Worldwide Sports News

Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders:L, 0-5 at Syracuse Mets

SS George Lombard Jr. 1-4, 2 K, 1 SB
RF Oswaldo Cabrera 2-4, 1 K
DH Yanquiel Fernández 0-4, 1 K
3B Tyler Hardman 1-3, 1 BB, 1 K, throwing error
1B Seth Brown 0-4, 2 K
2B Jonathan Ornelas 1-4, 1 K
LF Ernesto Martinez Jr. 1-3, 1 2B, 1 K
CF Kenedy Corona 1-3, 1 2B, 1 SB
C Abrahan Gutierrez 0-3

Adam Kloffenstein 6 IP, 5 R, 4 ER, 9 H, 1 BB, 3 K, 2 HR (loss)
Peter Strzelecki 1 IP, 0 R, 3 K
Zach Messinger 1 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 1 BB, 2 K

Double-A Somerset Patriots:W, 5-2 at Harrisburg Senators

DH Jackson Castillo 1-2, 1 R, 2 BB, 1 K, 1 SB, 1 CS
CF Garrett Martin 0-4, 1 R, 1 K, 1 SB
1B Coby Morales 1-4, 2 RBI, 3 K
LF DJ Gladney 2-4, 3 RBI, 1 R, 1 K, 1 HR
2B Connor McGinnis 0-3, 1 BB, 3 K
C Manuel Palencia 0-4, 3 K
3B Kevin Verde 1-4, 2 K, throwing error
SS Owen Cobb 0-4, 1 K
RF Cole Gabrielson 2-3, 2 R, 1 K

Kyle Carr 5 IP, 2 R, 4 H, 3 BB, 9 K, 1 HR (win) — 27 strikeouts in 17 innings over his last three starts
Matt Keating 0.1 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 1 BB (hold)
Chris Veach 1.2 IP, 0 R, 1 BB, 3 K (hold)
Ben Grable 1.1 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 1 K (hold)
Will Brian 0.2 IP, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 K

High-A Hudson Valley Renegades:L, 6-8 at Frederick Keys

SS Kaeden Kent 4-5, 1 2B, 1 K
3B Core Jackson 0-5, 1 R, 1 K
DH Eric Genther 2-4, 1 HR, 2 RBI, 1 R, 1 K
1B Kyle West 1-3, 1 2B, 1 R, 1 BB, 1 K
RF Wilson Rodriguez 0-4, 3 K
2B Roderick Arias 2-4, 1 HR, 2 RBI, 2 R, 2 K, 1 SB — got on the board first with a second-inning blast
C Josue Gonzalez 0-4, 1 K
LF Josh Moylan 0-3, 1 BB, 1 K
CF Camden Troyer 0-3, 1 R, 1 BB, 1 K

Chase Hampton 3 IP, 5 R, 3 H, 2 BB, 5 K, 1 HR
Tanner Bauman 2 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 1 K
Thomas Balboni Jr. 1 IP, 3 R, 3 H, 1 BB, 1 K (loss, blown save)
Aaron Nixon 1 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 2 K
Bryce Warrecker 1 IP, 0 R, 2 H

Low-A Tampa Tarpons:W, 4-3 vs. Palm Beach Cardinals

SS Jackson Lovich 0-3, 1 R, 1 BB, 3 K
3B Bryce Martin-Grudzielanek 2-4, 1 R, 2 K
2B Hans Montero 1-4, 1 2B, 2 RBI, 2 K, 1 SB, fielding error
RF Logan Maxwell 0-3, 1 R, 1 BB, 1 K, 1 SB
C Luis Puello 1-3, 1 R, 1 BB, 1 K
CF Willy Montero 0-3, 1 BB, 1 K
LF JoJo Jackson 1-4, 1 2B, 3 K
DH Ediel Rivera 0-2, 1 RBI, 1 K
1B John Cristino 0-3, 1 RBI, 1 K

Tyler Boudreau 7 IP, 3 R, 4 H, 1 BB, 7 K, 1 HR (win)
Luis Velasquez 1 IP, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 K (hold)
Pedro Rodriguez 1 IP, 0 R (save)

