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Top fantasy baseball prospects: Jac Caglianone getting the call, Harry Ford heating up in Tacoma

A reminder: This is ONLY players who have Rookie of the Year MLB eligibility, and ONLY a look at potential help for 2025.

That out of the way, here’s a look at the top prospects who can help your fantasy roster this season.

1. Jac Caglianone, 1B/OF, Kansas City Royals

2025 stats: 50 G, 322/.389/.593, 9 HR, 2 SB, 24 BB, 46SO at Double-A Northwest Arkansas and Triple-A Omaha. 

Last week, I talked about how I wouldn’t be surprised if Caglianone was off this list because of promotion. Well, he made it to the list, but he won’t be here next week. Multiple outlets report that the 2024 first-round pick will have his contract selected before Tuesday’s game against the Cardinals. The left-handed hitter has massive power in his left-handed stroke, and while he is prone to strikeouts, the ball jumps off his bat; giving him a chance to be a contributor in the average category as well. There’s some obvious risk with using a rookie in your lineup and particularly one who will swing and miss, but there’s an enormous amount of upside in hie left-handed bat as well.

2. Roman Anthony, OF, Boston Red Sox

2025 stats: 53 G, .303/.430/.492, 8 HR, 3 SB, 45 BB, 4349 SO at Triple-A Worcester.

Anthony’s dealing with his first struggles of 2025 over the last week, and one could easily wonder if perhaps he’s getting a bit bored at the Triple-A level. Even his struggles haven’t really been too dire, there’s just a lot of one-hit efforts lately. It’s very hard to panic based on a week of so-so handful of games, and you can see from the numbers above that he’s been excellent for the overwhelming majority of 2025. Anthony deserves to be with the Red Sox, and he deserves a roster spot when that takes place, if not sooner.

3. Jordan Lawlar, 2B, Arizona Diamondbacks

2025 stats: 39 G, .338/.414/.569, 6 HR, 13 SB, 19 BB, 43 SO at Triple-A Reno; 8 G .000/.175/.000, 0 SB, 3 BB, 9 SO at Arizona.

Well, that didn’t go great. Lawlar is back in the minors after essentially serving in a utility role with Arizona, and he wasn’t able to pick up a hit in his week-plus with the club. These things happen. The top prospect went hitless in his first game back with Reno, but then went 3-for-4 with a run scored Sunday while drawing a walk and also driving in a pair. Even with how disappointing his run with Arizona was, there’s doubt in my mind that he belongs on this list. There’s five tools at his disposal, and he offers as much upside as any prospect in the minors -- at least at the higher levels. When the Diamondbacks give him another chance this summer, I’d still be willing to make the roster move.

4. Jacob Misiorowski, RHP, Milwaukee Brewers

2025 stats: 12 G, 58.1 IP, 2.31 ERA, .177 BAA, 28 BB, 73 SO at Triple-A Nashville. 

Speaking of bad weeks. Misiorowski made two appearances since our last update, and one outing was shaky, the other ugly. The better was four innings of two-run baseball -- one of those runs earned -- with eight strikeouts. The ugly was two innings where he allowed five runs and he issued six walks; an unfriendly reminder of Misiorowski’s command issues that have caused concern over the last two seasons. The 23-year-old has been excellent for the overwhelming majority of 2025, and still offers significant fantasy upside in his right arm. He’s just going to have to get back on track before he’s going to join the Brew Crew’s rotation.

5. Christian Moore, 2B, Los Angeles Angels 

2025 stats:  46 G, .269/.374/.363, 2 HR, 8 SB, 29 BB, 56 SO at Double-A Rocket City and Triple-A Salt Lake. 

It’s a little surprising that a first-round pick from the previous year hasn’t gotten called up yet based on their recent history, but Moore did receive a promotion to Triple-A, and it has gone well so far, albeit in a small sample. The eighth-overall pick has hit .362/.456/.468 since joining the Bees over a dozen games, and he’s stolen three bases with three extra-base hits. Moore has plus power and speed in his bat, and while he will strike out, he’s also a patient hitter who can draw free passes and put those wheels to work. The Angels have been playing well, but their middle infield still leaves a lot to be desired. I like his chance for fantasy success whenever he does get the call.

Around the minors:

Mariners catching prospect Harry Ford struggled to begin the 2025 season, and he hit just .200 with a .662 OPS in the month of April. To say things went better for Ford in the month of May is the understatement of understatements. He finished that month with an OPS of 1.120 with a slash of .411/.475/.644 buoyed by three homers and nine extra-base hits. A 2021 first-round pick, Ford has an outstanding approach at the plate and tremendous athleticism for a player who mostly plays behind the plate, and he’s starting to tap into his above-average power in his right-handed bat. He’s definitely not going to usurp Cal Raleigh as the starter, but it’s possible the Mariners find a way to get Ford’s bat in the lineup after recently calling up Cole Young from Tacoma, and he’d be worthy of fantasy consideration whenever that takes place.

