What we learned as Birdsong, Matos fuel Giants' win vs. Marlins

What we learned as Birdsong, Matos fuel Giants' win vs. Marlins originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

SAN FRANCISCO — The first game of June would have fit right in with just about every game in May.

The Giants failed to score more than four runs for a 14th consecutive game, their longest streak since 1976, but the pitching was once again good enough to clinch a victory. Luis Matos hit a three-run blast and Hayden Birdsong and the bullpen did the rest as the Giants won 4-2, escaping Miami with a series win over the last-place Marlins. 

San Francisco went 4-5 on a trip that wasn’t all that difficult on paper, beating the Marlins and Washington Nationals but getting swept by the Detroit Tigers. They’ll fly home for a homestand that will require a lot more from the struggling lineup. The San Diego Padres are coming to Oracle Park for four, followed by a weekend series with the Atlanta Braves, who just got Ronald Acuña Jr. back.

The Giants scored just 18 runs on the nine-game trip, but they allowed only 18. Things got a bit hairy in the late innings Sunday, but Tyler Rogers got out of one jam and Camilo Doval picked up his second four-out save in three days. 

Let Duane Cook

It seemed like there was a bit more juice behind Duane Kuiper’s home run call in the fourth, and it would be hard to blame him. The Giants had hit just three homers on the three-city road trip before Matos went deep.

The homer was Matos’ fourth of the year and first since May 5. He had been hitless over 18 at-bats in his previous seven appearances, and Sunday was a good time to break out of the slump for multiple reasons. The Giants expect to get Jerar Encarnacion back when they return home, and they’ll have to make a roster move. They could move on from struggling first baseman LaMonte Wade Jr., but given how right-handed their bench is, it would make more sense to option a young player who isn’t getting much time. 

The homer was just Matos’ fourth hit this season against left-handed pitching, but three of them have been homers. 

Saved By The Submarine

For the second time in three days, Bob Melvin had to turn to Rogers to get another pitcher out of a jam rather than take on a clean eighth inning. 

Jordan Hicks got the call with a three-run lead in the seventh, but he walked the bases loaded. Rogers entered with one out and immediately got a grounder, but it was hit so high off the artificial surface that there was no play at first and a run scored. After a strikeout of Jesus Sanchez, Rogers got Otto Lopez to ground out and keep it a 4-2 game. 

The appearance was the 28th of the year for Rogers, and he has been charged with a run in just three of them. He has a 1.71 ERA, and with two strong months to open the year, he has lowered his career ERA to 2.85 over seven seasons. 

Keeping Up

All of a sudden, there’s a bit of a competition in the rotation. Kyle Harrison will get at least one more turn in the rotation as Justin Verlander’s pec heals, and he threw so well on Friday that there’s some pressure for the other young starters to keep up. Given that Harrison was the incumbent coming into camp, it wouldn’t be crazy for him to keep a rotation spot whenever Verlander returns if he keeps pitching like this. 

There are no easy moves, though. Landen Roupp had a dominant month, and while Birdsong’s first two starts didn’t fully live up to his expectations, he was sharp Sunday. The right-hander struck out five, walked none and allowed just one earned in 5 1/3. He has a 2.37 ERA overall this season. 

Roupp’s spot seems secure, although he sneakily already has surpassed his total for innings pitched in the big leagues last year. He’s about 20 away from his total across levels last year, and at some point the Giants will have to deal with that. For now, they’re dealing with a good problem. Their three young starters are all pitching so well that there’s no reason to rush Verlander back until he truly feels 100 percent. 

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Jack Ivankovic Commits To Michigan

Brian Bradshaw Sevald-Imagn Images

Brampton Steelheads goaltender Jack Ivankovic has committed to Michigan, it was announced Saturday. 

Ivankovic, who is considered one of the top goaltenders for the 2025 NHL Draft, just finished his second full season with the Steelheads, collecting a record of 25-12-5 to go along with a 3.05 GAA and .903 SP in 43 regular season games. With Brampton having made the playoffs, Ivankovic got into five playoff games, going 1-3 while posting a 4.87 GAA and a .877 SP. 

Drafted by the Steelheads (then based in Mississauga) in the first round of the 2023 OHL Priority Selection, Ivankovic made 68 regular season appearances over the course of his OHL career. In that span, he put up a stat line of 39-17-9, a 2.93 GAA and a .907 SP. 

Currently projected as a second round pick for the 2025 NHL Draft, Ivankovic will have quite a few NHL suitors who are looking to add to their goaltending pipeline. While there have been knocks against Ivankovic for his size in the past, the Wolverines will be getting a talented player who can instantly step in as a freshman and play an important role. 

Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire: Miguel Vargas is heating up, Cole Young makes his debut

Welcome to Waiver Wire Watch, where I review my favorite waiver wire adds and drops for each week of the MLB season.

The premise is pretty straightforward. I’ll try to give you some recommended adds each week based on recent production or role changes. When I list a player, I’ll list the category where I think he’ll be helpful or the quick reason he’s listed. I hope it will help you determine if the player is a fit for what your team needs.

For a player to qualify for this list, he needs to be UNDER 40% rostered in Yahoo! formats. I understand you may say, “These players aren’t available in my league,” and I can’t help you there. These players are available in over 60% of leagues and some in 98% of leagues, so they’re available in many places, and that can hopefully satisfy readers who play in all league types.

Waiver Wire Hitters

Jordan Beck - OF, COL: 35% rostered
(HOME PARK BONUS, PROSPECT GROWTH)

The Rockies are coming back to Coors Field for the three games next week and are on the road in Miami for their other three, so now may be the time to add Beck back if he was dropped this week. He's a young hitter with some power and speed who has a 15.3% barrel rate on the season. His exit velocities aren't great, but he's pulling and lifting the ball more this year, which is going to help him get to his power. He still has just a 70% contact rate and 14.4% swinging strike rate, so the batting average will likely regress, but the power is intriguing, and you can slot him into your lineup every time the Rockies are at home. Another outfielder to add for recent production and a strong schedule is Jesus Sanchez - OF, MIA (3% rostered). He gets five right-handed pitchers this week, including two starts against the Rockies' staff, so that puts Sanchez firmly on the radar. The got a late start to the season due to injury, but is hitting .275/.366/.425 in May with three home runs, 12 runs scored, 11 RBI, and four steals in 22 games. He still hits the ball on the ground far too much for my liking, but he has taken a more passive approach this season, cutting his chase rate and swing rate by a good deal, which makes me think this solid average with modest speed/power profile could be real.

Max Muncy - 3B, LAD: 34% rostered
(HOT STREAK, RBI UPSIDE)

At the beginning of May, Muncy started wearing glasses during games to help with an astigmatism in his right eye. He didn’t know if it would help him at all, but he said he was willing to try anything if it might help his game. Well, since May 5th, Muncy is hitting .250/.370/.422 with five home runs, 24 RBI, two steals and a 12/13 K/BB ratio in 21 games. We’ve seen Muncy has good stretches before and even the batting average during this hot streak isn’t great, but he’s putting the ball in play and driving in runs. That kind of power and RBI production is useful in any format. If you're looking for a third baseman in deeper formats, Jose Tena - 2B/3B, WAS (0% rostered) has been posting a solid batting average of late, hitting .286/.368/.429 over his last 15 games with nine runs scored, four RBI and one steal. He is among the leaders on Statcast’s Rolling wOBA Leaderboard and has a 7/7 K/BB ratio over that stretch which highlights his strong swing decisions. As you can tell from the numbers above, he’s not bringing you tons of value, but in really deep formats, a player who is playing regularly and making good swing decisions and getting on base can be valuable.

Chase Meidroth - 2B/3B/SS, CWS: 32% rostered
(EVERY DAY JOB, MODEST STEALS UPSIDE)

In 23 games in May, Meidroth is hitting .290/.365/.366 with 13 runs scored, seven steals, and a 12/11 K/BB ratio, so he’s another hitter I’m highlighting on here who is making good swing decisions and succeeding due to a strong understanding of the strike zone. He had never stolen more than 13 bases in a season at the minor league level, so that number is a bit shocking to me, but he can run a bit and is a smart baseball player on a bad team that has no problem taking chances on the bases. Meidroth is also hitting leadoff and playing every day, so he could accumulate runs and steals while hitting for a solid batting average. That works in a lot of leagues. If you were interested in a more volatile option for speed, you could turn to Connor Norby - 2B/3B, MIA (12% rostered). The Marlins infielder has been working with hitting coaches on some swing modifications and that has led to a .282/.322/.435 slash line in 22 games in May with two home runs, 13 RBI, and two steals. He stole 16 bases last season between the minors and MLB, so he’s not a burner, but he will swipe some bags. The issue is that, even in this strong stretch, he has a 27% strikeout rate, so the swing and miss will likely always be in his game and lead to some cold streaks.

