The 30-year-old starter was a tick down in velocity across all his pitches, including 1.1 mph on his fastball, which has sat at 93.9 this season.
It was enough for the NL wild-card-leading Cardinals to take advantage, driving in six runs across six innings on Peralta in the Mets’ discouraging 7-0 loss to start a six-game homestand.
“A little off today for some reason,” Mendoza said before adding there was no concern over the velocity.
Freddy Peralta gives up a two-run home run to Alec Burleson during the fifth inning of Mets’ 7-0 loss to the Cardinals on June 9, 2026 at Citi Field. Robert Sabo for New York Post
“[Pitching coach Justin Willard] checked on him. He said he’s fine. He wouldn’t put himself in a position where something was bothering him,” he said. “He was going to continue to pitch there. I think it was just one of those days. It was hard for him.”
Peralta also had little to say about how or why the outing turned south for him in what was a quiet postgame clubhouse at Citi Field.
“I felt it [the decreased velocity] a little bit. But I don’t know. I feel good. … It just happens sometimes,” he said.
The game got away from Peralta in the third inning.
After a walk, Nathan Church ripped a double, and rookie JJ Wetherholt followed with a single at the top of the order that sent in two runs.
Following that spurt, Peralta hit Iván Herrera with a pitch, and Jordan Walker knocked him in with a double before scoring off a ground ball to first by Lars Nootbaar.
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It gave St. Louis an early 4-0 lead that only grew, resulting in his worst outing of the season.
Heading into Tuesday, Peralta held a 3.63 ERA with 30 walks and 74 strikeouts across 13 games. Following the loss, his ERA imploded to 4.04.
When asked how he would assess his season so far, he was blunt and said, “Not good right now.”
“Talking about numbers. At the end of the day, that’s all that matters,” Peralta went on. “But you know. I’ve been in this situation before. Good thing is that I’m healthy, and I have 18, 19 more games in front of me. I just have to keep competing. That’s it, and at the end of the day, that’s how I see it.”
One phone call could reshape the balance of power in the Atlantic Division—but it might cost the Buffalo Sabres more than any other team in hockey.
Atlantic Division Rivals May Have To Pay Extra For Dylan Larkin
The possibility of Dylan Larkin leaving the Detroit Red Wings has quickly become one of the NHL offseason's biggest storylines, but any team hoping to pry away the veteran captain from within the division should expect a significantly steeper price.
According to Helene St. James of the Detroit Free Press, general manager Steve Yzerman isn't eager to strengthen a direct rival. And, not to sound crass, he hasn't seemed too eager to strengthen his own team, to boot.
"The return would have to be phenomenal, though, for [Wings general manager Steve] Yzerman to trade Larkin within the Atlantic Division."
That immediately puts clubs like the Buffalo Sabres at a disadvantage, even as they continue searching for the elite top-line center who could accelerate their climb back into playoff contention.
Is Larkin Worth The Dough?
The Sabres entered the offseason needing more stability down the middle, particularly in the faceoff circle and on the power play. Larkin addresses both concerns while bringing proven leadership and consistent offensive production.
The 29-year-old finished the season with 67 points, scoring 34 goals while adding 33 assists in 74 games. He also won 52.9 percent of his faceoffs and produced 24 power-play points, giving Buffalo exactly the type of two-way presence it has lacked in recent years.
The challenge isn't identifying the fit—it's convincing Detroit to make a deal with a division opponent.
Adding another layer of complexity, Larkin possesses a full no-trade clause, giving him substantial control over the process. St. James reported that his initial preferred destinations include the Florida Panthers, Minnesota Wild and Vegas Golden Knights. The Red Wings have reportedly asked for Larkin to expand that list and he has reportedly added the Anaheim Ducks, the Tampa Bay Lightning, and the New York Islanders to the mix.
If Buffalo ever receives consideration, the asking price could become even more aggressive than a traditional blockbuster package.
The Sabres would likely have to part with Jack Quinn, top defensive prospect Radim Mrtka, and multiple draft picks. Is Dylan Larkin really worth that kind of package? That's a difficult case to make.
There's no question Larkin is an excellent player, but the caliber of assets Buffalo could be forced to surrender suggests a return closer to a perennial 90-to-100-point producer. That's simply not who Larkin has been.
Despite consistently playing first-line minutes, he has never reached the 80-point mark, let alone 90, making it fair to question whether the price would outweigh the upgrade. Goaltending should be their priority if we're being completely honest.
Could Anton Wahlberg Become The Extra Piece?
An Atlantic Division premium would almost certainly require the Sabres to surrender another valuable asset, and one intriguing possibility is center prospect Anton Wahlberg.
The 20-year-old second-round pick from the 2023 NHL Draft remains an intriguing long-term project, but his offensive development has progressed slower than many expected.
Wahlberg recorded 38 points, including nine goals and 29 assists, in 68 games with the Rochester Americans after posting 30 points in 63 contests the previous season.
Standing 6-foot-3, the Swedish center already displays mature defensive instincts and possesses the physical tools NHL organizations covet. The lingering question is whether enough offense will ever emerge to elevate him beyond a supporting role.
Current projection models remain cautious. HockeyStats.com estimates Wahlberg has a 29 percent chance of becoming a full-time NHL player and only a 6 percent probability of developing into a "star," defined as a top-20-percent forward across the league.
Those numbers don't eliminate the possibility of a breakout, but they do illustrate why Buffalo could ultimately view him as an acceptable sacrifice if the reward is a proven No. 1 center entering his prime.
At this point, everything remains speculative. Still, one thing appears increasingly clear: if the Sabres want to land Dylan Larkin, they won't simply have to outbid the rest of the league.
They'll have to convince Steve Yzerman that helping an Atlantic Division rival is worth an extraordinary return.
The Vegas Golden Knights had fought back in the second period to tie Game 4 at 3-3 and had a chance to take a commanding 3-1 series lead if they won the third period.
