A lot has been made of the Yankees optioning shortstop Anthony Volpe this past Sunday and GM Brian Cashman has offered his thoughts on the move.
Speaking with the New York Post on Wednesday at a charity event, Cashman called the decision two-fold as the team continues to use its depth to climb to the top of the American League.
“We’re paid to make very difficult decisions,” Cashman said. “This year’s Yankees team is a lot deeper. We have a lot more choices. And (Jose) Caballero has emerged with his play, and so we kind of had to honor that. He snuck up on us a little bit, but that’s good.”
With Volpe recovering from offseason shoulder surgery, Caballero became the Yankees starting pitcher out of camp and has run with the opportunity. In 35 games this season, Caballero is slashing .260/.311/.407 with an OPS of .718 to go along with his four home runs, 13 RBI, and 13 stolen bases. Not to mention his defense has been stupendous to start the year.
So when Volpe's 20-day rehab assignment was up, the Yankees decided to go with the hot hand. And keeping Volpe on the bench didn't make sense with the combination of Ryan McMahon, Amed Rosario and Paul Goldschmidt excelling in their roles.
“You let the games play out and you honor the performance when warranted,” Cashman said. “It wasn’t anything that Anthony was doing wrong. It was what Cabby was doing. Stay tuned. It’s a long year. We’re excited that we have Anthony, we’re excited that we have Cabby, we’re excited about all the talented players we have. Hopefully, they collectively find a way to get what our fans deserve.”
But Volpe, who is still just 25 years old, is still considered a part of the Yankees' future. They are currently looking for a way that serves both the Yankees and Volpe. And, for now, it's keeping Volpe in the minors to get regular at-bats.
In six games with Triple-A this season, Volpe is hitting .240 with a home run and is coming off a two-hit game on Tuesday.
While playing with Triple-A, Volpe is starting at shortstop exclusively, but Cashman called it a "fluid situation" as they look to best utilize Volpe's talents. The Yankees already have George Lombard Jr. in Triple-A, who is a shortstop by trade. However, Lombard has already played at second and third to develop the prospect's versatility.
Volpe may need to move around the diamond if he hopes to get back to the big leagues sooner rather than later.
With the results of the 2026 NHL draft lottery, the St. Louis Blues now know they will make the 11th and 15th picks in the draft.
Unfortunately, the Blues won’t be moving up in the draft order, but they also thankfully didn’t fall.
The Blues have done an excellent job making selections in this range, so Blues fans can still feel assured that the scouting department can find someone who will be a viable NHL player. Still, the chances are they won’t reach the levels of players like Gavin McKenna or Ivar Stenberg.
But what if the Blues use the 11th and 15th overall picks to move up in the draft? Is this a possible outcome, and how high can the Blues move up?
To answer the first question, the Blues haven’t said outright whether they will or won’t do it, but it remains an option. The Blues’ prospect pool is deep across multiple positions, but it doesn’t feature a franchise-altering player.
By looking at TheHockeyNews.com’s mock draft, the Blues would be in position to select Viggo Bjorck, a skilled Swedish center with the 11th overall pick, and Ryan Lin, a silky Canadian defender with the 15th overall pick.
Bjorck’s talent should result in him being selected higher in the draft, so there is possible superstar value in selecting Bjorck, but even then, chances are he doesn’t hit the levels of a top-five player.
So realistically, what pick could the Blues acquire in a package with the 11th and 15th pick? It likely won’t get them into the top three, although the San Jose Sharks are a trade-back candidate.
In all, the Blues may not have a coveted top-five pick, but they do have options, and they could be one of the more interesting teams to watch at the draft.
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South Africa’s Heinrich Klaasen smacked 69 to help Sunrisers Hyderabad climb to the top of the IPL table with a convincing 33-run win over Punjab Kings on Wednesday.
Framber Valdez's impetuous decision to drill Trevor Story in the back after a pair of Boston Red Sox home runs earned him a six-game suspension from Major League Baseball, the league announced Wednesday, May 6.
Tigers manager A.J. Hinch was also suspended for one game. Valdez is expected to appeal the suspension, but Hinch must serve it Wednesday, when the Red Sox and Tigers conclude their series.
Valdez was tagged for 10 runs -seven earned - and three home runs by the Red Sox in just three-plus innings of their 10-3 loss. And after yielding consecutive home runs to Willson Contreras and Wilyer Abreu in the fourth inning, Valdez drilled Story between the numbers with the first four-seam fastball he's thrown this season.
That resulted in a benches-clearing incident, and Tigers manager A.J. Hinch, in so many words, admonished Valdez for sparking the fracas. Red Sox manager Chad Tracy called it "weak."
"I think we all know what's what," Story told reporters. "It's pretty indisputable."
MLB certainly agreed.
Valdez is in the first season of a three-year, $115.5 million contract with the Tigers. His blow-up came one day after the club found out ace and two-time Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal would miss multiple months due to elbow surgery to remove loose bodies.
The Tigers managed to sign Valdez late in the free agent process last winter as he lingered on the market, a few months after he denied intentionally crossing up his catcher after giving up a grand slam while with the Houston Astros.
Feb 25, 2026; Tampa, Florida, USA; New York Yankees infielder Jonathan Ornelas (64) forces out Washington Nationals left fielder Christian Franklin (33) and throws the ball to first base for a double play during the third inning at George M. Steinbrenner Field. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images | Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images
Infielder Jonathan Ornelas has played in 22 of the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders’ first 32 games this season. Whenever he has been called upon, he has been ready. He has hit safely in 13 of those 22 games, including six multi-hit games. He is batting .339 (21 for 62) with two doubles, one triple, two home runs, 10 RBIs and 15 runs.
During last week’s series against the Buffalo Bisons, he came up clutch in the game April 30. His RBI single in the bottom of the fourth inning tied the game, 2-2, and his single in the bottom of the 10th won it, 5-4.
