It’s heart attack hotel with this Yankees relief corps, but the bullpen managed to survive another ninth inning comeback attempt to secure consecutive one-run victories over the Blue Jays. It’s made all the more important that they managed to win on a day when Blue Jays ace Dylan Cease was starting, Ryan McMahon and Ben Rice supplying a pair of clutch home runs.

Tampa Bay Rays (32-15) 4, Baltimore Orioles (21-28) 1

It might have gone dormant for the last two seasons, but it looks like the Tampa Bay devil magic is back in the air at the Trop. For years lauded as one of the premier pitching factories in the league the Rays are back at it again producing impact starters out of nowhere. First, they transformed 35-year-old swingman Nick Martinez into a run suppressing beast. Now, they’ve gone and metamorphosed multi-inning relief ace Griffin Jax into their latest dominant starter. He held the Orioles to a run on three hits and a walk with six strikeouts in five innings, Jax now the owner of a shiny 1.42 ERA in his last five games — all starts after performing below replacement level in a relief role in his first 11 appearances. The lone damage came on the second pitch of the game, Taylor Ward leading off the contest with a home run before Jax went on to pitch five scoreless innings.

Jax’s offense answered right back in the bottom half of the frame. Jonathan Aranda drew a two out walk and scored all the way from first on a Yandy Díaz bullet double to the wall just left of center to make it 1-1. It was all Rays from that point forward, though Orioles starter Kyle Bradish would hold them to just one further run over the next 4.1 innings. That run came in the sixth, Díaz striking again this time with a mammoth 439-foot solo shot to dead center on a center-cut hanging 1-0 slider (though Díaz would have to exit the game after getting hit on the hand by a 94 mph fastball in the eighth).

Tampa Bay wrapped up the scoring by plating a pair in the eighth. Carson Williams replaced Díaz after the hit-by-pitch and raced around to score on a Richie Palacios double. Palacios was then driven home on a bloop single from Jonny DeLuca. With the win, the Rays maintain their three game lead over the Yankees for first and go for the sweep of the Orioles tomorrow afternoon.

Other Games

Cleveland Guardians (28-22) 4, Detroit Tigers (20-29) 3

Parker Messick and Keider Montero had almost identical lines, both allowing three runs in five innings. Cleveland opened the scoring in the second, Kyle Manzardo singling to lead off, Travis Bazzana drawing a walk, Angel Martínez moving the pair into scoring position with a sac bunt and Steven Kwan plating Manzardo with a sac fly. Detroit responded in the bottom-half, Riley Greene drawing a one out walk to set up a two-run blast from Spencer Torkelson. Bazzana restored the Guardians’ lead with a two-run homer in the fourth after Manzardo drew a leadoff walk, the second home run in the MLB career of the first overall pick from 2024. Once again, the Tigers responded immediately, Greene and Hao-Yu Lee reaching on a pair of singles before an errant pickoff attempt at second from catcher Austin Hedges sailed into center allowing Greene to score the tying run. Kwan scored the go-ahead run in the seventh, leading off with a double before advancing to third on a sac bunt and scoring on a soft grounder. Detroit loaded the bases in the eighth and put a pair on in the ninth, but failed to score any either time.

Boston Red Sox (21-27) 7, Kansas City Royals (20-29) 1

This was actually a close game until the ninth when Royals reliever Eli Morgan imploded for four runs, seven of the Red Sox’s 15 hits coming in that frame alone. Ranger Suarez gave the Red Sox 4.1 innings of one-run ball whereas the Royals went with a bullpen game. Jarren Duran, Ceddanne Rafaela, Wilyer Abreu, Willson Contreras, and Isiah Kiner-Falefa all had multi-hit days for the Red Sox. Duran slugged a home run and drove in three, Contreras also drove in three, and IKF went 3-for-3.

Texas Rangers (23-25) 10, Colorado Rockies (19-30) 0

Kumar Rocker authored easily the best outing of his big league career, though it is curious to note that it came as the bulk man after opener Tyler Alexander pitched a scoreless first. Rocker twirled 7.2 shutout innings allowing three hits and three walks against seven strikeouts, racking up 19 swings and misses including a gaudy 57-percent whiff rate on the slider. The Rockies also went with a bullpen game to the polar opposite outcome, opener Sammy Peralta and bulk guy Tanner Gordon combining to give up nine runs on 14 hits and three walks in seven innings. Joc Pederson pinch-hit for Andrew McCutchen in the second and went on to go 4-for-5. Brandon Nimmo went 3-for-4 with a home run and three RBI. Ezequiel Duran slugged a pair of doubles and drove in four.