"It's just for free," Tortorella said. "It's a hard one for me in the third period."
Even though the Golden Knights had rallied, there were problems earlier in the game. They gave up two goals in the first five minutes. They took a penalty for too many men on the ice and Staal scored on a rebound in the crease.
"We have him, but then we let him off the hook," the coach said. "He's killing us in front of the net. We have to do a better job around the blue."
Tortorella liked the team's late press, "but we don't get it done."
Now the series is a best-of-three, with the Hurricanes regaining home-ice advantage.
"We need to flush it and get ready for the next game," Tortorella said.
Throughout the postseason, the Vegas Golden Knights have been excellent at clawing their way back from a seemingly insurmountable deficit and snatching victory from the jaws of defeat. But on Tuesday, the Carolina Hurricanes weathered the storm and stood their ground. The Hurricanes eked out a 5-3 win, sending the series back to Raleigh tied 2-2.
Through two periods of play, it looked like the Golden Knights were going to pull off another improbable win. In typical fashion, they trailed by two goals on two separate occasions, but came all the way back in the second period and headed into intermission tied 3-3.
Heading into the third period, they had all the momentum. They were playing well and were brimming with confidence after some of the comeback wins they’ve rattled off this postseason.
And then, disaster struck.
The Golden Knights turned the puck over behind their net twice in a seven-second span, and the Hurricanes took them to task for it.
Despite the fact that they never had the lead, it’s hard not to look at Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Final as one that the Golden Knights allowed to slip away.
“Of course you feel that way when you come back from 3-1 to 3-3,” said defenseman Rasmus Andersson postgame. “And then, obviously, tied at home going into the third. For sure, you feel like that one slipped away.”
Game 5 is scheduled for Friday at 5:20 p.m. PST.
1. Jumpin’ Jack Flash
The Golden Knights take a lot of pride in their depth scoring. This team can run all four lines. It doesn’t matter the game situation; John Tortorella is comfortable sending any one of his four lines over the boards.
Because of the way they’re built, the Golden Knights don’t need Jack Eichel to score the way some other teams need their stars to score. Eichel is a point-per-game player this postseason and has largely driven the offense with his elite playmaking.
However, in the Stanley Cup Final, Eichel hasn’t looked like the dominant two-way center that the Golden Knights need him to be. He hasn’t been bad, per se, but he has just two assists and is a -3 in four games against the Hurricanes. He’s struggled with his zone entries, and he isn’t as strong on the puck as he usually is. At times, you can’t even tell that he’s on the ice.
The Golden Knights have gotten goals from their defensemen. They’ve gotten timely goals from their middle six forwards, and they’ve gotten critical goals from their fourth line. The one area in which the Golden Knights are lacking in scoring is from the Eichel line.
There’s a positive way to look at this. Eichel hasn’t taken over a game yet, but the Golden Knights are right in this thing. They didn’t capitalize on their opportunity to go up 3-1 in the series, but they’re still headed back to Raleigh tied 2-2.
But if the Golden Knights want to win their second Stanley Cup in franchise history, they need more out of Jack Eichel.
2. You’re Killing Me, Staal!
Through three rounds of the postseason, the Golden Knights were exceptional in front of their own net. They didn’t allow many shots through; on the rare occasion that a shotdidget through, they were there to box out their opponents. They were quick and efficient at getting to loose pucks, and they didn’t allow Carter Hart to face many second chances off rebounds.
That hasn’t been the case through four games against the Hurricanes, and the Golden Knights are paying the price. Hurricanes captain Jordan Staal is doing most of the damage. After scoring just two goals through the first three rounds of the postseason, Staal has five goals in four games against the Golden Knights.
“He’s killing us in front of the net, Staal is. We’ve got to do a better job around the blue,” Golden Knights head coach John Tortorella said postgame. “He’s a big man. He’s a good player. That’s where he lives. We just got to do a better job… We’ve got to be stronger; we’ve got to win that battle.”
3. …And I Took That Personally
Coming into this series, the national narrative was that this Stanley Cup Final would be, for lack of a better word, boring. Through four games, this Stanley Cup Final has been anything but.
This is the first time in Stanley Cup Final history that the first four games have all featured a team erasing a multi-goal deficit. In Game 1, the Golden Knights overcame an early two-goal lead. In Game 2, the Hurricanes erased a two-goal deficit in the final 10 minutes of regulation. In Game 3, the Hurricanes clawed back from a four-goal deficit. And tonight, the Golden Knights were the team to erase two separate two-goal deficits.
This is also just the second time in Stanley Cup Final history that the teams have combined for four or more goals in three straight regulation periods. So much for a low-scoring affair, eh?
“There’s been some crazy momentum swings, and both teams are capitalizing,” said Colton Sissons following the 5-3 loss. “These things happen. It’s hard to put one explanation on it; it’s just two teams going at it and finding ways to score. Tight games, but, yeah, higher scoring than we're used to.”
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - JUNE 09: Brice Turang #2 of the Milwaukee Brewers reacts after striking out against the Athletics during the eighth inning of a game at Las Vegas Ballpark on June 09, 2026 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Ian Maule/Getty Images) | Getty Images
After last night’s home run fest, expectations were that today’s game would feature more of the same. It wasn’t at the same levels as last night, but offense was still plentiful in this one. Unfortunately, the Brewers just couldn’t keep up this time, and they lost 7-5 to even the series at 1-1.
If there was any doubt that tonight’s game would be similar to last night, it was put to rest just two batters into the game. Christian Yelich led off the game with a single to center. Next up was Jackson Chourio, who sent one over the right field fence for the first home run of the day. The Brewers had the early 2-0 lead.
The Brewers tried to build off that with two outs. Jake Bauers drew a walk and Garrett Mitchell doubled to put runners at second and third. However, Sal Frelick couldn’t get them home as he flew out to end the inning.
