ATLANTA, GEORGIA - JUNE 2: Bryce Elder #55 of the Atlanta Braves pitches during the first inning against the Toronto Blue Jays at Truist Park on June 2, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Todd Kirkland/Getty Images) | Getty Images
With a pitching matchup that favors the Blue Jays on paper, even with Bryce Elder’s solid performance this season, the Braves got off to a dream start in the first, with a Ronald Acuna turning into a run with a Michael Harris double.
Harris came around on a groundout and a sac fly for a 2-0 lead going into the second. They needed those runs, as the Blue Jays came right back with a two run homer in the second, evening things back up. The Atlanta offense managed a Yaztrzemski gapped double, but the back of the order couldn’t bring him around in the second, though they did turn the lineup over for the third inning. Bryce worked a clean inning and a Matt Olson two-out double converted, as an Ozzie single brought him home for a 3-2 lead.
After a couple clean frames, the Blue Jays came back in the fifth with a single, double, and a sac fly to bring the game level at 3. That didn’t last for long, as Matt Olson got under one for a 109.8 MPH fly ball at 49 degrees that was carried into the Chop House by wind for a go-ahead solo home run. 4-3 Braves.
Bryce Elder carried the game into the seventh and recorded two outs before being replaced by Robert Suarez, with Walt Weiss clearly hoping to make that one run lead stick. Suarez did his job, recording a strikeout to end the seventh, and another to end the eighth, after a quiet seventh from the Atlanta offense.
Raisel made things a bit hairy in the ninth, as he allowed two singles, but a strikeout and two pop-ups closed out his 29th straight save and another win for the Braves. That puts Atlanta at 41-20 on the year and in a great position to take another series win at home, having beaten Gausman, facing Patrick Corbin tomorrow, and with Chris Sale on the mound Thursday. This was a coin-flip game, but Bryce Elder, Robert Suarez, and Raisel Iglesias were able to stop the coin with the Braves’ side up once Matt Olson hit that homer.
Join us tomorrow as Grant Holmes takes the mound with a relatively fresh bullpen against Patrick Corbin for Toronto.
Jun 2, 2026; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Baltimore Orioles catcher Adley Rutschman (35) and relief pitcher Rico Garcia (50) celebrate beating the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images | Eric Canha-Imagn Images
The Orioles picked up a tidy win tonight against the Red Sox, 4-2. They used a few long balls, a little small ball, and one very good starting pitching performance to prevail over the last-place team in the AL East. If you fancy yourself a good team, these are the teams you have to beat. And tonight, the Orioles did just that.
The first inning of this game did not feel like a good omen, but thankfully, it was not indicative of how things turned out. Taylor Ward started with an eight-pitch walk, then Gunnar Henderson doubled down the left field line. Ward landed at third and the Orioles had two runners in scoring position with no outs.
They blew it. The big trio of Adley Rutschman, Pete Alonso, and Samuel Basallo was unable to bring even one runner home. It felt bad in the moment, and worse when Jarren Duran led off the bottom of the first with a triple. He hit the ball to left field and it kicked off the wall and bounced away from Ward. Two batters later, Wilyer Abreu did what the Orioles could not and hit a long fly ball to score a run. Baz also walked a batter in the inning, but got out with a 1-0 deficit.
But it was only one run, and after that, the Orioles stepped up on both sides of the ball. Baz continued his string of strong starts. After the Duran double, he did not allow another hit until the fifth inning. That’s also when he allowed his next run. In that stretch, Baz retired the side in order in the second, third, and fourth. And he did it with a manageable pitch count.
Mickey Gasper started the bottom of the fifth with a single, then moved around the bases on a wild pitch, a fly ball out, and another sac fly to give the Red Sox their second run in the game. It was good work manufacturing the run by Boston, but that was all they got. Caleb Durbin followed the sac fly with a double, but was stranded on a Duran strikeout.
Baz had an easy sixth inning and started the seventh with a walk to Gasper, which I admit had me worried. When the lead is only two runs, every baserunner is dangerous. But Isiah Kiner-Falefa hit into a double play, turned very nicely by Coby Mayo and Blaze Alexander. Then Marcelo Mayer flew out to end the inning and Baz’s night.
And what a nice night it was. His fastball was sitting at 96-98 mph throughout, but what he really relied on was his knuckle curve. He threw it 39 times out of 94 pitches and got either a whiff or a called strike a third of the time. Five of his six strikeouts came on the knuckle curve. Baz’s final pitching line was 7 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 BB, 6 K. Over his last four starts, Baz has pitched seven innings three times. The fourth time he pitched six. He’s allowed seven runs in those four starts, which comes out to a 2.33 ERA. He has dropped his overall ERA from 5.48 to 4.29.
