May 6, 2026; Seattle, Washington, USA; Seattle Mariners catcher Jhonny Pereda (5) and starting pitcher Bryan Woo (22) exchange words with manager Dan Wilson after the second inning at T-Mobile Park. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Ng-Imagn Images | Kevin Ng-Imagn Images
Personally, I hate the series in Baltimore every year about as much as Andrés Muñoz. The weather sucks no matter what time of year it is, the Mariners never seem to score many runs (especially when George Kirby is on the mound for some reason), the injury bug always seems to bite in Oriole Park specifically, and the constant monotone let’s-go-O’s chant gives me a headache by the third inning. And this year it’s four games? Get the entire out of here. Thankfully this is the last game of this curséd series.
Lineups:
Happy news: Colt Emerson returns to the Mariners lineup for the first time since Detroit.
Roster moves:
A new face has joined the bullpen shuffle after Domingo Gonzalez’s rough outing yesterday, with the Mariners selecting righty Michael Rucker. Read more here.
Also, in case you missed it, Miles Mastrobuoni is up with the team as Matt Brash went on the IL with Ryan Bliss returning to Tacoma. It’s a rough shake for Bliss, who was steady in his short stint with the Mariners, but with J.P. Crawford on the shelf the Mariners need Mastro’s positional flexibility.
Injury updates:
Positive news on J.P. Crawford; he wasn’t even able to hold a bat as of a couple days ago, so this is an improvement.
J.P. Crawford takes his first grounders (at 3B) since landing on IL, and Mariners suddenly have yet another hotshot SS prospect. pic.twitter.com/uMkdLynxUV
The news on Matt Brash isn’t as good. Dan Wilson wouldn’t give a timetable for his injury, saying just that he’ll likely be down “longer” than his last stay on the IL with a similar injury, when he was down for 18 days. Brash has flown back to Seattle for further evaluation.
No real update on Brendan Donovan, who remains in Arizona rehabbing at the Mariners complex.
Today’s game information:
Reminder that today’s game is on ESPN.
Game time: 4:05 PT
TV: ESPN, with Kevin Brown, David Ross, Adam Ottovino and Buster Olney
Radio: 710 AM Seattle Sports, with Gary Hill Jr. and Shannon Drayer
I told you this team could still hit. I told you this team still had good hitters.
And I’m telling you right now — and you can come back to this recap if I’m right, or if I’m wrong — that the 2026 Cubs are going to start winning again and still make a run at a postseason berth.
Seiya Suzuki smacked a grand slam and Alex Bregman and Carson Kelly also homered. The Cubs pounded out 10 hits and defeated the Rockies 9-3. The nine runs were as many as they’d scored in their previous four games combined, three of which were defeats.
This one started out like Wednesday evening’s game. The first nine Cubs went down in order. Meanwhile, Rockies catcher Brett Sullivan homered in the third to give the Rockies a 1-0 lead. Thoughts of “Didn’t we see this game yesterday?” filled my head.
For Suzuki, that was his third home run already this month. More from BCB’s JohnW53:
Suzuki’s grand slam, the third of his career, was the Cubs’ second this season. Moises Ballesteros did it on April 27 at San Diego. That one also put the Cubs in front, 5-3, but they lost, 9-7.
The Cubs hit five last year, the last by Suzuki on Sept. 26 at home vs. the Cardinals. They hit six in 2024 and have hit 339 in the regular season during the Modern Era (began 1901) and 363 since 1876, first year of the National League.
Suzuki’s today was the 154th of the 363 on the road. Two of the previous ones were at Coors Field, by Henry Rodriguez in 1998 and Sammy Sosa in 2002. This was the Cubs’ 71st game at Coors since Sosa did it on Aug. 11, 2002.
That seemed to awaken a Cubs dugout that had looked morose for most of this series. The Rockies scored a run in the bottom of the fourth off Edward Cabrera to cut the lead to 4-2, but the Cubs extended the lead in the fifth.
A weird play happened in the top of the sixth. Nico Hoerner led off with a single. Then Moisés Ballesteros hit a ball that clearly hit behind him in the batter’s box and then hit him in the leg. That’s a foul ball.
The Rockies threw the ball to second and first while Hoerner and Ballesteros didn’t move — because the ball was clearly foul. The umpires let the double play stand, as I do not think those plays are reviewable, even though Jim Deshaies said on the broadcast that they should have asked for a crew chief review. Craig Counsell got himself tossed on that play, his second ejection of the year. When the video is reviewed, the umpires will learn that they got it wrong. Fortunately, this had no impact on the final score.
Cabrera was removed with one out in the bottom of the sixth, having allowed five hits and two runs, with five strikeouts, a much better outing than the one last Friday against the Giants. The Cubs got two pretty good starting pitcher outings at Coors Field from Cabrera and Shōta Imanaga, and that is, I think, a good sign going forward. Hoby Milner entered and got the second out, then gave up a couple of hits and Phil Maton was summoned to get out of the jam.
The Cubs extended the lead to 8-2 in the seventh. With one out, PCA hit a ball that for most people would be a single, but he hustled it into a double. That wound up not mattering when Bregman launched one [VIDEO].
The long ball was Kelly’s first since April 18, a span of 34 games and 121 plate appearances. Overall Kelly’s still hitting pretty well, but perhaps this will turn the power switch back on for him.
Tyler Ferguson, recalled because Trent Thornton hit the paternity list this week, finished up. Sullivan homered off Ferguson, his second of the game, but Ferguson finished up with this strikeout [VIDEO].
Since a player can spend a maximum of three days on the paternity list, Thornton, who went on the list before Tuesday’s game, will likely return Friday, with Ferguson heading back to Triple-A Iowa.
One more thing of amusement in this game: Moisés Ballesteros stole a base. No, I am not making that up. He walked with two out in the fourth and then took off:
— Northside Soundtrack (@CHC_DataDrive) June 11, 2026
Ballesteros had a few steals in the minors — including five last year at Iowa — but that was his first steal attempt in the big leagues. Might be his last, who knows? Hope they got the base for him.
As I said, I believe this team still has good hitters. They showed signs of life in this game. Let’s hope that continues. There are still 93 games remaining. More on the Cubs’ big bat day from John:
Carson Kelly’s homer, the Cubs’ third of the day, ended a streak of 41 games in which the Cubs had not hit more than two home runs, since smacking three in a 12-4 loss to the Dodgers at Los Angeles on April 25.
