Jun 2, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Athletics relief pitcher Scott Barlow (58) delivers a pitch against the Chicago Cubs during the ninth inning at Wrigley Field. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images | Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images
Happy Wednesday A’s Fans!
Entering the third full month of the 2026 MLB season, the Athletics will hope to play better after languishing through their fifth straight losing May.
The team’s pitching depth will be tested this month as four of the five members of the Opening-Day starting rotation are no-longer on the active roster. Right-handers Luis Severino and Aaron Civale are on the injured list with shoulder injuries while right-hander Luis Morales and left-hander Jacob Lopez struggled to get big-league hitters out and are now trying to re-gain form in Triple-A. Lopez was demoted after giving up the first half of the Yankees 13-run inning this past Sunday. That leaves left-hander Jeffrey Springs as the lone veteran holdover.
Springs will be joined by breakout right-hander J.T. Ginn, who moved from the bullpen to the rotation earlier this season and has not looked back. Ginn has become one of the A’s most consistent pitchers, finding success against both right and left-handed hitters.
The other three spots will likely be awarded to more unproven options. The A’s top pitching prospect, left-hander Gage Jump, has a firm grip on one, especially after his extremely impressive seven innings of one-run ball in his second career MLB start against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field. Right-handed pitchers Kade Morris and Mason Barnett have joined Jump in the big-leagues because the A’s need healthy arms. The A’s have not listed a starting pitcher for Thursday’s series-finale against the Cubs. All signs are pointing towards Morris making his first MLB start that day, unless he is summoned out of the bullpen tomorrow.
The A’s starting pitching uncertainty is worrisome as it has a strong chance to force the team’s shaky bullpen to cover more innings, resulting in more opportunities for the likes of Mark Leiter Jr.., Scott Barlow and other relievers to blow late leads in winnable games.
This month is the most consequential of the Athletics’ season. The way the team performs over the next couple of weeks will determine the direction the A’s take at the trade deadline and how the rest of the campaign unfolds. Entering action tonight with a 29-31 record that has the team in third place in the American League West, the A’s need its pitching staff to support its offense if the team wants to remain in contention in a wide-open division.
A’s injuries – Jacob Wilson could begin rehab assignment later this week – Luis Severino has a strain of shoulder capsule and subscapularis muscle. Will be re-evaluated in 4-6 weeks – Aaron Civale began a throwing progression – Max Muncy will play 7 innings tonight for Las Vegas
— A's Ballpark in Las Vegas (@VegasAthletics) June 2, 2026
Kade Morris pitched well in this year’s Spring Breakout showcase. Can the A’s 12th ranked prospect translate his minor-league success to MLB like Jump has done or will he experience some initial struggles against big-league hitters?
The A’s are promoting their No. 12 Prospect RHP Kade Morris.
Morris, who was acquired in 2024 for Paul Blackburn, has long been speculated as the next man up for this A’s rotation.
Which player has impressed you the most over this recent stretch of play? I have to give some flowers to Jhonny Pereda for admirably filling in the large shoes of Cal Raleigh and helping to keep the team afloat.
Mar 1, 2026; New York, New York, USA; New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (11) drives to the basket against San Antonio Spurs guard Dylan Harper (2) during the second quarter at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images | Brad Penner-Imagn Images
After so many years off, I can’t believe we are getting round four of my all-time favorite series: Fraternizing with the Enemy, where I discuss happenings with a writer from the enemy other team. We’ve had three great series through the first three rounds of the playoffs, and now, not only have we reached the pinnacle known as the NBA Finals, but we’ve come full circle with a rematch with the Spurs’ first ever Finals opponent from 1999: the New York Knicks. There’s no one better to get down to brass taxes with than Russell Richardson: editor-in-chief of SB Nation’s Knicks blog, Posting and Toasting.
J.R.
I don’t know about you, but I’m feeling strong 20th century vibes right now. As if I want to party like it’s 1999, or at least watch basketball like it. Twenty-seven years have passed since the Knicks and Spurs met in the playoffs and here we are in the year that the NBA Finals validates the in-season NBA Cup Tournament.
Ever since San Antonio eliminated Minnesota in the second round, I’ve been saying that New York scared me more than OKC. But during games 1, 2 & 7 against the Thunder, I was more tense than I’ve been for any game in over twenty years, so I don’t know that stack-ranking teams by induced fear will accomplish much. Before the OKC series, people were saying how much both teams had developed since they last played, but the Knicks have undergone at least the same kind of improvement since SA and NY have met. Which makes me wonder, with all of these changes on both sides, how long a series do you expect?
R.R.
Pleased to meet you finally, J.R. I have three tickets to see Wilco this month, so when a message arrived from Wilco, I assumed Jeff Tweedy was checking on my choices for the setlist.
Funny story: My reason for picking the Knicks to win in five games is not rooted in basketball logic. A few months ago, my wife and sister-in-law asked about attending a Wilco show at Beak and Skiff (an excellent venue). With a date of June 16, a potential Knicks conflict didn’t register. Why? Because it’s been decades since the Knicks last played in June, and they weren’t exactly living up to expectations this season. I bought tickets. Child care was arranged. Now, I’m in a pickle: either the Knicks wrap this up in five, or I’ll need to fake an injury so I can watch Game Six. What’s the marital equivalent of an SGA flop?
Your memories of the 1999 Finals must be fonder than mine. For one, I was inebriated throughout the series, watching from a Belmar barstool while my soon-to-be (and eventually ex-) wife drowned me in whiskey. Suffice it to say, my recollection is blurry. For two, look at those box scores. Yikes! The Knicks scored 77 in Game One and 67 in Game Two. It’s crazy to remember that they averaged 86 points per game that season. Sure, that was nearly the lowest in the league, but the NBA was still a far cry from the point-paloozas of today. In 25 years, teams will average 150 and play exhibition games on Mars.
The current Spurs team has no trouble running up the scoreboard. And in the playoffs, they’ve looked more cohesive than the iteration New York beat in the NBA Cup. Even then, they were no pushovers; the Knicks had to rally in the fourth, winning the quarter 35–19. When the Thunder were favored in the WCF, I was skeptical. San Antonio proved me right. They’re truly the best in the West, and, truth be told, they’re a helluva lotta fun to watch.
I can’t wait for these two teams to lock horns. I’m here for any and all of your questions, although brilliant answers are not guaranteed (many brain cells died before this blogger sobered up). I’m curious to know what you think is different between the Spurs of this moment versus the team that NY beat in the Cup game. I have assumptions (a young team coming to understand each other’s rhythms and style after playing more games together, for instance) but you’ve watched them more than I.
J.R.
The changes the Spurs have undergone since the Knicks beat them on December 16 is a fun topic because some started soon after, and some have just been completed in overcoming Oklahoma City.
The first transition was in the team’s approach on offense. Early in the season, the offense ran through Victor, and opponents were selling out to stop him at all costs. Sometimes this would work (the early-season games against Phoenix are great examples) and San Antonio’s offense simply cratered. Even in the games they won, the Spurs would go through extremely long offensive droughts. This continued until the all star break after which Wemby suddenly showed that he’d learned that he didn’t have to be the center of the offense for the team to win.
Suddenly, instead of calling for the ball while 20 feet from the basket, going on-on-one, and driving into loads of help defense and turning the ball over (which he’d done a lot of last season), he would set screens and roll while the defense stretched to keep him from the rim, which opened up all kinds of opportunities for the Spurs shooters and drivers to exploit. That’s the environment in which Wemby would then attack, and defenses have a hard time defending so many threats, and that explains the run they went on from February through the end of the season.
Then the postseason came, which taught the coaching staff and the team to deal with situational threats that are rarely seen during the regular season. The OKC series was an advanced education in developing new offensive strategies on the fly, and if they hadn’t passed that test we wouldn’t be talking right now.
