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The Detroit Tigers dropped the second game of their three-game series against the Houston Astros at Daikin Park on Tuesday night, 4-2, in a game that saw them struggle against Hunter Brown in his return from the injured list. It certainly did not help that Colt Keith and Gleyber Torres were both absent from the lineup, while the defense also left something to be desired.

On Wednesday afternoon, the Motor City Kitties look to take the series rubber match with right-hander Casey Mize finally returning from his second stint on the IL this season with inflammation of his right groin. The 29-year-old had looked great in his return from his first trip to the IL, posting a 1.08 ERA and 1.61 FIP stretching over 16 1/3 innings and three starts, allowing eight hits and a walk while striking out 14 over that stretch.

For the Astros, fellow righty Peter Lambert will climb the hill to make his 11th start of the 2026 campaign. The 29-year-old has been solid so far in June, posting a tidy 2.31 ERA but an inflated 5.76 FIP over two starts stretching across 11 2/3 inning, allowing 10 hits — three of them home runs, all solo shots — and four walks while striking out 10, earning a win in the process.

Here is a look at their respective pitching summaries.

Detroit Tigers (30-43) vs. Houston Astros (34-41)

Time (ET): 2:10 p.m.
Place: Daikin Park, Houston, Texas
SB Nation Site:The Crawfish Boxes
Media: Detroit SportsNet, MLB.TV, Tigers Radio Network

Game 75: RHP Casey Mize (2-3, 2.27 ERA) vs. RHP Peter Lambert (5-4, 3.47 ERA)

MIZE

LAMBERT

Listen, I’m glad that the Phillies won and everything, but the thing I’m most glad about is that Kyle Schwarber was not subjected to anything crazy at first base. I know the team was trying to get Bryce Harper off his feet and that with Alec Bohm at third thanks to Trea Turner needing a day off, Schwarber needed to play first.

I’m just glad nothing crazy happened over there.

On to the links.

Phillies news:

• The Phillies’ outfield is crying out to get a bat to join them. It’s not just us around here that see it either!
• The Phillies and one-year deals under Dave Dombrowski have seen very little success being found ($). It’s worse than you think.
• Brad Keller went on the injured list with forearm tendinitis. Ominous?

MLB news:

• Justin Verlander is coming back to the rotation this week, which means Keider Montero will be moving to the bullpen.
• Which front office executives are on the hot seat with this trade deadline approaching in August?
• The Giants are willing to listen and move Matt Chapman, Willy Adames and Rafael Devers in the right trade.

Free of charge for the discerning reader.

Happy birthday to Andrew Chafin, and a mighty host of others.

Today in baseball history, in 1915 – Zip Zabel comes out of the Chicago Cubs bullpen with two outs in the 1st inning to face the Brooklyn Robins. Zabel wins the game in the 19th inning, 4-3, in the longest relief effort in major league history, and other stories as well.

Today in baseball history:

• 1880 – John Montgomery Ward of the Providence Grays pitches a perfect game against the Buffalo Bisons, winning 5-0. The next perfect game by a National League pitcher will not happen for 84 years, when Jim Bunning turns the trick on Father’s Day in 1964.
• 1943 – Boston Red Sox player-manager Joe Cronin inserts himself as a pinch-hitter in both games of a doubleheader against the Philadelphia Athletics – and hits three-run home runs in each at-bat, becoming the first major leaguer to pinch-hit home runs in both ends of a doubleheader.
• 1960 – Ted Williams of the Boston Red Sox hits his 500th career home run against the Cleveland Indians at Cleveland Stadium. Williams’ two-run shot off Wynn Hawkins helps the Red Sox beat Cleveland, 3-1.
• 1970 – At Candlestick Park, Giants legend Willie Mays (615) and Ernie Banks of the Cubs (504) both hit home runs making it the first time two big leaguers with 500 home runs do it in the same game.
• 1971 – Don Kessinger of the Chicago Cubs goes 6 for 6, with five singles and a double, in a 7-6, 10-inning decision over the St. Louis Cardinals at Wrigley Field.
• 2009 – Ivan Rodriguez catches the 2,227th game of his career, breaking Carlton Fisk‘s record, in Houston’s 5-4, 10-inning loss to his former team, the Texas Rangers. For Texas, Omar Vizquel, the all-time leader for games played at shortstop, picks up his 2,677th hit, tying Luis Aparicio for most hits by a Venezuelan player.

Cubs Birthdays:Andrew Chafin*, Pete Elko, Zeb Terry, Phil Douglas.