Chicago White Sox (25-23) 2,Seattle Mariners (23-27) 1

Dan Wilson’s decision to demote Luis Castillo from the rotation and have him piggyback off of Bryce Miller’s abbreviated starts as the latter works his way back from an oblique strain backfired spectacularly. In his first ever game pitching out of the bullpen in the majors, Castillo spoiled Miller’s dominant start — 5.2 scoreless innings allowing a hit and a walk against seven strikeouts — by walking Munetaka Murakami followed by a Miguel Vargas HBP. This forced Wilson to call on closer Andrés Muñoz, who promptly yielded consecutive singles to the first two hitters he faced to turn Seattle’s 1-0 lead into a 2-1 deficit, the Mariners scoring their only run in the first on a Patrick Wisdom RBI ground out with the bases loaded.

The Alex Verdugo experiment ended for the San Diego Padres last week when the former major leaguer underwent surgery on his injured shoulder and was released by the Friars. He had been in Arizona for extended Spring Training and then began playing with the ACL Padres. The announcement this past week indicates the end of the 2026 season for Verdugo and his attempt to resurrect his career.

Right-hander Triston McKenzie was sent to the developmental list from the El Paso Chihuahuas. McKenzie signed with the Padres in an attempt to revitalize his career, but his inability to command his pitches has led to a 14.95 ERA in 13.1 innings pitched. Left-hander Fernando Sanchez was promoted to El Paso to replace McKenzie on the roster. He had three starts for Double-A San Antonio and five relief appearances in 20 innings pitched with a 4.50 ERA.

Catcher Colton Vincent was sent from the Chihuahuas to the development list, and he was replaced by Victor Duarte, who was promoted from Lake Elsinore.

Catcher Ty Harvey was activated from his rehab with the ACL Padres and rejoined Low-A Lake Elsinore.

Outfielder Justin DeCriscio was promoted from Lake Elsinore to High-A Fort Wayne after consistently hitting over .300 with a .907 OPS. He hit 3 homers and had 18 RBI. DeCriscio was drafted in the 10th round of the 2025 draft and is 23 years old.

El Paso Chihuahuas (21-24 record, 3rd in Pacific Coast League, East)

The Chihuahuas lost their series against the Salt Lake Bees but didn’t drop in the standings.

OF/IF Nick Solak has been consistently good for El Paso this year. His .339 average leads the team, and his .442 OBP is also tops for the Chihuahuas. Outfielder Jase Bowen continues to lead in slug with a .588 average, and his 10 home runs are tops as well. Outfielder Samad Taylor has a .949 OPS with the most walks at 20 to go with a .319 average.

The newly promoted righty starter Fernando Sanchez has one start with a 2.25 ERA. RHP Evan Fitterer has eight starts in 10 game appearances with 33.1 innings pitched and a 2.43 ERA. Fitterer was a minor league free agent signed during the offseason after leaving the Marlins organization. He was originally drafted in 2019 and is 25 years old.

Right-handed reliever Ethan Routzahn has five saves for El Paso in 23 innings pitched and a 3.91 ERA. JP Sears, who had a difficult start to the season, has had two starts in May and 10 innings pitched with a 1.80 ERA. He has 13 strikeouts to six walks.

San Antonio Missions (14-25 record, last in Texas League, South)

The Missions split their series versus the Wichita Wind Surge. This team features Ethan Salas’ brother Jose, as their shortstop. This is their first time playing against each other professionally.

Infielder Carson Tucker, 24, has continued his career resurgence since joining the Padres organization. He leads the team in batting average at .352 with nine doubles and a triple. He has nine steals without being caught and boasts an .885 OPS. 1B/DH Leandro Cedeno has a .421 OBP with five doubles, a triple, four homers, and 14 RBI to give him a .528 slug and .949 OPS.

Catcher Ethan Salas has been consistent with his offense, hitting .297/.373/.508 and a .882 OPS. He has seven doubles, six homers, 21 RBI, and has nine stolen bases with one caught stealing. When not catching, Salas frequently acts as the DH for the Missions. With the newly released prospect ranking updates, Salas has moved into the top 100 at No. 52 in the MLB Pipeline list.

Right-handed pitcher Jhony Brito moved from the ACL Padres to the Missions to continue his rehab from last season’s UCL repair. He has started one game with four innings pitched and didn’t allow a run. Miguel Mendez has returned from the injured list after recovering from a neck strain and started May 12. He threw two innings with a hit and two strikeouts, no runs allowed. He has a 3.24 ERA overall in 16.2 innings pitched.

Righty Francis Peña has a 1.20 ERA in 15 innings pitched while Andrew Moore has a 1.98 ERA in 13.2 innings pitched for the Missions.

Fort Wayne TinCaps (19-20 record, 3rd in Midwest League, East)

The TinCaps split their series with the Cedar Rapids Kernels.

Outfielder Jake Cunningham has the best batting average on the team at .304, and he also leads with a .933 OPS. Newly arrived Justin DeCriscio has a .417 OBP in his five games played and is followed closely by outfielder Kasen Wells at .414. Outfielder Alex McCoy continues to slug at a high rate, even after a down May. His .563 slugging percentage is only slightly better than Cunningham at .559. McCoy still leads with seven homers and 22 RBI, and his 12 doubles are also tops on the TinCaps.