It’s been an impressive first professional season for Chase Burns, and he continued his strong run with a couple of quality outings last week. The second pick of last year’s draft struck out 10 Sunday for Double-A Chattanooga, and he followed it up with six scoreless frames for the Lookouts on Saturday. His ERA on the season is now 1.93 over 46 2/3 innings, and that number dips to 1.54 when you look just as his numbers since being promoted from High-A. At this point, I would be more surprised if Burns didn’t pitch for the Reds in 2025 than if he did. Even in the Reds' less-than-ideal park for pitchers, he'd obviously be worthy of roster consideration should that take place.

Caglianone has been one of the best hitters in the minors, but the hottest hitter at the Triple-A level as of late is Rockies infield prospect Ryan Ritter. Ritter has homered eight times over the last week, and three of those occurred in one game against Reno. The shortstop is now up to 16 homers on the season, and he’s also forged an impressive .307 average and 1.059 OPS over 199 at-bats. Ritter was better known for his defense than his offense coming into the year, but clearly he’s taken a step forward with the bat in 2025. At the very least, he’s now a name to monitor; especially since he’s on track to play his home games in Colorado.

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2025 Memorial Cup: London Knights Capture Crown And Redemption With Win In Final

The London Knights are once again Memorial Cup champions. The OHL’s most dominant franchise over the last quarter century has once again asserted itself as CHL royalty, and it was a long, winding road to get there. 

Almost three years ago, the London Knights began what was supposed to be a rebuild or retool, an unusual spot for the franchise. That year, they made it all the way to the OHL final with a new core of stars emerging along the way. Denver Barkey, Easton Cowan, Oliver Bonk and Sam Dickinson were the future of the franchise and their growth and improvement over the following two seasons would set the Knights up for a historic run. 

Last year, they were looking to build off that relatively surprising season and they were dominant en route to an OHL championship before falling just short in the Memorial Cup final, losing on a last-second goal against Saginaw. They took a step – winning the OHL championship – but ultimately still finished their season with an agonizing loss in their final game. 

This year, they weren’t going to let the heroics of an opposing player or anything else get in there way. After dismantling every opponent that they came up against in the OHL and cruising to a league title for a second straight year, along with gaining entrance into the Memorial Cup, they finished second in the round robin. This was because of a loss to the Medicine Hat Tigers in a very hard fought game, but they breezed by the Moncton Wildcats to reach the final and a rematch with those same Tigers. 

After Jacob Julien opened the scoring in the first period, the Knights' core began to take over in the second period. Cowan scored on a net drive play, tapping a pass from below the goal line in from the top of the crease. About a minute and a half later, Barkey picked up a puck in the neutral zone, burst up ice for a breakaway and scored a beauty to put the Knights up three goals early in the second period. 

After Barkey added another for his second of the night, the Knights were up 4-0 heading into the third period against a very strong Medicine Hat squad that hadn’t lost a game to this point at the Memorial Cup tournament after ripping through the WHL for a league title. A team that strong wouldn’t go down without a fight. 

As London looked to park the bus a bit and lock down their big lead, Medicine Hat pushed back, and it was no shock that 2026 NHL draft phenom Gavin McKenna was at the center of it all. 

Under three minutes into the final frame, McKenna caught a pass on the half wall and cut to the middle quickly before firing a laser by the London netminder. The shiftiness of McKenna finally broke through the tight defense that London had played on him to that point. 

The Tigers continued to push, but the Knights continued to do their best not to break. With time winding down and their hopes beginning to be lost, McKenna found the back of the net once again, but the goal was reviewed and called back for a high stick earlier in the play by the Tigers. McKenna and the Tigers were understandably upset on the bench, but they kept pushing. 

When the Tigers pulled their goalie, it was all of the Knights' core players who were leading shifts out on the ice. Barkey was blocking shots. Dickinson was clearing the slot. Bonk was making defensive stops. Cowan was winning puck races. The core four were doing what it took to win in the biggest game of the year. 

The London Knights were celebrating on the bench as the clock wound down and gloves went flying as the clock hit zero and the CHL finally crowned their kings.  

This was a team of destiny. They began a rebuild and immediately got to the league final before losing. They came back the next year to win the OHL final but lost the Memorial Cup. They followed that up with this year's Memorial Cup win. The progression of the core and the team around them was incredible. 