Alec Burleson - 1B/OF, STL: 29% rostered
(PLAYING TIME REGAINED, POWER UPSIDE)

After losing playing time early in the season to Jordan Walker, Burleson got back to a point where he was starting essentially every day against right-handed pitching. Then Walker started working himself back into playing time and the Cardinals have started to play Ivan Herrera at DH. On Saturday, the Cardinals put Walker on the IL, so we should see Burleson back into a full-time role. He has done his part too. In 18 games in May, Burleson is hitting .328/.371/.608 with four home runs, 10 RBI, and one steal. The Cardinals have been a solid offense so far this season, and Burleson can be a big component of that. He won't play versus lefties, which makes him a better fit in daily moves leagues, but he can be solid in NFBC-type formats when you can change your lineup mid-week as well. We just have to keep an eye on the playing time and ensure it remains. Gavin Sheets - 1B/OF, SD (20% rostered) had been in a similar boat, but he has started playing against some lefties recently as well. Sheets is hitting .285/.331/.510 on the season with nine home runs, so he has been productive for the Padres this year. He's hitting in the middle of a lineup that features a lot of strong bats, which means he has a good chance for RBI upside. His multi-position eligibility also makes him a bit more valuable, and he's an add I like in daily moves leagues.

Roman Anthony - OF, BOS: 29% rostered
(TOP PROSPECT, POTENTIAL CALL-UP)

The screams for the Red Sox to promote Roman Anthony are only getting louder as the big league team struggles to find any offense without both Alex Bergman and Triston Casas. The issue is that the Red Sox still don’t have space in the outfield for Anthony, and Rafael Devers has not yet agreed to take reps at 1B. It’s coming to a point where Boston may have no choice but to move Gold Glove CF Ceddanne Rafaela back to the infield just to get Anthony’s bat up. You simply can’t be in a big market like Boston and have your big league team playing this poorly while the top prospect in ball of baseball is hitting .309/.441.514 with eight home runs, 40 runs scored, and 23 RBI in 50 games at Triple-A. Anthony has never posted a swinging strike rate above 9% at any step in the minors other than 50 games at High-A in 2023, so he should be a solid batting average asset upon being called up with good power potential and the ability to swipe 5-10 bases. Once he’s up, Boston is HIGHLY unlikely to send him back down. Another big money stash option would be Jac Caglianone - 1B, KC (13% rostered), who the team promoted to Triple-A recently. He's gone 12-for-37 at the level with five home runs and 10 RBI in nine games. The Royals have also been playing him in the outfield to expedite his path to the big leagues, and with the team waiving Hunter Renfroe, we may see Caglianone get a shot in the coming weeks. Keep in mind that he has played only 43 games above High-A and had a nearly 13% swinging strike rate in Double-A, so this may be a similar situation to Nick Kurtz as well, where we see good power but some stretches where the swing-and-miss takes over as he adjusts to MLB pitching.

Ryan O'Hearn - 1B/OF, BAL: 22% rostered
(CONSISTENT PLAYING TIME, POWER UPSIDE)

Ryan O’Hearn is a boring veteran who has also been criticized because he was “blocking” the path of many of the Orioles’ top prospects for the last couple of years. However, at this point, Kyle Stowers and Connor Norby are gone, Jordan Westburg and Colton Cowser play every day when healthy, Heston Kjerstad has not hit at the MLB level, and the team clearly doesn’t trust Coby Mayo as a defender, so maybe we should just embrace O’Hearn for the value that he does bring. Much like Burleson, O’Hearn isn’t going to play against lefties, but unlike Burleson, we know for certain O’Hearn will be in there against right-handed pitching. He hits clean-up for the Orioles and is having one of his best seasons by trading a little but of contact for a slightly more pull-happy approach. He’s more of a line drive hitter, so the home run production will come and go, but the quality of contact has been really good, and this lineup should improve when Cowser and Westburg return soon.

Marcelo Mayer - SS, BOS: 21% rostered
(RECENT CALL-UP, BATTING AVERAGE UPSIDE)

With Alex Bregman suffering a "significant" quad strain, the path for Mayer to finally reach Boston became clear, and he was called up last Saturday for his MLB debut. Since then, he has started every game at third base and gone 5-for-19 with two extra base hits and on run scored. In Triple-A, Mayer hit .271/.347/.471 in 43 games at with nine home runs and 43 RBI. Just like what we discussed above with Jac Caglianone, there will be struggles for Mayer to adjust to MLB pitching, and his power is not going to immediately carry over. That being said, unlike power-first guys like Caglianone and Nick Kurtz, Mayer is an MLB-ready hitter from a plate discipline and contact perspective, and is going to be a strong fantasy add in deeper formats. In shallower leagues, he may not be as valuable this year since the power and speed numbers won’t be that great.

Miguel Vargas - 1B/3B/OF, CWS: 17% rostered
(POST HYPE PROSPECT, EMERGING POWER)

I'm not sure what more Vargas has to do to be rostered in more leagues. Three weeks ago, he appeared in my article on hitters to add based on their plate discipline and contact rates. Vargas is chasing at a super low rate, making 85% contact overall and rarely swinging and missing. He's pulling the ball slightly less this season and has focused less on lifting the ball, which is a good change. He doesn't smoke the ball, but a 90 mph average exit velocity is pretty good, and he's playing every day in Chicago. The production he's put up over the last month matches the process, with him hitting .275/.343/.604 in 24 games in May with seven home runs, 17 runs scored, and 15 RBI. The team context is not good, but the playing time and production have been solid. Another multi-position option, but one primarily for speed, is Jose Caballero - 2B/3B/SS/OF, TB (15% rostered), who has 11 steals in 21 games in May. He may lose his starting spot in two-ish weeks when Ha-Seong Kim returns, but the Rays have shown confidence in playing him basically anywhere on the field, which could help him keep making four starts a week and helping with your stolen base totals.

Brett Baty - 3B, NYM: 17% rostered
(PLAYING TIME OPPORTUNITY, HOT STREAK)

With Mark Vientos continuing to look lost at third base, there's a real chance for Baty to emerge as the regular third baseman for the Mets with Vientos shifting to DH. In 20 games in May, Baty is hitting .290/.333/.581 with five home runs and 16 RBI. He's also pulling the ball 45% of the time as he starts to get a little more aggressive in the batter's box. That's huge for him because a lot of his early-season struggles were connected to being too passive and getting himself into terrible counts. In deeper formats, we are going to see Shay Whitcomb- 3B, HOU (1% rostered) get a chance in Houston this year now that Chas McCormick is on the IL. Whitcomb has been tearing up AAA to the tune of 18 home runs and a .275/.357/.599 slash line. He has can play multiple positions on the infield as well as shift into the outfield, and with Zach Dezenzo also hurting his hand on Saturday, there could be a chance for Whitcomb to push for playing time here.

Cam Smith - 3B/OF, HOU: 17% rostered
(POWER UPSIDE, PROSPECT GROWTH IS NOT LINEAR)

Cam Smith is continuing to hit, going 23-for-75 over the last month, which is a .307 average. Unfortunately, the increased batting average is coming with a huge dip in fly ball rate, so he has no home runs and just seven RBI over that stretch. Smith is a young player who jumped straight to the big leagues from High-A ball, so he’s adjusting to MLB pitching and starting to have some success. I'm willing to bet on him continuing to adjust and finding the power stroke again.

Matt Wallner - OF, MIN: 12% rostered
(POWER UPSIDE, RETURN FROM THE IL)

The Twins lineup got fully healthy this weekend with the return flor Byron Buxton and Wallner, who has been out six weeks with a hamstring strain. Wallner was crushing the ball in Triple-A and should immediately return to his everyday role against right-handed pitching. What that means for Kody Clemens - 1B/2B/3B, MIN (3% rostered) is anybody’s guess. Clemens has been on fire of late and can move all over the field, so there’s still reason to be adding him because he can starts 4-5 times a week in a super utility role. However, I’d keep my bids light until we know for sure what his role is.

Parker Meadows - OF, DET: 12% rostered
(POWER/SPEED UPSIDE, POTENTIAL RETURN FROM THE IL)

It sounds like we might get Meadows back in the Tigers’ lineup this week. The young center fielder was one of my favorite targets in the preseason before a nerve issue in his arm sidelined him. He’s been hitting well and playing full games in the field at Triple-A, and I expect him to come back into a near full-time role for the AL’s best team. If you wanted to wait in shallow leagues to see what his role really is, that’s fine, but I would add him now in deeper formats.

