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Colorado Rockies vs. Athletics game thread: Sean Sullivan vs. Gage Jump

SCOTTSDALE, ARIZONA - MARCH 12: Sean Sullivan #85 of the Colorado Rockies pitches during the the second inning of a spring training game against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick on March 12, 2026 in Scottsdale, Arizona. (Photo by John E. Moore III/Getty Images) | Getty Images

The Colorado Rockies are opening a six-game road trip tonight with three games against the Athletics in Las Vegas, where the A’s are playing a rare ‘home’ series away from their temporary home in Sacramento. After this series, the Rockies head to Wrigley Field for three against the Chicago Cubs.

The nomadic Athletics enter at 33-35, and only two games out of first place in a middling AL West. They are 5-4 to start June and are coming off taking two of three from the same Milwaukee Brewers team that swept the Rockies last week.

The A’s are not a complete team, but they can hit.

They rank seventh in baseball with a .735team OPS, led by Nick Kurtz (162 OPS+) and Shea Langeliers (135 OPS+). The pitching and defense have lagged behind, with Oakland ranking 27th in starter ERA, 21st in relief ERA, and 25th in Defensive Runs Saved.

Colorado enters the Vegas series at 26-43, but the Rockies are 4-5 through nine June games after taking two of three from the Cubs. That was a needed bounce-back after the Brewers series.

There has also been recent prospect intrigue. Cole Carrigg, the Rockies’ No. 4 PuRP, was called up and clubbed his first big-league homer, and now left-hander Sean Sullivan (No. 8 PuRP) has been promoted to make his MLB debut tonight.

Sullivan, 23, has made 11 starts for Triple-A Albuquerque this season, posting a 5.60 ERA over 54.2 innings with 50 strikeouts, 19 walks.

Sullivan is not a power lefty. He works from a funky delivery and leans on a broad pitch mix: a four-seam fastball (40.1%), sweeper (25.6%), cutter (17.2%), changeup (14.3%), and occasional slider (2.7%). The fastball generally lives around 88-90 mph, with the cutter in the 85-87 mph range, the changeup around 78-80 mph, and the sweeper closer to 76-78 mph.

Sullivan has not missed bats at the same rate he did earlier in his minor-league career, and hitters have made frequent contact against him, especially in the zone. The contact has not been especially loud, though. His hard-hit rate is 30.1%, and his xERA is 4.81, which is more forgiving than the traditional ERA suggests.

He has limited hard contact and kept the walk rate manageable, but the lower strikeout rate and 10 home runs in 11 starts leave real questions about how thin the margin is. Tonight gives the Rockies a first look at how the pitch mix, deception, and contact-management traits translate against big-league hitters.

The Athletics will counter with another rookie left-hander in Gage Jump. Jump came into the year ranked as the No. 38 prospect in baseball by MLB Pipeline and the No. 3 prospect in the Athletics system. The 23-year-old southpaw is making just the fourth start of his major-league career.

Jump enters at 2-1 with a 2.45 ERA, 1.09 WHIP, 13 strikeouts, and five walks across 18.1 innings. After allowing four runs in his MLB debut, he has settled in quickly. He held the Cubs to one run on three hits over seven innings on June 2, then shut out the Astros over 6.1 innings on June 7, allowing just three hits while walking three. Across those two starts, he has allowed one run on six hits over 13.1 innings, though the strikeout total has been modest at five.

Jump brings more traditional left-handed power stuff than Sullivan. He has leaned on a four-seam fastball (49%) at 96.4 mph, while mixing in a slider (24%) at 87.7 mph, a changeup (10%) at 88.2 mph, a sweeper (9%) at 84.5 mph, and a curveball (9%) at 82.3 mph.

Jump’s xERA sits at 3.47, and hitters have not made a ton of loud contact against him, with a 30.2% hard-hit rate. His strikeout rate is only 17.8% in the majors with a 21.3% whiff rate, so the swing-and-miss has not fully carried over yet. That said, he struck out 56 batters in 38 Triple-A innings this season.

Sterlin Thompson and Carrigg both faced Jump earlier this season in Las Vegas on May 20th. Thompson went 1-for-3 with a single and a strikeout, while Carrigg went 0-for-2 with a strikeout and a flyout. Albuquerque eventually scored six runs in the ninth inning to stun Las Vegas, 6-5.

Gage could create a tough matchup for a Rockies lineup that has had trouble with left-handed pitching. As a team, Colorado is hitting .239 with a .644 OPS against lefties this season. Jump has the velocity, five-pitch mix, and prospect pedigree to make this difficult if the Rockies let him settle in.