Defensively, he has played 12 games at second base, six at third base and four at shortstop. He has committed one error (throwing) in 73 chances with 26 putouts, 46 assists and five double plays. “I just try to take it day by day whether I’m in the lineup or not in the lineup,” Ornelas said. “(Manager) Shelley (Duncan) likes to put guys in even when they’re not playing, so I know I have to come to the field ready because I could be going in in the seventh or eighth inning whether it’s to pinch-run or hit or play defense, whatever the case may be. Overall, I just know that whatever my role is, I have to be prepared every single day.”
Ornelas was drafted in the third round in 2018 by the Texas Rangers. He worked his way up through the organization and made his major league debut August 7th, 2023, at Oakland. With the score tied at three, he entered the game as a pinch-runner in the top of the eighth inning for Mitch Garver and wound up scoring the go-ahead run on a fielder’s choice by Travis Jankowski. The Rangers won, 5-3.
“It was a nice debut,” he said. “But the first week and a half, two weeks I was up there, I didn’t get an at-bat.”
He was sent back down to Triple-A Round Rock, but called up a few weeks later. This time he did get his first major league at-bat. It was against the A’s again in Arlington, Texas, on Sept, 9, 2023. With the bases loaded and the score tied, 2-2, in the bottom of the seventh, he was sent up to pinch-hit for Jankowski.
“It was a big situation and the A’s brought a lefty in from the pen,” Ornelas said. “The good thing about it was the guy on the mound, I had faced him before, so I had some familiarity. It wasn’t like, Wow, all these things being thrown at me at once. I got to 0-2 really fast, then the guy threw a breaking ball in the dirt, got past the catcher and the tying run scored. That’s when I was relieved of all the pressure and I ended up having a good at-bat and having a good swing.”
Coincidentally, he flew out to the warning track in right field and the ball was caught by current RailRiders teammate Seth Brown.
After going 0-fer in his first five at-bats, Ornelas finally got his first major league hit Sept. 15, 2023, at Cleveland. It was a single to left field in the ninth inning off Eli Morgan in a 12-3 loss.
“It was really good to get my first hit out of the way like that in a game like that,” Ornelas said. “I was able to feel a little more comfortable. My emotions weren’t super high or super tense. But we ended up losing the game. So, yeah, I was happy, but in the big leagues it’s all about winning. It was cool to have this moment for myself, but I wanted to be part of the team and help them win as much as I could.”
In 2024, he played 18 games in the majors and 88 games at Triple-A. He started last season at Round Rock, then was traded to the Atlanta Braves on May 24. He played 85 games with Triple-A Gwinnett and appeared in two games with the Braves in August.
“It was a lot to process,” Ornelas said. “I felt like I was with the Rangers for such a long time, that’s all I knew. I completely forgot that a process like being traded and being with another team kind of existed. But it ended up being a good experience for me. I was able to figure myself out. It was a difficult year for me overall last year, but it was good that I went through the things I went through because it made me better overall.”
Although his major league career has only consisted of 32 games, Ornelas enjoyed every moment of it.
“It was a surreal moment in the beginning, definitely tried to soak it all in as much as I could,” he said. “It was difficult because I still had to try to go out there and perform. But it was everything everybody had told me about and more. It exceeded all expectations. I loved it. I loved every bit of my time with the Rangers and with the Braves. I’m excited to keep on the journey and get back to the big leagues soon.”
The Yankees signed Ornelas as a free agent in November. In his short time with the organization, he believes he is getting the development that he needs.
“I feel like that was a big thing coming over here,” Ornelas said. “Where I struggled last year and years prior is kind of where the Yankees excel. It was good fit for me. I think I’ve gotten a lot better in a lot of those areas. A main one was getting the ball off the ground. The exit velocity and stuff like that is there. I hit the ball hard, but on the ground. So I think I’ve been able to improve in those areas and the guys here have helped me a ton in all those aspects.”
A good spring training has carried over into the start of the season. Ornelas likes the chemistry that the RailRiders have. Even though his name may not be on the lineup card every day, he knows he has to be ready when his name is called.
“Whenever I get my opportunity to play, I just have to go out and do my thing,” Ornelas said. “Not think about it too much. Just realize that other things are going on around me and just take care of the things I can control and everything else will be all right.”
After being home at PNC Field for two weeks, the RailRiders (18-14) are on the road this week in Worcester against the Red Sox.
Here are some highlights:
The RailRiders won eight of 12 games, going 4-2 against both Rochester and Buffalo.
Spencer Jones, in the Buffalo series, batted .400 (10 for 25) in six games with five home runs, 11 RBIs and five runs. Jones leads the International League with 37 RBIs and is tied for second with 10 home runs. Eight of Jones’ home runs have been solo, the other two grand slams.
Oswaldo Cabrera batted 9 for 16 (.563) with four doubles and two RBIs in five games against Buffalo.
Reliever Zach Messinger went 1-0, not allowing a run or a hit in two games covering 5.1 innings against Buffalo with three walks and two strikeouts. Fellow reliever Yovanny Cruz also had a win and didn’t give up a run in two games covering 3.2 innings with two hits, two walks and three strikeouts. Cruz (4-0) is tied for third in the IL in wins and has one save, a 0.69 ERA and 17 strikeouts in 13 innings.
Top prospect George Lombard Jr. finished his first week in Triple-A going 5 for 17 (.235) with four runs, three walks and five strikeouts.
The Tennessee Baseball Coaches Association on Wednesday afternoon announced via social media on X, formerly known as Twitter, that a current Major League Baseball star will be sponsoring their annual Mr. Baseball Award.
Per the TBCA, Los Angeles Dodgers’ star Mookie Betts has become the title sponsor for the association’s prestigious Mr. Baseball Award. With Betts’ sponsorship of the award, the association said the honor moving forward will now known as the Mookie Betts Mr. Baseball Award.
