Jalen Brunson added to his legacy for the New York Knicks with a fantastic fourth quarter in the opening game of the NBA Finals, helping steal a road win from the San Antonio Spurs.
While Big Apple basketball fans start measuring for a Brunson-sized statue outside of Madison Square Garden, I’m pumping the breaks on the Jalen Brunson odds for Game 2.
Jalen Brunson best bet: Jalen Brunson Under 25.5 points (-112 at bet365)
Taking the Under on star player props in big games is about as excruciating as waiting for your mechanic to diagnose that “creaky creaky” sound your car started making. You’re pretty sure it’s going to cost you money, but here I am... with good reason (and the van in the shop).
Brunson’s heroics in Game 1 make most forget that the San Antonio Spurs did a great job on the New York Knicks’ top scorer — at least for 36 minutes. Before scoring 13 of his 30 points on 5-for-9 shooting in the fourth quarter, Brunson was just 7-for-22 from the field and entered the final frame with 17 points.
San Antonio committed five of its 13 turnovers in the final frame, and Brunson manufactured four points of those miscues (finishing with eight total POTO). He also hit a dagger 3-pointer (going just 2-for-9 from distance) with under two minutes left, thanks to an offensive board from Mikal Bridges (Brunson finished with five second-chance points).
Cleaning up turnovers and the defensive glass will be a big focus for San Antonio tonight, as is keeping Brunson out of the paint (16 of his 30 points came inside the key). Expect Victor Wembanyama to stay closer to the rim tonight.
The Spurs will also be more selective with who guards Brunson, as he tormented most of their options. Stephon Castle spent the bulk of possessions checking him — with mixed results — while Dylan Harper and De’Aaron Fox had success in slowing him down.
Brunson’s knee isn’t on the injury report, but those soft tissue ailments hurt more in the days after. I expect San Antonio to test his mobility on both ends of the floor, with tighter on-ball pressure and screen action from San Antonio’s offense targeting the Knicks star.
Game 2 projections all sit short of 26 points for Brunson, with my number coming out just north of 24 points. That should have the Under 25.5 priced at -140 rather than -112.
There’s no quit in the Knicks, but if the Spurs do break away late and Brunson’s knee is wonky, Mike Brown could protect his superstar and be happy with a split in San Antonio.
Jalen Brunson same-game parlay
Under on Brunson points but Over on his 3-pointers. WTF? Before you screenshot and blast me on X, hear me out. HEAR ME OUT, DAMN IT!
San Antonio was doing a solid job pushing Brunson to the perimeter through three quarters, leaving him to go 1-for-8 from distance before the final frame. I expect those long-range looks to be there again in Game 2, especially considering the game script.
Everything else is going to be tougher to come by. All the Game 2 models have Brunson coming up short of 26 points but list his 3-point makes right on the 2.5 O/U total. His nine 3PAs in Game 1 were Brunson's third-most shots from deep in the playoffs.
We’ve seen Brunson switch from go-to-scorer to playmaker when foes bring extra pressure. In the five games in which he failed to score at least 26 points, he’s dished out an average of 7.2 dimes (and played limited minutes in two of those due to blowouts). His projections for tonight bounce between 6.5 and 7+ assists.
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Kevin Durant learned there are some drawbacks to being 6-foot-11.
The future Hall of Famer’s attempt to hide behind a bush during a date Tuesday night in California did not go well, with paparazzi ultimately capturing Durant with a mystery woman.
Durant, 37, tried to blend in behind a tall bush, according to the photographer, after exiting Nobu Malibu, and waited for several minutes before the unknown woman emerged from the front door.
Kevin Durant attempting to hide behind a bush while on a date. The Hollywood JR / BACKGRID
He reportedly tailed her into in a car before they exited together.
Durant is usually private about his romantic life and recently expressed skepticism about marriage.
He and ex-Lynx star Monica Wright became engaged in 2013 before calling it off.
“I had a fiancée, but…I really didn’t know how to, like, love her, you know what I’m saying? We just went our separate ways,” Durant told GQ in 2015.
“I think divorce is more realistic cuz the divorce percentage is higher… That’s forever though and you’re banking on that being 50/50. I don’t know if I want to take those odds,” he told Bobbi Althoff.
Kevin Durant was spotted leaving Nobu Malibu with a mysterious woman. Trying to dodge the cameras, he initially hid behind the bushes, but eventually had to step out, leaving the restaurant alongside his mystery companion. The Hollywood JR / BACKGRID
“… It’s like the word marriage, like what the relationship is, like do I want to be with this somebody every day and hang (out) with the same person every day.
“… I have never really dreamt of having a wedding day… When I go to a wedding, it’s like ‘oh this is cool, oh it’s dope’… It’s not like it needs to happen in my mind. But (a wedding) is still a cool event.”
Durant also explained in that interview last October that he was “not actually looking for anything” serious at the time.
Kevin Durant on his Tuesday night. The Hollywood JR / BACKGRID
Recent rumors linked the Rockets wing to ex-WNBAer and now OnlyFans star Liz Cambage before this date with this mystery woman.
“Just somebody I can hang out with everyday, somebody I can talk to that’s cool, you know the basics, somebody I can really be friends with. And not look at it as if (it’s girlfriend-boyfriend),” Durant said.
“That expectation that title, it’s that cloud that comes with that instead of us just being natural friends. No expectations is better for me because sometimes I might not want to talk to you or see you.”
Durant just completed his 19th NBA season and his first with the Rockets, with the campaign ending in underwhelming after he missed most of Houston’s six-game series loss to the Lakers with injuries.
The Tigers (25-38) open a three-game set at Comerica Park tonight against the Seatle Mariners (33-30).
Although their eight-game winning streak was snapped yesterday in an 8-1 loss to the Mets, Seattle has ascended to the top of the American League West over the course of the last week. Their bats have heated up to outscore their opponents by 23 runs over the last nine games. Detroit, meanwhile, continues to try and stay afloat without Tarik Skubal atop their rotation. The Tigers take the field tonight fresh off of a three-game sweep of the AL East-leading Tampa Bay Rays. Detroit scored 25 runs over the three games while allowing just 11 and only two over the past two games. Before you get too excited, though, that sweep followed three straight losses to the White Sox. Again, just trying to stay afloat.
The top of the order for Seattle has led the way offensively for Seattle with Julio Rodríguez and Randy Arozarena driving production. Rodríguez has been consistent for the majority of the season. He is 11-for-44 over his last 10 games with five home runs and 11 RBI. Arozarena has been right there with him. He has six homers and 26 RBI on the season. The Mariners as a team are hitting .286 over their last 10 games. Detroit has leaned on a handful of hot bats to generate offense. Rookie infielder Kevin McGonigle has been one of the team’s most productive hitters over the past 10 games, batting .371 with a .463 OBP, while Riley Greene is hitting .367 with a .986 OPS over that same stretch.