The 41-game drought was their third longest of its kind since 2000. The longest was 54 games, in 2010, followed by 44 in 2022.
The Cubs have hit three homers this year in six games, two homers in 16, one homer in 23 and none in 19.
The Cubs will open a three-game series in San Francisco Friday. I’ll be attending these games if anyone from here is around. Friday’s starter for the Cubs is TBD — perhaps Javier Assad? — and Landen Roupp will start for the Giants. Game time Friday is 9:15 p.m. CT and TV coverage will be via Marquee Sports Network.
While the ongoing drama between Dylan Larkin and the Detroit Red Wings regarding his future with the club continues to sort itself out, another question on the minds of Red Wings fans is regarding the status of prospect goaltender Sebastian Cossa.
Cossa, whom the Red Wings selected in the first round (15th overall) of the 2021 NHL Draft, still has only a single game of NHL experience under his belt, which came in December 2024.
He had a tremendous regular season for the Grand Rapids Griffins in 2025-26, but found himself outplayed by Michal Postava down the stretch, and watching from the bench in the Calder Cup Playoffs as Postava started every game.
Meanwhile, Minnesota Wild goaltender Jesper Wallstedt, whom they selected five picks after Cossa, helped lead his club to a first-round Stanley Cup Playoff upset of the Dallas Stars in the Western Conference Quarterfinal.
Additionally, Montreal Canadiens goaltender Jakub Dobes, whom the club selected in the fifth round (136th overall) in 2020, has now been the club's starter two straight seasons in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, the latter of which resulted in a berth in the Eastern Conference Final.
While making an appearance on the "Oilers Now with Bob Stauffer" podcast, Cossa's agent Gerry Johannson, who works with The Sports Corporation player agency, was asked when he believes his client will finally get his breakthrough.
"Is Sebastian Cossa chomping at the bit to see what he could do and get an opportunity like Wallsted and like Dobes did?" asked Stauffer.
"That's really when in our business, that's where the rubber hits the road," Johansson responded. "We know Sebastian Cossa is a very, very good goalie. He's certainly on par with Wallstedt and Dobes, and (St. Louis Blues goaltender) Joel Hofer is another one of our guys; he's developed really nicely.
"But in our business, nothing is equal," he continued. "Everybody has a different opportunity and different challenges, and the timing is different. You have to stay patient, but there's no question in our mind that Cossa is top shelf. He's as good as any of these young guys out there.
Yeah, something is going to happen, and he will get his opportunity. Not sure how exactly, but we'll worry about that later. But it's going to happen."
Stauffer then asked Johansson if he's in regular contact with Red Wings GM Steve Yzerman regarding his client, who is a pending restricted free agent, and he answered in the affirmative.
"Yep, talked to Steve," he said. "He's a restricted free agent too, so there's no huge rush. But we've had regular contact with Steve.....we've definitely had good chats with Steve, and we'll continue to.
But on a separate note, the kid's a good goalie, a really good player, and a great kid. He's going to get his opportunities; it's just a matter of when, and it's going to be soon."
This season with the Griffins, Cossa went 26-8-4 with a 2.33 goals-against average and a .915 save percentage.
He is no longer waiver exempt, and would almost certainly be claimed by another club if he were to be made available.
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ATLANTA, GA - JUNE 05: Oneil Cruz #15 of the Pittsburgh Pirates pitches during the game between the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Atlanta Braves at Truist Park on Friday, June 5, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kathryn Skeean/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
The Pittsburgh Pirates’ offense took another major hit this week.
Already without shortstop Konnor Griffin due to a forearm injury, the middle of the order will lose one of baseball’s lone 30/30 candidates for the foreseeable future.
On Wednesday, the Pirates placed center fielder Oneil Cruz on the 10-day injured list.
Cruz was scratched from the lineup on Tuesday due to recurrent left-hand discomfort and was initially viewed as only day-to-day.
Additional tests revealed that Cruz is suffering from non-displaced fractures in his fourth and fifth metacarpals in his left hand.
It’s a significant loss for the Pirates and their star center fielder, who is playing the best of his career.
Cruz ranks second in the National League in steals (21), tied for fifth in runs scored (45), and seventh in RBI (44).
Kevin Gorman of the TRIB reported that Cruz is expected to be sidelined for four to six weeks.
Cruz was seen in the dugout on the TV broadcast with a cast on his hand. Cruz suffered the injury during the Pirates’ road series against the Atlanta Braves.
Through 64 games, Cruz is slashing .264/.350/.472 with 10 doubles and 14 home runs.
The Pirates recalled Billy Cook to replace Cruz on the 26-man roster, but recalled outfielder Esmerlyn Valdez on Thursday.
Valdez made his MLB debut on May 22 and has hit 13 home runs in Triple-A Indianapolis over 192 at-bats.
The 22-year-old may see significant playing time with Cruz out and profiles best defensively in right. Pittsburgh opted to recall Valdez over Jhostynxon Garcia, who can play all three outfield positions and was sent back to Triple-A earlier this week.
Esmerlyn Valdez homers in his first at-bat at PNC Park!
Valdez had two hits in 16 at-bats, both home runs, in his first stint with the Pirates in May. To make room on the roster, the Pirates transferred Davis Wendzel to Indianapolis.
Overcoming Cruz’s absence will be a challenge as the Pirates (34-32) fight for a wild card in the National League.
The Pirates are going to need Valdez, Jake Mangum, and other lesser-established players to step up and keep the Pirates in the running until Cruz comes back.
May 18, 2026; St. Petersburg, Florida, USA; Baltimore Orioles catcher Adley Rutschman (35) reacts with designated hitter Pete Alonso (25) after hitting a home run against the Tampa Bay Rays in the seventh inning at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images | Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images
Both Adley Rutschman and Samuel Basallo are back in the Orioles lineup tonight against the Mariners. Rutschman will ease back into action as the designated hitter, while Basallo will return to the starting lineup after being available off the bench.
Taylor Ward, Colton Cowser and Leody Taveras will handle the outfield duties. Coby Mayo will get the start at third base with Gunnar Henderson playing to his left. Jackson Holliday will bat ninth and play second base after delivering a grand slam last night. Pete Alonso will bat cleanup and play first base.
The Orioles can split the four-game series with a win tonight. The game will be televised on ESPN.
According to NBC Sports Warriors insider Monte Poole, James joining Golden State should not be dismissed.
“I know it seems crazy,” Poole and NBC Sports Bay Area were told by a well-connected source. “But there is at least curiosity on both sides. This wouldn’t even be a conversation five or six years ago, and it might not happen now, but there’s enough there that we shouldn’t ignore the possibility. It’s mostly up to LeBron.”