Closer Clay Edmondson has eight saves in 14 game appearances and 17 innings pitched with a 0.53 ERA. He has struck out 24 to four walks. Drafted last year in the 14th round, Edmondson made a handful of appearances after being drafted last year, but has dominated so far this season.

Righty starter Carson Montgomery has impressed in his first full season as a prospect. He was drafted in the 11th round of the 2023 draft but had Tommy John surgery and missed all of last season until a quick cameo in the Fall League. So far, he has six starts and 27 innings pitched with a 1.33 ERA and 22 strikeouts to 11 walks.

Lefty starter Kash Mayfield has a 1.52 ERA in 7 starts and 29.2 innings pitched with 35 strikeouts to 13 walks. Mayfield features a devastating changeup to complement his mid-90’s fastball. He also throws a slider but it is mostly a show pitch at this point.

Reliever Javier Chacon was promoted to Fort Wayne from Lake Elsinore and has pitched in three games and four innings with a 2.25 ERA.

Lake Elsinore Storm (23-16 record, 1st in California League, South)

The Storm went 4-2 in their series against the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes and keep a strong hold on their first place status.

Outfielder Ryan Wideman has a .322/.405/.521 stat line with a .925 OPS to start the season. He leads in slug and is second in OPS for qualifying players. His 29 stolen bases in 35 attempts are tops in all of pro ball. He is tops with three homers and 29 RBI for the Storm.

Infielder Luke Cantwell leads the team in average at .325, OBP at .481, and OPS at .931 among qualifying players. Undrafted free agents Bradley Frye and Connor Westenburg have cooled off slightly but are both still hitting over .300 and have 21 and 18 RBI, respectively.

Right-handed starter Winyer Chourio has started six games in his seven appearances with 26 innings pitched and a 2.42 ERA. He has 42 strikeouts to 12 walks. The 22-year-old features a 95-mph fastball and has a .185 average against this season.

Righty Ethan Long has three saves and a 1.35 ERA in 6.2 innings as a reliever. He has assumed closer duties from Will Koger, who has a 3.60 ERA. Righty Nick Falter has a 1.82 ERA in 24.2 innings pitched in his 13 appearances with 23 strikeouts and seven walks.

ACL Padres (5-7 record, 3rd in Arizona Complex League, West)

C/1B Jhojan Downer has played in nine games and 27 at-bats with a .389 average, .593 OBP, and .444 slug. His OPS sits at 1.037. Infielder Yimy Tovar has played in 12 games with a .325/.404/.575 line and .979 OPS. IF/DH Santiago Vargas has 8 RBI with two doubles, a triple, and a home run.

Reliever Ty Adcock and lefty reliever Adler Cecil are on rehab assignments with Arizona. Cecil, 21, was drafted in 2023 in the 19th round and had Tommy John surgery during spring training of 2025. This is the start of his rehab. Adcock injured his oblique during the start of spring training after signing as a free agent during the offseason.

Padres Taiwanese pitching prospect Lan-Hong Su had his first professional start on May 16, going two innings with four strikeouts and two walks without allowing a run. Su, 19, features a mid-90’s fastball, a plus slider, a changeup, and has a new splitter in his repertoire. He started the season with blisters on his pitching hand (per MadFriars.com)

Padres prospect Michael Salina has made two starts with Arizona for 1.1 innings. He will be brought back slowly in his return from Tommy John surgery. He had four strikeouts and two walks while allowing four earned runs in those two starts.

Good morning everyone, and happy Wednesday!

The Mariner bats couldn’t string together hits at the right time in last night’s 2-1 loss to the White Sox. People will surely be arguing about Dan Wilson’s decision to leave Luis Castillo in for the ninth for weeks to come, too.

Generally speaking, are you more worried about the team’s offense or their pitching long-term? While there are some frustrating injuries to the lineup, we have multiple key arms that are underperforming. It’s hard to know which will be a sticking point for longer.

In Mariners news…

• Max Ellingsen checked in on the state of the top prospects in the Mariners system.
• In the latest edition of the Lookout Landing reverse mailbag, Eric Sanford graded your takes on what the team should do in the absence of Cal Raleigh.
• Ryan Divish at The Seattle Times spoke to Jarred Kelenic about his feelings coming back to Seattle as a visiting player, and how he’s changed since his trade to Atlanta.
• A Mariners fan went viral when she recorded herself being hit in the head by a foul ball — which led to her being taken to the ER. Then, people started lashing out against her and her friends on social media.