Jake Meyers - OF, HOU: 10% rostered
(SPEED UPSIDE, STARTING JOB)

A few weeks ago,I published an article on hitters who were being more aggressive and swinging at the first pitch more often this year than last year. Myers popped up for me on that leaderboard, and I explained in detail why I’m a fan of his new approach, so you should read that article to check out the analysis; however, I think he’s a solid add for steals and something close to a .270 batting average. Another outfield speed option is Sal Frelick - OF, MIL (19% rostered) who has been a bit underrated in fantasy circles this season despite hitting .297 with 11 stolen bases. He’s gone 18-for-48 over the last two weeks with three steals while driving in nine runs for a Brewers offense that is slowly waking up a little bit. He’s primarily a batting average and stolen base asset, but he does help a little bit everywhere and is a really solid, deep league player and a fine fifth OF in shallow formats.

Carlos Santana - 1B, CLE: 8% rostered
(BATTING AVERAGE, RBI UPSIDE)

Every year, Carlos Santana has strong stretches where his batting average spikes and he drives in a bunch of runs in the middle of a batting order. We are in one of those stretches right now. Over the last month, he has gone 23-for-75 (.307) with four home runs and 21 RBIs. The batting average will likely regress in the coming weeks, and this isn’t a pick up necessarily to hold for the remainder of the season, outside of deeper formats, but Santana is a solid veteran hitter, who can be helpful for you when he’s riding hot streaks like this. It also seems like Eric Wagaman - 1B/3B/OF, MIA (3% rostered) is heating up again. He’s hitting .286 over his last two weeks, going 14-for-49 with one home run but just five RBI since the lineup around him is not great. That limits him to just deep leagues.

Addison Barger - 3B/OF, TOR: 7% rostered
(PLAYING TIME OPPORTUNITY, POWER UPSIDE)

I was a fan of Addison Barger in the spring when he was all over the spring training leaderboards, and then I read about how the Blue Jays tried to change his swing upon his arrival in the big leagues and how it didn't work. He has now gone back to a more "free" swing that he says stops him from overthinking in the box and just lets him be loose. We obviously love to hear that, and I think Barger has a profile that the Blue Jays need. So many of their hitters are contact-first bats (Bichette, Clement, Springer, Kirk). I think Barger is a nice fit as more of a pull-heavy hitter who tries to do damage when he swings. That may lead to a .250 type of hitter, but I believe in his batted ball quality and think he could push to be the Blue Jays' third baseman for the season. Barger’s teammate, Ernie Clement - 2B/SS/3B - TOR (4% rostered) has only been seeing the ball well lately, going 28-for-94 (.298) over the last month with three home runs, 14 runs scored, and 12 RBI. The impending return of Andres Gimenez could make plane time a bit complicated, but Anthony Santander heading to the IL means that Barger could move to DH and allow both Clement and Gimenez to play the field every day again. Clement proved himself to be a solid batting average asset last season and his multi-position eligibility makes him valuable in deeper performance.

Carlos Narvaez - C, BOS: 7% rostered
(PLAYING TIME OPPORTUNITY, TBATTING AVERAGE UPSIDE)

It seems as though Narvaez has emerged as the starting catcher and one of the better rookies in the AL. He was known primarily for his plus defense when he was acquired from the Yankees in a trade this off-season, but he's hitting .285/.349/.457 in 166 plate appearances with five home runs and 17 RBI. He provides top-tier defense behind the plate and is going to start about two-thirds of the games for the Red Sox while hitting near the middle of the order. He should be rostered in all two-catcher leagues. Henry Davis - C, PIT (0% rostered) has also become the starting catcher for the Pirates with Joey Bart on the concussion IL. Davis has gone 7-for-24 (.292) over that span with one home run and four RBI. It’s not elite production, but he has some prospect pedigree, is showing minor improvements, and Bart has had a few concussions before, so it's unclear how long he may be out for.

Cole Young - 2B/SS, SEA: 6% rostered
(RECENT CALL-UP, BATTING AVERAGE UPSIDE)

On Saturday, the Mariners called up their 3rd-ranked prospect, Cole Young, who’s the 43rd-ranked prospect in baseball, according to MLB Pipeline. He’s a high contact rate hitter who doesn’t have tons of power but could push 15+ steals in an everyday role. He’s seen a slight uptick in his power this season, but he’s probably a 10+ HR bat right now who has a good feel for the zone and gets a slight boost in OBP leagues. The Orioles also called up Coby Mayo - 3B, BAL (6% rostered) with Ryan Mountcastle headed to the IL with a hamstring injury. Even though Jordan Westburg is returning, Mayo should be set as the near every day 1B/DH for a few weeks while Mountcastle is down. This could finally be the chance for him to get regular run in a big league lineup. The only potential concern is if Colton Cowser and Tyler O’Neill both come back and the Orioles decide to push Heston Kjerstad to DH versus righties

Robert Hassell III - OF, WAS: 6% rostered
(PROSPECT CALL UP, SPEED UPSIDE)

The Nationals called up Hassell last week after having to place both Jacob Young and Dylan Crews on the IL. So far, the former top prospect, who is one of the players who came over in the Juan Soto trade years ago, has gone 10-for-37 (.270) with one home run, six RBI, and one steals. He was hitting .288 with four home runs, nine steals, and a .742 OPS in Triple-A this season and had made clear gains in his exit velocity and shown a little bit more pop than in years past. I don't expect him to hit for much power at the big league level, but he could be useful in deeper formats. Fantasy managers in deep leagues could also add Andrew Benintendi - OF, CWS (3% rostered). We know he’s not going to set the world on fire, but he’s going to play every day and had shown some solid power earlier in the season before getting hurt. It’s boring but functional in deeper formats.

Thairo Estrada- 2B, COL: 6% rostered
(OFF THE IL, BATTING AVERAGE UPSIDE)

He’s back. Estrada was a big late-round favorite of mine early in the season now that he’s in Colorado. I think he hurt his fantasy value by playing through injury last year, but he’s a .270 15/15 type of talent who will not be playing in Coors Field. A fractured wrist could impact some of that power, but Estrada hit a solid 7-for-23 during his rehab assignment and could be a solid source of batting average and speed while being the likely every day starter at second base for the Rockies.

Dane Myers - OF, MIA: 5% rostered
(OFF THE IL, SPEED UPSIDE)

The Marlins brought Dane Myers off the IL this week. He had hit .337/.375/.482 with seven steals in 29 games and should play everyday, so if you’re in a deeper league and need some speed, he’s a solid gamble. Injuries to Anthony Santander and Daulton Varsho may have also opened up playing time chances for Alan Roden - OF, TOR (1% rostered), who started the year up in Toronto before heading back to Triple-A and lighting up the box scores with a .375/.467/.625 slash line, three home runs, and three steals in 16 games. In shallower formats, I’d want to wait to see what Toronto is doing a bit more, but in deeper leagues, I’d gamble and add Roden this weekend.

Ha-Seong Kim - SS, TB: 4% rostered)
(IL STASH, SPEED UPSIDE)

If you have space for a bench stash, Kim is another possible option if you need speed. He's currently in Triple-A on a rehab assignment, so it feels like maybe two more weeks until we see Kim back up, but he should play every day for the Rays, who may also then ship him away at the trade deadline. Even if that happens, Kim would have value wherever he winds up, so now may be the time to stash him. Another middle infield option primarily for speed is Otto Lopez - 2B/SS, MIA (8% rostered), who stole 20 bases for Miami last season. He has hit just .237 since coming off the IL and has just five steals on the season, but I think his true talent is as a 20-25 steal middle infielder, and so that has value if you’re OK with the counting stats being pretty modest.

Waiver Wire Pitchers

Ryan Weathers - SP, MIA: 38% rostered
I’m surprised that Weathers still makes the cut for this list. He has come back off the IL and faced the Cubs twice and Padres once and allowed just three runs in 15/2 innings while striking out 15. His spring training velocity has held, and his command has been tremendous early on. I like him as an upside play and think he needs to be rostered in all formats.

Daniel Palencia - RP, CHC: 37% rostered
Palencia has seen his roster rate shoot up almost 30% after securing five of his last five save opportunities. The right-hander has limited experience and some previous control concerns, but he throws hard and has a 1.74 ERA, 0.77 WHIP, and 22 strikeouts in 20.2 innings this season. At this point, it’s hard to see him losing the closer role to either Ryan Presley or Porter Hodge when he returns. However, I do expect the Cubs to go out and trade for a veteran reliever at some point. That still gives Palencia a few weeks as the unquestioned closer on one of the best teams in baseball.