Today in history:

• 1579 – English navigator Francis Drake lands on the coast of California at what becomes known as Drakes Bay, for ship repairs; claims area on behalf of Queen Elizabeth, and names it “Nova Albion.”
• 1631 – Mumtaz Mahal dies during childbirth. Her husband, Mughal emperor Shah Jahan I, then spends more than 20 years building her tomb, the Taj Mahal.
• 1775 – Battle of Bunker Hill (actually it was Breed’s Hill).
• 1837 – Charles Goodyear obtains his first rubber patent.
• 1885 – Statue of Liberty arrives in NYC aboard French ship “Isere.”
• 1954 – Rocky Marciano beats Ezzard Charles by unanimous points decision in his 3rd world heavyweight boxing title defense at Yankee Stadium, NYC.
• 1962 – US Open Men’s Golf, Oakmont CC: Jack Nicklaus wins his first major title by three strokes in an 18-hole playoff with Arnold Palmer.
• 1991 – The body of the 12th US President, Zachary Taylor, is exhumed to test how he died; rumors had persisted since his death in 1850 of arsenic poisoning – no evidence of this was found.
• 1994 – O.J. Simpson does not turn himself in on murder charges, forcing LA police to chase his Ford Bronco for hours before he eventually gives up (seen live on national TV).
• 2003 – “Moneyball”, a book about the 2003 Oakland Athletics baseball team and GM Billy Beane’s sabermetric approach, inspired by Bill James, is published.
• 2021 – US President Joe Biden signs into law the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act making June 19th a federal holiday commemorating emancipation.

Today in music history:

• 1957 – “So Rare” by Jimmy Dorsey Orchestra peaks at #2.
• 1965 – British rock band The Kinks arrive in NYC beginning their 1st US tour.
• 1966 – Peter Green, British blues-rock guitartist joins John Mayall’s Bluebreakers.
• 1967 – “Somebody To Love” by Jefferson Airplane peaks at #5.
• 1970 – British rock band Led Zeppelin begin their last European tour.
• 1971 – Carole King‘s album “Tapestry” goes to #1 on US album charts and stays there for 15 weeks.
• 1976 – New Wave band Blondie release their debut single “X Offender,” written by Debbie Harry and Gary Valentine.
• 1980 – Columbia Records releases Bruce Springsteen‘s fifth studio album “The River”; the 2-record set becomes a global smash, going top five in 8 countries.
• 1997 – Wynton Marsalis releases his “Blood on the Fields” album (first jazz work to win the Pulitzer Prize for Music – 1997).
• 2022 – “Running Up That Hill” single by Kate Bush goes to #1 on the UK chart; originally released in 1985, the song was featured in sci-fi television show “Stranger Things”, its record 44 year climb to the top also makes Bush (63) the oldest female artist to score a No.1.

*pictured.

Good morning Birdland,

It looked like the Orioles were still operating on east coast time and up past their curfew in the 3-1 loss to the Mariners on Tuesday night.

The first inning was somewhat encouraging. Taylor Ward opened with a double and later scored on a Samuel Basallo single. But the entire lineup collected just one hit for the final eight innings. Brutal. It was an almost identical experience to the last time they faced Logan Gilbert, which was just a few days ago in Baltimore.

At least Brandon Young was good again, though not as dominant as he has sometimes been. Still, it was another quality start (six innings, three runs, four hits, four walks, two strikeouts) for the sophomore, who still sports an impressive 3.18 ERA on the year.

Because the Orioles offense was so bad, the game also wrapped up rather quickly. It took just two hours and 18 minutes from first pitch to final out. So if you did make the poor decision to stay up and watch this game, at least you still made it to bed at a somewhat reasonable time.

This west coast swing is just getting started, unfortunately. There are eight games left on this road trip, including two more in Seattle. Kyle Bradish will be on the bump tonight, and the Orioles could use a return to form for the righty. He has allowed 10 runs over his last two starts (eight total innings). They need more from him, though he is far from the only one that has hid the skids recently.

These next few days, much like the lengthy home stand a couple of weeks ago, feels make or break. If they can go .500 or so on this road trip, they will be in a good spot. If they fall apart, it could make sense to start looking towards July with a sellers’ eye.

Links

O’s get their closer back as Helsley returns from IL stint | Orioles.com
In case you missed it, Ryan Helsley is back with the Birds. Anthony Nunez was sent down to Triple-A Norfolk to make room. The O’s closer says he is without pain and felt good during his two rehab outings. It’s tough luck for Nunez, who has had a rocky (but often impressive) first taste of the majors this year. He also has all of his options remaining, so he is the easiest member of the group to send down to Norfolk for now.

Digging into the mailbag | Roch Kubatko
Nothing major in here, but it does include injury and rehab updates for several notable Orioles. The Orioles could use the help, though most of their success will be determined by the players already on the roster. They need their stars to perform more than they need their complementary players to get healthy.

Jon Meoli: How Blaze Alexander and Coby Mayo fixed both their seasons and the Orioles’ third base problem | The Baltimore Banner
Alexander and Mayo have shown themselves to be major league caliber players. But are they third base starters on a competitive team? Eh, that doesn’t seem to be the case. Even still, the outputs have been better recently, and that is worth appreciation.

Manny Machado: ‘I’ll always be an Oriole at heart’ | Baltimore Baseball
Manny wasn’t here long enough to get his number retired, and he won’t go into the Hall of Fame as an Oriole. But his contributions to the organization are still sizable. He will likely get a spot in the Orioles’ Hall of Fame someday, and when people look back at his career it is undeniable that many of his biggest moments came in orange and black.