So, can Sullivan give the Rockies a useful debut, can the offense do enough against another talented rookie lefty, and can the Rockies pull out a late-night win in Las Vegas?

Now for the details…

First Pitch: 8:05 p.m. MDT

TV: Rockies.TV

Radio: KOA 850 AM/94.1 FM; KNRV 1150

Athletics SB Nation Site:Athletics Nation

Lineups:

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Game #69: Rockies at Athletics Game Thread

SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA - MAY 26: Gage Jump #61 of the Athletics pitches in the top of the third inning in his MLB debut against the Seattle Mariners at Sutter Health Park on May 26, 2026 in Sacramento, California. (Photo by Justine Willard/Athletics/Getty Images) | Getty Images

After a day off yesterday the A’s are back at it tonight, welcoming the Colorado Rockies to Las Vegas Ballpark for a three-game weekend series against the worst team in the National League. The Rockies sit at 26-43 and are already gauging the upcoming trade market to see what they can offload on contenders. A big weekend in a minor league, hitter-friendly ballpark could help boost some of their trade chips’ values but the A’s will be hoping for a dominant weekend against a lesser opponent.

Tonight’s starting pitcher for the Athletics will be rookie Gage Jump. The left-hander is set to make his fourth career start and first of many in Las Vegas. So far in the early going he’s been as advertised, especially in his last two contests. After having some debut jitters he’s fired off seven innings of one-run ball against the Chicago Cubs before pitching 6 1/3 shutout baseball against the Houston Astros. He’ll be tasked with keeping that going against a Rockies lineup that is short on big bats.

The starting lineup for tonight’s series opener looks like this:

The team welcomes shortstop Jacob Wilson back to the starting lineup for the first time in a month after he was activated off the IL earlier in the day. The team did lose usual DH Brent Rooker to the IL in exchange for Wilson though. Backup catcher Jonah Heim draws the first start without Rook and he could get plenty of at bats while the regular DH is down. The rest of the lineup looks about as you’d expect versus an opposing lefty. Colby Thomas over Lawrence Butlsr in right, and Zack Gelof over Jeff McNeil at the keystone. The only lefties in the starting lineup are Nick Kurtz and Tyler Soderstrom (though Heim is a switch-hitter).

That lineup will be facing Colorado rookie Sean Sullivan, who will be making his big league debut this evening. It’s a rough assignment for your first big league start as he’ll be pitching in a minor league ballpark where the ball absolutely flies. Add in he’s facing a hot A’s lineup and the expectations can’t be too high for the young left-hander, a former second-round pick and considered a top-10 prospect in a weak Rockies farm system. In 11 starts in Triple-A this year Sullivan has a 5.60 ERA in the hitter-friendly PCL.

And here’s how the Rockies will line up tonight against Gage Jump:

The Rockies don’t have much in the way of big bats. Catcher Hunter Goodman has 18 long balls and rookie first baseman TJ Rumfield is hitting well in his first big league action while outfielder Troy Johnson is holding his own, but they also come into this series down one of their better hitters in Mickey Monika. Jump can handle these guys but we’ll see how Las Vegas Ballpark plays tonight.

We gotta take all three of these games this weekend. Let’s go A’s!

Follow the Game:
Watch:
Athletics – NBCSCA

Listen:
Athletics – Talk 650 KSTE, A’s Cast

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OG Anunoby soaking in historic Knicks moment as NBA title chance awaits

An image collage containing 2 images, Image 1 shows New York Knicks forward OG Anunoby #8 addresses the media in a post game press conference, Image 2 shows OG Anunoby converts on a game-winning tip shot with 1.2 seconds left in the Knicks' historic 107-106 comeback win over the Spurs in Game 4 of the NBA Finals at the Garden

SAN ANTONIO — By the time he checked his phone Wednesday night, OG Anunoby had too many text messages to count. 

His game-winning tip-in with 1.2 seconds left created a massive celebration inside Madison Square Garden and went viral immediately.

Among those who reached out were several former teammates with the Raptors. Manhattan Borough President Brad Hoylman-Sigal Named June 11 “OG Anunoby Appreciation Day.”

OG Anunoby converts on a game-winning tip shot with 1.2 seconds left in the Knicks’ historic 107-106 comeback win over the Spurs in Game 4 of the NBA Finals at the Garden. Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

“It’s really cool,” Anunoby said on Friday inside Frost Bank Arena, as the Knicks prepared for Saturday night’s Game 5. “Just everyone has been telling me how much it means, and obviously I can see how much it means. It’s just really cool to be a part of it, and I’m very grateful.”

The shot, which capped an NBA Finals-record comeback for the Knicks from 29 points down in the third quarter, is already being talked about as one of the great moments in New York sports history.

