In his first start off the injured list, Scott showed some of the same excellent stuff that has made him a bright spot in a dark season.
The 27-year-old threw one regrettable pitch — a 3-2 fastball to Bryce Harper, Scott bemoaning turning to the four-seamer a fifth time in the at-bat — that crept over the wall in left-center in the third inning for a two-run home run and otherwise was in control.
“Really solid,” interim manager Andy Green said after the 6-2 win over the Phillies at Citi Field on Saturday. “Only had so many bullets to fire today, and he was good outside of one swing from Bryce Harper.”
Scott, who had not pitched in a little over two weeks because of a hip contusion, lasted 82 pitches in 4 ¹/₃ innings in which he let up just those two runs on three hits and two walks while striking out six.
The righty, who had missed all of last season because of Tommy John surgery, induced 17 swings-and-misses while leaning particularly on his sweeper and four-seamer.
Christian Scott throws a pitch during the Mets’ 6-2 win over the Phillies on June 27, 2026 at Citi Field. Robert Sabo for New York Post
“I feel great,” said Scott, who owns a 3.20 ERA and looks like a fixture in this rotation for years to come. “Felt like I attacked the zone pretty well for the most part. Just established my offspeed stuff early in the game and then kind of just rode the wave off of that.”
Zach Thornton’s reward for an excellent start — the kind the Mets are in desperate need of — was an immediate trip back to Triple-A Syracuse.
The Mets optioned the young starting pitcher, who had held the Phillies to one run while striking out seven in six innings Friday, to create roster space for Scott.
Including Scott, the Mets — who have Kodai Senga pitching out of the bullpen and have traded David Peterson — have four starting pitchers.
But they nonetheless demoted Thornton in large part because they have nine innings to cover Sunday without a true starting pitcher (Cionel Pérez will start) in a bullpen game that could feature Kodai Senga.
Rather than removing a reliever from the group ahead of a game in which the bullpen will be taxed — and with an off day Thursday, meaning that a fifth starter (or bullpen game) will not be needed again until July 7 — Thornton received some difficult news the day after his second and best major league start.
“He definitely did well [Friday],” Green said. “It was conveyed to him. Oftentimes these things are just roster decisions that keep your bullpen viable as you go through stretches.”
The 24-year-old Thornton, who began his season at Double-A Binghamton and earned a promotion after just five starts, has been a bright spot in a farm system that has not seen enough breakouts this season.
Top prospects Jonah Tong (5.95 ERA) and Jack Wenninger (6.67 ERA in his past seven starts) have struggled with Syracuse.
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Green said he expects “to see Zach back here.”
“He needs to go dominate what’s in front of him and continue to be professional,” Green said, “and I thought it was a tremendous outing from him [Friday].”
Jorge Polanco went 0-for-3 with a strikeout in the start of another rehab assignment, one that the Mets hope will end differently than the last.
The veteran, who arrived on a two-year, $40 million contract, served as Syracuse’s DH Saturday for the first time since June 5, when his rehab assignment was paused due to ankle soreness.
Polanco originally was placed on the injured list with a wrist contusion April 15 but also has been dealing with Achilles bursitis.
The Mets have said that if Polanco makes it back to the majors, he will be playing through ankle discomfort.
CLEVELAND, OH - NOVEMBER 21: Tamar Bates #7 of the Grand Rapids Gold dribbles the ball during the game against the Cleveland Charge on November 21, 2025 at Cleveland Public Auditorium in Cleveland, Ohio. 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 2025 NBAE (Photo by Lauren Leigh Bacho/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Utah Jazz have a lot of signings happening for the upcoming Summer League and offseason. Here’s a list of everything they’ve been up to.
Utah Jazz sign Tamar Bates to two-way deal.
According to Michael Scott, the Jazz signed Tamar Bates to a two-way deal.
Sources: The Utah Jazz plan to sign Tamar Bates to a two-way deal. He was sidelined with a foot injury as a two-way rookie for the Nuggets after averaging 19.5 points on 55% overall and 44% from 3-point range, 4.4 boards, 2.3 assists, and 1.5 steals in the G League last season. pic.twitter.com/hdQHMz6S7d
Scotto mentioned that Bates was sidelined with a foot injury as a rookie for the Nuggets, where he averaged 19.5 points with great percentages in the G League (55% overall and 44% from three).
Bates stands 6’4″ and weighed in at 195 pounds at the Draft Combine. He also measured a 6’10.25″ wingspan. Those are the types of measurements and percentages that are worth investing time in.