Is it your birthday? Happy birthday!

Orioles birthdays

• Shane Baz turns 27 today. The Orioles traded for him this past offseason, and then handed him a big extensions. So far, his performances have been mixed, though the potential remains evident.
• The late Dave Pope (b. 1921, d. 1999) was born on this day. He spent parts of two seasons with the Orioles from 1955-56, playing in 98 total games in that time.

This day in O’s history

2005 – Orioles star Miguel Tejada plays in his 822nd consecutive game, tied for the ninth-longest streak in MLB history.

2008 – Top prospect Matt Wieters hits his first career home run as the Orioles beat the Mets 6-4.

On April 3, 2026, the Brewers signed 21-year-old shortstop prospect Cooper Pratt to an eight-year, $50.75 million contract. The deal includes two club options worth an additional $30 million.

On June 9, 2026, the Brewers signed 21-year-old outfield prospect Luis Lara to a seven-year, $31 million contract. The deal includes three club options worth an additional $33 million.

Both of these deals are relatively unprecedented in franchise history. Up until Pratt and Lara signed their extensions, the only prospect that the Brewers had ever signed prior to making his major league debut was Jackson Chourio. Aaron Ashby and Freddy Peralta both signed team-friendly extensions extremely early in their careers, but both had already made their major league debuts.

Lara and Pratt both rank among the Brewers’ top five prospects, but unlike Chourio or Jesús Made, neither entered 2026 carrying the label of a can’t-miss superstar. Naturally, their extensions raise an obvious question: what does Milwaukee see in these two prospects that made the organization comfortable guaranteeing more than $80 million before either of them even appeared in a major league game? Furthermore, what do these two players’ extensions say about the Brewers’ front office philosophy?

Defense

In recent years, the Brewers have built their roster around players with high-end defensive prowess. Before Brice Turang developed into arguably the best hitter on the Brewers, he brought value with his Platinum Glove defense. Sal Frelick has taken a step back this year, but he ranked in the 79th percentile or better in fielding run value in both of the last two seasons and posted +7 Outs Above Average last year. Joey Ortiz has never been feared at the plate, but has earned a starting spot for years because he’s a great defender. Blake Perkins has carved out a roster spot year after year with his defensive acumen.

I could provide numerous other examples, but you get the point. Over the last decade, Milwaukee’s organizational philosophy has been straightforward: build around run prevention. The Brewers prioritize strong defense and pitching, then rely on a lineup that does just enough offensively to outscore opponents. That formula has helped them remain one of baseball’s most consistent contenders despite operating with a bottom-third payroll.

Both Pratt and Lara fit that profile perfectly. Pratt is a 2024 Minor League Gold Glove winner whose defense earns 60 grades for both fielding and arm strength from MLB Pipeline. Pipeline is even higher on Lara, giving him a 70 grade for his defense and 60 grades for both his arm and speed. Both players project as significantly above-average fielders in the major leagues and have been consistently great defenders in the minor leagues. Furthermore, while no prospect is a sure thing, defensive skills tend to be more stable and predictable than offensive production — something that most likely gives the Brewers a little more confidence in offering Lara and Pratt their extensions.

Offense

Pratt’s .735 OPS with Triple-A Nashville is the highest OPS he has posted above Single-A. He recorded a .700 OPS in High-A (albeit in only 90 at-bats) and a .691 OPS in Double-A last season. Those aren’t eye-popping numbers, but evaluators remain optimistic because of Pratt’s underlying skills.

Scouts like Pratt’s offensive profile first and foremost because of his bat-to-ball ability. Despite opening 2025 in Double-A, he cut his strikeout rate from 20% in 2024 to 15.2%. As FanGraphs noted in its coverage of the extension, the combination of strong plate discipline, high contact rates, and steadily declining strikeout rates is an especially encouraging indicator of future offensive success. Pratt is also 6’4″ and has consistently recorded strong exit velocities for his age, leading many evaluators to believe more power is to come.

Turang provides an interesting comparison point. When Turang was Pratt’s age, he posted a .715 OPS in Double-A Biloxi and a .695 OPS in 176 plate appearances with Triple-A Nashville. Turang’s power ultimately developed more than most scouts projected. The Brewers are likely betting that Pratt’s offensive game still has room to grow in a similar fashion. By the time Pratt turns 23 in August of next year, the same age that Turang was when he made his major league debut, he’ll already have over a season of major league experience under his belt (assuming he sticks in the big leagues).

Lara, meanwhile, has pretty much always been a good hitter in the minors. Lara’s batting average in his professional career is .270, and his OBP is .368. Outside of his 2024 season in High-A, he’s never hit below .257 in any given year. He’s always had excellent bat-to-ball skills and strong plate discipline, but the missing piece with Lara was his power tool. Lara had just 10 home runs in four years coming into this season. He’s already hit seven so far in 2026.