Eury Perez - SP, MIA: 36% rostered
Eury Perez looks set to make his season debut this week after throwing five shutout innings in his final Triple-A start on Wednesday. During his rehab starts, he has showed off a new sinker that should help him as a second fastball variation and a pitch to attack righties with inside. He’s a young arm with the upside to be a 30% strikeout rate pitcher with a low 3.00 ERA; however, we have to remember that he missed all of last season after Tommy John surgery, so his command figures to be inconsistent this year, and the Marlins are going to be cautious with his innings. His potential for wins is also capped on Miami, so while I like adding Perez, I just want you to do it with some caution.

Bubba Chandler - SP, PIT: 32% rostered
Is Tuesday the day? Mike Burrows’ spot in the rotation comes up on Tuesday at home, and there are some rumblings that Bubba Chandler could make that start. We have no idea if it’s true, but it seems like it’s only a matter of time before Chandler is up in the Pirates rotation. He has dominated the level this year, and has nothing left to prove. I know waiting is hard, but if you have the bench space for a stash, I think Chandler is the one.

Shelby Miller - RP, ARI: 24% rostered
Justin Martinez is back and throwing 100 mph, but I think it's premature to assume that he will simply be given the closer's role. There's a good chance they use Miller to help lessen some of Martinez's workload after coming back, by using him in the eighth inning or mixing in Miller for some save opportunities as well. If somebody in your league has dropped Miller, I'd put in a small bid just until we see how this situation plays out.

Edward Cabrera - SP, MIA: 22% rostered
Cabrera has long tantalized with his upside and disappointed with his command, but he is making some pitch mix changes that caught my attention. I dug into him for my starting pitcher news column this week, so I'd encourage you to check that out for a more detailed breakdown.

Zebby Matthews - SP, MIN: 19% rostered
We waited for months to get Zebby in the Twins rotation, and then he pitched seven combined innings in his first two starts. Well, the Twins let him go seven innings in just his last start alone, and while the overall stat line isn’t great, Matthew’s struck out seven and pitched deep into the game. He also really only got dinged up in the first inning when both Cal Raleigh and Randy Arozarena got him for home runs. He settled down after that, and if I’m getting Zebby with the ability to go six or more innings then I’m in.

Landen Roupp - SP, SF: 17% rostered
Last week, everybody was talking about Hayden Birdsong and Kyle Harrison moving into the rotation, but Roupp just keeps chugging along. He threw four great innings against the Tigers on Wednesday, but the fifth inning was a mess of errors and some hits, and he was chased from the game early. Still, over his last 26 innings, he has just a 1.73 ERA, 11.19 WHIP and 21 strikeouts. With the exception of his last start, he’s been going five innings or deeper pretty consistently, and I think he’s a pretty safe option.

Richard Fitts - SP, BOS: 8% rostered
Fitts was added back to the rotation last week instead of continuing his rehab assignment, and while he was limited to just three innings, we should expect him to build back up in the coming weeks. With Tanner Houck on the IL, I expect Fitts to officially take Hunter Dobbins' place in the rotation for the foreseeable future. Before straining his pec in April, he showed off improved velocity and a much deeper pitch mix that features a new fastball variation and sweeper. I’m a believer in Fitts.

Slade Cecconi - SP, CLE: 3% rostered
Cecconi was not great on Saturday against the Angels, but he was also pitching on nine days rest due to a groin injury, and I often think added rest like that can backfire on a starter. I covered Cecconi's increased velocity and new pitch mix in my starting pitcher column for last week, so I'd encourage you to check that out for my thoughts.

Sawyer Gipson-Long, SP: 1% rostered
Is in a similar situation to Fitts. He’s likely to come up this week to take Jackson Jobe’s spot in the rotation, but could likely still use some more rehab stints. I like Gipson-Long as an arm, so I wanted to highlight him here, but I’d be trying to just watch him this week rather then add him since he missed all of last season after elbow surgery.

STREAMING STARTER PITCHERS

MUST BE 40% ROSTERED ON YAHOO OR UNDER (ranked in loose order)

Week of 6/2

Strong Preference

PitcherRoster%Opponent
Max Meyer37%vs COL, at TB
Eury Perez36%at TB
Zebby Matthews20%at ATH
Gavin Williams40%vs HOU
Jameson Taillon30%at DET
Ryan Weathers26%at TB
Lucas Giolito16%vs LAA
Edward Cabrera4%at TB

Fairly Confident

Jose Soriano23%at BOS
Dean Kremer6%at ATH
Hayden Birdsong35%vs ATL
Jack Lester33%at TB
Cade Horton26%at WAS, at DET
Ryan Yarbrough2%vs BOS
Lance McCullers15%at PIT, at CLE
Slade Cecconi3%vs HOU
Luis Severino32%vs MIN, vs BAL
Shane Smith26%vs DET, vs KC

Some Hesitation

Ben Brown26%at DET
Cade Povich2%at SEA
Colton Gordon1%at CLE
Landen Roupp17%vs SD
Brayan Bello19%vs LAA
Andre Pallante7%vs KC
Emerson Hancock5%vs BAL
Grant Holmes36%vs ARI
Adrian Houser5%vs KC
Ryan Gusto4%at PIT
Patrick Corbin12%at TB

If I'm Desperate

Richard Fitts8%vs LAA, at NYY
Sawyer Gipson-Long1%at CWS, vs CHC
Chris Paddack16%Vs TOR
Tomoyuki Sugano35%at SEA, at ATH
Jacob Lopez1%vs MIN, vs BAL
Tanner Gordon0%at MIA
Kyle Freeland2%at MIA
Davis Martin4%vs DET
Jonathan Cannon4%vs DET, vs KC
Aaron Civale2%at CIN
Steven Kolek14%at SF, at MIL
Tyler Anderson18%at BOS, vs SEA
Randy Vasquez13%at MIL
Kyle Harrison11%vs SD

ICYMI in Mets Land: Kodai Senga wraps up dominant May, bats stay hot

Here's what happened in Mets Land on Saturday, in case you missed it...


Phillies notes: Abel set to return to rotation, Walker's new role in bullpen

Phillies notes: Abel set to return to rotation, Walker's new role in bullpen originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

When you come out of your MLB debut with six scoreless innings, nine strikeouts and the first win of your career … chances are, you’ll be back.

Just two weeks later and Mick Abel is set to return to the Phillies’ starting rotation during their upcoming road trip. Rob Thomson noted Sunday that Abel will start Thursday in Toronto to close out the series against the Blue Jays.

Abel had two starts in Lehigh Valley during the interim and didn’t miss a beat, allowing one earned run in 10.2 innings with 16 strikeouts.

“A lot of times, you don’t see that,” Thomson said. “You see kind of an adrenaline dump when you go back down and things kind of go hairy. But he was really good and consistent.”

This stint could also develop into more than just another solo start.

“It all depends on (Aaron) Nola — and how well Mick does,” Thomson said. “But we’re going to assume Mick’s going to do well.”

So where does that leave Taijuan Walker?

He’s heading back to the bullpen — and it’s clear that the flip-flopping from rotation to relief has reached the end of its course.

Walker heads to the bullpen with a different role than last time and Thomson wants to see what Walker is capable of when length is swapped for a leverage spot.

“I think he has a chance to make us a lot better out of the ‘pen,” Thomson said.

It’s going to be an adjustment in Walker’s routine before he’s available in consecutive games. He’ll be available either Tuesday or Wednesday in Toronto.

Here’s what the rotation will look like against the Blue Jays:

Tue., Zack Wheeler vs. Bowden Francis
Wed., Cristopher Sanchez vs. Jose Berrios
Thu., Abel vs. Chris Bassitt

Additionally, the Phillies on Sunday recalled right-handed pitcher Seth Johnson from Lehigh Valley. To make room on the 26-man roster, Jose Ruiz was designated for assignment. Johnson has a 4.91 ERA through 33 innings with 42 strikeouts.

Blue Jays' Springer tagged out by A's on blooper-worthy play

Blue Jays' Springer tagged out by A's on blooper-worthy play originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Toronto Blue Jays outfielder George Springer had a bit too much spring in his step on Sunday against the Athletics.

With two outs in the bottom of the fifth inning at Rogers Centre, Springer attempted to go from first to third on Alejandro Kirk’s RBI double — and, at first, it seemed like he did. A’s third baseman Max Schuemann approached Springer from behind and tagged him as he hopped up and down on the bag.

Springer originally was called safe, but the A’s challenge resulted in the play being overturned and Springer making the third out of the inning with Toronto trailing by a run.

The Blue Jays ended up taking the lead anyway after Springer’s blunder when Addison Barger gave Toronto a 5-4 advantage with a three-run homer in the eighth.