Utah Jazz sign Micah Handlogten to Exhibit-10 deal
Micah Handlogten is the son of Ben Handlogten, who played for the Utah Jazz in the early 2000s. Handlogten stands 7’1″ and played four years in college, the last three seasons for Florida. It’s just an Exhibit-10 deal, so he may be playing for Utah in the Summer League, but you never know when a player might show more. It’s mildly interesting when you consider the Walker Kessler situation that continues to develop, but it’s more just needing players for offseason training and possibly summer league.
Kyle Filipowski will wear #2 for the Utah Jazz
Filipowski obviously gave Darryn Peterson the #22 jersey, and Peterson mentioned that he had to give something to get it. We’ll probably never know. But it was a great gesture by Kessler to be willing to give that up. It’s not always something a player would be willing to do.
Jun 27, 2026; Anaheim, California, USA; Athletics catcher Jonah Heim (15) is greeted by teammates after hitting a home run during the second inning against the Los Angeles Angels at Angel Stadium. Mandatory Credit: William Liang-Imagn Images | William Liang-Imagn Images
The Athletics took on the Los Angeles Angels, looking to win their third straight game and wrap up this interdivisional series victory with a game to spare. Much like the last time these two pitchers squared off, the Angels scored multiple late runs to break a tie game and earn a 5-2 victory. The A’s finished the night 1-8 with RISP, lost another player to injury and saw Max Muncy’s struggles at third base prove costly once again.
Heim Time!
With one out in the second, A’s catcher Jonah Heim sent the first pitch he saw from Detmers 445 feet to center field. His seventh home run of the season, a birthday blast, put the visitors ahead 1-0 after the first two innings of this matchup.
In the bottom of the third inning, A’s left fielder Tyler Soderstrom exited the game with left hip soreness. Right fielder Colby Thomas switched to left field, while Lawrence Butler entered to play right. The ball immediately found Thomas in his new position. He made a nice diving catch on a sinking line drive for the third out of the inning.
Athletics’ designated hitter Shea Langeliers led off the fourth by drawing a walk. Butler lined a single to left, advancing Langeliers 90 feet. The rally stopped there as Detmers escaped the jam by retiring the next three hitters he faced. The Angels southpaw recorded eight strikeouts through his first four innings of work.
Angels Take the Lead
Perkins walked the first batter he faced in the fourth inning. Then Jorge Soler singled, putting runners on second and third with no outs.
With one out, Angels’ right fielder Jo Adell hit a ball down the left field line that Thomas misplayed, allowing Adell to reach third base and driving in both runners to give the Angels a 2-1 lead. Perkins got out of the inning without allowing any more runs as the Angels failed to bring Adell home.
Detmers quickly got his team back to the plate, throwing a seven-pitch fifth inning to maintain the hosts’ one-run advantage. Perkins matched his counterpart, keeping his team’s deficit at one.
Thomas Redeems Himself
Nick Kurtz singled and then Butler walked to give the Athletics two base runners with one out in the sixth. Thomas hit a two-out RBI single to left, scoring Kurtz to tie the game at two and end Detmers’ outing. The game-tying hit snapped Thomas’ 0-for-19 skid.
Angels’ right-handed reliever Chase Silseth relieved Detmers. He struck out Muncy to end the inning, stranding the two inherited runners and keeping the game tied.
Perkins’ night was done after five innings. He allowed two runs on four hits and one walk, while recording five strikeouts and inducing six flyouts in what was arguably his best outing as a starter this season. Right-hander Justin Sterner entered out of the Athletics’ bullpen and pitched a scoreless sixth inning, wiggling out of some two-out trouble.
Muncy Having A Bad Night
The Angels took the lead in the bottom of the seventh against A’s reliever Geoff Hartlieb. With two outs and a runner on third, Los Angeles third baseman Denver Guzman hit a ground ball that rolled under his counterpart Muncy’s glove and into left field. Josh Lowe scored the go-ahead run on what should have been the third out of the inning.
Not the A’s Night
Down 3-2, the A’s looked to mount another comeback in the eighth inning. They put two runners on with one out against Angels hard-throwing reliever Sam Bachman. Heim walked to load the bases, putting the tying run 90 feet away.
Bachman kept his team in the lead by striking out pinch-hitter Carlos Cortes before retiring Muncy to end the threat. The inning may have played out differently if Thomas had taken the at-bat instead of the slumping Cortes.
The Athletics failure to capitalize on that prime scoring opportunity kept the momentum firmly in the Angels’ dugout. The hosts added insurance runs in the eighth. Infielder Oswald Peraza hit a one-out RBI single off A’s left-hander Matt Krook. Logan O’Hoppe followed with an RBI single up the middle to extend his team’s lead to 5-2.
Angels closer Kirby Yates tossed a one-two-three ninth inning to earn his second save of the season and set up the rubber match tomorrow afternoon.