Dale Hunter had a special tournament in his own right behind the bench. He became the winningest coach in Memorial Cup tournament history, finishing off with 17 wins after the championship game. He tied Don Hay for most Memorial Cup wins by a head coach as well. He didn’t want any of the spotlight, though, making it very clear in the aftermath of the game that this was a special team that he had the opportunity to coach. 

“Skill and will to win, that’s always the key,” noted Hunter. “We came up short last year, it hurt a lot, these boys were determined right from the get-go.”  

The stars were grateful for the opportunity that this team and the fans in London gave them over the years as they look to appreciate this championship before the large group of them look to move to pro hockey this year. 

“We hung out every day. We’d get ice cream together and watch horror movies together, even though I’m not a big fan of the horror movies,” laughed Cowan, who won MVP and led the tournament in scoring. “What a team we had.” 

Denver Barkey, Jared Woolley, Oliver Bonk, Easton Cowan and Sam O'Reilly (Vincent Ethier / CHL)

The Knights were a deserved champion. They built this team up and developed all of the key players on this team. 

“We’ve kind of been working towards it for all four years here. To come up short last year and then get it done tonight, it’s a surreal feeling,” Knights captain Barkey said, overjoyed. “I’m so proud. I went down in the Kitchener series, and I didn’t know if I’d play again this year, but these guys stepped up and made sure I played hockey again this year.”

The London Knights are sitting atop the CHL throne, once again as Memorial Cup champions.

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Ben Rice homers, Ryan Yarbrough delivers as Yankees avoid sweep with 7-3 win over Dodgers

The Yankees avoided a sweep by salvaging the finale of their three-game series against the Los Angeles Dodgers, 7-3, on Sunday Night Baseball.

Here are the takeaways...

-New York's offense made Dodgers starter Yoshinobu Yamamoto work in what ended up being the right-hander's shortest start of the season. In the first inning, Yamamoto needed 28 pitches to get out of the frame while the Yanks managed to score just one run. They left the bases loaded on Austin Wells' groundout.

After another laborious inning in the second that didn't yield any runs, Yamamoto unraveled in the third. Aaron Judge started the inning with a walk which brought Ben Rice up to the plate. On an 0-2 pitch, Rice clobbered his 12th home run of the season to straightaway center that traveled 425 feet and gave New York a 3-1 lead.

Back-to-back one-out singles by Anthony Volpe and Wells put runners at the corners and a wild pitch by Yamamoto allowed Volpe to dash home for the third run of the inning.

-Yamamoto's night was done after 3.2 innings and 96 pitches. He allowed four earned runs on seven hits and three walks and only struck out two, a season-low. His ERA went from 1.97 to 2.39.

-Opposite Yamamoto was Ryan Yarbrough who, unlike his counterpart, pitched great. Yarbrough carved up Los Angeles' lineup over six innings, only allowing a run on four hits. He also struck out five.

The run Yarbrough gave up came in the second inning and tied the game. Tommy Edman took the lefty deep on a 2-1 changeup that would've given the Dodgers the lead had Andy Pages not been caught trying to steal third base following a double. After the home run, Yarbrough set down nine in a row before Max Muncy's single in the fifth.

Yarbrough ended his night by striking out Teoscar Hernandez and Freddie Freeman as part of a 1-2-3 inning. The outing was Yarbrough's fifth straight start of allowing two earned runs or fewer in what has been a great move by the Yanks putting the 33-year-old in the starting rotation. He now has a 2.83 ERA to go along with a 0.99 WHIP.

-With Yamamoto out of the game, New York's offense didn't stop and went to work against the Dodgers' bullpen, particularly Anthony Banda and Lou Trivino in the fifth. After Banda walked two in the inning, Trivino entered and gave up a run-scoring single to DJ LeMahieu which made it 5-1. Oswald Peraza followed with an RBI single of his own.

LeMahieu added an RBI double in the ninth, his first double of the season, and finished 4-for-5. He was the only Yankee to have multiple hits.

-The Yankees had traffic on the bases all night after producing 11 hits and seven walks while getting plunked twice. They also stole three bases and finished 4-for-16 with runners in scoring position.

-Jonathan Loáisiga was the first man on in relief and allowed Los Angeles to inch closer after home runs by Muncy and Pages in the seventh made it 6-3. But other than the Dodgers' three solo homers, their offense was held in check as their top four hitters went 0-for-16 with five strikeouts.

-New York pitchers struck out 10 and walked none in what was a relatively clean game. Devin Williams and Tim Hill each pitched a scoreless inning to end the game.