It’s unclear, however, if Springer was hopping up and down after tweaking his ankle on the play, or if he just felt bouncy during a pivotal Blue Jays rally. For what it’s worth, Springer remained in the game — and Schuemann smiled on his way back to the A’s dugout after what certainly was a heads-up play.

The bizarre sequence of events is why no two trips to the ballpark are the same, and Springer likely gave many in Toronto and watching at home a sight they’ve never seen before.

French Open: Rybakina v Swiatek, Svitolina stuns Paolini on day eight – live

  • Live Roland Garros updates from 10am BST

  • You can email Daniel with your views

Ach, Paolini breaks again – that’s loose from Svitolina, and she’ll be raging at her behaviour. At 4-2, it’ll take some work to get back into the set and, as I type, another gorgeous drop underlines the point. Paolini has the greater variety of shots, but Svitolina is canny, meeting aggression with aggression. We’re now at 30-all while, in the other match, it’s 2-2 and already a slog. Lovely stuff!

Yes she can! She’s worked her way into this match, stepping into court and looking to attack, no “rally balls”, to borrow Chrissie’s expression. A fantastic return, inside-out on the forehand, makes 15-40, and a long forehand means we’re back on serve at 3-2 Paolini.

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Tommy Paul ends Alexei Popyrin’s French Open run with swift victory

  • American eases to 6-3, 6-3, 6-3 win in under two hours

  • Popyrin plagued by unforced errors in dispiriting loss

Alexei Popyrin could find no way through the American iron man Tommy Paul as the Australian men’s challenge at the French Open petered out tamely.

Popyrin, the Australian men’s No 2, never looked like grasping the opportunity to earn his first grand slam quarter-final date. He succumbed 6-3, 6-3, 6-3 on a sun-soaked Court Suzanne Lenglen in a bloodless fourth-round clash on Sunday.

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Sharks Agree To Release Andrew Poturalski As He Seeks Another Opportunity

The San Jose Barracuda revealed in a recent statement that they had honoured the request of forward Andrew Poturalski and were releasing him as he pursues an opportunity outside of North America. 

Poturakski, who is 31 years old, played three games with the Sharks in the NHL this season, where he had one assist. With the Barracuda, he had 30 goals and added 43 assists for 73 points through 59 games. 

There were rumors that he was going to be looking into an opportunity in the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL), so we will see what happens, and we will update as we learn more about where his next step in his hockey career is.

Two Former Sharks Eliminated From 2025 Stanley Cup PlayoffsTwo Former Sharks Eliminated From 2025 Stanley Cup PlayoffsFormer San Jose Sharks Mikael Granlund and Cody Ceci have been eliminated from the 2025 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs. Unfortunately, their playoff run came to an end last night with the Dallas Stars as they lost to the Edmonton Oilers in five games.  Sharks Extend Bona Fide Offers to Multiple ProspectsSharks Extend Bona Fide Offers to Multiple ProspectsThe San Jose Sharks have announced that they’ve extended contract offers to a handful of prospects ahead of the June 1 signing rights deadline. Sharks Re-Sign Shakir Mukhamadullin To One-Year DealSharks Re-Sign Shakir Mukhamadullin To One-Year DealThe San Jose Sharks have announced they’ve re-signed defenseman Shakir Mukhamadullin to a one-year contract carrying a $1 million AAV.

If Stanley Cup Final rematch between Panthers, Oilers comes close to last year, we're in for a treat

We’re just a few short days away from the beginning of the 2026 Stanley Cup Final.

This year’s championship matchup features the Florida Panthers going to battle with the Edmonton Oilers.

It’s a rare rematch of last summer’s Final, and if this year’s series is anything like last year’s, hockey fans will be quite pleased when the Cup is eventually awarded.

The seven-game extravaganza saw the Panthers take a 3-0 series lead, in convincing fashion, only to get punched in the mouth by Edmonton three straight games to force the winner-take-all matchup in Sunrise.

Game 7 turned out to be an all-timer, and the fact that Florida was able to clinch their first ever Stanley Cup on home ice was something special.

Over the next few weeks, we’ll find out if this year’s series comes anywhere close to being as fun, entertaining and drama filled as the ’24 Final.

As we continue counting down to Game 1, which is set for Wednesday night at 8 p.m. from Edmonton, let’s take a trip down memory lane.

When you can spare a few minutes, check out the Stanley Cup Final mini movie below. You won’t regret it.

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3 Things Panthers Need To Beat Oilers & Win Stanley Cup Again

Photo caption: Jun 24, 2024; Sunrise, Florida, USA; Florida Panthers forward Aleksander Barkov (16) defends against Edmonton Oilers forward Connor McDavid (97) during the first period in game seven of the 2024 Stanley Cup Final at Amerant Bank Arena. (Jim Rassol-Imagn Images_

Blackhawks Badly Mismanaged Evaluation Of Gustav Forsling

For the third year in a row, the Florida Panthers are in the Stanley Cup Final. Earlier in the 2024-25 season, the Chicago Blackhawks made a deal with them to help them reach this point. 

Chicago sent Seth Jones to Florida in a big trade that landed them a young starting goalie and first-round pick. Since then, after struggling on a rebuilding Blackhawks team, Jones has been an impressive player in a reduced role with Florida. 

He isn’t the only former Blackhawks defenseman playing well for the Panthers these days. Part of the reason that Jones has a lesser role in Florida is because of Gustav Forsling's presence. The Blackhawks misjudged his potential as poorly as any player this century. 

Before the Blackhawks, Forsling was a member of the Vancouver Canucks as a prospect. Ahead of getting the chance to make his NHL debut, they traded him to Chicago for Adam Clendening. 

On June 24th, 2019, the Blackhawks then traded Forsling to the Carolina Hurricanes in the deal that landed them Calvin de Haan. It was an attempt to win in the moment, but giving up on a 22-year-old defenseman with a lot of promise is never a good idea. 

The Hurricanes, who evaluated Forsling even worse than the Blackhawks, had him only in the AHL before putting him on waivers. During his age-24 season, 2020-21, it was the Florida Panthers who claimed him. 

In Sunrise, Forsling became one of the ten best defensemen in the National Hockey League. On a team with multiple studs on the blue line, he stands out above them all in almost every game. 

Forsling has played in four full seasons with Florida now, and he has 10+ goals and 30+ points in all of them. All of that comes while being as incredible defensively as any player in the league. He came in 9th for the Norris Trophy last season and should have an even higher finish for his efforts in 2024-25. 

After winning the Stanley Cup last spring, the Panthers have a chance to do it again. Forsling is as big a reason that they are here as any player on the roster. To be able to shut down opponents while posing a threat offensively, the way that he does it is as good as it gets in the NHL. 

Since making this mistake, the Blackhawks have stacked their farm with great young defensemen, but it would be nice to have a 28-year-old Forsling at the top of the lineup to help guide them. Kyle Davidson must do what he can to keep that from happening to the franchise again soon. 

Visit The Hockey News Chicago Blackhawks team site to stay updated on the latest news, game-day coverage, player features, and more.

‘La débâcle’: Italian press turn on Inzaghi after Inter’s night of misery | Nicky Bandini

Writers bemoaned Inter’s ‘climax of suffering’ in Munich but saved their harshest words for Simone Inzaghi

On the front pages of Italy’s newspapers, the Champions League final was told as a “nightmare”, a “humiliation”, and a “rout”. Tuttosport at least found room for humour with a “DisIntergrated” pun. La Stampa, in deference to the victors Paris Saint-Germain, went instead with a French phrase: “La débâcle”.

Any team can lose a Champions League final but Internazionale were the first to do so by a five-goal margin. The final indignity of a season in which they aspired to repeat the treble they won under José Mourinho, only to come unstuck at the last: losing the Coppa Italia semi-final to neighbours Milan and then missing out on the Serie A title by one point.

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

Los Angeles Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani, left, hits a solo home run as New York Yankees starting pitcher Max Fried, center, reacts and catcher Austin Wells watches during the sixth inning of a baseball game Friday, May 30, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Dodgers slugger Shohei Ohtani, left, watches the flight of his a solo home run in the first inning as Yankees pitcher Max Fried, center, reacts. (Mark J. Terrill / Associated Press)

Shohei Ohtani was about halfway through his home-run trot when Taro Abe stood up from his second-row seat in the Vin Scully Press Box and tucked his green scorebook under his right arm.

“Let’s go,” Abe said in Japanese.

Abe, a writer for Japan’s Chunichi Sports newspaper, was followed into the concourse of Dodger Stadium’s suite level by four other reporters from his country. They were on a mission: Find the person who caught Ohtani’s home-run ball.

There was nothing special about this blast, which was Ohtani’s second on Friday in an eventual 8-5 victory over the New York Yankees. The homer was Ohtani’s 22nd of the season and reduced the Dodgers’ deficit at the time from three to two.