It’s up there with the David Tyree’s helmet catch in Super Bowl XLII, Don Larsen’s perfect game in the World Series, Rangers captain Mark Messier making good on his prediction in the 1994 Eastern Conference finals with a hat trick, and the Mets’ 1986 World Series comeback in Game 6, among others. 

“I tried to explain it to him, but you know OG barely gives you any reaction,” Karl-Anthony Towns said jokingly. “So I don’t know if he’s understanding it or not. Like you said, it’s a great moment. It’s one of the best sports moments in New York history. But we’ve got to solidify it with one more win.”

Towns called Anunoby’s flying tip-in, the “Right Hand of God,” after Game 4. On Friday, a reporter showed Anunoby a photo of his play next to the original “Hand of God,” Diego Maradona’s controversial goal in the 1986 World Cup quarterfinals for Argentina in which he used his left hand to score.

The referees didn’t see him using his hand, and afterwards, Maradona said it was “a little with the head of Maradona and a little with the Hand of God.”

New York Knicks forward OG Anunoby #8 addresses the media in a post game press conference. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post

“I mean, it’s iconic,” Anunoby said. 

This isn’t Anunoby’s first trip to the Finals. Seven years ago, he got there with the Raptors, but was unable to play due to an emergency appendectomy. He’s making an impact this time on the court. 

In four games against the Spurs, he is averaging 23.8 points, 4.0 rebounds, 1.5 blocks and shooting an absurd 55.6 percent from 3-point range.

In Game 4, he poured in 33 points and shot 7-of-9 from 3-point range, keying the stunning comeback. If the Knicks win the series, he is a leading candidate to be the series MVP. 

“You can’t spell God without OG,” Towns joked. 

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Knicks-Spurs Finals surge to ratings heights not seen since 1998

A general view inside Madison Square Garden as the New York Knicks celebrate their 107-106 victory against the San Antonio Spurs in Game Four of the 2026 NBA Finals on June 10, 2026 in New York City.
A general view inside Madison Square Garden as the New York Knicks celebrate their 107-106 victory against the San Antonio Spurs in Game Four of the 2026 NBA Finals on June 10, 2026 in New York City.

The Knicks’ epic Game 4 comeback did monster viewership numbers for ABC.

Wednesday’s thriller against the Spurs averaged 20.9 million viewers, making it the most-watched NBA Finals Game 4 since 1998 — when Michael Jordan’s Bulls took on the Jazz with Karl Malone and John Stockton —  and the most-watched Game 4 ever on ABC, according to numbers released by Nielsen on Friday.

And it hasn’t been just a one-game thing.

An overall photo of the NBA Finals logo before the game between the Knicks against the Spurs during Game 1 of the 2026 NBA Finals on June 3, 2026 at Frost Bank Center in San Antonio. NBAE via Getty Images

Through four games, the Knicks-Spurs series is averaging 19.6 million viewers, up 116 percent from last year and good for the most-watched NBA Finals since 1998 and the largest Finals audience ever on ABC/ESPN.

Game 4 was also a hit online. 

The NBA is calling the contest “the most-viral NBA game ever on social media” by reportedly “generating 3 billion views and counting.”

The latest numbers come after Monday’s Game 3 broadcast between the Knicks and the Spurs became the most-watched NBA Finals Game 3 in nearly three decades with 23.8 million people tuning in, and peaking at 26.3 million late in the fourth quarter.

Games 1 and 2 were the same story, having at the time been the most-watched NBA Finals games since Games 6 and 7 of the Raptors-Warriors Finals in 2019 when Kawhi Leonard led Toronto to the title against a injury-riddled Golden State team. 

The viewership surge is being driven by the rare combination of the Knicks’ first Finals appearance since 1999, a starving, massive New York market, Victor Wembanyama’s arrival on basketball’s biggest stage and multiple dramatic finishes.

With the Knicks one win away from their first NBA title since 1973, the league could be staring at an even bigger number Saturday night in San Antonio.

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Mets SS Francisco Lindor could be back by the end of June

NEW YORK — Francisco Lindor has started playing simulated games and New York Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns is hopeful the shortstop can return to the team by the end of June.

“Our expectation’s he’s going to play games for us this month,” Stearns said Friday before the Mets opened a three-game series against the Atlanta Braves. “I don’t know exactly when this month, but that means we’re getting closer. We want to go as fast as possible and smart as possible, and that’s a delicate line.”

Manager Carlos Mendoza said Lindor, who suffered a strained left calf while running the bases against the Minnesota Twins on April 22, played a two-inning simulated game Friday.

Lindor took at-bats against a pitcher from Single-A Brooklyn, though he didn’t run after making contact. He also fielded ground balls.