“The Tennessee Baseball Coaches Association is proud to announce (Mookie Betts) as the title sponsor of the prestigious Mr. Baseball Award! Beginning this year, the honor will officially become the Mookie Betts Mr. Baseball Award,” the statement read on social media.
The Tennessee Baseball Coaches Association is proud to announce @mookiebetts as the title sponsor of the prestigious Mr. Baseball Award! Beginning this year, the honor will officially become the Mookie Betts Mr. Baseball Award.
— Tennessee Baseball Coaches Association (@TBCAorg) May 6, 2026
Betts since his time playing in MLB for the Boston Red Sox and Dodgers has become one of the most notable names in the game. The multifaceted Betts played for the Red Sox from 2014 to 2019 before being traded to the Dodgers, where he’s won four World Series titles.
Before Betts went on to become one of the best players in the game of baseball on the professional level, he starred at Nashville (TN) Overton High School, where as a junior he batted a sensational .548 average with 24 steals.
More about the Tennessee Baseball Coaches Association
“The Tennessee Baseball Coaches Association is built on the belief that the growth of baseball in our state depends on the dedication, passion, and leadership of its coaches. Our mission is to advance the game by supporting coaches, fostering player development, and strengthening the baseball community across Tennessee.
Since its founding in the early 1990s, the TBCA has established itself as one of the premier coaches’ associations in the South. Our structure and vision have served as a model for other states, inspiring the creation and reorganization of similar associations nationwide. Together, we remain committed to growing the game, building strong relationships, and ensuring a lasting legacy for baseball in Tennessee.”
More about Overton High School
Overton High School, located in Nashville, TN, offers a comprehensive education for students in grades 9-12. Known for its diverse community, the school emphasizes academic excellence, a wide array of extracurricular activities, and strong athletic programs, including football and basketball. The Bobcats foster a culture of teamwork and leadership, encouraging students to excel both academically and athletically. Overton also provides various support services to help students succeed, preparing them for future challenges in higher education and beyond.
Apologies to anyone who was looking for a mega roundup on Monday recapping the weekend’s games. I sadly was unable to get to it this time around, but you can expect it next weekend! Now let’s dive into Tuesday’s action on the farm, which featured 4 games … the Arizona Complex League is in action, but High-A Eugene had the day off.
All listed positions in the roundup are the position played in that particular game.
News
Not too much news. The Giants added to their international signing corps, by inking 16-year old Venezuelan LHP Moises Soto. Catcher Ty Hanchey was sent from High-A Eugene to AAA Sacramento to add some depth behind the dish for the River Cats after Jesús Rodríguez’s promotion. AAA LHP Nick Margevicius and High-A utility player Jean Carlos Sio (No. 44 CPL) were sent to the Complex League to begin rehab assignments.
AA Richmond RHP Darien Smith was named Pitcher of the Month in the Eastern League after finishing the month with a 1.35 ERA (which was lowered after his 1st May outing, when he tossed 5 shutout frames). And High-A Eugene LHP Charlie McDaniel earned Pitcher of the Month honors in the Northwest League, after a 1.10 ERA in 4 April starts (he also lowered his figures with his 1st May outing, as he threw 4 scoreless innings). Congrats to the pair, who were both undrafted free agents!
AAA Sacramento (17-15)
Sacramento River Cats lost to the Reno Aces (Diamondbacks) 4-0 Box score
It goes without saying that Monday’s promotions of Bryce Eldridge (No. 1 CPL) and Jesús Rodríguez (No. 16 CPL) are incredibly exciting for anyone watching the Major League team. But there’s a necessary evil in there: it sure makes the AAA team a lot less exciting. And so it was very fitting that the River Cats began the next chapter of their season by getting shut out, and failing to record an extra-base hit at all.
With Eldridge and Rodríguez gone, Sacramento only has 2 position players who appeared on our Community Prospect List, but that pair provided the bulk of the team’s 6 hits, as right fielder Victor Bericoto (No. 35 CPL) hit 2-4, while second baseman Nate Furman (No. 39 CPL) went 2-5 with a strikeout. Neither player has an outrageous overall line in their 1st real run through AAA — Bericoto has an .822 OPS and a 119 wRC+, while Furman is at .780 and 118 — but their contact skills have been very impressive. For the right-handed hitting Bericoto, that means a .313 batting average and a 19.7% strikeout rate, and for the left-handed hitting Furman, a .287 average and a 12.1% K rate.
Center fielder Harrison Bader began his rehab assignment and hit 1-3 with a strikeout. The single was loud contact, but the reports from the McCoven weren’t stellar.
It was a very rough game for RHP Carson Seymour, who couldn’t find the strike zone. Seymour threw just 55 of 91 pitches for strikes while walking 4 batters in 5.2 innings, and hitting another. When he did find the strike zone, things went pretty well for him: he gave up 5 hits in those 5.2 innings, with 4 being singles and 1 a double, and he struck out 6 batters. The strikeouts have been lacking a little bit this year, so that was nice to see for Seymour, who now has a 4.50 ERA and a 4.77 FIP through 7 starts after giving up 4 runs in this game.
LHP Sam Hentges made another rehab appearance and pitched 1.1 no-hit innings with a strikeout, though he walked 2 batters. Through 9 rehab games and 9 innings, Hentges has allowed just 2 hits, but the reports continue to be that he isn’t looking great … in this game, his fastball sat around 91 and peaked at 92.3, which is quite a drop from his last stint in the Majors, when he averaged 95. Hentges’ rehab window is about to close, so the Giants will have to make a decision on whether this version of him is an upgrade over Ryan Burucki or not. Hentges is on a Major League deal and doesn’t have options, so the Giants hands are a little tied, though if the dip in velo is at all due to physical issues, they could throw him back on the Injured List.
The Squirrels just keep rolling along, and they did it this game on both sides of the ball, with a dominant pitching performance and a barrage of big flies.