So that’s what’s changed since we met. There was the final meeting of the year in that stretch, which New York won, and it’s apparent that the Knicks are a different beast from any of the previous Spurs opponents because of how they handled SA during the 20+ game stretch in which their only loss was to the Knickerbockers. Then as if that weren’t enough, they unlocked KAT’s point center module and started tearing through teams. San Antonio made it past the defending champs largely through size and physicality, but New York has shooting AND length. They have size at the wing that can dwarf the Spurs, and they’re on a win streak longer than the Thunder’s 8-0 run to start the playoffs.
All that to say, I haven’t seen enough of the Knicks’ recent games to have anything close to a good foundation to make an educated guess from. So I have some questions that would help me get ready for the series; some about basketball, some about the fanbase, and some about you: Has point KAT been that big a deal? In other words, was placing the ball in his hands the move that facilitated the 9-0 win streak? How much point KAT have they been using?
R.R.
Indeed, like the Spurs, New York has improved since December — and not just by dumping Guerschon Yabusele. It took a while to get cooking, though.
“Wemby suddenly showed that he’d learned he didn’t have to be the center of the offense for the team to win.”
You could say the same about Jalen Brunson.
Throughout the season, many complained that Mike Brown should play Brunson off the ball more often, for multiple reasons. It saves his legs, and it diversifies the offense. But the Knicks kept drilling the same formula repeatedly.
Through two seasons, the Towns-Brunson pairing was never as successful as it could have been. Countless games started stale and didn’t improve until the reserves came in to mix up the lineup. Usually, KAT would flourish while Jalen rested in the second quarter, and he’d get some buckets in the third, letting Jalen take center stage in the fourth.
Here’s another gripe: For whatever reason (either by his choice or the coach’s) KAT doesn’t post up. It didn’t happen under Thibs, either, so you can draw your own conclusions. We came to accept it, but it drove some of the fanbase nuts.
Anyway, the first three games of the playoffs followed the same script they tried all season. And after falling behind 1-2 to the clearly less-talented Hawks (losing each game by one point), many fans wondered if our hopes had been too high.
Then, a change. Point-KAT was unleashed; the team started playing faster, exploiting more fast-break opportunities; the scoring load was shared across all five starters (plus one sharpshooting Shamet); and their defense has bordered on criminally abusive. They unlocked an unprecedented level of beautiful basketball during their 11-game winning streak — and their historic numbers back it up.
Some specific changes we’ve seen is Mikal Bridges bringing the ball up the court more often, and Hart taking off on a sprint if he’s hauled in a rebound. That means a good defender has to chase Jalen around away from the ball, while the other four starters go to work — and each can shoot or attack the rim.
Karl is an exceptional passer. As the hub, he can thread a pass to a cutter, zip it out to a corner (and from there it swings until an open shooter is found), rise up for a high-percentage shot, or put his shoulder down and drive to the cup.
So the Knicks unlocked basketball nirvana by relying less on Brunson as the primary ball handler, rocketing defensive rebounds down the court for fast-paced buckets, and letting KAT operate as a hub. Just as the Spurs learned to rely less on Wemby, the Knicks did the same with Jalen. And, lo and behold, both players became even more valuable to their teams.
A few Q’s for you. Where do you think the Spurs will most surprise the Knicks? What vulnerabilities worry you the most? (You mentioned size, but most of your key guys are 6’5” and up — and Wemby is a friggin’ tree.)
J.R.
When the NBA Cup final was over, who could have expected that both teams would be in the Finals because their centers started initiating their offense as 7-foot point guards? Well it’s happened. I know that KAT has spent far more time in that role, but Point Wemby made a significant contribution at the beginning of Game 7 in OKC and it helped the Spurs build their first lead. So I’m wondering how much of that we’ll see in the Finals, and I’m enjoying with anticipation the media losing their minds over a series in which centers are leading their teams in assists. With how much of a copycat league this is, it would be interesting to see how far the idea can go.
As to how the Spurs will surprise the Knicks, I think it has to be with Dylan Harper. The rookie has played well all year, but there’s nothing about his play in the playoffs that looks the slightest bit like it’s his first season in the league. Of all the changes the Spurs have made since they’ve played NY, Harper’s emergence has to be the one that I think will have the biggest effect on the Finals because he’s like no one else at his age in ages, literally. When his numbers aren’t matching Magic Johnson’s rookie playoff stats, they’re setting rookie postseason records. If he hadn’t gotten an adductor injury during the WCF, there’s no way he’d be able to surprise anyone because I believe that it would have been a shorter series, and he’d have been one of the major Spurs stories heading into the Finals. Even with the 3-4 subpar games from Dylan as he recovered his health, you can make a strong case that San Antonio doesn’t eliminate OKC without him.
On the vulnerabilities front, it’s all about New York’s size for me. You’re right that the Spurs have big guards, but their forwards are undersized against most teams in the league. Against Anunoby and Robinson, they’re almost tiny. Also, San Antonio likes to guard opposing centers with a guard or a wing, so that Wemby can roam the paint and play Gandalf. (You shall not pass!) If they do that in the Finals then that’s another matchup the Spurs are small in, which could create rebounding problems and a bevy of other issues, crossmatching, etc.
Ok, my questions for you: Who did you want to advance between the Thunder and the Spurs and why? And are you concerned about one of the consistent issues over the past few postseasons: rest-induced rust for the team that ended its series early?
R.R.
Cooper Flagg deserves his flowers, but Harper deserved more votes for Rookie of the Year. His skills and poise in the biggest moments have impressed us at P&T. Wemby, Castle, and Harper: three excellent drafts for you, my friend!
Upon examining the strengths and weaknesses of both Western Conference finalists, I argued that the Knicks should want to face the Spurs. Not the greatest take, in hindsight. I assumed that San Antonio’s youth and mounting fatigue after a grueling three rounds would make them less formidable than the defending champion Thunder. Furthermore, many of these young Spurs had never played so many games without a break, counting both the regular season and the postseason. After watching them lay out OKC on the road in a closeout game, I should probably surrender my sportswriting license.
Now I’m a little worried that the Knicks have had too much time off. It wouldn’t astonish me if New York loses Game One. They’ve played just eight games in the past month, and while that absolutely keeps them fresh, allows for injury recovery, etc., I wonder how they can maintain their game conditioning. Playing 40+ minutes of NBA basketball is different from 40 minutes on a stationary bike. You’ll recall that they were pretty rusty early in Game One against Cleveland after nine days’ rest. They fell behind by 22 points before their amazing, miraculous, one-for-the-ages comeback to win in overtime.
Phew, I’m back. Needed a shower after that. . . . Yeah, so, this break between Game Seven and the Finals might actually be the perfect length for San Antonio — long enough to get healthy and prepare for its opponent, short enough not to lose momentum — while eight days off might not be ideal for New York.
Question for you: Has there been any word on De’Aaron Fox’s high-ankle sprain? He seemed really limited in the Thunder series, but I’d imagine he’s getting better all the time (forgive the obligatory Beatles reference). How do you feel when Castle plays lead guard? I recall he had an 11-assist, 11-turnover double-double in Game One of the WCF.
J.R.
Your request for an Official Sportswriting License from the Guild of Legitimate Sportswriters was approved? Lucky! I guess I shouldn’t wonder; you live in New York state after all. Must be nice to cover the largest media market in the hemisphere. Meanwhile, we small market folk have to make do with the sportswriting licenses we find at the bottoms of a cereal boxes. But that didn’t stop me from getting mine laminated and displaying it proudly in my home office workstation right next to my typewriter, my dogeared copy of the AP Stylebook, and my horn-rimmed glasses with the old prescription that I only use to focus the sun to burn ants after the Spurs lose.