“More like a controlled environment (where) we’re simulating game action but we’re controlling it,” Mendoza said. “He’s going to do that again next week here, where instead of two innings it’s more like three, five (innings). And then we’ll revisit at the end of next week to see what’s the next step.”

Lindor would still require a rehab stint in the minors following what will end up being his longest stay on the injured list, Mendoza said. Lindor has missed the last 44 games, during which the Mets have gone 22-22.

He missed just 52 games in his first five seasons with the team and played at least 143 games in each of his first four nonpandemic seasons with Cleveland.

Lindor will likely return to a club still trying to play its way back from a 12-game losing streak in April — the longest skid for the Mets since 2002.

New York, which is in the midst of a 25-game stretch against teams that began June with a winning record, is in last place in the NL East.

“There’s no question we’ve played better since April, but we still haven’t played consistent enough to get ourselves out of a hole that we dug in April,” Stearns said. “And we’re very aware of that. So we have to prove it. I continue to believe that we have people in the clubhouse who are capable of doing this.”

Encouraging signs for Senga

Pitcher Kodai Senga took an encouraging step in his return from lumbar spine inflammation on Thursday, when he allowed one hit over six innings for Double-A Binghamton.

Senga, whose start was pushed back two days due to ulnar nerve irritation, is expected to throw a bullpen in New York before making at least one more rehab start.

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Chicago Cubs vs. San Francisco Giants preview, Friday 6/12, 9:15 CT

SAN FRANCISCO — Friday notes…

  • MAYBE TRY WINNING THE SERIES OPENER?: The Cubs have lost the first game in each of their last seven series and eight of their last nine. Since winning the final game of their second 10-game streak at Texas on May 8, their only first-game win was at the White Sox on May 15. (Courtesy BCB’s JohnW53)
  • MAYBE THIS WILL HELP?: The Cubs are 8-14 in all first games and 3-8 on the road. But they are 3-3 in first games on the road after having won the final game of their previous series. They are 11-11 in second games, 13-9 in third games and 3-0 in fourth games. (Courtesy BCB’s JohnW53)
  • THE UNFRIENDLY CITY BY THE BAY: The Cubs went 1-6 at San Francisco the past two years, winning the last of four games in 2024. They lost the first game in six of their last seven visits to the Bay Area. The lone first-game win was in 2023, the only year they won a series there since 2013, when they swept three games. (Courtesy BCB’s JohnW53)
  • STILL A HOT HITTER: Pete Crow-Armstrong is on a 15-game on-base streak in which he is batting .359/.423/.688 (23-for-64) with four doubles, a triple, five home runs, nine RBI, 12 runs scored and three stolen bases.

Cubs lineup:

Giants lineup:

Javier Assad, RHP vs. Landen Roupp, RHP

Javier Assad was magnificent against the Giants last Sunday — 6.1 innings of one-hit relief. He retired the last 15 Giants he faced.

Maybe it’s a bit much to ask but… Javier, can you do that again tonight?

Landen Roupp threw 5.1 innings against the Cubs last Saturday at Wrigley Field and allowed three hits and one run.

So you’d think maybe this will be a low-scoring game. But that’s not the way baseball works, right? Roupp got hit pretty hard in his previous start, June 1 vs. the Brewers.

As always, we await developments.

Here is the weather forecast for the area around Oracle Park.

Today’s game is on Marquee Sports Network.

Here is the complete MLB.com live streaming page for today.

MLB.com Gameday

Baseball-reference.com game preview

Please visit our SB Nation Giants site McCovey Chronicles. If you do go there to interact with Giants fans, please be respectful, abide by their individual site rules and serve as a good representation of Cub fans in general and BCB in particular.

The 2026 game discussion procedure has been changed, so please take note.

You’ll find the game preview, like this one, posted separately on the front page two hours before game time (90 minutes for some early day games following night games).

At the same time, a StoryStream containing the preview will also post on the front page, titled “Cubs vs. (Team) (Day of week/date) game threads.” It will contain every post related to that particular game.

The Live! (formerly “First Pitch”) thread will still post at five minutes to game time. It will also post to the front page. That will be the only live game discussion thread. After the game, the recap and Heroes and Goats will also live on the front page as separate posts.

You will also be able to find the preview, Live! thread, recap and Heroes and Goats in this section link. The StoryStream for each game can also be found in that section.