Let’s start on the mound, because we haven’t had a ton of opportunities to give LHP Joe Whitman (No. 26 CPL) his flowers lately, and this game provided such a chance. Whitman had one of his best games as a pro, pitching 6 dominant scoreless innings, while allowing only 1 hit. He did a good job of staying in the strike zone and staying ahead in counts, and finished the day with 7 strikeouts against just 2 walks.
That part is good and dandy, but it’s the 1 hit that really stands out to me. Whitman has had solid strikeout and walk numbers for a while, which is part of why his FIP has dramatically outperformed his ERA ever since he arrived in Richmond at the start of the 2025 season. But the former compensatory round selection (No. 69 overall in 2023) just keeps throwing hittable pitches: he gave up 129 hits in 117.1 innings last year, and was at almost exactly a hit per inning entering this start.
With the outing, Whitman lowered his ERA to 4.76 and his FIP to 3.36 … he’ll have to keep working on the hit suppression, but his strikeout rate (30.2%) minus walk rate (8.6%) now ranks 7th out of 39 Eastern League pitchers with at least 20 innings thrown this year. There’s a solid foundation there.
RHP Tyler Vogel followed up Whitman’s great game with a dominant bounce-back performance. Vogel started the year with 7 consecutive outings without an earned run, but gave up earned runs in each of his last 2 outings. This one? 2 perfect innings with 3 strikeouts, while throwing 16 of 21 pitches for strikes. Fantastic! Walks have been a huge issue for Vogel this year (he has 11 in 12 innings), but he’s been quite a strikeout artist and has limited damage with the bat. He has a 1.50 ERA on the year, though the walks have inflated his FIP to 5.16.
On offense there were big swings abounding, and Richmond really took advantage of their hits: they only had 8 of them, but 6 went for extra bases. The biggest hit and biggest day both belonged to shortstop Maui Ahuna (No. 33 CPL), who hit 2-4 with a 2-run home run to cap the scoring.
— Richmond Flying Squirrels (@GoSquirrels) May 6, 2026
Ahuna, who struck out once, has shown some impressive things as he adjusts to AA life after just 11 games in High-A. Concerns remain — his swinging strike rate of 19.8% is the 3rd-highest among the 97 qualified hitters in the Eastern League, while his 31.7% strikeout rate is 15th-highest — but there’s no denying the impact he can have on the ball when he does make contact. Ahuna now has 10 extra-base hits in 101 plate appearances this year (including 3 home runs), and his .178 isolated slugging percentage is comfortably above league average. Those are highly impressive traits for someone who is a dynamic defensive player at shortstop!
First baseman Sabin Ceballos (No. 43 CPL) homered again, in yet another data point suggesting that his lackluster 2025 is well behind him.
— Richmond Flying Squirrels (@GoSquirrels) May 6, 2026
The 23-year old saw his power evaporate in AA last year, where he had just 6 home runs in 420 plate appearances. But after Tuesday’s game he has already matched those 6 home runs … and in just 106 plate appearances. Whatever he did this offseason worked, as he’s sitting on a .922 OPS and a 137 wRC+. You have to wonder if he might be one of the earlier promotions this year, given his experience at the level, his current performance, and the fact that his primary position (third base) is currently blocked by a higher-ranking prospect in Richmond, while both corners are fairly open in Sacramento.
Rounding out the dinger party was designated hitter Zach Morgan, who went 1-3 with a sacrifice fly and a solo shot, his 1st of the year. A 7th-round pick in 2022, Morgan is more organizational depth than pure prospect at this point, and only has 35 plate appearances on the year as he is behind Drew Cavanaugh (No. 19 CPL) and Adrián Sugastey on the catcher depth chart. But he’s made the most of his opportunities, as the 26-year old is sporting a 1.020 OPS and a 174 wRC+ through those 35 plate appearances.
— Richmond Flying Squirrels (@GoSquirrels) May 6, 2026
Left fielder Scott Bandura continued his dynamic season by hitting 1-2 with a double, 2 walks, and a stolen base, while center fielder Bo Davidson (No. 4 CPL) and third baseman Parks Harber (No. 17 CPL) both hit 1-4 with a double and a strikeout.
— Richmond Flying Squirrels (@GoSquirrels) May 6, 2026
Low-A San Jose (17-11)
San Jose Giants lost to the Fresno Grizzlies (Rockies) 13-11 (10 innings) Box score
You would think, given the 13 runs allowed, that it was an awful day on the pitching front for the Baby Giants. However, it was not. It was an awful day for the bullpen, but only after one of the best starts of the season in the system, from one of the top pitching prospects: RHP Keyner Martinez (No. 10 CPL).
Martinez positively overpowered the Grizzlies hitters, with a dazzling 10 strikeouts and 0 walks in just 5 innings of action. What a performance! He only gave up 3 hits and 1 run in that time, which lowered his ERA to 4.35 and his FIP to 3.82. As those numbers show, it hasn’t been a great season for Martinez, who was one of the breakout stars of the 2025 season on the farm. But for the 21-year old Venezuelan, it seems to be a case of just needing a few outings to adjust to the level, which he only got a brief taste of last year. Martinez, who employs a wicked fastball/slider combo meal, gave up 7 earned runs in 6.2 innings over his 1st 2 starts of the year … but in 3 starts since? Just 8 hits and 3 runs in 14 innings, and with 25 strikeouts. My goodness!
A year after striking out 12.6 batters per 9 innings, Martinez has pumped that number up to an other-worldly 14.8 this season. The walks have also spiked, but that’s almost entirely due to 1 start, when he issued 5 of them. It’s been a very impressive season for Martinez, who simply appears to have stuff that is far too nasty for the Cal League.