“We have to do this every time,” Abe said.

This practice started a couple of years ago, when Ohtani was still playing for the Angels. The appetite for Ohtani content was insatiable in Japan, but the two-way player started speaking to reporters only after games in which he pitched. Naoyuki Yanagihara of Sports Nippon and Masaya Kotani of Full Count figured out a solution for their problem: They started interviewing the fans who caught his home-run balls.

Read more:Hernández: 'I have no words for it.' Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani inspires awe and confidence

The feature was received well by their readers and gradually spread to other publications. Now, besides the homers that land in bullpens or any other place inaccessible to fans, a group of Japanese reporters will be there to interview the person who snagged the prized souvenir.

Neither Yanagihara nor Kotani was on this particular journey into the right-field pavilion, as Yanagihara was temporarily back in Japan and Kotani remained in the press box. Both of their publications were represented by other reporters. I was there too.

One of the reporters, Michi Murayama of Sports Hochi, looked at me curiously.

“You’re coming?” she asked.

Abe joked: “He’s coming to write how ridiculous the Japanese media is.”

As we walked down a carpeted hallway by the suites down the first-base line, Abe turned around and asked if anyone had seen who caught the ball.

No one had.

Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani, left, hits a solo home run off Yankees starting pitcher Max Fried, right.
Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani hit a pair of home runs off Yankees starting pitcher Max Fried on Friday night at Dodger Stadium. (Mark J. Terrill / Associated Press)

Before departing from the press box, reporters usually study replays of the homer to find identifying features of the ballhawk. But in this case, the scramble for the ball was obscured by a short barrier that divided a television cameraman from the crowd.

Abe led the pack out of an exit near the Stadium Club. When we re-entered the ballpark at the loge level, we heard a familiar chant: “Fre-ddie! Fre-ddie!”

The reporters stopped to watch the game from behind the last row of seats. Freeman doubled in a run to reduce the Dodgers’ deficit to one, and pandemonium ensued. A young woman clutching a beer danced. Strangers exchanged high-fives. Others performed the Freddie Dance.

Yankees manager Aaron Boone removed Max Fried from the game, and called Jonathan Loáisiga from the bullpen. It was time for us to move on.

Seniority heavily influences professional and personal interactions in Japanese culture, which was why when we reached the top of the right-field pavilion, the two-most-junior reporters were told to find the ball-catching fan and return with him. Iori Kobayashi of Sports Nippon, 25, and Akihiro Ueno of Full Count, 27, accepted their fates without question.

However, the veteran Murayama noticed they weren’t making any progress, and soon she was in the middle of the pavilion with them. She came back soon after to tell us we were in the wrong place.

“We have to go down to the Home Run Seats,” she said, referring to seats directly behind the right-field wall that are in a separate section as the rest of the pavilion.

The ushers there were helpful, describing how the ball struck the portable plastic wall behind the cameraman, rolled under the barrier, and was taken by a boy in a gray jersey. Murayama found the boy and said he would speak to the group when the inning was over.

“They usually come after the inning because they want to watch the game too,” Abe said.

Read more:Shohei Ohtani homers twice and Dodgers pull off another comeback against Yankees

While we waited, Eriko Takehama of Sankei Sports approached Abe and showed him a picture of a fan holding up a piece of the plastic wall that was struck by Ohtani’s homer. The piece had broken off, and the fan told Takehama that he was taking it home.

“Do you want to talk to him?” Takehama asked Abe. “He said he caught a ball three years ago.”

Abe declined.

While watching Max Muncy taking first base on an intentional walk, Abe said, “Everyone has a story. You ask them where they live, where they work and there’s usually something interesting. We’re writing human-interest stories with Ohtani as a cover.”

This story would be about a 14-year-old eighth-grader from Monrovia named Fisher Luginvuhl. With his mother standing nearby, the Little League catcher gushed, “It’s like the best thing that’s ever happened to me.”

The reporters circled the boy and photographed him holding up the ball. They exchanged numbers with Luginvuhl’s father so they could send him links to the stories they produced.

While the reporters worked together to locate Luginvuhl, they were also in competition with each other to post the story first. Murayama wrote hers on her phone as she walked. Ueno sent audio of the six-minute interview to the Full Count offices in Japan, where the recording was transcribed by an English-speaking reporter, who then used the quotes to write a story.

Walking to the right-field pavilion and back was exhausting. I mentioned this to Abe, and he reminded me, “This was my second time doing this today.”

Abe wrote 13 stories on Friday night, 10 of them about Ohtani, including two on fans who caught his homers.

Just as we returned to the press box, the next hitter was announced over the public-address system: “Shohei Ohtani!”

Abe laughed and braced for another long walk.

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

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

Going bananas: Why Savannah Bananas tickets cost more than a Dodgers-Yankees rematch

The Savannah Bananas' Dakota Albritton walks on stilts through the crowd outside Angel Stadium on Friday.
The Savannah Bananas' Dakota Albritton greets fans outside Angel Stadium on Friday while standing on stilts. (Luke Johnson / Los Angeles Times)

In a region where baseball is king, the long-awaited rematch of last year’s World Series between the Dodgers and Yankees is unfolding. Ohtani. Judge. Two of the game’s best, facing off once more.

But just down the 5 Freeway in Anaheim, the home of Disney, the hottest ticket in baseball this weekend belongs to a stilted pitcher, juggling infielders and a yellow-suited, top hat-wearing carnival barker.

For back-to-back nights, more than 45,000 fans packed the Big A to see the Savannah Bananas — a team born from a small-time collegiate summer team that became a tour de force that has forever changed baseball. It was one stop during the Bananas’ most audacious barnstorming effort since their baseball traveling show hit the road just a few years ago.

The Savannah Bananas celebrate amid confetti after beating the Firefighters at Angel Stadium on Friday.
The Savannah Bananas celebrate amid confetti after beating the Firefighters at Angel Stadium on Friday. (Luke Johnson / Los Angeles Times)

These tickets were only available through a lottery — reserved months in advance. And when they went on sale, all were gone in an instant. The only way in was through the resale market, where just hours before first pitch on Friday, the lowest price (fees and taxes included) for a pair of tickets on StubHub was $209.52.

Meanwhile, two lowest price StuHub tickets for the Dodgers versus Yankees game were available for $171.72.

All for the sake of “Banana Ball.”

This baseball game is a ballyhoo. One rooted in the thrills, energy and pageantry of early 20th-century carnivals, but with a 21st-century twist — the atmosphere of a TikTok reel brought to life. It’s the showmanship of Ringling Brothers Circus combined with the athletic flair of the Harlem Globetrotters.

Read more:Meet the Savannah Bananas, who've captivated fans and MLB. 'We exist to make baseball fun'

But above all, it’s a brand built on Walt Disney’s blueprint— not just to entertain, but to make the audience feel.

“When you look at all the touch points — the joy, the fun, the dancing, the celebrating — and think about all the different stages, just like Walt, we think about all the stages: from the parking lot to the plaza, to the upper deck, to the dugouts,” said Bananas owner Jesse Cole, the man in the top hat. “How do we make someone feel something?”

Instead of lounging in a cushy, air-conditioned owner’s suite, Cole is in the dugout hours before showtime — a Disney-like archetype, his energy as vibrant as his layered, all-yellow suit, braving the afternoon heat.

The Savannah Bananas' founder and owner Jesse Cole lead the crowd in a cheer.
Savannah Bananas founder and owner Jesse Cole leads the crowd in a cheer as his team takes on the Firefighters at Angel Stadium on Friday. (Luke Johnson / Los Angeles Times)

“Nonstop,” Cole said, describing Banana Ball in a nutshell. Refusing to sit, not wanting to lose an ounce of edge, he added, “It’s all about energy. We want to give people energy, delivering it every second, from the moment we open the gates at two o’clock until the last fan leaves at 11.”

While gates opened at 2 p.m., fans began arriving as early as 11 a.m. — clamoring for a shot at Banana-themed merchandise, many leaving the team tents with bags in both hands. In the parking lot, two young boys passed the time playing catch, gloves in hand.

As the afternoon wore on and the temperature climbed to 91 degrees, crowds trudged through the heat, some seeking refuge beneath the oversized Angels helmets at the stadium entrance, all for a chance to meet their favorite Banana Ballers. At the pregame plaza party, fans collected autographs, posed for photos and presented handmade gifts to players.