-After going 1-for-2 at the dish with a walk, RBI, run scored and stolen base, Jasson Dominguez was pinch-hit for in the sixth inning. It was announced he left the game with a left thumb contusion.

Game MVP: Ryan Yarbrough

In need of a win to salvage the series finale and avoid being swept, Yarbrough delivered like he has since making the transition to starter this season.

Highlights

What's next

The Yankees have an off day on Monday to return home before starting back up on Tuesday night against the Cleveland Guardians for a three-game series. First pitch is set for 7:05 p.m.

LHP Carlos Rodón (7-3, 2.60 ERA) faces off against RHP Tanner Bibee (4-5, 3.86 ERA).

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Yoshinobu Yamamoto runs into problems quickly as Yankees thwart Dodgers sweep

Los Angeles, CA, Sunday, June 1, 2025 - Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto.
Dodgers pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto walks back to the mound after giving up a two-run home run to the New York Yankees' Ben Rice in the third inning of the Dodgers' 7-3 loss Sunday at Dodger Stadium. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

Dave Roberts downplayed the easy narrative on Sunday afternoon.

“No,” he said when asked if his Dodgers had the New York Yankees’ proverbial number, having followed up their defeat of the Bronx Bombers in last year’s World Series with two impressive wins to start this weekend’s rematch at Dodger Stadium.

“I think we’ve had their number the last two nights,” Roberts said, “but today’s a different day.”

Was it ever.

Twenty-four hours after a total annihilation of the Yankees in a 16-run rout on Saturday, the Dodgers suffered the kind of setback that has so often plagued them this season, squandering the chance to build further momentum in a 7-3 loss that prevented a series sweep.

Read more:Hernández: How Japan media track down Ohtani's home-run balls

For as complete a performance as the Dodgers (36-23) put together Saturday, they looked equally out of sorts in a "Sunday Night Baseball" finale, getting a rare bad start from Yoshinobu Yamamoto, mistakes on defense and basepaths that cost them early runs, and virtually nothing from a lineup that looked largely discombobulated against funky left-hander (and former Dodgers swingman) Ryan Yarbrough.

They might have come out of the weekend with a marquee series win, continuing to nurse a narrow lead in the National League West standings.

But, they invited more scrutiny over their inconsistent start to the season with a finale flop, dropping to 13-13 over their last 26 games.

“You got to focus on the positives,” third baseman Max Muncy said. “We just took two of three from a really, really good team. We're obviously upset that we didn't get this one. But we played two really good games. … Just [today] the result wasn't there."

Yamamoto had been the one constant in the Dodgers’ injury-plagued rotation. His 1.97 earned-run average was second in the NL. His 64 innings not only led the team, but were almost twice as many as anyone else besides Dustin May.

Dodgers pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto shouts in frustration after giving up a home run.
Dodgers pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto shouts in frustration after giving up a home run to New York's Ben Rice in the third inning. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

Yamamoto also had an impressive personal track record against the Yankees (36-22), shutting them out over seven innings in New York last June before delivering 6 ⅓ innings of one-run ball in Game 2 of the World Series.

On Sunday, however, he couldn’t consistently find the strike zone or execute his trademark splitter. And after scoring just two runs in their previous 15 innings in this series, the Yankees finally came to life at the plate.

“I was not being able to control my pitches,” Yamamoto said through interpreter Yoshihiro Sonoda. “During the game, I was trying to make an adjustment, but … I could not get it back, my stuff.”

In the first, Trent Grisham singled and Ben Rice walked before Jasson Domínguez dumped a line drive into left, driving in a run when Andy Pages airmailed his throw to home plate.

In the third, a leadoff walk to Judge was followed by a two-run homer to Rice — Yamamoto missing badly with two splitters in the first at-bat before leaving one hanging in the next.

Later in the inning, the Yankees scored again after Yamamoto gave up two singles and spiked a splitter for a run-scoring wild pitch.

Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani strikes out against the Yankees in the first inning Sunday.
Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani strikes out against the Yankees in the first inning Sunday. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

And with two outs in the fourth, Roberts pulled Yamamoto, his pitch count having ballooned to 96 on a day he gave up a season-high in hits (seven) and walked three others. It was the first time this year that Yamamoto, whose ERA rose to 2.39, had failed to complete the fifth.

“He wasn’t great today, wasn’t sharp with any of his pitches,” Roberts said. “Really uncharacteristic.”

The Dodgers faltered in other ways, as well.