Around the league…

• Rangers left-hander MacKenzie Gore left his start on Monday with lat tightness, though he quickly downplayed the severity of the injury.
• In Houston, Lance McCullers, Jr. was placed on the injured list once again with right shoulder inflammation.
• Yankees right-hander Gerrit Cole is set to make his season debut on Friday. He hasn’t pitched in the big leagues since the end of the 2024 campaign.
• Cubs outfielder Pete Crow-Armstrong was fined after getting into a verbal altercation with a fan on Monday.
• In a surprising move, the Twins optioned former top prospect Royce Lewis to the minor leagues. In the same announcement, Minnesota also placed catcher Ryan Jeffers on the injured list with a hamate bone fracture.
• The Braves have placed stud catcher Drake Baldwin on the injured list with a strained oblique.
• Phillies ace Cristopher Sánchez has seemingly unlocked yet another gear. Ben Clemens at Fangraphs dug into the changes he’s made in 2026.
• Phillip Michaels at Awful Announcing crunched the numbers on how much you can expect to spend as a sports fan in the streaming era.

In our 17th installment of our Legends Series we sit down with Ty Gainey, whose debut with the Astros in 1985 was brief and memorable.   

Q:  What do you remember about being called up in April of 1985 ?   

A:  It was shocking because one day I’m down in the minors and then next thing I know, Yogi comes over and tells me that I better get loose around the 6th or 7th inning because I might be used as a pinch runner or possibly even pinch hit that night.  That really stuck with me because he took the time to come tell me that.     

Yogi was a funny guy.  My first day at the dome he told me that they put the grass down before they put the top on.  I just looked at him.  He was funny.

Q:  When I say Houston Astrodome, what comes to mind?    

A:  You know, I actually tripped in center field and fell.  I had toe turf or something (laughs).  The turf got me, crept up on me.     

Q:  You only appeared in 13 games.  When you look back on it, do you feel they rushed you out too quickly?   

A:  They changed course and decided to go with the older players before the younger ones, so I just had a courtesy glance.  Keep in mind, Terry Puhl, Jose Cruz, and a lot of talented guys were there, but what really happened was Kevin Bass came along, and Hal Lanier became manager and that was the end for me. 

Q:  And yet your one career home run, you hit off one of the very best in Orel Hershiser.  What do you remember about that?   

A:  I was a little nervous the first pitch he threw me but then I felt okay.  I started fouling balls off.  I had studied Orel from the bench, so I knew what his pitches were and what he liked to go with.  I knew he was going to throw me a fastball and when he did, I drove it to left field.    

Q:  What was it like playing all of those years in Asia after your stint in the majors?   

A:  It was fun.  I played with Ichiro.  He was a rookie when I got there and had a 30-game hitting streak even in spring training that year.  Believe it or not, some of the coaches didn’t think he was ready (laughs).  He stayed there longer than he should’ve and even with that, (when he joined the Mariners) he still easily got over 200 hits that rookie season with Seattle.     

Happy Wednesday Athletics fans!

After several consecutive losing seasons, the A’s entered 2026 with renewed expectations, aiming to finish above .500 and remain in playoff contention late in the season. Through nearly 50 games, the A’s have played like a .500 team, yet they still sit atop an underwhelming American League West in which no team has consistently separated itself from the pack. Even the Seattle Mariners, preseason favorites to win the division, entered play today below .500.

Mark Kotsay’s team has handled adversity better this season, avoiding extended losing streaks like the nine-game skid it suffered last May. The A’s have fluctuated between playing strong, winning baseball and enduring sloppy stretches marked by costly losses, but inconsistency is part of the grind of MLB’s 162-game season.

Currently, the A’s miss Jacob Wilson, who is on the injured list with a left shoulder subluxation and sprain. Wilson was heating up offensively before the injury, but his improved defense at shortstop may have been even more encouraging for the A’s. In the wake of Wilson joining fellow infielder Max Muncy on the injured list, Darell Hernáiz has received everyday playing time at shortstop. While Hernáiz can hold his own defensively, Wilson offers more consistency at the plate.

Like last season, the A’s offense was expected to lead the way this year. At the moment, however, the unit has struggled aside from outfielder Carlos Cortes, catcher Shea Langeliers and first baseman Nick Kurtz. Designated hitter Brent Rooker and outfielders Tyler Soderstrom and Lawrence Butler are all batting around the Mendoza Line, with the latter two left-handed hitters mired in prolonged slumps that kept them out of last night’s starting lineup against Angels left-hander Reid Detmers.

Kurtz has drawn 44 walks, the second-most in MLB, in large part due to his keen eye and strike-zone awareness, but also because opposing teams would rather avoid him and take their chances with the hitters behind him, including Rooker and Soderstrom. The A’s have also received limited offensive production from their backup catcher, a spot that was previously held by Austin Wynns and is now Jonah Heim’s.

Entering last night’s game, the Athletics ranked near the middle of the pack in runs scored and home runs, despite playing home games at hitter-friendly Sutter Health Park. They proceeded to tag the woeful Los Angeles Angels’ pitching staff for a season-high 14 runs. That will surely boost the team’s offensive confidence. Time will tell whether last night’s offensive explosion was a breakthrough or an anomaly.