I have a deeper dive on Lara’s breakout coming soon, so I don’t want to give away too much here. The short version is that Lara, like Pratt, is still very young. Last year, he hit 32 doubles and three triples, but just two home runs. As a 19-year-old in High-A, he recorded 19 doubles while again hitting only two homers.

By offering Lara this extension, Milwaukee is likely betting that, like Pratt, he will continue to grow into more power as he matures physically and adds strength. His early-season power surge could be the final piece of his offensive profile, especially because gap (extra-base) power at a young age is often viewed as a precursor to future home run production — whether through added strength, swing adjustments, or simply physical maturation.

Cost-Benefit Analysis

The final thing worth considering is that even if neither player fully develops at the plate, these contracts are pretty unlikely to become burdensome.

Lara will make less than $5.5 million annually through his age-26 season. An above-average defensive outfielder with solid contact skills and modest power — a fairly conservative projection for Lara — is worth that kind of money, particularly to an organization like Milwaukee that places a premium on defense.

The same logic applies to Pratt. He’ll make under $5.5 million through his age-27 season, roughly in line with what players such as Isiah Kiner-Falefa, Mauricio Dubón, and Miguel Rojas earn today. All three have carved out solid careers as defense-first players who make consistent contact but provide limited power. None has ever hit more than 11 home runs in a season, yet each has generated enough value to justify his salary. If Pratt becomes that caliber of player, the Brewers will be perfectly happy with the deal. If the bat develops further, the contract could become a bargain.

The Brewers are also making these bets in a changing economic environment that could make both contracts look even more favorable over time. The current collective bargaining agreement (CBA) between MLB and the MLBPA is set to expire after the season, and a salary floor is widely expected to be a topic of discussion during the next round of negotiations. In its initial proposal during the last CBA talks, the MLBPA introduced a Competitive Integrity Tax that would have effectively penalized teams for maintaining payrolls below $150 million. As of 2026, 13 teams — including the Brewers — would fall below that threshold.

Milwaukee’s current adjusted payroll sits a little above $121 million, meaning the club could eventually be forced to spend more than it traditionally has. More broadly, if a significant portion of the league is required to increase payroll, player salaries would likely rise as a result. If that happens, Pratt’s and Lara’s contracts could look even more team-friendly than they do today.

——————————————————————————————————————————————-

So, what does all this say about the Brewers’ organizational philosophy?

If Lara and Pratt become above-average defenders and below-average hitters, their contracts won’t look terrible. President of Baseball Operations Matt Arnold and the rest of the Brewers’ front office no doubt see the value in locking up two young players who already fit the Brewers’ run prevention-first ethos, but have significant room for growth.

On the other hand, if Lara and Pratt turn into above-average hitters while maintaining their defensive value, their contracts will be looked at as steals. The Brewers are a small-market team, and small-market teams have to take risks to remain competitive.

Prospects are never a sure thing. Maybe Lara and Pratt aren’t as good defensively as they project to be, or maybe they prove unable to provide even replacement-value offense. That’s possible, but it isn’t likely.

For Milwaukee, the risk is relatively modest. The reward, meanwhile, is the possibility of controlling two above-average everyday players through the prime years of their careers at well below market value.

Triple-A: Syracuse Mets (35-35)

SYRACUSE 6, NORFOLK 3 (BOX)

Syracuse returned to .500 powered by a strong start by Xzavion Curry, who allowed three runs over seven innings, scattering 5 hits, issuing no walks, and striking out 7. The Tides took the lead in the top of the first and held the lead for the majority of the evening. In the eighth inning, Syracuse batted around, plating four runs in the process; there was unfortunately no one big hit, with virtually every hitter contributing in some way to the runs that the team scored.

·  LF Nick Morabito: 1-3, R, RBI, BB, K, SB (19), E (2)

·  RF Ji Hwan Bae: 0-3, R, BB, 2 K, SB (23)

·  3B Andy Ibáñez: 0-3, RBI

·  1B Ryan Clifford: 1-4, 2B, RBI, 2 K, E (8)

·  SS Grae Kessinger: 1-4, R, HR (1), RBI, K

·  DH Ben Rortvedt: 0-3, K

·  CF Cristian Pache: 1-3, R

·  C Hayden Senger: 0-2, BB, K

·  PR Christian Arroyo: 0-0, R

·  C Kevin Parada: 0-0

·  2B Jackson Cluff: 1-3, R, 2B, RBI

·  RHP Xzavion Curry: 7.0 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 0 BB, 7 K

·  RHP Adbert Alzolay: 2.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 1 K, W (1-0)

ROSTER ALERT: New York Mets optioned RHP Jonathan Pintaro to Syracuse Mets.

ROSTER ALERT: RHP Dan Hammer assigned to Syracuse Mets from Binghamton Rumble Ponies.