Florida Complex League Yankees:W, 8-1 (7) vs. FCL Tigers

3B Richard Matic 1-3, 1 R, 1 BB, 1 K
CF Wilberson De Pena 1-3, 1 BB, 1 CS
DH Queni Pineda 1-3, 1 2B, 1 RBI, 1 R, 1 BB, 2 K
2B Leni Done 1-4, 1 2B, 1 RBI, 1 R, 1 K, 1 SB
C David McCann 0-1, 1 R, 1 BB, 1 K, 1 SB
PR-LF Diego Flores 1-1, 1 R
RF Estivenzon Montero 0-3, 1 R, 1 BB, 1 K
SS Dexters Peralta 2-3, 2 HR, 6 RBI, 2 R — grand slam in the first to put it to bed early, plus another homer late
1B-C Justin Capellan 0-1, 2 BB, 1 SB, 1 CS
LF-1B Christofer Reyes 1-2, 1 BB

Sabier Marte 4.1 IP, 1 R, 4 H, 5 K
Kevin Stevens 1.2 IP, 0 R, 2 H, 2 K (win)
Alexander Almonte 1 IP, 0 R, 1 K

Dominican Summer League Yankees:L, 8-11 at DSL Rangers Red

CF Isaias Castillo 2-5, 1 HR, 1 RBI, 2 R, 2 K, 1 SB
2B Stiven Marinez 1-5, 1 R, 1 SB, fielding error
RF Yostin Pena 1-5, 1 RBI, 1 K
SS Juan Torres 3-5, 1 2B, 1 R, throwing error
C Cesar Lopez 1-4, 1 2B, 1 RBI, 1 R, 1 BB, 1 K
3B Abrahan Pichardo 0-3, 1 R, 2 BB, 2 K
DH Juan Martinez 3-5, 1 2B, 2 RBI, 1 R, 2 SB
LF Eliezer Adames 1-4, 1 RBI, 3 K
1B Jose Peralta 1-3, 1 HR, 1 RBI, 1 R, 1 BB, 1 K throwing error

Victor De Leon 1.2 IP, 2 R, 0 ER, 2 H, 2 BB
Freddy Lopez 2.2 IP, 3 R, 3 H, 2 BB, 3 K
Cesar Vivanco 1 IP, 3 R, 2 H, 1 BB (loss, blown save)
Emanuel Vargas 2.1 IP, 2 R, 3 H, 1 BB, 3 K
Brandon Rodriguez 0.1 IP, 1 R, 1 H, 1 HR

Dominican Summer League Bombers:L, 14-15 (10) vs. DSL Mets Orange

2B Dariel Santana 1-4, 2 R, 2 BB, 1 SB
SS Mani Cedeno 0-5, 2 R, 1 BB, 1 K
DH Carlos Bello 1-4, 1 RBI, 2 R, 1 K, 2 SB
RF David Carrera 0-3, 1 RBI, 2 R, 3 BB, 2 K, 1 CS
C Alessandro Rodriguez 1-4, 1 HR, 3 RBI, 1 R, 2 BB
C Jesus Guerrero 0-0
3B Germayhoni Beltre 1-4, 3 R, 2 BB, 1 K
LF Richard Meran 0-4, 2 BB, 1 K, 1 SB
1B Stalen Ramirez 1-4, 1 RBI, 1 R, 1 BB, 1 K, 1 SB
CF Alfiery Matos 0-4, 1 R, 2 BB, 2 K, 1 CS

Carlos Hampshire 2.2 IP, 7 R, 3 H, 4 BB, 3 K, 1 HR
Jhon Castro 0.1 IP, 4 R, 2 H, 4 BB
Lenin Caceres 1.1 IP, 1 R, 1 H, 3 BB, 3 K
Mauricio Vargas 2.1 IP, 0 R, 4 K
Josue Silvestre 2.1 IP, 1 R, 2 BB, 3 K
John Rosillo 1 IP, 2 R, 1 ER, 3 H, 1 BB, 1 HR (loss)

A look at The Times’ All-Star baseball team:

Pitcher, Julian Garcia, St. John Bosco, Sr.: The Long Beach State commit threw a one-hit shutout with 14 strikeouts in the Southern Section Division 1 final and finished 9-1 with a 0.80 ERA.

Pitcher, Jordan Ayala, Norco, Jr.: Ayala was 8-2 with a 0.74 ERA, including a shutout of Orange Lutheran in the Division 1 quarterfinals.

Utility, Logan Schmidt, Ganesha, Sr.: In his only season playing high school baseball, the Louisiana State commit went 9-0 while allowing one earned run in 60 innings and batted over .500 in leading his team to a Division 2 title.