As for the Knicks’ Game 1 comeback win, there is no shame in re-re-watching those recaps, particularly when you have so much time to wait before your team can generate new highlight reels. I’m only a couple days removed from Game 7, and I found myself going down the rabbit hole of one video after another and had to tear myself away when you messaged me to say it was my turn to write. That said, isn’t it interesting that both the Knicks and the Spurs had to endure overtime in the first game of their conference final series? Makes me wonder what other kinds of similarities there are to be uncovered over the next two and a half weeks.
In order to answer your question about any news concerning the condition of Fox’s ankle, I need to introduce you to the Spurs media landscape. This isn’t like the Big Apple where the media is strong enough to get a coach fired if they don’t get complete enough answers to their questions. In San Antonio, the tenure of the head coach doesn’t rely on anything except the good will of the owner, and that good will has essentially been granted to Gregg Popovich for life. (In case you don’t know, Popovich is still the president of basketball operations which means that he is the one in charge of hiring the general manager. In other words, Pop named his successor.) In this environment, we find out about the news concerning injuries at the same time that everyone else does: an hour and 15 minutes before tip off. So, no, there’s no additional word outside of our own speculation surrounding what kind of advanced treatment he’s receiving. (No need to apologize for Beatles references. I love the Fab Four.)
My feelings about Castle are not particularly complicated. First and second-year players aren’t known for being able to avoid turnovers, and Stephon is no exception. His exceptional qualities are so many and varied that I happily classify the turnovers as the price for entry. I remember hearing Steve Kerr, at the beginning of the Golden State dynasty, discuss the Warriors’ turnovers in terms that I’d never heard a coach use before. He said something to the effect that the team was at its best when the ball moved, and he would prefer that his players made mistakes while passing for advantage, as opposed to mistakes of passing omission. It sounded revolutionary at the time because Pop always considered turnovers an existential threat. Castle turns it over less frequently when Fox is out there to calm things down. The problem at the beginning of the Thunder series was Fox‘s absence, which hopefully won’t happen again.
For my next queries, I have to go back to the All-Star game for the set up. Wemby and KAT played together and Victor got quite upset about more than one of Towns’ … defensive choices. Much seemed to be made about Wemby’s body language with people interpreting it as him blaming KAT for the loss. This also seemed to play into a reputation for a certain lack of focus on defense in high leverage moments.
So my questions are: is this reputation earned, what forms do his miscues take, and are you concerned about how he’ll handle the kind of complex and fluid defensive schemes that success in the Finals requires?
R.R.
Ah, yes, I heard tales of sportswriters sharing malteds with Gregg Popovich on a bench outside the Alamodome while watching tumbleweeds roll by. Meanwhile, in the metropolis, writers interviewed players in the Champagne Room at Scores (allegedly). Alas, everyone’s too brand-conscious for such extracurricular hijinks these days, or at least they don’t invite me along for the fun.
True confession: I loved Pop as a coach. He was a gruff, fundamentals-focused skipper like Thibs, who deserves credit for laying the foundation that made this Finals appearance possible. Pop always seemed both perfectly suited to San Antonio and an odd fit. He got far more rope than he would have in New York thanks to the small market and his winning track record, yet he was also outspoken, unconcerned about offending the season-ticket-holder base. We saw one aspect of the man in front of the camera. The fact that former players like Tim Duncan are helping him recover from his stroke speaks volumes about his character (and theirs).
On the subject of injuries, the Knicks are notoriously tight-lipped as well. We may never know how Mitchell Robinson broke his finger. If Leon Rose & Co. hadn’t done such a tremendous job building the roster, they’d be pilloried for their silence. I believe Leon has sat for one interview in six years as president of basketball operations. Try getting away with that in any other city, or any other profession.
In my Game Two preview of the Eastern Conference Finals, I wrote something like, “Lord Silver must be smiling.” Early on, both conference finals looked destined to be epic when each began with an overtime thriller. Then the Cavs folded like laundry. While we were ecstatic that New York steamrolled the next three games, there wasn’t much drama to it.
The Finals should be a helluva show. I wouldn’t be surprised if both teams rip off a 15-point run every game, but a blowout either way feels unlikely–if the teams take turns, winning one, losing one, etc. My family and I live about three hours from the city, though my son in Brooklyn insists we’d be safer farther away during the Finals—maybe bunkered in an Airbnb in Buffalo. If the Knicks win, the fans might steal the Statue of Liberty. If they lose, City Hall could burn to the ground.
Regarding Castle’s turnovers: I’m too lazy to look it up, but Mike Brown recently explained why some turnovers are better than others. His logic shared the spirit of your Steve Kerr reference. Still, 11 giveaways is an Ooof. I hope Stephon will be as generous to the Knicks. You’re right, though; with Fox back, Castle will have fewer opportunities to cough up the rock.
Here’s the thing about Towns. Knicks fans have pulled out copious amounts of hair over two types of fouls: Karl’s occasional brain-fart foul and, worse, his hook-on-the-drive foul. His teammates didn’t care for them, either. You could see the blood drain from their faces when he hooked his way into another offensive infraction and then argued that he was the victim.
During this 11-game winning streak, however, Karl has played with discipline. We pray it continues. If he gets into foul trouble early against the Spurs, though, New York will be in trouble. Why? Mitch hasn’t exactly wowed us this postseason and has claimed to be dealing with mental health issues. Add a broken finger and he’s a real wildcard. Ariel Hukporti is the team’s third-string center. If you haven’t heard of him, there’s a reason for that.
Cleveland’s size neutralized Point-KAT early on in the conference finals. New York still won the battle in the paint, however, and pushed the pace to great effect. This series will be different, of course. We expect that Mitch Johnson will strategize to limit KAT, points in the paint will be hard won, and the Spurs will have springier legs than the Cavs, but we’re also sure that Mike Brown knows all this and will plan accordingly. The Knicks have so many offensive weapons, a stifled KAT just means that one of the other guys gets to eat.
I’m curious what similarities, and differences, you’ve seen between Johnson and Pop. And finally, what’s your pick for the series? Who wins, and in how many games?
J.R.
The best description I have of Mitch Johnson is that he’s a updated version of Pop. There are so many similarities between them that it’s easier to describe the differences. Pop was famously against ever giving another team points. He lost a number of games over the years because he wouldn’t foul when up three, which allows the opponent to tie with a three and win in overtime. Johnson has ended my agony by handling end game strategy more to my liking. Also, San Antonio’s defense is far more modern than it was toward the end of Pop’s tenure.
Before I make a prediction, I have to address the Jose Alvarado situation: SA’s coaches better have the guys trained up on his gambits so he can’t create extra possessions with his wonderful sneakiness. Also, there’s the fact that we haven’t yet discussed the player who’s guaranteed the championship ring this year, Jeremy Sochan. Just putting this here for the moment, so we remember to chop it up before the series is over.
Now to the series: I like the Spurs in 6 (yes, even on the road at MSG), but I could see them winning in 7 or 5 depending how things break. First, they have the rust/rest early advantage. Second, I don’t think the Knicks have had to face the same quality of opponents that the Spurs have had to overcome and the adjustment to the level of play might be worth something in this series. Third, if San Antonio can keep Wemby off KAT and near the basket, then his ability to lock down the paint throws a major wrench into New York’s offense.
So there you have it; I hate making predictions and you got one out of me. Anyway, here’s to an entertaining series opener, and I’ll see you on the other side!
Duke Ellis of the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders steals a base during a Minor League Baseball game at Coca-Cola Park in Allentown, United States, on May 23, 2026. (Photo by Dan Squicciarini/NurPhoto via Getty Images) | NurPhoto via Getty Images
May was not a merry month for the Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders.
Although they won the final two games of a six-game series last week against the Worcester Red Sox at home at PNC Field, the RailRiders finished May with a 12-15 record. In two series against the WooSox during the month, they went 4-7. They opened May splitting four games against the Buffalo Bisons. They also split six-game series with the Syracuse Mets and Lehigh Valley IronPigs.