LeBron James landing with the Warriors is a possbility.
Poole noted that the general belief is James will remain in Los Angeles, playing alongside his son, Bronny James, but recent reports by Brett Siegel of Clutch Points suggest Curry plans to meet with LeBron during the offseason and recruit him to the Warriors.
The Warriors are planning to pursue LeBron James this offseason and Steph Curry is planning on meeting with LeBron to recruit him to Golden State, per @BrettSiegelNBA.
“League sources telling us at ClutchPoints that the Warriors are very much open to pursuing LeBron James and… pic.twitter.com/YR0OwcofdZ
Over the last half-decade, James has said multiple times that he enjoys playing alongside Curry. The King said playing with Curry during the 2024 Paris Olympics was everything he envisioned.
In Poole’s article, he noted Warriors owner Joe Lacob would welcome the pairing because he loves having stars on his team.
A year after Curry, Draymond Green and Klay Thompson won their first title together in 2015, they met Kevin Durant and the Thunder in the 2016 Western Conference finals.
According to reports, Steph Curry will meet with LeBron about the prospect of teaming up together in the Bay Area.NBAE via Getty Images If LeBron James leaves the Lakers, teaming up with Donovan Mitchell in Cleveland is deemed a real possibility.Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
The series ended up going seven games, with the Warriors edging OKC for the conference title.
The Warriors met LeBron and the Cavaliers in the Finals. Golden State, which led 3-1, fell in seven games.
Determined to win another title, Lacob and the Warriors signed Durant during the offseason. He led them to back-to-back championships and was selected as back-to-back Finals MVP.
Poole suggested that LeBron, Curry, Jimmy Butler and Green, one of LeBron’s best friends, could join forces for another NBA title run.
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SCOTTSDALE, ARIZONA - MARCH 07, 2026: Bo Davidson #91 of the San Francisco Giants bats during the eighth inning of a spring training game against the Texas Rangers at Scottsdale Stadium on March 07, 2026 in Scottsdale, Arizona. (Photo by David Durochik/Diamond Images via Getty Images) | Diamond Images/Getty Images
Apologies for the lateness of today’s Minor League Baseball roundup, but my internet was out for a few hours. Five of the San Francisco Giants affiliates were in action on Wednesday, so let’s talk about them!
All listed positions in the roundup are the position played in that particular game.
News
A few small moves to talk about. LHP Seth Lonsway, who opened the year with AAA Sacramento but was recently demoted to AA Richmond, was returned back to Sacramento. High-A Eugene RHPs Ryan Slater and Matt Dunaway were both activated off the Injured List. And Low-A San Jose RHP Cody Delvecchio was placed on the 7-Day IL.
AAA Sacramento (39-24)
Sacramento River Cats beat the Sugar Land Space Cowboys (Astros) 2-1 Box score
A fantastic pitching performance from an unlikely source: LHP John Michael Bertrand. The 28-year old, taken in the 10th round in the 2022 MLB Draft, is finally getting some uninterrupted run in AAA, after more than 300 innings in AA, and brief stints in AAA to end the last 2 seasons. The results have been middling so far, which honestly isn’t surprising for a non blue-chip pitching prospect whose fastball averages exactly 90 mph.
But Wednesday was a fabulous day for the funky southpaw, who breezed through 6 shutout innings, while allowing just 4 singles, 2 walks, and a hit batter, and striking out 6 Space Cowboys. What a fantastic game. The 6 strikeouts were slightly surprising for Bertrand, as, even after that performance, he’s at just 6.5 per 9 innings this year, which is fairly in line with his career averages. His 5.09 ERA and 5.28 FIP are a reminder that it’s very hard to find success at the highest levels without throwing gas … but games like this one are a reminder that there’s more than one way to skin a cat … or more than one way to retire a hitter, to use a more PETA-approved phrase.
RHP Spencer Bivens has returned to the bullpen, after filling in in the rotation for a while. He did quite well in that role, and perhaps it will carry over to his more standard role, as he was strong in this outing, allowing just a single in 1.2 innings, while striking out 3 (he did give up the only run Sacramento allowed, but it was unearned).
Bivens really struggled to open the year, giving up 14 earned runs in 17.1 innings over his first 11 games, with 14 strikeouts. In 6 games since, though, he’s allowed only 5 earned runs in 22.2 innings, with 18 strikeouts. There’s still work to do to get fully back on track, but I suspect he’ll be back in the San Francisco bullpen at some point this year.
A quiet day on offense. The star was once again second baseman Nate Furman (No. 39 CPL), who hit 1-3 with a double, a walk, a stolen base, and a strikeout. Furman’s AAA debut hasn’t been scintillating, but he’s been solid really the entire year, and is up to a .798 OPS and a 114 wRC+, with just a 13.0% strikeout rate, and 9 stolen bases in 13 attempts. It will be interesting to see what the Giants do with the soon-to-turn 25-year old lefty, as they probably think he’s about ready for an MLB debut … but don’t really have a way to play him. Furman only plays second base (and not particularly well at that), and even if/when the Giants trade Luis Arráez, one can assume it will be so Casey Schmitt can be the everyday player there. We’ll see, though … these things tend to work themselves out.
Here’s a question: has Drew Cavanaugh (No. 19 CPL) surpassed Jesús Rodríguez (No. 16 CPL) on the organization’s catcher depth chart? Obviously Rodríguez would be more likely to get the call if the Giants needed someone tomorrow, but that’s due to being a rostered player. It’s certainly possible that Cavanaugh is viewed more highly by the organization right now, given how brilliantly he’s taken to AAA. He was the designated hitter in this game, and hit 2-3 with a hit by pitch and a strikeout. He’s hitting for average, hitting for power, drawing walks, and limiting strikeouts, and the result is an 1.177 OPS and a 200 wRC+ through 22 AAA games … all with strong defense. My goodness, Drew! Save some hits for the rest of the guys!
Rodríguez, on the other hand, has been struggling a bit since getting optioned (though it’s worth noting that he was decent in his debut MLB stint). He played catcher in this game and went 0-4 with a strikeout … since getting sent back to AAA, the 24-year old righty is just 4-25, with 2 doubles, 1 walk, and 4 strikeouts. Still, the future is extremely bright for both of these young backstops.