Tonight’s pitching matchup features right-hander Bryan Woo for Seattle against lefty Framber Valdez for Detroit. Woo takes the mound with a record of 5-3 and a 3.44 ERA along with a solid 0.96 WHIP. Valdez, on the other hand, has struggled to find consistency since signing as a free agent in Detroit this past offseason. The veteran brings a 2-4 record and 4.39 ERA to the bump tonight. At 1.32, his WHIP is less impressive than that of his counterpart tonight.
Lets dive into tonight’s matchup and find a sweat or two.
We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on the how to catch first pitch, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.
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Game Details and How to Watch: Tigers vs. Mariners
Date: Friday, June 5, 2026
Time: 6:40PM EST
Site: Comerica Park
City: Detroit, MI
Network/Streaming: MLB.TV, Mariners.TV, Tigers.TV
Never miss a second of the action and stay up-to-date with all the latest team stats and player news. Check out our day-by-day MLB schedule page, along with detailed matchup pages that update live in-game with every out.
The Latest Odds: Tigers vs. Mariners
The latest odds as of Friday courtesy of DraftKings:
Moneyline: Detroit Tigers (+102), Seattle Mariners (-123)
Spread: Tigers +1.5 (-167), Mariners -1.5 (+138)
Total: 7.5 runs
Probable Starting Pitchers: Tigers vs. Mariners for June 5
Dillon Dingler was 6-13 in the series against the Rays
Gleyber Torres was 4-9 in the series against the Rays
Spencer Torkelson was 2-10 in the series against the Rays
Josh Naylor was 1-7 in the series against the Mets
J.P. Crawford was 3-10 in the series against the Mets
Luke Raley was 0-11 in the series against the Mets
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Top Betting Trends & Insights: Tigers vs. Mariners
The Tigers are 31-32 on the Run Line this season
The Mariners are 24-39 on the Run Line this season
The OVER has cashed 29 times in Seattle’s 63 games this season (29-32-2)
The OVER has cashed 27 times in Detroit’s 63 games this season (27-32-4)
Expert picks & predictions: Tigers vs. Mariners
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Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the MLB calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, ballpark information and weather forecasts.
Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.
Here are the best bets our model is projecting for tonight’s game between the Tigers and the Mariners:
Moneyline: Rotoworld Bet is leaning towards a play on the Mariners on the Moneyline.
Spread: Rotoworld Bet is leaning towards a play on the Mariners on the Run Line.
Total: Rotoworld Bet is leaning towards a play on the Game Total OVER 7.5
Team Total: Rotoworld Bet is recommending a play on the Mariners Team Total OVER 3.5 runs
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The Flyers agreed to terms Friday on a one-year, two-way contract with depth forward Jacob Gaucher.
The deal is worth $850,000, according to PuckPedia.com. Gaucher was a restricted free agent; he’ll remain an RFA when his new contract expires next offseason.
The 25-year-old center has given the Flyers eight games over the last two seasons. In 8:05 minutes per game, he has gone scoreless with seven shots and a 54.1 faceoff win percentage.
Gaucher has made an impressive climb in the Flyers’ organization. He started his professional career with the team’s ECHL affiliate Reading in 2022-23.
With AHL affiliate Lehigh Valley, he has put up back-to-back 20-goal seasons.
Gaucher has some good bottom-six qualities with his 6-foot-4 frame and ability to win faceoffs. He can also play on the wing. He’ll once again be a call-up option for the Flyers next season if he doesn’t crack the opening roster.
Among the Flyers’ other restricted free agents this offseason, Trevor Zegras and Jamie Drysdale are the most notable that need to be re-signed. The club also needs to decide if it’ll bring back Samuel Ersson as its backup goaltender.
One of the NBA's best guards is finally getting his chance to showcase his skills on the biggest stage, as New York Knicks star Jalen Brunson is three victories away from leading his team to its first championship since 1973.
Brunson, who scored 30 points in the Game 1 victory against the San Antonio Spurs, is the son of Knicks assistant Rick Brunson, who played for eight teams in nine NBA seasons as a point guard. The elder Brunson played in 337 NBA games and averaged 3.2 points and 2.6 assists.
The Brunson family lived in New Jersey and settled in Illinois during Jalen's high school career.
Here is more to know about Rick Brunson:
Rick Brunson's college career
Brunson, whose given first name is Eric, played four seasons at Temple in Philadelphia, leading the team to the NCAA tournament each season. He averaged 12 points and 3.8 assists per game during his college career.
NBA career
After college, Brunson was not selected in the 1995 NBA draft. He was waived twice by the Orlando Magic and the Knicks before signing as a free agent with the Portland Trail Blazers in 1997. He joined the New York Knicks in 1999 and was on the roster of the team that reached the NBA Finals. Brunson also played for the Boston Celtics, Chicago Bulls, Toronto Raptors, Los Angeles Clippers, Seattle Supersonics, and Houston Rockets.
Longtime assistant coach
Brunson ended his playing career in 2006 and was hired as an assistant coach with the Denver Nuggets in 2007. He has coached on staffs as an assistant with the Chicago Bulls, Charlotte Bobcats, and Minnesota Timberwolves, and has been an assistant with the Knicks since 2022, the same year his son, Jalen, signed a four-year, $104 million free-agent contract with New York.
In 2018, Brunson resigned from the Timberwolves amid allegations of improper conduct toward women, with the team saying that they were "committed to creating a safe work environment for our employees, partners and fans and expect our staff to lead by example," and "did not believe Mr. Brunson’s conduct was consistent with those standards.”
In 2014, he was acquitted of attempted criminal sexual assault, criminal sexual abuse, aggravated battery, and domestic battery after a massage therapist, with whom he admitted to being in an extramarital relationship, accused him of grabbing her arm and trying to perform a sex act.
Another sizable problem is, like, how to defend the guy. We suggest prayer, and double- and triple-teams.
Some of the smaller problems involving Wembanyama − how to spell his name. Carefully, is what we recommend as you work through all 10 letters. Although it’s relatively easy to spell his nicknames – “Wemby’’ or “The Alien.’’
LeBron James referred to Wembanyama as an “Alien’’ when Wembanyama was still a French phenom who the Spurs had yet to select with the No. 1 overall pick of the 2023 NBA Draft.
Because it’s not just that Wembanyama is tall. It’s what he can do at his height and with his impossibly long 96-inch wingspan. Block shots, of course. But also dribble and shoot 3s.
"Everybody's been a unicorn over the last few years, but he's more like an alien," James said. " ... No one has ever seen anyone as tall as he is, but as fluid and as graceful as he is on the floor."
Those skills, unlike Wembanyama, are almost immeasurable.
