly, getting Taylor Ward to pop out before coaxing a double-play ball from Adley Rutschman that Rosario mercifully fielded cleanly to start an inning-ending 4-6-3.

After a palate cleanser in a gorgeous running catch from Bellinger in foul ground to wrap up the fourth, more shenanigans from Rosario and a wild pitch gave Baltimore a free runner in scoring position. It was a fresh lemon which the struggling Gunnar Henderson could not squeeze into lemonade.

Still, the extra pitches his infield forced him to throw led Warren to run out of steam with two outs in the sixth inning—much to his extreme annoyance, I’m sure. Samuel Basallo broke the seal with an RBI single, then Tyler O’Neill belted a gapper to right center that Grisham, shaded to the opposite side, could not quite corral on a dive. The ball bounced away from him enabling Basallo to score easily.

Warren promptly exited having thrown 96 pitches, the most from him in a single start this year. Fernando Cruz cleaned up the minor spill, closing Will’s line at 5.2 innings with two runs on four hits, a walk, and six punchouts. Considering that shoddy defensive work, his line deserved to be much prettier—but he did a great job bouncing back from a tough day in the Bronx against Texas.

The O’s didn’t go away. Cruz did his job grabbing four key outs, but Jake Bird couldn’t subdue his fellow avian friends. Base hits from Ward and Pete Alonso necessitated a visit from Aaron Boone and a move for Tim Hill to face the grooving Basallo. Hill arguably did his job too well, inducing a weak dribbler which burnt an out to move both runners up 90 feet. But sometimes the sequencing just works out for you. O’Neill bounced to the hot corner to fall to 2-for-26 against left-handed pitching on the season, and another opposing rally was left stranded on the Hillside.

It didn’t result in any runs, but may I just say: the overturned low-third-strike-on-Judge-to-base-hit combo we saw in the top of the ninth was exquisite. It felt like New York scored there, even though Ben Rice popped out a batter later to strand a pair. Either way, the Yanks carried a four-run lead into the ninth inning for David Bednar.

The Renegade retrieved his bounty (don’t yell at me, I know that’s not how the song goes) with a squeaky-clean ninth inning. He started by striking out Colton Cowser on a filthy splitter, then grabbed a groundout and an easy fly ball right to secure the Yankees’ 27th win. The extremely stressful version of Bednar we saw in April seems to have logged off in May. And thankful we all are for it.

Don’t forget, Prime Video fans and haters! Amazon’s got the rights for the Wednesday game—even a suddenly-rescheduled matinee! Max Fried is thankful not to have to play stopper for a losing streak—he’ll face Kyle Bradish, who wasn’t formally announced until the ninth. First pitch is at 1:05 pm tomorrow!

Box Score

David Stearns’ unwavering Mets support comes with a key roster concession

An image collage containing 2 images, Image 1 shows David Stearns, New York Mets President of Baseball Operations, speaks at a press conference, Image 2 shows Luis Robert Jr. of the New York Mets walks back to the dugout after striking out

David Stearns’ offseason makeover of the Mets roster has led to the worst record in the majors, a product of injuries and underperformance.

The team’s president of baseball operations acknowledged Tuesday that the organization would “absolutely have to look at our risk assessment on injured players.”

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That’s after players with checkered injury histories — like Jorge Polanco and Luis Robert Jr. — have gotten hurt, worsening an already poor showing from the lineup.

It’s an offense that’s scored the fewest runs and will now feature a pair of rookies — Carson Benge and A.J. Ewing — in the outfield, despite little time at Triple-A.

Stearns insisted Tuesday before the team opened a homestand against the Tigers at Citi Field that they are “not close” to trading away veteran players and that they remain confident the roster is capable of righting itself.

“I do believe that,’’ Stearns said of the team salvaging the season. “But we have not shown that yet. We have the talent on the roster, and the character on the roster, to make a run. There’s a lot of season left. I’m not going to say it’s early. It’s not. We’re a quarter into the season. It’s not early anymore. But we do have enough season left to make a run and I think we have the talent to do that.”