In the bottom of the inning, it was the Athletics’ turn. Nick Kurtz hit the team’s first home run, closing the gap to 2-1. While starter Robert Gasser also walked a batter, he escaped the first allowing no additional runs.
The second inning went by quickly for the Brewers, who were retired in order by Athletics starter T.J. Ginn in order. Meanwhile, the Athletics kept up their pressure. Jonah Heim led off the bottom of the inning with a single, then Henry Bolte hit his first career home run to center field. That gave the Athletics a 3-2 lead.
It was a quiet inning for both teams in the third. The Brewers went down in order again. Meanwhile, the Athletics put together another scoring chance, this one coming with two outs. Max Muncy walked and Heim singled to put a runner in scoring position, but Gasser struck out Bolte to end the inning.
In the fourth, a one-out double from Mitchell gave the Brewers another scoring chance, and they cashed this one in. Frelick singled to center, and Mitchell scored easily from second, tying the game at 3-3.
Luis Rengifo kept the pressure on with a pop-up single, putting another runner in scoring position. The Brewers couldn’t bring him in, with both David Hamilton and Yelich grounding out to end the inning.
Gasser had a clean bottom of the fourth inning, but the Brewers gave it right back by going down in order in the top of the fifth. He went back out for the fifth, which started off with a strikeout of Kurtz. Then, the Athletics pounced. After Shea Langeliers singled, Tyler Soderstrom hit a home run over the right field wall, putting the Athletics ahead 5-3. Two batters later, Heim hammered one out to center to make it 6-3. Gasser got out of the inning with a strikeout of Bolte.
After the bullpen was overworked yesterday, Gasser had to go as long as he could in this one. Had the bullpen been rested, manager Pat Murphy might have pulled Gasser at four innings before facing the Athletics a third time. He ended up allowing six runs on eight hits and two walks. Four of those hits were home runs. He did strike out seven, and gave the Brewers some needed innings.
With all the offense so far in this series, this game was nowhere near done yet. In the top of the sixth, the Brewers mounted another rally. Bauers led off the inning with his second walk of the day, then Mitchell’s third hit (a single) moved Bauers up to third. Frelick was up next and grounded out to shortstop, but Bauers scored easily since the only play was at first base.
Rengifo got Mitchell to third with a groundout, and Hamilton drew a walk (which stood after technical difficulties on the ABS challenge system) to bring Yelich up as the go-ahead run. While he couldn’t hit one out to take the lead, he did single to center to get Mitchell home. Both runners advanced on a Bolte bobble, and that ended the night for J.T. Ginn. The Athletics went to Elvis Alvarado, who struck out Chourio to end the threat. However, the Brewers were within one at 6-5.
Joel Kuhnel was first out of the bullpen for the Brewers, pitching for the second straight night. Unfortunately, he allowed a home run as well for the second straight night, this one a Zack Gelof home run to center. Kuhnel finished the inning with no other runs allowed, though did walk one batter.
From there, the offense suddenly dried up on both sides. The Athletics tried to add on in the eighth against Coleman Crow, but he got out of the inning stranding runners at first and third. Crow pitched the final two innings for the Brewers, allowing just a hit, a walk, and an error while covering first base.
As for the Brewers, they did not have another baserunner for the rest of the game. The final 10 batters went down in order. The game ended with Chourio hitting a ball hard, but right at shortstop Alika Williams.
Even though it was another game with plenty of offense, this one was much more tame compared to last night. The two teams only combined for 12 runs and six home runs, instead of the 29 runs and 11 home runs yesterday. There were also significantly fewer ABS challenges — just five tonight — but that was partially due to a malfunction during the game.
After being the lone Brewers starter to not reach base yesterday, Mitchell rebounded with a 3-for-4 day at the plate, hitting two doubles and a single, and scoring two runs. Yelich was the only other Brewer with multiple hits, going 2-for-5. Chourio and Frelick each drove in two runs. The Brewers only drew three walks, with two coming from Bauers.
With the series tied, the rubber match will take place tomorrow evening in Las Vegas. It could be another high-powered day for the offenses, with Brandon Sproat facing Jack Perkins. First pitch will be an hour earlier at 8:05 p.m.
BALTIMORE – Nick Davila may never get another bite of those soup dumplings. But he did manage to hang onto his first major league save.
The Seattle Mariners rookie capped a chaotic 24 hours with an even more unsettling 10th inning of work Tuesday, June 9 against the Baltimore Orioles at Camden Yards. Yet after a hit-by-pitch, a single, a harrowing putout at home upheld by replay review and a timely strikeout, Davila nailed down the Mariners’ 6-5, 10-inning win.
It was a big moment in the 26-year-old right-hander’s career: He made his major league debut May 3 but hadn’t pitched for the big club since May 23 – nor was he expecting to do so this week.
Instead, a second anniversary dinner with his girlfriend, Morgan, was on tap, with a 7:30 PT reservation at Din Thai Phung at a mall in the Seattle-Tacoma area on Monday night.
Then he got a phone call: John Russell, his manager at Class AAA Tacoma, told him he was going to hop a red eye and meet the Mariners in Baltimore. Cooper Criswell, their trusty right-handed reliever, had a shoulder strain. An injured list stint might be possible. Davila was going to be summoned to the taxi squad.
He was under the impression his flight left Seattle-Tacoma Airport at 11:50 p.m. So as the food began rolling out around 7:45, he tried to enjoy the dinner.
Instead, a phone call from Russell updated his itinerary: He was flying out at 10:20. Baseball gear needed to be fetched from Cheney Stadium, clothes from a nearby hotel.
“And I was like, 10:20?” Davila recalled. “I’m doing the mental gymnastics of it’s 30 minutes south, and I gotta grab my stuff in Tacoma.”
It’s good to have friends: The Rainiers’ assistant clubhouse manager fetched his stuff from the ballpark and met him at Gate 30, Alaska Airlines. The clothes had to wait. And besides, Davila probably wouldn’t be pitching anyway, right?