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Victor Wembanyama unfazed by egg-throwing incident following Game 4 letdown

An image collage containing 3 images, Image 1 shows An object is thrown at Spurs' star Victor Wembanyama as he walked from the team bus to the Ritz-Carlton New York, NoMad after Game 4 of the NBA Finals on June 11, 2026, Image 2 shows Wembanyama made one last glance at the thousands of Knicks fans behind metal barriers before he vanished inside the hotel, Image 3 shows Victor Wembanyama talks to media during 2026 NBA Finals Practice and Media Availability on June 12, 2026 at Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Texas

SAN ANTONIO — Victor Wembanyama claims to be unaffected. 

After the Knicks’ miraculous 107-106 Game 4 win over the Spurs Wednesday night at Madison Square Garden, video went viral on social media of a fan successfully throwing an egg at Wembanyama’s head as he walked into the team hotel. 

After being hit, Wembanyama stopped for a second and looked back before continuing to walk inside. 

Victor Wembanyama talks to the media during the 2026 NBA Finals Practice and Media Availability on June 12, 2026, at Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Texas. NBAE via Getty Images

“I didn’t really think much of it,” Wembanyama said on Friday. “I just saw that one video of the eggs. I didn’t see any other one. It’s OK. I don’t dislike it. Obviously it’s not good at all. But it doesn’t bother me.” 

Fans — or instigators — surrounded the Ritz-Carlton hotel, where the Spurs were staying, and heckled them as they returned from one of the most memorable games in NBA Finals history. 

Other video showed things being thrown at the Spurs’ team bus as they left MSG. 

Victor Wembanyama shoots over Karl-Anthony Towns during Game 4 of the 2026 NBA Finals on June 10, 2026, at Madison Square Garden in New York, New York. NBAE via Getty Images

“We did hear some things, yeah,” Wembanyama said. “I have no idea. I think it was a bottle because it was, like, water on the bus. I didn’t see anything.” 

Wembanyama has emerged as a Knicks villain during these Finals, particularly for a few dirty plays throughout the series. 

In Game 3, he got away with shoving Jalen Brunson down to the ground by his head area — it was not called a foul in the moment and the NBA opted against retroactively ruling it a flagrant. 

Then in Game 4, though, Wembanyama was given a flagrant for elbowing Karl-Anthony Towns in the face. The Knicks trailed by 29 in the third quarter at the time — their largest deficit of the night — and the moment sort of sparked their historic comeback. 

Throughout Games 3 and 4 at MSG, “F–k you Wemby” chants constantly rang around the arena. 

And, with the Knicks up 3-1 in the series, their fans are expected to show out in full force on Saturday for Game 5 at the Frost Bank Arena. 

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Game Discussion for St. Louis Cardinals vs Minnesota Twins Friday

Apr 5, 2026; Detroit, Michigan, USA; St. Louis Cardinals starting pitcher Kyle Leahy (62) throws a pitch against the Detroit Tigers in the first inning at Comerica Park. Mandatory Credit: Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images | Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images

After taking 2 out of 3 from the New York Mets, the St. Louis Cardinals travel to Minnesota to take on the Twins. Friday night, it’s Kyle Leahy on the mound for the Cardinals as he’ll do battle with Joe Ryan, the starter for the Twins. First pitch is scheduled for 7:10pm central time at Target Field. The broadcast will be available via Cardinals.tv. It’s the major league debut for Blaze Jordan tonight.

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Friday's Mets-Braves game gets new start time after rain delay

The start of the weekend series between the Mets and Atlanta Braves at Citi Field will be delayed due to bad weather, the team announced.

Just under half an hour after Friday's original 7:10 p.m. start time, the Mets announced first pitch would be at 8:30 p.m.

New York was set to have Nolan McLean take the mound. The young right-hander has pitched to a 3-4 record and a 3.98 ERA. McLean is coming off a strong start against the Padres, when he allowed just one run on three hits across six innings of work.

The Braves were set to have Spencer Strider take the mound. The flamethrowing right-hander is 4-01 with a 4.00 ERA this season. Strider allowed three runs on five hits across 5.0 innings against the Pirates his last time out, and has allowed at least three runs in each of his last four starts. 

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17-year-old beaten into coma near MSG after Game 4 of NBA Finals, NYPD says

A 17-year-old boy is in stable condition after he was beaten into a coma near Madison Square Garden after Game 4 of the NBA Finals Wednesday, June 10, according to the New York Police Department.

After the New York Knicks beat the San Antonio Spurs, 107-106, in the biggest comeback in NBA Finals history, the crowd outside Madison Square Garden in New York turned unruly, refused to disperse and injured multiple police officers, the NYPD told USA TODAY Sports.

But the most serious incident that occurred near the arena involved the 17-year-old boy, according to the NYPD. At about 11:45 p.m., the boy was approached by a group of unidentified individuals and a verbal dispute ensued about the Knicks’ game, the NYPD told USA TODAY Sports.