Wembanyama is viewed as the current tallest player in the NBA. Here's how he stacks up with the tallest players in NBA history:
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 24: Zach Ehrhard #99 of the Los Angeles Dodgers during a spring training game at Dodger Stadium on March 24, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Plenty of homers but not enough wins as both the Tower Buzzers and Loons got beaten at home.
Player of the day
For the first time this year, Zach Ehrhard recorded at least three runs and just as many RBI, courtesy of a couple of home runs that helped the Comets earn their 34th win of the season, narrowly beating the Express at home.
Ehrhard hadn’t gone deep in a game at home since the 12th of April, and he hadn’t hit two homers in the same game since June of last season, when he was still in Double-A for the Red Sox.
Triple-A Oklahoma City
Having already covered Zach Ehrhard’s key role in this 5-4 win for the Comets, the other two runs were driven in by a newcomer, Alek Thomas—playing only in his second game with the Triple-A club, Thomas was moved to the cleanup spot. Shoutout to James Tibbs III, who didn’t record a hit but displayed outstanding patience, walking in three of his four PA.
Despite allowing four runs in six innings, River Ryan kept his undefeated record, earning a third win, while the highlight was Evan Phillips securing a hold already in his first rehab outing. Phillips recorded a couple of outs on 17 pitches, walking one, allowing a hit, and recording a punchout. Seeing the big league bullpen falter in a loss to the D-backs on the same day, it certainly made plenty of people miss Phillips, a potential big-time return in the not too distant future.
Double-A Tulsa
Out-homering the opposition four to none, the Drillers ran into minimal trouble securing a late lead and beating the Sod Poodles 7-3. The double play partnership of Elijah Hainline and Zack Gelof each secured a pair of RBI, and Josue De Paula carried on his on-base streak with a two-run shot in the sixth, which isn’t getting a ton of attention because it’s nowhere near Mike Sirota’s streak of 44 straight reaching safely.
Homering four times, the Drillers managed to win this game even though they didn’t record a single hit with a runner in scoring position, finishing 0 for 13. Speaking of baserunners, starter Peyton Martin delivered a quality start despite allowing 11 baserunners in six innings.
High-A Great Lakes
The Taylor show overpowered the Loons on both sides of the ball. While starter Zane Taylor tossed 7.2 scoreless innings, in which the biggest threat was the occasional walk (four of them to be exact), outfielder Devin Taylor delivered a couple of RBIs that would’ve been enough by themselves in this eventual 4-1 win for the Lugnuts.
Designated hitter Nico Perez hit his third triple of the year, and the only extra-base hit for the Loons in this one. Those three triples are already more than what Perez had in his entire minor league career coming into this season.
Single-A Ontario
Let down by their pitching staff, the Tower Buzzers couldn’t hold on to a four-run lead after three—Ontario was beaten 9-7 by a Ports team that ran at will, finishing the game with six stolen bases without getting caught once. Three of those stolen bases belonged to first baseman Jared Sprague-Lott.
While it wasn’t enough for the win, Harlan secured three of Ontario’s seven RBI without leaving the yard. Joendry Vargas and Landyn Vidourek were the ones to homer for the sixth and third time this season, respectively.
For his outstanding work in May, Harlan was elected not only the Tower Buzzers’ but also the California League’s Player of the Month.
Chase Harlan is our Sofi Player of the Month and California League Player of the Month! ⚾️
Third baseman Chase Harlan batted .388/.481/.694 and led the California league in average (.388) and slugging percentage (.694).
— Ontario Tower Buzzers (@towerbuzzers) June 5, 2026
Transactions
Right-handed pitcher Evan Phillips began a rehab assignment with the OKC Comets. Shortstop Bryan Gonzalez Garcia was sent to Single-A while catcher Francisco Espinoza was placed on the 7-day injured list.
Thursday’s scores
Oklahoma City 5, Round Rock 4
Amarillo 3, Tulsa 7
Great Lakes 1, Lansing 4
Ontario 7, Stockton 9
Friday’s schedule
4:05 p.m. PT: Great Lakes (Brooks Auger) vs. Lansing (Ryan Magdic)
5:05 p.m. PT: Oklahoma City (TBD) vs. Round Rock (TBD)
5:05 p.m. PT: Tulsa (Peter Heubeck) at Amarillo (Adonys Perez)
6:35 p.m. PT: Ontario (TBD) vs. Stockton (Cole Miller)
May 27, 2026; San Diego, California, USA; San Diego Padres player Fernando Tatis Jr. comes off the field during the sixth inning against the Philadelphia Phillies at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: Denis Poroy-Imagn Images | Denis Poroy-Imagn Images
The New York Mets (27-35) say goodbye to the West Coast time zone with one final three-game set in California, this time against the San Diego Padres (32-29). This will be the first meeting between the two clubs in 2026 after the Padres took four of six last year, including all three at Petco Park. Since 2015, the Mets have lost 20 of 34 games they’ve played at Petco Park, although they’ve played San Diego to a .500 clip (16-16) overall in that stretch.
The Mets entered the series having lost five straight at Seattle’s T-Mobile Park, while the Mariners entered on a six-game winning streak overall. All the ingredients were there for the Mets to have a bad time, and for the most part they did with losses in the first two games (3-2 on Monday in ten innings, 8-3 on Tuesday), but they salvaged the finale with an impressive 7-1 win on Wednesday to halt their Seattle losing streak and end the Mariners’ eight-game winning streak.
The offense was a real sore point in the first two games, with all five runs coming via the homer. In Game 1, they managed just two hits—a Marcus Semien solo homer and a Jared Young solo shot. On Tuesday, the lone positive was Carson Benge collecting the first two-homer game of his young career as he continues to impress since the start of May. New York, who managed just nine runs over their seven-game losing streak in Seattle—you may remember that the Mets were swept there in 2024 while scoring just one run across the three losses during their mid-August slump—erupted for seven runs in the lineup thanks to a balanced offensive attack that was led by Bo Bichette’s first four-hit game as a member of the team. It was one of the more complete efforts they’ve had in a while, with seven of the nine starters picking up at least one hit. In addition to Bichette’s great game, AJ Ewing picked up three hits, while Jared Young and Luis Torrens each contributed two hits in the victory.
It seems like every time Bichette hits a real rut, he puts together one big game to temporarily silence the doubters. Following an 0-for-16 stretch, the team’s (momentary) shortstop strung together four hits, scored a run, and drove in three. It was a nice reprieve, but he’s still been one of the biggest hindrances in the lineup. He remains in the two-hole despite the struggles, and it’s fair to wonder when it might be time to start moving him down, especially to give guys like Ewing (who has also struggled, to be fair) some more time near the top of the lineup. This could give a young kid with speed some opportunities to create more runs for the club, but it remains to be seen if anything changes with the lineup.