After his first-inning throwing error, Pages made a mistake on the bases in the second. Following a one-out double, he was thrown out on an over-aggressive steal of third. That meant that when Tommy Edman homered moments later — his first long ball in 17 games, breaking him out of a recent funk at the plate — it was only a solo blast, temporarily tying the score before the Yankees answered in the next half-inning.

There would be no counterpunch from Dodgers’ offense, which was missing Mookie Betts for a third-straight game because of a toe fracture (Betts said before the game his toe was starting to feel better, and went through pregame activities in hopes of avoiding a stint on the injured list).

Read more:Dodgers remind baseball world how good they can be in blowout win over Yankees

Instead, Yarbrough cruised against the team that dealt him away at last year’s trade deadline.

Even though he never hit 90 mph with his fastball, he induced a string of soft contact while striking out five in a six-inning start. Yarbrough was especially effective against the top of the Dodgers' order, which went a combined 0 for 16.

“It’s funky,” catcher Will Smith, who was batting cleanup, said of Yarbrough’s unorthodox delivery. “We gave them a little momentum. They jumped on us early [with] some long innings. So he did a good job attacking us and keeping us off balance.”

The Dodgers did show some life after Yarbrough’s exit, with Pages and Muncy each taking reliever Jonathan Loáisiga deep within the space of three at-bats.

But by then, it was much too little, much too late — resulting in the Dodgers’ second straight series in which they failed to complete a sweep, and yet another momentum-halting loss in a season plagued by a few too many of them.

“I think for us, the takeaway is we won a series and that was the goal coming in,” Roberts said. “I think at the end of the day, you keep winning series and things will take care of themselves.”

Sign up for more Dodgers news with Dodgers Dugout. Delivered at the start of each series.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

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Dom Smith exercises out clause with Yankees to become free agent

First baseman Dom Smith is now a free agent after exercising his out clause with the Yankees after spending two months playing for Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, per ESPN's Jeff Passan.

Smith spent spring training with New York after the team signed him to a minor-league deal with an invite to major league camp.

With Giancarlo Stanton out to begin the season, Smith was hoping to make the roster as possibly a DH in Stanton's absence or a backup first baseman. The 29-year-old had a strong spring, too, hitting .297 with three home runs and 12 RBI in 37 at-bats, but he was ultimately released.

A week later, he signed with the Yanks once again and was assigned to Triple-A.

After a rough April, Smith turned it on in May and slashed .317/.389/.622 with seven home runs and 22 RBI. He's now hoping to turn that hot month into a major league contract somewhere else.

A former Met for six seasons, Smith last played in the majors in 2024, splitting time between the Boston Red Sox and Cincinnati Reds.

The lefty-swinging first baseman is a career .246 hitter and has 64 home runs across 693 games.

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Sharks Should Target RFA Forward Nicholas Robertson

The San Jose Sharks are solely focused on the 2025-26 campaign after a lacklustre season saw them finish at the bottom of the standings. While they can look forward to a second-overall pick in the upcoming 2025 NHL Entry Draft, they should also consider bringing in a few new faces to bolster their roster for next season.

One forward they should look into bringing in is Nicholas Robertson, who is a pending restricted free agent (RFA), and all signs are pointing to him leaving the Toronto Maple Leafs and pursuing a fresh start elsewhere. If Robertson wants more playing time and an increased role, the Sharks could be a perfect fit for him. 

It’s possible the Maple Leafs give Robertson a qualifying offer and trade him, rather than let him walk for nothing, which would be okay, and should likely still give the Sharks a solid opportunity to bring him in. He is a solid two-way forward and could flourish in a new system, but may cost the Sharks a third-round pick to bring him in.

Realistically, it should be a no-brainer, and they should be willing to move that mid-round draft pick to acquire Robertson. He provides solid offensive production and, despite having dealt with injuries in the past, doesn’t play with fear at either end of the ice. He likely re-signs on a bridge deal, so he would be a cost-efficient addition, which should be exactly what the Sharks look for this summer. 

Sharks Agree To Release Andrew Poturalski As He Seeks Another OpportunitySharks Agree To Release Andrew Poturalski As He Seeks Another OpportunityThe San Jose Barracuda revealed in a recent statement that they had honoured the request of forward Andrew Poturalski and were releasing him as he pursues an opportunity outside of North America.  Sharks Extend Bona Fide Offers to Multiple ProspectsSharks Extend Bona Fide Offers to Multiple ProspectsThe San Jose Sharks have announced that they’ve extended contract offers to a handful of prospects ahead of the June 1 signing rights deadline. Two Former Sharks Eliminated From 2025 Stanley Cup PlayoffsTwo Former Sharks Eliminated From 2025 Stanley Cup PlayoffsFormer San Jose Sharks Mikael Granlund and Cody Ceci have been eliminated from the 2025 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs. Unfortunately, their playoff run came to an end last night with the Dallas Stars as they lost to the Edmonton Oilers in five games. 
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Diamondbacks ace Corbin Burnes leaves game against Nationals with elbow discomfort

PHOENIX (AP) — Arizona Diamondbacks ace Corbin Burnes was lifted after just 70 pitches Sunday against the Washington Nationals with right elbow discomfort.