As a team, the RailRiders batted .236 with 34 home runs and 129 runs. Jonathan Ornelas led the way with a .305 average (25-for-82) with three doubles, two triples, one home run, a dozen runs, and seven RBIs. He hit safely in 15 of 24 games with seven multi-hit games, including a four-hit game on May 19th at Lehigh Valley.
Familiar face Oswaldo Cabrera batted .275 (28-for-102) with seven doubles, two home runs, 13 runs, and 17 RBIs. Top prospect George Lombard Jr. did not fare as well on the whole with a .192/.351/.298 triple slash, though his numbers from the final two weeks of the month (May 17-31) did look better better at .269/.371/.481. Call it a hot streak or a sign of adjusting to the higher level following an April 30th promotion.
Yanquiel Fernández had a team-high eight home runs during May, including multi-homer games on May 6th at Worcester and May 19th at Lehigh Valley. He also batted .286 (26-for-91) with three doubles, 22 RBIs and 15 runs. He was named the International League Player of the Week for May 18-24. Unfortunately, he also ended the month injured, as he was placed on the seven-day IL on May 29th.
The RailRiders swiped 43 bases, which ranked third in the International League during the month. Duke Ellis led the thievery going a perfect 15-for-15 in steal attempts. Ellis is tied for the league-lead with Worcester’s Braiden Ward with 24 steals.
On the mound, the pitching staff had a 4.32 ERA with six saves. It bookended the month with shutouts and Adam Kloffenstein was involved in both.
On May 1st, in the first game of a doubleheader against Buffalo, Kloffenstein and Rafael Montero combined on a two-hit, seven-inning shutout, 2-0. Then on May 31st, Kloffenstein struck out 10 in six innings before Bradley Hanner and Peter Strzelecki finished off a combined three-hit blanking of Worcester, 1-0.
Hanner recorded two of the team’s six saves. He was also 2-0 during the month with a 2.25 ERA. In 10 games and 12 innings, he allowed three runs, eight hits, walked four, and struck out 20.
Brendan Beck went 2-0 in May with a 2.17 ERA. In five starts, he allowed eight runs (seven earned) and 19 hits with 11 walks and 27 strikeouts in 29 innings. The Yankees’ No. 21 prospect also made his MLB debut in a cameo while effectively tagging in for a sick Ryan Weathers on May 7th and was chosen International League Pitcher of the Week for May 11-17.
Carlos Lagrange, the Yankees’ No. 4 prospect, had a team-high 33 strikeouts during the month in five starts and 25 innings. Lagrange ranks second in the International League with 63 strikeouts and Beck is tied fourth with 60. For June onward however, look for Lagrange to build his case to make the 2026 big-league club out of the bullpen.
Carlos Lagrange is being shifted to the bullpen at AAA. The Yankees always believed the hard-throwing RHP could boost the bullpen this year. So this is a major step in that direction. Get ready to see 103 MPH in the Bronx.
Zach Messinger did not allow a run during the month in eight appearances covering 15.1 innings. He gave up three hits, walked four and struck out 11. He has not given up a run since April 23.
One thing RailRiders pitchers haven’t been doing is issuing walks. They have allowed 220 walks, which ranks second in the league behind only the Charlotte Knights with 215.
Heading into June, the RailRiders are 28-27 and six games behind the Memphis Redbirds and Nashville Sounds in the International League standings. Three weeks remain in the first half of the season.
Most of this month will be spent away from PNC Field. The RailRiders began a seven-game series in Syracuse last night, one with an extra game via a doubleheader today. This already is the third of four series meetings between the teams with the Mets having win seven of the 11 games played in the first two series.
After facing Syracuse, the RailRiders return home to host Lehigh Valley for six games June 9-14. They then head to Columbus to face the Clippers on June 16-21 and conclude first-half play. They open the second half at the Indianapolis Indians on June 23-28.
Critics have called situation ‘ludicrous’ and ‘frustrating’
‘Jofra may not play for England if handled differently’
Ben Stokes has defended England’s decision to excuse Jofra Archer from the start of the Test summer so he could compete in the Indian Premier League, saying a more militant approach risks a situation where “players like him might not play for England again”.
On Wednesday Archer was strongly criticised by the former New Zealand bowler Simon Doull, who described his absence as “absolutely ludicrous” and “completely wrong”. The former England batter Mark Butcher has previously said it was “absolutely ridiculous”, while Michael Atherton described it as “incredibly frustrating”.
LOS ANGELES - FEBRUARY 26: Pictured is Cyndi Lauper being held by Hulk Hogan on THE 27TH ANNUAL GRAMMY AWARDS, February 26, 1985, Shrine Auditorium, Los Angeles, CA. (Photo by CBS via Getty Images) | CBS via Getty Images
For Hickory, Louis Marinaro struck out five in two shutout innings. Michael Trausch struck out one in a scoreless inning.
Paulino Santana was 2 for 3 with a pair of walks. Hector Osorio had a homer and a pair of walks. Dewar Tovar doubled and walked. Josh Springer doubled and walk. Marcos Torres had a hit and a walk. Curley Martha, the 19 year old infielder from Curacao who was promoted over the weekend and made his full season debut on Sunday, went 2 for 5.
Hub City starter Enrique Segura threw 3.1 shutout, no hit innings, but walked six and struck out three. Andrew Susac went two innings, struck out two, and allowed a walk and a two run walkoff homer.
Yeison Morrobel had three hits. Chandler Pollard had a walk, a hit and a stolen base. Paxton Kling had a hit.
Frisco starter Aidan Curry struck out four and walked two in 4.1 IP, allowing six runs. Eric Loomis struck out two in a shutout inning.
Rehabbing major league Corey Seager was 1 for 2 and played shortstop before being lifted. Rehabbing major leaguer Wyatt Langford was 1 for 2 with two walks and a stolen base and played left field before being lifted.
Dylan Dreiling had a hit and two walks. Arturo Disla doubled.
Round Rock starter David Davalillo allowed one run in 4.1 innings but continued to have control problems, throwing just 41 of 80 pitches for strikes, walking three, hitting a batter and balking for good measure, while also striking out two. Emiliano Teodo struck out one and walked one in an inning of work, with 10 strikes out of 17 pitches. Alexis Diaz struck out one in a scoreless inning.
Cam Cauley was 1 for 3 with two walks and a stolen base. John Taylor was 2 for 4 with his first AAA homer and his first AAA stolen base. Blaine Crim had a hit and a walk. Aaron Zavala had a hit.
In addition to having a 7-foot-4 alien who can shoot, pass, dribble and single-handedly stop elite offenses from getting to the rim, what makes the San Antonio Spurs’ run to the NBA Finals unique is they possess what most champions typically lack: youth.
When the NBA’s championship round tips off Wednesday night, the Spurs will be looking to become the youngest Finals winner in recent NBA history.
NBC News analyzed the average ages of NBA champions’ playoff rotations since 2016, and San Antonio would be the youngest team to win a title — out-young-ing last year’s Oklahoma City Thunder.
The Spurs rotation’s average age is 24.4, while their opponent, the New York Knicks, are coming in at a relatively ancient 28.8.
Compared with the overall average championship age of 27.8, San Antonio is 3.4 years younger, while the Knicks are 1.0 years older.
The Spurs aren’t just a relatively young team on the whole — their best players are also on the younger side.
San Antonio’s leading scorer in the postseason is center Victor Wembanyama, who is only 22 years old and in his third year in the league. Wembanyama would be the youngest leading scorer to lead his team to a Finals victory in recent history. (If he wins Finals MVP, he would join Magic Johnson and Kawhi Leonard as the youngest players to win it.)
The Spurs’ three leading scorers — Wembanyama, Stephon Castle and De’Aaron Fox — would also be tied with last year’s Thunder as the youngest top-scoring trio of the last 11 NBA Finals.