With starts like that, you don’t need too many runs. But they got to the Red Sox starting lefty, Connelly Early, for four runs in 5.1 innings. You love to see them hit a lefty.
After flubbing up the top of the first, the Orioles got right back to business in the second inning. After the broadcast posted an adorable pic of Coby Mayo proposing to his girlfriend on the off day yesterday, Mayo celebrated with a ball over the Green Monster. It actually hit off the top of the wall and bounced back into play, needing a crew chief review to confirm it as a dinger. But confirmed it was, and Mayo rounded the bases to tie the game at one.
They untied it in the very next inning. Rutschman lined a single back up the middle and Alonso absolutely smoked a ball to left field. Unlike Mayo’s Monster scraper, this one was a bullet that landed several rows back. It was measured at 400 feet and gave the Orioles a 3-1 lead.
The Orioles had one more run in them, and this time, Tyler O’Neill got involved. I know! I was surprised too. O’Neill, who probably has very fond memories of his hitting at Fenway Park back in 2024, singled on a line drive and then stole second base. Yes, he did! Leody Taveras bunted him over to third, and Alexander brought him home with a sac fly. After the two home runs, the Orioles wanted to give some love to the small-ball aficionados.
It’s a good thing they didn’t need any more runs, because they didn’t get any. The bats quieted down after the fourth inning. Early pitched into the sixth, and relief pitcher Greg Weissert was very tough. He retired all five batters he faced, and struck out three.
The Orioles tried to make some noise in the eighth inning, but were thwarted by a bad call and some bad luck. Gunnar Henderson appeared to beat out a ground ball, but it was called out on the field. The call stood on challenge, even though replays seemed to favor Gunnar. Rutschman walked and Alonso singled after the play, but then Alonso was hit by a Samuel Basallo ball and called out. He just couldn’t get out of the way of it. Mayo popped out to end the inning.
The bullpen was outstanding tonight, although I admit to being a little nervous to see Andrew Kittredge with just a two-run lead. But Kittredge allowed just a two-out single and has now had five straight scoreless appearances. The magnificent Rico Garcia came in for the save in the ninth and, as expected, got three quick outs to end the game. I love an easy wrap up!
Orioles win, 4-2, and kicked off June in a good way. Since being swept by the Rays in mid-May, they have gone 8-3. They are now three games shy of .500. They are back in action tomorrow at 6:45 with Chris Bassitt on the mound.
It was always expected that 20-year-old Anton Silayev would transistion his game to North America for the 2026-27 season, and on Monday morning, New Jersey Devils general manager Sunny Mehta made it a reality by announcing the club signed the towering defenseman to a three-year, entry-level contract.
After he put pen to paper, Silayev and some of his family members celebrated the youngster’s latest achievement by taking a boat out and spending time on the water.
BIG deal? Yeah, we'd say so.
We've signed Anton Silayev to a three-year, entry-level contract.
Standing at 6-foot-7 and weighing in at 210 pounds, Silayev completed the 2025-26 season with Nizhny Novgorod of the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL). He appeared in 61 regular-season games, collecting three points (one goal, two assists). Playing in a limited role under head coach Alexei Isakov, the defenseman gained experience and understanding that his future self will be grateful for.
Under his former head coach, Igor Larionov, Silayev played around 18 minutes per game. This past season, under new head coach Alexei Isakov, his ice time dropped, sometimes dipping below 10 minutes. Understandably, the decreased role and limited opportunities influenced the defenseman’s confidence.
It also provided a valuable lesson.
It is not the amount of ice time given, but how impactful a player can prove to be within the minutes provided. By the time the playoffs began, Silayev’s ice time did improve, and he collected two assists in 10 playoff games. He ended the season playing for Nizhny Novgorod’s junior team in the MHL playoffs, picking up two assists in four games.
Drafted 10th overall in the 2024 NHL Draft, the youngster has always been compared to Tampa Bay Lightning captain Victor Hedman.
“He is 6-7, great size, but you quickly see his agility and footwork for that size, among the best you see at that age,” said Devils chief scout Mark Dennehy to NJD.TV after selecting Silayev. “He is mobile for his size with great defensive range. He is a pest to play against. He plays with a mean streak. Good shot, good hands.”
But direct comparissons aren’t always fair, are they? Especially given the amount of work in front of Silayev as he begins this chapter of his professional career.