Semien, who homered again in the first game, has been red hot as of late, even after coming off an 0-for-5 in the win. The biggest strength in his game so far has been his ability to drive in runs, as his numbers with runners in scoring position have been better than most of his teammates. With men in scoring position, Semien is slashing .340/.379/.420 with a 127 wRC+ in 50 at-bats this season. Comparatively, he’s hitting just .181/.235/.268 with a 45 wRC+ with nobody on base. At the very least, Semien is capitalizing when presented with an opportunity to contribute, even if his overall numbers are not good for the year. Since the start of the weekend series against the Marlins, he’s hitting .286/.348/.619 with two homers and a 171 wRC+ in the six games. Hey, it’s progress?
One player who has made very little progress as of late is Mark Vientos, who is putting together another poor showing after a great 2024 campaign, which has proven to be an outlier in an otherwise unimpressive major league career. On the year, Vientos is hitting .219/.254/.380 with a 78 wRC+ and a -0.6 fWAR in 53 games. Overall, he has been one of the least productive players in the sport, as his fWAR is ahead of only Marcell Ozuna in terms of qualified hitters in 2026. With Jorge Polanco on the rehab trail and set to resume first base duties if all goes well, Vientos’ spot on the roster could soon be in doubt. Beyond his inability to hit, he is also very slow and does not play any position well on the field. For more on Vientos’ shortcomings, I would direct you to Lukas Vlahos’ tremendous and comprehensive piece.
As one final aside, this will be the final time this season that the Mets have to play on Pacific Coast Time. In fact, the team does not go beyond the Central Time Zone again in 2026, and won’t unless they make a miraculous run to the postseason. It’s been a grueling and confusing schedule for New York, who had a six-game swing in St. Louis and San Francisco immediately after their opening weekend series, then returned home for six before heading straight out to Los Angeles and Chicago. Following a nine-game home stand, they again went out west for nine with Los Angeles (of Anaheim), Colorado, and Arizona. Following some recent travels within their division, they again embarked out west for Seattle and San Diego. I can only speculate as to what the schedule-makers were thinking here, but whatever it was, it wasn’t smart! It’s no excuse for the team’s poor play, but the constant ping ponging across the country has done little to help their efforts when most other teams have made no more than two west coast trips so far in 2026. On the bright side, this means they should, theoretically be more well-rested for the “stretch run”, should they not be too far out of it.
Whereas the Mets played a team in Seattle that was on a winning streak, they find San Diego on a downward trajectory as they enter the series on a five-game losing streak. After losing their last two games in May to the Nationals, they started June by getting swept in a three-game series against the Phillies. San Diego has now dropped into a second-place tie with the Diamondbacks in the National League West, 7 1/2 games behind the first-place Dodgers. They also find themselves out of the playoff picture, a half-game back of the third NL Wild Card spot.
San Diego, as an offense, is not performing all that much better than the Mets have been this season. In fact, both lineups enter play today with an 87 wRC+, though the Mets have scored 16 more runs (251) than the Padres (235). The Padres, to date, have scored the fewest runs as a team in all of baseball.
Much of that is due to the underperformance of the team’s core of stars, headlined by Fernando Tatis Jr. He enters this series hitting .270/.340/.323 with just one home run and a 94 wRC+ in a team-high 60 games, though he leads the club with a 1.1 fWAR. Then there’s Manny Machado, who is really struggling, hitting just .174/.262/.357 with a team-low 76 wRC+ among qualified hitters. This is all despite leading the team with 11 home runs, 29 runs scored, and 34 runs batted in. The team also recently DFA’ed Nick Castellanos, who was dead last on the club with a -0.8 fWAR and had a 53 wRC+ before being jettisoned off the roster. On a positive note, Ty France has had a solid season in San Diego, slashing .286/.328/.527 with a team-high 141 wRC+ and a 1.0 fWAR in 41 games.
Their pitching hasn’t been doing all that much better. Their rotation has a 4.55 ERA and a 4.44 FIP ( both 22nd in MLB). Just about the one area they excel at is relief, so if they have a lead late, it’ll be hard to come back. Their bullpen enters action with a 3.18 ERA, which is fourth best in baseball. This is mostly due to Mason Miller’s incredible performance this year, as the closer sports a sparkling 0.72 ERA with 17 saves and 49 strikeouts in 25 innings. Earlier this year, he had a 34 2/3 inning scoreless streak, the eighth-longest scoreless streak for a reliever since 1961.
Friday, June 5: Christian Scott vs. Michael King, 9:40 PM EDT on WPIX
It was a long time coming, but Scott finally earned his first major league victory in his 16th major league start. Scott was solid once again in his victorious effort, matching his season high with eight strikeouts while walking two and allowing one earned run on five hits over his five innings. Scott has been really strong in his last two starts, allowing just the one run over 10 2/3 innings, but both came against an offensively-challenged Marlins team, and the Padres will present a bigger challenge for the right-hander.
King’s numbers overall on the season are quite strong—among qualified National League starters, he’s 12th in ERA, 13th in HR/9 (0.79), 16th in K% (23.8%), 17th in bWAR (1.1), and 18th in FIP. However, his last two starts have not been good, with both resulting in losses. His last time out, he allowed five earned runs on five hits over six innings against the Nationals, a start that saw him walk one and strike out a season-low two batters. Prior to that, he allowed four earned runs on five hits in a season-low 3 2/3 innings against the Athletics. In that outing, he matched a season high by walking four batters and struck out four. Walks have been an issue for King, who has the second-worst BB% (10.6%) among qualified NL starters, trailing only Robbie Ray of the Giants.
Saturday, June 6: Nolan McLean vs. Griffin Canning, 10:10 PM EDT on SNY
McLean’s last start was encouraging, in so far as he didn’t give up seven-plus runs. However, there were still some reasons for concern. He allowed just one earned run on two hits over five innings, with the one run representing the fewest he’s given up in a start since May 8. The issue is that he walked a season-high five batters and only struck out two, which is decidedly not what you want from your budding ace. The positive that he was able to limit the damage, but he was constantly battling traffic and throwing stressful pitches. McLean remains a work in progress but is still one of their better options.
Canning has had a rough year in San Diego after performing relatively well with the Mets last year before suffering an Achilles injury that prematurely ended his time in New York. He’s yet to win a game while picking up four losses in his six games since debuting on May 3 for the Padres. His best outing was his season debut, as he limited the White Sox to one earned run on three hits while striking out a season-best seven. Since then, he’s allowed at least three earned runs in each of his five starts, including back-to-back outings in which he was tagged for six earned runs. He’s given up 28 hits and been charged with 22 earned runs in 27 2/3 innings while walking 15 and striking out 27. His last time out, he lost to the Nationals while giving up three earned runs on six hits over five innings.