Catcher, Carson Sheffer, Oaks Christian, Sr.: The Oklahoma State commit batted .440 with 14 doubles and five home runs while also showing off strong defensive skills.

Infielder, James Tronstein, Harvard-Westlake, Sr.: The Vanderbilt commit had 52 hits, a .531 batting average and 10 home runs as the Mission League MVP.

Infielder, Dylan Seward, Norco, Jr.: The Tennessee commit batted .436 with 48 hits and 29 RBIs.

Infielder, Jack Champlin, St. John Bosco, Sr.: The UC Irvine commit and Trinity League MVP led the two-time Division 1 champions with a .390 batting average and 31 RBIs while repeatedly delivering clutch hits.

Infielder, Trey Ebel, Corona, Sr.: The Texas A&M commit got hot in the final month and finished with a .417 average, 45 hits and 47 RBIs.

Read more:Complete coverage: The Times' 2026 All-Star baseball and softball teams

Outfielder, Jared Grindlinger, Huntington Beach, Sr.: The expected first-round draft pick led the team with 42 hits, including 10 doubles, and also was an ace on the mound for the Sunset League champions and Division I regional champions.

Outfielder, Blake Bowen, JSerra, Sr.: The possible first-round MLB draft pick batted .360 with nine home runs and seven stolen bases.

Outfielder, Mattias Di Maggio, Dos Pueblos, Fr.: He set a school record with 11 home runs and struck out only once in 84 at-bats while batting .500 with 42 hits and nine doubles.

Sign up for the L.A. Times SoCal high school sports newsletter to get scores, stories and a behind-the-scenes look at what makes prep sports so popular.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

A look at the Los Angeles Times’ 2026 All-Star softball team:

Pitcher, Liliana Escobar, JSerra, Sr.: The Florida commit helped lead the Lions to their first Southern Section Division 1 title with a 1.25 ERA and 252 strikeouts in 146 innings.

Pitcher, Peyton May, Norco, Sr.: The Oklahoma State commit went 12-1 with 130 strikeouts in 83 innings.

Utility, Lily Hauser, Murrieta Mesa Sr.: The Arizona commit batted .542 with 52 hits and was 17-0 as a pitcher with a 0.25 ERA.

Catcher, Annabel Raftery, JSerra, So.: An A student and top defensive player, Raftery also hit .429 with 12 home runs for the Division 1 champions.

Infielder, Mia Camacho, Whittier Christian, Jr.: The Rutgers commit delivered clutch hits for the Division 2 champions, finishing with a .544 average, including 49 hits and 17 home runs.

Read more:Complete coverage: The Times' 2026 All-Star baseball and softball teams

Infielder, Kelsey Luderer, Sherman Oaks Notre Dame, So.: The Mission League MVP batted .514 with 40 RBIs.

Infielder, Savannah Gonzalez, Norco, Jr.: The Cal Baptist commit batted .493 with four home runs and 20 RBIs.

Infielder, Riley Hilliard, La Mirada, Jr. : The Oklahoma commit helped her team reach the Division 1 final, finishing with a .568 average, 33 RBIs, 14 doubles and 10 home runs.

Outfielder, Shea Gonzalez, Villa Park, Sr.: The Washington commit had 59 hits, 40 stolen bases and was the Freeway League player of the year.

Outfielder, Aubrey McLaughlin, Eastvale Roosevelt, Sr.: The UCLA commit and left-handed power hitter batted .494 with 14 home runs and was intentionally walked nine times.

Outfielder, Zoe Justman, Granada Hills, Sr.: The UC Santa Barbara commit batted .521 with 49 hits and 40 RBIs for the City Section Open Division runner-ups.

Sign up for the L.A. Times SoCal high school sports newsletter to get scores, stories and a behind-the-scenes look at what makes prep sports so popular.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

Tanner Bibee finally got some run support and a win against the Rangers.

Zach has your recap here. The series rubber match today features Joey Cantillo vs. Jacob deGrom. Then, the Guardians come back home to play the Yankees again on Monday.

Michael Baumann has an interesting article for FanGraphs about how contracts formerly seen as immovable are probably no longer immovable.

AROUND MLB:

Josh Naylor has been doing silly things like throwing his sliding glove into the catcher and the Tigers responded by throwing a 97 mph fastball at his head.

That’s bush league. Hit him on the butt. Or, as the Guardians do, get him out.

The Tigers lost that game, the White Sox won, and the Royals beat the Twins.

That loss is the perfect embodiment of a loss. Everything kind of stunk, so they just move on.

On to the link.

Phillies news:

• I always hate this cliche, but maybe the best thing the Phillies could get at the deadline is Trea Turner performing well.
• Jhoan Duran is giving the Phillies a show in the ninth inning like they have never seen before ($).

MLB news:

• During this deadline, teams need to show a little gumption. Go trade for Tarik Skubal like it’s CC Sabathia circa 2008.
• Jacob Misiorowski broke his own record by throwing the fastest pitch recorded by a starting pitcher.
• Seattle has several good starting pitchers that would bring back a solid return in a trade. However, it’s unlikely they deal from that depth.

Triple-A: Syracuse Mets (32-30)

SYRACUSE 5, SCRANTON/WILKES-BARRE 0 (BOX)

One night after getting no-hit, Syracuse blanked the RailRiders, with opener Nate Lavender, starter Jack Weisenburger, and Jonathan Pintaro combining to keep Scranton/Wilkes-Barre off the board, scattering seven hits and walking one. Ji Hwan Bae homered in the bottom of the first to give Binghamton the lead and they held it for the entirety of the ballgame. Ryan Clifford hit his 14th homer to drive in a pair, Cristian Pache doubled in a run, and Matt Rudick scored on a wild pitch.

·  RF Nick Morabito: 1-5, 2B, K

·  2B Ji Hwan Bae: 1-3, R, HR (3), RBI, BB, K, SB (20)

·  1B Christian Arroyo: 1-4, R, 2B, K

·  LF Ryan Clifford: 1-4, R, HR (14), 2 RBI, 2 K

·  3B Andy Ibáñez: 1-4, 2B, K

·  SS Yonny Hernández: 1-4, R, 2B

·  CF Cristian Pache: 2-4, 2B, RBI, K

·  C Kevin Parada: 1-4, K

·  DH Matt Rudick: 1-3, R, BB, SB (4)

·  LHP Nate Lavender: 1.2 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 4 K

·  RHP Jack Weisenburger: 5.1 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 4 K, W (1-2)

·  RHP Jonathan Pintaro: 2.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K

Double-A: Binghamton Rumble Ponies (22-34)

BINGHAMTON 4, READING 1 (BOX)

The red-hot Rumble Ponies won another one, their fourth in a row, this time powered by a strong performance by Jonathan Santucci. The left-hander got off to a somewhat slow start in April, but he’s since gotten back into the groove of things, allowing one run over 6.2 innings, his longest outing of the year. An Eli Serrano sac fly put Binghamton on the board in the bottom of the first and they held that lead for the entire game. Vincent Perozo added a run in the bottom of the second with a solo homer and Nick Lorusso chipped in with a two-run homer of his own.

·  DH Chris Suero: 1-4, R, 2B, BB, 2 K, SB (17)

·  CF Eli Serrano III: 1-3, R, RBI, BB

·  RF Jose Ramos: 0-4, K

·  3B Nick Lorusso: 3-4, R, HR (9), 2 RBI, K

·  C Vincent Perozo: 2-4, R, HR (3), RBI, K

·  LF Jaylen Palmer: 0-4, K

·  SS Wyatt Young: 3-4, 2B, SB (7)

·  1B TT Bowens: 0-4, 3 K

·  2B Kevin Villavicencio: 0-3, BB, K

·  LHP Jonathan Santucci: 6.2 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 5 K, WP, W (1-5)

·  RHP Saul Garcia: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 1 K, WP, H (4)

·  RH Guillo Zuñiga: 1.1 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K, WP, S (1)

High-A: Brooklyn Cyclones (21-34)

BROOKLYN 12, JERSEY SHORE 4 (BOX)

The Brooklyn bats brought fireworks to the Jersey Shore (big time asterisk Lakewood, but as a New Yorker, I cannot adjudicate whether Lakewood should rightly be called the Jersey Shore or not), tying a season-high by scoring 10 runs. Every hitter got on base at least once, with multiple Cyclones reaching base twice, with Mitch Voit and Ronald Hernandez both reaching base three times and Grae Kissinger five times. Cuban left-hander Daviel Hurtado looked solid in 5.1 innings of work, and while the bullpen was a little shaky after he left, Brooklyn’s lead was almost unsurmountable.

·  2B Mitch Voit: 1-4, 2 R, HR (7), 2 RBI, BB, HBP, SB (17)

·  SS Grae Kessinger: 1-2, 3 R, 2B, 2 RBI, 3 BB, HBP, E (1)

·  C Ronald Hernandez: 1-4, R, 2B, RBI, 2 BB, K

·  1B Corey Collins: 1-5, R, 2B, 2 RBI, BB, 3 K

·  CF Yonatan Henriquez: 1-6, 2 K

·  RF John Bay: 1-4, R, BB, 2 K, SB (14)

·  3B Colin Houck: 1-4, R, BB, 2 K

·  LF Trace Willhoite: 2-4, 2 R, 2 2B, 2 RBI, K, HBP

·  DH Jamari Baylor: 1-4, R, 2B, 2 RBI, BB, K

·  LHP Daviel Hurtado: 5.1 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 5 K, W (1-0)

·  RHP Tanner Witt: 1.2 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 1 K, HBP

·  RHP Cristofer Gomez: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 1 K

·  LHP Gregori Louis: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 0 K

Single-A: St. Lucie Mets (24-27)

ST. LUCIE 5, CLEARWATER 1 (BOX)

It was one of those games where there weren’t any standout pitching or hitting performances, but St. Lucie got it done. The offense pounded out 5 runs on 9 hits and a pair of walks, while Joel Lara, Christian Rodriguez, and Luis Alvarez combined to throw eight scoreless innings, with Franyel Diaz giving up a run in the fifth in his lone inning of work.

·  SS Elian Peña: 1-3, 2 R, BB, K, SB (18)

·  2B Trey Snyder: 2-4, 2 R, 2 SB (1, 2)

·  DH Antonio Jimenez: 2-4, RBI, 2 K, 2 SB (5, 6)

·  LF Yohairo Cuevas: 1-3, 2B, RBI, BB, K, SB (1)

·  RF Simon Juan: 0-4, 3 K, E (4)

·  C Chase Meggers: 1-3, R, SB (2)

·  CF Branny De Oleo: 1-3, 2 K

·  3B Jeremy Rodriguez: 0-3, K

·  1B Jackson Hauge: 1-3

·  RHP Joel Lara: 4.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 3 BB, 4 K, HBP

·  RHP Franyel Diaz: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 2 K, W (1-0)

·  RHP Christian Rodriguez: 2.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K, H (3)

·  RHP Luis Alvarez: 2.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 3 K, S (1)

Rookie: FCL Mets (12-12)

FCL CARDINALS 12, FCL METS 8 (BOX)

·  RF Bohan Adderley: 2-4, R, HR (4), 2 RBI, BB, K

·  2B Vladi Gomez: 2-5, R, K, E (2)

·  CF Wyatt Vincent: 0-5, 2 K

·  C Josmir Reyes: 0-2, R, 3 BB, E (3)

·  SS Anthony Frobose: 3-4, 3 R, 2B, 3B, RBI, BB

·  DH Roybert Herrera: 3-4, R, 2B, HR (1), 3 RBI, BB, K

·  LF Heriberto Rincon: 1-5, 3 K

·  1B Yeider Mindiola: 0-4, K

·  3B Diover De Aza: 1-3, R, 2B, BB

·  RHP Joel Díaz: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 0 K

·  RHP Dillon Stiltner: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 3 K, E (3)

·  RHP Camden Lohman: 0.1 IP, 2 H, 6 R, 6 ER, 4 BB, 1 K, L (0-1)

·  RHP Omar Victorino: 1.1 IP, 3 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 4 BB, 1 K, WP

·  RHP Yoralbert Cadiz: 2.1 IP, 0 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 3 BB, 5 K, HBP

·  RHP Jean Brito: 2.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K

STAR OF THE NIGHT

Jonathan Santucci

GOAT OF THE NIGHT

Cam Lohman

Hello, friends.

Not as fun a day of Orioles baseball yesterday. The narrative of improvement for Kyle Bradish was put on pause, hopefully for just that one game. At times his defense didn’t do him favors, but even so, there’s only so much to blame others when the pitcher gives up nine hits and three walks in four innings. Friends, that’s a WHIP of 3. That is bad. The Orioles lost, 6-4. Check out Stacey’s recap of the game for more of the not-so-lovely totals.

If you are inclined to try to find silver linings in losses, you could feel a little bit better about a few things in the game. Colton Cowser homered. If he is improving, that’s a plus for the team’s fortunes. Pete Alonso hit a two-run homer against a current Birdland heel, Jeff Hoffman. That was fun. Gunnar Henderson had three hits. The Orioles need that guy to heat up. They need all of those guys to heat up. It’s nice to see them fight to make it closer after they fell behind, 6-1.

Still, a loss is a loss. The Orioles have already lost too many games this year to feel like they can take away moral victories out of losses. Although they have improved lately, they dug themselves a hole earlier. Not as deep of a hole as they dug last year, but still a hole. It’s not any less deep just because at the moment they are within a game of a wild card spot. Other teams are going to get hot eventually and if the Orioles do not keep pace, we’ll be looking back on their record through May 20 or so with regret.

As bad as yesterday’s game was, the Orioles have a chance to take this series in Toronto if they can put together a better game today. That would give them a 4-2 record across this little AL East road trip. It’s not enough to put them in a good place, but it would be good enough to feel good about.

They will be going up against former Oriole Kevin Gausman as they attempt to take the series today. Gausman did not pitch in the series between these two teams in Baltimore. He’s doing great so far this season, with a 3.36 ERA and 2.95 FIP through 13 starts. The Jays have gotten a lot of value out of the five-year contract they signed him to ahead of the 2022 season.

One guy the Orioles actually did sign to a five-year contract is pitching for them today. Shane Baz has also been working on a narrative of improvement lately. He’s turned in four good starts in a row. It might take another four in a row for him to make up for his early season struggles. It’s been good to see him on the right track. Hopefully, unlike Bradish, he can stay on the right track in his outing against the Jays. The finale is set to begin at 1:37 Eastern.

Orioles stuff you might have missed

Samuel Basallo’s MRI clean after leaving Friday’s game with abdominal discomfort (The Baltimore Banner)
The best news from yesterday was that there wasn’t anything bad on Basallo’s MRI, particularly regarding a potential oblique problem. Still, if he needs to heal for a couple of days, I hope they give him the chance to do that.

Orioles add Huff and subtract Wilson before Saturday’s game (School of Roch)
One thing that’s going to enable the team to rest Basallo a little bit is the presence of a third catcher on the roster. Sam Huff is back. Perhaps not for long.

Wild card gives Orioles more chances to dream of October (Baltimore Baseball)
Orioles in October? With this offense, maybe. (The Baltimore Sun)
How Orioles climbed back into the AL playoff race behind a resurgent starting rotation (CBS Sports)
On some level, it is absurd to talk about the Orioles being in the playoff picture when they’re 31-34. But the reality is, they are in it. They were a game back after losing yesterday. If they can consistently sustain good play for the rest of June, they’ll probably be at least .500 and then it won’t feel as weird to talk about their wild card positions. They’ve gotta get the last few wins out of the way to get there, though.

Birthdays and Orioles anniversaries

In their 65th game last year, the Orioles lost to the Tigers, 5-3, falling to 26-39 on the season. Cade Povich took the loss after allowing five runs in 4.2 innings, while the offense combined for just six hits in a Tigers bullpen game. Six of the 14 O’s players who appeared in this game will be active today. The 2026 Orioles are currently five games better than that team was. It’s better than we feared a month ago, but more work remains to be done.

There are a few former Orioles who were born on this day. They are: 2000-02 first baseman/outfielder Chris Richard, 1999 reliever Heathcliff Slocumb, and 1968 pitcher Roger Nelson. Today is Nelson’s 82nd birthday, so an extra happy birthday to him.

Is today your birthday? Happy birthday to you! Your birthday buddies for today include: author Elizabeth Bowen (1899), Wienermobile designer Brooks Stevens (1911), actor Liam Neeson (1952), musician Prince (1958), and wilderness survival expert Bear Grylls (1974).

On this day in history…

In 1099, Crusaders initiated a siege of Jerusalem. The city was captured about a month later, leading to the founding of the Christian Kingdom of Jerusalem.

In 1776, Richard Henry Lee of Virginia presented a resolution to the Second Continental Congress declaring that “these United Colonies are, and of right ought to be, free and independent States.” The Lee Resolution is what ultimately led to the Declaration of Independence the next month.

In 1892, Mr. Homer Plessy was arrested in a “whites only” car on a train after refusing to leave his seat. The appeals case resulting from this arrest, Plessy v. Ferguson, shamefully enshrined the “separate but equal” doctrine for a long time afterwards.

In 1938, Chinese Nationalist forces destroyed a series of levees on the Yellow River to flood the area and halt the Japanese advance through the country. Somewhere between 500,000 and 1,000,000 civilians were killed as a result of this flooding.

In 1975, Sony debuted its Betamax product, the first video cassette recorder product. Betamax ultimately lost the “format wars” to the later-arriving VHS.

**

And that’s the way it is in Birdland on June 7. Have a safe Sunday. Go O’s!

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Sunday’s 15-game MLB slate is filled with opportunity.

On today’s massive card, I’m targeting the sticks and bullpens in strong spots.

Find out more in my MLB picks for Sunday, June 7. 

MLB moneyline picks for June 7

Matchup	Pick
Red Sox vs Yankees	-150
White Sox vs Phillies	+163
Pirates vs Braves	+127
Orioles vs Blue Jays	+113
Mariners vs Tigers	-117
Rays vs Marlins	+104
Athletics vs Astros	-117
Royals vs Twins	-104
Reds vs Cardinals	-127
Guardians vs Rangers	+104
Brewers vs Rockies	+144
Nationals vs Diamondbacks	-122
Angels vs Dodgers	+150
Mets vs Padres	+104
Giants vs Cubs	-117

Prices courtesy of Polymarket as of 6-7.

Expert MLB moneyline picks for June 7

Red Sox vs Yankees: Yankees (-150)

Yankees win probability: 60%

The Yankees are comfortable home chalk behind AL Cy Young contender Cam Schlittler.

While New York boasts a superior 125 wRC+ over the past 14 days, Boston's sharper bullpen (3.67 FIP over the past 14 days) looms.

Still, the Yankees' big sticks should secure the win.

White Sox vs Phillies: White Sox (+163)

White Sox win probability: 38%

Philadelphia is heavily favored, but its offense has completely cratered to a dead-last 71 wRC+ over the past 14 days.

David Sandlin faces a Phillies unit whose bullpen owns a 3.01 SIERA over the past 14 days, but Chicago’s hot bats (113 wRC+ over the past 14 days) are a premium road underdog value.

Pirates vs Braves: Pirates (+127)

Pirates win probability: 44.1%

Atlanta is the chalky favorite, but its offense has sported a measly 92 wRC+ over the past 14 days. 

Despite Bubba Chandler’s shortcomings, Pittsburgh’s scorching offense (128 wRC+ and an elite 10.8% walk rate over the past 14 days) can damage Bryce Elder early.

Orioles vs Blue Jays: Orioles (+113)

Orioles win probability: 46.9%

This features a tight underdog price for Baltimore.

Both offenses are neck-and-neck over the past 14 days, but Toronto's bullpen has unraveled to a messy 4.44 SIERA over the past 14 days. 

Take the plus-money side holding the safer late-game bullpen safety net (3.65 SIERA over the past 14 days).

Mariners vs Tigers: Mariners (-117)

Mariners win probability: 53.9%

With Luis Castillo on the mound and a stable 3.56 SIERA relief crew behind him over the past 14 days, the M's stand tall against a Detroit bullpen carrying a hazardous 5.49 FIP over the past two weeks.

Rays vs Marlins: Marlins (+104)

Marlins win probability: 49%

The market completely overlooks Miami here. Tampa Bay's bullpen is a certified fade zone, dragging a brutal 6.28 FIP over the past 14 days.

Sandy Alcantara stifles the Rays early while Miami's superior rolling 105 wRC+ offense over the past two weeks takes over.

Athletics vs Astros: Astros (-117)

Astros win probability: 53.9%

Houston targets a solid road win with hidden bullpen dominance.

Under the hood, Astro relievers flash an elite 3.61 SIERA and a stifling .163 opponent average over the past 14 days, giving them a massive mathematical advantage to shut down the Athletics' bats late.

Royals vs Twins: Twins (-104)

Twins win probability: 51%

A coin-flip matchup with Minnesota as the short favorite.

With both offenses stuck below a sub-90 wRC+ over the past 14 days, the decision is to run completely away from a melting Kansas City bullpen that has yielded a catastrophic 6.49 FIP over the same span.

Reds vs Cardinals: Cardinals (-127)

Cardinals win probability: 55.9%

St. Louis commands the edge against a reckless Cincinnati offense striking out at a league-worst 28.4% rate over the past 14 days.

The disciplined Cardinals bullpen features a stellar 3.19 SIERA over the past 14 days, allowing them to cruise.

Guardians vs Rangers: Guardians (+104)

Guardians win probability: 49%

Texas is favored behind Jacob deGrom, but the advanced metrics flip the script.

Joey Cantillo only needs to keep it close before handing over to Cleveland's MLB-best bullpen (2.92 SIERA and 20.5% K-BB% over the past 14 days) to steal a road win.

Brewers vs Rockies: Rockies (+144)

Rockies win probability: 41%

Milwaukee starter Shane Drohan is walking the world with an 8.10 BB/9 rate.

His volatile control faces a Rockies bullpen carrying a league-worst 5.04 xFIP over the past 14 days, but the altitude will punish Drohan first.

Nationals vs Diamondbacks: Diamondbacks (-122)

Diamondbacks win probability: 55%

Arizona holds a sound probability edge.

Washington's worn-down bullpen has completely hit a wall over the past 14 days (4.90 FIP and 4.49 SIERA), leaving the Diamondbacks' steadier bullpen (3.50 SIERA over the past 14 days) to lock it down.

Angels vs Dodgers: Angels (+150)

Angels win probability: 40%

The Dodgers sit as heavy favorites, but the prices are wrong.

Both lineups are raking over the past 14 days, yet both bullpens sport identical, bloated 4.89 FIPs. Grab the Angels at a plus-money shootout price.

Mets vs Padres: Mets (+104)

Mets win probability: 49%

With both offenses ice-cold and sitting bottom-five in wRC+ over the past 14 days, the edge belongs to the Mets' superior relief core, which boasts a high 26.0% strikeout rate and 3.47 SIERA over the past 14 days.

Giants vs Cubs: Cubs (-117)

Cubs win probability: 53.9%

The Cubs carry the advantage tonight.

Even with San Francisco's elite 142 wRC+ over the past 14 days, its bullpen is a toxic waste site (4.94 SIERA over the same span).

Jameson Taillon navigates early, allowing Chicago's steadier relievers to close.

This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here and view our best betting sites or check out our top sportsbook promos.

All good things must come to an end, they say, and that applies to the Detroit Tigers as well. On Saturday afternoon, their four-game winning streak came to an end at the hands of the Seattle Mariners, who used some hard contact to hand Keider Montero and Co. a 4-0 loss at Comerica Park.

Never fear, the Motor City Kitties still have a chance to win their second-straight series on Sunday afternoon, but they will have to do it with right-hander Jack Flaherty on the mound. The good news is that the 30-year-old’s last start against the Tampa Bay Rays was a tidy one, shutting out his opponent over five innings, allowing five hits and two walks while striking out six for his first win of the season — an 8-0 triumph in St. Pete.

Flaherty’s last appearance against Seattle came in the ALDS Game 5 last September, in which he tossed a pair of scoreless, hitless frames during the 13th and 14th innings en route to a 3-2 team loss. He also started Game 3, but fared quite a bit worse, surrendering four runs (three earned) on four hits (one home run) and three walks while striking out six across 3 1/3 innings in an 8-4 loss.

For the Mariners, fellow righty Luis Castillo will take the mound for his 10th start of the season. Two of the 33-year-old’s last appearances have come in relief, including his most recent outing in which he earned a blown save and a win after giving up two runs (one earned) on two hits and two walks with three strikeouts over five frames against the Arizona Diamondbacks in Seattle.

Similarly to Flaherty, Castillo faced Detroit twice in the ALDS last fall — once as a starter and as a reliever. Across those two appearances, he held the Tigers to just one hit and four walks while striking out four over six scoreless frames, both resulting in team wins.

Here is how the two matchup in Sunday afternoon’s series finale.

Detroit Tigers (26-39) vs. Seattle Mariners (34-31)

Time (ET): 1:40 p.m.
Place: Comerica Park, Detroit, Michigan
SB Nation Site:Lookout Landing
Media: Detroit SportsNet, MLB.TV, Tigers Radio Network

Game 66: RHP Jack Flaherty (1-7, 5.31 ERA) vs. RHP Luis Castillo (2-5, 5.53 ERA)

FLAHERTY

CASTILLO