There are two major components that Silayev will need to work on upon his arrival this summer. The first is the game itself. He needs to understand the mentality of a North American coach compared to that of a KHL head coach. His agent believes that Silayev, having played under Larionov, a former Devils player and Hockey Hall of Famer, will be an advantage in this regard, as he shared that North American mentality. In that same vein, the left-shot defenseman will need to learn the mindset and perspective of the rest of the coaching staff, management, trainers, and his new teammates.
Learning and improving his English remains a priority, and there is a belief he will pick it up quickly. Thankfully, there is a support team in place to help make the rookie’s transistion as smooth as possible. While his agent is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, his business partner, Peter Wallen, is within driving distance of New Jersey.
In addition to learning the dynamics of the people within the Devils organization, there is also the expanded 84-game NHL schedule.
“It is 84 games that you have to play 100% every night, every period, every shift,” Silayev’s agent shared. “I would say the first 10 games, you play on your emotions because you are in a new league, and everything is different and new.
“After those 10 games, it becomes routine, and you have to have the desire to come to the hockey rink and be ready for practice and for the game. It is very important,” he continued. “This is the stuff we explain to him, and he knows. There is a bunch of work to do.”
When he arrives, and training camp begins, one of the biggest questions is if he will start the season in New Jersey or with the Utica Comets, the organization’s American Hockey League (AHL) team. With an influx of defensemen at both levels, it seems Mehta and Comets’ general manager Braden Birch will have work to do to make everyone fit.
As it currently stands, New Jersey’s blue line includes Dennis Cholowski, Brenden Dillon, Dougie Hamilton, Luke Hughes, Johnathan Kovacevic, Simon Nemec, Brett Pesce, and Jonas Siegenthaler. In Utica, several defensemen are already under contract for 2026-27, including Seamus Casey, Mikaël Diotte, Ethan Edwards, and Jeremy Hanzel. It is worth noting that the latter spent last season in the ECHL with the Adirondack Thunder. Additionally, Topias Vilén and Calen Addison are restricted free agents, while Colton White is an unrestricted free agent.
Similar to last season, when winger Arseny Gritsyuk transitioned his game here, the Devils organization doesn’t quite know what they have with Silayev until they see him here in North America, and then they can understand exactly where he is at relative to NHL hockey.
Silayev is currently working on his work permit and will aim to arrive well before training camp begins to get acquainted with the city and what life away from the rink looks like, so that his focus will be 100 percent on hockey and the Devils when the 2026-26 season gets underway.
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PHOENIX, ARIZONA - SEPTEMBER 23: Starter Shohei Ohtani #17 of the Los Angeles Dodgers pitches against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the fifth inning at Chase Field on September 23, 2025 in Phoenix, Arizona. The Diamondbacks defeated the Dodgers 5-4. (Photo by Chris Coduto/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Shohei Ohtani makes his 10th pitching start of the season for the Dodgers on Wednesday night against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field in Phoenix.
Ohtani started once at Chase Field last year with the Dodgers, tossing six scoreless innings with eight strikeouts last September 23. Beginning with that start, Ohtani has pitched at least six innings in 12 of his last 13 starts on regular rest (excluding Game 7 of the World Series, on three days rest). He started once more in Phoenix with the Angels, allowing two runs in five innings with eight strikeouts on June 11, 2021.
Zac Gallen, the opening day starter for the D-backs, starts for Arizona on Wednesday. He lost on March 26 on Dodger Stadium, allowing four runs in four innings. He followed that up with a 2.19 ERA and 4.14 xERA in April, then a 7.04 ERA and 5.40 xERA in May. This will be his first start of June.
Jun 2, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Phillies first baseman Bryce Harper (3) celebrates his two-run home run with left fielder Brandon Marsh (16) against the San Diego Padres during the fourth inning at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images | Eric Hartline-Imagn Images
Less than a week after they swept them on their home turf, the Philadelphia Phillies (31-29) played host to the San Diego Padres (32-27) and took game one of the midweek series 3-2 on Tuesday night.
Aaron Nola made his second consecutive start against the Padres and went five innings striking out eight and allowing just two runs on a home run by Gavin Sheets in the third inning.
Bryce Harper leveled the score in the bottom of the fourth with a two-run blast of his own, his 14th of the season, after a Trea Turner single.
The Phillies scored the go-ahead run on an Alec Bohm double play, his first of two in the game.
Jose Alvarado picked up the win and led the way for Nola’s relief corps, followed by Orion Kerkering, Brad Keller and Jhoan Duran, who combined for four scoreless innings.
Keller allowed a lead-off single to Fernando Tatis, Jr., his third of the night, and allowed another hit to Miguel Andujar but got out of the jam after a rundown blunder by Tatis between second and third.
Duran struck out the side in the top of the ninth for his 13th save in as many tries.