The dispute escalated into a physical confrontation, leading to the victim being punched and kicked and causing the victim to suffer a seizure and subsequently go into a coma, according to the NYPD.

Unidentified individuals left the scene and there has been no arrest. But the NYPD has released a photo of the suspect.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 17-year-old beaten into coma near MSG after Knicks win in NBA Finals

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Royals vs Astros Game discussion 6/12

Luinder Avila throws a pitch
MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - JUNE 06: Luinder Avila #58 of the Kansas City Royals delivers a pitch against the Minnesota Twins in the first inning at Target Field on June 06, 2026 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by David Berding/Getty Images) | Getty Images

The Royals start the final series of their Texas homestand tonight, hosting the Houston Astros. Most analysts figured the Royals needed to go 4-2 on this homestand if they wanted to continue to work their way back from the depths they sank to with all their early-season losing. That’s still technically on the table if they can sweep Houston. A sweep would start with a win tonight in what might be the most difficult pitching matchup of the series.

Luinder Avila has been much better in his second stab at starting at the big league level, but there are still a lot of questions. Like whether a 1.80 ERA is sustainable with an 8-7 K-BB ratio. Or whether he can ever pitch into the sixth inning. There’s no doubt he has the stuff to be a successful big league pitcher, but the biggest question is whether he can ever harness it well enough to be a consistent big league starter. He’s going to have at least a couple more weeks to try and show it.

Tatsuya Imai has had a weird start to his career with the Astros, who were determined to land one of the three Japanese stars that were posted last off-season to go with their Japanese-company-named ballpark. Since they had too many infielders already, they got the starting pitcher. He had a bit of a rough start, but he has pitched much better his last three times out. That includes the first six innings of a combined no-hitter against the Rangers on May 25.

Technically, Imai has a 6-pitch mix, but he primarily throws his goofy slider (meaning it’s thrown like a slider, but moves backwards from how they normally do), closely followed by a four-seam fastball. He struggles to throw his pitches in the zone – even in that no-hitter, he walked 4 while striking out 2 – but the slider can get chase and whiffs. His fastball averages 94.8 MPH, which is downright reasonable in modern baseball. He throws a sinker about 9.8% of the time, but it can get hit pretty hard. He’s thrown 14 splitters, 14 changeups, and 6 curveballs all year, so you can probably just ignore those pitch types.

Lineups

If you’ve been wondering what it would take for the Royals to bat Salvador Perez lower than fifth, you finally have your answer. All it took was Salvy with a .245 OBP and .135 ISO (the absolute lowest of his career, even when he came up with no power.) Plus Jac Caglianone hitting better than Bobby Freaking Witt Jr. (Jac has an .808 OPS to Bobby’s .799.) I still wish Michael Massey was ahead of him, too, but I guess we should be grateful for what crumbs the team will give us in this regard. For all people have been furious with the underperformance of Isaac Collins – batting ninth today – his second-worst-in-the-lineup OPS is still 60 points higher than Sal’s. What a disaster.

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Astros vs. Royals Game Discussion: 6/12/2026

HOUSTON, TEXAS - JUNE 06: Tatsuya Imai #45 of the Houston Astros pitches against the Athletics during the first inning at Daikin Park on June 06, 2026 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Jack Gorman/Getty Images) | Getty Images

TONIGHT’S GAME: The Houston Astros (31-39) continue a six-game road trip with the first game of a three-game series against the Kansas City Royals (28-41) tonight at Kauffman Stadium.

RHP Tatsuya Imai (3-3, 5.24 ERA) will be on the mound for the Astros, opposite RHP Luinder Avila (1-2, 4.02 ERA) and the Royals.

ABOUT IMAI: RHP Tatsuya Imai is set to make his ninth career Major League start tonight and his fifth since returning from the IL after a bout with right arm fatigue.

He’s performed better since his return, particularly in his last four starts in which he’s posted a 2.91 ERA (7ER/21.2IP) with a .176 (13×74) opponent average and a 1.02 WHIP.

In January, the Astros signed Imai to a three-year deal. In 2025, he was an All-Star for the Seibu Lions in the NPB in Japan, where he went 10-5 with a 1.92 ERA (35ER/163.2IP) in 24 games.

ABOUT THE NO-NO: On May 25 at TEX, RHP Tatsuya Imai st arted the Astros 17th regular season no-hitter and their 18th no-hitter overall in club history. Imai worked the first 6.0 hitless innings before giving way to LHP Steven Okert (1IP) and RHP Alimber Santa (2IP).

The no-hitter was the Astros seventh since 2019, which is the most in the Majors in that span. Additionally, the Astros 18 no-hitters overall are the most in the Majors since the franchise was born in 1962.