Compared with New York, San Antonio is led by neophytes. The Knicks’ leading scorer, Jalen Brunson, is 29 and in his eighth season in the NBA. New York’s top three scorers — Brunson, Karl-Anthony Towns and OG Anunoby — also average 29, with none younger than 28.
The median age of leading champion scorers is 27, with Wembanyama coming in a clean five years younger.
At least through three playoff rounds, youth and inexperience haven’t been barriers for the Spurs. They’ve already beaten a team that made two straight conference finals, the Minnesota Timberwolves, as well as last year’s champion, Oklahoma City, en route to the Finals.
In fact, less playoff seasoning may even help San Antonio.
“The lack of experience is a strength of us,” Wembanyama told ESPN on Tuesday. “Because we could do impossible stuff because we don’t know it’s impossible.”
In addition to having a 7-foot-4 alien who can shoot, pass, dribble and single-handedly stop elite offenses from getting to the rim, what makes the San Antonio Spurs’ run to the NBA Finals unique is they possess what most champions typically lack: youth.
When the NBA’s championship round tips off Wednesday night, the Spurs will be looking to become the youngest Finals winner in recent NBA history.
NBC News analyzed the average ages of NBA champions’ playoff rotations since 2016, and San Antonio would be the youngest team to win a title — out-young-ing last year’s Oklahoma City Thunder.
The Spurs rotation’s average age is 24.4, while their opponent, the New York Knicks, are coming in at a relatively ancient 28.8.
Compared with the overall average championship age of 27.8, San Antonio is 3.4 years younger, while the Knicks are 1.0 years older.
The Spurs aren’t just a relatively young team on the whole — their best players are also on the younger side.
San Antonio’s leading scorer in the postseason is center Victor Wembanyama, who is only 22 years old and in his third year in the league. Wembanyama would be the youngest leading scorer to lead his team to a Finals victory in recent history. (If he wins Finals MVP, he would join Magic Johnson and Kawhi Leonard as the youngest players to win it.)
The Spurs’ three leading scorers — Wembanyama, Stephon Castle and De’Aaron Fox — would also be tied with last year’s Thunder as the youngest top-scoring trio of the last 11 NBA Finals.
Compared with New York, San Antonio is led by neophytes. The Knicks’ leading scorer, Jalen Brunson, is 29 and in his eighth season in the NBA. New York’s top three scorers — Brunson, Karl-Anthony Towns and OG Anunoby — also average 29, with none younger than 28.
The median age of leading champion scorers is 27, with Wembanyama coming in a clean five years younger.
At least through three playoff rounds, youth and inexperience haven’t been barriers for the Spurs. They’ve already beaten a team that made two straight conference finals, the Minnesota Timberwolves, as well as last year’s champion, Oklahoma City, en route to the Finals.
In fact, less playoff seasoning may even help San Antonio.
“The lack of experience is a strength of us,” Wembanyama told ESPN on Tuesday. “Because we could do impossible stuff because we don’t know it’s impossible.”
PHOENIX — The Los Angeles Dodgers have been minding their own business, trying to secure another National League West title, hoping for a historic World Series three-peat, and not uttering a peep about the labor negotiations.
But every day they wake up and read the newspaper, turn on the TV, check out their iPhone, someone is dragging them through the crosshairs of the Collective Bargaining Agreement negotiations.
They’re spending too much money.
They’re the reason there needs to be a salary cap.
If there’s a prolonged work stoppage, blame the Dodgers.
The Dodgers have heard enough, and now, it’s about time everyone shuts their mouth.
"My honest opinion is the majority of takes about the Dodgers couldn’t be more lazy," Dodgers manager Dave Roberts tells USA TODAY Sports, "that it’s just about the payroll. It’s about the draft. It’s about layering on where we pick in the draft annually. The player development. How we acquire international talent. How we perform consistently at the major-league level.
"I actually think it’s a competitive advantage in the sense that people feel that way, and not look at themselves in the mirror and see how they can operate things better. So that’s beneficial for us."
Sure, the Dodgers spend lots of money, with an opening-day payroll of $316.6 million, which is still about $40 million less than the New York Mets’ $352.2 million. The Dodgers have spent $1.75 billion the past five years, which is virtually the same amount as the Mets, and within $100 million annually of the New York Yankees, Philadelphia Phillies and San Diego Padres.
"At the end of the day," 2025 World Series hero Miguel Rojas said, "it’s not about wasting money or spending money to buy the best players because that’s not going to guarantee you anything. You can see it. There are another five or six clubs close to us in payroll, and they haven’t accomplished it. That’s why people aren’t talking about them, because they haven’t won.
"People just talk about us."
Anyone blaming the Mets for ruining baseball?
Oh, that’s right, they’ve made the playoffs only twice in the past nine years, and haven’t won the World Series since 1986, so we don’t care.
The Phillies have reached the postseason each of the past four years, but since they haven’t won a World Series since 2008, no biggie.
The Padres have been to the playoffs four times in the past six years, but they have never won a World Series in their 58-year history, so they remain that cute little team in that lovely beach town.
But, oh, those damn Dodgers.
They have reached the postseason 13 consecutive years, won 12 NL West titles, five National League pennants and three World Series championships.
How dare they keep trying to win.
It was just 15 years ago that the Dodgers filed for bankruptcy. Major League Baseball had to step in and take control of day-to-day operations, forcing the sale of the team, and calling them an embarrassment to the sport.
Now that they’re winning, spending money and creating one of the greatest dynasties in the last 50 years, they’re being lambasted again.
So, are the Dodgers ruining baseball because they’re too good and have the greatest business model in the sport, or were they ruining baseball before when they were a financial disaster?
Please, will someone in the baseball hierarchy kindly step up and make up their mind.
"When we hear stuff about the CBA and that kind of stuff, how the Dodgers are ruining baseball," Dodgers left-handed reliever Jack Dreyer says, "it’s kind of what Doc (Roberts) said at the World Series ceremonies last year, 'Let’s just keep winning and continue to ruin baseball until they tell us we can’t.'"
Right now, the only thing the Dodgers are ruining is the carpet inside their clubhouse after all of the champagne showers over the years.
"Having the payroll and the depth that gives you," Roberts says, "certainly is a benefit. No one’s debating that. But I do think that the players we acquire, how we play the game every night, getting younger players to assimilate in a star-studded clubhouse, that’s important. That’s hard to quantify, but that’s of value.
"If you look at the World Series the last couple of years, there’s a lot of home-grown guys making league minimum that have been on postseason rosters."
They had five homegrown players in their starting lineup, counting third baseman Max Muncy, who was released by the Athletics in 2017, and signed by the Dodgers to a minor-league contract.
Certainly, anyone could have signed Muncy, who is now their longest-tenured active player with the third-most homers in franchise history, with a team-leading 14 homers this year.
Anyone could have traded for Boston Red Sox MVP Mookie Betts in 2020, but only the Dodgers stepped up to land him.
First baseman Freddie Freeman was without a job in March 2022, but the Dodgers decided to sign him.
Even Shohei Ohtani, who signed 10-year, $700 million contract with $680 million deferred, gave everyone a chance to match the contract, and would have happily returned to the Angels if they said, "Yes." They declined, too.
Having a huge payroll, of course, has enabled the Dodgers to get away with free-agent decisions that could have devastated other teams.
They paid $182 million to starter Blake Snell. He has pitched 64⅓ innings, has won five games since the deal and is sidelined until July.
They did a trade-and-sign deal with the Tampa Bay Rays for Tyler Glasnow and signed him to a $136.56 million contract. He has won seven games since last season, pitched 130 innings and is out indefinitely with back spasms.
They signed free-agent closer Tanner Scott a year ago to a four-year, $72 million contract, only for him to pitch so poorly that they went out and signed a new closer in Edwin Diaz to a three-year, $69 million contract. Diaz is now out until after the All-Star break with elbow surgery.