David Stearns, president of baseball operations for the Mets, speaks at a press conference before the game versus the Detroit Tigers on Tuesday, May 12, 2026 Robert Sabo for NY Post
Luis Robert Jr. of the New York Mets walks back to the dugout after striking out during the eighth inning of game one of a doubleheader against the Colorado Rockies at Citi Field on April 26, 2026. Getty Images

He may be one of the few who believe that, as the Mets have been bad from the start of the season and continue to be anemic at the plate. 

Whether it’s injuries to newcomers like Robert and Polanco or established stars Francisco Lindor and Juan Soto or simply a lack of production from Bo Bichette, Marcus Semien, Brett Baty and more recently, Francisco Alvarez, this team has been miserable almost since Opening Day.

“I think it’s a combination of some injuries and there also have been players who have been healthy who haven’t performed to their accustomed levels,’’ Stearns said.

“We’ve underachieved, there’s no question. Collectively, as an organization, we have to figure out a way to get better and I think we will.”



Perhaps the arrival of Ewing will help, as he joins Benge in the outfield with Robert out indefinitely.

“We would not have made this decision if we didn’t feel A.J. was ready to make the jump,’’ Stearns said.

But a roster that has players prone to losing time to injury doesn’t help.

“We know we’re taking a level of risk when we bring players in with injury histories,’’ Stearns said. “We’re feeling that risk right now and it hasn’t helped that a number of our players have gotten hurt at the exact same time. It’s not something that we necessarily anticipated and it’s something we need to look at.”

Stearns reiterated he has no plans to make a change at manager, saying of Carlos Mendoza, “I’ve been very clear and consistent [that Mendoza] does a really good job.”

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It hasn’t been enough, with the season in danger of slipping away.

“We recognize the first six weeks of the season haven’t been close to good enough,’’ Stearns said. “We also believe we have the talent on this team to turn this around.”

Victor Wembanyama stats tonight: Wemby dominates in return after ejection

Victor Wembanyama announced his return early Tuesday night.  

The San Antonio Spurs star, ejected in the second quarter of Game 4 after elbowing Minnesota’s Naz Reid, scored 18 points in the first quarter and finished with 27 points, 17 rebounds, five assists and three blocks as the Spurs beat the Timberwolves, 126-97, in Game 5 of the Western Conference semifinals.

He muscled the Spurs to a 3-2 lead in the series with Game 6 Friday in Minneapolis.

He shot 56.3% from the field, was a plus-24 for the game and set the tone that he was making up for missing time early on Tuesday night.

The NBA declined to suspend Wembanyama for the flagrant foul on Sunday. He missed the final 33-plus minutes of Game 4, which was considered sufficient punishment.

With that reprieve, Wembanyama made clear he had no intention of lying low in Game 5 with the series tied 2-2.

He had nine of San Antonio’s first 17 points, capped by a driving slam that sent the Frost Bank Center crowd into a frenzy. He finished the first quarter on 6-of-8 shooting from the floor, including 2-of-3 from 3-point range, and added six rebounds. He became just the third player in the last 30 years to score 18 points and grab six rebounds in the first quarter of a playoff game, joining LeBron James and Nikola Jokic, according to Stathead.    

The Spurs then opened the second quarter on an 11-3 run to push the lead to 18.

The night had extra resonance after Wembanyama was ejected in the 114-109 loss Sunday. At the time he was ejected, the Spurs led 36-34. They were outscored 80-73 the rest of the way.

He kept himself in check Tuesday night in a tightly-called, physical game.

A game after Wembanyama was tossed for the flagrant foul in Minnesota, Rudy Gobert picked up a flagrant of his own in the first quarter for landing a foot under Wembanyama on a jumper. Wembanyama shook it off and kept going. Reid picked up a technical foul in the second quarter for a shove in Wembanyama's back after a boxout.