The same cannot be said for the quartet of arms that followed, as each of them allowed 3 runs: RHPs Alix Hernandez (in 2 innings), Cooper McGrath (in 1.1 innings), Fernando Vasquez (who didn’t record an out), and Garrett Langrell (in 1.2 innings, with only 2 of the runs earned).
In the batter’s box it was a well-balanced day, with production up and down the lineup. But it was the top of the lineup that really shined, with the 1st 3 hitters continuing their excellent seasons. Leading off was shortstop Jhonny Level (No. 3 CPL), who had just another casual day at the office, hitting 3-6 with a double, a stolen base, and a strikeout.
Jhonny Level delivers his fifth game of the season with 3+ hits for the @SJGiants 💥
MLB's No. 91 prospect (@SFGiants) ranks in the top 6 in the Single-A California League in TB (59), AVG (.343) and OPS (.967): pic.twitter.com/1KsLKTzG28
Level is no longer hitting an extra-base hit seemingly every at-bat, but he’s still having a magical season that only gets more magical when you remember that he’s a defensively-talented shortstop who just turned 19. Among 71 qualified hitters in the California League, Level is 4th in batting average (.343), 17th in on-base percentage (.405), 7th in slugging percentage (.562), 6th in OPS (.967), 9th in wRC+ (140), and tied for 10th in stolen bases (8). All while being more than 2 years younger than his peers in Low-A. He’s the real deal, folks!
Next up was right fielder Cam Maldonado (No. 34 CPL), who continued his tear, hitting 3-6 with a triple, a double, a stolen base, and 2 strikeouts. Like Level, Maldonado is making the rest of the Cal League look silly: of those 71 qualified hitters, he’s 9th in average (.333), 12th in on-base percentage (.423), 1st in slugging percentage (.644), 1st in OPS (1.067), 2nd in wRC+ (156), and tied for 5th in stolen bases (10). Last year’s 7th-round pick started the year hitting 6-34 with 0 extra-base hits … and since then has gone 23-53 with 12 extra-base hits. It would seem that the 22-year old figured something out!
Cam Maldonado continues his reign of terror over the California League with an RBI triple to put the Giants up early! pic.twitter.com/T8C1lqYMXL
And then it was last year’s 15th-round pick, left fielder Damian Bravo, who went 2-5 with a double, a stolen base, and 2 strikeouts. Like Maldonado, Bravo was cold to start the year, but has found his groove in a big way, and is up to an .886 OPS and a 110 wRC+ on the season.
Third baseman Dario Reynoso also had a very nice day, hitting 1-4 with a home run, a walk, and a stolen base, while striking out twice. As he did last year, the 21-year old right-hander is putting up fabulous numbers despite striking out way too much: he has a .824 OPS and a 120 wRC+, but has a 32.6% strikeout rate.
Second baseman Lorenzo Meola (No. 23 CPL) had a much-needed nice day, as he hit 2-4 with a walk and a stolen base, though he struck out twice. That broke last year’s 4th-round pick out of a slump, as he had gone 0-16 with 10 strikeouts in his past 4 games. It’s been a very rough 1st full season for Meola, who has just a .196 average, a .543 OPS, and a 46 wRC+ with a 30.5% strikeout rate. But it’s early days, and his defense emphatically is not struggling.
LEAPING LORENZO. Lorenzo Meola goes all the way up to secure the first out of the third. pic.twitter.com/rXUI56V9Ll
ACL Giants lost to the ACL D-backs 8-6 (7 innings) Box score
If anyone was questioning San Francisco’s decision to start shortstop Luis Hernández (No. 6 CPL), the consensus top international signing in the sport in January, in the states, question no more. Hernández made one hell of an impression on in his professional debut over the weekend, as his 1st career hit was a grand slam that tied the game with 2 outs in the 9th inning.
That was not an outlier display of power, as on Tuesday, in his 3rd career game, Hernández again went deep, this time a solo shot as part of a 1-4 day that had no strikeouts. Those are the only 2 hits that the recently-turned 17-year old has in 13 plate appearances, but who cares. He is fitting in in a big way, and it’s pretty clear that this is the right level for him to start his career at.
His fellow star prospect shortstop, Josuar González (No. 2 CPL) didn’t play in this game, as the Giants are slow-playing the switch-hitter following a mild injury in the spring. González did play in each of the ACL Giants’ 1st 2 games, though he didn’t play a full game either time. But even when he doesn’t play there’s good news about him!
Ran into scout friend at field today. He asked me if I’d seen a better defensive shortstop on the complex. I paused, thought on it. I’d put him up there with teenage Ezequiel Tovar, who was part of a Rockies minicamp in late 2019 https://t.co/I63QB0oMAi
Yes, folks, it is worth being very, very excited about the Giants young middle infielders!
Third baseman Yulian Barreto had a delightful game, hitting 2-2 with a hit by pitch and a stolen base. Barreto, an 18-year old from Venezuela, had a dynamic debut season last year, posting a 134 wRC+ with just a 14.5% strikeout rate in the DSL. So far he seems to be settling into the states quite nicely, as he’s 4-8 with a walk, though he has struck out 4 times.
Left fielder Jean Carlos Sio (No. 44 CPL) missed the start of the season with an injury, and is rehabbing in the ACL. He hit 1-3 with a double and a strikeout in this game, before handing the position to 19-year old Oliver Tejada, who doubled in his only at-bat while also recording an outfield assist.
A pretty tough game for the pitchers. RHP Alexander Fuentes got the start in his season debut, and gave up 3 hits and 3 walks in just 3 innings … but he struck out 5 batters, and limited the damage to just 1 run. Fuentes, a 21-year old in his 3rd season, is repeating the level despite having a 2.62 ERA last year (though he had a 3.97 FIP and 4.5 walks per 9 innings). He’s hoping to book a ticket to San Jose soon.
RHP Samir Chires had a really nice game, striking out 4 batters in 2.1 shutout innings, while giving up 2 hits and 0 walks. It might be go time for the 22-year old Chires, who is beginning his 4th Complex League season, and has yet to make it to A-ball.