25-year-old outfielder, Jase Bowen, made his MLB debut for the Pads in left field and got his first big league hit in his third at bat in the seventh inning off Kerkering, but was meekly dispatched by Duran for the game’s final out on three swings on balls outside the zone.
Brandon Marsh went four for four, all singles, to raise his average to .332, second in the NL behind Miami’s Otto Lopez.
Cristopher Sanchez will look to extend his franchise best scoreless innings streak tomorrow night against Walker Buehler.
The Carolina Hurricanes couldn't have asked for a better start to the Stanley Cup Final.
Just 25 seconds into the game, Hurricanes forward Nikolaj Ehlers kicked off the scoring, taking a puck from the defensive blueline all the way up and finishing past Vegas netminder Carter Hart.
Ehlers' tally was the third fastest Stanley Cup Final opening goal in NHL history and he didn't stop there.
Just over 12 minutes later, Ehlers would get sprung on another breakaway, this time deking out Hart and sliding one through the five-hole to double up the home team's lead.
Ehlers became the first player to score twice in the opening period of a Stanley Cup Final since Al MacInnis in 1989.
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SAN ANTONIO — A season ago, Mikal Bridges led the league in total minutes played. Josh Hart was second. OG Anunoby was in the top 10. The three of them, as well as Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns, all averaged at least 35 minutes a game.
When the Knicks lost to the Pacers in the Eastern Conference Finals, part of the reason was that then-coach Tom Thibodeau had worn out their legs getting to that point, and he was slow to trust Landry Shamet and other players off the bench with serious minutes.
This season, Thibodeau was out, and Mike Brown was in and among his mandates was the need to grow and develop the Knicks' bench.
"It's a philosophy I had. One of the many things I learned from Pop [Gregg Popovich] and Steve [Kerr]," Brown said, referring to legends he was an assistant coach under. "Steve was really good at trying to play a lot of different guys...
"Then at the end of the day, I'm not a medical person, but just from what medical people say, if you can kind of control the minutes during the regular season, it helps them during the postseason. From people telling me that, I believe it. That's what I tried to do."
It worked. The Knicks bench — primarily Shamet, Miles McBride and Mitchell Robinson, but others in spots — have been a key part of why New York is not only back in the NBA Finals for the first time in 27 years. If there is a parade in Manhattan celebrating the team's first title in 53 years, that bench will play a huge role.
Not easy getting there
It does not mean it was all smooth sailing to get to this point.
Did Josh Hart see that bigger picture Brown was looking at when Hart sat glued to the bench for some clutch fourth quarters during the regular season?
"No, I definitely didn't see the bigger picture in those moments," Hart said. "There was moments I went home and I'm like, damn, am I ass? Do I suck as a basketball player? There was a lot of those moments. Whenever your minutes go down or you get benched, you have that thought process. But for me, it was, okay, how can I build off of it?"
Hart eventually came around.
"Now I'm cool with it, sometimes," he said. "Game 1 [of the Eastern Conference Finals] I got benched because Landry was out there hooping, and I was happy about it. But that took a little bit of time and self-reflection to get to that point."
The Knicks have developed a unity and a willingness to put ego and personal production aside for the greater good of the team. They support their teammates in a way not always seen around the league.
"Truthfully, with this team — I've said it a number of times — we've got a group that truly roots for each other, wants each other to succeed..." Landry Shamet said. "Look at our bench, different guys throughout the playoffs that have been inserted, have had to step up, play bigger roles in certain situations. There's a lot of reasons on paper where it would look like you could get a little bitter about so-and-so is taking so-and-so's minutes, whatever the case may be. Truthfully, this team, we have a special group where we all root for each other, know that job and role could look different for anybody any night... That's really cool and really unique to be a part of with this team."
Spurs bring same selflessness
Shamet recognizes that same selflessness in the Spurs, something their young, tight-knit core has talked about.
"They're obviously a very talented group, a deep group," Shamet said. "A lot of the same things I'm saying, can rely on a different guy every night off the bench to be a spark. We have to be ready for that, take our individual matchups seriously."
Maybe the best example in San Antonio is Keldon Johnson. Just three seasons ago, he was averaging 22 points a game and was the face of the franchise. But as the team drafted its young stars like Victor Wembanyama, Stephon Castle and Dylan Harper (and went out and got De'Aaron Fox in a trade), Johnson knew he had a choice to make.
"There's a point where you look in the mirror and ask, 'Do you want to be a part of something special, or do you want to chase personal goals?'" Johnson said. "Being here throughout this season and winning has been the ultimate reward. It just shows that everything was worth it.