Victor Wembanyama stats tonight

  • Points: 27
  • FG: 9-for-16
  • 3PT: 2-for-5
  • FT: 7-for-9
  • Rebounds: 17
  • Assists: 5
  • Steals: 0
  • Blocks: 3
  • Turnovers: 4
  • Fouls: 1
  • Minutes played: 33

Victor Wembanyama highlights

This story has been updated with new information.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Victor Wembanyama stats, Timberwolves vs Spurs box score from Game 5

Francisco Alvarez exits game early in latest Mets injury concern

New York Mets catcher Francisco Alvarez races to first base.
Mets catcher Francisco Alvarez (4) races to first base.

The hits keep coming for the Mets — and not just the good kind.

Francisco Alvarez left Tuesday’s 10-2 win over the Tigers at Citi Field with a right knee injury in the bottom of the sixth and will undergo an MRI exam Wednesday.

The catcher was in discomfort following a swing with A.J. Ewing at second base, and after a brief visit from the training staff, Alvarez was removed from the game and replaced by pinch-hitter Luis Torrens, who drew a walk.

“We’ve got to wait to see what we’ve got,’’ Carlos Mendoza said of the injury. “It didn’t look good on the swing. We saw it right away.”

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Alvarez, who had cooled off this season, drove in a run and doubled earlier in the game against Detroit right-hander Jack Flaherty.

The Mets already had plenty of injury concerns before Alvarez went down, as Luis Robert Jr., Jorge Polanco and Francisco Lindor are all regulars who are on the injured list.

Robert has been sidelined for two weeks with a lumbar spine disc herniation and isn’t close to returning.

Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns said Tuesday that Robert’s back soreness had “not resolved” and the outfielder was seeing additional specialists.

Mets catcher Francisco Alvarez (4) tags out Detroit Tigers third baseman Colt Keith (33) on a play at the plate on May 12, 2026. Robert Sabo for NY Post

The Mets traded for Robert in the offseason despite the outfielder’s injury issues the last two seasons with the White Sox and put together a schedule during spring training that they took into the regular season in an attempt to keep him healthy, but it didn’t prevent him from hitting the IL.

“It’s gonna take some time,’’ Carlos Mendoza said of Robert’s return.

Stearns said surgery is so far not on the table for Robert, who was not hitting well even before the most recent injury.

“We have not gotten that indication,’’ Stearns said of surgery potentially being a possibility.

Mets catcher Francisco Alvarez (4) races to first base. John Jones-Imagn Images

Polanco’s recovery from the left Achilles bursitis that’s plagued him much of the season has also been slow.

“We need to get asymptomatic on the ankle,’’ Stearns said. “We have really good days and then it flares up. We need it so he can play every day.”

Lindor is due to get a follow-up MRI on his strained left calf in the coming days and is out of a walking boot. The Mets won’t have a timeline for the shortstop’s potential return until they get the results of the MRI.


A.J. Minter threw a bullpen session at Citi Field on Tuesday as the left-hander gets back from having his rehab from a season-ending lat injury last year stalled by left hip discomfort.

Minter said his hip feels fine, but he’s still dealing with mechanical issues that have impacted his command.

Stearns indicated Minter would need “at least one more” bullpen before he’s back in a minor league rehab game, and then he’ll have to pitch on back-to-back days before he’s a consideration to be activated.

Another two to three weeks remains the goal for the team.


Stearns said left-hander Sean Manaea will remain in the bullpen.

“For now, the bullpen is the plan,’’ Stearns said of the veteran whose ineffectiveness knocked him out of the rotation. “We’ve had outings where there are glimmers of good pitching and outings that also haven’t been competitive. We’re working to get him back …”


To make room for A.J. Ewing on the roster, Andy Ibáñez was designated for assignment after making a pair of errors at third base.

Griffins Release Full Schedule For Playoff Clash Against Chicago Wolves

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Having successfully dispatched the Manitoba Moose in the AHL Central Division Semifinal series, the Grand Rapids Griffins are now gearing up for their impending matchup against the Chicago Wolves. 