A very tough debut for RHP Trey Seeley, the organization’s 14th-round pick in July. This was his 1st professional game, and he gave up 3 hits, 1 walk, and 3 earned runs, while recording just 1 out.
Sacramento: 12:05 p.m. PT vs. Reno (SP: Spencer Bivens) Richmond: 4:05 p.m. PT vs. Akron (SP: Trystan Vrieling) Eugene: Off day San Jose: 6:00 p.m. PT vs. Fresno (SP: Jordan Gottesman)
Reminder that almost all MiLB games can be watched on MLB TV
In theory, this should be the competitive Eastern Conference series. Oddsmakers have effectively said the Cleveland Cavaliers should have a legitimate chance at winning this series by favoring the Detroit Pistons by only a bucket at home in tonight's Game 2.
But my Cavaliers vs. Pistons predictions and NBA picks for Thursday, May 7 firmly believe Cleveland has roster problems that should show up again, which could lead to reduced minutes for Jarrett Allen.
Don't miss tip-off at 7 p.m. ET on Prime Video.
UPDATE: Added a prediction for who will win tonight.
Cavaliers vs Pistons Game 2 prediction
Who will win Cavaliers vs Pistons Game 2?
Pistons: It would be bold to suggest Detroit might sweep this series, but at the least, fully expect the Pistons to take a 2-0 lead before desperation and home court give the Cavaliers some traction over the weekend.
Cavaliers vs Pistons best bet: Jarrett Allen Under 7.5 rebounds (-135)
This same bet was priced at +100 in Game 1, but it still holds value as long as the number remains at 7.5.
Duren snagged seven offensive rebounds in Game 1, directly part of why Allen played only 18 minutes.
Cleveland has plenty of work ahead of it in this series, but that work doubles when giving up offensive rebounds as often as Allen did.
COVERS INTEL: Allen’s struggle against Duren is a known problem for the Cavaliers. Allen was not in any foul trouble in their meeting on March 3, yet he played just 21 minutes while Duren snagged six offensive rebounds.
Cavaliers vs Pistons Game 2 same-game parlay
If Jarrett Allen is going to play less, someone needs to play more. Evan Mobley cannot play two positions at once, though Cleveland would be better off if he could.
Dean Wade saw nearly 28 minutes of action in Game 1, nearly 10 minutes more than Allen did. Wade managed only five points and three rebounds, but his plus/minus was only -4 in those 28 minutes, a palatable thought in a game the Cavaliers lost by 10 points.
Wade might join Mobley, Donovan Mitchell, and James Harden by handling a workload in the mid-30s minutes. And that should lend many rebound opportunities.
Cavaliers vs Pistons SGP
Jarrett Allen Under 7.5 rebounds
Jarrett Allen Under 10.5 points
Dean Wade Over 3.5 rebounds
Our "from downtown" SGP: 2-0, Detroit
Cleveland’s roster fails against Detroit. It may be that simple. When Cade Cunningham can cut through a porous defensive backcourt — yes, that is a direct reference to James Harden’s and Donovan Mitchell’s defensive mistakes — the entire Pistons’ offense hums.
Detroit is content to slow things down and win at the rim, effectively the recipe from Game 1, which would have also cashed this exact same-game parlay.
Cavaliers vs Pistons SGP
Jarrett Allen Under 7.5 rebounds
Jarrett Allen Under 10.5 points
Pistons -3
Under 216
Cavaliers vs Pistons odds for Game 2
Spread: Cavaliers +3.5 | Pistons -3.5
Moneyline: Cavaliers +135 | Pistons -160
Over/Under: Over 216 | Under 216
Cavaliers vs Pistons betting trend to know
Four of the five matchups between these two this season, including Game 1, have gone Under their totals. Find more NBA betting trends for Cavaliers vs. Pistons.
How to watch Cavaliers vs Pistons Game 2
Location
Little Caesars Arena, Detroit, MI
Date
Thursday, May 7, 2026
Tip-off
7:00 p.m. ET
TV
Prime Video
Cavaliers vs Pistons latest injuries
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BOSTON, MA - MAY 2: The sneakers worn by Jaylen Brown #7 of the Boston Celtics during the game against the Philadelphia 76ers during Round One Game Seven of the 2026 NBA Playoffs on May 2, 2026 at TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Detroit Tigers placed second baseman Gleyber Torres on the 10-day injured list Wednesday with a mild left oblique strain, the latest blow to a franchise already reeling from the loss of ace Tarik Skubal and the looming threat of a Framber Valdez suspension.
Torres, 29, left Saturday’s game against Texas in the fourth inning after experiencing left side tightness and has not played since. This is the second time Torres has dealt with a left oblique issue. He missed time last season with the same injury. Jace Jung was called up to take Torres’ roster spot.
The timing could not be worse for Detroit.
Skubal, the two-time reigning AL Cy Young winner, was placed on the injured list Monday and is set to undergo arthroscopic surgery to remove loose bodies from his left elbow, with a recovery timeline of roughly two to three months. The 29-year-old had posted a 2.79 ERA with 45 strikeouts against just six walks in 43 1/3 innings before going down.
Then on Tuesday night there was drama.
Valdez gave up back-to-back home runs to Willson Contreras and Wilyer Abreu, then hit Trevor Story with a 94-mile per hour fastball on the first pitch of his at-bat, clearing both benches. Valdez insisted it wasn’t intentional. The Red Sox weren’t buying it. MLB announced a six-game suspension for Valdez on Wednesday, a huge blow for the Tigers.
Detroit’s injured list already includes Casey Mize, Justin Verlander, Reese Olson and Jackson Jobe. The Tigers sit at 18-19, tied with Cleaveland for first place in the American League Central. They finish a three-game series with Boston on Wednesday night at Comerica Park and then head to Kansas City to play the Royals over the weekend.