Double-A: Binghamton Rumble Ponies (24-40)

NEW HAMPSHIRE 4, BINGHAMTON 1 (BOX)

The Binghamton Rumble Ponies found themselves being no-hit for most of the ballgame. In the bottom of the seventh, they finally managed their first hit- a JT Schwartz home run, ending the no-hit bid and the shutout- and in the ninth, they showed a little spunk, loading up the bases, but the Fisher Cats were able to prevent Binghamton from scoring. R.J. Gordon and the bullpen behind him didn’t pitch poorly necessarily, but the offense simply didn’t show up. With the loss, that is 40 games that the Binghamton Mets have lost in 2026, the first minor league affiliate to reach that ignominious distinction.

·  C Chris Suero: 0-3, BB, K, CS (3)

·  3B Jacob Reimer: 0-4, K

·  CF Matt Rudick: 0-4, 3 K

·  1B JT Schwartz: 2-4, R, 2B, HR (7), RBI

·  DH Vincent Perozo: 1-3, K, HBP

·  RF Jaylen Palmer: 0-2, BB, K, HBP

·  SS Wyatt Young: 0-4

·  2B Kevin Villavicencio: 0-3, 2 K, HBP

·  LF Diego Mosquera: 0-2, BB, K

·  RHP R.J. Gordon: 4.2 IP, 4 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 3 BB, 1 K, L (0-4)

·  LHP Gabriel Rodriguez: 1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 3 K, WP, BLK

·  RHP Douglas Orellana: 1.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 0 K

·  RHP Garrett Stratton: 2.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K

ROSTER ALERT: New York Mets signed free agent OF Nick Lucky to a minor league contract.

ROSTER ALERT: OF Nick Lucky assigned to Binghamton Rumble Ponies.

ROSTER ALERT: Syracuse Mets sent RHP Justin Armbruester on a rehab assignment to Binghamton Rumble Ponies.

ROSTER ALERT: OF Matt Rudick assigned to Binghamton Rumble Ponies from Syracuse Mets.

ROSTER ALERT: RHP Garrett Stratton assigned to Binghamton Rumble Ponies from Brooklyn Cyclones.

ROSTER ALERT: Binghamton Rumble Ponies released 1B TT Bowens.

High-A: Brooklyn Cyclones (25-38)

WILMINGTON 6, BROOKLYN 4 (BOX)

The Cyclones had a shutout going, holding on to a comfortable four-run lead, but reliever Parker Carlson had a meltdown on the mound in the bottom of the seventh, allowing the two runners he inherited from Tanner Witt to score and then three more he put on base himself. Hoss Brewer allowed one more in the bottom of the eighth because why not? In the top of the ninth, John Bay and JT Benson both worked walks, putting the tying runs on base, but down to one out left, Nick Roselli foul tipped a ball into the catcher’s mitt to end the game.

·  SS Mitch Voit: 0-3, RBI

·  1B Ronald Hernandez: 0-4, K

·  DH Corey Collins: 0-4, 2 K

·  C Daiverson Gutierrez: 3-4, 3 R, 2 2B, HR (3), RBI, K, PB (7)

·  CF Yonatan Henriquez: 0-3, BB, K

·  RF John Bay: 0-3, RBI, BB, K, SB (16), CS (4)

·  3B Colin Houck: 1-3, BB, K, E (8)

·  LF JT Benson: 1-3, R, BB

·  2B Nick Roselli: 1-2, BB

·  RHP Dakota Hawkins: 4.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 5 K

·  RHP Tanner Witt: 2.0 IP, 4 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, 2 K

·  RHP Parker Carlson: 1.0 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 2 K, BLK, L (0-3), BS (1)

·  RHP Hoss Brewer: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 2 K

ROSTER ALERT: Brooklyn Cyclones activated RHP Josh Blum from the 7-day injured list.

Single-A: St. Lucie Mets (30-33)

ST. LUCIE 10, DAYTONA 3 (BOX)

The Tortugas scored three runs in the top of the first, smacking Conner Ware around a bit, but the offense had his back and put up a nine-spot in the bottom of the second, sending 13 batters to the plate in the inning. That second inning had a little bit of everything- Yohairo Cuevas got it started by reaching on a throwing error and later in the inning hit a two-run homer, the capstone runs of the inning. The St. Lucie bullpen kept Daytona in check for the rest of the ballgame, allowing just one hit, a pair of walks, and a pair of hit batsmen for the rest of the ballgame.

·  SS Elian Peña: 0-3, R, 2 BB

·  2B Trey Snyder: 1-4, 2 R, 2 RBI, BB, K

·  3B Antonio Jimenez: 2-5, R, 2B, 2 RBI, K, CS (2)

·  RF Yohairo Cuevas: 2-4, 2 R, 2B, HR (1), 2 RBI, BB

·  1B Julio Zayas: 1-3, R, 2B, RBI, BB

·  CF Branny De Oleo: 1-3, R, BB, 2 K, SB (5)

·  C Chase Meggers: 1-4, R, 2 RBI, 2 K, PB (8)

·  LF Simon Juan: 1-4

·  DH Jeremy Rodriguez: 1-4, R, RBI

·  LHP Conner Ware: 2.0 IP, 2 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, 2 K, WP, HBP

·  RHP Zack Mack: 2.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K, HBP, W (1-0)

·  RHP Ernesto Mercedes: 2.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 3 K, BLK

·  RHP Joe Charles: 2.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 1 K

·  RHP Caden Wooster: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 0 K, HBP

ROSTER ALERT: C Francisco Toledo assigned to St. Lucie Mets from Brooklyn Cyclones.