Manager Torey Lovullo told reporters after Arizona’s 3-1 win that Burnes will have an MRI on Monday.

Arizona led 3-0 in the top of the fifth inning when Burnes allowed a single by CJ Abrams with two outs. The right-hander then gestured toward the dugout with his glove and yelled in frustration.

Jalen Beeks replaced Burnes and gave up an RBI single before getting the third out.

Burnes allowed a run and four hits in 4 2/3 innings, with a walk and six strikeouts. He is 3-2 with a 2.66 ERA in 11 starts this season.

Arizona signed Burnes to a $210 million, six-year contract before the season. He’s been effective, but the Diamondbacks have dealt with a slew of pitching injuries. Jordan Montgomery (Tommy John surgery) is out for the season, Eduardo Rodríguez (shoulder) is on the injured list and reliever A.J. Puk (elbow) is on the IL as well.

Arizona allowed 10 runs in the first inning Saturday, its ninth loss in 10 games.

Durability hasn’t been much of a concern for the 30-year-old Burnes, who has made at least 28 starts in every season since he won the 2021 National League Cy Young Award for Milwaukee. He spent his first six years with the Brewers before being traded to Baltimore before the 2024 season. After one year with the Orioles, he signed with the Diamondbacks as a free agent.

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Mets' experiment with reliever-turned-starter Clay Holmes paying off in droves

When the Mets signed Clay Holmes to a three-year, $38 million deal in the offseason, it wasn't a foregone conclusion that the right-hander would be a part of New York's starting rotation.

Sure, that was president of baseball operations David Stearns' plan, but the tall task was a daunting one as the 32-year-old had spent the majority of his seven-year career as a relief pitcher, save for four starts he made his rookie year with the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2018.

Now, it's hard to imagine Holmes not in the Mets' rotation as he owns a 3.07 ERA (1.16 WHIP) through 12 starts and 67.1 innings so far this season -- a testament to New York's coaching staff and organization as a whole.

Holmes' latest start on Sunday against the Colorado Rockies was a milestone for the right-hander as he went seven innings for the first time in his career. He allowed three earned runs after giving up two home runs aided by the wind, but the offense, led by the Mets' big three, did just enough to give him his sixth win of the season.

"I thought he was really, really good," manager Carlos Mendoza said after the game. "I thought the life on all of his pitches, especially the four-seam, the two-seam -- other than the two pitches that they hit for homers -- the slider, the changeup. And I thought he elevated the four-seam effectively. The whole time I'm watching him and just with the way the ball was coming out, it had life and he was really good."

After just 85 pitches thrown over those seven innings, Holmes probably had enough left in the tank to go even deeper, but the Mets weren't about to push their starter even more than they already had and have this season.

Nevertheless, the outing was another great one for Holmes who has allowed three earned runs or fewer in 10 of 12 starts this season.

"I feel like I'm in a good rhythm right now, in a good routine, recovering well," Holmes said. "... For me to go out there and give some length, it feels good."

Before Sunday's start, four out of his last five starts Holmes had gone six innings. Compare that to pitching 5.1 innings or less in five of his first six starts and the writing was on the wall for a game like this out of the former reliever.

And despite only recording three strikeouts on the day, Holmes, known more as a ground ball specialist, was a groundout machine against Colorado, totaling 10 outs on the ground.

Weak contact on the ground early in counts and letting the defense behind him make plays was part of the reason he was able to go deeper than he has all season.

"It was really good to see that and I felt like in that seventh inning he was still touching 94 (mph), kept getting ground balls and that’s his calling card," Mendoza said. "... I thought he was in pretty good shape throughout the outing, those middle innings, I thought overall he was in complete control."

Fully entrenched as a starter now, what will be interesting for Holmes is how the Mets deploy him for the rest of the season as he's just 2.2 innings away from matching his career-high in innings pitched (70 innings in 2021).

What will help is the calvary that is on its way, starting with Paul Blackburn on Monday night against the Los Angeles Dodgers and Frankie Montas and Sean Manaea not far behind.