Torres was hitting .259 with two home runs this season. The former Yankee returned to the Tigers this season on a one-year qualifying offer of $22 million after an All-Star 2025 season. His return timeline is unclear, though oblique strains historically require more than the minimum 10-day stint.
The Buffalo Sabres kick off their second-round series against the Montreal Canadiens on Wednesday night. This has the potential to be an excellent series between two very talented Atlantic Division rivals.
However, it is clear that the Sabres have a big challenge in front of them heading into the series: solving Canadiens goaltender Jakub Dobes.
Dobes helped carry the Canadiens past the Tampa Bay Lightning in their first-round series due to his excellent play. In seven games so far this post-season, the Canadiens netminder has a 4-3 record, a 2.03 goals-against average, and a .923 save percentage. With this, Dobes undoubtedly is entering this series on a hot streak.
Dobes also ended his series against the Lightning on a strong note. This is because he had a .950 save percentage or better in each of his last three starts against the Bolts. This included him stopping 28 out of 29 Lightning shots in the Canadiens' Game 7 win.
The Sabres will now be looking to end Dobes' hot streak this series. If the Sabres can get the 24-year-old goalie off his game, it would be huge for them as they look to advance to the Eastern Conference Final.
DETROIT (AP) — Cleveland Cavaliers reserve guard Sam Merrill had an MRI on his left hamstring after injuring it in a Game 1 loss to the Detroit Pistons.
The Cavs held him out of practice Wednesday, a day before they will shoot to even the second-round series in Detroit.
Merrill had one assist and one turnover in six-plus minutes of the opener on Tuesday night.
The 29-year-old Merrill averaged 12.8 points during the regular season and scored in double digits twice in the seven-game, first-round series against the Toronto Raptors.
GLENDALE, ARIZONA - MARCH 16: Andrew Vaughn #28 of the Milwaukee Brewers stands on deck during a Spring Training game against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Camelback Ranch on March 16, 2026 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Brandon Sloter/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Game Summary
The Brewers jump Pallante for an early 4-0 with a 3-run HR by Vaughn being the mortal blow. After, the pitchers traded outs into the middle innings, the Brewers tacked on a small-ball run in the fifth to extend the lead. Otherwise, both teams had some traffic but couldn’t buy a big hit, carrying a 5-0 lead deep into the game. Single tallies in the bottom of the 8th, top of the 9th and bottom of the 9th blemished the late relievers’ lines but did little to alter the outcome.
Line-up (and roster) machinations
An early start today, followed by a long flight to San Diego tonight.
Typical line-up, but with Pages catching Pallante.
Urias to the IL yesterday. That tennis elbow from spring never healed. Time for full rest.
A twelve-pitch sequence defines the game
Pallante gets two quick outs to start the game. Then a quick succession of single, HBP, single (of the RBI variety) and a long 3-run HR that is absolutely mashed for a quick 4-0 lead.
Cardinals put two runners on in the bottom of 1, with a Herrera double and a Walker walk. Sproat was pitching around Walker. Man, things have changed. Gorman strikes out. So, not everything has changed. In the end, the Cardinals are unable to respond.
The middle innings mostly quiet for both teams
Pallente works a quick clean second inning. Cardinals get Church on via HBP, but otherwise quiet inning. Pallante faces the minimum 3 batters in the third, aided by a GIDP following a Chourio single. Pallante walks Bauer leading off the fourth, but promptly picks him off, then induces a couple of ground ball outs. All this efficiency gets APs pitch count back in order, which become the small victory of this game. In the bottom of the fourth, Walker leads off with a walk, steals second (somewhere an old schooler is turning over in his grave, stealing down 4-0). Gorman walks as well, but a Winn lineout and a Fermin GIDP upends the brief attempt at a rally.
The Brewers extend the lead
In the fifth, the Brewers manufacture a small ball run with 2 IF singles, an F9 that advances the runner to third and an ill-timed wild pitch (is there ever a well-timed WP?). After a walk to complicate things further, a K quells the uprising.
Pallente makes it through six innings
Pallante returns for the sixth as the Cardinals prioritize getting another inning from a starter. A single, followed by a line-out and force-out continue the lackluster pace to the game, but yet another IF single adds drama, but AP gets a 6-3 to get through the sixth. Not quite a QS.
APs line: 6 IP. 8 H. 5 R. 2 BB. 3 K. 1 HR (the killer). 104 pitches.
The middle innings go quietly
After Sproat is unable to get beyond the 4th inning (manager’s decision), DL Hall relieves Sproat and works a quiet bottom of the fifth. Shuster in for Pallante to start the 7th. He works a 1-2-3 inning. Ashby relieves Hall and works a 1-2-3 sixth. That makes eight batters set down in a row. Ashby remains in and extends the streak of outs to ten before Fermin draws a walk inducing a check-swing 3u groundball from Pages.
Shuster remains in the 8th. A harmless 2-out single is all to report here.
Late inning hijinks change the score, but not the outcome
Megill in for Ashby for the Brewers. Scott II singles, first hit for the Cardinals since the first inning. JJW K’s on high heat. Teams are liking to throw that heat up at the top edge with him. Scott steals second. Herrera K’s again. Unusual. Must be the DH penalty + daytime getaway game penalty. Burleson with an RBI single. Walker bounces back to Megill to end the rally.
Swanson in for Shuster in the ninth. Two backwards K’s show us he is on the road back, but a single and a double by the red-hot Chourio extends the lead to 6-1. A walk shows us there is more work to be done before a ground out quells the insurrection.
Uribe relieves Megill, not a save opportunity. Gorman opens with a double, advancing to third on a Winn ground out. A rare Ortiz error plates a second run and puts Fermin on first and brings a brief rise from the crowd, but a GIDP by Prieto ends any suspense. Brewers defeat the Cardinals 6-2.