And they signed free-agent outfielder Kyle Tucker this winter, giving him a stunning four-year, $240 million contract, only for him to be hitting .238 with four homers and a .722 OPS.
Yet, here they are, sitting in first place in the NL West with a 39-22 record, with a season-high six-game lead – the largest in baseball – while relying on their uncanny depth, and yes, those homegrown kids.
Who would have imagined that their current starting rotation would include Eric Lauer, Justin Wrobleski and Emmet Sheehan? Their 7-8-9 hitters in the starting lineup Tuesday would be Ryan Ward, Dalton Rushing and Alex Freeland? And that Edgardo Henriquez, Kyle Hurt and Will Klein would be used in relief?
No wonder Roberts believes this is the deepest team he’s had in his tenure, a sentiment echoed by several Dodger veterans.
"The way they constructed the roster in this organization deserves a lot of credit," Rojas said. "It’s not just buying the players and spending money on players, it’s having Plan B’s and C’s behind them, and that’s where I feel the organization is not getting enough credit for building a full team that is capable of sustaining so many injuries throughout the season and having guys ready when they get called up."
It’s remarkable that the Dodgers could have 12 homegrown players with only one draft selection before the 29th overall pick since 2017. They haven’t had a top-10 pick in the draft since 2006 when they selected a pitcher by the name of Clayton Kershaw seventh overall.
The Dodgers, because of all their success and luxury-tax penalties, have had an average first-round overall pick of 29.5 in the past 11 years, but continue to outsmart everyone in the draft with perhaps the best developmental system in the game. They have taken an 11th-round draft pick like Wrobleski and a sixth-rounder like Sheehan and turned them into regular starters in the Dodgers rotation, an undrafted pitcher in Dreyer into a high-leverage reliever, and catcher Will Smith, a 32nd overall pick, into a three-time All-Star.
"Our development system is what gets overlooked," Sheehan says, "how much time and money they put into finding the right people in the minor leagues to make people better. When I got drafted, I didn’t realize how lucky I was coming to an organization like this. Obviously, they put a lot of money into the team here, which is awesome, but there are a lot of guys that contribute way more than people realize, guys stepping up when we’ve had injuries."
Dreyer, 27, wasn’t even drafted out of the University of Iowa when the Dodgers signed him in August, 2021, and had him start pitching in the Arizona Complex League for all of 2022. The next thing he knew, he was making the Dodgers’ opening-day roster in 2025, remained in the big leagues all season, and was pitching in four games in the postseason without allowing a run.
"One of the things that the Dodgers do better than anybody else," Dreyer said, "is that as soon as you get into that organization, they’re doing everything they can to develop you to maximize your potential. When I first got to the Dodgers organization, I had a long way to go before I had a chance at anything. I think they saw something that even I didn’t see in myself, but they kept fine-tuning, and tweaking, and revamping different things until I got to this point.
"Every single guy who’s in the Dodger organization is very lucky with all of the resources the Dodgers provide, so I’m very thankful I signed here."
When the Dodgers call up a player, they always seem to be ready to not only perform in the big leagues, but to be vital contributors to a World Series championship.
"With us bringing up so many guys, it allows them to develop and not get rushed," Muncy said, "which is a really good thing when you look at it that they can plug in immediately and there’s not really a learning curve. When these guys come up, they’re ready. You know they’ve proven themselves. It’s just plug and play with us."
And win. Over. And over. And over again.
Enough to be the posterboys for MLB’s burning desire for a salary cap.
"People are always going to talk about us," Muncy says, "and even when the CBA is over, they’ll talk about us. It is what it is. It’s for the union and the owners to worry about.
"Obviously, we have some say on what goes on, but at the same time, we’ve got to go out there and play and not be dwelling what’s being said about us. It’s not easy. You can have all of the money in the world, you can have all of the talent in the world, but you have to come through in the right moments."
And if you believe you could use just a little more talent in the second half, there’s a certain pitcher in Detroit who would fit in quite nicely in the starting rotation. Can you imagine if the Dodgers acquire Tarik Skubal at the trade deadline, giving them a rotation of Skubal, Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Snell in October?
"They would go ballistic," Roberts said laughing. "But we would have the prospect capital to do that. We are one of the teams that could do that with the Tigers."
So, go ahead, brace yourself with the possibility, and then stick that in your CBA pipe and smoke it.
Florida State head coach Luke Loucks wants to approach recruiting and the transfer portal a little differently than other big schools. The Seminoles aren’t a blue blood, but they can certainly outpace and outperform those schools under his watch.
Coming from the NBA coaching circles, Loucks has seen the best of the best. He did help coach Steph Curry, Kevin Durant and Draymond Green with the Golden State Warriors after all.
So what’s the pitch for Florida State basketball? They’re coming off an 18-15 campaign in his first season at his alma mater, so something’s going right!
“Yeah, so we can do things a little bit differently than most staffs in America,” Loucks said on Pardon My Take. “There’s probably two other staffs that can do what we can do and preach the message, in terms of, you come to Florida State, we are going to train you like a pro, because that’s all we know. Half of our staff came from the NBA. So, in terms of your player development, your nutrition, your weight room, all these kids say they want to get to the NBA, but then they train like college kids.
“Now, the great ones will get there either way. It doesn’t matter, but for all those guys in the fringes, like you’re training like a college player, and I’ll tell them, I used to run draft workouts for multiple organizations. The best college players would get an NBA workout and have no idea, because everything’s different – spacing is different, the cutting is different, ball movement’s different, the terminology is different. We’re going to train you like an NBA player before you get there, so when you get there, you don’t just get there, you can stick. And I think that’s first and foremost.”
Loucks isn’t just going after the big fish. Him and his staff know where to find the diamonds in the rough and that can make Florida State a special place.
“The second thing I’m a big believer in buying stock low,” Loucks said. “And right now, like, we haven’t been to a tournament in four or five years, but you can feel the momentum of, like, all right, we got some good things going.
“You can go to one of these top programs, and I’m not going to name them, and just be another guy on their list of, or you can come to Florida State and help us turn this into one of those programs. And to me, a lot of kids resonate with that, like I go to Florida State and, like, be one of the guys everyone remembers. Or you can go to Big Blue Blood and, like, yeah, you’re just a list of another 100 guys, no one’s gonna remember you.”
One of the league's coldest offenses will face off against the hottest pitcher in the majors on Wednesday night, when the San Diego Padres visit the Philadelphia Phillies.
My Padres vs. Phillies predictions see Cristopher Sanchez winning that battle, leading to a multi-run victory on home soil.
Let's break it all down with my MLB picks for June 3.
Who will win Padres vs Phillies today: Philadelphia Phillies -1.5 (+100)
The San Diego Padres have averaged just 3.1 runs over the last 20 games, and their process is even worse than the results.
Since the beginning of May, they rank dead last in batting average, wOBA, and .614 OPS while striking out at the league's highest rate.
Padres vs Phillies Over/Under pick: Under 7.5 (-105)
Sanchez owns a 1.47 ERA on the season despite allowing a .337 batting average on balls put in play, the highest of his career.
There’s room for improvement in that area, and yet he is still giving up next to nothing each time out. The Padres are not an offense that should challenge him.
Walker Buehler is capable of limiting the Phillies as well. He has allowed two runs in all three starts against Bottom-10 teams in batting average.
The Phillies have hit just .225 this season (28th) and .213 average since May 1.
Play the Under to -120.
Todd Cordell's 2026 Transparency Record
ML/RL bets: 23-16, +1.92 units
Over/Under bets: 18-19-2, -3.71 units
Padres vs Phillies odds
Moneyline: Padres +180 | Phillies -220
Run line: Padres +1.5 (-110) | Phillies -1.5 (-110)
Over/Under: Over 7.5 (-115) | Under 7.5 (-105)
Padres vs Phillies trend
Philadelphia has hit the Game Total Under in 17 of the last 20 games (+13.70 units, 62% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for Padres vs. Phillies.