Rookie: FCL Mets (12-18)

NO GAME (SCHEDULE)

STAR OF THE NIGHT

Xzavion Curry

GOAT OF THE NIGHT

Parker Carlson

Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders: W, 3-1 at Columbus Clippers

SS George Lombard Jr. 1-1, 2B, BB, picked off — left the game after an awkward play in the field where his hand came right into the runner as he was stealing second, super unfortunate
LF Kenedy Corona 1-2, RBI, SF
C Austin Wells 0-3, BB, K — first rehab appearance
C Payton Henry 0-0
2B Marco Luciano 0-3, BB, 2 K
RF Yanquiel Fernández 0-4, 2 K
LF-SS Oswaldo Cabrera 0-4, K, GIDP — down to a .661 OPS, an injury may be the only reason we ever see Waldo again, unfortunately
1B Tyler Hardman 2-4, 2 K, HBP
DH Ernesto Martinez Jr. 0-2, BB, K
3B Jonathan Ornelas 2-4, 2B, RBI, 2 K
CF Duke Ellis 0-4, 2 K, SB

Brandon Beck 6 IP, 3 H, 1 R (1 ER), 0 BB, 9 K (win)
Bradley Hanner 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 K
Yovanny Cruz 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 K (save) — had the 14 fastest pitches of the game, with six at 100 mph or above and topping out at 101.7

Double-A Somerset Patriots: L, 6-7 at Portland Sea Dogs

LF Jackson Castillo 1-4, BB
CF Garrett Martin 1-3, BB, K, SB
1B Nicholas Torres 0-4, 3 K, GIDP, missed catch error — not the best day for Somerset Patriots fundies
RF DJ Gladney 1-3, BB, dropped foul error
3B Coby Morales 2-4, RBI
C Miguel Palma 1-4, K, throwing error, passed ball
2B Connor McGinnis 1-4, HR, 5 RBI — launched a go-ahead grand slam in the third to give Somerset a 6-2 lead; it’s the 2025 10th-rounder’s first homer at Double-A
SS Owen Cobb 0-4, 3 K, fielding error
DH Cole Gabrielson 1-4, 2 K

Cade Smith 6 IP, 4 H, 4 R (4 ER), 3 BB, 6 K, 2 HR
Trent Sellers 2.2 IP, 3 H, 3 R (2 ER), 1 BB (1 IBB), 4 K, HR (loss) — blew the save on a solo homer in the ninth and then gave up two doubles for the Portland walk-off

High-A Hudson Valley Renegades: W, 14-5 at Rome Emperors — seven homers overall for Hudson Valley (first seven-homer game for the ‘Gades since April 2023: two for Alexander Vargas and Benjamin Cowles each, plus Aaron Palensky, Luis Santos, and Aldenis Sanchez, just to give you a throwback)

2B Kaeden Kent 3-5, 2B, BB
SS Core Jackson 1-4, HR, BB, 2 RBI, GIDP, 2 SB, throwing error
DH Eric Genther 0-3, 2 BB, K, SB, HBP — only player not invited to the hit party
1B Kyle West 2-5, HR, 4 RBI, GIDP
RF Wilson Rodriguez 1-4, HR, BB, 2 RBI
3B Roderick Arias 1-4, HR, 3 RBI, SF
C Josue Gonzalez 1-5, 2B, 2 K
LF Josh Moylan 3-5, 2 HR, 2 RBI, K — two bombs for Moylan
CF Camden Troyer 2-4, HR, BB, RBI — went back-to-back with Moylan in the seventh

Bryce Cunningham 5.1 IP, 4 H, 2 R (2 ER), 1 BB, 5 K (win) — 55 strikes in a season-high 77 pitches
Aaron Nixon 1.1 IP, 2 H, 3 R (3 ER), 1 BB, 0 K, HR, HBP
Brandon Decker 1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K
Hansel Rincon 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K

Low-A Tampa Tarpons:W, 15-9 vs. Fort Myers Miracle — Puello hit three homers and drove in seven

SS Jackson Lovich 3-6, HR, 4 RBI, throwing error — after Puello finished his hat trick, Lovich got in on the fun with a two-run shot (413 feet) for his 12th homer in 48 games
3B Bryce Martin-Grudzielanek 1-5, K
2B Hans Montero 0-3, BB, 2 K, HBP, throwing error
CF Willy Montero 1-5, 3B, 3 K
RF JoJo Jackson 2-4, BB, outfield assist
LF Luis Puello 4-4, 3 HR, 7 RBI, BB, fielding error — holy moly what a day! Puello started with a 396-foot slam in the first to give Tampa lead, a 394-foot two-run shot in the fifth, and a solo shot to cap it in the seventh; now slugging .529 since mid-May promotion from Rookie ball
DH Engelth Urena 1-4, BB, 2 K
C Ediel Rivera 2-5, 2 RBI
1B David McCann 1-4, 3B, BB, 2 RBI, 3 K — two-run triple made it 6-3 Tampa in the fourth