ROAD TRIP: The Astros traveled to Kansas City on Wednesday night after facing the Los Angeles for a three-game series.

The Astros went 1-2 in Anaheim. The Astros will continue their six-game road trip tonight with the first game of a three-game series against the Royals. The Astros are 15-20 on the road this season and went 7-3 on their last road trip.

PEN PALS: Since May 15, the Astros bullpen has recorded a 2.53 ERA (24ER/85.1IP) with 82 strikeouts, a 1,00 WHIP and a .169 opponent batting average.

Among AL teams since May 15, the Astros bullpen ranks first in opponent batting average, first in WHIP and first in ERA…the Astros are also 14-11 during since May 15.

HIT PAREDES: IF Isaac Paredes is one double away from recording his 100th career double. He is looking to become just the 4th Mexican-born player in MLB history with 500 career hits, 100 doubles and 100 home runs, joining IF Vinny Castilla, IF Jorge Orta and IF Aurelio Rodríguez.

ON THE MEND: RHP Hunter Brown allowed two runs (one earned run) on three hits and two walks with seven strikeouts in five innings on Wed. night in a rehab start with Triple A Sugar Land.

C Yainer Diaz went 0x3 with a walk and caught seven innings last night in a rehab appearance with Triple A Sugar Land.

TODAY’S ROSTER MOVE: Following Wed. night’s game, the Astros optioned IF Shay Whitcomb to Triple A Sugar Land. To take his place on the active roster, the Astros selected IF Raynel Delgado (#29) to the Major League roster today. To make room for Delgado on the 40-man roster, the Astros designated RHP Ryan Weiss for assignment today.

MAKING THE PLAYS: The Astros are tied for the fewest errors in the AL (28) with the Athletics. Houston has posted the best fielding percentage (.988) in the AL, topping the Athletics (.988), Royals (.988) and Mariners (.988) by a few percentage points.

VS. THE ROYALS: The Astros and Royals are facing each other for the first time this season. The Astros went 3-3 against the Royals last season, including a 1-2 record at Kauffman Stadium. The Astros own a 58-49 record all-time record against the Royals, including a 29-24 record at Kauffman Stadium.

ON THE LEADERBOARD: DH Yordan Alvarez leads the Majors in OPS (1.066), SLG (.636) and total bases (157) and leads the AL in home runs (22). Also in the AL, he ranks tied for first in extra-base hits (35), second in OBP (.430), second in batting average (.316),tied for third in RBI (48), third in hits (78), fourth in walks (46) and tied for fifth in runs (46).

ON BASE MACHINE: OF Yordan Alvarez is on a 18-game on-base streak. During the streak, he’s batting .355 (22×62) with 16 runs, two doubles, seven home runs, 17 RBI, 15 walks and a 1.207 OPS.. It is his second-longest on-base streak this season, behind a 22-game on-base streak from April 4-28.

AL PLAYER OF THE WEEK: On Monday, OF Yordan Alvarez was named the AL Player of the Week for the week of June 1-7. For the week, he batted .476 (10×21) with six runs, one double, two HR, nine RBI, five walks and a 1.386 OPS.

WALKER, TEXAS HAMMER: 1B Christian Walker ranks tied for third in the AL in RBI with teammate DH Yordan Alvarez (48). Walker also ranks tied for fifth in the AL in extra-base hits (30), tied for sixth in total bases (127), tied for seventh in home runs (16) and 11th in SLG (.494).

In the field, Walker has not committed an error in 68 games.

MOVIN’ ON UP: RHP Bryan Abreu recorded his 343rd career appearance on Wed. night at LAA surpassing RHP Ryan Pressly (342g) for the sixth-most relief appearances in Astros franchise history.

Abreu is five appearances shy of tying LHP Joe Sambito (348g) for the fifth-most relief appearances in franchise history.

TODAY IN ASTROS HISTORY: 2019 – The Astros set a franchise record with 24 strikeouts in a 14-inning, 6-3, loss to the Brewers in Houston. The game is played in a crisp four hours and 16 minutes. RHP Justin Verlander does most of the work, striking out a career-high 15 batters in 7.0 innings pitched. This start was one of many excellent starts for Verlander in 2019, en route to earning his second career Cy Young.

Game Info

Game Date/Time: Friday, June 12, 7:10 p.m. CT

Location: Kaufmann Stadium, Kansas City, MO

TV: Space City Home Network

Radio: KTRH 740 AM, KBME 790 AM & 94.5 FM HD2; TUDN 102.9 FM HD2 (Spanish)

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Dodgers at White Sox game chat

Jun 11, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers pinch hitter Alex Call (12) runs the bases against the Pittsburgh Pirates during the seventh inning at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images | Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

A weekend trip to the south side of Chicago. No Shohei Ohtani in this one, after suffering knee inflammation Thursday night.