How to watch Padres vs Phillies and game info
Location
Stadium, City, State/Province
Date
Wednesday, June 3, 2026
First pitch
6:40 p.m. ET
TV
NBC Sports Philadelphia, Padres.TV
Padres starting pitcher
Walker Buehler (3-3, 4.88 ERA)
Phillies starting pitcher
Cristopher Sanchez (6-2, 1.47 ERA)
Padres vs Phillies latest injuries
Padres vs Phillies weather
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - JUNE 02: Jase Bowen #4 of the San Diego Padres hits a single in the seventh inning of his MLB debut during a game against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park on June 02, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Jase Bowen found himself at the plate as the tying run in the top of the ninth inning with the San Diego Padres trailing the Philadelphia Phillies, 3-2. Bowen singled in the top of the seventh inning for his first MLB hit and had a chance to extend or possibly tie the game with his second major league hit — that did not happen. Bowen faced Phillies veteran closer Jhoan Duran and looked like a guy who was just called up from Triple-A as he waved at three straight sweepers, which were all off the plate, and struck out for the final out in San Diego’s one-run loss at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia on Tuesday. The at-bat by Bowen, while ugly, can be excused. He is a rookie hitter facing a veteran pitcher who took advantage of his eagerness to come through in the clutch. What cannot be overlooked is the Padres continued struggles with runners in scoring position and bad base running.
San Diego started the game with a line drive double by Fernando Tatis Jr. to open the top of the first inning. The next two hitters, Gavin Sheets and Manny Machado, each put the ball in the air for outs, but neither gave Tatis an opportunity to advance from second base. Miguel Andujar, who is struggling mightily at the plate, grounded out to third base for the final out of the inning.
The Padres took a 2-0 lead in the top of the third inning after Tatis reached on a two-out single. Sheets followed with a two-run home run to right field. San Diego gave up the lead in the bottom of the fourth inning when Trea Turner reached on a single and Bryce Harper hit a two-run home run to center field to tie the game, 2-2. Philadelphia took the lead in the bottom of the sixth inning when Jeremiah Estrada walked Harper to start his relief appearance. He then allowed a single to Brandon Marsh to put runners on the corners. Estrada got Alec Bohm to bounce into a groundball double play, but Harper scored and the Phillies found themselves up, 3-2. Estrada ended the inning one batter later when he struck out Bryson Stott.
There was a similar lack of execution for the Padres in the top of the seventh inning when Sung-Mun Song came to the plate with one out and runners on the corners. Xander Bogaerts was at third after a one out walk and Bowen was on first with a single. Song worked a 2-2 count but watched the third strike hit the inside corner of the plate and was called out looking. Ty France was called on to pinch-hit for the struggling Freddy Fermin, and he hit a grounder to Trea Turner at shortstop who flipped to Stott at second base to force out Song to end the inning.
San Diego showed one last sign of life in the top of the eighth inning, unfortunately it ended on a base running mistake by Tatis. The star outfielder reached on a single to lead off the inning but remained at first as once again Sheets and Machado produced flyball outs. Like the first inning, Andujar hit a grounder to third base, but due to how soft it was hit, Andujar reached first on an infield hit. However, Bohm faked a throw to first base and instead threw to second where Tatis had rounded the base and was considering advancing to third base when he was tagged out to end the inning.
The Padres will have to clean up their play of they are going to snap their current three-game skid. It will be a difficult task as they will face Christoper Sanchez, today at 3:40 p.m.
ST LOUIS, MISSOURI - JUNE 2: Joc Pederson #3 of the Texas Rangers hits an RBI single against the St. Louis Cardinals in the ninth inning at Busch Stadium on June 2, 2026 in St Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Dilip Vishwanat/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Rangers 7, Cardinals 4
Things are going well when you win a game like this one.
Or when the Rangers win a game like this one, anyway. You didn’t do shit.
In his previous start, Cardinals starter Dustin May took a no hitter into the eighth.
In this game, May took a no one hitter into the fifth.
Meanwhile, Nathan Eovaldi was throwing strikes, getting Ks, but was more hittable than usual.
Eovaldi ended up giving up 11 hits all told, the most hits he’s allowed in a game since September 17, 2024, and just the third time, as a Ranger, he’s allowed double digit hits in a game.
Eovaldi was doing a good job stranding runner, but when the Cardinals were up 2-0 heading into the fifth and the Rangers had yet to get a hit, this had the feel of a low scoring loss, of the variety which we have grown familiar with.
Texas ended up scoring a couple of runs here, a run there, and suddenly were up 4-2, dashing the fears of a low scoring loss, anyway, not because they might not lose, but because if they did, it wouldn’t be low scoring. If you score 4 runs and lose, it isn’t a low scoring loss.
Our man Nathan had thrown at least seven innings in each of his previous five starts, and was positioned to make it six straight, heading into the seventh at just 85 pitches, doing a good job of getting the bullpen, which burned through four relievers the day before and was likely without Jacob Latz, who had pitched in back-to-back games, a breather.
The seventh started with a single. Eovaldi got up 0-2 on Ivan Herrera, got him to foul off a splitter that caught too much of the zone, and then threw a sinker that tailed on him, went up and in, and hit Herrera.
There is something particularly maddening, to me, about an 0-2 hit by pitch. It is the bane of my existence.
Well, that’s a lie. It isn’t the bane of my existence. There are numerous things that bane me more than 0-2 hit by pitches. Hits by pitch?
How about “a” bane of my existence?
0-2 HBPs (ah, that’s a good way to solve the plural hit by pitch conundrum) make me all sorts of frustrated and angry. You have the batter in a hole! You’re about to put him away! Don’t hit him with a pitch!
Its the third time this season the Rangers have hit a batter with a pitch. They only did it once last year.
In 2023, that season that is the benchmark for all Rangers seasons from now on, Rangers pitchers hit batters with pitches (aha! another option!) eight times on 0-2 counts. That seems like a lot.
Anyway, hitting a batter on an 0-2 pitch feels like a bad omen. And sure enough, Alec Burleson doubled on the first pitch he saw, making it 4-3, then Jordan Walker flared an 0-1 curveball into left field for a single, tying the game, putting runners on the corners with no one out, and ending Nathan Eovaldi’s night.
Which was too bad, because really, he pitched pretty well. 7 Ks, one walk. A home run given up to Nolan Gorman.
With those 7 strikeouts, Eovaldi tied Rick Porcello for 212th place on the all time strikeout list, with 1562. If he can strike out ten batters his next time out, he’ll pass Bronson Arroyo and Jim Whitney, who are tied for 210th on the list.
Anyway, he was out, and Jalen Beeks entered the game.
Jalen Beeks, you may ask? Why Jalen Beeks?
Well, with Latz out, as well as Peyton Gray, who also had pitched in back to back days, the Rangers had six pitchers available in the pen. Though it may really have been five, as Tyler Alexander had pitched the day before, as well as three of the last four days and four of the last six days. You’d probably rather stay away from him.
Robbie Ahlstrom hasn’t pitched in the majors, and a 4-4 game on the road with runners on base isn’t likely to be when he’s going to make his debut. Luis Curvelo has been called back up but, well, he’s Luis Curvelo. Cal Quantrill is your long man, and generally not someone you are going to want to use in a high leverage situation. Jakob Junis was probably being held back for a save situation in the ninth.
So Beeks it was. And I know, at that point, there was a sense of inevitable doom that settled over all of us. A belief that, well, of course the runner at third is going to score, we all know that, and so best case the Rangers will be down one, with just two innings to go, and there’s little optimism that the Rangers would score even one more run to give them the lead if the game was tied, much less score multiple runs to re-take the lead.