The A’s need daily contributions from their offense to offset any pitching concerns if the team wants to remain competitive this season. Wilson and Muncy will return at some point and Soderstrom and Butler have too much talent to keep playing this poorly offensively. Down on the farm, shortstop Leo De Vries remains an intriguing late-season call-up possibility, while left-handers Jamie Arnold and Gage Jump could provide reinforcements for an Athletics’ pitching staff that has been respectable this year.

A’s Coverage:

• A’s clobber Angels 14-6 in Anaheim
• A’s Suffer Heartbreaker to Open Road Trip
• ’Gut-wrenching’: Ginn takes no-no into ninth only to give up walk-off home run
• Michael Stefanic Elects Free Agency
• A’s Bullpen, Defense Collapse in Series-Deciding Loss to Giants
• How John Fisher betrayed Oakland (again) by finally spending on the Athletics
• Kurtz in rarefied air through 162 career games
• The Giants-A’s rivalry is officially dead
• A’s get lefty reliever Suarez in trade with Mariners
• Bolte Flashes In Athletics’ Win Over Cardinals
• A’s roster moves: Bolte, Stefanic recalled; Wilson to IL; Harris optioned, Nuñez DFA’d
• There’s Forcing Your Way Up And There’s Bolte — Is There A Spot For Him?
• May Roster Shuffle Could Help The A’s — But They’d Have To Want It
• Athletics’ Wei-En Lin Continues Rising The Ranks
• Now that we’ve seen a two-way player, what about a three-way player?
• A Walk In The Park Is Nice…To A Point
• Three Things To Watch For The Athletics In May

MLB News and Interest:

• Where all 30 MLB teams stand and their trade deadline outlook at the quarter mark
• Dodgers’ Glasnow has setback; Snell set for NanoScope procedure
• Cole to make season debut for Yankees Friday vs. MLB-best Rays
• Seager placed on injured list with lower back inflammation
• Shirtless LA Angels fans’ ‘sell the team’ chant rocks stadium as team slides with worst record in baseball
• Twins option former top pick Lewis; Jeffers out with hamate fracture
• Braves catcher Drake Baldwin to IL with oblique injury
• Houston Astros Activate Star Shortstop Jeremy Peña
• Jake Fraley To Undergo Sports Hernia Procedure
• Rangers’ MacKenzie Gore leaves with muscle tightness in back
• Kyle Teel Shut Down With LCL Sprain
• Nationals To Recall Dylan Crews
• 2026 MLB draft rankings: Updated top 150 prospects
• Mets achieve rare extra-inning feat not seen in 43 years
• Today in Baseball History

Best of X:

Here is the Athletics‘ updated minor league transaction log. Should outfielder Denzel Clarke remain at Triple-A after his rehab assignment or return to the big-league club?

Which player do you think has the best nickname in Minor League Baseball?

The American League West has arguably been the weakest division in MLB this season, which makes it even more disappointing that the A’s have been unable to separate themselves from their division rivals.

The A’s offense was at its best with two-outs last night.

Morning, all!

Mackenzie Gore left Monday’s game against the Rockies with Kat tightness but isn’t expected to miss another start, and Wyatt Langford may start back on a hitting progression by Friday.

Chris Martin has been activated from the IL.

Kumar Rocker has over an 11.00 ERA in the first inning of games this year and the Rangers have decided to do something about it.

The decision to go with an opener Tuesday night against the Rockies paid off, with Kumar Rocker pitching 7.2 innings of shutout out ball on the way to a 10-0 win.

Nobody knows why Rocker has been having so many problems in the first inning, and maybe the opener didn’t change anything about the outcome of the game.

Skip Schumaker also went with a new lineup and saw it put up a season high 10 runs, so maybe the Rangers should try new things more often.

Rangers prospect Malcolm Moore has been lighting the South Atlantic League on fire.

The Tampa Bay Rays have made a flurry of roster moves ahead of Wednesday’s series finale against the Baltimore Orioles.

Prior to Tuesday’s game, Kevin Cash advised reporters that infielder Ben Williamson was dealing with a stiff back. Then following the Rays 4-1 victory over Baltimore, the team acquired infielder Oliver Dunn from the Chicago White Sox for minor league pitcher Joe Rock.

This morning, the Rays officially activated Dunn and placed Williamson on the Injured List with a back strain. The Rays also activated starting pitcher Steven Matz and optioned Chase Solesky to Triple-A Durham.

Dunn is a 28-year old versatile defender that is capable of playing in both the infield and outfield. This season, he has primarily been a third baseman but has spent time at shortstop, left field, and second base. Over 183 plate appearances in Triple-A for the White Sox this season, Dunn was hitting .295/.393/.545 with 9 HR and 9 SB, registerin ga 132 wRC+.