It marks their first playoff matchup since the 2019 Central Division Semifinals, in which the Wolves won three games to two in a best-of-five.

Meanwhile, thanks to the elimination of the Providence Bruins, the Griffins are now the lone division champion remaining in the Calder Cup Playoffs. 

The full schedule for the upcoming series, which begins on Thursday, has been released by the Griffins. 

-Game 1: Thursday, May 14, 7 p.m. at Grand Rapids (Van Andel Arena)

-Game 2: Saturday, May 16, 7 p.m. at Grand Rapids (Van Andel Arena)

-Game 3: Tuesday, May 19, 8 p.m. at Chicago (Allstate Arena)

-Game 4 (if nec.): Thursday, May 21, 8 p.m. at Chicago (Allstate Arena)

-Game 5 (if nec.): Saturday, May 23, 7 p.m. at Grand Rapids (Van Andel Arena)

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It was the Griffins who dispatched the Moose on Friday evening thanks to a two-goal performance by forward Carter Mazur, whom the Detroit Red Wings selected with the 70th overall pick in the 2021 NHL Draft. 

Goaltender Michal Postava continued his impressive run, picking up the victory after making 19 saves. So far in the Calder Cup Playoffs, Postava has posted a sparkling 1.25 goals-against average and a .945 save percentage with one shutout. 

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Yankees ride five-run inning to 6-2 win over Orioles, snapping four-game losing streak

The Yankees offense rode a five-run inning and Will Warren bounced back with a strong start as New York defeated the Orioles, 6-2, in Baltimore on Tuesday night.

New York scored just eight runs over their last four games, but the Yankees' six runs are the most since they scored nine on May 7. 

The win snapped the Yankees' four-game losing streak.

Here are the takeaways...

-The Yankees offense was in the midst of a slump, but Paul Goldschmidt got the scoring started by homering off of Tyler Rogers -- making his first start off the IL -- on the first pitch of the game. 

They would pour it on in the third by scoring five runs. The first two came on ground balls (one fielder's choice that Cody Bellinger beat out at first, and an infield single by Amed Rosario, and the big blow came on a three-run shot by Trent Grisham to give the Yankees a 6-0 lead. 

-Warren pitched a dud in his last start, allowing six runs in 4.0 innings, but he was much better on Tuesday. But he was almost betrayed by his defense. In the third, with a six-run lead, an error by Max Schuemann at short while trying to start a double play and Ryan McMahon, who made a nice sliding grab but threw it to second base to start a double play, but Rosario didn't cover the base to allow bases loaded and no outs. Warren got Taylor Ward to fly out to shallow right field, and then Adley Rutschman grounded into an inning-ending double play for the young right-hander to escape without allowing a run.

Warren would settle back in, pitching into the sixth without allowing a run. However, Taylor Ward mashed a ground-rule double to lead off the inning and was almost stranded at third if not for Samuel Basallo's single. Tyler O'Neill followed with a double that Grisham tried to make a diving catch on, but the attempt allowed the ball to skip away from him and a backing-up Aaron Judge, which allowed the second Orioles run to score. Warren was pulled for Fernando Cruz, who got Colton Cowser to fly out to end the inning.

Warren allowed two runs on four hits and one walk across 5.2 innings while striking out six batters. 

-The Yankees bullpen, which has struggled recently, was tasked with getting through the rest of the game after Warren and had mixed results. Cruz was good, getting his four batters out, but Jake Bird was a different story. The Orioles hit him hard in the eighth, hitting three rockets for two singles -- the other was an out on a great play by McMahon. Tim Hill came in next and got Basallo and O'Neill to ground out and get the Yankees out of the inning.

David Bednar pitched a 1-2-3 ninth to lock down the win.

-Jazz Chisholm Jr. didn't start Tuesday due to his struggles and a lefty on the mound, but he came in as a pinch-hitter. He flew out and is now 3-for-24 over his last seven games.