That’s what he believed when he and infielder Miles Mastrobuoni landed in Baltimore early Tuesday morning, and he got to his room around 8 a.m., put the blinds up and tried to sleep. He still wasn’t added to the active roster by the time the final bus to Camden Yards left at 2:30 p.m.
And then shortly before game time, Criswell was placed on the IL and he was activated. A gassed bullpen was already in disarray. And then Jose A. Ferrer, the closer for the night, blew a 4-2 lead in the ninth.
After Randy Arozarena smacked a go-ahead two-run homer in the top of the 10th, guess who was summoned to save it?
Yep.
“I just couldn't believe I was in the game,” Davila said. “What? This is freaking nuts. I had goosebumps kind of going out there.
“I was like, 'this is not real.'"
And with his first pitch, as Davila put it, “I plunked the dude.”
With the extra-inning auto runner, that put the tying runs on base – and Leody Taveras followed with an RBI single to make it 6-5. Nobody out.
Davila reset.
"Every single pitch I was throwing I was just like, 'You don't want to be anywhere else, but right here, let's execute this pitch to the best of your ability.'"
Good plan: Davila induced a groundout from Coby Mayo, and a grounder to third off Jeremiah Jackson’s bat. Blaze Alexander, the potential tying run, broke for home.
Patrick Wisdom fielded the ball and threw home, wide of the plate and out of Alexander’s path so catcher Mitch Garver could corral it and swipe the tag on Alexander just before the runner’s fingers crossed the plate – confirmed, barely, by replay.
One out away. Garver called a pair of sinkers, and Davila had Tyler O’Neill buried in an 0-2 count.
“And I was like, ‘Oh my God, I’m one pitch away,'" Davila said. “But then, you know, there's so many guys that get one pitch away, and then they blow it. So I was like, 'I can't get too ahead of myself.'
"'I gotta make sure I'm in the moment right here.'"
In it and up to it: O’Neill flailed at one more sinker. Davila and the Mariners escaped.
“Nick, to be able to slam the door and get us the W – after a red-eye flight, that’s not easy to do,” manager Dan Wilson said. “I don’t think we draw it up by hitting the first guy. But I thought Wis’ play was outstanding.
“Another great job by Nick – and welcome back.”
Davila had a nice postgame spread to sate his hunger. But the lost dinner a night before still stung, Davila’s best-laid plans coldly stashed away before his eyes as he high-stepped it to Sea-Tac.
Especially the soup dumplings.
“I had one. They were so good,” Davila said. “And then our waitress had to just box it all up, and then I was like, 'this stinks.' And my girlfriend was crying.
“She was like, ‘This is so crazy. What is going on? Our two-year anniversary is ruined.’
“I was like, ‘I'll make it up to you. We’ll figure it out.'"
Davila showed Tuesday night he’s pretty good at that.
EL SEGUNDO, CA - MAY 04: Darryn Peterson looks on during his workout on May 04, 2026 at Meyer Institute Of Sport in El Segundo, California. 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 Adam Pantozzi/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
On the most recent Bill Simmons podcast, Simmons talked with J Kyle Mann about the upcoming NBA draft. You can listen to the entire podcast here (the draft talk takes place in the second half):
Simmons talked a lot about who he thinks the Utah Jazz might draft, and he thinks it could be Cam Boozer. Simmons seems very worried about all the issues that Peterson had at Kansas. The most interesting element occurs near the end, when Simmons asks Mann how he thinks everything will pan out. Mann says that he thinks Dybantsa goes #1 and that Peterson goes #2, and then Mann adds. “I think the Jazz take Peterson, I’ve heard they like Peterson, I’ve heard Danny likes Peterson.”
We’ve heard this draft order from multiple sources, so it’s not entirely surprising, but it does confirm what many reports have said. June 23rd is right around the corner, and it’s going to be exciting to see what is going to happen.
The White Sox may have a clogged outfield when Everson Pereira is done rehabbing. | (Scott Marshall/Imagn Images)
Oklahoma City Comets 6, Charlotte Knights 3 The Knights (35-29) managed to jump out to a 3-0 lead, then watched it all go up in smoke as Oklahoma City stormed back for the win.
Charlotte struck first in the second inning, manufacturing a run without the benefit of a hit after Ryan Galanie led off with a double, Dru Baker moved him over on a ground out, before Josh Breaux lifted a sac fly to center. Textbook small ball.
The Knights added to their lead in the third thanks to back-to-back jacks by Jason Matthews and Everson Pereira to put Charlotte ahead 3-0.
Shane Murphy coasted for four, then with two outs in the fifth, a single, then boom — a two-run shot. The lead shrank to 3-2. Next inning, another solo homer, and just like that, all square. Murphy at least made it through six, three earned, so he gets the ‘quality start’ badge. Unfortunately, it didn’t matter.
Enter Duncan Davitt for the seventh, and the Comets pounced for three runs, making it 6-3, claiming their first lead of the night.
The Knights were unable to mount a response the rest of the way, and it was another one in the loss column.
Biloxi struck first in the opening inning when Jesús Made was hit by a pitch and later scored on a single to center, giving the Shuckers a quick 1-0 edge. Birmingham answered in the bottom half as Alec Makarewicz doubled and Anthony DePino knocked him in with an RBI single to tie the game at 1-1.
Birmingham briefly fell behind again in the third, but kept pace. After a fourth-inning surge that included a Samuel Zavala solo homer and a Colby Shelton two-run blast, the Barons built a 4-2 lead.
Biloxi responded in the fifth with a big inning of its own off Dylan Cumming, knotting the game at 4-4.
Then came the sixth, and things unraveled. Morris Austin unleashed a wild pitch, walks galore, and Mark Coley II unloaded a three-run homer. Just like that, Biloxi was up 9-4, and the game was all but over.