Originally drafted by the New York Yankees in the 11th round of the 2019 draft, Dunn has bounced around the league having already played within the systems of the Yankees, Phillies, Brewers, and White Sox. In 2024 he made his big league debut while with Milwaukee and over parts of two seasons he hit .206/.261/.290 with 1 HR over 145 plate appearances.

Joe Rock’s tenure with the Rays comes to an end during his third season with the team. The Rays originally acquired Rock at the end of spring training in 2024 for former first round draft pick Greg Jones. Rock was primarily a starting pitcher but made his big league debut in 2025 with three relief appearances. Thus far in 2026, Rock has been a full-time reliever, and has seen a vast increase in his strikeout numbers but also a significant spike in walks.

Meanwhile, there has not been update for Yandy Diaz, who was removed from last night’s game after being hit on the fingers by a 93mph splitter.

The good people of New York like to consider themselves tough. If you can make it there, as Frank Sinatra crooned, you’ll make it anywhere.

Do not confuse hot takes with sounding tough. Two New York sports talk hosts this week took daft shots at Joe Davis and came off — in the last adjective with which any true New Yorker would want to be described — as soft.

Let’s rewind: Davis is the lead voice of the Dodgers on SportsNet LA. He is also the lead voice of the national baseball broadcasts on Fox. In the latter role, he called last Saturday’s game between the New York Yankees and the New York Mets.

At one point, Mets outfielder Carson Benge dropped an easy fly ball. Without missing a beat, Davis said: “Oh, no! Oh, no, the Mets!”

It was the perfect call. The foibles of the Mets are so many and so weird that Mets fans themselves have embraced a term for them: LOLMets. You can learn all about it in a 23-minute YouTube video narrated by a former Mets pitcher.

Firing one manager (Willie Randolph) at midnight in Anaheim? Dumping another manager (Carlos Beltran) before he could manage a game because he was the only player cited in the commissioner’s report on the Houston Astros’ cheating scandal? Opening this season with baseball’s highest payroll and spending some time with baseball’s worst record?

“This year, and in recent years, there have been so many moments where it looks like the Mets are right there, ready to make a run or win the division or win a championship, and then something just tends to go wrong,” Davis said in San Diego Tuesday.

“They were in a stretch right there where every single day, they were getting a stud hurt. They put together a winning streak against the Tigers, then Clay Holmes has the comebacker break his ankle.”

The next day, Benge totally clanked it, and Davis totally nailed it — in the moment, not with some scripted phrase waiting in his pocket.

“You hope that your reactions in those moments — in any moment in this job — are authentic,” Davis said. “You don’t have much time for it to be anything else.”

On Monday, Evan Roberts — a host on WFAN, New York’s top-rated sports station — unloaded on Davis for “mocking” the Mets.

Read more:Shaikin: Pitching injuries are piling up again for Dodgers. Can the starting rotation hold up?

“Joe Davis has become a clown for the Los Angeles Dodgers and we all hear it,” Roberts said, in remarks posted by the Awful Announcing website.

Got anything else?

“I think he’s a Dodger fanboy,” Roberts said. “I think he wants to just make love to Shohei Ohtani every time he talks about him … He’s a great broadcaster, and I’ll admit it. But, for now, I think Joe Davis is a Dodgers shill and it’s obnoxious.

“And I’d give him this advice, not that he cares, he doesn’t care: Don’t go to the Dodger parade and be the emcee. It’s a bad look. It just is. You’re sitting there as the national voice and now you’re pom-pom waving at the Dodger parade. Come on, man.”

Davis works for the Dodgers. When the boss wants you to emcee the World Series championship rally, you do. Would the Mets’ broadcasters do the same? When the Mets win their first World Series championship since 1986, we’ll find out.

Let’s hear from Sal Licata, formerly at WFAN and now working independently: “What’s up with Joe Davis, by the way? You Dodger homer. ‘Oh no, the Mets,’ that’s a national unbiased broadcast? You biased Dodger blue fool.”

Read more:Shaikin: Justin Turner is playing for the Tijuana Toros. Why he 'wouldn't trade it for anything'

There always will be people who claim Davis is biased toward the Dodgers, just as people claimed his predecessor, Joe Buck, was biased toward the St. Louis Cardinals. Buck worked for Fox on weekends and called Cardinals games during the week.

And, for the people who see only what they want to see, Davis is the voice of baseball’s evil empire. Maybe that aggravates New Yorkers, but consider how aggravated we are that we have to fight through hellish traffic to get to Dodger Stadium or a television set by 5 p.m. so we can see our team play in the World Series because the East Coast needs to see the game in prime time.

Or how annoyed we are that we get televised Yankees-Red Sox games shoved down our throats when Red Sox management has opted for irrelevance and the best rivalry in baseball is here, between the Dodgers and Padres.

Better yet, how about we all chill? It’s just a game. We could break bread with New York’s famous bagels, except the New York Times told us we have the better bagels.