"Obviously, I went from being 'the guy' to coming off the bench and being sixth man [he won Sixth Man of the Year this season]. I feel like winning is the most addictive thing in this league. This year is a testament to that, being able to win and contribute to us winning means more than anything that I've done in the past."
Whichever bench contributes more to winning in this series will have a big say in which team will hoist the Larry O'Brien Trophy when it's all over.
PHOENIX, AZ - JUNE 01: Kyle Tucker #23 of the Los Angeles Dodgers bats during the game between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field on Monday, June 1, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Julia Jacome/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Home teams are 4-0 thus far in the 2026 Dodgers vs. Diamondbacks battle.
Francisco Alvarezwasted no time making an impact in his first rehab game with Triple-A Syracuse on Tuesday night.
After Jorge Polanco popped out in the first inning, the Mets catcher doubled off the wall in right field in his first at-bat against former teammate Dom Hamel,now with the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders.
Alvarez doubled to right field again in the third inning, driving in Matt Rudick from first base to tie the game at 1-1. He popped out to first in his third at-bat, finishing the day 2-for-3 with the two doubles and an RBI.
Defensively, Alvarez caught six innings, including four for LHP Zach Thornton, and caughtJonathan Ornelas stealing second in the sixth inning. He was replaced by Kevin Parada in the top of the seventh inning.
The 24-year-old has progressed impressively fast after undergoing meniscus surgery on May 14 and ramped up his baseball activities in recent days before getting cleared to play in the game. Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said prior to the team's game that the goal for Alvarez will be to play back-to-back games before they activate him.
"Yeah, I was watching it. 2-for-2 with two bullets. I mean, it's crazy that this guy is already playing in games and looking the way he's looking right now," Mendoza said. "I think he's scheduled for five innings today, off tomorrow. I think the goal is to, not only get him to catch a full seven, eight or complete game, but maybe the back-to-backs. That's the decision here.
"Whether it's to catch a full nine and then DH or is it better for him to go back-to-back as a catcher before we make that decision to activate him here. We'll see how he responds after today's game and then we'll go from there."
Over 37 games in the 2026 season, Alvarez was hitting .241 with four home runs, five doubles, and 10 RBI prior to his injury.
Polanco, serving as DH and playing in his fourth game with Syracuse, went 0-for-3 with a walk. It was previously reported that he could be activated for this weekend's series in San Diego, but Mendoza said that is still to be determined based on how he's feeling.
"Yeah, we don't know yet," Mendoza said. "He's playing tonight, he's going to play tomorrow, and then we'll have a decision there. So we got to talk to the player, how he's feeling, and all that. And he's got to get cleared from the medical staff as well."
He added: "It could be in play that he's active on Friday. But again, if he needs more at-bats, and it's not so much like how he's feeling physically, I think there's a combination of a lot of things there."
When Polanco does return, it's expected for him to mostly play DH and be available for first base duties. Mendoza added that he's no longer dealing with a wrist issue, so it's just the Achilles bursitis he has to manage and "play through," noting that "he's not getting any worse."
"Not necessarily, we’re looking more DH. But he has to be available to play first base," Mendoza said. "He’s scheduled to play first base tomorrow, but the way we see it, he’s more of a DH."
In his first at-bat, Francisco Alvarez makes his presence known with an opposite field double! pic.twitter.com/lGkTJ5Fkgd
The rookie grace period is over. Now it’s time to see how the 2025 NFL Draft’s quarterback class performs as sophomores.
One this week’s episode of the “Football 301” podcast on Yahoo Sports, Nate Tice and Matt Harmon discuss the most notable QBs entering their second seasons and what fans should look for in 2026.
From No. 1 overall pick Cam Ward to fifth-round selection Shedeur Sanders, there’s a wide range in potential outcomes.
Cam Ward, Tennessee Titans
Both Tice and Harmon agreed that Ward’s rookie year stats didn’t stand out, but the surrounding situation was dire — rookie receivers, backup tight ends and an unstable coaching staff. Despite the lack of a single eye-popping stat, Ward showed encouraging traits: good pocket clock, a willingness to push the ball and creativity in his throws. With the addition of rookie first-round receiver Carnell Tate and slight improvements around him, expect Ward to take a noticeable second-year leap, likely shedding most lingering doubts about his viability as a starter, even if he doesn’t suddenly become elite.
Jaxson Dart, New York Giants
Dart impressed with his athleticism and toughness in a difficult situation last season, showing real flashes as a runner and creator. However, he takes too many hits and needs to develop passing consistency, especially over the middle and on in-structure plays. Tice compared him to a raw Russell Wilson or Justin Fields: high upside if he reins himself in, but there’s significant bust risk if he can’t grow his pocket operator skills. The new system under Greg Roman/Matt Nagy should emphasize his running, but big strides as a passer are still needed.