Richmond’s offense has been a little quiet lately, but that certainly wasn’t the case in this game. The Squirrels had a dynamic offensive game, and just looking at the box score you would have expected them to score a bit more than 7 runs, honestly.
At the middle of it all was the hottest player in the farm, center fielder Bo Davidson (No. 4 CPL). The 24-year old left-handed UDFA was once again a force to be reckoned with, hitting 1-2 with a home run, a walk, a sacrifice fly, a strikeout, and a team-high 3 runs batted in. Davidson’s revival has been one of the best stories on the farm lately. He got off to a bit of a slow start, and while there were reasons to explain it — he missed time with an injury, he missed time due to the birth of his child, and it’s not uncommon to need an adjustment period at higher levels — it always gives you a little pause, and makes you wonder if a prospect bubble is popping.
Bo Davidson muscles his #SFGiants organization-leading 1⃣2⃣th homer of the year over the left field wall!
— Richmond Flying Squirrels (@GoSquirrels) June 10, 2026
Davidson’s power was sapped in May, as he had just 1 home run in the month, and just a .664 OPS. But June brought on the real Bo, and he has been completely unstoppable: he’s hit safely in all 8 games this month, compiling a 13-32 line along the way, and smacking a stunning 6 home runs. 6 home runs! In 8 games! In the Eastern League! And that is how, despite the power outage in May, Davidson now leads the Giants farm with 12 home runs, while bringing him up to an .835 OPS and a 114 wRC+. He’s also been swinging-and-missing a lot less lately, which is tremendous to see.
Unlike Davidson, shortstop Maui Ahuna (No. 33 CPL) has been having a miserable June. He entered Wednesday’s game hitting just 3-24 in the month, with 0 extra-base hits and 12 strikeouts. But Wednesday was a step towards correcting that, as the smooth-fielding lefty went 1-3 with a solo home run and a walk, though he also struck out twice.
Maui goes oppo taco for his fourth homer of the year and we're on the board 💪
— Richmond Flying Squirrels (@GoSquirrels) June 10, 2026
Ahuna’s AA assignment was simultaneously aggressive and necessary (both due to his age and to the shortstops occupying lower levels), and it’s been a mixed bag. He’s shown signs of offensive life, but he’s also struggled a bit, with just a .229 average, a .693 OPS, and an 85 wRC+. He’s shown some thump, but the concern with his offense has not been alleviated: of the 127 Eastern League hitters with at least 100 plate appearances this year, Ahuna is 122nd in strikeout rate (36.1%), and 120th in swinging strike rate (18.3%).
Also clearing the fence was right fielder Jean Carlos Sio (No. 44 CPL), who had an identical day to Ahuna, going 1-3 with a solo home run, a walk, and 2 strikeouts. Sio, a lefty who only turned 22 in April, is still adjusting to his new level, where he has just a .227 average, a .655 OPS, a 77 wRC+, and a 29.2% strikeout rate. But it’s only been 7 games, and it came after a delayed start to the season due to injury, and just 44 games in High-A across last year and this year. Now he has his 1st AA home run, and maybe that will get him going!
— Richmond Flying Squirrels (@GoSquirrels) June 11, 2026
Very nice games for left fielder Parks Harber (No. 17 CPL) and designated hitter Jack Payton. Harber went 2-3 with a double, 2 walks, and a strikeout, while Payton hit 2-4 with a triple and a strikeout. Harber has quieted down following his electric start to the season, but is still having a great year, with a .923 OPS and a 143 wRC+ (he’s also playing almost exclusively in the outfield right now). Payton, an 11th-round pick in 2023, is struggling to adapt to the level, and has just a .573 OPS and a 54 wRC+ in 30 games, following an early-season promotion.
A fairly uninteresting game on the mound. LHP Greg Farone was so-so, giving up 4 hits (including a home run) in 5 innings, with 3 walks, 2 earned runs, and 4 strikeouts. The 2024 7th-round pick has some really intriguing stuff, but just hasn’t been able to put it together this year, as he has a 6.23 ERA, a 6.42 FIP, with 8.9 strikeouts and 5.3 walks per 9 innings. There’s something there, but it hasn’t really come together at any point this year.
RHP Will Bednar (No. 24 CPL) is kind of plodding along back in AA, and he pitched 2 no-hit innings in this one, but walked 2 while striking out just 1. Bednar has improved his AA ERA dramatically year-over-year, from 4.97 to 3.86, but that certainly doesn’t tell the story. His biggest issue has been walks, and those have jumped from 6.8 per 9 innings to 7.3 … meanwhile his calling card, the strikeouts, have tumbled, from 14.9 per 9 to just 10.8. Weird season.
A great game for RHP Shane Rademacher, who struck out 3 batters in 2 scoreless innings, with the only baserunner he allowed coming on an error by his catcher, Ty Hanchey. A 25-year old UDFA, Rademacher has struggled quite a bit this year, with a 6.00 ERA and a 6.96 FIP, but, despite a lack of velocity, he’s pumped up his strikeouts this year, from a lowly 5.9 last season (including just 3.6 during his time in AA), to 9.0 this year.
High-A Eugene (40-19)
Eugene Emeralds lost to Spokane (Rockies) 10-9 Box score
Some fun offensive performances in this one, most notably from a trio of players: right fielder Lisbel Diaz (No. 32 CPL), catcher Jancel Villarroel (No. 42 CPL), and first baseman Jakob Christian.
Diaz continues to show off some impressive power, as he hit 2-4 with a 2-run home run. The total offensive package still hasn’t quite come together for the right-handed Cuban, who turns 21 next month. He has just a .762 OPS and a 97 wRC+ on the year, but, despite that, he’s showing off some good things, with a lovely strikeout rate (17.0%) and isolated slugging mark (.211). Those are certainly signs that things could click here at some point.
As for Villarroel, all he’s done is get on base once he got healthy (he missed the start of the season). He went 1-3 in this game, smacked a double, and was hit by 2 pitches, though he also struck out twice. Villarroel, a 21-year old acquired in the Kai-Wei Teng trade, hit just 3-22 with 0 extra-base hits, 1 walk, and 5 strikeouts in his 1st 6 games of the year (4 with Eugene, and 2 rehabbing in the Complex League). Since then? 31-88 with 11 extra-base hits!
He’s also been adding value in a painful way, as he’s been hit by 8 pitches already this year … doesn’t the poor guy take enough damage being a catcher? The result is an .892 OPS and a 142 wRC+, and I recommend focusing on those numbers anytime you find yourself thinking about how good Teng has been for the Astros this season.