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

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

Alex Freeland and Cole Irvin headlined a win for the Comets, as only the Loons ended up on the losing side of a full slate of games in the Dodgers minor league system on Tuesday.

Player of the day

For only the second time this season and the first one in front of his home crowd in Oklahoma City, left-handed starter Cole Irvin had a scoreless start. The veteran starter was able to hold the Aces silent through six innings, allowing but just one extra-base hit and no free passes.

After starting the year with a 1-3 record, Irvin has managed to secure the W in three of his last four starts, with the six strikeouts he secured against the Aces representing a season high.

Triple-A Oklahoma City

One rally that started with the bottom of the order had the Comets scoring half a dozen runs on their way to beating the Aces 6-3 at home, also in large part thanks to a standout performance from Cole Irvin. The veteran left-hander was rewarded for delivering six innings by seeing his offense break through in time to earn him the victory.

Ever since he was sent down to make room for Mookie Betts’ return to the big league club, Alex Freeland has played with a point to prove in Triple-A. In this home win, the Comets’ leadoff bat recorded his fifth straight multi-hit performance in the minors, reaching base safely in three of his four plate appearances.

Continuing to work his way back, Kiké Hernández had one hit in four at-bats, responsible for two of the five strikeouts from Comets hitters.

Double-A Tulsa

Despite trailing big early on, as starter Patrick Copen couldn’t find his footing, the Drillers overcame a 3-0 deficit thanks to an outstanding effort from Josue De Paula. At just twenty years of age, De Paula is delivering quite a campaign in the minors’ second-highest level—a key piece of this Drillers team that’s now 23-17 after a 7-5 victory.

For the sixth time in his last seven games, De Paula netted at least one RBI, this time tallying four thanks to a double and a home run, his sixth of the year.

That top of the order with De Paula and Kendall George continues to be a problem for Double-A pitchers, both hitting and on the base paths—each of them stole a bag and combined have now 31 stolen bases in 2026, 20 for George and 11 for De Paula.

High-A Great Lakes

When you get out-homered by your opponent four to zero, a loss is virtually guaranteed. All things considered, the Loons did a decent enough job of making this a competitive game late with a four-run rally in the eighth, as they ultimately fell by a score of 6-4.

Reaching base three times with a double and a pair of walks, also stealing two bases successfully, Eduardo Quintero was the Loons’ standout performer offensively. Quintero was one of the few hitters shining for a team that suffered early on against opposing starter Wande Torres, responsible for six shutout innings.

Single-A Ontario

The Tower Buzzers put on a very peculiar display, blowing out the 66ers 12-4 and doing so with an absurd 17 strikeouts from its lineup—that included a golden sombrero for third baseman and cleanup hitter Chase Harlan, who certainly represented his first name well in this performance.

It should be noted that two-thirds of those 12 runs came in the ninth inning, with the Tower Buzzers padding a lead. Easton Shelton, who had already homered in the sixth, finished his game with four RBI, the most he has had this season.

Interestingly, with starter Cam Leiter completing just 2.1 innings, each of the six Tower Buzzers pitchers who took the mound for this one struck out exactly two hitters.

Transactions

The biggest moves were Mike Sirota’s call-up to Double-A and right-handed pitcher Wyatt Mills getting sent down to Triple-A, with plenty of shuffling between all minor league affiliates for the Dodgers this Tuesday.

Tuesday’s scores

• Oklahoma City 6, Reno 3
• Wichita 5, Tulsa 7
• Great Lakes 4, Wisconsin 6
• Inland Empire 4, Ontario 12

Wednesday’s schedule

• 3:05 p.m. PT: Great Lakes (Zach Root) vs. Wisconsin (Braylon Owens)
• 4:35 p.m. PT: Oklahoma City (Christian Romero) vs. Reno (Tommy Henry)
• 4:35 p.m. PT: Tulsa (Wyatt Crowell) at Wichita (Ty Langenberg)
• 5:00 p.m. PT: Ontario (TBD) at Inland Empire (Aiden Butler)
• game 2: Ontario (TBD) at Inland Empire (Scott House)

Mason Miller walked Max Muncy on a borderline pitch that was initially called a strike, but was challenged by Muncy and overturned, resulting in ball four. Muncy was replaced by pinch runner Alex Call and that proved to be a game-winning decision by Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts. Miller faced Andy Pages with one out and Call at first base. The pinch runner left the base early attempting to steal second and should have been thrown out. Instead, Miller threw the ball to first base, and it tipped off the glove of San Diego Padres first baseman Ty France and rolled into foul territory up the right field line. By the time the ball got back to the infield Call was standing on third base. Pages won a nine-pitch at-bat against Miller and hit a fly ball into right field which allowed Call to tag up and score on the play to give the Dodgers a 5-4 lead. Miller was replaced by Ron Marinaccio and he struck out the following batter to end the inning.