Seeking the series win, the Athletics will turn to right-hander Aaron Civale, who will make his 14th start of the season and third since returning from the injured list. The Angels will counter with young left-hander Sam Aldegheri, who is 2-3 with a 5.47 ERA through his first seven appearances, including four starts, this season.
The Dodgers' Kyle Tucker is showered with sunflower seeds tossed by Andy Pages after Tucker hit a two-run home run against the Padres Saturday in San Diego. (Tony Ding / Associated Press)
The Dodgers’ sixth-inning rally, en route to a 15-3 victory against the Padres at Petco Park Saturday, featured blasts from the two hitters who needed individual victories at the plate.
Tucker, who entered Saturday with just a .700 OPS, had gone four straight games without a hit. Rushing went hitless in the previous five, in a rough seven-week stretch.
“It’s tough,” Tucker said of his uncharacteristically slow offensive start. “You just have to try and stay positive as much as you can. ... We’re going to enjoy the win, but you’ve got another game tomorrow, and you’ve gotta move on to that. Anything that happened yesterday, you’ve got to move on, do your best at that, move on to the next game, and try to improve and try to help your team win.”
Tucker and Rushing’s home runs started the sunflower seed showers in a nine-run inning, which included a home run by Mookie Betts. Four of the runs scored in the sixth were unearned.
The Dodgers' Dalton Rushing celebrates with Alex Freeland after hitting a home run against the Padres Saturday in San Diego. (Tony Ding / Ap Photo/tony Ding)
The Dodgers took full advantage of the Padres’ defensive mistakes to jump-start their offense.
In the second inning, Max Muncy hit a line drive into the corner, and Padres right fielder Fernando Tatis Jr. dove after it. But he missed the catch, and the ball bounced behind him. Muncy legged out a triple. And that put him in position to score easily on Tommy Edman’s double to the center-field warning track for the first run of the game.
The Padres evened the score with a Gavin Sheets’ solo home run off Dodgers starter Yoshinobu Yamamoto, who’d go on to limit the Padres to two runs through six innings.
Shaky defense, however, came back to haunt the Padres the next inning.
With Freddie Freeman standing on second base, after a leadoff double against Padres right-hander Randy Vásquez, Muncy hit a sharp grounder to second baseman Will Wagner, who muffed the play. Freeman raced around the bases, scoring on a close play at the plate.
Then Edman, who’s been swinging a hot bat since making his season debut last week, tripled to drive in Muncy.
That’s when Tucker, who went three for five with four RBIs Saturday, stepped up to the plate. He won a nine-pitch battle, sending a cutter over the right-field fence.
“Kind of been looking for it all year,” Tucker said. “I just kind of caught the ball at the right point of contact. I didn’t really stay through it great, but I put a decent enough swing on it, got it to work out.”
Rushing was next, and also went long in a two-strike count.
The Dodgers kept extending the inning, with two walks and three more hits, including Betts’ three-run homer off Padres reliever Ron Marinaccio. It was Betts’ third home run in as many games.
The Padres chipped away at the lead with an RBI single from Sheets off Yamamoto in the sixth and another run against Dodgers reliever Kyle Hurt, who gave up two hits and issued two walks in one-third of an inning.
But the lead the Dodgers compiled in the sixth inning, plus the four runs they tacked on in the eighth with Muncy’s infield single, Edman’s bases-loaded groundout, and Tucker’s opposite-field single, was too steep to overcome.
By the ninth inning, both teams had position players pitching.
The Dodgers hope to activate Teoscar Hernández (strained left hamstring) from the 10-day injured list on Monday, manager Dave Roberts said before Saturday’s game.
Hernández homered in all three of his triple-A rehab games, entering Saturday.
“Triple-A pitching is not comparative to big league pitching, I think we all know that,” Roberts said. “But if he’s healthy, he’s an easy guy to bet on.”
Catcher Will Smith, on the other hand, has not returned to baseball activities since receiving an injection to address his neck injury.
“I think we’re all surprised how long it’s taken,” Roberts said. “I hope he’s back before the All-Star break. But the more time he’s off, he’s going to have to play some [rehab] games. So that kind of cuts into the time of return to us. So I don’t really know. I don’t want to add any pressure to him. I want him to be healthy and then once he’s healthy we can have that conversation.”
Diamondbacks first baseman Carlos Santana (41) during a spring training game against the Brewers at Salt River Fields on March 20, 2026. | Patrick Breen/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
The Braves’ starting pitching has been absolutely abysmal in June, after being much maligned in the offseason for lack of depth, but surprisingly productive to start the season. It really is “Chris Sale and pray” right now, which is a bigger problem when Sale performs best on extra rest and the offense is struggling. It looked like the Braves might have been able to skate by on their pitching depth to start the season, but injuries (that were always likely to happen) and Bryce Elder crashing back to Earth has rapidly turned this into a crisis. All the wins the team banked to start the season feel even bigger now as the team flounders due to injuries and underperformance.
Jun 27, 2026; San Diego, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers right fielder Kyle Tucker (23) is congratulated by catcher Dalton Rushing (68) and second baseman Tommy Edman (25) after hitting a two-run home run during the sixth inning against the San Diego Padres at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: Denis Poroy-Imagn Images | Denis Poroy-Imagn Images
The Dodgers scored only twice in the first 14 innings of this weekend series at Petco Park. But then they erupted for a nine-run sixth inning to blow things open in a 15-3 win over the San Diego Padres on Saturday night.
Freddie Freeman hit another double — his fourth in five games on the road trip, and 568th of his career — and Tommy Edman tripled to get things going in the sixth, but then three home runs provided a huge cushion.
Kyle Tucker missed nearly three full games with back spasms this week but in reality has been missing for about a month, hitting just .181/.277/.281 with a 60 wRC+ over 25 games from May 25 through Friday. On Saturday he had three hits, including a two-run home run and a two-run single.
Dalton Rushing immediately followed with a solo shot, then Mookie Betts hit a three-run shot to cap the scoring in the frame, his third game in a row with a home run.
The Dodgers hadn’t scored nine runs in an inning since 2021, but they’ve now done it three times in their laast 19 games — nine-run first inning on June 6 against the Angels, 10 runs in the seventh on June 9 in Pittsburgh, then a nine-run sixth Saturday in San Diego.
Through six innings, this was only a 1-1 game, and the kind of support Yoshinobu Yamamoto has been used to over the last few years. But the eruption in the sixth was probably the only reason he wasn’t asked to go out for a seventh inning. He settled for two runs over six innings with four strikeouts, the 13th time in 15 starts Yamamoto has lasted at least six frames.
James Taussig blasted two home runs, including a grand slam in Winston-Salem’s 13-1 win. | (Photo by David Buono/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Rochester Red Wings 3, Charlotte Knights 1 The Knights (44-36) scored one early in the bottom of the first but weren’t able to scratch another across, losing to the Red Wings (48-30), 3-1. Dru Baker led off the first with a double (his first of three hits on the day) and scored just a couple of batters later when Michael Turner drove him in on a base hit to right. After that, however, the offense fell completely flat, going 1-for-12 with runners in scoring position while leaving seven on base.
Rochester only had one more hit than Charlotte, 6-5, but they were able to tag Knights starter Shane Murphy for three runs on four hits, three walks, and six strikeouts. Overall the bullpen was fairly strong, as Zach Franklin and Garrett Schoenle adding another three scoreless innings, with Franklin ringing up three batters in his two innings. Murphy still ended up with the loss, as there was no comeback to be happening in Charlotte tonight.
Knoxville Smokies 7, Birmingham Barons 3 Birmingham was ahead of the Smokies (43-31) through seven innings, but the Barons (26-48) blew the lead in the eighth with a seven-run defensive implosion, dropping their eighth game in a row, 7-3. Tossing six scoreless frames with six strikeouts, righthander Dylan Cumming allowed just three hits and one walk, and was set up nicely to get the win, but unfortunately a few errors and six unearned runs were the difference there. The Barons scored one in the second on an RBI single from T.J. McCants, and the final two runs in the seventh off a sac fly from Alec Briley and another base hit from Anthony DePino to make it 3-0.
That’s when everything went haywire in the eighth, and it took three relievers just to get through it. A pair of singles set everything in motion, but a fielding error from Colby Shelton and a throwing error from Jackson Kelley, six of the seven runs that inning ended up being unearned. Kelley wound up with the loss and the blown save, his first of each this season, and the Barons will roll into Sunday in hopes to avoid the sweep and end the losing streak.
Winston-Salem Dash 13, Hub City Spartanburgers 1 The Dash (42-32) got off to a hot start to redeem themselves from Friday’s extra-inning loss, scoring seven in the first four frames before piling on six more later in the game to complete the beatdown over the Spartanburgers (37-37), 13-1. Wikelman González was the opener for lefthander Grant Umberger, making his third rehab start since coming back from the IL to eventually make his way back to the Triple-A Knights. González was spotless for 1 1/3 innings, striking out one before handing the game over to Umberger. He was just as solid, tossing for 5 2/3 innings while allowing one on three hits and a walk while striking out three – thankfully the only run scored for Hub City.
Winston-Salem’s bats started to get going as well, mashing 16 hits as a team while going 6-for-19 (.316) with runners in scoring position, still leaving 14 on base even with all those runs scored. Three of the 16 hits were for extra bases, but the Dash also walked 12 times against 11 strikeouts. James Taussig has adjusted perfectly fine to the next level, already mashing six homers in 15 games; including two more tonight with a grand slam and five RBIs. All while holding a .655 slugging percentage and a 1.049 OPS. It’s a smaller sample size (58 at-bats), but he’s also driven in 14 and has walked 11 times, helping to keep his on-base percentage closer to .400.