But Beeks struck out pinch hitter Nelson Velazquez. Then he struck out Masyn Winn. Then pinch hitter Jose Fermin roped a ball to left field that Alejandro Osuna caught for the third out.
And amazingly, the game was still tied.
After the Rangers went down meekly in the eighth, someone named Jimmy Crooks looped a softly hit liner just over Jake Burger’s head for a leadoff double.
(Someone reading this is yelling at the screen, “whaddya mean ‘someone named Jimmy Crooks,’ that’s Euless, Texas’s, own Jimmy Crooks you are talking about!”)
It was Crooks’ second hit of the 2026 season.
Former Ranger prospect Thomas Saggese, sent to the Cardinals in the Jordan Montgomery trade, a trade that we will forever celebrate no matter what Saggese or TK Roby do, pinch ran for Crooks.
That would’ve just put more salt in the wound, wouldn’t it, to have Saggese score the go ahead run?
Victor Scott II, who in my head canon is related to the former Dallas Cowboys safety even though I’m sure he’s not, and who had put down his major league leading 10th sacrifice bunt of the season earlier in the game, tried to bunt Saggese over to third and failed, popping out. After a pop out to make it two outs, Skip Schumaker brought in Cal Quantrill to face Ivan Herrera, he of the 0-2 hit by pitch.
Look, I didn’t like this move. I am sure it was made because Herrera has pretty strong splits, both this season and in his career, hitting lefties much better than righties. But Beeks has had pretty neutral platoon splits for most of his career, and has been much, much better against righthanders than lefthanders this season. Part of the reason that someone like Beeks has value is that he’s a lefty that you don’t have to pull in a key moment against a righthanded batter for someone like Cal Quantrill.
But it worked. Herrera swung at the first pitch Quantrill threw, and hit it hard, but on the ground and right to shortstop. Inning over.
Quantrill ended up getting the win, since the Rangers scored runs in the top of the ninth, and as expected, Junis came in to pitch the ninth with a save situation. Its the second time this season a pitcher has picked up a win while throwing just one pitch. Adrian Morejon did it for the Padres on May 10. And the losing team was, once again, the Cardinals.
It is also just the eighth time in club history, at least for the time that B-R has pitch counts available, that the Rangers’ winning pitcher threw just one pitch. The last time it happened was in 2022, when Matt Moore did it. Also accomplishing the feat: Eddie Butler, Keone Kela (who recorded two outs on his one pitch), Mark Lowe, Xavier Hernandez, and, somehow, Rich Rodriguez twice in 2002.
Rich Rodriguez appeared in just 36 games for the Rangers in 2002, and the 2002 Rangers won just 72 games. Yet, somehow, he won two different games while throwing just one pitch.
The Rangers didn’t have a ton of baserunners, but they made them count…at least after the first inning, when Joc Pederson ended up at third base with no one out due to a double and a wild pitch, and was stranded there. Two runs in the fifth, on an Evan Carter infield single that broke up the no hitter, a Kyle Higashioka single, an RBI fielder’s choice by offensive catalyst Nicky Lopez, and a Joc Pederson double.
That Lopez fielder’s choice probably should have been a double play, but Dustin May, in fielding the ball, took a while to throw to second, allowing Lopez to beat the throw to first.
An Alejandro Osuna two out RBI single in the sixth and a Josh Jung sac fly in the seventh gave the Rangers the 4-2 lead that it looked like they were going to spit up in the bottom of the seventh.
Then a three run rally in the ninth, with an Evan Carter walk, a Kyle Higashioka line drive single, a pair of singles by Pederson and Jung that were not terribly well struck but which were well placed, and a Brandon Nimmo sac fly.
It is the type of win that warms the cockles of your heart, assuming your heart has cockles.
Alejandro Osuna had a 108.3 mph single and a 100.4 mph ground out. Joc Pederson had doubles of 107.5 mph and 105.5 mph. Kyle Higashioka had a 100.0 mph double.
Nathan Eovaldi’s fastball topped out at 95.8 mph, averaging 94.1 mph. Jalen Beeks reached 95.7 mph with his fastball. Cal Quantrill’s one pitch was a 90.4 mph cutter. Jakob Junis touched 94.6 mph with his fastball.
Let’s go sweeping on Wednesday so the Rangers can head home with us all happy.
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - MAY 28: Isiah Kiner-Falefa #2 of the Boston Red Sox reacts during a game against the Atlanta Braves at Fenway Park on May 28, 2026 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Jaiden Tripi/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Isiah Kiner-Falefa has a job with the Red Sox because the Red Sox aren’t very good. But he’s a veteran and all, so when asked why the team was so much worse at home than the road, he dropped this nugget:
Here’s the video and audio from IKF.
He’s making it very clear that he’s talking about outside distractions surrounding the Red Sox when they’re at home. Pretty powerful statement from one of the veterans. https://t.co/vGttoOXQPZpic.twitter.com/8zbwB2OFND
What do we think he means? Is Craig Breslow skulking around, giving wedgies? Is Fenway haunted? (I mean, yes.) Are there some power-sapping crystals below the stadium that we don’t know about?
But seriously, is it really that much of a bummer to be around the Red Sox brass these days? It is for me but I don’t play for the team, so I’m not paid to look the other way. Is this sour grapes or a legitimate gripe? As loathe as I am to defend any decision-maker here, it seems like the former. But feel free to tell me I’m wrong. You always do!
Who will win White Sox vs Twins today: Twins moneyline (-150)
The Minnesota Twins offense gets a favorable matchup against Chicago White Sox starter Erick Fedde in Wednesday's series finale. The veteran right-hander has struggled recently, posting a 7.04 FIP across his last two starts. His road numbers are concerning as well, as he owns a 5.30 xFIP away from home this season.
Minnesota's power profile is particularly appealing in this matchup. The Twins rank 14th in home runs, while Fedde has allowed nearly 50% of his contact to come in the air on the road. Even more concerning, 17.6% of those fly balls have left the yard. Fedde has also surrendered 10 earned runs over his last two outings.
Taj Bradley's recent 5.00 ERA doesn't tell the full story. The right-hander owns a 3.14 xERA across his last two starts and has allowed just a 5% barrel rate during that span.
I'll play this pick up to -160.
COVERS INTEL: Fedde has allowed a 44.8% hard-hit rate over his last two outings.
White Sox vs Twins Over/Under pick: Under 8.5 (+100)
This game could ultimately come down to how much offense Minnesota generates against Fedde because Chicago's bullpen has been lights out lately. Over the last week, the White Sox relievers own a 2.95 FIP and have held opponents to a minuscule 2.8% barrel rate.
The Twins' bullpen, meanwhile, owns a 5.05 xERA over the last seven days. However, Bradley has consistently worked deep into games, limiting Minnesota's reliance on its relievers. That should help against a White Sox lineup that has struggled to generate quality contact recently, posting just a 7.8% barrel rate over the last week.
I'll play this pick up to -110.
Quinn Allen's 2026 Transparency Record
ML/RL bets: 21-14, +5.92 units
Over/Under bets: 20-14, +2.40 units
White Sox vs Twins odds
Moneyline: White Sox +138 | Twins -144
Run line: White Sox +1.5 (-156) | Twins -1.5 (+144)
Over/Under: Over 8.5 (-113) | Under 8.5 (+108)
White Sox vs Twins trend
Minnesota has won two straight as moneyline favorites against Chicago. Find more MLB betting trends for White Sox vs. Twins.
How to watch White Sox vs Twins and game info
Location
Target Field, Minneapolis, MN
Date
Wednesday, June 3, 2026
First pitch
1:40 p.m. ET
TV
CHSN, Twins.TV
White Sox starting pitcher
Eric Fedde (0-5, 5.40 ERA)
Twins starting pitcher
Taj Bradley (5-1, 3.21 ERA)
White Sox vs Twins latest injuries
White Sox vs Twins weather
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
COVERS INTEL:
