Worldwide Sports News

This wasn’t exactly how Cole Gabrielson expected his Triple-A debut to go.

In his first game with the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders on June 19th, the outfielder was called to the mound with two outs in the bottom of the seventh inning in the second game of a doubleheader at Columbus. The last time Gabrielson had pitched was before he’d even gone pro, five years prior with the Niagara Power, a college summer league team. Nonetheless, he got ahead 0-2 on the first batter he faced, Milan Tolentino, before throwing four consecutive balls to walk him. He again got ahead 0-2 on the next Clippers batter, Dom Nuñez. After throwing two balls, he got Nuñez to pop out to shortstop to end the game and earn the save in a RailRiders’ 8-6 victory.

“Right before the inning started, they were like, ‘Hey, he’s (Bradley Hanner) got 10 more pitches. If he burns ‘em, you’re in,’” Gabrielson said. “That was all the heads up I got. It all worked out perfect. I was able to get the save, which was pretty funny.

“I was just happy I was able to help the team get a win that day. Obviously, you never expect to come in and pitch, but I’m always ready if they need me to throw strikes. It was fun, I had a good time doing it and I’m glad we got the win.”

Gabrielson’s third game with the RailRiders on June 24th at Indianapolis also was an adventure. With Oswaldo Cabrera temporarily called up to the Yankees due to Ryan McMahon’s illness, the RailRiders were short infielders. So Gabrielson was forced to play second base and third base. He committed two errors in an 8-6 loss.

“It’s a different game in there. Not having any infield time, none in professional ball. We needed somebody to go in there and of course I’m ready to go wherever (manager) Shelley (Duncan) needs me. They tried to move me around where the ball wouldn’t get hit to me as much, but sure enough, it’s how baseball is, the ball will find you. I made one play up the middle and unfortunately had a couple get away from me there.

“I’m an athlete, I’m an outfielder. My first time playing the infield didn’t go how I wanted it to, but at the end of the day just to show they can throw me anywhere and I’ll do anything the help the team win any way I can.”

Gabrielson has appeared in five games with the RailRiders since being promoted from Double-A Somerset on June 17th. He is batting .250 (5-for-20) with one RBI.

Signed by the Yankees as a nondrafted free agent in 2023 out of the University of Southern California, Gabrielson spent all of last season at Double-A Somerset and batted .188 (43-for-229) in 77 games with nine doubles, one triple, six home runs, and 30 RBIs.

This season, he started at High-A Hudson Valley and batted .256 (20-for-78) in 33 games with one home run and five RBIs. He returned to Somerset on June 3rd and batted .289 (11-for-38) in 11 games with two home runs and three RBIs. Then he was promoted to Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.

“I’ve learned in my career to never expect or assume,” Gabrielson said. “I don’t really care where I’m at, I just want to play ball. I had a good little stint in Somerset, was just settling in there and they sent me up here. All is well. I’m happy to be here. No matter where I’m at, I’m excited to be playing baseball. I want to make it to the show, obviously that’s the ultimate goal. I’m one step closer here, I’m going to continue to be myself and anyway I can help the team win.”

Cole Gabrielson lays out to make the diving catch!!😱😱 pic.twitter.com/nNU3ZLDAZV

— Hudson Valley Renegades (@HVRenegades) May 15, 2026

Baseball is in Gabrielson’s blood. His father Randy played at USC from 1983-85 and was teammates with Randy Johnson and Mark McGwire. His grandfather Len also played at USC in 1959 and then went on to enjoy a nine-year career in the major leagues (1960, 1963-70) with five teams. In 708 games, he batted .253 (446 for 1764) with 37 home runs and 176 RBIs. His first major-league hit came with the Milwaukee Braves on April 13, 1963 — a three-run home run off Galen Cisco of the New York Mets at Milwaukee’s County Stadium to cap a four-run bottom of the first in a 5-2 win.

The list of teammates Len Gabrielson played with reads like a baseball who’s who: Hank Aaron, Joe Torre, Eddie Mathews, and Warren Spahn with the Milwaukee Braves. Ernie Banks, Billy Williams, and Ron Santo with the Chicago Cubs. Willie Mays, Willie McCovey, Juan Marichal, and Gaylord Perry with the San Francisco Giants. Maury Willis, Don Drysdale, and Don Sutton with the Los Angeles Dodgers. He also briefly played with the California Angels alongside six-time All-Star Jim Fregosi, key to the now-infamous Nolan Ryan trade.

“The era he played in was such an amazing time for the sport,” Gabrielson said. “It’s so cool I get to go home every offseason and see him and we just talk ball. He’s got a ton of stories. He came up with Joe Torre and they were roommates and buddies. That’s been cool to connect with Mr. Torre when I see him in spring training.”

Despite his family lineage, Gabrielson said he doesn’t feel any pressure.

“Growing up, people always asked me about it or it was always fun to tell my friends when I was young that my grandpa played in the MLB,” Gabrielson said. “As I’ve gone along in my professional career, it’s only guided me. He’s still alive and well and gives me advice every single day as does my father. I’m so blessed to have those guys in my life, teach me throughout this journey and be able to be there by my side every step of the way. It’s fun to go to some random parks and places I’ve never been and hear some random fan yell, ‘Hey Cole, I saw your grandpa play.’ That’s obviously special for me, to play in front of people that also saw my grandpa play. That’s super cool. But no pressure. I think my grandpa had an amazing experience with the game of baseball and he wants the same for me.”

The best piece of advice Gabrielson received from his grandfather was to have fun.

“He went through his career enjoying the game that he loved to play. That’s what allowed him to have success,” Gabrielson said. “He’s always told me that the day you’re not having fun, then call it quits. That day has not come for me and I don’t see it coming any time soon. He wants me to have fun and the success will follow if you have a love for the game.”

Being one step closer to following his grandfather and realizing his dream of reaching the major leagues, Gabrielson is working on his consistency.

“I’ve shown power, I’ve shown the ability to hit for average, I’ve also shown the ability to not hit for average,” Gabrielson said. “Just tap into the things I know I’m good at, dominate those things and understand the more volatile parts of the game need to be a little more consistent. If you can be a more polished and complete player, like I know I can be, I’ll get my shot. I just hope they know I can help them win. That’s the biggest thing. Just win games. I hate to lose. I want to win ball games no matter where I’m at. That’s what matters most.”

---

RailRiders right-hander Brendan Beck, the Yankees’ No. 21 prospect according to MLB Pipeline, was named International League Pitcher of the Month for June.

The Best is Beck. 🌟 After a jaw-dropping June, @Yankees #21 prospect Brendan Beck earns @MiLB's Pitcher of the Month honor.

🔗: https://t.co/oqICfQRTFJpic.twitter.com/uSqp8XyyhO

— SWB RailRiders (@swbrailriders) July 6, 2026

In five starts during the month, Beck was 3-0 with a 1.24 earned-run average and 31 strikeouts in 29 innings. He walked only 10, allowed 14 hits and gave up four runs, all earned. The highlight came June 5th when he combined with Carson Coleman on a nine-inning no-hitter against the Syracuse Mets at NBT Bank Stadium in New York.

Twice this season, Beck was called up by the Yankees and made starts for them. He made his MLB debut on May 7th at Yankee Stadium against the Texas Rangers and also started on July 4th against the Minnesota Twins. Beck is the first RailRiders pitcher to receive the award since Will Warren in September 2023.

Overall, Beck is 7-2 with a 3.07 ERA in 16 starts. He has allowed 35 runs (30 earned) and 62 hits in 88 innings with 28 walks and 91 strikeouts, which leads the International League. He also is tops in the league in ERA, innings, WHIP (1.02), and is second in wins and opponent’s batting average (.197).

The squad continues to get healthier. Just hours before their second game against the Detroit Tigers the Athletics announced the activation of left fielder Tyler Soderstrom from the 10-day IL, while optioning infielder Max Muncy to make room on the active roster:

We have made the following roster moves. pic.twitter.com/SlG11v6P2v

— Athletics (@Athletics) July 8, 2026

It turns out to be a best-case scenario for Soderstrom and the club as hip issues can sometimes snowball into more serious problems. The lefty swinging Soderstrom will return to the club after missing just over a week with the left hip impingement and the 24-year-old will be a welcomed return to the lineup. Soderstrom has been one of the better hitters in the lineup this season, slashing .242/.343/.460 with 13 long balls along with his solid play in left field, and was having a quality June before heading to the shelf. The club could have been extra cautious with the All-Star break just days away so the activation could be a great sign that he’s completely recovered and ready to roll.

As for Muncy, the club’s Opening Day third baseman has just not found his stroke at the big league level quite yet. The former first round pick has hit just .227/.303/.369 with five home runs this season, which comes out to 11% worse than league average. He missed some time with a hand fracture but he’s been off the IL for exactly a month and continued to struggle both in the batter’s box and in the field. He’ll now head to Triple-A and work on his mechanics and hopefully straighten things out in a lower-pressure environment. In the meantime the hot corner will likely be occupied by some combination of Zack Gelof and Joshua Kuroda-Grauer. That duo should definitely provide more offense than Muncy.

Want to get more Covers content? Add us as a preferred source on your Google account here.

A couple of fun Silly Goose Parlays to kick off this fully loaded Wednesday night slate. A few bats I'm looking to back, along with a handful of struggling arms I'm fading to continue their recent woes.

Check out my favorite MLB picks below.

Today's best MLB SGP picks

Phillies vs Reds SGP: Philly's stars shine!

I am very high on the Philadelphia Phillies this evening, especially their two slugging left-handed bats, Kyle Schwarber and Bryce Harper. 

In Schwarber's last 60 plate appearances against right-handed pitching, he is batting .320 with a .560 SLG, .977 OPS, and a hard-hit rate north of 74%. On the other side, Harper during that stretch is batting .320 as well, with a .607 SLG and .957 OPS. He also owns a 95% arsenal coverage against all of Chase Burns' pitches. 

Burns has struggled against left-handed hitters in his recent outings. Over his last 60 left-handed batters faced, he is allowing a 70.4% elevation rate, a 10.8% barrel rate, and an expected slugging percentage of .501.

I am expecting a lot of production from the Phillies offense this evening, starting with their two stars. 

• Time: 7:10 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: ESPN

See full analysis of this game in our Phillies vs. Reds predictions.

Rockies vs Dodgers SGP: Struggles for Sasaki!

I am very high on the Colorado Rockies this evening, as they bring an elite-rated offense to the table, according to Batters-Box. They have nine hitters in prime spots against Roki Sasaki. The Los Angeles Dodgers right-hander has struggled all season, and his recent form has been even worse. Over his last three outings, he owns an 8.53 ERA, 5.61 xERA, and 1.74 WHIP.

On the other side, adding Shohei Ohtani for some reverse correlation feels right, especially with how well he has been swinging the bat and seeing the baseball lately. At +470, this should be one of the more exciting sweats of the day.

• Time: 10:10 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: SportsNet Los Angeles, COLR

See full analysis of this game in our Rockies vs. Dodgers predictions.

Athletics vs Tigers SGP: Ding, ding, dingler!

Detroit Tigers catcher Dillon Dingler has been seeing the ball extremely well over the last few weeks, posting a .510 SLG and .827 OPS while generating a 54% hard-hit rate and 71.8% elevation rate against the last 60 left-handed pitchers he has faced.

Athletics starter Jeffrey Springs has struggled in recent outings, especially against right-handed bats. Over the last 60 right-handed hitters he has faced, opponents are elevating the baseball at nearly an 80% clip, setting up well for Detroit's right-handed power.

With the Athletics offense ice cold over the last few weeks, the Tigers feel like the right side to back, especially with how much Springs has been struggling.

• Time: 6:40 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: DSN, NBCS-California

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.

Justin Verlander, one of the all time great pitchers who will almost certainly be a first ballot Hall of Famer, has announced that he will be retiring at the end of the 2026 season.

The 43 year old Verlander, who is currently on the injured list for the Detroit Tigers, was originally drafted 2nd overall in the 2004 draft by the Tigers, with the San Diego Padres making a Steve Chilcott/Reggie Jackson-level bad decision in passing on Verlander to take local product Matt Bush with the first overall pick. Verlander made his professional debut in 2005 and, in his one minor league season, put up a 1.29 ERA in 118 innings over 20 starts that year while also making a couple of spot starts in the big leagues in July.

Verlander started the 2006 season in the rotation for a Tigers team that made a tremendous turnaround, going from 71 wins in 2005 to 95 wins and a World Series appearance in 2006. Verlander put up a team-best 3.63 ERA in 30 starts, winning the American League Rookie of the Year Award, finishing 7th in the Cy Young balloting and 15th in the MVP voting.

It was the start of a lengthy run of greatness for Verlander, who ended up winning the Cy Young Award three times and being named the American League MVP in 2011, as well as having three 2nd place finishes in the Cy Young voting and three other top five finishes.

Verlander seemed like someone who would be a Tiger for life until he was sent to Houston at the 2017 trade deadline. Verlander was with the Astros until 2022 — although missing the entire 2021 season due to Tommy John surgery — before signing with the New York Mets prior to the 2023 season. The Astros acquired him at the deadline again in 2023, however, and he pitched for the Astros through 2024. After spending 2025 with the San Francisco Giants, he returned to Detroit for 2026, though he has only be able to make one appearance this season due to injury.

Verlander is currently 8th on the all time strikeout list, with 3,554, and his 266 career wins are 37th all time. He’s also 29th in games started and 66th all time in innings. To put his innings total into perspective with the modern game, the next closest active pitcher in innings pitched is Max Scherzer, who is #141 on the list, more than 500 innings behind Verlander. The next after that? Chris Sale, who is 357th all time, and almost 1500 innings behind Verlander.

Verlander is 24th all time in career bWAR for pitchers, between Mike Mussina and Nolan Ryan, and his adjusted JAWS score is 18th all time, between Eddie Plank and Gaylord Perry.

Former Mets pitching coach Phil Regan has passed away at the age of 89, reports ESPN's Jeff Passan. 

Regan's career in baseball spanned seven decades. 

The right-hander first broke into the league when he signed with the Tigers in 1956. 

He racked up 61 wins and a 3.76 ERA as a starting pitcher in Detroit's minor league system, before receiving the call up to the big league level after four years in the minors. 

Regan spent six seasons with the Tigers, three with the Dodgers, five with the Cubs, and one with the White Sox. 

He was a one-time All-Star, racking up 96 wins, 92 saves, and 743 strikeouts in his career. 

Upon retiring, he began coaching at the collegiate level, before making the jump to the majors as a Mariners scout. 

Regan received one managerial opportunity with the Cubs, but otherwise served as a coach. 

He was the St. Lucie Mets pitching coach for four years, was the organization's minor league pitching coordinator, and was the promoted to the big-league staff at 82 years old following Dave Eiland's firing in 2019. 

Regan officially retired following that season. 

George Springer is back playing today and batting fourth, which is a choice.

I don’t know, it likely better than him leading off. I know that we worry too much about batting order, because that’s one of the things we can easily see, judge.

Lineups:

---

So now the team has a toy dragon. I was going to say just dragon, and then I should I should say toy…..like you’d think they have a real dragon. Even Rogers can’t do that.

I think anything to remind the players to have fun is a good thing. I’m even ok with say that’s the reason they scored so many runs.

---

We are losing some of our favourite bad umpires at the end of this season. CB Bucknor, Laz Diaz, Brian O’Nora, Lance Barksdale, Marvin Hudson, Tony Randazzo and Andy Fletcher are all leaving after being offered a ‘buyout’. Nice that MLB is finally being proactive. Many years too late, but still, good for them.

---

It is an early game today. 3:45 Eastern.

---

Late add. Very sorry for Braydon Fisher and his family.

Braydon Fisher is back from bereavement leave.

Fisher shared that his father Norm, 65 yrs old, suffered a stroke and died. He was en route to checking into their hotel on SF.

Fisher family was here to watch Blue Jays series.

Our heartfelt condolences to Braydon 💔

— Hazel Mae (@thehazelmae) July 8, 2026

On Wednesday afternoon, Detroit Tigers starting pitcher Justin Verlander was selected to the 2026 MLB All-Star Game as the American League Legend’s pick. Philadelphia Phillies first baseman Bryce Harper was also named a Legend’s Pick on the National League team by the Commissioner’s office. Both will be honored during the All-Star Week festivities. Verlander also announced on his own social media that the 2026 season will be his last as a major leaguer.

The latter announcement comes as no surprise. Verlander made his first start of the 2026 season back on March 30 in Arizona against the Diamondbacks. Shortly thereafter, he was shut down with a left hip impingement, spent April and May rehabbing the injury, and then injured his hamstring, keeping him on the 60-day injured list. What should have been his 20th full season in the major leagues has unfortunately become a retirement tour instead.

In Verlander’s statement, he acknowledged that “This season has challenged me in ways I haven’t experienced before, both physically and mentally.”

“I’ve always believed that as long as I could compete at the level I expect of myself, I’d keep playing. I never wanted to retire because of a milestone, a number, or a date on the calendar. I wanted the game to tell me when it was time.

“Over the last several months, I’ve realized that time has come. While I’m fully committed to giving my team everything I have for the rest of this season, I’ve decided this will be my last. It’s fitting that I get to finish where it all started – with the Detroit Tigers, the organization that drafted me and gave me my first opportunity.”

pic.twitter.com/7mBzftMH4V

— Justin Verlander (@JustinVerlander) July 8, 2026

Recent Commissioner’s “Legend Picks” included Clayton Kershaw in 2025, as well as both Albert Pujols and Miguel Cabrera in their final seasons.

Perhaps we’ll still see Verlander pitch a bit for the Tigers after the trade deadline, depending on the circumstances. More than likely he’s in his player-coach season, as we’ve seen him spending a lot of time talking with Tarik Skubal, Jack Flaherty, and Casey Mize, as well as with the younger Tigers’ starters in the dugout during games.

The future Hall of Fame right-hander holds a 266-159 record with a career 3.33 ERA and 3554 strikeouts, 8th most all-time. He’s also 16th best all-time in terms of FanGraphs WAR, the leading active player in both strikeouts and WAR. He also holds an entire season’s worth of postseason performance, with 226 postseason innings pitched and a 3.58 ERA. Only Andy Petite has thrown more postseason baseball than Verlander.

Verlander was the 2006 AL Rookie of the Year, and won the 2011 AL MVP award, as well as the 2011, 2019, and 2022 AL Cy Young awards. He won rings in the 2017 and 2022 World Series with the Houston Astros.

Other than the All-Star Game selection, none of this is going to come as a surprise to Tigers fans. Unfortunately, preseason hopes for a resurgent season, his own version of former teammate Kenny Rogers’ 2006 campaign, just haven’t panned out for the 43-year-old legend. It’s been clear for a while now that this would almost certainly be his final season in the major leagues. We’ll enjoy having him around the franchise to mentor the younger pitchers, and he’ll no doubt remain around the franchise as a special assistant to the front office beyond retirement, just like long-time teammate, Miguel Cabrera, making the occasional appearance, dropping in for spring training and for various ceremonies. And it’s still possible we seem him on the mound at least one more time in Comerica Park before this season concludes.

Congratulations to a Tigers great, and one of the greatest to ever do it.

On the heels of being named an All-Star for the 10th time in his career, Detroit Tigers pitcher Justin Verlander has announced that this season will be his last.

Verlander, 43, posted Wednesday afternoon on social media his struggles with injuries this season that have limited him to one start have "challenged me in ways I haven't experienced before, both physically and mentally."

During his 21 years in the majors, Verlander has won 266 games, three Cy Young awards and one MVP. He also is a two-time World Series champion – in 2017 and again in 2022 with the Houston Astros.

"I've always believed that as long as I could compete at the level I expect of myself, I'd keep playing," he continued. "I never wanted to retire because of a milestone, a number or a date on the calendar. I wanted the game to tell me it was time."

pic.twitter.com/7mBzftMH4V

— Justin Verlander (@JustinVerlander) July 8, 2026

A first-round draft pick by the Tigers (second overall) in 2004, Verlander made his MLB debut the following season and won AL rookie of the year honors in 2006 as Detroit made it all the way to the World Series.

With his triple-digit fastball, he developed into the ace of a stacked starting rotation on a Tigers team that won four consecutive AL Central division titles from 2011-2014.

His best individual season came in 2011 when he led the majors with a 24-5 record and topped the AL with a 2.40 ERA on his way to winning the Cy Young award and league MVP honors.

The Tigers dealt him to the Houston Astros in at the 2017 trade deadline, and he became a key part of the Astros' World Series title – going 5-0 with a 1.06 ERA in five starts down the stretch and winning four of his five postseason starts.

But perhaps his greatest accomplishment came after he missed almost all of the 2020 and 2021 seasons following elbow surgery. At age 39, Verlander returned to post an 18-4 record and a major league-leading 1.75 ERA in leading the Astros to a second World Series championship.

After a disappointing stint with the New York Mets, a return to Houston and a year with the San Francisco Giants, Verlander came back to Detroit this season on a one-year deal.

However, hamstring and hip injuries have plagued him throughout his second Tigers tenure. He made one start on March 30 at Arizona but lasted just 3 ⅔ innings before leaving with hip inflammation.

He was added to the AL's All-Star roster by MLB commissioner Rob Manfred on Wednesday, July 8 as a "Legends Pick," but he won't be able to play because he remains on the injured list.

An almost certain first-ballot Hall of Famer when he becomes eligible in 2032, Verlander is the majors' active leader in games started (556), wins (266) and strikeouts (3,554).

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Justin Verlander announces he's retiring at the end of the 2026 MLB season

After the Atlanta Braves got nearly single-handedly bombed by Ryan O’Hearn, the Braves have now lost at least three-straight games on five different occasions since the start of June. They’re currently going in the wrong direction but they have no choice but to push forward as they look to avoid dropping a series against the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Grant Holmes is getting the ball to start this one for the Braves and it’s clear that the main hurdle that Holmes has to clear is successfully navigating the lineup for a second time. If he can do that then he’s perfectly capable of breaking through and delivering a quality start. If he can’t get through the order a second time then we’ll likely see some more pitching struggles.

The numbers for Holmes’ trips through the orders are honestly staggering. The firt time through the order, Holmes is a very solid pitcher with a 2.57 ERA and a slash line against him of .197/.285/.283. That second time through the order is usually a doozy, as he’s now sitting on a 6.99 ERA while opponents are hitting .311/.387/.664. Assuming he makes it through the second time through the order without stepping on a land mine, he actually improves upon his first time through the order numbers and posts an ERA of 1.84 with opposing batters hitting .173/.283/.250 against him. That’s been pretty rare, as he’s only faced 60 batters this season for a third time in a single game, compared to facing 144 batters for the first time through the order and 137 on the second trip.

So while it’s tough to boil it down to “Holmes has just got to get through the second trip through the order safely,” that’s largely been the case for Holmes. Fortunately, he’s improved a bit over his past three starts when compared to the struggles he had in mid-June so hopefully he’ll continue to stay on the right path against a challenging Pirates lineup.

Meanwhile, the Braves will be getting to tangle with Jared Jones for the first time as a team. Jones has had a very up-and-down go of it so far this season — he’s made seven starts so far this season and in three of those starts, he’s gotten blown up for four runs or more. He’s also only made it through five innings one time this season, so he hasn’t exactly been an imposing threat on the mound this season.

With that being said, he’s got a serious heater that averages 99-mph (98.6 to be exact, according to Statcast) and he’s been generating an elite whiff percentage of 32.8 percent. That could actually bit a bit frustrating for the Braves, as they currently have the league’s tenth-highest whiff rate on four-seamers as they’ve whiffed on 23.3 percent of the fastballs that they’ve seen so far this season. They also have the (tied for) third-lowest “perfect contact” rate on four-seamers, so if Jones gets rolling against the Braves then it might be because they can’t find a way to put the bat to the ball when it comes to that heater of his.

Still, the Braves have been getting better at the plate lately after spending nearly the entirety of June struggling mightily at the plate. Atlanta has scored at least four runs in their last seven games. This was after they accomplished that task only four times in their final 14 games to end June, so we shouldn’t be taking this plate resurgence for granted. The offense is showing real signs of life again but they need the pitching staff to get things back under control again, otherwise they’ll just be continuing to struggle but in a more exciting way than how they were struggling in June.

The Pirates offense is rolling, so that will be a tough challenge for Atlanta’s pitching staff. We could be in for plenty of runs once again and hopefully the Braves can continue to swing the bat well so that they’ll have a shot at potentially winning any slugfest that might break out tonight. We’ll see what happens!

Game Info

Game Time: Wednesday, July 8, 6:40 pm EDT

Location: PNC Park, Pittsburgh, PA

Watch: BravesVision

Radio/Audio: 680 AM / 93.7 FM The Fan

CB Bucknor has had a justified reputation as one of the worst umpires over the last couple of decades. This became even clearer this year with the beginning of ABS challenges.

Bucknor had six calls overturned in his first game behind the plate this year, March 28 in Cincinnati:

ABS Challenge:Narváez (Ball-Confirmed); Anthony 2 (Strike-Overturned to Ball, Strike-Confirmed); De La Cruz, E (Strike-Overturned to Ball); Suárez, E 2 (Strike-Overturned to Ball, Strike-Overturned to Ball); Benson 2 (Strike-Overturned to Ball, Strike-Overturned to Ball).

Here’s Bucknor’s Ump Scorecard from that game:

Umpire: CB Bucknor
Final in 11: Red Sox 5, Reds 6#DirtyWater // #ATOBTTR#BOSvsCIN // #CINvsBOS

More stats for this ump 👇https://t.co/PGUmmEkJwopic.twitter.com/MpkFRkTrnv

— Umpire Scorecards (@UmpScorecards) March 29, 2026

Three days later Bucknor had this egregious missed call at first base:

CB Bucknor strikes again, this time saying the runner did not touch first base. He very clearly did pic.twitter.com/zn6k9RtLXl

— Jomboy Media (@JomboyMedia) April 1, 2026

The day after that, as the plate umpire in Milwaukee, Bucknor took a foul ball off his mask:

CB Bucknor took a foul ball to the mask and was in visible pain.

He left today’s game as he may have a concussion. pic.twitter.com/YHuluPblER

— js9innings (@js9inningsmedia) April 1, 2026

Bucknor did, in fact, sustain a concussion and has not worked since. He’s likely umpired his last game in MLB, as per this report from Bob Nightengale (kind of buried at the bottom of that column), Bucknor and six other umpires will be given buyouts and will retire after this year:

Players and fans can soon stop complaining about veteran umpire CB Bucknor. He is one of seven umpires who have informed MLB that he will retire at the season’s conclusion, accepting their buyout offer. The other six umpires: Laz Diaz, Brian O’Nora, Lance Barksdale, Marvin Hudson, Tony Randazzo and Andy Fletcher. The wave of retirements could open the door for Jen Pawol becoming the first full-time female umpire in 2027.

Of the others listed, Diaz also has a reputation as an umpire who misses many ball-and-strike calls and who can, at times, be combative with players and managers.

In my view, neither Bucknor nor Diaz will be missed. I do wish them well in retirement.

The other big news from that article is that Jen Pawol, the first woman to call a MLB game, could wind up becoming a full-time umpire next year. Pawol is now part of the rotation of umpires who substitute for the full-timers when they are on vacation during the season. She has yet to work a game at Wrigley Field, though I hope she will at some point this year. She did work one Cubs Spring Training game at Sloan Park and I heard nothing but good things about her work.

MLB has done well with revamping umpiring in recent years. Umpires appear to be in better physical shape than they were in decades gone by, and the various review systems are, I believe, helping the umpires improve their craft.

One thing we can say about the ABS challenge system — it shows how good most umpires really are at calling balls and strikes. Many of the overturned calls are by a sliver of a baseball. It’s still a good system and I like it.

A familiar feeling unfolded for me as I watched the Guardians’ lose to the Twins last night.

Earlier this season, I wrote about how acting Guardians’ manager Tony Arnerich set off alarm bells for Steven Kwan against these same Twins by asking him to sacrifice bunt with a runner on, no outs, and a 3-1 count against a bad reliever. After that article, the Guardians dropped Steven Kwan in the batting order and started cutting back his playing time (despite the usual public lies about “We have total confidence in Steven Kwan”). Yesterday, a similar situation unfolded with Kyle Manzardo, part of a continued pattern with the Guardians’ young hitter.

In the top of the 9th inning, down 3-1, Chase DeLauter, God bless him, put up a great at-bat against left-handed reliever Taylor Rogers and drew a two-out walk. Manager Stephen Vogt decided to pinch-hit for the next hitter, Kyle Manzardo, with the only right-handed hitter available on his bench, Gabriel Arias. Now, this incensed me because, flatly, Arias is a bad hitter. He has a 76 wRC+ for his career, an 80 wRC+ this season, and a career 48 wRC+ against LHP. Now, Vogt may have made this move to get the Twins to bring in their closer, right-hander Yoendrys Gomez. Arias has a career 90 wRC+ against RHP, and the Twins are forced to pitch their closer, which may pay benefits later on down the road in the series. Because of these two factors, I know I was wrong to hyperbolicly tweet during the game that pinch-hitting Arias was a “fireable offense.” I don’t want Vogt fired and I didn’t want to imply that… only to express my incredulity at the move.

This is an incredulity that I still feel, but for perhaps a different reason. Kyle Manzardo has a 97 wRC+ this season and a career 94 wRC+ against RHP, but a 108 wRC+ against LHP. Had you brought Manzardo in to face Rogers, so far, for his career, he would offer +60 in wRC+ against the lefty over Arias, +18 vs Arias against RHP, and STILL +4 against RHP. Does this all mean that I believe Manzardo is good? Absolutely not. Manzardo has been wildly disappointing this season following a 113 wRC+ in his age 24 season in 2025. His ISO is down .070 points. The team DESPERATELY needed him to take a step forward this season and instead, so far, he has taken a significant step back. With all that said, he has still been a significantly better hitter than Gabriel Arias… because Arias is one of baseball’s worst 10 hitters of the past four years. The bar for Manzardo to clear, here, is on the floor.

So, why did Arias bat last night? Aside from the aforementioned “Get their closer in the game” theory above, I would posit, as some CTC commenters have suggested, that Vogt felt like he was rolling the dice with Arias for a better chance of a once-in-a-blue-moon game-tying homer. Take that in – Stephen Vogt felt subbing for his CLEANUP hitter for one of the absolute worst hitters in MLB since 2022 would increase his chances at getting a home run to tie the game. And, you know what? Despite my angry tweets last night, I get it! Arias has an underwhelming ISO of .179, but it’s still .024 better than Manzardo’s current .155. Yes, Arias swung and missed at three straight pitches (I discovered that 10% of his at-bats since 2024 have ended in a three-pitch K, fun fact!) including two sweepers in the zone and a fastball six inches above the zone. But, as just about everyone and their uncle has pointed out to me, I have no confidence that Manzardo would not have also struckout against Rogers. I suspect it would have been on a 2-2 count, but the end result would be exactly the same… and the Twins would not have had to get their closer up. So, on one hand, an apology to Stephen Vogt from me is owed. And, I’m glad this move wasn’t as inexplicable as I thought it was.

On the other hand, however, I am still firmly convinced pinch-hitting Arias for Manzardo was 100% the wrong-move for the longterm. It very, very likely had ZERO impact on the final outcome of last night’s game. But, the issue is on where the Guardians need to go from here. The Guardians NEED to determine if Kyle Manzardo can be a reliable middle of the order hitter or not and that should be one of the top five priorities for the rest of this season, unless the team is planning at least TWO huge moves for proven middle of the order hitters to make a World Series run in August (Oh, what’s that you say, Mike Chernoff? You’re too busy turning down great deals for your veteran players like Kwan like you did last season? Ok, got it). Manzardo is 25 years old. This is the last season where you can say “He’s still young, he may figure this out.” I don’t understand why Manzardo is an automatic pinch-hit against left-handed pitching when he had decent splits against them in the minors and has a 108 wRC+ against them in the majors.

I don’t understand why we are pinch-hitting Manzardo EVERY TIME a lefty is on the mound and even playing these little games with despicable hitters like Arias batting for him instead of saying “Figure this out, big fella, because we are riding you till the wheels completely fall off.” Vogt’s strength is “believing in his guys.” It would seem to me that the only way out for Manzardo is through; to either sink or swim, you need to let that big kid flounder in the deep end until he either figures something out or drowns. You have a chance, here, the rest of the season to see if he can show you something or not, and move him to a team that believes they can fix him before the lockout if he fails.

And, is there anyone here who can say another team would not be able to fix Manzardo? He has useful tools. He looked like a can’t-miss hitter in the minors. The Guardians’ hitting team has been unable to finish his development as they have with numerous other hitters. Is it a pull-lift heavy approach? Maybe. Is it a lack of focus on bat speed development? Possibly. Is it hiring too many Driveline guys instead of some old-school guy with the ability to fix mental struggles from just good vibes? I can’t rule anything out. What I can tell you is that when I see social media influencers ask “What trade would you want your team to make at the deadline?” my answer is, currently, “Trading whoever we need to for the Brewers to send us their hitting development folks.” The team needs to overhaul their hitting development program and pay the money to poach talent from organizations who have figured it out, full stop. And, probably nothing else they do will matter until that happens.

Last night should be an inflection point for the Guardians and Manzardo. Are they really convinced he is only a platoon hitter capable of playing slightly below average defense at first? If so, carry on, I guess, and line up a trade for him to someone who thinks they can fix him as soon as possible, at the deadline if it’s there. But, if they still have hope he can find himself at the plate, then stop pinch-hitting for him at the first opportunity. Stick him in the lineup everyday and let him sink or swim so you know the final answer on this hitter. Believe in your guy, Vogter, until he removes all doubt about that belief being wrong. The potential upside on subbing Arias, Hoskins or even Fry in for him is simply not worth it at this point in the game.

With the draft just a few days away, most of the attention has rightly gone to the Nationals first pick at 11th overall. However, I wanted to discuss a few names that could fit for the Nats with their second round pick at 42nd overall, or maybe even their third rounder at 78. With pitching being the Nats biggest organizational need, I am breaking down three college arms.

Despite the Nats badly needing pitching, most of the rumors about the Nats 11th pick have been about hitters. Infielders Ace Reese and Chris Hacopian have been linked, as has high school two-way player Jared Grindlinger, who they seem to prefer as a hitter. I do not have a problem with the Nats taking a bat in the first round, but if they do, Paul Toboni and co. will need to focus on pitching down the board.

The Nats biggest need in the system is pitching, but more specifically close to big league ready pitching. That is why I think the Nats need to explore college arms with their second and/or third round picks. While Paul Toboni was with the Red Sox, they had success developing post-first round college arms. Payton Tolle, Connelly Early, and now Anthony Eyanson are three good examples of that. Without further ado, let’s dive into the pitchers.

The first name I want to talk about is Jack Radel from Notre Dame. Radel is a physically imposing 6’5 250 pound right hander who is expected to go in the 35 to 45 range. He has been a work horse for the Fighting Irish, and has gotten better in each of his last three seasons. Radel pounds the zone with a five pitch mix that is headlined by a mid-90’s fastball that plays up due to elite extension.

It feels like Notre Dame RHP Jack Radel is being a little bit undervalued on some public boards.

Workhorse frame with elite extension down the mound (Averaged 7.3+ ft on Hawk-Eye) Fastball up to 98 w/ above-average riding life. Pounds the strike zone (> 67% strikes on the year)…

— The Prospect Porch (@prospectporch) June 29, 2026

Radel just seems like a great fit for the Nats who need high floor pitching that can get to the big leagues quickly. The burly right hander just feels like he can be at least a back of the rotation starter who can eat 170 innings for breakfast. None of Radel’s secondary pitches are elite, but he throws a variety of different offerings. As we are seeing with Foster Griffin, a deep arsenal can go a very long way.

The other two pitchers I will discuss probably have higher ceilings and are more exciting developmental projects, but neither have the floor of Radel. I really think Radel could be one of those guys who flies through the minors and could get to the big leagues by 2028. Radel is built to eat innings, and could be a near plug and play number 4 starter.

Ethan Kleinschmit from Oregon State is the next pitcher I want to discuss, and he is a very different profile. Of the three names we will talk about, Kleinschmit is the lowest ranked, and could be available in the third round. He is ranked 69th by MLB Pipeline and 78th by Baseball America. However, there are sharp people in the industry like Lance Brozdowski who really like Kleinschmit, especially if his velocity could tick up.

Right now velocity is the missing piece for the southpaw. His heater averages 92 MPH, which is light these days. However, Brozdowski wrote in his college pitcher ranking list that there are those in the industry that believe Kleinschmit could have the ability to sit 94ish with a year of professional development.

Ethan Kleinschmit (@BeaverBaseball) was outstanding across 5 frames, tallying 9 Ks. Repeats well. FB worked 90-93 with life (21” IVB). 14 whiffs with it. Sharp SL at 76-79 (2797) has bite. Flashed CH at 83-85 (1739). Starter traits @PG_Draft

Jr./‘26 elig. pic.twitter.com/mgvJxTnjqf

— PG College Baseball (@PGCollegeBall) February 15, 2026

If the southpaw can actually do that, it would be a gamechanger for him. The rest of Kleinschmit’s game is already very advanced. He has a sweeper, slider and changeup that can all be at least above average. Kleinschmit also has a good fastball shape, and could probably add a sinker in pro ball. His command is also at least average, and he has a multi-year track record of success at Oregon State.

The Nats could grab the lefty in the second round if they feel convicted about him. However, the dream would be to get Radel in the second and Kleinschmit in the third. That duo would give the Nats a really high floor arm, as well as a super exciting development project. Mason Edwards of USC is expected to go in the first round, and I don’t really think his profile is all that different from Kleinschmit, so getting him in the third would be outstanding.

Ben Blair out of Liberty is the last pitcher I want to discuss. Unlike Kleinschmit, Blair is firmly a second rounder. Funk is the name of the game for the 6’3 righty. His delivery is wild to watch, but he has found a way to pound the zone despite those unorthodox mechanics.

Liberty RHSP Ben Blair is a top draft crush of mine. Uber-athletic w/ outlier release traits (4.9’ relH / ~7.2’ ext). FB up to 98 has an unreal -3.8° t3VAA, and he can manipulate two different looks with it. 83 MPH SW has -15” HB. Fun 85-87 lifty CT running 65% str. 4% BB & +cmnd pic.twitter.com/G8CSgmbcEZ

— Danny (@dannybarrand_) June 29, 2026

Blair has a super low release which creates a ton of deception. He has solid velocity, averaging 94 on his heater, but the unique look helps the pitch play up. Blair also has a cutter, a sweeper and a lightly used changeup. Between his deception, and his ability to pound the zone, this is a very intriguing package.

I have mentioned it a couple times, but it is hard to overstate Blair’s control. He only walked 1.6 batters per 9 innings. The low release, sweeping breaking balls and elite control give me shades of guys like Joe Ryan and Bryan Woo. That is what you are dreaming of here.

However, there is some real relief risk here. All you need to do is watch Blair’s delivery to have questions of whether he could hold up as a starter. He has a track record of durability in college, but those mechanics sure look like reliever mechanics.

I think Blair could be a good, or even very good reliever. However, I am not sure if he quite has the stuff to be a lights out closer type. If you are taking a guy who will be a reliever in the second round, you want that guy to be a lights out reliever.

If the Nats have faith that Blair can hold up as a starter with those mechanics, it would be a pick that makes a lot of sense. He has a nice combination of ceiling and floor. However, those mechanics are just so weird, which is both a blessing and a potential curse.

Even if the Nats don’t take an arm in the first round, there are still plenty of good choices that will be available down the board. If you want a high floor, innings eating righty, Jack Radel is the guy. If the new regime wants to bet on their ability to improve velocity, Ethan Kleinschmit is the man. Lastly, if they want a funky arm who has good stuff and pounds the zone, Ben Blair is the option for them.