Sunday, June 7: TBD (Likely Sean Manaea) vs. Randy Vásquez, 4:10 PM EDT on SNY
The Mets have not announced Sunday’s starter, which will likely be an opener with Sean Manaea taking on the bulk of the work in the middle innings. This worked well for the left-hander and the Mets his last time out, as he enjoyed more success than he has in any single outing this year. Manaea, who did not factor in the decision, allowed just one earned run on one hits, with one walk and four strikeouts. Aside from a solo homer, he was fairly spotless. The five innings also represents a season high.
Vásquez has been enjoying his best numbers since joining San Diego in 2023 as part of the Juan Soto trade. He’s had some mixed results, especially to end May, when he allowed seven earned runs on 14 hits over his final tow starts to the Dodgers and the Phillies, both resulting in losses. He rebounded his last time out to limit Philadelphia to two earned runs on five hits over five innings, though he did not factor in the decision in an eventual loss. He does have one start in which he shut out the Rockies for seven innings, and another where he shut out the Mariners over six frames. Arguably his best start of the year was his debut outing on March 28, when he scattered two hits over six shutout innings against the Tigers, a start that also saw him punch out a season-high eight hitters.
There are hockey legends in professional hockey, and then there's Jaromir Jagr.
As the NHL's second all-time leading scorer with 1,921 points, his career totals could have been higher if he had not lived through several NHL lockouts and had not spent a few seasons in the KHL.
Despite not skating in the league since the 2017-18 season, Jagr, who continues to play professionally in his native Czechia at 54, remains connected to the Stanley Cup Final through one of hockey's most bizarre streaks.
A former teammate of Jagr's has appeared in every Stanley Cup Final since 1980.
For those unaware of this wild statistic, Jagr played for the Pittsburgh Penguins, New York Rangers, Washington Capitals, Philadelphia Flyers, Dallas Stars, Boston Bruins, New Jersey Devils, Florida Panthers, and Calgary Flames. After 36 seasons of professional hockey, Jagr laced his skates with hundreds of teammates.
A few years ago, fans discovered the streak and have tracked it ever since, checking in every June to see whether another former teammate will keep Jagr's streak alive.
This year, because Jagr skated 22 games with the Flames during the 2017-18 season, he teamed with Rasmus Andersson (Vegas Golden Knights) and Mark Jankowski (Carolina Hurricanes), including setting up the latter's first NHL goal. Today, those two are facing off against one another in the Final, pushing Jagr's impossible streak to 46 seasons.
Here's a look at some of the teammates who played in the Stanley Cup Final since 1980 and played with Jagr at some point in their careers.
* Indicates that Jagr won a Stanley Cup with this teammate.
The 2027 Stanley Cup Final is still a year away, but fans will be scanning rosters on Opening Night to see which of Jagr's former teammates are still active, hoping this strange streak will be extended for another year.
Over the past week, the San Diego Padres lost five of the six games played. The Philadelphia Phillies just swept the season series 6-0, while the Padres have only won four of their last 15 games; losing five in a row. Some of those losses were by one run, but a loss is a loss. They now sit with a 32-29 record, in third place and 7 games behind the Dodgers.
Roster changes
Bench player Nick Castellanos was designated for assignment while outfielder Ramón Laureano was placed on the injured list with hip inflammation. The two best hitters at Triple-A El Paso were called up to provide some power potential and defensive flexibility, per manager Craig Stammen.
Jase Bowen, 25, has the potential to exhibit five tools but must show he can hit at the major league level. He can play all three outfield spots. Samad Taylor plays all three outfield spots and can play second base. Taylor has previous MLB experience with two other teams, but his experience is limited to 39 games.
More than one problem
The offense, which remains either the worst in baseball or the second worst in all offensive averages, is not the only problem for the Friars. Over the past nine games, in which the Padres lost eight, there have been two quality starts from the pitchers.
Griffin Canning lost 3-0 in the first game of the Phillies series at home despite going 6.2 innings with three runs allowed. Then seven games later, Walker Buehler pitched six innings against the Phillies in Philadelphia with one earned run allowed. Eventually losing 3-2, the Padres saw reliever Jason Adam allow two runs on three hits in 0.2 innings in the seventh inning.
The bullpen has seen some hiccups as well, dropping from its top slot. With a 3.18 ERA, the bullpen now sits fifth in the major league rankings. The only bright side to all the losing is that closer Mason Miller has worked once in the past nine games and should be well-rested.
Another award for Mason Miller
Speaking of Mason Miller, he won Reliever of the Month for May. This is his second time winning the award.
Manny Machado
Despite hitting .174 with a .619 OPS in 214 at-bats, Manny Machado remains on pace for his season norms for home runs and RBI. Machado has hit 11 home runs with 32 RBI despite striking out 58 times in 241 plate appearances (24% K rate). He doesn’t appear to be seeing the ball well and is uncharacteristically watching strikes pass through the center of the zone.
A shortened lineup
The bottom of the Padres lineup features hitters who have been below the Mendoza line (.200) for the season. Before his release, Castellanos was a participant at the bottom of the order and was hitting .191. Catchers Freddy Fermin (.126) and Rodolfo Durán (.083) are practically automatic outs with OBP percentages below .300.
Catcher Luis Campusano remains on the injured list with a broken toe and hasn’t begun his rehab yet. Catcher Blake Hunt, who has a better bat than either Fermin or Durán, just finished his rehab stint and has rejoined El Paso. There will still be some time before this situation can improve.
Before his injury, second baseman Jake Cronenworth was hitting .144 with a .272 OBP. When he plays, Sung-Mun Song hits in the bottom of the order with his .154 average and .290 OBP.
The two newly promoted bench players, Bowen and Taylor, will be hitting in the bottom third. The team can hope that they will settle in and improve on some of these numbers.
Fernando Tatis Jr.
OF/2B Fernando Tatis Jr. got his first home run of the season on May 30 against the Washington Nationals. Over the past 15 games, Tatis is hitting .379/.438/.466 with three RBI, five walks and three stolen bases.
After making almost constant adjustments during his hitting slump, Tatis seems to have found something that has unlocked his swing. He has also resumed his spot as the leadoff hitter, even though his OBP is .321 leading off. He swings at a lot of first pitches and his average as a leadoff hitter is .243.
Injury updates
RHP Germán Márquez began his rehab assignment with Triple-A El Paso on Tuesday. He threw 2.1 innings with a hit and three strikeouts while hitting 96 mph with his fastball. He has a 30-day rehab window.
RHP Nick Pivetta has begun a throwing program by playing catch. There is no timetable for his return.
RHP Joe Musgrove began his throwing program on Wednesday. He is also just playing catch at this point and there is no timetable for his return.
Cronenworth is progressing slowly with his baseball activities. Stammen has reported that Cronenworth is swinging a bat, throwing, doing some light running, and staying under medical care as his concussion symptoms begin to subside. There is no timetable for his return.