The Barons didn’t go quietly. In the seventh, Wilfred Veras drove in a run with a sacrifice fly, and Anthony DePino slapped a two-run single to trim the deficit to 9-7. Birmingham even put the first two runners on in the eighth, but couldn’t get the clutch hit.
Greenville Drive 8, Winston-Salem Dash 7 The Dash (33-25) offense continued its torrid stretch, but a late Greenville rally proved to be the difference in an 8-7 loss to the Drive.
W-S wasted no time. Ely Brown and Caleb Bonemer both singled, then swiped second and third. George Wolkow lined out, but Kaleb Freeman came through with a two-run single. 2-0, Dash, and barely out of the gate.
The offense stayed hot in the second when Alex Ungar launched a two-run homer, extending the advantage to 4-0. Greenville, however, responded immediately, tagging Dash starter Drew McDaniel for four in the bottom half, and just like that, all square.
The back-and-forth affair continued in the third as Freeman put the Dash back on top with a solo homer, but the Drive answered in the fourth when Ronny Hernandez, once a Sox prospect, singled home Mason White, who had doubled with two outs. Tied once again.
The lead again went to the Dash in the fifth. Ryan Burrowes walked, Wolkow doubled, Freeman’s ground out brought one in, and Kyle Lodise singled home another. 7-5, Dash.
Then came the seventh. Jake Curtis on the mound, and Greenville hung a three-spot. Dash went from up two to down one in a blink. The offense had nothing left in the tank, and that’s where it stuck.
Fredericksburg Nationals 2, Kannapolis Cannon Ballers 0 Kannapolis (29-29) never got out of neutral, blanked 2-0 by Fredericksburg. The Ballers managed just three baserunners all game. Rylan Galvan recorded a single, James Taussig collected a base hit before being thrown out attempting to stretch it into a double, and Adrian Gil drew a walk. That was the offense.
Starter Gabriel Rodriguez did his part, tossing four scoreless with four hits, a walk, and three punchouts, but he got no help from the bats. The Nationals finally broke through in the fifth off Blaine Wynk, pushing across an unearned run. That was all they needed with Kannapolis stuck in quicksand.
Fredericksburg tacked on an insurance run in the eighth off Choyce Diffey, extending their advantage to 2-0. That was plenty for the Nats arms, who put the Cannon Ballers to sleep and locked up the win.
DSL Pirates Black 1, DSL White Sox 0 (7 innings) It was a tough contest for the DSL Sox squad as they knocked only a one-out single in the fourth over the entire seven frames. They did work five free walks, but went 0-for-3 with RISP. Carlos Vielma had the best afternoon of the bunch, going 1-for-2 with the only base hit and a free pass. Ronald Kelly tossed four scoreless frames, surrendering only a two-bagger in the second and a walk in the third while punching out six. The Pirates plated their only tally in the fifth on a pair of two-out singles and a double steal of second and home off of Alexander De Los Santos.
ACL Cubs 5, ACL White Sox 4 (7 innings) The Cubs came out swinging early, piling on a 5-0 lead by the fourth inning after tagging Fidel Montero for three runs and César Familia for two more. But Jurdrick Profar jolted the ACL Sox to life, blasting a three-run homer that slashed the deficit to 5-3. From that point on, the Cubs’ offense was held in check, as the White Sox pitching staff kept them off the board over the final five frames. The Sox inched closer in the sixth. After back-to-back hit batters, a double steal put both runners in scoring position. A wild pitch then brought a run home, slicing the deficit to just 5-4. Despite the late pressure, the ACL Sox were unable to push across the tying run, as the Cubs held on the rest of the way to secure the one-run win.
DSL White Sox 9, DSL Rockies 3 (June 8 — 7 innings) Five of six Sox arms kept the Rox completely off the board, allowing just two measly hits. The only hurler that surrendered anything was 17-year-old Beinel Adon, who gave up three runs (two earned) on a pair of hits and two walks. The bats, meanwhile, generated plenty of tallies to take an easy win, piling on five runs over the first three frames and collecting nine runs on 11 hits in the contest. Center fielder Sebastian Romero gets the hero’s cape, going 3-for-4 with a double, two bombs, and four RBI.
ACL White Sox 13, ACL Guardians 6 (June 8) The Complex Sox wasted no time, jumping all over this one, pretty much leading from beginning to end. The offense was loud as six of their twelve knocks went for extra bases, featuring two doubles and four bombs. Jose Mendoza did the heavy lifting, clocking in at 2-for-5 with four RBI, both hits leaving the yard for two-run shots. The pitching line looks a bit uglier than it played, as a couple of defensive miscues in the third handed out two of the six runs. Fabian Ysalla took the brunt, tagged for five (three earned) in four innings, but still walked away with the W.
Mar 13, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Chicago Cubs outfielder Kane Kepley against the Chicago White Sox during a spring training game at Camelback Ranch-Glendale. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
The Cubs acquired left-hander Antoine Kelly in a trade with the Dodgers for cash. Kelly was assigned to Triple-A Iowa.
The Cubs claimed right-hander Eduarniel Núñez off waivers from the Orioles. They assigned him to rookie ball Mesa, where I presume he’ll work in the pitch lab and not pitch. Núñez was in the Cubs system from 2017 to 2024.
Iowa got four good innings out of starter Doug Nikhazy, who gave up two hits but no runs. Nikhazy walked two and struck out two.
Because Nikhazy didn’t go five innings, the win went to reliever Christian Roa. Roa pitched 1.1 innings of relief and surrendered no runs and just one hit. He did not walk anyone and struck out two.
The I-Cubs jumped all over Bats starter Darren McCaughan. Third baseman BJ Murray hit a two-run home run in the first inning, his seventh on the season. Murray was 2 for 5 with a double and the homer.
In the fourth inning, catcher Christian Bethencort extended the I-Cubs lead with a three-run home run. It was Bethencourt’s fifth of the season. He finished the game 1 for 5.