Tyler Shough, New Orleans Saints
Harmon and Tice both see Shough as the safest bet for Year 2 success. He showed poise, decisiveness and a good football IQ — albeit at 27 years old. He lacks the ceiling of Ward or Dart, but makes good decisions, gets the ball out quickly and fits well in the Saints’ improved offense. The main concern is his sack rate and ability to create under heavy pressure, but he projects as a top-16 to top-18 “steady hand” starter for this season.
Shedeur Sanders, Cleveland Browns
Sanders struggled statistically and on film, hampered by dreadful pass protection and inconsistent receivers in Cleveland. He’s neither a top athlete nor a power arm, and must play much faster and with more decisiveness. He projects best as a developmental backup — he showed enough to compete for a backup job, but unless he can overcome his processing and physical limitations, he’s unlikely to develop into a starting-caliber QB. Tice compared his statistical profile to Mitchell Trubisky.
May 27, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Colorado Rockies pitcher Tomoyuki Sugano (11) pitches during the first inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
In Game 1, the Colorado Rockies (23-38) fumbled their way to an ungraceful 9-8 win over the Los Angeles Angels (23-38).
As manager Warren Schaeffer put it, “That was not a normal game,” adding,“ but someone’s got to win that game.”
Last night’s win marked the first time since July 16, 2016, at Atlanta that the Rockies picked up a road win after entering the eighth inning trailing by at least three runs. In addition, it marked the fifth time in franchise history that the Rockies won a game in which they had four errors, the first since September 26, 2020, at Arizona.
Take the win, and get on with it.
Tonight, the Rockies will look to take the series from the Angels. Recent history suggests it’s a distinct possibility. The Rockies have won each of their last three series against the Angels, taking two of three at Coors Field last September, two of three in Anaheim in July 2024, and two of three in Denver in June 2023.
Starting for the Rockies is Tomoyuki Sugano (菅野智之). This will be his 12th start for the Rockies in 2026.
The righty has a 4.01 ERA in 58.1 IP. He’s struck out 31, walked 16, and given up 11 home runs. Sugano has a 1.25 WHIP.
Worth noting, making his third career start against the Angels and his second at Angels Stadium, Sugano is 1-0 with a 3.00 ERA (12.0 IP, 4 ER), two walks, and nine strikeouts a cross his two starts against the Angels.
Taking the mound for the Angels will be RHP Grayson Rodriguez.
Currently, he has an ERA of 7.53 in 14.1 IP. He’s struck out 14 while giving up eight walks and two home runs with a 1.31 WHIP.
Here’s an interesting note: Grayson was drafted by the Baltimore Orioles, Sugano’s former team, and made his MLB debut in 2023. He was traded to the Angels in November 2025, just missing Sugano’s signing with the Birds.
Jun 2, 2026; St. Petersburg, Florida, USA; Detroit Tigers centerfielder Matt Vierling (8) celebrates after driving in a run with a sacrifice fly ball in the sixth inning against the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Jonathan Dyer-Imagn Images | Jonathan Dyer-Imagn Images
The Tigers are on a roll with a 8-0 victory over the Rays on Tuesday night.
It’s unclear what has gotten into the Tigers, but I’m not mad at it, and I don’t think any of their fans are either. While the Tigers did cut it very close in Monday night’s game against the Rays, winning by a single run, there were two solid takeaways: they won the game, and they scored 10 runs, two things that had been sorely lacking in games over the past month. The game was a refreshing change of pace as we got to see the team’s bats come alive and it genuinely looked like the guys were having a ton of fun out there. They did need to go deep into their bullpen, though, which leaves a lot up to the uncertainty of the baseball gods for the remaining games of the series. They would have Jack Flaherty on the mound, who has been consistently inconsistent, having strong outings for about three innings before his command starts to slip. But Rays’ starter Steven Matz also struggles with command, so it might be a game of who loses the strike zone first.
In the top of the first, Gleyber Torres opened things up, pleased to be back from a lengthy stint on the IL, and he announced his presence in a big way by hitting a leadoff home run to start the game.
The Tigers weren’t willing to settle for just one run, though. Matt Vierling tripled, then a Dillon Dingler sac fly brought Vierling home. Two outs followed, but the Tigers had an early lead to defend now. Flaherty was looking good in the home half, getting the Rays out in order, but his struggles don’t usually manifest until the fourth inning, so we’ll see how this develops.