Campusano is in Arizona, working through his baseball activities in order to resume his work as a catcher. There has been no announcement on when he will begin his rehab assignment.
Two of my all-time favorite announcer calls are “Do you believe in miracles… Yes!” and “I don’t believe what I just saw.” Iconic quotes of iconic moments made by Al Michaels and Jack Buck, two of the all-time greats. With all due respect to both of them, despite the insane improbability of a Cubs team going through what it has the last three weeks, this comeback was actually the least surprising thing in this game to me.
Some thoughts I’ve had on social media tonight for discussion. This felt like a month’s worth of two-out runners in scoring position hits for the Cubs, all in one inning. For those not counting at home, there were three separate two-out runner(s) in scoring position hits for the Cubs in the ninth inning. There was an additional hit with two outs and a runner not in scoring position.
The other thought I had on social media was to wonder if a team can hit rock bottom in a game that they ended up winning? The team had two hits through six innings, four hits through seven (and eight) and then seven hits in the ninth inning. What even is that? I noted before the series that the A’s bullpen has been a bottom 10 bullpen in major league baseball this year. They had represented excellently in the first two games of the series. Your starter getting deep in all three games can make them look so much better. But then the A’s bullpen immolated in the ninth inning. I will say this, for all of the struggles of the Cubs, the Cub defense would not have let all seven of those hits find grass. We take it for granted, but this Cub defense makes a ton of plays others just can’t.
On top of the not hitting, there was a caught stealing in the middle of the rally. I know the conventional wisdom is that you don’t make the first or the third out on the bases in an inning. But I don’t really know how you can get caught stealing down two in the ninth either. I think you take second if they are giving it to you, but the A’s were in no way giving it to you. I love Nico, but I didn’t like the strategy there. I thought sure the rally was doomed there.
Then there was the missed fly ball. I love Pete Crow-Armstrong. Absolutely, the Cubs don’t win this game without his bat. But boy was that a tough watch. I saw someone say it and I’m not sure I’ve ever seen someone miss one so bad. He had to have picked up something else off of the bat and ran to completely the wrong spot on the field. In those spots, I have trouble getting mad directly at the player. The Cubs have benefitted from so many high flys at Wrigley this year that were lost in some combination of lighting and the elements. It happens. If you ever played much outfield, or probably even infield, I suspect this has happened to you somewhere along the way. But as brutal a play as you’ll ever see.
Shōta Imanaga threw quite well early in this game, but after the missed fly, he seemed to unravel. If things weren’t bad enough, that missed fly looks like a booming homer on his line. The three he allowed that left the park were not cheapies. You had to know that it was pretty dicey seeing Imanaga pitching on a night when the wind is blowing out pretty good. Simply not ideal. If there is any rebound in the Cubs, I have to imagine that in some order Ben Brown, Edward Cabrera and Matthew Boyd are their top three pitchers. You then just have to hope you can pick spots adequately with all of your depth pitchers. But if Imanaga, Colin Rea and Jameson Taillon are starting key games, this team is probably in trouble.
For math purposes, the Cubs had 3.9 percent chance of winning heading to the bottom of the ninth. Happ’s RBI double with one out had it up to 11.5 and Hoerner’s single sent it to 20.9 percent. But it cratered to 4.6 percent with the caught stealing. Seiya Suzuki’s single sent it to 16.7 percent. Dansby Swanson’s single sent it to 63.5 percent. A giant Wheee! And the Cubs walk it off for the seventh time this season. Incredible.
Three Positives:
I’ve never singled out a stat for a slot here, but the Cubs were 6-for-10 with runners in scoring position, left just four men in base and had three two-out RBI, all in the ninth inning.
Pete Crow-Armstrong had two hits, one a homer, was hit by a pitch, stole a base and delivered the walk-off winner for his first such hit of his MLB career. Kudos to a very alert Clark who located the ball in the outfield and grabbed it for PCA’s souvenir collection and almost fell over trying to scoop it up while holding the W flag.
Ian Happ double, homer, three runs driven in, two runs scored. I laughed because one fairly recognizable Cub fan on twitter called the two-run homer a meaningless homer in a losing cause. I’m sure he’s happy to be wrong. You never know. That’s why you keep playing.
An additional hat tip to Trent Thornton and particularly Ryan Rolison. 12 batters between them — Rolison recorded five outs on five hitters, striking out three — and holding the line. Again, it looks like they were just holding the line, but it turned out they kept it just within reach. Though PCA’s single probably scores two with two out.
Game 63, June 4: Cubs 7, A’s 6 (33-30)
Reminder: Heroes and Goats are determined by WPA scores and are in no way subjective.
Billy Goat: Shata Imanaga (-.191). 6 IP, 6 H, BB, 6 ER, 5 K
Goat: Nico Hoerner (-.152). 1-4, CS
Kid: Alex Bregman (-.082). 1-4, 2B, R
WPA Play of the Game: Dansby Swanson’s two-out, game-tying, RBI-single in the ninth inning. (.468)
A’s Play of the Game: Jonah Heim throwing out Nico Hoerner trying to steal second with a nice tag by Alika Williams at second. (.163)
Cubs Player of the Game:
Game 62 Winner: Colin Rea nudged Ian Happ 46-42 (131 votes)
Rizzo Award Standings: (Top 5/Bottom 5)
The award is named for Anthony Rizzo, who finished first in this category three of the first four years it was in existence and four times overall. He also recorded the highest season total ever at +65.5. The point scale is three points for a Superhero down to negative three points for a Billy Goat.
Michael Busch +21
Nico Hoerner +111
Ian Happ +10.5
Michael Conforto +10
Ben Brown +9.5
Ryan Rolison/Phil Maton/Jameson Taillon/Caleb Thielbar -8
Matt Shaw -10
Dansby Swanson -11
Seiya Suzuki -29.5
Win Pace: 84.9
Up Next: The Giants (25-38) come to town fresh off of winning two games in a row in Milwaukee to take that three game series. But they are 3-7 in their last 10. Edward Cabrera (3-2, 4.00, 54 IP) comes off of the injured list after a minimum stay there for blisters on his throwing hand. He was 0-2 with a 5.79 in May. Hopefully, this was exactly the kind of reset he needed.
How about another lefty starter? The Cubs have been struggling to win games started by left-handed starters recently. Robbie Ray is 3-6 with a 4.45 ERA in 62.2 innings. The former 12th-round pick of the Nationals back in 2010 is having a tough season. He had a decent start last time out against the Rockies, allowing just one run on five hits and two walks in four innings. He hasn’t completed five innings since May 8.