One inning later, in the fifth, left fielder James Triantos clubbed a two-run home run, also his fifth. Triantos was also 1 for 5.
The fourth and final I-Cubs home run came in the seventh inning off the bat of first baseman Jonathon Long with the bases empty. It was his fourth home run this year. Long went 1 for 4 with a walk and he scored twice.
Shortstop Ben Cowles went 3 for 5 with a double and a run scored.
Second baseman Owen Miller was 2 for 5 with an RBI double in the first inning and an RBI single in the seventh. Miller also scored on Murray’s home run.
Grant Kipp allowed four runs on four hits over the first four innings. All four runs came on two home runs—a solo home run and a three run home run. Kipp struck out four, hit one batter and walked one.
The loss went to Marino Santy, who gave up two runs on four hits over two innings. Santy struck out two and walked no one.
DH Owen Ayers was named Southern League Player of the Week and he celebrated by hitting a solo home run in the fourth inning. It was Ayers’ tenth home run and third in four games. Ayers went 2 for 4 with a double and the home run.
Left fielder Carter Trice hit a two-run home run in the sixth inning, also his tenth on the campaign. Trice went 2 for 4.
Shortstop Karson Simas doubled twice in a 2 for 4 night. He scored twice.
Catcher Ariel Armas was 2 for 4 with a double and an RBI single.
Ayers’ home run.
Owen Ayers gets the Smokies on the board with his 10th home run of the season 💣 pic.twitter.com/jiOrysTdxB
— Knoxville Smokies (@smokiesbaseball) June 10, 2026
— Knoxville Smokies (@smokiesbaseball) June 10, 2026
South Bend Cubs
The South Bend Cubs demoted the Peoria Chiefs (Cardinals), 6-3. The win reduced South Bend’s magic number for clinching a first-half title down to four with eight games to play.
Starter Nazier Mulé gave up two home runs over 4.1 innings, but they were both solo home runs and those were the only two runs he allowed. Mulé allowed four hits. He walked just one and and struck out six. He did hit one batter.
Jackson Brockett threw the next 1.2 innings, permitted no runs on just one hit, and got the win. Brockett struck out three and walked no one.
Alfredo Romero went the rest of the way for the three-inning save. Romero allowed one run on three hits. He struck out five and walked two.
Left fielder Cole Mathis connected for a solo home run in the second inning. It was Mathis’ tenth home run this year and third with South Bend. Mathis went 1 for 4.
DH Kane Kepley was a perfect 2 for 2 with three walks and a three-run home run later in the second. Kepley also stole a base.
Catcher Justin Stransky went 2 for 2 with two walks and two steals. He scored once.
Center fielder Josiah Hartshorn was 2 for 5 with a double. Hartshorn scored one run.
David Bracho gave the Pelicans a good start, allowing just one run on two hits over four innings. Bracho struck out six and hit one batter and walked one.
Daniel Avita went the next four innings and gave up five hits, but no runs. Avita walked two and struck out seven.
Jhon Rosario entered the game in the top of the ninth, looking for the save with the Birds clinging to a 2-1 lead. But Rosario got rocked for four runs on five hits in the one inning he pitched. He neither walked nor struck anyone out.
Left fielder Gueri Lubo tied the game 1-1 with a solo home run in the bottom of the seventh. It was Lubo’s fourth home run overall and third with Myrtle Beach. Lubo was 1 for 4.
Catcher Logan Poteet singled home right fielder Eli Lovich in the bottom of the eighth to give the Pelicans the lead. Poteet was 2 for 4 and Lovice went 1 for 3 with a double and a walk.
ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA - JUNE 09: Pitcher Kai-Wei Teng #17 of the Houston Astros reacts in the first inning against the Los Angeles Angels at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on June 09, 2026 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Joe Scarnici/Getty Images) | Getty Images
If it was a title fight, it would’ve been stopped early. A TKO. The Astros were soundly defeated by the Angels in Anaheim by the score of 10-1.
Kai-Wei Teng, who back in March boasted a 2 1/3 scoreless outing in Anaheim, couldn’t get out of his own way on Tuesday night, imploding. The final damage after two innings was 52 pitches, multiple walks, a pair of hit batters and seven runs allowed.
The first pair of runs were unearned, without even the benefit of a single hit. It would take until the second inning for all of the runs to be earned, and there were unfortunately five of them.
It was a complete reversal for Kai-Wei Teng and now there’s a legitimate question as to whether or not he’ll remain in the permanent starting rotation going forward. The final stat line for Teng was 4 innings, 7 hits allowed with 5 earned runs, 3 walks and 5 strikeouts.
Teng’s counterpart Walbert Urena would go 5 innings in a 107-pitch victorious effort, despite allowing 5 walks. The last time Teng registered a win was on May 23rd at Wrigley.
The Astros had plenty of chances throughout the night, including the opening inning when Alvarez and Paredes each drew walks, but Jose Altuve struck out, which is becoming a troubling trend. Since returning from the IL, Jose has registered only two hits.
The 10-1 loss drops the Astros to 31-38 for the season. For context, it took until July 9th last year for Houston to suffer their 38th defeat.
Houston would finally get on the board with two outs in the 7th inning thanks to an RBI pinch hit single by Brice Matthews, but it was too little, too late. The Angels would pad their lead with 3 additional runs in the 8th.
Odds and Ends:
Peter Lambert will close out the rubber match of the series. He’ll be opposed by left hander Reid Detmers, who has 88 k’s on the season thus far.
Yordan Alvarez has now reached base safely in 17 straight games.
Nolan Schanuel and Sebastian Rivero each left Tuesday’s contest with various injuries for the Angels.
The Astros haven’t dropped a series in Anaheim since 2020.
The Chicago White Sox entered their Tuesday matchup against the Atlanta Braves with a 34-31 record.