Regardless, Holmes deserves a lot of credit for even putting New York in this position, stepping up in a big way for a team that had a lot of question marks on the pitching side entering the season.

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McCutchen ties Clemente for third on Pirates’ all-time homers list with 240

SAN DIEGO (AP) — Andrew McCutchen tied Roberto Clemente for third place on the Pittsburgh Pirates’ all-time home run list at 240 with a two-run shot off San Diego’s Randy Vásquez in the third inning on Sunday.

It was the second homer in two games and fifth of the season for the 38-year-old McCutchen, who’s in his 17th big league season and 12th with Pittsburgh over two stints. It gave the Pirates a 2-1 lead.

Clemente hit 240 homers from 1955-1972. He was 38 when he was killed on Dec. 31, 1972, in the crash of a plane he chartered to deliver emergency supplies for the survivors of an earthquake in Nicaragua. He was posthumously elected to the Hall of Fame in 1973.

Willie Stargell tops the Pirates’ list with 475 homers and Ralph Kiner is next with 301.

McCutchen has 324 homers in a career in which he’s also played for Philadelphia, Milwaukee, San Francisco and the New York Yankees.

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Flyers Trade Rumors: Wild 'Not Dying' to Deal Marco Rossi Away

Wild center Marco Rossi is still heavily linked with the Flyers, despite some new pushback. (Photo: Nick Wosika, Imagn Images)

Recent reports have connected the Philadelphia Flyers to trade discussions with the Minnesota Wild regarding free agent center Marco Rossi, but there is no serious progress made by the Flyers, or any other NHL team, on that front... yet.

Wild GM Bill Guerin sat down with The Athletic to clear up said reports and add a bit more context and clarity to the situation. Is a Rossi trade a possibility? Absolutely. Is a Rossi trade guaranteed to take place? Far from it.

“Teams see this stuff written and they call," Guerin told Michael Russo of The Athletic. "Marco’s a good player and I’m not interested in making our team worse or postponing our team being better. So I’m not dying to get rid of Marco. That’s the bottom line.”

Rossi, 23, is an offer sheet-eligible restricted free agent in need of a new contract, and he's coming off a career year that saw him post 24 goals, 36 assists, and 60 points in his second full season at the NHL level.

Plus, it's worth noting that the Austrian has played in all 82 regular season games for Minnesota in back-to-back seasons.

The Flyers were said to be unwilling to part ways with winger Tyson Foerster or one of their two late first-round picks in a Rossi trade, though Guerin neither confirmed nor denied that this is or was his price for the young center.

“I’ve talked to lots of teams about lots of players," Guerin said. "And names come up all the time, but there’s never been any serious discussion with anybody yet.”

In his update on the situation, Russo also reported that Rossi and his camp rebuffed a five-year, $25 million offer in the winter, and a recent attempt at a bridge deal.

Rossi's agent, Ian Pulver, told The Athletic he feels "there clearly is a difference of opinion with respect to Marco's value," and will continue to negotiate with the Wild, but time is ticking.

The 23-year-old former No. 9 overall pick can sign offer sheets from other NHL clubs starting on July 1, and given the apparent lack of recent progress, it's an opportunity for the Flyers to swoop in and take advantage of a bad situation.

If the Flyers were to offer sheet Rossi with an AAV between $7.02 million and $9.36 million, they would owe the Wild a first, second, and third-round pick in 2026. If the Wild take Rossi to the NHL trade market before then, they can try to dictate their own trade return.

Russo mentioned towards the end of his piece that Guerin is after upgrades at the center position and wants another winger that can score.

We can safely assume that Foerster is off the table after his recent contract extension, even with his lack of trade protection.

Names like Owen Tippett, whose trade protection kicks in after this season, and Bobby Brink, heading into a contract year, might make some sense as the Flyers could look to integrate wingers like Alex Bump and Nikita Grebenkin into the NHL lineup in the near future.

And, with two late first-round picks and three second-round picks, the Flyers have the draft capital the Wild would be after to use in a trade for another center after hypothetically trading Rossi.

"What the future holds for Marco and the Wild, only time will tell," Pulver said.

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Sweden’s Maja Stark holds off Nelly Korda to win first major at US Women’s Open

  • 25-year-old wins by two shots at Erin Hills

  • Korda finishes in tie for second with Rio Takeda

Maja Stark has won tournaments around the world, but a professional victory in the United States eluded her. Now she is a US Women’s Open champion.

The Swede shot an even-par 72 to win the second major of the year by two shots on Sunday at Erin Hills. Stark led the championship by one stroke through 54 holes and outlasted the World No 1, Nelly Korda, who got within a shot of the lead before petering out on the back nine.