The Giants bullpen is 28th in strikeouts, 25th in WHIP, but 16th in ERA. They only have a collective seven losses, tied for second best in baseball. So all of the losing is actually happening while the starter is still in there. Even with the series win in Milwaukee, the Giants are just 13-22 on the road.
I know it is a big ask, but the Cubs need to sweep this team.
ATLANTA, GEORGIA - JUNE 4: Vladimir Guerrero Jr. #27 of the Toronto Blue Jays reacts after scoring during the third inning against the Atlanta Braves at Truist Park on June 4, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Todd Kirkland/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Yankees managed to salvage a win and avoid a sweep by the Guardians at Yankee Stadium on the back of strong solid pitching from Carlos Rodón, shutdown bullpen work, and some clutch hitting by Ryan McMahon. With the win, the Yankees climb to within a half-game of the Rays, who had the day off. The win came as a much-needed positive boost in an otherwise troubling day in Yankees universe, the team finally confirming that Aaron Judge has been dealing with a stress fracture in his ribcage that will sideline the captain for a minimum of four-to-six weeks.
It was an otherwise quiet day around the league, with only the Blue Jays in action among the Yankees’ AL rivals. They themselves avoided a sweep with a hit parade in the final game against the Braves in Atlanta, Toronto amassing seven runs on 16 hits against the best team in baseball.
Toronto Blue Jays (30-33) 7, Atlanta Braves (42-21) 2
The ageless Chris Sale continues to defy Father Time, but the Blue Jays lineup appeared to be seeing the ball as well as any team that has faced him this season. They put him to the sword early and never let up that constant pressure. Sale was lucky to escape the first two innings unscathed. George Springer doubled and Ernie Clement singled to lead off the first, but Sale got Vladimir Guerrero Jr. to fly out and struck out the next two batters to strand the pair. An inning later, Nathan Lukes drew a leadoff walk and Tyler Heineman singled with one out to put another pair on, but Sale once again stranded the runners in place.
He would not be so fortunate in the third with Toronto continuing to press forward. Vladdy doubled with one out and Kazuma Okamoto reached on an infield single to put runners on first and second for the third straight inning. This time, Charles McAdoo — called up to replace the injured Lenyn Sosa and handed his MLB debut last week — broke through, lining a single up the middle to plate Vladdy and advance Okamoto to second. Sale then hit Lukes with a first-pitch sinker to load the bases for Myles Straw, whose ground ball single up the middle allowed Okamoto and McAdoo to score, though Sale avoided further damage by getting Heineman to ground into the inning ending double play that included Lukes getting thrown out at the plate.
The Blue Jays had to love this early production against Sale considering they countered the Braves ace with a bullpen game. Opener Mason Fluharty recorded the first four outs before handing the ball to bulk man Chad Dallas making his MLB debut, and the 25-year-old righty held the potent Atlanta offense to a run on two hits and two walks in 3.2 innings. He backed himself into a corner in the bottom of the third, yielding a leadoff single to Ronald Acuña Jr., who then stole second and advanced to third on a Mauricio Dubón single. Matt Olson plated Acuña with a sac fly that also advanced Dubón to third, and a two-out walk of Michael Harris Jr. put runners on the corners. However, Dallas made a slick behind-the-back grab on a Dominic Smith grounder up the middle to end the threat.
From there, the game settled into a pitchers’ duel in the middle innings, the Blue Jays continuing to apply pressure without finding the timely hit that would put the game to bed. Sale allowed a pair of singles to Vladdy and Lukes in the fifth but induced a Straw line out to end the frame. A Springer two-out walk followed by a Clement single knocked Sale from the game in the sixth, but reliever Didier Fuentes got Vladdy to ground out to strand another pair of Toronto base runners and wrap up Sale’s final line at three runs on ten hits and two walks with six strikeouts in 5.2 innings.
It looked like these wasted opportunities would come back to haunt the Blue Jays when Dubón crushed a no-doubter solo shot in the eighth off a hanging 1-0 Braydon Fisher slider to pull within one. However, they erupted for four runs in the ninth inning off reliever-turned-starter-turned-reliever Reynaldo López to arrive at a 7-2 scoreline that didn’t flatter them in the slightest. Clement and Vladdy clubbed a pair of singles to leadoff the inning, but López quickly retired the next two hitters and came within a strike of escaping the jam to send his offense to the bottom of the ninth trailing by just a run. However, Lukes kept fouling off pitches until he was able to line a single to right to plate Clement and move Vladdy to second. From there, the floodgates opened, Straw singling Vladdy home and Heineman doubling to score both Lukes and Straw. In the blink of an eye, the Blue Jays turned a one run lead into an insurmountable five run lead to salvage a win from this series despite stranding 12 base runners on the day.
May 26, 2026; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Baltimore Orioles pitcher Shane Baz (34) pitches in the first inning against the Tampa Bay Rays at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Mandatory Credit: Jamie Sabau-Imagn Images | Jamie Sabau-Imagn Images
Does it feel like you just read the preview for a series with the Toronto Blue Jays? That’s because you did. These two teams just played each other last weekend, although then it was in Baltimore. This weekend it is in Toronto. The two teams split that series. The Blue Jays took the first two games and the Orioles took the last two.
The Orioles and Blue Jays have the same record, 30-33. It would be really cool to leave Toronto with the Orioles ahead of the Blue Jays in the standings. I haven’t been paying much attention to the AL East standings, what with the Orioles so far behind the Rays and Yankees, but it would still be fun to have a better record than the defending AL champions.
One good thing about the Orioles is that in their last 11 games, they have gone 8-3. The thing is, two of those losses came to the team they are playing this weekend.
Before heading into the series matchups, I am going to shamelessly steal two paragraphs from my colleague, Alex Church. He wrote the series preview for last weekend’s series. And let’s be honest, not much enough time has passed for much to change.
The Jays have been trying to overcome early injuries to several key players. The team lost Dylan Cease, José Berríos, Shane Bieber, and Max Scherzer from its rotation. Alejandro Kirk is out with a left thumb fracture, and our old pal Anthony Santander has yet to make an impact for his new team after undergoing left shoulder labral surgery.
Former international free agent Kazuma Okamoto leads the team with 11 home runs. Vlad Guerrero Jr., George Springer, Daulton Varsho, and Jesús Sánchez remain offensive threats. Louis Varland (2-1, 0.31 ERA) has taken over the closer job from near Orioles Jeff Hoffman (3-3, 4.81 ERA). I can’t imagine Hoffman will find much pity in the comment section.
This is a rematch of game three of last week’s series. The Orioles won that one, but only because Jeff Hoffman and Connor Seabold blew the game in the ninth inning. The Orioles managed just one run in five innings against Yesavage, even though he walked seven batters. Hopefully, the Orioles take better advantage this time. Although Yesavage is a pretty good pitcher so I wouldn’t expect seven walks again.