Nearly everyone got at least one hit for the Dash, but Ryan Burrowes, Boston Smith, and George Wolkow also drove in two runs apiece, and six of the nine batters in the lineup had two or more hits. It was a well-rounded win for Winston-Salem, as the rest of the pitching staff was excellent, only giving up one more hit, walking one, and striking out three in the final two stanzas.
Kannapolis Cannon Ballers 4,Columbia Fireflies1 Snapping a four-game losing streak, the Cannon Ballers (36-38) pitching was elite and allowed just one run while the bats prevailed to defeat the Fireflies (38-36), 4-1. The only blemish from the pitchers was a solo home run off of Caedmon Parker in the second, but the righty otherwise gave up only two other hits and struck out three in his five innings. It took a few innings for the Kannapolis offense to really get rolling, but they continuously failed on their opportunities with runners in scoring position: 0-for-9 with nine left on base. Thankfully, the Fireflies assisted with the first run for the Ballers, as a throwing error conceded a run in the third to tie the game at one.
The three Kanny bullpen arms yielded one hit each and combined for two walks and seven strikeouts in the final four frames. Righthander Ryan Schiefer wound up with the win after a strong two-inning outing, thanks to a two-run Matthrew Boughton home run in the seventh that gave the Ballers a 3-1 lead. An RBI groundout from Leandro Alsinois added one more insurance run in the eighth, and Marco Barrios was able to record his fifth save of the season.
ACL Rangers 12, ACL White Sox 4 The ACL Sox (12-29) put up eight hits but couldn’t capitalize with runners and scoring position (1-for-7) while striking out 13 times as a team in their loss to the ACL Rangers (18-23), 12-4. Lefthander Christian Oppor has had a rough year thus far, holding a 9.87 ERA in 14 games (13 starts) with a steep 2.39 WHIP, and ended up with his sixth loss of the season Saturday. Oppor gave up two runs on two hits, but his command was all over the place with two wild pitches and four walks, only striking out two in comparison. The bullpen wasn’t much better, surrendering six in the fourth and another four in the sixth, but we can give the hat tip to righthander Marcelo Valladares, who was the only reliever not to allow any runs or walks with a clean, hitless frame. Jordan Rich and Yordani Soto each posted multi-hit days, with Soto mashing a two-bagger and a home run, though D’Angelo Tejada led the team with two runs batted in.
DSL Cubs Red 11, DSL White Sox 6 Despite holding a one-run lead after three, a defensive implosion in the bottom of the fourth allowed the DSL Cubs Red squad (12-8) to put up a seven-spot, ultimately leading to beating the DSL White Sox (5-15), 11-6. The Sox had tallied one more hit than the Cubs, 7-6, but righthander Erlyn Lauriano floundered with four walks, a balk, wild pitch, a hit batter, and just one single, leading to seven runs though just four were earned. The Good Guys attempted the comeback while scoring four in the fifth, but the bats stopped there and the bullpen let up another three anyways. Orlando Patino was the offensive standout for the Sox, going 2-for-3 with two doubles, a walk, and three batted in.
For at least half an inning Saturday night, the Los Angeles Dodgers reminded everyone why they were complaining about them all winter. They displayed how dangerous they are and sent a message to the National League that they are the team to beat.
Los Angeles erupted for nine runs in the sixth inning at Petco Park, blowing open what had been a tight 2-1, rivalry game and rolling to a 10-2 lead.
The outburst tied the Dodgers' biggest inning of the season. They scored nine in the first inning against the Angels earlier this month, surpassing their six-run inning against the Cubs on April 25. Saturday's version was all the sweeter since it was against their division rival.
The inning showcased just how much firepower the two-time defending champions have.
Mookie Betts launched a three-run homer and Kyle Tucker added a two-run shot. Tommy Edman doubled and tripled and drove in two. Max Muncy and Freddie Freeman piled on with extra-base hits as the Dodgers batted around against three San Diego pitchers. By the time the inning ended, Los Angeles had 11 hits and the Padres bullpen was searching for help.
Mookie Betts makes it a nine run inning for the Dodgers!
Padres starter Randy Vasquez took the brunt of it before the rally fully ignited, charged with seven runs in 3⅓ innings. San Diego's pitching surrendered seven extra-base hits on the night.
The Dodgers went into Saturday night's game with the best record in baseball and an eight game lead over the Padres in the National League West.
ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — The Orlando Magic waived Jonathan Isaac on Saturday, ending the former first-round pick's injury-shortened time with the team.
The Magic took Isaac with the No. 6 pick in the 2017 draft. After playing in 75 games in 2018-19 in a promising second season, the 6-foot-10 forward tore his left ACL in August 2020 during the NBA's restart and missed the next two seasons while recovering from surgery.
Isaac played in 52 games this season, averaging 2.6 points and 2.5 rebounds in 10 minutes per game. He didn't appear in Orlando's first-round playoff series against Detroit because of a left knee strain.
Isaac appeared in 328 games for the Magic, averaging 6.8 points, 4.5 rebounds and 1.2 blocks. He is sixth on Orlando's career blocked shots list with 391.
Jun 27, 2026; San Francisco, California, USA; Atlanta Braves starting pitcher Bryce Elder (55) throws a pitch against the San Francisco Giants during the first inning at Oracle Park. Mandatory Credit: Robert Edwards-Imagn Images | Robert Edwards-Imagn Images
On May 22, Bryce Elder completed six innings against the Washington Nationals to lower his ERA on the season to 1.97. His FIP sat at a reasonable 3.31 and even his 3.84 xFIP was totally palatable.
Flash forward to Saturday night — a span of six starts — and after surrendering five more runs to the San Francisco Giants over four innings, Elder’s ERA now sits at 4.01 on the season. His ERA over those six starts is north of 10.
Elder was bad, the bats were lifeless again, and the Braves fell to the Giants 5-0 on Saturday night at Oracle Park.
Rafael Devers, who transforms into Barry Bonds against the Braves, hit a solo homer in the second inning and a three-run homer that clanked off the foul pole to make it 5-0. And that, as they say, was that.
Atlanta had one hit, a double from Mauricio Dubon early. They walked three times. Logan Webb and the San Francisco bullpen cruised after the first two innings.
The lone bright spot was Grant Holmes, who was superb in relief of Elder for four innings. He allowed just one hit, walked none and struck out four. We’ll see what Walt Weiss decided to do with the rotation next week.
Chris Sale will try to win the series on Sunday afternoon. He’ll be opposed by Robbie Ray, who mowed the Braves down last week. First pitch is 4:05 p.m. ET as the Braves play their final west coast game of the season.
BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - JUNE 26: James Wood #29 of the Washington Nationals is tagged out at home plate in the fourth inning by Samuel Basallo #29 of the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on June 26, 2026 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Greg Fiume/Getty Images) | Getty Images
It was not pretty in the slightest, but the Washington Nationals are back in the win column. They eked out a 4-3 win in extra innings. Foster Griffin was brilliant, and they bounced back from yet another bullpen collapse to get the job done. When a hero was needed, Justin Lawrence stepped up in the top of the 10th to get a monster save.
Scoring was tough to come by in this contest. Both starting pitchers were excellent. Brandon Young of the O’s was getting a ton of swings and misses tonight. He got 23 whiffs in only 5 innings, which is a huge number. His splitter was really fooling Nats hitters. However, the approach of the offense left a lot to be desired tonight even accounting for Young’s sharp stuff.
However, Foster Griffin was even better than Young. Griffin had a laborious first two innings of work, throwing over 50 pitches. He got the efficiency under control as the game went on though, getting through 7 innings without allowing an earned run. Griffin had big time strikeout stuff early in the game, getting 8 K’s in 3 innings. Down the stretch though, Griffin relied more on soft contact, showing how versatile he is as a pitcher.
Watching Foster Griffin pitch is such a joy to watch. He is not going to blow anyone away, but he has so many different pitches and pinpoint command. In Griffin’s last inning of work, he did not throw a single 4-seamer or sinker. You are truly going to see the kitchen sink from Foster, and it has been working so well for him.
Earlier in the season, there is no chance that Blake Butera would put Griffin out for the 7th inning with his pitch count nearly at 100. However, Griffin has earned the managers trust, and well the bullpen has not.
The boys did not give Griffin a ton of run support, but they did scratch across a few runs. Luis Garcia Jr. continued his monster month of June, hitting a mammoth homer at 114 MPH. That was the hardest hit ball of Garcia’s career and it flew out into the street.
At 114.0 mph, this was the hardest hit ball of Luis García Jr.'s career. It was also García Jr.'s 11th home run since May 22, the second-most in the National League during that span. pic.twitter.com/xL2lqi35BR
— Nationals Communications (@NationalsComms) June 28, 2026
This has been the best month of Luis Garcia’s career, particularly from a power standpoint. He has hit 9 homers this month and 11 since May 22nd. Early in Garcia’s career, that is the number of homers he would hit in a season. However, he has really grown into his frame and has become a true contact and power threat. He already has 14 homers this year, closing in on his career high of 18.