San Diego needed a base runner and some of their late-inning magic if the Padres were going to avoid the loss. It was not to be as France struck out on a check swing and Freddy Fermin grounded out to shortstop for the first two outs of the ninth. Fernando Tatis Jr. stepped in looking to extend the game and the Friar Faithful were hoping he would launch his first home run of the season and tie the game, but Tatis grounded out to third base to end the game and the Padres suffered a 5-4 loss at Petco Park.

Griffin Canning started on the mound for San Diego and allowed a two-run home run in the top of the first inning to Freddy Freeman. The Padres were in a hole when they came to the plate in the bottom half of the inning and Manny Machado tied the game with his own two-run home run. The game remained tied until the bottom of the third inning when Miguel Andujar hit a two-run home run to make the score 4-2. The Dodgers were able to get a run in the fifth and tied the game in the sixth inning when Freeman hit his second home run of the game to make the score, 4-4. That set the stage for the top of the ninth.

San Diego will try to win the series against Los Angeles today at 5:40 p.m.

Padres News:

• Tom Krasovic of the San Diego Union-Tribune says Fernando Tatis Jr. is not the first Padres slugger to struggle. He added that fans should not expect it to continue.

• Rodolfo Duran waited a long time to get his shot at the MLB level and he does not appear to be willing to give it up any time soon.

• The big three of Tatis Jr., Machado and Jackson Merrill are still looking for offensive consistency, but the rest of the lineup is picking them up and that has resulted in a winning record.

Baseball News:

• The New York Yankees were on the losing end of two challenges – at least that is how the umpires ruled it – and that was enough to send Yankees manager Aaron Boone over the top in their 5-4 win over the Toronto Blue Jays.

• Ivan Herrera hit a 10th inning home run to lead the St. Louis Cardinals to a walk-off win.

• Washington Nationals slugger James Wood hit his first career grand slam, and it never cleared the wall.

• Jacob Misiorowski dominated the Chicago Cubs and helped the Milwaukee Brewers take over as the leader in the NL Central.

• Yandy Diaz helped the Tampa Bay Rays get their 20th win in their last 24 games.

• Jackson Holliday returned to the Baltimore Orioles roster on Tuesday and may be making a position change.

• Martin Perez recorded 10 strikeouts and helped the Padres eat the Dodgers.

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It's another busy day across the majors, which means lots of value in my MLB player props.

I'm keying in on big days from Corbin Carroll, Chris Sale, and Cam Schlittler. 

Read more for my MLB picks for Wednesday, May 20. 

Best MLB player props today

Player	Pick	Odds
Corbin Carroll	Over 1.5 total bases	+124
Chris Sale	Under 1.5 earned runs	+100
Cam Schlittler	Over 5.5 strikeouts	-147

Corbin Carroll Over 1.5 total bases (+124)

Corbin Carroll is having another impressive season for the Arizona Diamondbacks. While the power numbers aren't huge, the outfielder is still batting .285, and he's raking lately. Carroll is hitting .429 over the last week with two doubles, two triples, and two home runs. Six of his nine hits during that span have been for extra bases. 

Carroll has cashed the Over in total bases in six straight contests heading into the finale against the San Francisco Giants this afternoon. Although he's never faced Tyler Mahle, the righty has an ERA north of eight on the road, and owns chase and whiff rates in the 26th percentile or worse. 

• Time: 3:40 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: DBACKS.TV, NBCS Bay Area

Chris Sale Under 1.5 earned runs (+100)

Chris Sale looks primed to be in the NL Cy Young conversation again. The Atlanta Braves ace is dominating, compiling a 6-3 record and 1.96 ERA through nine starts.

Opponents are hitting only .183 against the left-hander. Sale has allowed Under 1.5 earned runs in five of his last six appearances, and he tossed six scoreless frames last time out against a solid Cubs team. 

Sale will face the Miami Marlins tonight, who are around the middle of the pack offensively. He's truly looked unhittable this season, and all signs point to Sale tossing another gem as he continues to strengthen his Cy Young odds case.

• Time: 5:40 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: Braves.Vision, Marlins.TV

Cam Schlittler Over 5.5 strikeouts (-147)

Shifting over to another Cy Young candidate in the American League, as Cam Schlittler takes the mound tonight against the Toronto Blue Jays. The New York Yankees righty is one of the breakout stars of the 2026 season, leading the Majors with a mind-boggling 1.35 ERA. He's also sixth in strikeouts with 68 in just 60 innings of work. 

Schlittler has hit the Over in Ks in three of his last four, and he just registered nine punchouts in his most recent appearance against the struggling Mets.

Toronto doesn't typically strike out a lot, but they've been worse lately, averaging 8.33 Ks across their last three games. Schlittler also has all the confidence in the world right now, and ranks among baseball's elite in chase, whiff, and strikeout rates. 

• Time: 7:40 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: Sportsnet, YES

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