Detroit continued to swing a hot bat in the second with a leadoff double from Spencer Torkelson, followed by a home run from Wenceel Perez, who is now 3-for-3 against Steven Matz.
That was it for Matz, who was pulled before getting through two innings, and replaced by Casey Legumina who came on to get the final out of the second. In the home half, Richie Palacios got a one-out double, but the Rays failed to bring him home.
With two outs in the top of the third, Spencer Torkelson singled, but the Tigers weren’t able to convert the runner. In the home half, Hunter Feduccia got a leadoff walk, followed by a single from Ben Williamson. Three outs followed, though, and the Rays were left scoreless.
Cam Booser was the new pitcher in the fourth, making his debut with the Rays. Short got a one-out single, but was eliminated in a force out off the bat of Torres. A final out ended the inning with the Tigers once again unable to convert their baserunner. Palacios got a one-out single in the home half, and Ryan Vilade doubled, but it wasn’t enough to score the runner. Two outs followed, though Feduccia attempted to challenge the call via ABS, the strike call was confirmed though, to end the inning.
The Tigers went 1-2-3 for the first time in the game in the fifth. In the bottom of the inning, Junior Caminero got a two-out single, but was left stranded.
In the sixth, Booser was swapped for Ian Seymour. Spencer Torkelson took a leadoff walk, followed by a Wenceel Perez single. Zach McKinstry then walked to load the bases. A sac fly by Short brought one run in, then the Rays intentionally walked Gleyber Torres. This time a sac fly from Vierling brought in a run and when it was all said and done, the Tigers were up 7-0. In the bottom of the inning, Yandy Diaz got a leadoff walk and that was the end of the day for Flaherty. His final line for the game was 5.0 IP, 5 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 6 K on 94 pitches. Compared to some of his recent outings, it was a really solid performance by Flaherty. Enmanuel De Jesus replaced him and induced a double play, then collected the final out of the inning in short order.
Riley Greene wasted no time extending the Tigers’ lead with a home run to open the seventh inning. It would be their only run of the inning, but it was a pretty good one.
In the bottom of the inning, the Rays went down in order.
Bryan Baker was the new Rays pitcher for the eighth and he held the Tigers in check, taking them three-up, three-down. The Rays likewise went 1-2-3 in the bottom of the inning.
In a bit of a white flag move from the Rays, position player Ben Williamson was on to pitch in the ninth. The gambit paid off early as Williamson turned out to be a groundball-inducing wizard, keeping third baseman Caminero busy. Riley Greene worked a walk, but a line drive right at Caminero then ended the inning. The Rays went down in order in the bottom of the ninth, and the Tigers came away with a shutout win.
Jun 2, 2026; St. Petersburg, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Rays first baseman Jonathan Aranda (8) catches a fly ball in the fifth inning against the Detroit Tigers at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Jonathan Dyer-Imagn Images | Jonathan Dyer-Imagn Images
I think it’s safe to say most Rays fans took one look at the Detroit Tigers current record for the season and their brutal slump since losing their ace Tarik Skubal, and thought this was going to be an easy series. However, recent history has proven that series that should be easy wins have been difficult for the Rays to get a handle on, and that has proven to be the case so far for this one as well. While the Rays came close to an incredible comeback in Monday’s game, they were still bested 10-9 by the Tigers, who went home run happy. But the Tigers also had to go deep into their inconsistent bullpen in Monday’s game, something that might come back to bite them as the series progressed. For Tuesday’s game it would be a battle of two pitchers who have serious issues with command: Steven Matz for the Rays and Jack Flaherty for the Tigers. The big question for this game would be which starter would drop the ball first.
In terms of which pitcher would flinch first, Matz had the answer almost immediately, as he gave up a leadoff home run to the newly returned Gleyber Torres. That was followed by a triple to Matt Vierling, and then a sac fly to Dillon Dingler to bring Vierling home. Matz got the next two outs to end the inning, but the Rays were once again starting in a deficit right out of the gate. They didn’t do much to help themselves in the home half, as they went 1-2-3 against Flaherty.
The Tigers continued to get the best of Matz in the second, with a leadoff double to Spencer Torkelson, followed by a home run by Wenceel Perez, who truly has Matz’s number, going 3-for-3 now against him. With one out, Zack Short doubled, then with two outs, Matt Vierling doubled to bring the runner home. Kevin Cash clearly had Matz on a short leash, because he was done after that, being replaced by Casey Legumina to get the final out of the inning.
With two outs in the top of the third, Spencer Torkelson singled, but the Tigers weren’t able to convert the runner. In the home half, Hunter Feduccia got a leadoff walk, followed by a single from Ben Williamson. Three outs followed, though, and the Rays were left scoreless.