When Griffin exited the game, the score was 3-1, but the Nats bullpen did their thing again. This time it was Orlando Ribalta’s turn to blow it. He was tasked with coming in the game with 1 on and two outs. Ribalta proceeded to throw back to back meatballs to Pete Alonso and Samuel Basallo, and just like that the game was tied.
Clayton Beeter actually looked very sharp in the 9th, which sent the game to extras. In a bullpen filled with guys who are just flat out bad, Beeter is an interesting case. He is one of the few guys who has the stuff to dominate hitters. However, his erratic command makes him impossible to fully trust. Tonight we saw the best of Beeter, pounding the zone and finishing guys off with his slider. He is a Jekyll and Hyde reliever, which is more than you can say about most of these guys.
In the 10th, the Nats struck right away with Daylen Lile driving home the ghost runner. Jorbit Vivas got on with his third hit of the night. However, with guys on first and second with nobody out, Blake Butera elected not to bunt with Nasim Nunez, who struck out. The inning really fizzled out after that.
Daylen Lile grips and rips it to capitalize with the ghost runner in the 10th inning! pic.twitter.com/K5l3PYu76m
With Justin Lawrence coming on, with the ghost runner at second, it felt like the best case was a tied game, and a walkoff felt likely. Lawrence buckled down though. He got a ground out to start the inning, but that allowed the tying run to get to third. After that Lawrence got another ground ball, which CJ Abrams made a nice play on to nab the runner at home.
At that point things felt good, but this is the Nationals bullpen after all, so they had to make things interesting. The debuting Lawrence gave up a hit to Gunnar Henderson and walked Pete Alonso. However, the sidearmer got yet another ground ball and the game was over. The Nats finally snapped their brutal four game losing streak, with a reliever on the mound who was not in the organization when this streak started. For a bullpen that is searching for answers, that feels quite fitting. The Nats are back to .500 and got a much needed curly W.
PHOENIX, ARIZONA - APRIL 03: Carlos Santana #41 of the Arizona Diamondbacks catches a throw against the Atlanta Braves at Chase Field on April 03, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Norm Hall/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Jeff Passan of ESPN reports that the Atlanta Braves are adding long-time big league first baseman Carlos Santana on a minor league deal. Santana, 40, was release by the Arizona Diamondbacks last week.
Veteran first baseman Carlos Santana and the Atlanta Braves are in agreement on a minor league contract, sources tell ESPN. Santana, 40, will head to Triple-A, where he provides insurance for Atlanta and can try to get back to the big leagues after being released by Arizona.
Santana made his big league debut with Cleveland in 2010 and the switch-hitter was known for becoming a highly-effective defender while drawing a ton of walk. He has 335 career home runs with a .351 OBP but has bounced around a lot in recent years. He missed time with injury this season, appearing in only eight games, with two hits in 24 at bats.
Santana will head to Gwinnett to provide depth. With Rowdy Tellez on the big league roster, but unlikely to hold a roster spot, there’s a chance Tellez will be claimed or dealt to another team – like Arizona – who needs first base help.
The Sneaker Reporter, Travis Singleton, joins Two Words: Wolves Pod to break down the Minnesota Timberwolves trading away Naz Reid to the Charlotte Hornets for LaMelo Ball, as well as the Wolves drafting Isaiah Evans with the 33rd pick, and much more.
— Naz Reid was and will remain a Timberwolves legend. He stands out as the franchise’s greatest developmental player and is as beloved an athlete as has ever been with the Timberwolves and in the state of Minnesota.
— Reid became a cult hero of sorts for Minnesotans and Wolves fans, spawning lasting memories including a beach towel night, $20 tattoos, a sign in front of a pizza place imploring people to honk if they love Naz Reid, and the name of this podcast.
— In exchange for Reid and a bunch of draft capital, including the team’s 2033 first-round pick, the Wolves received LaMelo Ball to pair in the back court with Anthony Edwards.
— While there are questions about Ball’s ability to play on a winning team, how dedicated he will be on the defensive end of the court, and whether or not the Wolves can keep him healthy, there is no denying Ball’s talent and skill, which are a perfect fit on this Wolves roster
— After trading both Reid and Julius Randle, the Timberwolves are now without a power forward. Finding one with the little financial flexibility Minnesota has left will likely be the focus of the rest of the offseason.
— The Wolves were excited about the opportunity to draft Evans early in the second round of the NBA Draft. Timberwolves General Manager Matt Lloyd said the team was attempting to draft Evans late in the first round before their pick moved back, and they were glad to see the 6-foot-6 guard from Duke fall to them with the 33rd pick.