As for Christian, the 2024 5th-round pick had the best day of all, hitting 2-4 with a double, a walk, and a grand slam. My goodness what a day!!!
Jakob Christian more been watching the Big League game…
Just as he’s done his entire career, the 23-year old right-handed hitter from the University of San Diego has been mashing, but also striking out. He has an .817 OPS and a 121 wRC+ on the year, but a slightly terrifying 34.2% strikeout rate. Things to love, and things to improve on.
As for Eugene’s top prospects, center fielder Dakota Jordan (No. 5 CPL) hit 1-5 with a double; shortstop Gavin Kilen (No. 7 CPL) went 2-4 with a walk and a strikeout; designated hitter Trevor Cohen (No. 15 CPL) hit 1-5 with a double; and left fielder Carlos Gutierrez (No. 18 CPL) went 1-4 with a walk, a stolen base, and a strikeout. Shortstop Jhonny Level (No. 3 CPL), who has hit safely in every game since getting promoted, got a day off.
It was a pretty decent pitching day, save for the performance from RHP Austin Strickland, which cost Eugene the game. Strickland, the pitcher who came over in the Joey Bart trade, allowed 7 hits and a hit batter in just 2 innings, which torched him for 6 earned runs.
The start went to RHP Niko Mazza, who had a funny game. On the surface, Mazza’s performance looked very nice: the 2024 8th-round pick allowed just 5 hits and 0 walks in 5.1 innings, with 6 strikeouts, and 2 of his 3 runs were unearned due to a Villarroel passed ball.
The cold water is that 4 of the 5 hits that Mazza allowed went for extra bases, including a home run, which was his 4th allowed in 45 innings … surpassing his total of 3 allowed during his debut season last year, in 93.1 Low-A innings. It’s been an odd season for Mazza, who has a 3.00 ERA but a 4.45 FIP. He has been one of the organization’s top strikeout starters, as he has a blissful 11.2 per 9 innings, which represents a huge boost over last year’s mark of 8.7 at a lower level. But on the flip side, despite his walkless outing on Wednesday, he’s issued 6.2 free passes per 9 innings, which is a concerning figure. But if he can bring that number down, he’ll be cooking, as he’s only allowed 30 hits in 45 innings, which is elite. Here’s to more performances like Wednesday’s; not only was it his 1st time all year without allowing a walk, it was his 1st time all year without allowing multiple walks.
One other Mazza note: in his 1st 2 starts of the year, he gave up 7 earned runs in 5.1 innings. Since then, he’s allowed just 8 earned runs in 39.2 innings.
A very encouraging appearance from the bullpen for RHP Gerelmi Maldonado (No. 21 CPL). Maldonado pitched the 9th inning and retired all 3 batters he faced on just 12 pitches, with 2 strikeouts. The 22-year old Venezuelan touches triple digits with ease, which has led to a staggering 23 strikeouts in 14.1 innings. But he needs more control outings like this one, as he has a terrifying 21 walks on the year. Always great to see him show good command in an outing.
Low-A San Jose (34-25)
San Jose Giants beat the Stockton Ports (A’s) 15-5 Box score
A dominant offensive performance by the Baby Giants, who put together 15 hits … 10 of which went for extra bases.
Almost everybody had a strong day on the offensive side, but nobody could compete with center fielder Damian Bravo, who is really coming into his own. Last year’s 15th-round pick was a force on Wednesday, hitting 4-5 with 2 home runs and a double. My goodness!
Bravo, a 22-year old right-hander from Texas Tech, started the season fairly slow, but then caught fire. He still only has a 107 wRC+ due to a fairly low walk rate (6.8%), but he’s hitting for average (.283) and power (his 9 home runs are 3rd in the system), and he has an .854 OPS with 6 stolen bases in as many attempts, and solid outfield defense across all 3 positions. Just a fantastic day for a player who is coming into his own.
Speaking of players coming into their own, shortstop Lorenzo Meola (No. 23 CPL) had one of his best days as a pro, hitting 2-5 with both a home run and a double, though he did strike out twice. It’s been a disappointing season for last year’s 4th-round pick, who hasn’t had quite shown the contact ability that many projected, as he has just a .240 averaged and a 28.2% strikeout rate. But all you can ask for is improvement, and Meola has been showing that in a big way. Just look at how he turned his season around in early May:
First 24 games: 18-98, 0 home runs, 6 doubles, 9 walks, 34 strikeouts Next 28 games: 30-102, 5 home runs, 8 doubles, 15 walks, 32 strikeouts
Talk about improvement!
Also clearing the fence was designated hitter Jose Astudillo, who went 3-5 and finished a triple shy of the cycle, while knocking in 3 runs. Astudillo, a 22-year old from Venezuela, has always been a contact hitter, and this year has a .286 average and a microscopic 5.1% strikeout rate. He’s never hit for power though, so this was a notable game: it was his 1st home run of the year, and just his 2nd career home run in 132 Minor League games. That will probably have to change if he wants to have success at higher levels, but it’s always fun seeing elite contact hitters.
Other nice days: second baseman Isaiah Barkett hit 3-6 with 2 doubles and a strikeout, and now has an .859 OPS and a 120 wRC+; right fielder Cam Maldonado (No. 34 CPL) hit 3-6 with a double and 2 strikeouts, bumping his OPS to .847 and his wRC+ to 104; and third baseman Dario Reynoso went 3-5 with a stolen base and a strikeout, giving him a 1.008 OPS, a 150 wRC+, and 10 stolen bases.
On the pitching front, it was all about the bullpen. Starting LHP Jordan Gottesman had a day to forget, giving up 6 hits, 2 home runs, 2 walks, 5 runs, and 4 earned runs in 4 innings, though he struck out 5. The 2025 6th-round pick has had an odd year, with a 3.00 ERA but a 5.62 FIP. The strikeouts have been the big issue for him, as he’s ceded 7 of them in just 48 innings.
The nice bullpen outings came from a pair of arms who have been struggling, RHPs Fernando Vasquez and Cooper McGrath. Vasquez tossed 3 shutout innings with 1 hit, 2 walks, and 2 strikeouts, while McGrath gave up 2 hits and 0 walks in 2 shutout innings, with 3 strikeouts. Vasquez, a 24-year old from the DR, has a 6.97 ERA and a 6.33 FIP, with more walks than strikeouts; McGrath, a 25-year old taken in the 18th round last year, has an 8.74 ERA and a 7.40 FIP. Here’s to more days like this for each pitcher.