Friday game info

  • Teams: Dodgers at White Sox
  • Ballpark: Rate Field, Chicago
  • Time: 4:40 p.m. PT
  • TV: SportsNet LA, MLB Network (out of market)
  • Radio: AM 570 (English), KTNQ 1020 AM (Spanish)

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Report: Detroit has “expressed interest” in Trey Murphy III

Apr 3, 2026; Sacramento, California, USA; New Orleans Pelicans forward Trey Murphy III (25) during the second quarter against the Sacramento Kings at Golden 1 Center. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images | Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

So it begins.

Marc Stein released an article today on The Stein Line surrounding the most recent trade talks across the league. Give that a read for all the details, but Stein did have some news regarding the Detroit Pistons.

It’s no secret that this Pistons front office has connections to Trey Murphy III. Remember, Trajan Langdon traded up for Trey back in 2021 when he was General Manager of the New Orleans Pelicans. It’s also no secret that the Pelicans front office, specifically their Senior VP of Basketball Operations Troy Weaver, was responsible for drafting multiple of Detroit’s young players.

If there’s ever a match made in heaven, this seems to be it.

Stein reported:

This is the first time their (Pelicans) new front office regime headed by Joe Dumars has been truly willing to field offers for Murphy. … Two teams known to have expressed interest in the 25-year-old sharpshooter, I’m told, are Detroit and Indiana.

If Stein’s reporting this, you know Detroit’s interest in TMIII must be real.

He also went on to say that Detroit and Minnesota are known teams with interest in Kyrie Irving. Yet, with Masai Ujiri newly at the head of the Mavericks front office, he has expressed excitement about keeping Irving in Dallas.

We’re about a week and a half away from the NBA Draft and two-and-a-half weeks away from the start of free agency. Things are starting to ramp up and Detroit has the capital to entice New Orleans to make a deal like this if Trajan wants to take a swing.

I enjoyed how Stein ended his piece:

That’s two shooters by the way, for those of you scoring at home, who have been connected to the Pistons in this piece. After a 60-win season that end in the second round of the playoffs, Detroit clearly know what it needs.

Thank goodness, Marc.

Go Stones.

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Game Thread: Dodgers (44-25) at White Sox (36-31)

Anthony Kay looks to get back on track against the Dodgers.

For the first time in four years your Chicago White Sox are atop the AL Central, after two impressive wins over the Atlanta Braves. With the team getting a rainy Thursday night off, the South Siders had a breather before another big series, this one with the reigning World Series Champion Los Angeles Dodgers.

This series with the Dodgers is the third of four matchups that will test the team’s ability and give fans an indication if this year’s team is for real or not. So far, so good for the White Sox as they went 3-2 combined against the Philadelphia Phillies and Atlanta Braves. With this series against the Dodgers being the final one at home before a road trip to New York and Detroit, a win against Los Angeles would put them in a great position.

Just as he did against the Phillies last week, Anthony Kay will lead off as the first starter against the Dodgers. Kay entered last week’s game after a sizzling month of May, going 4-0 with a 1.95 ERA. Unfortunately, the Phillies knocked the southpaw out of the game early, as he could only manage four innings and allowed six earned runs along the way. Tonight, his task doesn’t get much easier with a Dodgers team that ranks first in the majors in runs scored. With that said, Kay has been on another level at home this year, sporting a 4-0 record and an ERA of three at Rate Field.

As for the Dodgers, they will throw Roki Sasaki out on the mound, and it’s anyone’s guess how he will fare. Sasaki has flashed his elite talent this season, but has struggled mightily with consistency. After a solid start in March, Sasaki had an ERA of more than seven in April, before getting back on track in May. Most recently, Sasaki pitched a seven-inning gem against the Angels, allowing just two hits over seven innings of work and punching out 10 in the process. Sasaki seems to either pitch very well, or completely fall apart, so early on we should be able to tell what kind of outing the White Sox will be facing.

With just a half-game separating the White Sox and Cleveland Guardians at the top of the division, taking even two out of three against a team like the Dodgers would do wonders with the Guardians currently in freefall. No matter what happens tonight, there is no doubt that Rate Field will be ready to go and rocking early.

Here is the starting lineup for the White Sox:

Here is the starting lineup for the defending champions, with one notable omission, as Shohei Ohtani tweaked a hamstring on Thursday:

First pitch is 6:40 p.m. CST. You can watch on CHSN or listen on ESPN Chicago 1000. Let us know your thoughts and predictions below!

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