Not bad, but they needed someone to give them a spark, an extra push as they are in a battle with the Cleveland Guardians for the top spot in the AL Central.
On Tuesday, an unlikely hero emerged. His name is Braden Montgomery.
The White Sox called up the 23-year-old outfielder from their Triple-A affiliate, the Charlotte Knights, just in time to face the Atlanta Braves, the best team in MLB, record-wise.
Montgomery proved that he’s ready for the show. In his major league debut, Montgomery had himself a game to remember. He registered two hits in five at-bats, and accounted for three RBIs. But his moment of glory came when the lights were brightest — Chicago down a run, 5-4, in the 10th inning.
Andrew Benintendi was on base when Montgomery came to the plate. He delivered, in walk-off fashion, smashing a homer 343 feet into left field. With his two-run home run, Montgomery became the fifth player ever to hit a walk-off homer in his MLB debut.
“Just how we drew it up,” Montgomery said as he was all smiles, relishing and celebrating his historic debut. “That was … I still don’t know what to say. That was unreal.”
He was speechless, at least that’s how he described the feeling when he got the hit.
“I had no clue,” Montgomery said. “I hit it and I thought that it would at least get over his head so I was excited that at least we didn’t lose. That was, yeah, that left me speechless.”
As he rounded the bases and made it back home, he was embraced by his teammates and met with a Gatorade bath.
“That was just surreal,” Montgomery said. “I mean, I couldn’t even hear anything. Obviously I was told the crowd was pretty loud.”
Montgomery saw the pitch coming.
“It was a change up,” he said. “A pretty good swing on it and the rest is history.”
It was an all-around magical night for Montgomery as his first at-bat in the majors led to an RBI. He placed a ball into left field, bringing home Jacob Gonzalez in the fourth inning.
All in a night’s work, he tallied his first career hit, RBI, home run, walk-off and walk-off home run.
Montgomery didn’t just make his debut, he made his name known across baseball. This is what you love about sports.
Braden Mongomery calls game with a walk-off home run in his MLB debut. | (Getty Images)
Wow.
What an incredible game from the South Siders, who never gave up regardless of how many times their safety squeeze failed to score a run, or how many home runs Matt Olson hit against them (two, by the way). This game had everything: solid pitching, drama, home runs, extra innings, an extended hit streak, and a rookie debut for the ages.
The White Sox (35-31) defeated the best team in MLB, stealing an extra-inning W against the Braves (45-22), 6-5. Braden Montgomery went 2-for-4 in his debut and checked many firsts off the list: first hit, RBI, home run, and walk-off. On top of that, Miguel Vargas flashed his power yet again, Chase Meidroth extended his hit streak from nine to 10, and the South Siders went 4-for-12 (.300) with runners in scoring position. Could have done without the bunts, however.
Because of course, the Good Guys went with their trusty opener, as Brandon Eisert was slated to man the first inning, but he only threw strikes roughly half of the time (11 of 21 pitches), gave up two runs, and forced Erick Fedde to enter the game in the first anyway. Eisert was somehow able to strike out Ronald Acuña Jr. after falling behind in the count, 3-0, to start the game, but a base hit from Michael Harris III began the madness before the lefty ceded a two-run bomb to Matt Olson, making it 2-0, Atlanta. Before Fedde came in, Eisert recorded one more out before putting another pair of runners on base, but Fedde thankfully struck out Austin Riley to end the threat.
Fedde made it through the second (mostly) unscathed, not without hitting Ronald Acuña and instigating some Acuña on Acuña crime, as Ronald was thrown out attempting to steal, tagged out by his brother Luisangel to end the inning — later confirmed by review. Unfortunately, Ronald later left the game with hamstring tightness, and hopefully it’s not a serious injury that sends him to the IL.
And listen, it’s not a Fedde outing without him giving up at least one homer, so of course Matt Olson mashed his second of the game; a solo shot to left to extend the Atlanta lead to three, 3-0. Fedde dug the hole deeper on his own, surrendering the fourth run for the Braves on what should have been an inning-ending double play. He was unable to catch the ball for the final out, so it rolled to the dugout, and the Braves scored a run, 4-0. Despite being responsible for one of his two runs allowed with the error, only one was earned on the six hits he relinquished while striking out four.
On the offensive front, it took a few innings for the bats to get heated up, and they did bunt themselves out of some scoring situations, but they never counted themselves out and eventually found ways to score and tie the game at four. With two outs in the third, Sam Antonacci kept the inning alive by drawing a walk, just for Miguel Vargas to blast his 16th home run of the season to cut the lead in half, 4-2.
The Good Guys grabbed another back in the bottom of the fourth, beginning with Jacob Gonzalez ripping a base hit to right, and Meidroth getting hit by a pitch to put a runner in scoring position for Montgomery’s second at-bat. It’s possible many rookies would fold in this situation, but Montgomery isn’t just any rookie. He waited back and went with a hanging, middle-outside fastball to drive a 107 mph single out to left for his first MLB career base hit, killing two birds with one stone by also knocking in his first RBI, bringing the Sox within one, 4-3.
Now, let’s talk about that bunting again. Sure, have the Good Guys succeeded in small ball in some situations this year? Yes. Does that mean they should do it every single chance they get? No! Not once, but twice, the South Siders batted and ran themselves out of innings by attempting to execute a safety squeeze. Completely killing the rally after Montgomery’s RBI, Luisangel bunted with Meidroth on third, but it didn’t go far enough, so the catcher was able to tag Meidroth with several steps to spare.
Just a couple of innings later, the Sox once again had runners on the corners with one out, and Drew Romo laid a bunt down towards the first base side, but since Olson was already charging in, he had Grichuk dead to rights, ending with him getting tagged out in a rundown. Antonacci ended up driving a ball out to right in hopes of tying the game, but Derek Hill was thrown out at the plate, later confirmed by review. A much better situation would have been potentially not sending Hill and handing bases loaded over to Miguel Vargas — you know, the guy that hit a line drive home run just a couple of at-bats ago — but hindsight is always 20/20.