Dominican Summer League Black (5-3)
DSL Giants Black beat the DSL Cardinals 8-3 Box score
For the 2nd game in a row, left fielder Franco Willias went deep. The 21-year old, who is in his 3rd DSL season, hit 2-5 on the day with a strikeout, and lifted his OPS all the way to 1.088, with a 128 wRC+ (those figures paired together tell you how the DSL is playing this year!). Willias hit comfortably above average the last 2 years, but clearly the Giants are looking for a little something extra before trying him out in the states.
Also leaving the yard was catcher Alessandro Duran, who went 2-3 with a 2-run shot, a walk, and a strikeout. Duran, who is about to turn 21, has had an odd career. He was awful in his DSL debut (23 wRC+), fantastic in his follow-up (135 wRC+), and fell back to earth in his 3rd season (82 wRC+). He’s been good this year, but it’s only been 3 games.
And shortstop Keiberg Camacaro, whose brother Alexander is also on the team, had another great day, hitting 2-3 with a double, a walk, and a stolen base. The 19-year old right-hander from Venezuela is off to a great season, with a .989 OPS, a 145 wRC+, and 7 stolen bases already (he only had 7 all last year). Perhaps most notably, he’s striking out just 8.3% of the time, after running sky-high rates in his 1st 3 years.
A standout performance on the mound from RHP Simon Colmenares, who turns 20 in a few weeks. This is Colmenares’ 2nd season, but he only pitched 3 innings last year. After a rough season debut last week, Colmenares bounced back with a brilliant start on Wednesday, throwing 4 shutout innings with just 1 hit and 2 walks allowed, while striking out 6. A great game, in a league where great pitching performances can be hard to find.
Home run tracker
12 — Bo Davidson — [AA] 9 — Damian Bravo x2 — [Low-A] 8 — Lisbel Diaz — [High-A] 6 — Jean Carlos Sio — [1 in AA; 4 in High-A; 1 in ACL] 5 — Jakob Christian — [High-A] 5 — Lorenzo Meola — [Low-A] 4 — Maui Ahuna — [AA] 2 — Franco Willias — [DSL] 1 — Jose Astudillo — [Low-A] 1 — Alessandro Duran — [DSL]
Thursday schedule
Sacramento: 5:05 p.m. PT at Sugar Land (SP: Joe Whitman) Richmond: 4:05 p.m. PT vs. Harrisburg (SP: Charlie McDaniel) Eugene: 6:35 p.m. PT vs. Spokane (SP: Tyler Switalski) San Jose: 7:05 p.m. PT at Stockton (SP: TBD)
Reminder that almost all MiLB games can be watched on MLB TV.
PITTSBURGH, PA - JUNE 09: Andy Pages #44 of the Los Angeles Dodgers hits a two-run home run in the seventh inning against the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park on June 9, 2026 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Justin K. Aller/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Justin Wrobleski and the Dodgers face the Pirates before heading off to Chicago for a three-game set with the White Sox.
DENVER, CO - JUNE 11: Brett Sullivan #26 of the Colorado Rockies jogs around the bases after hitting a solo home run in the third inning against the Chicago Cubs at Coors Field on June 11, 2026 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Justin Edmonds/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Riding the thrill of a walk-off victory, a series win, and a hot pitcher on the mound, the Colorado Rockies were primed to sweep the Chicago Cubs to close out the homestand. Unfortunately, the Cubs came out swinging to secure a 9-3 victory. Meanwhile, the Rockies’ offense was propelled by a pair of home runs from their left-handed backup catcher.
However, the Rockies have won three of their last four series, which is helping build momentum.
Feltner falters
Much like Michael Lorenzen’s start on Wednesday, Ryan Feltner was excellent to start his day on the mound. Through the first three innings, Feltner returned nine straight batters aided by a pair of strikeouts. At that point, he had retired 22 consecutive batters, the most since Jorge De La Rosa retired 23 in a row back in 2009.
Unfortunately, things unraveled in the fourth inning.
Pete Crow-Armstrong led off the inning with a single and subsequently stole second base. Michael Busch then delivered a one-out single to put runners on the corners, and Ian Happ drew a walk to load the bases. As Feltner’s command began to diminish, he hung an elevated 1-0 slider to Seiya Suzuki, who promptly blasted the ball to left field for a grand slam to put the Cubs up 4-1 at the time.
After escaping the inning, Feltner didn’t last much longer in the fifth. Dansby Swanson led off with a walk and stole second base. After getting PCA to ground out to shortstop, Feltner issued a walk to Alex Bregman, which ended his day. Blas Castaño came in relief and ended up allowing both runs to score to give the Cubs a 6-2 victory after five innings.
Feltner’s final line was 4.1 innings, having allowed six runs on four hits with three strikeouts. The three walks ended up being his downfall as he seemed to struggle finding the zone. He threw 75 pitches with 40 going for strikes. The Cubs also swiped three bases against Feltner, which has been a common thread in his career handling the running game.
Early home runs for the Rox
Facing Edward Cabrera, the Rockies kept up pressure but struggled to get much going against the right-hander. They managed to get two runners aboard in the bottom of the first with one out, but Cabrera got out of the inning unscathed.
Brett Sullivan kicked off the scoring to give the Rockies a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the third when he sent an elevated fastball 434 feet into the second deck in right field for his second home run of the season. Sullivan collected another hit in the fifth inning but was stranded at first base
After falling behind in the fourth inning, the Rockies got one back on a solo shot for the rookie Cole Carrigg. Cabrera left a 3-2 slider of the heart of the plate that Carrigg sent high and deep into the Rockies bullpen to make it 4-2. After flirting with some deep balls in the series, Carrigg finally connected and sent it 418 feet with a 102.2 mph exit velocity and a steep 36-degree launch angle. The only downside to the home run was that Troy Johnston had been picked off right before it happened.
The sixth inning brought a little bit of drama for both teams. In the top half of the inning, with Castaño pitching and a runner on first, Moisés Ballesteros seemingly fouled a ball off his foot. However, the umpires made no signal, and so Castaño threw the ball out to second, which was then relayed to first for a 1-6-3 double play. Cubs manager Craig Counsell came out to ask the umpires to get together to discuss the play, but they stood by their call, leading Counsell to say some choice words and get tossed. Castaño then retired the next hitter to end the inning.