Brandon Young’s ERA is down to 3.35! So far, his 2026 is turning out a lot better than I expected. He is coming off back-to-back starts in which he went 6.2 innings with two runs allowed. I will take that every start of his for the rest of the season. Against the Blue Jays last week, Young struck out seven and walked one. He allowed seven hits, two of which were doubles.
It seems the vintage Kyle Bradish is back, and the Blue Jays saw it for themselves last Sunday. He pitched seven innings with just one unearned run allowed. He walked three and allowed four hits. Since giving up five runs in four innings to the Yankees on May 2nd, Bradish has made five starts and has pitched at least six innings in four of them. He has allowed 3, 0, 2, 1, and 1 runs in those starts. Keep it up, Kyle!
In the game last Sunday, Bradish faced Spencer Miles, who is not a regular starter. Miles was not good, so the matchup will not repeat. As of this writing, there is no word on who will get the ball.
Old friend alert! Former Oriole, Kevin Gausman, is scheduled to pitch the series finale. The Orioles missed Guasman in the last series, but couldn’t avoid him forever. Gausman is in the last year of his five-year contract with the Jays, and he has given them their money’s worth. He has not only been effective, with a 3.47 ERA over five seasons, but he has been durable. He made at least 31 starts every year from 2022-25, and is on track to do so again this season.
The overall numbers haven’t caught up yet, but Shane Baz is starting to turn things around. Over his last four starts, he has looked like the kind of guy you sign to a friendly extension. He has pitched seven innings in three of his last four starts, and is pitching confidently. Baz missed the Blue Jays last week but pitched seven innings against the Red Sox instead.
So what do you think? How will the Orioles do this weekend against the Blue Jays? Put your answers in the comments below!
CLEARWATER, FL - MARCH 21: Gage Wood #41 of the Philadelphia Phillies walks to the dugout prior to the game between the Toronto Blue Jays and the Philadelphia Phillies at BayCare Ballpark on Saturday, March 21, 2026 in Clearwater, Florida. (Photo by Nathan Ray Seebeck/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Another good night for Clearwater was the only saving grace among the Phillies system last night, as the Threshers were the only one of the Phillies’ affiliates to win their game. Even still, there were some standout performances in those other losses.
Rochester 7, Lehigh Valley 1
The Iron Pigs managed just one run on four hits against the Red Wings’ pitching staff led by starter Jackson Kent while Lehigh Valley’s Nolan Hoffman and Gabriel Barbossa surrendered 5 runs on 6 hits in just three combined innings. The only run of the game for the Pigs came in the second when catcher Paul McIntosh singled to left with two outs to bring in Keaton Anthony. Anthony continued his impressive hitting, collecting two of the Pigs’ four hits and bringing his season average to .333 with a .968 OPS.
Binghamton 2, Reading 1 (10)
Gage Wood impressed again for the Fightin’ Phils, going four innings and allowing one run, a home run in the first inning, on four hits with no walks and 4 strikeouts. He threw 56 pitches, 39 for strikes on the night. But the Reading offense couldn’t back him up, as they scored just one run on three hits which came in the fifth on a Cade Fergus bases loaded sacrifice fly. The game was tied at 1-1 heading into extras, but the Fightin’ Phils couldn’t plate their ghost runner in the top of the inning while the Rumble Ponies did with a single from D’Andre Smith to walk it off against Daniel Harper.
Brooklyn 5, Jersey Shore 2
The Blue Claws continued the theme of the night across the system, as they managed just 2 runs despite totaling 8 hits. They went 1-6 with runners in scoring position and plated their runs with a Luis Caicuto home run in the eighth and a Trent Farquhar RBI double that scored Devan Saltiban in the ninth. The aforementioned home run was part of a three hit day for Caicuto, as the catcher/DH now sports an .848 OPS. Jersey starter Mavis Graves racked up 7 strikeouts in just 4 innings of work but allowed three runs on just three hits including a home run.
Clearwater 10, Mets 4
The Threshers saved the night with another good win against the Port St. Lucie Mets, this time with an offensive explosion as every hitter in the starting lineup except Juan Villavicencio had at least one hit and four starters had at least two. One such two-hit game was for Alirio Ferrebus, as the bus kept chugging along with a 2-5 showing including an RBI and two runs scored. His average is now up to .339 with a .928 OPS. Cade Obermueller started on the mound for Clearwater and punched out six in three innings of work with one run allowed. Tegan Cain however allowed three runs in the eighth on a two-out, bases-loaded double after allowing the bases to become loaded with a single, a hit-by-pitch, and a walk.
HOUSTON, TX - APRIL 09 : J.R. Towles #46 of the Houston Astros against the Florida Marlins in a MLB game on April 9, 2011 at Minute Maid Park in Houston, Texas. The Marlins won 4 to 3. (Photo by Thomas B. Shea / Getty Images) | Getty Images
J.R. Towles is one of two Astros to have driven in 8 runs in a contest, sharing that distinction with Yuri Guerriel. We catch up with the former catcher in our 22nd installment of our Legends Series.
Q: What do you remember about your debut on September 5th, 2007 against the Brewers in Milwaukee?
A: I remember flying first class (laughs). Honestly, I was just looking forward to it. I didn’t know what number I would be, I was just looking forward to seeing the field. It was a whirlwind event.
It was awesome that my locker mate was Lance Berkman because I had been cheering him on for so long and now all of a sudden, I get to share a locker with him which was incredible at the time.
Q: Were you surprised you got into that first game late?
A: Yeah. I wasn’t expecting to get in but we were losing by several runs, so I went down to the bullpen to start getting familiar because I hadn’t caught any of those guys. I didn’t have time to get nervous. I was just there.
I didn’t get nervous until they told me that I would start in five days and I would catch Wandy Rodriguez.
Q: Was Wandy an underrated pitcher?
A: He was underrated, no doubt. He was sneaky with his pitches, and his breaking ball was really good.
Q: A few weeks later, you drove in 8 runs in a game. How crazy was that?
A: I catch myself thinking about that. It gets brought up every year, which is pretty cool. My kids are a little bit older now, 15, 14 and 11, and they get to start seeing things and when they bring my name up on TV, it’s fun for them.
Q: How good was Roy Oswalt’s stuff when you caught him?
A: Roy was electric. I enjoyed catching him. He was a small-town guy like me, so us country boys had a lot of good talks in the clubhouse. His slow curveball was something else.
Q: You are still in the area, what are you up to now?
A: Just north of Tomball, I’m coaching a team which I’ve been doing for a few years, and now I’m taking my national registry for an EMT, and I’ll be starting firefighting school on July 11th.
I hope to get hired in the fall in Magnolia. There are some similarities in terms of lifestyle, the firehouse and being around your teammates is similar to a clubhouse, having that camaraderie. I’m looking forward to it.