Justin West 5 IP, 10 H, 6 R (5 ER), 0 BB, 4 K, 3 HR (win)
Jose M. Rodriguez 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 K
Parker Seay 1 IP, 3 H, 2 R (2 ER), 0 BB, 1 K, HR
Josh Tiedemann 1 IP, 1 H, 1 R (1 ER), 1 BB, 1 K

Florida Complex League Yankees:Suspended due to rain in the top of the third leading FCL Phillies 2-0, will resume on June 18th

3B Richard Matic 1-1, HR, RBI — led off game with a bomb
DH Queni Pineda 0-1, K
2B Leni Done 0-1, K
CF Jose Castro 1-1, HR, RBI — had a solo shot of his own in the first, his fifth in 17 games
RF Francisco Vilorio 0-1, K
SS Dexters Peralta 0-1, K
LF Estivenzon Montero 0-1, K
C Justin Capellan 0-1, K
1B Christofer Reyes 0-0

Brian Hendry 2.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 5 K — pretty dynamite rehab appearance for High-A arm

Dominican Summer League Yankees:W, 25-11 vs. DSL Twins — no typos here; the 11 is a weird football final score so I don’t know if we can truly make a Giants/Vikings joke, but this is a helluva effort

DH Isaias Castillo 1-6, 2B, BB, K
SS Stiven Marinez 3-7, 2 RBI, K, SB — RBI knock in the sixth gave the Yanks their 20th run
CF Yostin Pena 3-6, HR, BB, 6 RBI, K, SB — leader in the clubhouse with six ribbies on the day; his RBI single in the fifth capped an eight-run frame that made it 17-7 and helped Yanks pull away after Twins kept staying within a few runs
2B Juan Torres 2-6, 2B, HR, 3 RBI, K, HBP, SB — two-run blast in the first made it 3-0; it got sillier
RF Manuel Aguilar 1-2, 4 BB, RBI, K, HBP, 2 SB, fielding error, outfield assist
C Juan Martinez 1-1, BB, RBI — left at the start of the fourth
C Edgar Jimenez 1-2, 2B, 3 BB, RBI
1B Cesar Lopez SB 3-5, BB, 3 RBI, K — drew the last of three consecutive bases-loaded walks in the fifth
3B Alfred Ciriaco 2-4, 4 RBI, K, HBP, SF
LF Eliezer Adames 2-5, 2B, BB, 2 RBI, 2 K, SB — DSL Yanks went a perfect 7-for-7 in stolen base attempts, and everyone in the starting lineup had a hit (and Adames’ RBI double in the seventh plated the 25th run)

Dalvin Taveras 3 IP, 7 H, 5 R (3 ER), 1 BB, 2 K
Angel Salazar 2.2 IP, 4 H, 3 R (3 ER), 1 BB, 4 K
Luis Rodriguez 1.2 IP, 6 H, 3 R (3 ER), 1 BB, 1 K
Luis Ilarraza 1.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 3 BB, 3 K, 4 WP (win) — the most deserving pitcher to be sure, control be damned

Dominican Summer League Bombers:W, 14-4 at DSL Marlins — 39 combined runs for DSL Yankees affiliates, hell yeah

2B Daniel Santana 2-5, 3B, BB, RBI, SB
SS Mani Cedeno 2-5, 2B, 4 RBI, 3 K, SF, throwing error — cashed in ribbies in three separate PAs
3B Carlos Bello 1-5, BB, 2 RBI, 2 SB
RF David Carrera 2-3, 3 BB
DH Alessandro Rodriguez 2-5, 2B, 2 RBI — two-run double in the first started the scoring
PH-DH Eddison Charles 0-1, K
C Poly Ojeda 1-4, HR, 3 RBI, HBP — three-run tank in the Bombers’ seven-run second to zoom ahead 9-0
1B Stalen Ramirez 2-3, 2B, 2 BB, CS
LF Sebastian Pinto 0-2, BB, RBI, SF, HBP — sac fly made it 11-0 after three and a half innings
CF Alfiery Matos 2-4, BB, K

Junior Tavera 5 IP, 4 H, 2 R (2 ER), 3 BB, 9 K, balk (win) — racked up the K’s anyway
Josue Silvestre 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 2 K, HBP
Lenin Caceres 1 IP, 0 H, 1 R (1 ER), 3 BB, 1 K, 2 WP
Ronald Tejada 1 IP, 2 H, 1 R (1 ER), 0 BB, 1 K

The Pittsburgh Pirates have officially f beloellw .500 for the first time since March 1, and althought they won last night to get back to even, they are in the middle of a bad slump of games. A lot of chatter has been about how pitcher Paul Skenes isn’t playing as well and may already be slipping as a pro. While the season has been far from perfect for Skenes, there are way bigger problems for the Pirates and their fans to worry about.