Cabrera’s day then ended in the sixth inning after allowing a lead-off walk to TJ Rumfield and getting Hunter Goodman to line out. He allowed two runs on five hits over 5.1 innings with five strikeouts and two walks on 83 pitches. With Johnston stepping up to the plate, the Cubs turned to Hoby Milner out of the play and he quickly surrendered a double to Johnston. With two in scoring position, Carrigg secured an infield hit to load the bases after it barely touched the chalk beyond third base, with Bregman’s only option of a play to attempt to tag Rumfield at third base.
Kyle Karros was then called upon to pinch-hit, but didn’t send a ball far enough to allow Rumfield to score on a sacrifice fly. After another pitching change, Ezequiel Tovar struck out on three straight pitches to end the inning without a run.
The ball continued to fly for the Cubs as they tacked on to their lead against the Rockies’ bullpen.
In the seventh inning, Bregman snapped a 0-for-27 streak with runners in scoring position by blasting a two-run home run to left field to make it an 8-2 Cubs lead. In the eighth inning, Carson Kelly hit a solo home run off Sammy Peralta to make it 9-2 Cubs.
In total, the Rockies gave up nine runs on 10 hits with eight strikeouts against three walks. The damage came on the three home runs as the Cubs went 4-for-7 with runners in scoring position.
A little late magic, but not enough
Much like Wednesday’s game, the Rockies were able to make a little bit of noise in the final innings. Johnston had a single in the eighth, but there was more excitement in the ninth. With one out, Sullivan launched his second home run of the game to make it 9-3.
Willi Castro then singled, followed by a Rumfield double to put two runners in scoring position for Goodman. Unfortunately, the magic would end there as he struck out on a slider to end the game.
The Rockies had 12 hits with Sullivan and Johnston both going 3-for-4, while Castro and Carrigg both had two hits. However, the team struck out 11 times, led by Tovar’s three, and drew just two walks. Colorado went 1-for-6 with runners in scoring position and left 10 on base.
Up next
The Rockies will head to Las Vegas, where the Athletics are currently playing in the stadium of their Triple-A affiliate. No starting pitcher has been announced for the Rockies. Meanwhile, rookie hurler Gage Jump (2-1, 2.45 ERA) will make the start for the A’s.
Weather permitting, tonight’s game offers the Chicago White Sox a chance to complete a sweep of the mighty Atlanta Braves and further cement their place atop the AL Central. Typing or saying that won’t get old, not after the years of misery leading up to it.
But first, some news and notes. Everson Pereira has been reinstated from the 10-day injured list after his rehab assignment in Charlotte. Pereira suffered a right pectoral strain on April 28th. The big news, however, is that Derek Hill has been traded in a deal with the Phillies. The White Sox acquired minor-league outfielder Dylan Campbell and minor-league infielder José Colmenares in exchange for Hill and $250,000 in international bonus pool money.
Looking to bounce back after a rough time in Philly, Anthony Kay will be on the mound tonight. Colson Montgomery is back in the lineup after dealing with a sore back, so we will have Montgomery squared facing off against Atlanta. As mentioned above, Pereira is back with the Sox and will be playing center field tonight.
Our old friend Martín Pérez (4-3) will be on the mound. Not many changes in the lineup for Atlanta.
First pitch is currently scheduled for 6:40 p.m. CT. You can catch the game on CHSN or ESPN Chicago 1000.
SCOTTSDALE, ARIZONA - MARCH 19, 2026: Alfredo Duno #6 of the Cincinnati Reds runs to second base on a single hit by Leo Balcazar during the fourth inning of a spring training Spring Breakout game against the San Francisco Giants at Scottsdale Stadium on March 19, 2026 in Scottsdale, Arizona. (Photo by Chris Bernacchi/Diamond Images via Getty Images) | Diamond Images/Getty Images
Top Cincinnati Reds catching prospect Alfredo Duno is still just 20 years of age, but that’s not stopping him for a second from dominating High-A Midwest League pitching. To date, he’s hitting .266/.388/.526 (.914 OPS), and has chipped in with 11 doubles and 13 homers so far on the year.
Only three hitters in the league have hit more than his 13 dingers so far this year, and this is a catcher we’re talking about, to boot.
I’d wager that none of the three guys ahead of him on the homer list (or, frankly, any of the 95 or so guys behind him) has hit a homer as far as the one Duno launched yesterday, though. That one went as far as I’ve seen at this level, so far that the camera man had a hard time finding exactly how high up the scoreboard beyond the left field wall in Dayton it hit.
That homer came as part of an overall 4-hit night for the youngster, who’s making an incredibly good case that he deserves a shot at AA pitching before season’s end. And as we all know, once you’re at AA, you’re effectively on the cusp of a shot at the big leagues, something that Cincinnati’s catcher of the future certainly is about to become.
It wasn't his best outing, but Christian Scott ate some valuable innings for the Mets in Thursday's series finale against the Cardinals.
The young right-hander had allowed four runs on three home runs across the first two innings, and looked primed for a short outing, but Scott made some adjustments and pitched into the fifth inning without allowing another run. This allowed New York to salvage a game in the series by defeating St. Louis 5-4 on a late Juan Soto blast.
“It was weird, right? What we saw from that team this whole series, they don’t get cheated on fastballs," Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said after the game. "These guys are going to put their best swings at all times and they were super aggressive and you got to give Scotty credit that he recognized that and made some adjustments. Continued to stay on the attack, settled in nicely, but they clipped him there a few times."
The Cardinals launched seven longballs in the three-game series. Against Scott, two came on fastballs up in the zone and the third on a sweeper up on a left-handed batter.
Not great from Scott, but the 26-year-old coming back from Tommy John, was generally happy with how he bounced back after the two homers. After that second longball, Scott allowed four baserunners (two walks, two hits) while picking up five of his six strikeouts.
"Obviously want some pitches back, and whatnot, but I feel like I’ve been doing a better job competing in the strikezone as the season has gone on," Scott said of his performance. "Just got to get my timing down and being able to throw these pitches a little more that are new to me. Being able to do that consistently at a high level. Just focus on doing that."
With the Mets bullpen struggling of late after subpar performances from Freddy Peralta and a bulk relief appearance from David Peterson, and relievers being called up and optioned daily, Mendoza appreciated Scott's outing despite its short nature.
"[Scott's outing was] important, especially with the way the first couple of innings unfolded," Mendoza said. "They were hitting him hard, there was a lot of hard contact there. Again, nice job settling in, get into the fifth inning and we pieced it together. You have to give him credit; he didn’t back down."