Jun 27, 2026; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Colorado Rockies designated hitter Hunter Goodman (15) celebrates with teammates after hitting his second home run of the game against Minnesota Twins starting pitcher Mike Paredes (53) in the third inning at Target Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Blewett-Imagn Images | Matt Blewett-Imagn Images
On the back of three Hunter Goodman homers, the Colorado Rockies put up another eight runs tonight, and this time, it was enough to take home the victory.
Colorado’s #3-hitting DH earned five RBI on the night, popping two homers off starter Mike Paredes, who went a career-best 5.1 innings, then one more off Kody Funderburk. Marco Raya, who pitched the final two frames, gave up a dinger of his own to Kyle Karros. Goodman’s splits are fascinating, as the man who calls Coors Field home has actually fared much better in other ballparks:
Home: .193/.276/.393 (56 wRC+)
Road: .281/.335/.614 (156 wRC+)
Former Twin Willi Castro went 0-for-5; no other former Twins made it into the game. And current Twins? Well, let’s get into it.
Paredes’ start was perfectly fine, as he allowed eight hits but held the Colorado lineup to three runs across nearly six innings. While he didn’t walk anybody, he only generated two strikeouts. Meanwhile, Kody Clemens continued a nice stretch with another early RBI, singling in Trevor Larnach in the first inning; Larnach had three hits including his 14th double of the year, a bases-clearing double in the bottom of the ninth.
Taylor Rogers lowered his ERA to 6.16.
With the series split, the Twins will need to take Sunday’s game to avoid a mega-dud of a homestand a week after a hugely successful road trip. As is the case with almost anything in life, we’re just gonna have to see what happens.
For just the 11th time this season, Francisco Lindor and Juan Soto played in the same game for the Mets in Saturday’s 6-2 win over the Philadelphia Phillies and it was both of their contributions that led New York to a comeback victory and snap an ugly seven-game losing streak.
Down 2-0 in the bottom of the sixth inning with not much to show for offensively, Soto got things started with a single to right field. Bo Bichette followed with a single of his own to put runners on first and second for Lindor, who was playing in just his third game since returning from the injured list and who had been 1-for-11.
The shortstop came through, though, ripping a liner down the first-base line, under the glove of first baseman Bryce Harper, for a two-run triple that got the Mets on the board and tied the game.
The hit was Lindor’s first real test on the bases after straining his left calf in April and he handled it with aplomb, easily reaching third base and celebrating with the team’s spider web gesture that was created while he was on the bench. Lindor credited the trainers for getting him healthy enough to be able to sprint to third base once again, although he admitted he’s reaching an age where stopping at second might be preferred.
“The older I get, the more triples I’m getting, I don’t like it. I want more doubles,” he joked. “But no, it felt good. The trainers have done a really good job of prepping me, getting me ready for this and I felt good. I’m in a good spot.”
The inning continued with back-to-back walks by Jared Young and Mark Vientos to load the bases for A.J. Ewing and the rookie wasted no time, jumping on the first pitch and hitting it sharply up the middle past the drawn-in infield to drive in two more runs and give New York its first lead in three days after a four-run inning.
But the Mets weren’t done. An inning later Carson Benge, another rookie, led off with a single for his second hit of the night before Soto hit a triple to drive him in and match Lindor. Bichette’s sac fly was the icing on the cake offensively while New York’s bullpen threw 4.2 scoreless innings in relief of Christian Scott who looked good in his first start off the IL.
“It’s fantastic, it was great,” Lindor said about the win. “To see quality at-bats from the starting lineup all the way to the end is really good. And then seeing the bullpen continue to do what they’ve been doing… It was a great baseball game for us today.”
The great game by the Mets served as a reminder of what the team was supposed to look like all year before injuries and inconsistencies took hold of them.
“I think that’s what everybody was hoping to see repetitively all summer long. It’s good to see it out there today,” said interim manager Andy Green, who got his first win as manager of the Mets, his first in six years.
Lindor shared similar thoughts about the team and what they were supposed to look like this season, praising David Stearns for the job he did in the offseason and chalking up the disappointing year to injuries.
“Like I said outside, I felt like Stearns did a good job of putting the team together, we just haven’t been together, we just haven’t played together and now that we’re slowly getting healthy, little by little, hopefully this next however many games we can play together and make something special out of it,” he said.
Regardless of what happens for the Mets over the next three months, Green will be the one leading them after the firing of Carlos Mendoza. Green’s last stint as a manager came in 2019 with the San Diego Padres where he went 274-366 in four seasons.
Green talked about getting his first win after such a long time, but ultimately lauded his players for their role in getting it done for him.
“Wins are fun,” he said. “It’s not about me in that situation, it’s about the team and winning as a group is fun and playing whatever part you play in that, that’s fun. I think a lot of guys did a lot of really good things today. It was a cool team win where you could just talk about a bunch of different guys. Those are fun games.”