Cam Booser was the new pitcher in the fourth, making his debut with the Rays. Short got a one-out single, but was eliminated in a force out off the bat of Torres. A final out ended the inning with the Tigers once again unable to convert their baserunner. Palacios got a one-out single in the home half, and Ryan Vilade doubled, but it wasn’t enough to score the runner. Two outs followed, though Feduccia attempted to challenge the call via ABS, the strike call was confirmed though, to end the inning.
The Tigers went 1-2-3 for the first time in the game in the fifth. In the bottom of the inning, Junior Caminero got a two-out single, but was left stranded.
In the sixth, Booser was swapped for Ian Seymour. Spencer Torkelson took a leadoff walk, followed by a Wenceel Perez single. Zach McKinstry then walked to load the bases. A sac fly by Short brought one run in, then the Rays intentionally walked Gleyber Torres. This time a sac fly from Vierling brought in a run and when it was all said and done, the Tigers were up 7-0. In the bottom of the inning, Yandy Diaz got a leadoff walk and that was the end of the day for Flaherty. Enmanuel De Jesus replaced him and induced a double play, then collected the final out of the inning in short order.
The Tigers extended their lead in the seventh with a leadoff home run from Riley Greene to make the score 8-0. They had to settle for just one baserunner in the inning, but he made a big impact. It was also the slowest and shortest home run of the entire season at Tropicana. The Rays, unfortunately, went 1-2-3 in the home half.
Bryan Baker was the new Rays pitcher for the eighth and he held the Tigers in check, taking them three-up, three-down. The Rays likewise went 1-2-3 in the bottom of the inning.
In a bit of a white flag move from the Rays, Ben Williamson was on to pitch in the ninth. The gambit paid off early as Williamson turned out to be a groundball-inducing wizard, keeping Caminero busy. Riley Greene worked a walk, but a line drive right at Caminero then ended the inning. The Rays went down in order in the bottom of the ninth, and the Tigers came away with a shutout win.
“My phone was on,” Castellanos said Tuesday. “All they needed was a conversation like, ‘This is going to be your role.’ Apparently, they thought it was just best for the organization that my personality wasn’t in the clubhouse.”
"I spoke my mind, I went about my business, I played everyday."
— NBC Sports Philadelphia (@NBCSPhilly) June 2, 2026
Castellanos was released by the Phillies in February with one season left on the five-year, $100 million contract he signed with the team before the 2022 season.
The 33-year-old hit 82 home runs across four seasons and made the 2023 NL All-Star team, but the end of his tenure in the City of Brotherly Love wasn’t pretty.
Nick Castellanos of the San Diego Padres looks on during the eighth inning against the Philadelphia Phillies at Petco Park on May 27, 2026 in San Diego, California. Getty Images
“Not everything that anybody does is all positive,” Castellanos said. “It’s not all negative. I had highs, I had lows.”
His production didn’t do him any favors in Philadelphia either.
Nick Castellanos said he had four “good” seasons in Philadelphia. Getty Images
Castellanos, who signed a veteran’s minimum deal with San Diego after being let go by the Phillies, had a down year in 2025, hitting .250 with a .694 OPS, making him expendable for the franchise. He came into Tuesday’s game hitting .191 with a .560 OPS
Despite the unceremonious exit, the always-outspoken veteran had good things to say about his time with the Phillies.
“I had four good years here,” he said. “Any time I run into anybody that’s a Phillies fan, away from cameras, away from the field, I get nothing but a lot of love and positivity,” Castellanos said. “I appreciate that. I spoke my mind, I went about my business, I played every day, I never really hid on the IL. I really wanted to win a ring.
“Did I do everything 100 percent correct? Probably not. Did I act true to my heart and how I felt in the moment? 100 percent.”
The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins got a couple of reinforcements to their roster on Tuesday.
The team announced that the Pittsburgh Penguins have sent goaltender Taylor Gauthier and defenseman Emil Pieniniemi to WBS from the ECHL's Wheeling Nailers.
The Nailers were eliminated by the Florida Everblades in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Final this past Saturday.
— x - Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (@WBSPenguins) June 2, 2026
Gauthier had another unbelievable season for the Nailers, finishing with a 21-9-5 record and a .929 save percentage. He finished the playoffs with a 9-6-2 record and a .922 save percentage.
Pieniniemi wrapped up his first season with the Nailers, finishing with six goals and 11 points in 26 games. He was great in the playoffs, compiling one goal and eight points in 15 games.
The Penguins will try to even up their Eastern Conference Final series against the Toronto Marlies on Wednesday. Puck drop is set for 7 p.m. ET.