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Stars Veteran Forward Would Be Solid Pickup For Sabres

Mikael Granlund (Jerome Miron, USA TODAY Images)

The Buffalo Sabres need to be a significantly different team next season. Whether it's via free-agency or trades, the changes to Buffalo's roster have to be extensive. And Mikael Granlund -- a veteran center who revitalized his NHL career with the Dallas Stars this season -- should definitely be a free-agent target for the Sabres.

At the beginning of this season, Granlund was languishing on a bad San Jose Sharks team. The 33-year-old was banished to the Sharks after a terrible stint with the Pittsburgh Penguins, posting only one goal and five points in 21 games with the Pens in 2023. But he found his game again in a year-and-a-half with the Sharks, generating 30 assists and 45 points in 52 games with San Jose this year -- and he did it on a relatively-decent contract that paid him $5-million per season.

But once the Stars acquired him Feb. 1 in a deal that sent a first-round draft pick to the Sharks, Granlund looked reborn, putting up 14 assists and 21 points in 31 regular-season games. And he was one of Dallas' best playoff performers, amassing five goals and 10 points in 18 games. 

And now, Granlund hits the open market. He won't break the bank, but this is a scenario in which the Sabres have to be aggressively proactive to outbid other teams for Granlund's services. Whether it's offering him one more year of contract term than he'd get somewhere else, or giving him a per-season offer that is better than any rival team's, Buffalo has a chance to bring in a veteran who can be one of the leaders in the dressing room, and a solid second-or-third-line center who will make the Sabres' youngsters better. And given that Buffalo has approximately $23.2-million in cap space, bringing in Granlund should't be an issue for the Sabres.

The Stars don't have the cap space to bring back Granlund, so the question here is which team can sell Granlund on being a key component. And Granlund wouldn't have to do all the heavy lifting in Buffalo. He could come in, be a professional and a great example for Sabres players to follow. And if he doesn't like the fit in Western New York, Granlund could be dealt at the next trade deadline for draft picks and prospects that would help Buffalo's future.

Sabres Moving On From Rising Free Agent Star Would Be A Disastrous DecisionSabres Moving On From Rising Free Agent Star Would Be A Disastrous DecisionAfter 14 years of missing the Stanley Cup playoffs, the Buffalo Sabres have to change up their lineup. However, this organization cannot afford to play fast-and-loose with most of their assets -- and that includes up-and-coming left winger J.J. Peterka.

But that's a long time from now. In the short-term, Granlund would be able to offer his veteran knowhow and his still-solid offensive talents to the Sabres. When it's unlikely a top-tier free agent will sign with Buffalo, a second-tier asset like Granlund would be just what the doctor ordered for the Sabres. And it wouldn't cost them anything other than the cap space it takes to sign him. That's important here as well.

Ultimately, Granlund could decide he wants to use his remaining NHL time on a team that's better-positioned for a long playoff run than Buffalo is at the moment. But that's the challenge for Sabres GM Kevyn Adams -- he needs to convince at least a couple veteran free agents that there's a meaningful place for them in Buffalo. And again, we're not talking massive money for Granlund. In a rising salary cap world, giving Granlund something in the same area of what he made this year wouldn't be an egregious overpayment. The sell-job here is convincing Granlund he can help guide this Sabres team into a more prosperous era. And that should be something that's doable.

Kekalainen's Hiring Another Sign Sabres GM's Time Could Be Nearing An EndKekalainen's Hiring Another Sign Sabres GM's Time Could Be Nearing An EndWhen the Buffalo Sabres announced Friday that former Columbus Blue Jackets GM Jarmo Kekalainen was joining the team as a special advisor to GM Kevyn Adams, a couple things became clear: firstly, it showed Kekalainen will be a highly-valued voice in the organization; but more importantly, it showed that Adams is more on the clock than ever -- and that Adams may have just hired the man who will succeed him if things don't go well for the team.

 The trickle-down effect Granlund would have on the Sabres' group of forwards would be considerable. He'd make Buffalo a more competitive environment, and that's precisely what Adams should be aiming for with any addition he makes. Granlund checks a lot of the boxes for the Sabres, and a quick strike in the UFA market next month could make Buffalo the winner in the Granlund sweepstakes. When other teams are fighting for Maple Leafs star Mitch Marner, the Sabres can swoop in, pitch a notable deal for Granlund, and come away with an asset who makes the team better.

Adams' challenge is clear here, because if he can't persuade a player like Granlund to come to Buffalo, Adams needs to step aside in favor of a better persuader. Granlund is there for the taking, and the Sabres need to make him an offer he can't refuse.