Game MVP: Will Warren

Warren was strong and was much better than his stat line showed. His escape from that mistake-filled inning kept Orioles from making this game interesting. 

Highlights

What's next

The Yankees and Orioles wrap up their three-game set on Wednesday afternoon. First pitch is set for 1:05 p.m.

Max Fried (4-2, 2.91 ERA) will take the mound for the Yankees, while the Orioles have yet to name a starter.

Jason Collins made NBA and sports history in coming out

With three words, Jason Collins changed everything.

Collins, who died Tuesday at 47 after battling Stage 4 glioblastoma, made history 13 years ago when he penned a piece in Sports Illustrated in which he came out as gay.

“I’m a 34-year-old NBA center. I’m black. And I’m gay,” Collins wrote in the May 6, 2013 issue of the magazine. With that, he became the first openly gay player in the league.

Jason Collins takes a free throw shot during a game against the Denver Nuggets on Feb. 27, 2014. NBAE via Getty Images
Jason Collins of the Brooklyn Nets in action against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden on April 2, 2014 in New York City. Getty Images

Collins came out not long after soccer player Robbie Rogers and WNBA star Britney Griner — who had just been selected No. 1 overall in the draft — came out.

Six years earlier, former NBA player John Amaechi had come out four years after his career ended.

Collins, at that point in his career, had just finished a season with the Wizards, said he was a free agent “literally and figuratively.”

In his essay, Collins, who played one more NBA season for the Nets after his historic news, said he never sought to make history and that his journey in “self-discovery” came over a long journey.

“I didn’t set out to be the first openly gay athlete playing in a major American team sport. But since I am, I’m happy to start the conversation. I wish I wasn’t the kid in the classroom raising his hand and saying, ‘I’m different.’ If I had my way, someone else would have already done this. Nobody has, which is why I’m raising my hand.

Jason Collins stands on a float during the NYC Pride March on June 25, 2017. NBAE via Getty Images
A moment of silence was held for Collins prior to a playoff game between the Timberwolves and the Spurs in San Antonio, on May 12, 2026. NBAE via Getty Images

“My journey of self-discovery and self-acknowledgement began in my hometown of Los Angeles and has taken me through two state high school championships, the NCAA Final Four and the Elite Eight, and nine playoffs in 12 NBA seasons.”

Then-commissioner David Stern commended Collins for his candor and leadership shortly after he penned the essay in SI.

“As Adam Silver and I said to Jason, we have known the Collins family since Jason and [his twin brother] Jarron joined the NBA in 2001 and they have been exemplary members of the NBA family,” Stern said. “Jason has been a widely respected player and teammate throughout his career and we are proud he has assumed the leadership mantle on this very important issue.”

Jason Collins of the Brooklyn Nets boxes out during a game against the Denver Nuggets on February 27, 2014 at the Pepsi Center in Denver, Colorado. NBAE via Getty Images

In the wake of his statement, Collins, according to the New York Times, said he received a phone call of support from Tim Hardaway, who had previously said he did not like gay people and would not have wanted to be on Amaechi’s team.

He also received praise from others, including then-Lakers star Kobe Bryant.

In 2021, when Raiders defensive end Carl Nassib became the first active NFL player to come out, Collins, drawing on his on experience, said the NFLer would be impacting more people than he knew.

“He’s helping people across the board, of all ages,” Collins told the Los Angeles Times.

On Tuesday, commissioner Adam Silver commended Collins for his efforts both on and off the court.

“Jason Collins’ impact and influence extended far beyond basketball as he helped make the NBA, WNBA and larger sports community more inclusive and welcoming for future generations,” Silver said in a statement. “He exemplified outstanding leadership and professionalism throughout his 13-year NBA career and in his dedicated work as an NBA Cares Ambassador. Jason will be remembered not only for breaking barriers, but also for the kindness and humanity that defined his life and touched so many others.”

Collins played 13 years in the NBA, eight of which were with the Nets.

Mets' Francisco Alvarez exits game vs. Tigers with right knee injury, to undergo imaging Wednesday

Mets catcher Francisco Alvarez exited Tuesday's game against the Detroit Tigers in the bottom of the sixth inning with a right knee injury, the team announced.

New York said that he will undergo imaging on Wednesday.

Alvarez took a big swing on a 2-2 pitch against Burch Smith and fouled it off, but appeared to limp and grab at his knee.

He then left the game with trainers, finishing the night 1-for-2 with a double, an RBI, and a run scored.

Luis Torrens came in to pinch-hit, eventually working a walk and scoring in the inning.

Through 37 games and 112 at-bats this season, Alvarez owns a .241/.317/.393 slash line with four home runs, five doubles, and 10 RBI.

Game Discussion for St. Louis Cardinals vs Athletics Tuesday Night

Apr 29, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; St. Louis Cardinals starting pitcher Andre Pallante (53) delivers a pitch against the Pittsburgh Pirates during the first inning at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images | Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

The St. Louis Cardinals will continue their west coast swing as they’ll take on the city-less Athletics in Sacramento Tuesday night. Andre Pallante (3-3, 4.34 ERA, 29 SO) will start for the Cardinals while the first-place Athletics will start Jeffrey Springs (3-2, 3.89 ERA, 39 SO). First pitch scheduled for 8:40pm central time in Sutter Health Park.

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Guardians Defeat Angels to Take the Series

CLEVELAND, OHIO - MAY 12: Angel Martínez #1 of the Cleveland Guardians hits a solo home run during the third inning against the Los Angeles Angels at Progressive Field on May 12, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Nick Cammett/Getty Images) | Getty Images

The Cleveland Guardians and the Los Angeles Angels faced off in game two of the three game series with Slade Cecconi getting the start for Cleveland.

Cecconi struggled immediately, throwing 26 pitches in the first inning alone. Slade has been having a rough start to his season with a 2-4 record in his 9 starts. While the starts are looking better and better as the season goes on, they still aren’t where the team, and bullpen, needs them to be. Cecconi went 4.0 innings of scoreless baseball, allowing 4 hits and walking a batter. He struck out 7 batters on 89 pitches.

Hunter Gaddis pitched early, throwing the fifth inning and starting the sixth. Gaddis went 1.1IP with one hit. They went to Tim Herrin to finish out the sixth. Herrin gave up a triple, which eventually accounted for the sole run Herrin allowed before retiring the side.

Angel Martínez went 2-for-3 on the night with a solo home run in the third inning to put the Guardians on the board first.

In the fifth, Patrick Bailey slapped a groundout to first. Daniel Schneemann had a great jump at third, scoring uncontested.

In the bottom of the seventh, Rhys Hoskins lead off the inning, pinch hitting for Daniel Schneemann. Rhys Hoskins, after a successful ABS challenge, drew a lead off walk. Vogt went to Petey Halpin to pinch run for Hoskins. Angel Martínez singled to third base. A throwing error by the third baseman allowed Petey to reach 3rd. David Fry came in to pinch hit for Patrick Bailey. In his at bat, Angel stole second, putting both runners in scoring position. Fry flied out for the first out of the inning, bringing Mr. RBI himself, Brayan Rocchio, up to bat. Rocchio hit a long sac fly to right, scoring Petey from third for his 22nd RBI on the season.

Erik Sabrowski pitched the eighth, walking two and striking out three. Franco Aleman got his second outing, and gave up a solo shot to bring the Angels within one run. Aleman recovered, getting the next two batters out, but with his pitch count climbing, Vogt went to Cade Smith for a four out save. Cade made a six pitch strike out to end the eighth. Cade made a quick out of Zach Neto in the top of the ninth with a two pitch flyout to right. Cade earned the save in tonight’s victory over the Angels.

The Angels score 2 runs on 8 hits with 1 error while the Guardians put up 3 runs on 4 hits with no errors.

The teams will face off for the last game of this series tomorrow afternoon with a 1:10 EDT first pitch.