Savannah Bananas mascot Split marches through the crowd before the team's game against the Firefighters at Angel Stadium
Savannah Bananas mascot Split marches through the crowd before the team's game against the Firefighters at Angel Stadium Friday. (Luke Johnson / Los Angeles Times)

When the gates opened, the LaCaze family pointed out their 9-year-old daughter’s favorite player, David “DR” Meadows. Decked out in her signed Meadows jersey, Carrigan LaCaze ran into his arms, with glove and oversized baseball clutched tightly and began speaking with him as if they were old friends.

“I ran to DR, and we started hugging and just started talking for a while because I missed him,” Carrigan LaCaze said. “Tomorrow is actually one year on the dot since I met him.”

A Christmas road trip planned around the holidays, the family of four traveled across three states from their home in Alexandria, La., to Anaheim for two reasons: to visit Disneyland and see the Bananas. It was their second game — the family first saw the Bananas in the club’s hometown of Savannah, Ga., when Carrigan, who is battling cystic fibrosis, was granted a Make-A-Wish experience so meaningful it was a no-brainer to relive it.

“It’s great,” her father, Pierre LaCaze, said of the player interactions. “We've gotten to keep track with some of them during the course of the year. We come back, we see them again. You know they’re truly about the fans.”

Rainer Easton tries to catch a yellow "Banana Ball" from the stands.
Rainer Easton, 11, tries to catch a yellow "Banana Ball" from the stands before the Savannah Bananas take on the Firefighters at Angel Stadium on Friday. (Luke Johnson / Los Angeles Times)

The Bananas don’t sell tickets. They sell connections, moments and memories.

For Cole, meetings are a constant brainstorming session on how to keep fans engaged and interacting. That’s how he measures success. He says when the focus shifts to transactions, the game begins to lose its meaning.

“Our success is not judged by revenue,” Cole said. “It’s not judged by sales. It’s judged by the moments we create.”

But the numbers don’t lie.

The last time the Bananas came to Southern California, they played in front of 5,000 fans at LoanMart Field in Rancho Cucamonga in 2023 — a far cry from now selling out 18 major league ballparks and three football stadiums with capacities over 70,000.

Fans fill the stands as the Savannah Bananas take on the Firefighters in front of a sold out crowd at Angel Stadium.
Fans fill the stands as the Savannah Bananas take on the Firefighters in front of a sold out crowd Friday at Angel Stadium. (Luke Johnson / Los Angeles Times)

Attendance has soared year after year. Last season, the Bananas drew one million fans. This year, that number is expected to double, with more than three million people on the waitlist for their ticket lottery. Every game since February has sold out and every date in June and July is as well.

Michael and Melinda Schulteis, a husband and wife from Mission Viejo, were there the last time the Bananas came to town. When they heard the team was returning, they knew they couldn’t miss it.

“The intimate atmosphere at the last event was great,” Melinda Schulteis said. “But I’m curious, because they do such a good job putting on events, what touches are they going to add to still keep it close and intimate and give us another great experience?”

Read more:What is Banana Ball? Here are the Savannah Banana rules of the game

As the Bananas’ success and reach have grown, spilling out from cozy minor league parks into stadiums not built for intimacy, the games still feel like family gatherings. Whether serenading players with stadium anthems like Bon Jovi’s “Livin’ on a Prayer” or the waving of phone lights to Coldplay’s “Yellow,” the crowd moves in sync, no matter the tune.

While they’re a privately owned team and don’t disclose revenue figures, they’ve confirmed generating millions. Much like their box office appeal, their social media reach extends into the millions as well.

The Savannah Bananas perform a kick line.
The Savannah Bananas perform a kick line before taking on the Firefighters at Angel Stadium on Friday. (Luke Johnson / Los Angeles Times)

Their antics — choreographed dances, lip-synced walk-ups, backflip outfield catches — have attracted nearly 10 million followers on TikTok, almost double the combined total of the Dodgers and Angels. That viral mastery, and the parasocial bonds it fosters, is part of what makes every game feel tight-knit.

With his glove by his side, hoping to catch a foul ball for an out — one of the many offbeat rules of Banana Ball — Michael Schulties was disappointed he missed his favorite player, RobertAnthony Cruz, whom he first discovered on social media through his baseball coaching channel, better known as “Coach RAC.”

Cruz, who drew the longest meet-and-greet line, is a former minor leaguer in the Nationals’ farm system and a local — born just an hour away in Fontana. The game was a homecoming for Cruz, who joined the Bananas in 2023.

With more than 70 family members and friends in attendance — and even more social media direct messages asking for tickets — playing in big league stadiums has become a dream come true, especially for a former minor leaguer whose baseball ambitions nearly died when he never got the call to the show.

The Savannah Bananas pitcher Correlle Prime throws a pitch.
Savannah Bananas pitcher Correlle Prime delivers at Angel Stadium on Friday. (Luke Johnson / Los Angeles Times)

Behind all the gimmicks, wackiness and absurdity, the roster is still filled with ballplayers — many of them with unrealized MLB dreams — now finding a second life through Banana Ball. And for Cruz, it’s the happiest he’s ever been in the sport.

“I never would have imagined playing in this capacity,” Cruz said. “Banana Ball didn’t even exist when I was pursuing my dream of professional baseball. To be here, to see a sold-out crowd at a stadium that I went to growing up all the time, it's very special.”

As the team travels the nation, sold-out crowds and newfound stardom have become the norm for Cruz.

“I’m not surprised by anything anymore,” Cruz said. “If you told me that we're playing on the moon next year, I'd be like, 'All right, cool. Let me know when and where, and I'll be there' … I wouldn't be surprised if this thing continues to grow at an unprecedented rate.”

Read more:It's time for Banana Ball! The story of the Savannah Bananas

Despite their growing success, the Bananas’ brand of baseball remains polarizing — an easy target for detractors of zaniness, gatekeepers of fun and opponents of pizzazz who either don’t understand it or refuse to see its appeal.

“Anybody that criticizes this, we’re not for them,” Cole said. “There’s tradition in baseball, perfect. They’ve got Major League Baseball. … For people that want to come out and have fun, not take themselves too seriously and see something they've never seen before — and hopefully see the greatest show in sports — we built something for you.”

The formula works. And again, the numbers don’t lie.

The Savannah Bananas' Jackson Olson and teammates raise their arms celebrates a Troy Glaus base hit.
The Savannah Bananas' Jackson Olson celebrates a Troy Glaus base hit while the Bananas take on the Firefighters at Angel Stadium on Friday. Comedian Bert Kreischer celebrated behind the Bananas in the dugout. (Luke Johnson / Los Angeles Times)

Yes, the Savannah Bananas’ brand of baseball is far too outlandish ever to be compared to the major leagues — from flaming baseballs, rump-shaking umps and dress rehearsals. That’s the point. It all feels like something conjured from the wildest dreams of the late Bill Veeck’s imagination found a home, in a good way.

With many of the Banana Ball’s 11 rules — like an automatic strike when hitters step out of the box or ejecting bunting hitters because bunting “sucks” — are grounded in some sports-based logic, the innovations remain sacrilegious to baseball purists.

But for a fleeting moment in December, Major League Baseball and Banana Ball were almost linked.

In Banana Ball, the Golden Batter rule allows teams, once per game, to send their best hitter to the plate regardless of where they fall in the batting order.

MLB commissioner Rob Manfred caused a stir when he floated a potential seismic rule by floating, making an offhand comment about the golden batter rule. Manfred later clarified it was merely “a very preliminary conversation” among members of the league’s competition committee and had not been formally discussed by the full ownership group.

A far-fetched idea, but Manfred has ushered in sweeping changes, from the widely praised pitch clock to the more contentious extra-inning “ghost runner.”

“Anything that's best for the fans, I'm all in,” Cole said of its potential. “I know Major League Baseball won't do it because of traditions, but ... we've had a lot of fun doing it.”

The Firefighters run on the field before taking on the Savannah Bananas.
The Firefighters run on the field before taking on the Savannah Bananas at Angel Stadium on Friday. (Luke Johnson / Los Angeles Times)

But MLB would be behind the Bananas, who already introduced their version of the rule last season with a typical flair and showmanship. Their spin on it is a batter summoned from the dugout wearing a James Brown-esque cape and a gleaming golden helmet — an honor that went to Joe Lytle, who came to bat in the top of the ninth for the Bananas' Anaheim opponent, the Firefighters.

Ultimately, in a game where the score isn’t the end-all, be-all — but the fun is — the Bananas beat the Firefighters 5–2.

Like any other Bananas game, the festivities took center stage. It began with the “First Peel,” a signature ceremony in which a young fan bites into a banana to declare whether it’s good or bad — setting the tone for the night.

Read more:How do the Savannah Bananas draw sold-out crowds? Five fun facts about the team

Heisman Trophy winner and USC legend Matt Leinart threw out the ceremonial first spiral (because, of course, he did). And in true fashion, Angels World Series MVP Troy Glaus made a surprise cameo as a pinch hitter.