Eventually, they were able to strike with runners in scoring position. It took nine pitches, but Vargas drew a walk to leadoff the seventh, and Andrew Benintendi poked a base hit to right, allowing Miguel to advance to third. Jacob Gonzalez came through in the clutch and scored Vargas for his fifth run batted in this season, 4-4.
It’s good news that the White Sox bullpen was on point today, as the Braves didn’t score after the third until the ghost runner was in effect in the 10th. Tyler Gilbert completed the sixth for Fedde, and the seventh and eighth were clean as both Tyler Davis and Seranthony Domínguez did not give up a hit. The ninth was also solid with Grant Taylor navigating the inning with one hit given up, but keeping the game tied for the Good Guys into the bottom of the ninth. Naturally, the bats could not ignite, and to extra innings we went.
Now responsible for the ghost runner in the 10th, Grant Taylor gave up a leadoff base hit to Mauricio Dubón that allowed Atlanta to take the lead back, 5-4. Taylor was able to work through the jam even with the added pressure with the help of some much-needed defense, and the Braves’ rally ended with one run while the damage could have been way worse. On a ground ball to third from Austin Riley, Miguel Vargas made a heads-up play by throwing Dubón out at the plate, and Mike Yastrzemski flew out to give the South Siders a chance to tie or win the game.
With Benintendi starting at second in the bottom of the 10th, Gonzalez came close to tying the game with a ball down the left-field line, but it was ruled foul, and he struck out. Benintendi advanced to third on a ground out from Meidroth, bringing the White Sox down to their final out with Montgomery up to bat. The ending of this game felt magical, not only because of the drama, but because you could tell he felt confident being in this position. The moment was no match for the rookie, who checked off his first career home run and walk-off, blasting a two-run shot to the opposite field to win the game. The emotion from him, his family, the fans, hell, from me in my living room! It’s a moment that Braden, or any of us, will not be forgetting for quite some time.
Ball. Game.
He was the number two prospect for a reason, folks. It’s been one game, but the fact that he can rise to the moment against the best team in baseball might just be a glimpse into how special a player Montgomery can be. The homer also secured the second win of the season for Taylor, also giving some credit where it is due.
As Tuesday’s games come to a close, the White Sox will head into Wednesday just a half-game behind the Cleveland Guardians, who lost to the New York Yankees, allowing the Good Guys to snag a full game. I don’t think I’ve ever been happy about a Yankees win, but I will take it. And it also brings me joy to know that the Guardians are probably super annoyed upon seeing the glorious Montgomery bomb. Despite being without their best hitter and having to piecemeal the starting rotation and bullpen, they continue to fight and find ways to win, and if they can keep it up, a division title doesn’t sound so crazy after all.
CHICAGO, IL - MAY 12: Darryn Peterson looks on during the game during the 2026 NBA Draft Combine on May 12, 2026 at Wintrust Arena in Chicago, Illinois. 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 Melissa Tamez/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
On the Sean O’Connell Show, Krysten Peek joined the show to talk about all things NBA Draft, and she brought some incredible insight and intel. If you haven’t listened, make sure you do here:
If you don’t have a chance to listen, here are the different insights she brought:
Wouldn’t surprise her if AJ Dybantsa goes #1 and Darryn Peterson goes #2
Darryn Peterson is going in this week, if not already, to work out with the Utah Jazz
She says it’s like an 85-90% chance that AJ Dybantsa goes #1
The fact that nothing has been leaked from all 30 teams who have Darryn Peterson’s medicals points to him being A-okay, him being fine.
She’s a big Darryn Peterson believer, and what she knows personally about him as someone who loves basketball. If he’s not the #1 pick, he is the clear-cut pick for the Jazz at #2. He fits well with Keyonte George. Both are ultra competitors.
The Jazz brass have done an incredible job of improving players’ perception of the Utah Jazz and the city. They have brought in a lot of players to help with that and to build relationships for future opportunities to bring them on.
The White Sox prospect whacked a walk-off homer in the 10th inning on Tuesday night to send host Chicago to a 6-5 win over the Braves.
After Atlanta grabbed a 5-4 lead in the first half of extra innings, the White Sox made consecutive outs without scoring, with free runner Andrew Benintendi only moving to third base.
Montgomery, with an RBI single in the fourth inning already on his ledger, stepped in against Braves closer Raisel Iglesias with a chance to either tie or win the game.
He did the latter when he crushed a second-pitch changeup over the left field wall that bounced off of the home bullpen and into the jubilant stands of White Sox fans.
Making the game even more special, legendary sports voice Bob Costas was on play-by-play duties for Chicago Sports Network as part of a throwback broadcast.
Braden Montgomery hits a walk-off, two-run home run in the 10th inning of his MLB debut in the White Sox’s 6-5 win over the Braves on June 9, 2026 in Chicago. Getty Images
“Sends it in the air to left, it is back near the wall — it is over the wall for a game-winning home run!” Costas said. “How about that, talk about drama, talk about theater.”
Montgomery smiled around the bases as fireworks went off before his White Sox teammates piled on him at home plate, giving him a Gatorade bath to boot.
The White Sox celebrate a walk-off, two-run home run by Braden Montgomery in the 10th inning at Rate Field. Getty ImagesWhite Sox rookie Braden Montgomery celebrates after hitting a walk-off two-run home in the 10th inning of the White Sox’s win over the Braves. AP Photo/Paul Beaty
Montgomery finished his roaring debut with two hits and three RBIs.
Montgomery, the 21st overall prospect on MLB Pipeline’s Top 100, was a key piece in the trade that sent ace Garrett Crochet to the Red Sox before the 2025 season.
He hit 10 homers with a .970 OPS between Double-A and Triple-A this year before his first call-up to the South Side.