First let’s get the obvious out of the way first; Skenes is having a rougher start to this season than in year’s past. At one point in Skenes’ career, it would be weird to even associate the number “2” with the pitcher and his ERA, as he posted below 2.00 in each of his first two seasons. The 24-year-old righty currently has a 2.85 ERA with a 6-6 record. He’s also already given up eight home runs this season, and at times has racked up his pitch count, spending long times on the mound fighting in an at-bat. The sheer dominance that Skenes has had over opponents previously has seemed to waver this year, and for the first time in the majors he has looked human more often than not.

Even given his “shortcomings” Skenes is far from being “washed” or a liability in the Pirates’ rotation. The fact of the matter is that most big league pitchers would be thrilled to be having the season that Skenes is having. Despite the shaky start to 2026, Skenes still has the fifth lowest WHIP in baseball while also holding claim to the sixth lowest H/AB in baseball and the fourth most strikeouts with 99.

The Pirates as a whole are flawed, with a lot of the microscope being focused on Skenes because of his All-Star status. Pittsburgh has lost six straight Skenes’ starts. In this span, Skenes has a 2.50 ERA per game, which is certainly high for the reigning National League Cy Young Award recipient. However, the Pirates lineup also has a minus-27 run differential in that time frame, with run support being hard to come by when Skenes is on the mound.

In his most recent start against the Miami Marlins, Skenes struck out 10 batters, retiring nine a row and set a career high in whiffs with 23. In that contest, he gave up two runs, both of which were homers, and the Pirates’ bats couldn’t generate more than two runs in support.

Manager Don Kelly spoke postgame on the struggles the team has had during this stretch of Skenes’ starts.

“I think when you’re looking at it, we just haven’t been able to put a complete game together,” Kelly said. “Last year was maybe the run support. We’ve had starts throughout those six where we’ve scored runs, we’ve had starts that offense has been there and other things have happened. I don’t think we can point to one thing, and that’s consistent throughout all the starts.”

The ever stoic Skenes was not bothered by the lack of success or run support postgame.

“It’s baseball,” Skenes said. “I’ve dealt with it before. It’s a team sport. It’s just the nature of the game.”

The fact of the matter is everyone has gotten used to one version of Skenes, which at any given time is the best pitcher in baseball. It’s hard to remember in the moment, but ever since he came into the league, Skenes has been rewriting record books and setting new incredibly high standards for an ace in the Major Leagues. Just because he’s not performing like Superman every week does not mean he’s fallen off. The image and the standard that Skenes created for himself in his first two seasons is INCREDIBLY HARD to live up to all the time. Even at his absolute worst, you’d still want him to be your number one pitcher in the rotation. Has he fallen short of expectations? Sure, but it’s undeniable that he’s still performing in the top echelon of the best big league starters.

Skenes and the Pirates are in a rough patch, there’s no doubt about that. However, Skenes is still a generational type of player for Pittsburgh, and there are way bigger problems on the team than his still very respectable 2.85 ERA. Skenes will bounce back much faster than the Pirates as a team will because that’s what the best pitchers in baseball do. The blinders are on, he’s the man in the arena and we all need to pump the brakes on talks of slipping and falling short.

PHOENIX — This is the pitcher the Los Angeles Angels envisioned when they drafted him in the first round in 2020 as the nation’s finest left-handed collegiate starter.

This is the pitcher the baseball world envisioned when he pitched a no-hitter as a 22-year-old rookie.

And now, after his latest magnificent performance on Tuesday, June 16, this is the pitcher that everyone badly covets at the Aug. 3 trade deadline.

Say hello to Reid Detmers, who is now officially on baseball’s Most Wanted List.

Detmers, 26, is on an absolute pitching heater these days, shutting down the Arizona Diamondbacks, 7-0, in his latest dominant start, allowing just three harmless singles and no walks in seven innings. He generated only four swings-and-misses, but he kept the D-backs completely off-balance with his array of 94-mph fastballs, 85-mph sliders and 72-mph curveballs. They hit the ball hard only six times the entire game, with Detmers throwing 19 of his 24 first-pitches for strikes.

“It looks that he can throw any pitch at any time,’’ Angels manager Kurt Suzuki said. “He’s just consistently pitching ahead in the count. Earlier in the year, there were a lot of foul balls late in the count. Now, he’s starting to execute put-away pitches, put in a good spot where there’s a swing-and miss or put in play for an out weakly.’’

The result has been utter dominance. In Detmers' last six starts, he is 2-0 with a 1.36 ERA, yielding just 12 hits in 33 innings with 39 strikeouts and five walks. He has given up just one run in his last three starts, allowing just six hits in 20 innings for a 0.45 ERA.

"Pretty impressive," said Angels slugger Mike Trout, who homered, doubled and drove in three runs.