Post-Game Notes
Check out Today on the Farm – Wednesday 5/6 for updates on MiLB action.
On to San Diego for a four-game set against the Padres, followed by three games in Sacramento against the homeless A’s.
Is it my imagination, or does the Cardinal offense struggle on getaway day games?
Burleson is really struggling with seeing the ball. Has been for a bit now.
BOSTON, MA - APRIL 20: Sonny Gray #54 of the Boston Red Sox pitches against the Detroit Tigers during the first inning at Fenway Park on April 20, 2026 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo By Winslow Townson/Getty Images) | Getty Images
TV: NESN
First Pitch: 6:40 p.m. ET
The Red Sox found a way to take a deep breath and played relaxed over the last two nights. It’s the best thing that could’ve happened for Boston as a three-game sweep is on the line for the first time this season.
Sonny Gray returns from the injured list and makes his first start since April 20 on Patriots’ Day. Carlos Narvaez does the catching for the veteran starter.
Here’s who the Red Sox will send to the plate Wednesday night.
The Tigers counter with Jack Flaherty, who also pitched at Fenway Park on April 20. Flaherty lasted just 3 ⅓ innings in that start and gave up 10 earned runs over his last two outings.
PHILADELPHIA — The Philadelphia Flyers turned tenuous postseason hopes into a fashion statement when they wore T-shirts with “3.8%” on the sleeve to start their playoff run — a nod to their chances in March, per an NHL analytics and prediction platform.
Might be time for a new addition — courtesy of updated math — to their wardrobe.
When Travis Konecny missed on a breakaway in overtime of a Game 2 loss at Carolina, the Flyers lost a chance to earn a split on the road.
Most sportsbooks have stamped the Flyers with the worst odds of any of the eight teams left in the NHL playoffs to win the Stanley Cup.
Can “60-1” fit on the other sleeve?
The Flyers indeed are the decided underdog headed into Game 3 against a Hurricanes team that remains unbeaten in the NHL playoffs, thanks two impressive home wins to open the second-round series.
Carolina swept that first-round series against the Senators and never trailed. That series started with a home shutout and then a 3-2 double-overtime win in Game 2. The Hurricanes started this series in similar fashion, first with a Game 1 shutout and then another 3-2 win in extra time on Taylor Hall’s score at 18:54 of OT.
The Flyers host the next two games in the best-of-seven series.
The Flyers wasted a 2-0 lead in Game 2 before Konecny’s miss that became the hot topic — along with the 76ers’ blowout Game 1 loss to New York in the NBA playoffs — on the Philly sports scene.
“I should have finished that,” Konecny said.
Flyers coach Rick Tocchet refused to pin the blame on Konecny and noted in a game that went that long, there were plenty of opportunities to win it.
“There’s a few other guys that had some really Grade A chances,” Tocchet said. “If you’re not getting chances, then you’d be concerned. We had a ton of chances. I’m sure he’s upset. But hey, we need him on Thursday night and hopefully he can connect on Thursday night.”
The Hurricanes have played in the conference finals three times in the past seven years and are facing a young Flyers team gaining footing in the playoffs.
The Flyers became the first NHL team to make the playoffs after being 10 points out with 22 or fewer games remaining, securing Philadelphia’s first postseason appearance since 2020. Then the Flyers beat Pittsburgh in six games in the first round.
The Flyers have learned the hard way that even playing their best — Tocchet believed the Game 2 effort proved to them they can hang with the Hurricanes — might not be enough to outlast the top-seeded team in the East driven to break through and win the Stanley Cup.
The experience, if not the result, has been invaluable to a team that has an average age of just 27 and threw out a Game 2 line with three rookies in 19-year-old Porter Martone, 21-year-old Denver Barkey and 22-year-old Alex Bump. They have 25-and-under core players that include forwards Matvei Michkov, Trevor Zegras defenseman and Jamie Drysdale.
“It really is huge for the development of the guys,” Tocchet said. “Imagine if we didn’t make the playoffs and these guys never got to experience it? I think going into Game 3, you’ll see more improvement.”
The Flyers are looking for some wins to come with their improvement as they prepare for their first home second-round playoff game since 2012.
“I know the kids were upset last game,” Tocchet said. “But they can’t be upset because they’re going to get another shot it, they’re going to get right back on the ice, and they have a lot of support from the organization and their teammates. I think that’s going to help their development, also.”
Flyers’ Cates out for rest of the series
Flyers forward Noah Cates was ruled out for the series after he was injured in Game 2.
Cates had a career-high 18 goals and 47 points in 82 games this season and has added a goal and four points in the playoffs.
Here come the Hurricanes
The Hurricanes are 6-0 in the postseason and didn’t trail at any point in the first five wins. Yet coach Rod Brind’Amour doesn’t have to look hard for areas that need improvement, such as a power play that hasn’t produced anywhere near like it did in the regular season and a largely quiet start from the top line of Sebastian Aho, Seth Jarvis and Andrei Svechnikov.
Carolina is 12th among 16 teams in the postseason on the power play. The Hurricanes were fourth in the regular season at 24.9%.
“I think it’s just executing our plays,” Jarvis said. “I think sometimes you have a play, you run it, and then we have a tendency to kind of go a little wild and start moving a little too much. So just kind of getting back to what made us successful in the regular season, which was playing our positions.”
Jarvis broke through for his first postseason goal in Game 2, coming after Brind’Amour shuffled the lines to pair him with Nikolaj Ehlers and captain Jordan Staal.
Brind’Amour also has lamented the number of penalties his team is taking, leading to seven power plays for the Flyers in Game 2.
“I think there’s another level we’re going to have to get to,” Brind’Amour said, “and it’s there for us.”
The Tennessee Baseball Coaches Association is proud to announce 
COVERS INTEL: Allen’s struggle against Duren is a known problem for the Cavaliers. Allen was not in any foul trouble in 