But what was more important was the trip to Anaheim, a fitting one for Cole and Co.

The team that opened its season lip-syncing “Be Our Guest” from the Disney classic “Beauty and the Beast” — and its owner, cut from the same theatrical cloth as Disney — were celebrated a visit to the Happiest Place on Earth — Disneyland.

Savannah Bananas founder and owner Jesse Cole provides color commentary before a between innings baby race.
Savannah Bananas founder and owner Jesse Cole provides color commentary during the baby race between innings at Angel Stadium on Friday. (Luke Johnson / Los Angeles Times)

Greeted by fans in yellow gear, Cole’s creation — the Bananas — marched in step down Main Street U.S.A., alongside Walt’s own — Mickey Mouse, Goofy, Donald Duck.

“When I walked underneath the castle and over the bridge and in front of thousands of people, they were all there for us,” Cole said. “Then I look and see Walt’s statue, holding the hand of Mickey, and I see that and I’m like, 'This is special.'”

It was a full-circle moment for Cole, who became “immersed in the magic” after his first trip to Disney World as a kid — and who now says, “In a perfect world, I’d play catch with Walt on Main Street.” Serendipity.

“For me, that was an emotional moment — to know that we have worked so hard to create something that means something to people, that they come from all over the country just for a chance to see us,” Cole added.

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

How NBA's conference finals were full of Warriors' 2020 draft ties

How NBA's conference finals were full of Warriors' 2020 draft ties originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

The 2025 NBA Finals have been set, with the top-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder representing the Western Conference, and the No. 4 seed Indiana Pacers coming out of the Eastern Conference. Each team took different paths to get here. 

The Thunder made their first Finals appearance since a young Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook and James Harden led them there in 2012. The Pacers’ run has been 25 years in the making, last getting this far in 2000 behind the duo of Reggie Miller and Jalen Rose. To do so, Indiana and Oklahoma City had to get through a conference finals with a whole ton of ties to the 2020 NBA Draft, one in which the Warriors can’t escape, five years later. 

It all starts with the team the Thunder took down in five games. The Minnesota Timberwolves won just 19 games in the 2019-20 season, two seasons after being the No. 8 seed under Tom Thibodeau behind a trio of Jimmy Butler, Andrew Wiggins (hey, more Warriors ties!) and Karl-Anthony Towns. Minnesota with the top pick in the draft made Anthony Edwards its new face of the franchise, and Ant-Man already has become one of the faces of the entire NBA at 23 years old. 

Edwards is a dog whose bite matches his bark, a bona fide superstar who backs up his words. Part of that he credits to Warriors coach Steve Kerr for the way he pushed him in his pre-draft workout when Golden State was selecting one spot behind Minnesota. Kerr knew Edwards wanted to soon enough be mentioned with the greats like Steph Curry and Kevin Durant, but how he attacked his workout was nothing compared to those two. The taste of defeat in the conference finals for a second straight year will sit with Edwards for the time being, though the Timberwolves obviously already have gotten everything a franchise hopes for in having the No. 1 pick. 

In technical terms, the Timberwolves made two more picks five years ago, taking Aleksej Pokusevski (No. 17) and Daniel Oturu (No. 33). Neither ever wore a Timberwolves jersey. Pokusevski was traded to the Thunder, and Oturu was sent to the LA Clippers. 

They did bring in one more player, Leandro Bolmaro, with the No. 23 pick as part of a three-team trade, but this point is all about what happened five picks later. The Los Angeles Lakers originally drafted Jaden McDaniels, but in the same three-team trade that involved Pokusevski and Bolmaro, the Timberwolves traded for McDaniels from the Thunder. 

Like that, the Timberwolves added two players in the 2020 draft who are starters on a team that made back-to-back conference finals, one who is an All-NBA player and another who is an All-Defensive player. Yet they still aren’t the winners of the draft five years ago when it comes to these conference finals. 

Their victors, the Thunder, have owned a wealth of draft picks that go deeper than Cat Stevens’ first cut. It’s not like OKC crushed this draft on its road back to the Finals. 

The Great Poku Experiment brought social media buzz and not much else. They first had the No. 25 pick, Immanuel Quickley, that was sent to the New York Knicks, and also in a sense had the McDaniels pick on paper. The Thunder acquired two players in the second round, and those selections didn’t amount to any results. 

Then there’s the No. 49 pick. The team was the Philadelphia 76ers, and the player they landed on was Isaiah Joe. But his time in Philly was only two seasons for a total of 96 games, averaging 3.7 points with a 34.9 3-point percentage. The 76ers waived him on Oct. 13, 2022. The Thunder then signed him three days later for a total of $6 million over three seasons. 

Joe last July signed a four-year, $48 million deal as a key cog in the Thunder’s machine. They developed a 6-foot-5 guard into someone who has shot 42.3 percent on threes for them the last three seasons and averaged a career-high 10.2 points per game. The Warriors were on the clock one spot ahead of Joe being selected by the Sixers. 

Golden State grabbed point guard Nico Mannion, who played one season in a Warriors jersey and has spent his time playing in Italy since his rookie year. Just three picks after taking Mannion, the Warriors went with a shooter who was a project everywhere else in Justinian Jessup, and he’s still yet to play an NBA game. 

Back in the Eastern Conference, the Knicks have only one player on their roster drafted in 2020. Precious Achiuwa originally was drafted by the Miami Heat 20th overall, traded to the Toronto Raptors one year later, and then wound up in New York as part of a deal that saw the Knicks send Quickley up north. 

But the Knicks, as they somehow always do whether they’re good or bad, will find their way back into this story. 

This year’s conference finals featured the NBA MVP (Shai Gilgeous-Alexander) and the two best players from the 2020 draft. The top dog from the draft is Edwards, however, Tyrese Haliburton has made his case. 

Haliburton wasn’t a top three, five or 10 pick in the draft. He barely remained in the lottery before being taken by the Sacramento Kings at No. 12. While he was more than one team’s loss, including the Kings after trading him to the Pacers in a package highlighted by Domantas Sabonis, Haliburton would have been the perfect Warrior. 

And he isn’t the Pacers’ lone win, looking back at a bizarre draft. 

Now it’s time for the Knicks to re-enter the conversation. Thoughts of Obi Toppin hammering home East Bay Dunks at Madison Square Garden didn’t translate to stardom. He started only 15 games and averaged 7.0 points in three seasons with the Knicks after being drafted No. 8 overall, but Toppin now has settled into his own the past two seasons as a Pacer, scoring 20 points in a critical Game 4 against the Cleveland Cavaliers in the second round. 

Aaron Nesmith tallied 16 minutes for the Boston Celtics against the Warriors in the 2022 Finals, with the majority coming in garbage time of a Game 2 blowout loss for Boston. He was an afterthought when that next offseason, the Celtics traded him to the Pacers for one season of Malcolm Brogdon. Yes, Brogdon won Sixth Man of the Year for the Celtics that season, but has played 63 games between two teams since.

Meanwhile, Nesmith, the No. 14 pick in the 2020 draft, has turned into the Pacers’ starting small forward, giving them three players from the lottery of five years ago. The Timberwolves’ duo of Edwards and McDaniels is hard to beat. The Pacers came out of the 2020 draft with only Cassius Stanley (No. 54 overall), and now have a trio of Haliburton, Toppin and Nesmith that made two straight conference finals before the franchise’s first trip to the Finals in 25 years, giving them an edge that’s hard to argue against. 

Everything is circular. There’s only one way for all this to end, bringing it back to the Warriors. 

The story has been told enough: The Warriors chose James Wiseman at No. 2 overall, and let’s just say it didn’t work out. The Wiseman era was interrupted by injuries, sure. The Warriors won a championship without him, and the results spoke for themselves when he did play. 

Wiseman was traded to the Detroit Pistons the next season and spent all of last year there. He played a career-high 63 games in 2023-24, but then was looking for his third team while still 23 years old at the time. The Pacers inked him at the opening of free agency, and Wiseman lasted one game on his newest team – to no fault of his own. 

Another injury wiped out another full season. Wiseman scored six points in the first quarter of the Pacers’ season opener, and then … snap! Wiseman slowly collapsed to center court in Detroit after missing a three. He tore his Achilles, ending his season, and the Pacers traded him to the Raptors at this season’s deadline in exchange for a trade exception. 

After all that, Wiseman has a chance to technically be the one and only two-time champion from the Class of 2020 in seasons he played a combined four minutes and 28 seconds. For all that he’s endured, Wiseman deserves the good fortune of a possible Pacers championship and a second ring to wear if they win and choose to award him one.

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