After scuffling a bit to start his season, Scott has turned in three pretty good starts. He struck out eight across five one-run innings against the Marlins at the end of May to earn his first career win. He followed that up with 5.2 scoreless innings against the Padres to earn his second career win.
Dodgers catcher Will Smith walks back to the dugout during a game against the Arizona Diamondbacks on June 1. (Rick Scuteri / Associated Press)
Dodgers catcher Will Smith described the lead up to landing on the 10-day injured list Thursday as, “a long few days.”
He was diagnosed with an inflamed disk, he said, the root of the pain on the right side of his neck. But when Smith initially woke up with a stiff neck last week in Arizona, he expected it to resolve in a day or two.
He played through it for a couple games in Arizona and the first game against the Angels on Friday, before he was scratched from the lineup the next day.
“That third or fourth day, I felt it was just getting a lot worse,” Smith said.
With rest, he has improved. But Smith still feels tightness through his right trapezius, when he turns his head. While in Pittsburgh this week, he’s gone through a slate of baseball activities — hitting, throwing, running.
“It’s pretty close,” Smith said. “So, hopefully, the day I’m able to come off, I can come back and play, that’s the plan for now.”
The Dodgers backdated the IL move to Monday, so Smith will be eligible to return June 19, when the Dodgers open a three-game home series against the Orioles. In a corresponding move, the team selected the contract of catcher Chuckie Robinson from triple-A Oklahoma City.
“It was just not wanting it to go in reverse,” manager Dave Roberts said. “It’s certainly probably playable if we needed [it]. But at what cost? Right now, I just don’t think it’s smart to run Will out there just because he’s Will Smith and he’ll do it. We’ve got to take care of his health for this year. So I don’t think it’s a serious thing, but I do think that us taking care of it right now on the front end will pay benefits.”
Roberts plans to start Robinson behind the plate Friday, catching right-hander Roki Sasaki and giving Dalton Rushing a break after serving as the backstop for five straight games. Rushing is scheduled to catch Saturday, Sunday and Monday, before Robinson chips in again Tuesday.
Robinson has some familiarity with the Dodgers’ pitching staff after spending much of last season in the organization, including one major-league appearance, and joining major-league camp this spring as a non-roster invitee.
“The only person I really feel convicted on is having Rushing with Shohei [Ohtani],” Roberts said. “Just because he’s been around Shohei more. Shohei’s pitching is kind of more nuanced. Everyone else, I feel pretty comfortable with Chuckie.”
Sometimes it feels like the media likes to just kick Houston Rockets fans while they’re down, and Tuesday and Wednesday were no different. I was just minding my business, scrolling on Twitter while thinking about how I will manage without Rocket’s basketball till October (depressing, I know), when I saw a tweet going around saying that the Rockets had significant interest in Stephon Castle around the 2024 NBA Draft, but Castle told Houston not to bother.
Stephon Castle’s camp reportedly sent signals to the Houston Rockets not to draft him because he didn’t want to play behind Fred VanVleet and Jalen Green, per @sam_amick
“Per league sources, Rockets coach and former Spurs assistant Ime Udoka was a huge fan of Castle’s (which… pic.twitter.com/wD0DupYR5L
Now, the 2024 draft was a weird one for Houston since, despite having a 41-41 record the season before, Houston was able to receive the third pick in the draft. Everyone wondered what player Houston would take with the pick since Stephon Castle, Reed Sheppard, and Donovan Clingan were all mentioned. However, there was a wrinkle in Houston’s potential plan, as there had been rumors that Castle had no interest in joining some teams, particularly those with a point guard. This meant the Rockets, who had signed Fred Vanvleet to a contract the previous summer, would likely be out of the running since it was clear Castle wanted a starting role, or did he?
Well, according to Sam Amick of The Athletic, it all turned out to be a smokescreen and conspiracy to get to Castle’s preferred destination, the San Antonio Spurs.
“At the time, there were reports that Castle’s choice not to conduct private workouts with several teams was driven by his desire to avoid teams that already had an established starting point guard
One of those teams was the Houston Rockets, who ultimately took Reed Sheppard out of Kentucky with the third pick. Per league sources, Rockets coach and former Spurs assistant Ime Udoka was a huge fan of Castle’s (which Castle said he was well aware of). But with veteran Fred VanVleet manning the point guard position and young Jalen Green at the two-guard spot, Castle and his camp sent the kinds of signals Houston’s way that eventually led to him landing in San Antonio. Just as he’d hoped,“
It would have been intriguing to watch the fit with Amen Thompson. It’s also crucial to keep in mind that the Rockets, who finished 23rd in outside shooting, had a significant shooting deficiency in the season leading up to that draft. However, it’s also important to note that, after what was essentially a redshirt rookie season last year, Sheppard was considered for the Sixth Man of the Year award, finishing with some votes. Therefore, the Rockets did not make a poor decision. Houston needed shooting, and that’s what Reed gave them. You can be upset about how the draft worked out without holding it against Sheppard, who has a bright future ahead.
Having stated all of that, what are your thoughts? How do you feel about this all coming out nearly two years after the 2024 draft? Do you blame Stephon Castle for going about this how he did? Let us know, and as always go Rockets.
On Thursday, Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman reported that Edmonton Oilers defenseman Darnell Nurse has requested a trade and has provided the Pacific Division club with three to five teams he is willing to waive his no-movement clause for.
In a recent article for The Fourth Period, David Pagnotta reported that the Pittsburgh Penguins and Los Angeles Kings are among the clubs that Nurse is willing to accept a trade to.
"As per sources, TFP has learned the Pittsburgh Penguins and Los Angeles Kings are two teams he would be willing to sign off for, and the connections seem clear as to why," Pagnotta wrote.
Nurse reportedly being willing to accept a trade to the Penguins is definitely interesting. The 31-year-old defenseman would have the potential to provide the Penguins' left side with a boost if acquired and could work well in their top four.
Nurse would be more than a rental for the Penguins if acquired, as he has a $9.25 million cap hit until the end of the 2029-30 season. That is both a lot of money and term for the veteran defenseman, so there would certainly be risk in the Penguins acquiring him.
However, with the Penguins needing some help on the left side of their blueline, perhaps a Nurse deal could make sense if Edmonton is willing to retain some salary and the cost to acquire him is not high. Despite his expensive deal, he is a solid top-four defenseman and could be a nice veteran for the Penguins to have around. However, there would also be less risky defensemen for the Penguins to bring in to improve their left side.
In 82 games this season with the Oilers, Nurse recorded seven goals, 17 assists, and 24 points.
